Don’t Give Up!

November 10, 2009 in Youth Ministry, faith, marriage | Tags: | Leave a comment

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.- Galatians 6:9   NLT

In ministry, in our jobs, in our marriages, and in life we get to the point where we just want to give up. We tire of doing good. We lose focus and need reminded to press on. I love this verse in Galatians. Through out his writings, Paul tells us that following Jesus will be hard but that we have a great reward at the end of our lives. I needed reminded of this today. I just been bummed but God met me in Scripture and lifted my heart. What I suffer here in this life won’t compare to the joy I’ll have on that great day when I see Jesus face to face. So, Don’t give up! He’s worth it! I know your tired and beat, but he’ll meet you there and will help you up. Just come to him with your hurts. Joy is only found in him.

When Running Is Fighting

October 27, 2009 in Youth Ministry, faith, marriage | Tags: | Leave a comment

22Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.-2 Timothy 2:22 (NLT)

     Temptation comes to us all. We all have those temptations that are so powerful in our lives, if we are not careful, we will give in to them and fall into sin. Therefore, stay away from what or who you know tempts you. And when you find yourself right in the middle of a temptation to sin, Run!  Yeah, Run! Get out of the situation! When tempted God will provide a way out. When he does, we need to take it.

13The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are htempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.- 1 Corinthians 10:13

      God has given us  weapons to beat temptation such as His Word, Prayer, Worship, and community. But there will be times when temptation is so strong that all he wants us to do is get away. Turn the tv off, get off the computer, or get out of a conversation. Just Run!  Look at the Story of Joseph and the Potiphar’s wife:

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man,7and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

8But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household.9No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great bsin against God.”10She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible.11One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work.12She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.-Genesis 39:6-10

    Like Joseph, we will find ourself in the middle of temptation and we need to respond like he did. He knew sleeping with her was a sin against God, and when the heat got too hot he didn’t debate her about if it right or wrong. He ran. He left with his integrity in tact, even though she would go on to lie about the situation. So, there will be times when running is the best way to fight temptation. And I’ll end with this point: Don’t go through this life without community. We are called to walk this Christian life together. I’m learning this for myself. We stand a better chance against sin when we have a group of people around us loving us and holding us accountable. Ask yourself some tough questions like:

What do I need to Stay away or run from?

Do I have people in my corner helping me fight the good fight of faith?

 Remember these words : Run! Run! Run!

Love God, Hate Religion

October 2, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

The Great Commandment

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.-Mark 12:28:34

       God desires that all that we are to be centered on Him. He wants a all out devoted heart that loves God, and his fellow man. The Lord does not want religion.  Notice that Jesus tells the scribe to Love God. Also notice how he doesn’t say you must read only the King James Bible, you must wear a suit when at church, hey new guy take off that hat, your in church, no tattoos, or that crazy rock music.  In over 2000 years how did we get from a simple, but perplexing command from Jesus, to man trying to control people with religion?  I’m learning that  we are in an age where people are growing up with no knowledge of God or church. So, if a man come in off the street with tattoos all over his body wearing hat, what do you do as a christian if he accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ? God gives him a new heart that loves Jesus but his outward appearance never changes?  Or if you’re a person that believes we should only read the KJV Bible, but your child that you been praying for gets saved, and loves the NIV version. He grows in wisdom and becomes a great man of God, is that enough for you? Or  do you argue with him about why you think the KJV is the only true word of God leaving him confused and not wanting to read any bible?  I been a Christian since I been 19, and sadly I have seen people do this and worst. I see people giving others a list of rules and religion. Just give them Jesus. It’s about control. A person may not be able to walk in personal holiness but they can control what bible to read, how to dress, what music to listen to, and if they can get others to do the same, than they must be godly. We tell people come as you are, but I think it’s more like come as you are, and we’ll tell you how you should be. In Christ, God did everything for us on the cross so we can have a relationship with him. God cares more about changing a person’s heart than a person’s shirt. Christians should feel the same way. I love God, but hate religion. We go to church, read the bible, worship, pray, and serve because we get to do these things because we love God and the fact he loves us. If you take this love out of these things you merely have religion. I hate religion. Religion is man’s attempt to be made right with God by keeping a list of dos and don’ts. Love God, love your neighbor, hate religion.

Prayer

“Father, heal my own heart from being religious and give me a heart that follows hard after you. I pray for your church. May we as a whole give people Jesus. Not our favorite Bible, our prefered worship style, or any type of religion. Help us to love. Amen.

Catalyst 09

October 1, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: | Leave a comment

From October 7th thru the 9th I’ll be attending the Catalyst leadership conference with my friend Andrew Johnson. I’m excited  to go. As a young man, I want to learn skills to be a leader at my work place and in my ministry that follows hard after Jesus. Some of the speakers that will be there are Tony Dungy, Andy Stanley, Rob Bell, Matt Chandler, and alot more. I praying that I leave this conference with a greater heart to lead like Jesus, and to be a better employee because of it.  I’ll write about my trip when I get back. Check out the Catalyst website in the mean time. Grace and Peace.

http://www.catalystconference.com/index2.php

I Am With You

September 23, 2009 in Youth Ministry, faith | Tags: , | Leave a comment

10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
       do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
       I will strengthen you and help you;
       I will uphold you with my righteous right hand- Isaiah 41:10

      I have to be honest, I struggle with acceptance. I realize that as a Christ follower, His love for me should be enough. But of as late, I been forgetting how much God does love me. Last night I went to my church for a meeting of Christian businessman, and at first felt really overwhelmed. A few ran their own business, and being the only one in the room with a clear disability left me feeling alone. I think all men struggle with the question “How do I measure up?” to other men, and for a man who had a loving father speaking in to his life, that question is easier to answer. But for me and guys like me who didn’t have their dads we can feel adrift in the sea of life.  We feel like we are alone to figure this thing called manhood out on our own. Add a disability to the mix, and you can imagine the storm that goes on in a person’s heart. I have always felt rejected. My father chose a life of drugs and alcohol over me. When he died, his obituary listed my five half-sisters but not me. His side of the family has never reached out to me. So, driving home last night from church my heart was heavy. I was thinking about all of that and started to cry. I tried fighting it trying to be tough but cried anyway. Sometimes, the best prayers are our tears. Fast forward to today I was reading my men’s devotional bible Robin got me and Isaiah 41:10 was the key verse. It reminded me that  through Jesus, I’m accepted by God. As I read this verse I was filled with God’s love. I heard him saying to my heart, Michael, I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you. God is a good daddy. He is there for his children and this verse speaks of that truth. I just feel a weight lifted off of me today. O how I wished i had a dad growing up, but It humbles me to know that the Living God knows me and is Fathering me to true manhood in him.

When your mother and father forsaken you.

I am with you

When people reject you.

I am with you.

When you feel alone

I am with you.

When burdened by your circumstances

I am with you.

Praise God for his unending love.

Exciting Times Ahead

September 14, 2009 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

 

Back in Youth Ministry

Robin and I have been busy, so I have not had time to blog much. But I wanted to take a moment to tell everyone how God is working in our lives. We have accepted to be the youth leaders at the Bible Chapel’s  Robinson township campus.  We met with the campus Pastor Scott Arvay and Director of Youth Nathan Lee last week, and had a great meeting. The Robinson Team starts meeting this wednesday to prepare for our launch in November. It’s been almost two years since Robin and I have stepped down as youth leaders at Friendship and we are very grateful that we are getting a chance to get back into youth ministry. We both have the desire to reach teens with the love of God and are determined to help  youth come to find their purpose in God. Also, we are starting a Youth for Christ Campus Life Club for Mcguffey students later this month. We are praying for more adults to help out with the club, but we know God will provide. We are pumped to be working with kids again. Here’s the link to our church:

http://www.biblechapel.org/robinson

Getting to Preach

The Lord  is opening more doors for me to preach. Yesterday I preached for the first time at First Baptist Church in Canonsburg, PA. The people there are very loving and accepting. I preach there again this Sunday and can’t wait. I need to be faithful and God will send me to the places he wants me to go. I’m stoked! God is so good.Please keep Robin and I in your prayers.

Uncle Tommy

August 24, 2009 in Advocacy, Youth Ministry, faith | Leave a comment

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called according to his purpose.-Romans 8:28

    As I write this my Uncle Tom Matthews is in the Critical Care Unit in Washington hospital. He’s been in there for two weeks. He went to the hospital for a bed sore but it turn into problems with his heart and lungs. Since the weekend he’s been under sedation and on a ventilator. I wanted to take this time on my blog to write about how much Tommy means to me. I was born in 1981 with cerebral palsy. The same year Tommy was paralyzed from an car accident. I learned from Tommy to never let my disability stop me from living life. Since I was a child we have had many heart to heart conversations about life that I’ll never forget. Tommy has encouraged me and at times flat out ticked me off about how to live life with a disability and I praise God for putting him in my life. The greatest gift Tommy gave me was  Jesus Christ. Tommy is not a perfect man. He has faults but he keeps going back to God for strength and hope. It was him that always kept dragging me to church as a teen. I thought church was boring but I got to hang out with him so I went. I was far from God but would listen to Tommy’s Kirk Franklin cds and even “stole” a few to listen whenever i was down. When I was 19 I went to church with Tommy and for the first time heard the message of Jesus. I came to faith because God kept using Tommy to reach me. But it wasn’t till my early twenties that I got serious about my faith, and again it was Tommy who got me to start going to church and Bible Study. I loved his NIV Study Bible and we would talk about Scripture. I would take his bible to my bedroom and read it all night long. Finally, one year for my birthday he bought me my own NIV study bible. He teased me and said he did it to get his bible back. I have used this Bible for over the last 5 years and its the greatest gift I ever received. I study from it, teach from it, and preach from it. I now own almost 25 bibles but I never stop using the bible Tommy gave me. Tommy is a example of  a Perfect God using imperfect people. Because of Tommy I’m in ministry now and preaching the Gospel. Tommy said to me once that he feels like he can’t be used by God but I’m the “good works” God gave Tommy to do. Because Tommy had enough faith to not give up on me, I’m continuing the work of the Gospel that Tommy started in me. I’m praying that Tommy will get better, and don’t know what the final outcome will be, but I’m trusting God. The Lord is in control of this.

Tommy,

I love you. Thank you for not giving up on me. Your my hero.

Love,

Michael

The Resurrection: God’s Truth, Our Hope:Part 4

July 22, 2009 in Advocacy, Youth Ministry, faith | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.- 1 Corinthians 15:58

So, this is the 4th part in my blog posts about the Resurrection. I want to  address this one to people with disabilities or anyone who is facing hard circumstances.  In the disability community there is  a unhealthy sense of Pride that is unwilling to submit to God. There are people believing a lie that God is not in love with them because their not “normal” or “whole”. I plead with my friends not to waste their disability, or circumstances. God wants to be in a relationship with you as a loving Father who is crying out to you come as you are. The hope of the life we will have with him free from pain or tough times should energize us to serve him with our disability.

9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.-John 9:1-3

   God does not waste suffering. He does not waste disability. He will get glory in our circumstances if we are willing to let him move. To the Christian who is disabled I say don’t give up, your labor is not in vain. Jesus is Coming! Your circumstances do not have the last word. God does.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self  is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.-1 Corinthians 4:16-18

  We will face things in this life that will be heart breaking, but keep your eyes on the promise that is coming. To my friends who are disabled and don’t know Christ I plead with you to rebel against pride and come to God who can give you can help you make sense of your life. Flee bitterness! As a advocate I fight for the rights of myself and others with disabilities because the Lord wants us to seek Justice, but there are people in the disability community that are encouraging people away from God by things they say. God is not against us. But just because we are disabled he will not give us a pass because we our disabled. If we persevere in our disability in this life to just end up in hell is stupid,if not sad. Hell is a life separated from God forever. It does not have to be that way. Christ’s work on the cross reconciled all people to God. We just need to accept it. Make Jesus your Lord, Saviour, and treasure. He won’t fail you. I know I’m not going to win fans in the disability rights movement by talking about Jesus, but I find it more important for people to know Jesus. So disability advocate I say to you keep fighting against nursing homes, against discrimination, and continue the struggle to the glory of God.

At the resurrection my cerebral palsied body will be raised and reunited with my spirit leaving cp, pain, and sin behind. I will be free to worship Jesus with a pure heart with hands held high. My voice won’t no longer be slurred as I clearly sing my Lord’s Name. The joy of a new body is the joy of being able to fully worship with all that we will be to his glory. My greatest hope is I won’t have sin battling me for my devotion in the resurrection. Not having cp is a bonus. People because the hardness of their hearts will twist my words but God is good, and I can’t be silent about the hope that is in God.

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.- Luke 9:23-26

 If we suceed in keeping people with disabilities out of nursing homes, make all places accessible, and gain true equal rights in America but have not known Jesus, it will be wasted. He is bringing a kingdom where there is no nursing homes, no need for cancer doctors, no broken homes because of divorce, and true freedom. Will you be there?

The Resurrection:God’s Truth,Our Hope:Part 3

June 24, 2009 in Youth Ministry, faith | Tags: | Leave a comment

   42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”;  the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall  also bear the image of the man of heaven.

-  1 Corinthians 15:42-49

    As we continue our study of the resurrection I pray you have been encouraged so far. This is part 3 of a 4 part lesson on the resurrection. Today we are looking at the question “What kind of body will the dead have when they rise?” I’ll pray and then we can get to work.

Prayer:

Father, I thank you for the grace that is coming in the resurrection. One day our bodies which is marked by sickness,pain, and even disability will be changed forever to your glory. I long for that day when we leave all this behind and enter into everlasting life. As I teach today, please help me make clear the truths of Scripture. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

    Does God heal today? Yes, but not always. In his love and great wisdom he chooses to not heal or heal for his glory and our good. In my case, God has chose not to heal me from my cerebral palsy. As I walk trough life and people see the joy I have in Jesus no matter my circumstances he gets glory in that and my joy is increased because more people are attracted to my savior. I don’t the full picture why He allowed me to have cp, but I do know that one day soon I’ll be with Jesus in a body free from death,pain, sin, and even my cerebral palsy. The resurrection is our ultimate hope when it comes to healing. Deep down we crave this. Any person saying they don’t want this is blind to the truth or is filled with pride. If healing in this life was our only hope we should be pitied, but  hear Paul in Romans:

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.-Romans 8:23

Focus back on the key scripture today now:

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; [5] the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall  also bear the image of the man of heaven.

  There is coming a day when the dead are raised imperishable. We will bear the image of Christ who is from heaven. Our natural body that is filled with death, pain,sin, and sickness will be raised a spiritual body free from all of these things. When the Bible means here about spiritual body is not that we will be ghost, but have a body similar to Christ’s resurrected, glorified body. For more on this, see  part 1 of “The Resurrection:God’s Truth, Our Hope”.  We will not be fat angel babies floating on clouds playing harps. I will remain Michael Matthews, but my body will be glorified like Jesus after his resurrection. We do not become all powerful or all knowing. He is still God and we remain human. Let’s now look at the remaining verses of chapter 15.

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
 O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

      We all must die, but we don’t lose hope.  One day I will die and my body will be put in the grave or Jesus will come back and I will be changed without death. But either way I will be raised free from death, sin, pain, and my cp. Our hope is not in this life, it’s in the life to come. So we press on knowing that this is not it! Whatever circumstances we are in, they will not last forever even if they never change in this lifetime.We were made to live with God forever. It will be better then we can imagine.

5:1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on [1] we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.- 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

I want to wrap this up by saying that when we die, our spirit does go to be with Lord. Don’t think we will be in some type of soul sleep in the grave. We will of an experience with the Lord, but won’t be a complete one till our spirits and bodies are reunited in the resurrection. We will eat, play, serve,worship,learn, all to the glory to God through Jesus. It’s awesome to know that my God will be the first person to see me without cerebral palsy. I pray you have enjoy these lessons. Next week in part 4 I will talk about how this all applies to the disability community. God bless.

Love Gives Up Childish Ways

June 19, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: , | Leave a comment

13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [2] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.- 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

       It’s one thing to teach others about loving God and people but to walk the walk is another. We who are in ministry get so caught up in doing ministry that we forget to check our hearts. I realized this during the past week that i lost focus of God and my identity in Him. It does not matter how much I know about God if I’m not trusting him and loving him. A man of God must give up all his selfish childish ways if he is going to fulfill the life God is calling him to.  He has to be kind,patient, not cocky,not rude, not irritable, not resentful, and don’t delight in wrongdoing but rejoice with the truth.When things get hard he bears it. He believes in all things will turn out good. He has hope and endures. Like love he never stops living out the marks of love found in the bible.  God does not care what gifts and talents you have if your heart does not love him or others. God is love, and will help his men carry out the call of love. I don’t have this down yet, and know I won’t till heaven but I’m asking Jesus to help me kill my childish ways and step up to the challenge of Love. I pray this for all men