Thanksgiving is this week and I want to take a moment to talk about someone who I’m thankful for. My wife is so good to me. She is a blessing from God, and I just wanted to take sometime to brag about her. She really is my best friend, and why she love me is still amazing to me. I’ll never forget the first time I saw her sing at church. She was singing a song called “Mary’s Alabaster box” and I fell in love with her heart. When she sings, it’s like the only two people in the room is God and her. All she cares about in that moment is praising God, and it moves me to a place of deeper worship. I watch other people’s faces as they watch Robin, and their moved because they can see what I see. Robin believes what she’s singing. It’s not just a song to her. Her love for God blows me away. When we’re in the car, I’ll pretend to be sleeping so she’ll sing because she gets embarrassed if she knows I’m listening. Being a wife of a preacher is not easy, and Robin trys staying in the background to let me do my thing but some of deepest moments with God have come from Studying the Bible with her. Her insight on Scripture, God, and people are very profound and wise. She has helped me be a better man and teacher. I watch how she gives grace to people and it blows me away. People who are considered outcasts or rebels are attracted to her, and no matter where they come from, she loves them. She challenges me to love like this. She is a real life example of God’s love. I don’t know what I did but I sure did marry out of my league. I’m proud of her work at Dress for Success.She works so hard to serve her clients to make sure they can succeed in life. That company is lucky to have her. I often fail to let her know how much I love her and how beautiful she is but I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying. Thankyou for loving me Mrs.Matthews
Robin and I are excited about How God is working in the Robinson Campus. For those who don’t know, Robin and I are the youth leaders at the Bible Chapel in Robinson.South Hills Bible Chapel launched the Robinson Campus Nov.8th, 2009 and it’s been great. We love the vision of the church for the Robinson area, and when a oppurtunity came to help reach students, we couldn’t pass it up. About three months ago I told Robin I was praying about going out to Robinson to help out with the youth ministry. At the time, I had no clue if they needed youth leaders or not. Then one night, Scott Arvay the campus Pastor announced at the Bible Chapel’s Saturday night service that they still needed youth leaders for the Robinson Campus. That was an answer to prayer. I filled out a volunteer card, and about a week later Scott called me wanting to meet. Our first meeting with Scott and Nathan Lee, The Chapel’s Youth Pastor went good, and about week after that they called me to tell me they would like us to lead Robinson R19. So, where are we now?
Upcoming Events:
November 21- will be our first event for Robinson R19. “Pizza Bowl” will be at the AMF bowling center located at 2440 Noblestown Road Pittsburgh, PA 15205. Cost is $11 per student and it’s from 12:00 to 2:00 PM.
December 18th- Christmas Party in Robinson for Students of the South Hills and Robinson’s Campuses.
Starting in January youth group will be meeting in Robinson on Thursdays. Stay tuned for more details. I just want to thank the Lord for this awesome chance to serve him again in youth ministry. Thanks to Scott and Nathan for the support you have given to Robin and myself.
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.
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:
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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?
