Without Faith, All is Lost

Last night I went to see the new Narnia movie with some guys, and I have to admit, its one of the best movies Ive seen in a long time. As some of you may know, the Narnia series is written by C.S. Lewis, a Christian who has written many books on the struggles of Christianity. In this weries, 4 siblings are whisked off to a magical land called Narnia, a place full of adventure, and a place where you find who you truly are. The land is ruled by a lion called Aslan, and the first movie in the series shows Aslan giving his life to save one of the 4 siblings, and then rising again. Sounds familiar, right? The series is much like that of the story of Christ, him giving his life for us. In this newest addition to the series, the "Voyage of the Dawn Treader", 2 of the siblings go on another joyrney, one to conquer evil, and to save eternity. Along the way they are tempted, attacked, and put through many dire situations, all to deter them from the final prize, meeting Aslan once again. Though I wont tell you the outcome of the movie, I will tell you some about it. First, it was very faith based, and has some amazing lines, most of which speak of fighting temtation, having faith, and being saved. One of my favorite lines was "we have nothing, if not belief" It was said during one of the darkest parts of the movie, where all the characters were beginning to struggle with the temptation around them. One of the charcters, a small mouse spoke up, and said that though the people around may have been having trouble understanding and believing, without belief, there is nothing. My own personal translation of this is that without faith, without belief, all is lost. Everyday we struggle with decisions, and everyday we struggle with the battle of if were going to give our whole day to God. The smallest character in the movie said it all. Without faith, we are lost. Without belief in God, without our trust in him to back us up, no matter what situation we are in, we have nothing.

We have nothing, if not belief.

"Never Again" The Challenge

Men are born men, with strong sexual urges and desires, and living in the world we're in today, its REALLY hard to ignore those urges, however as Christians, were called to. We know were supposed to save sex until marriage, not lust, be respectful towards women, respect their bodies, and our own, and live our lives free of sexual immorality. It sounds easy, but we all (guys and girls) know its not. How then?

Today, some of my brothers and I made a pact, and were calling it a challenge I guess. Through some conversation with the Champion himself (Jordan Sasser) and the thought of a previous conversation behind us, some male friends and I are on a quest towards complete sexual purity. We've picked up a book called "Every Man's Battle", a book about how to, as Christian Men, navigate our way through lust, immoral sexual desires, relationships, and through the rough waters of the media around us. We will be reading this book, looking for ways to help grow closer to God and how to live completely pure of Sexual desires and lustful thoughts and actions. Though we know we cannot avoid the temptation and the desires for sex, we are studying to completely ignore those nagging feelings and urges, and to live a life sin free and for God. If theres any guys out there who are wanting to take the Challenge with us, let us know.

PLEASE PRAY. this is going to be an increasingly hard topic to learn about, and we could all use prayer as we look to lead lives free of all sexual desires, and look to live a life with God in mind.

Thanks, Matt

Slow Down

Its been a hectic last few weeks, to say the least. Finals, tests, end of semester, projects, work, youth group, all of its piling up, and lately ive been having alot of trouble finding time for God. Even at youth group, I feel like im running around so much, I dont really get the chance to worship. Its been wearing down pretty hard on me, and today on the way home, I realized that now more than ever I need to find time for God. My time of struggle is when im most open to his word, and to his change

"Oh, im running to your arms, im running to your arms, the riches of your love will always be enough"

On a side note, my girlfriends a UNCW Seahawk now. Im so proud and so lucky to have such an awesome gal.

Blessings

Its been way to long since my last blog post, that I'm sure of. Lately with school using every possible bit of my mind, its been kinda hard to think of anything legitimate to write about. There has been something that for the past 2 weeks, has just been on my mind, and though it seems unorthodox to write about in a blog thats been predominately based about my faith, it seems to fit with the title; "the raw truth:wild at heart" And so I write.
I got home from South Africa almost a year ago, and I still remember the feelings I had. It was really hard to be home, to live at COH, as exciting as it was, because I felt like no one really understood me, or my obsessive stories about SA. I struggled in finding anyone who would challenge me in my faith, someone who would take the time, even though it seemed like the only thing I talked about, and listen to my stories about SA, and to ask questions, and to help me through the mental minefield of my head. It was a struggle. Often times, I wished I was back in SA, because it was just too hard for me back home. I clung to Skype, and to facebook, as if they were my lifelines, because, in all reality, they were the only way to get in touch with anyone who would actually understand me. That all changed.
I still remember getting a facebook post one day, from someone back home. It was one of the High School Volunteers, and one of the only people who would actually contact me while I was gone, everyone else it seems I had to contact. Over a few days, we carried on this conversation about africa, and about MS youth group. Little did I know, months later, I would be taking to this person again- alot. It was probably February, or March when we first started hanging out, thanks to Cam and his quote un quote relationship with Taylor at the time. Then bang, its sprint break, and im talking to her alot, and then im on a plane home from Puerto Rico, sick as a dog, and shes waiting for me at the Airport.
Most of you probably know who im talking about now. Caroline. If you had asked me a year ago if I would be dating someone right how, and would have been in a relationship 6 MONTHS, I probably would have laughed at you. It still seems crazy, and it all ways it is. I honestly dont know how to explain how thankful I am. Ive found someone who believes in me, someone who will challenge me in every aspect of my life, especially my faith, someone who can carry on a conversation about whatever it is im struggling with until we get to the realization that whatever it is will be ok, and all I have to do is pray and trust. She pushes me to be a better person, both at Church with the MS and HS youth groups, but at home, at work, and at school as well. Shes one of the strongest Christians I know, who fears nothing and puts all she has in the lords hands, and its honestly inspiring. Shes hilarious, shes incredibly smart, shes an extremely talented athlete, and shes got an an amazing heart. Oh yea, shes also drop dead gorgeous. I don't know how I got so lucky.
Ive never felt so good about life, knowing that I have someone supporting me, in anything I do. Its amazing, a true blessing.

Not to Another

Ive been laying in bed for probably like 21 minutes or so now, and cant get a line out of my head. It got stuck in it earlier when i read a post to a blog that my girlfriend and her/our good friend started. You can check their blog out at http://wastethedayaway.tumblr.com/

The line says "give us clean hands, and give us pure hearts; let us not lift our souls to another" Its taken me a while to realize that giving our souls to another, doesn't just mean to another person, but in fact to anyone, or anything other than Christ our savior.

In the bible study I lead, we've started talking about how to live life as a guy in Christ, and its brought up stuff that guys struggle with, a lot. Drugs, drinking, partying, sex, pornography, bullying, etc. Its also gotten me thinking about the fact that its not just guys who struggle with it. Its us all, especially with sex, drugs, and drinking. The ten commandments command us not to have false idols, the song says not to lift our souls to another, but what they're both saying, is that if we worship something other than god, were turning our backs on him, and what we believe. If we put our focus in things other than pleasing him with our every move, our every word, our every thought, then were not praising him. Were lifting our souls to things of this world. Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that having a good time is wrong, or that Christianity bans having fun, but if our having fun shames what we believe, then yea, its wrong. Ill be honest, partying and drinking are fun. But if its not legal, and we do it anyways, then it shames the gospel. Lately, over the past few months, Ive seen a lot of people i know, some people i know really well, take a "turn for the worse" i don't want to be judgmental, but its hard to sit back and just watch, sometimes i just want to try and tell them that as fun as it is, its wrong. Ive made mistakes, and i really regret them. I want a way to be able to tell them how truth in Christ will "out fun" drinking and partying and getting high any day.

I have a hard time believing in things that cannot be seen or felt, smelled or tasted, faith, its hard for me. But anyone who believes will agree with me, that feeling you got, when you first accepted Christ into your life, that is the greatest feeling in the world. I'm getting "god bumps"(courtesy of Jordan Sasser) right now just thinking about it. Though our relationships with Christ are a struggle at times, they are fun, amazing, eye opening, and above all else, a blessing beyond our greatest imaginations.

Its time we, myself included, set our sights, our hearts, our souls on God. Not on another person, thing, or idea. Its time we focused on the center of our faith, made God the center of our lives, and gave ourselves to him, once again.

HE died for you, so live for HIM

I opened up to CNN the other day, only to find the headline: 138 Die in 48 hours. The story was about how in the capital of Haiti, a cholera outbreak had killed 138 men, women, and children in less than 2 days, and now, the death toll is over 200. What is even more astonishing, is how, less than a year ago, a devastating earthquake hammered the country. Its crazy to think about how much these people have suffered. First a massive earthquake that kills a ridiculous amount of people, and then this, a deadly outbreak of a vicious disease that is rapidly spreading, and leaving a path of fallen souls behind it in its tracks.
A few months ago, I sat with a group of people in my brother Nicks house, and we discussed suffering, why people suffer, and how suffering affects the world, and Christians. When asked why people suffer, my thought is that people suffer to bring them closer to Christ. Its a little bit weird if you think about it, that the God who created us all and who knows what will happen to us all allows us to suffer, but if you really think about it hard, if we rely solely on Christ in our suffering, and on no one else but those who will use the love of Christ to help us, then we can encounter anything.
When I think about my life, sometimes i "suffer", and by suffering, I mean, I get a bad teacher, or have bad luck on something, I dont feel good once in a blue moon. But if you compare to the suffering of the Haitians, my suffering looks like a stubbed toe compared to the loss of a limb.
Often, suffering is caused by a mistake, or some wrongdoing. Christ made no mistakes. Christ did no wrong. Christ came, lived a perfect life, and then suffered lashes from a whip, beatings with clubs and sharpened objects, carried a wooden cross twice his size and weight up a mountain while bleeding, had a "crown" of thorns shoved onto his head, had nails driven into his hands and feet, and then was stabbed by a pike. I think thats true suffering. He took our sins, paid the price, and died for us. He paid our ransom, all so we dont have to suffer. Christ died for us, so we can live for him.

2nd Corinthians 4:16-18
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

the riches of HIS love

life is hard sometimes. it seems like nothing goes your way, like nothing you do makes a difference. im at a loss for words. often, i feel like i get into some down, dark emotional state, where nothing can help. right now, yep thats it. on the way home from church tonight, i had time to think about life in general, time to just kind of think about anything. after a while, i realized that i had turned off the music in my car, so i decided to turn it back on, and in doing so, i thought back to a session that i had lead earlier. I told high schoolers that occasionally, all you have to do is open the word, and the answer will be there, but also to keep reading, because sometimes, if the first thing you see doesnt help, something down the road often will. So of course, i turned on the song, and thought, i better hear something that will help, because right now, lifes not working as well as i hope. and, of course, the part of the song that came on did nothing... a few minutes later, during the next song, the truth kinda hit me, right in the face. the cd that i was listening to was the newest by Hillsong, called a beautiful exchange, and the song was called Forever Reign. but what was being said, blew me away.

"oh, im running to your arms, im running to your arms, the riches of your love, will always be enough, nothing compares to your embrace, light of the world FOREVER reigns."

the riches of your love, will always be enough. thats all that really matters. In Christ, we have it all. love in abundance.