I enjoyed something earlier tonight that I have not had in a while…  I sat in my car, with a good friend, after a good meal at Waffle House, and we just talked.  How simple could it be.  We shared what was going on in our lives, we shared insight, we shared scripture- we just shared.  At the end of it we prayed.

Bare in mind- this was not planned, it just happened.  I want to see “church” like this.  Do not misunderstand me; Worship needs to have order, and needs to be planned.  So, when I talk about seeing “spontaneous church” I am just talking about seeing how God’s people naturally come together for one another and have this unplanned, Christ-centered interaction.  Interaction that focuses on the needs of the body, the circumstances of the body, and most importantly how God is wanting to use HIS BODY.  I want to just see it occasionally happen without planning.  I just want it to happen.  The more I read about how the church behaved in Acts, the more I realize that it was a consistant, day to day thing.  They lived together, worked together, worshipped together… they were truly a BODY.  Being the church did not happen once per week, twice a week, or even three times per week…. they were the church ALL THE TIME.  These random meetings like I had tonight happened pretty much every day.

I know that we try to be like this, but I think maybe we try to hard?? Does that make sense?  Yes, we need to be intentional, but part of me believes that if we were truly “Loving one another” the way Christ intends… I think it would simply happen.

I was riding my motorcycle to work this morning around 6:30am, and the temp was in the low 40’s.  Normally, I love this kind of weather, but when you are doing 60+ MPH, that gets stinking cold.  I had on multiple layers, but still the almost-freezing air was cutting through.  The commute was only about 15 minutes, but within the first 5 minutes or so, I found myself thinking that I could not take much more.  I toughed it out though, and made it to work.  On the way there, I started considering my overall toughness, or my ability/inability to endure.  I thought about all the times when things get physically demanding, and I have to just suck it up and tough-it-out.  I remembered all those wrestling practices, intense workouts, COLD RIDES, etc. . .   While considering all of this though, I started thinking of all the times that I had failed due to a lack of SPIRITUAL TOUGHNESS.  I started to wonder if this was common, and the conclusion I came to was, YES… I believe it is common.  We are so quick to call on our toughness during physically demanding times, but why do we crumble so easily when we need to call on our SPIRITUAL toughness.  I think that it is due to our lack of training, or even that do not even consider that we HAVE spiritual toughness.  Paul often refers to our Christian lives as something similar to an athletic event.  He even tells us to TRAIN ourselves.  I think all of this begins with the realization that since we have GOD in us, we can take much more than we think.  We need to remember this when things get tough.  It is alot like my ride this morning… at 5 minutes, I thought I was done, but soon enough I realized, “Yeah, I am just as cold as I was a few minutes ago, but really… has it gotten any worse?  No… and I could take it 5 minutes ago, so I am still good now.”  So, maybe sometimes I just need to suck it up… tough it out.  Life is rough- no doubt, but God makes us tough when we need to be.  Scripture assures us, that He will never allow us to endure more than we can bare.  Hold on to that… toughen up-  I know we can.

I was going over some stuff tonight with a buddy about a study on John, and some thoughts came up worth mulling over.  In John Ch2, Jesus cleanses the temple for one of two times.  I had never really studies the passage for any length of time until just recently, and this is what came to mind.

#1.  Christ had and still has such ZEAL (directly from scripture) for “His Father’s House”, which was the temple then, but now is US!  He went to such great lengths to cleanse the temple of all things that defiled it, and I believe He still desires the same thing.  What is in me that Christ would chase out with a whip?  What tables in my life would He toss!  How should I mimick His behavior here?

#2.  Although, I have gone over this before in my mind, and with others- it should be restated.  Christ is not passive when it comes to sin.  So often, the perception of Jesus is a that He was/is a passive savior.  Not SO!  Is the behavior in this passage, or any other related to sin, evidence of His passiveness??  Not a chance!  He was aggressive when it came to His dealings with sin.  He made it clear that it is something we should not take lightly.  Am I aggressively seeking to sin less and less??

It is strange how we get so used to things.  I have been involved in organized ministry for almost 10 years now, and I sometimes forget what a blessing it is to be used by God in the ways He still uses me.  I have spoken at tons of DNOW’s, and today I met with a leadership group from a church who is using me in a few months, and it was just a great experience.  Rarely is a guest speaker asked for input, but today this group was truly interested in how God is and will be speaking to me about this event.  So, often you are invited in, given little direction (a theme if lucky) and just let go.  Yeah, sometimes I appreciate that, but other times it is great to be asked well ahead of time, “What do YOU see God doing through this,” or “What can we do to help YOU?”  Sometimes I just expect to almost go in without help from those who are inviting me.  I have almost gotten used to it.  Is that sad?  So, when a group comes along that does over and above that, it is almost shocking.  It is a good “shocking” though.  Also, it enables me to do what God has called me to do… HELP IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE!  It gives me the opportunity to ask the church or leadership, ”What can I do for you?”  After all, that is what I should be doing right?  Sometimes, I forget that as well.  For that, I am truly sorry.  What a gift it is from God that I get to work for HIS kingdom!  I look forward to seeing what God is going to do through this group effort.  I am also pumped because a good friend is leading worship for the event, and it is planned for all of us, including the worship leader, to get together to plan things out.  I know that this is not always possible for alot of events, but it is nice.  So, note to leadership- go the extra mile for those you invite in to be used by God.  Greet them with the hospitality and love that you would want to be greeted with.  Ask them for input when possible, and ask how you can help them!  And, note to self-  ”YOU (Matthew) are being used to HELP… ask what YOU can do for THEM besides just come in for a day or so and teach a few times.”  After all, we are all part of the same Church, right?

PS… This is day 5 of the NO sugar, NO carbination fast.  I have not killed anyone, or attempted to use Krispy Kreme as a cuss word!  So, I think I am doing pretty well.

This is day 1 of 45.  My wife and I have decided to give up sugar and carbonation!  What are we thinking?!  I fear that by Friday I may be clinically insane.  If any of you pass me by on the streets and notice a crazed look in my eye, please hide your sugary beverages or risk bodily harm.

On a more serious note.  Yes, we are trying to break our addiction to sugar and such.  We are just making an effort to be more healthy.  I do not like waking up feeling like I need anything to sustain me like that.  So, we are going to break it.  Prayers are appreciated! 

I wanted to share a few things with you guys that I saw this weekend though.
1)  Very simply… it was good to pitch in and do something for my parents that they always did for me.  I remember all those times as a kid when I was sick, injured, both, or recovering from something and they took care of me.  It was humbling to do it for Mom.  I have taken care of her before, but this time was different.  I think my parents were truly appreciative.  I know we do not help and serve others for the response we get from them, but it was very nice.
2)  Another thing happened on the drive in late last night.  I was on my bike, and just needed to get off, walk a bit, and warm up.  So, I stopped at a gas station somewhere around exit 75ish.  Anyway, after walking a bit, I got some gum and just struck up a conversation with the cashier, Cynthia.  After some small talk about gas, she told me the cost of gas was a burden since she was having to drive back and forth to Columbia to visit her husband in the hospital.  Apparently he was bitten by a Brown Recluse a year ago.  His leg was amputated shortly after and now he is having seizures and other related problems.  I asked her his name, and asked if I could pray for him.  She quickly responded, “Well, yes!”  So, in the middle of this gas station at about midnight I was holding this older ladies hand praying for her husband who is at the VA Hospital.  It was an amazing thing.  She is a believer, and apparently her husband is as well.  It was awesome to see what that moment did for the both of us.  It reminded me that one of our roles as the church is to support our family.  Maybe it is just a simple encouraging word or maybe like in this case, it is just to reassure a brother or sister that we care, and we hurt when they hurt, rejoice when they rejoice, etc . . .

This is how it will look.

I am heading out today for the Kappa Chi retreat on Lake Lure.  It should be a great weekend for fellowship and for seeking God’s will for this group.  I am was honored when asked to be an advisor or sorts to this group.  It should be amazing to see how God is going to use these guys on  USC’s campus.  You should check out their website and myspace page.

http://www.kyx.org/

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19728575399

My boys and I just started a study of 1 Corinthians last night.  We looked last night at the first chapter.  I think this will be a great study for us, because on the first night alone we discussed some great stuff.  One of the questions that came up though had me thinking.  In the second half of the first chapter Paul begins reminding the Corinthian church that God uses lowly and the weak.  It had us thinking about a statement that is often made in christians circles (a question really).  “How awesome would it be if someone like Tiger Woods found Jesus?  Imagine the influence he could have!”  Now, do not get me wrong, that would be amazing, but upon looking at this passage we were reminded of a guy in our church who previously lived in a dumpster, and had NOTHING… and most importantly he did not have a clue who God was!  Now, this guy has a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, he is off the street, and is an active member of our family.  How awesome is that?!  How many people is this guy capable of influencing now?  Does it fall pale in comparison to a Tiger Woods conversion?  After I think about it a while, and the more I examine scripture; I tend to believe that this guy, who could not sink a 20 yard put if his life depended on it, might possibly have the edge.  What do you think?

Last night my wife and I attended a cookout for her work.  It was a Hawaiian theme complete with pig roast and the music that goes with it.  After dinner though, there was a limbo competition.  If you mention competition, I am generally in- as long as it does not have any dancing involved.  So, I limbo’d my heart out and ended up the grand champion, but what I have realized today is that my body is not very appreciative of my competitive spirit.  At the ripe old age of 28, I think I can finally say that I am too old to limbo.