Free To Do As I Choose?

Doesn't freedom mean that I can choose to do whatever I want to do whenever I want to do to it? Which reminds me of time under the strict rule of my 8th grade math teacher, who happened to share the same last name(no relation), that I was was reprimanded for talking in class. The consequence for getting in trouble in this class was writing out the following sentence 100 times, "I will do what I am told to do when I am told to do it in Mr. Davies classroom from now on." The consequence for not completing the said punishment was to multiply the 100 sentences by 5 and if the 500 hundreds sentences where not completed you where to meet with the headmaster for a final judgement. So I received an in-school suspension where I was bored out of my mind and stared at the walls for the entire day. In this instance I was clearly in the wrong, I did not do what I should of done even though I felt like the punishment did not fit the crime. What gets a little more difficult in life as a follower of Christ is dealing with decisions in regard to Christian freedom.

Christian freedom can be described by looking at 1 Corinthians 10:23-31 where we learn "All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful", "let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor" and "whatever you do , do all to the glory of God". Within Christian Freedom we are no longer slaves to the law, it is not through what we do or don't do by which we are saved. It is through the Spirit and the work of Jesus Christ and his death, burial and resurrection in which we have been bought with a price and freed from our due consequence. Romans 6:4, 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 2 Corinthians 3:17

Now being bought with a price we no longer belong to ourselves, we are now sons and daughters of a Holy, Righteous, Just, Gracious and Loving God who is to be the foundation for every decision we make. Paul teaches the church in Corinth using the example of what believers should do in regard to eating food that had been offered to idols, most of us don't deal with that issue on a daily basis but we deal with choices in regard to other items we eat, what we drink, what we wear, what we pierce, what we tattoo, what part of our body we alter, how we spend our time, how we spend our money.....

As Paul guided the church in Corinth the Lord guides us to take the following into consideration as we make choices on what some may consider the more gray areas of Christian living. When faced with these choices it is best to reflect on Paul's teaching and ask yourself the following.

• Am I bringing glory to God in this? (1 Corinthians 10:31)
• Does this seek my own good or that of others? (1 Corinthians 10:24)
• Am I endangering myself to a harmful addiction? (1 Corinthians 6:12)
• What does my good conscience, inward integrity of the heart, say? (1 Timothy 1:5)

Freedom seeks not itself but the will of the Father who graciously gives it.

-Matt

"Visit Orphans and Widows in their Affliction"

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27

Haiti is a beautiful country filled with strong Haitian men, women and children, estimated at 10 million. The country is also the poorest in the Americas battling political corruption, malaria, cholera, child trafficking, and the daunting task of rebuilding after the the January 2010 earthquake that still has over 500,000 people living in tent cities.

I had the privilege of joining a team of 11 other men traveling to Haiti with the mission of finding out how we can best "visit orphans". What was evident throughout the trip is that the Lord is gracious in leading us as we seek Him for direction. We saw many doors closed, at one point we were stopped by a band of rioters after a 3 hour bus ride to visit with a group of 25 orphans, we were used as road block for protest and then turned around to head back to the mission house, in addition supplies we needed to do the work we had initially planned on were not present and some that we initially trusted were now appearing questionable. But as we committed our path to the Lord it was clear to see that God had others in place that we were to visit. God used a young lady named Sarah, who has committed to working at God's Planet Mission House and serving the orphans and street kids of Haiti, He used a young Haitian gentleman, Eve, who guided us through Port Au Prince, and a Haitian Pastor and his wife who care for 35 children at Agape Children's Home.

Our visit with Agape Children's Home was pure evidence of God's plan for us being in Haiti. The children were delightful, well cared for, sang worship songs for us, were appreciative when we presented them with gifts but lived in conditions worse than what the incarcerated are treated to here in the states. Our project for the time there was to love on the orphans and the care givers and to provide running water to the two bathrooms in the home, as the current water situation included the kids running the water in buckets for bathing, washing clothes, cooking and filling toilets. Through a team effort we were able to devise a plan, bring together the monetary resources for a pump and materials, obtain the necessary parts, water line, 300 gallon basin and connectors and then see the project to completion-water flow and smiles stretched across happy faces.

The Lord works in amazing ways and it certainly is blessing to be a apart of what he has ordained. There is still much that is to be done in visiting with the orphans of Haiti and I know that our work is not done.

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:17-18

Matt

Our Town, Tornado!

When the devastation is seen in the news it is not quite as real as it is when experienced first hand. The watch, the warning, the urgent call from a family member or friend, the afternoon-evening-night in the basement, closet or hall, the hail, the winds, the power outage, the tears, the prayers the freight train... And now we see 100 year old trees ripped from the ground, trailers turned into shards, roofs pried open, houses picked up off there foundations and lives lost. All this the evidence of what we cannot completely understand.

What we do know about God, Tornadoes and Life is this:

God is Gracious no matter what the circumstance.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Tornadoes are a reminder that life here and now is short and we all need a Savior.

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one

Romans 3:10-12

God is Sovereign over the Earth, the Wind, You and I

When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

Jeremiah 10:13

We must repent and worship the one and only true God

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28

God has called all who have faith to be the Gospel voice

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:19

The Mark of a True Christian Steps Up in a Time of Need

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Romans 12:9-13