The Conspiracy - Love All

Hey Tribe of Vibe,

It was another great night as Matt ended the Advent series at Vibe. After last week's gingerbread house story, you probably couldn't wait to hear what matt did this time. Yep, bubbles! So often we live in our own little bubble. We live in a culture where our needs are met. Also, our lives are so small when you put it to the world. Just like in any room, one bubble would be really small in comparison to that room. Matt literally made some bubbles while on the stage to show us this. He also showed us how easy it is to pop those bubbles too!

In Matthew 2:1-3, we took a look at the Magi, also known as the "Three Wise Men". They were indeed wise as they studed stars and much more. Guided by the star, they went to Jerusalem to worship the birth of the King, Jesus! The Magi came ready to worship a king by bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I'm sure they were surprised when they got to Jerusalem because no one was celebrating like they were. So they went to King Herod to see if he knew where this King was. Herod tells them to come back when they find him because he also wants to worship the King. But we know that he truly wants to kill anyone who would dare to threaten his position as king. As God planned, the Magi did not return to Herod after finding and worshipping Jesus. This is why Herod ordered for all young children in Bethlehem to be killed. That's how determined he was to make sure he was the only king around!

Man, what a difference we can see in the kingdoms of Jesus and Herod. It's clear that they were opposite! In Jesus' kingdom, you will find love, grace, eternal life, etc. In Herod's kingdom, you will find fear, death, etc. It's clear that anyone would want to live under Jesus' kingdom, instead of Herod's. Jesus would have taken the time to listen and talk with you! That's how loving He is! Somehow, I just don't picture Herod doing the things Jesus did. What a difference in these two kingdoms!

Now how could we make a difference in the world!?! Especially, when we are the size of a bubble in a large room. It starts with thinking of others more! Get out of that comfortable bubble we live in and think about the needs of others that aren't being met! Don't go and put your life above God's plans! God's most important command is to listen to and love God! (Mark 12:29)

It is such a cool thing that we get to do this together at Vibe. Matt revealed that we have adopted a kid from Ethopia through Compassion. What a great example of loving others! Some more action points from the night is to give and serve! We are rich in so many ways, so share the wealth of hope, time, prayer, etc. Another one is to talk to friends about your faith! What do you love about Jesus most? What difference has He made in you?

Soon you will be opening presents from family and friends, celebrating the birth of Jesus, and many other traditions. Make a new tradition... give Jesus a gift, the gift of love!


Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'


Have a great CHRISTmas!
Ash

The Conspiracy - Give More

Hey Tribe of Vibe!

What a great talk last talk! Matt talked to us about the incarnation! How often do we hear that term? Yet incarnation is what we celebrate during the Christmas season! For those wondering what that word even means, it’s a term used for the coming of God’s Son into the world as a human being! It’s crazy to think of such a big, mighty God coming down to earth in form of a baby!

Matt showed us an illustration on stage of what this was like. Ryan, one of the students, was called up on stage and was asked to go inside of a house! One small problem! The house was a gingerbread house that was probably the size of his face. Clearly, Ryan, at his height, could not get inside! It was fun seeing him try as we got to see some gingerbread house smashing! Just like Ryan was trying to get in the house, God had to come down to earth to be with us, except it was possible for Him!

I want to share with you another awesome illustration about God coming down to earth. In The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancy learns about incarnation with his fish!

Management of a marine aquarium, I discovered, is no easy task. I had to run a portable chemical laboratory to monitor the nitrate levels and the ammonia content. I pumped in vitamins and antibiotics and sulfa drugs and enough enzymes to make a rock grow. I filtered the water through glass fibers and charcoal, and exposed it to ultraviolet light. You would think, in view of all the energy expended on their behalf, that my fish would at least be grateful. Not so. Every time my shadow loomed above the tank they dove for cover into the nearest shell. They showed me one ‘emotion’ only: fear. Although I opened the lid and dropped in food on a regular schedule, three times a day, they responded to each visit as a sure sign of my designs to torture them. I could not convince them of my true concern.

To my fish I was deity. I was too large for them, my actions too incomprehensible. My acts of mercy they saw as cruelty; my attempts at healing they viewed as destruction. To change their perceptions, I began to see, would require a form of incarnation. I would have to become a fish and ‘speak’ to them in a language they could understand.

As you can see from these illustrations, it’s a big deal that God is Immanuel, God with us! (Isaiah 7:14) It required a lot for Him to be with us. It started with Mary, a virgin, having a Son called Jesus, the Messiah! Although Jesus was born human, we can take comfort that God has always existed. He became flesh as John 1:1 states.

We read about the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1:18-25. I encourage you to go through this passage one more time; this time think about how this is not just a birth of a child but God coming in the form of man so that we can be with Him! Now that is love!

Main points of the night:

1. God is Not Far Away

2. God cares about me

3. Certain about Heaven

Remember how Immanuel means God with us! God is never far away from us! We know God loves us through his actions! He cared enough about us to come down to earth! What a relief it is to know that you can have eternal life in heaven! (1 John 5:13)

So What!?! (what we can do)

Be Present

Serve

Love

Whenever people we care about are going through tough times, we seem to struggle with what to do. How can you truly comfort people!?! When it comes down to it, they won’t remember what you said; they remember that you were there! Being present is the best gift we can give! There’s no better time than the holidays to serve! There are so many ways to serve, from the Angel Tree to the food bank. Jesus tells us to love even our enemies in Matthew 5: 46-47! Being present, serving, and loving are great ways to respond to God’s love and celebrate this season!

So let’s celebrate!

~Ash

Tough questions - Theological issues

The Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil is an amazing sight. It stands over 100 ft. tall and overlooks the beautiful city of Rio De Janeiro. It serves as a beautiful reminder that God is watching over us as we stand there and look out at His beautiful creation. It amazes me how simple everything can look from that high up, but how complex it really is when you get up close. The same is true for a lot of theological issues we face. At first, we accept them as truth, but as we draw closer to God in our relationship with Him, we begin to realize how complex these issues can be.

Two of the most complex ones can be God Himself and Eternity. We all have some questions about those things that we want to know the answers to. A couple Wednesdays ago, we wrapped up our Tough Questions series where we answered some really great questions about those topics.

One question you guys had dealt with where God comes from? The short answer is nowhere. God has always existed, and always will exist. No one created Him. Revelation 1:8 tells us "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." This is a foundational truth for God's character and for who He is as our Lord and Savior.

Another great question y'all had was why did you (God) sacrifice yourself for me? What a great, loaded question that a jr. high student asked! Sin had to be dealt with, and it was dealt with by sacrifices in the Old Testament before Christ, but Hebrews 10:11 tells us that those sacrifices could "never take away sins," so Christ had to come and offer a one-time sacrifice for sins to make "perfect forever those who are being made holy." (Hebrews 10:14) Second, He sacrificed Himself, because He loved us. John 3:16 could be the most popular verse in the Bible, and it's one that taps into God's heart for us. The context is a Pharisee, Nicodemus, is coming to Jesus in the middle of the night, and Jesus knows that he wants to talk about entering the Kingdom of Heaven. After a little discussion on that topic, Jesus says something to him that I hope speaks to all of us. He tells Him that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should no perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) What a great and powerful statement! God loves us enough, and wants to know us so much, that He is willing to put His own Son through intense agony knowing that it was the only way for Him to have an intimate relationship with us, and it was all because of His love for us!

Finally, there were a few questions about eternity. There was a great question about how Jesus can be in Heaven if He took our sins. It's because He took sins to the grave with Him and defeated sin with His death on the cross, and He defeated death when He was resurrected from the grave. Sin did not come with Him, "because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." (Romans 6:7) Next, there was a question about what our bodies will look like when we die. Well, if you're a Christian, 1 Corinthians 15:35 - 49 gives us a glimpse of that future body. Our physical body will be transformed into a spiritual body, just like a pumpkin seed transforms from a seed into a pumpkin rather than just growing into a larger seed. Finally, the last question dealt with what hell is going to be like. Between the lake of fire mentioned in Revelation 20:15 and the everlasting destruction mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 1:9, it doesn't sound like a fun place to spend eternity at all! However, the worst part of that is the end of verse 9 where it says that those who don't know Christ will be "shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power." The worst part about Hell is going to be not having the joy and pleasure of being in a relationship with God! These were all great questions asked by you, our very own junior high students! All of you are incredible, and I encourage you to keep asking these tough questions and keep seeking to draw closer to Christ and love and know Him more! It's an honor to be a part of your lives. God bless all of you, and I hope I get to see everyone this Wednesday after what I hope was an awesome Thanksgiving filled with a ton of food, family, and giving thanks to God for everything we have. See ya!

-Kyle

Tough Questions - Does God Care?

The past few weeks have been tough. There have been shootings at Fort Hood where 13 people were killed and about 31 wounded. Shortly after that incident there was an office shooting in Florida where 1 person was killed and 5 people were wounded. The jobless rate in our country is at an all time high and more than likely, a lot of your parents have been affected by that. Swine flu continues to wreak havoc and there seems to be constant unrest in the middle east.

It might raise the question, "Does God Care?" Well we asked that question in a variety of different ways last night. The answer of course is "YES" God cares. As a matter of fact, God cares more than we do. But it doesn't always feel that way. Another way to phrase the question might be "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Last night I asked the question, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" Which I think is a fair question.

There was this guy named Henry Cavanaugh who had serious anger problems, to say the least. One day this ex con decided to mug an elderly lady, so he did. After mugging her, for a whoppin' $28, he hoofed it (that's Texanese for "he ran"). He ducked into a camera shop on a nearby street and was greeted by....cheers! You see Henry was the 1 millionth customer and had won 1million dollars! What tha heck? Are you serious? Instead of getting apprehended by authorities he became a millionaire. Not cool.

The crazy thing is that we are sort of in the same boat with Henry. We often like to lump ourselves in the "good person" category when the Bible has a different view of us. If you take a quick look at Romans 3:10-12, you'll see that man kind isn't really considered "good". BUT we still have a hard question to answer don't we? If God is good, how does He allow suffering?

This really is a tough question because I can't answer why certain things happen. Like I can't explain why a child gets cancer. I can't explain why certain people die way before "their time". What I do know is that God is good. 1 John 1:5 states that God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. There is no trace of evil in God. 1 Peter 3:12 goes so far as to say that He is against anyone who participates in darkness. God hates evil!

So when something bad happens, God is grieved. When a school shooting takes place, God did not make it happen but allowed it because He allows us to make choices for good and for evil. I also know that God warns people who commit acts of evil that they will have to face Him. The example that I gave last night when we were talking about child abuse was from Matthew 18:5-7. Jesus warns His listeners that if anyone misleads one of his little ones, I realize that Jesus was talking about His disciples but it includes children, that it would be better for a millstone to be tied around their neck and thrown into the ocean. A millstone was a huge stone used for grinding grain so that is a pretty strong statement. God takes His children, both old and young, seriously! He loves them and wants the best for them more than we do.

So, that being said, God cares about you! He cares what happens to you! When we go through tough times, God can use the bad stuff to help us grow stronger in Him (Romans 5:3-5). He also promises us that when the waves of suffering hit us and knock us down (Psalm 69:1-3) that He is our anchor (Hebrews 6:19), He alone keeps us from being pushed around by the bad stuff that happens in our life. When we cling to Christ during times of suffering, He is there, even when it doesn't feel like it.

Matt Snellings

Junior High Pastor

Chase Oaks Church

Are You a Vampire...Peggy?

Are You a Vampire ...Rocky?

Are You a Vampire Sean?

Are You a Vampire...Jeff?

Drained - Hatred

Hey Tribe!

Do you like action movies?  I LOVE a good action flick!  The more explosions and car chases the better the action movie right?  Since I am in fact a comic book nerd it is no surprise that I really enjoyed The Dark Knight.  While it is a great action movie, one of my favorites, Batman really does have some issues right?  Think about it.  His parents are killed at an early age and the way that he ultimately deals with it is by dressing up in a costume and punishing bad guys.  No doubt Gotham is thankful but I'm not really sure that Batman is a healthy person because of it.  As a matter of fact throughout the movie Bruce Wayne constantly struggles with his "dark side" as he does throughout the comic book series.

I think we have that same struggle with our "dark side" as well.  Last night we discussed the way that hatred drains the life out of your walk with Christ.  If you remember, one of the things that I said was that the longer that you hang on to hatred, the more destruction it causes in your own life.  It could hurt your parents, friends and ultimately yourself.  God promises that if you let your anger go he will begin to heal you.  

The Bible goes so far as to call us "fools" if we don't restrain but entertain our hate.  

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control."  (Proverbs 29:11) At the same time God doesn't call anger a sin.  In Ephesians 4:26 Paul writes, "In your anger do not sin" and goes on to say "do not let the sun go down while you are still angry." 

In His ministry, Jesus displayed love in his treatment of others and offered a message of peace.  Sure there were times when he was harsh with those who needed to hear the truth but His motivation was always love.  When we hate we take a detour from the way of life Jesus intended us to live.  Here are some ways for us to embrace the Fruit of the Spirit instead of the Deeds of the Flesh.

1. Resolve Your Anger:  Apologize to those you've wronged.  Forgive those who've wronged you (Colossians 3:13)

2. Get Help:  Talk to your parents.  If for some reason you cannot, talk to an adult who loves Jesus and cares about you.

3. Learn to Love:  Go to Galatians 5:22-23 and look at the Fruit of the Spirit.  Does your life look like that?  If not look for ways to begin to live a life that reflects God's love for you.  Maybe it is doing something nice for someone who can't repay you.  Maybe it is not slamming someone verbally after they have said something horrible to you.  

*Remember that Jesus loves you without strings attached.  If you sin against Him and ask for forgiveness, He will always accept you back.  If you ignore Him, He is still there.  If you aren't passionate about living for Him, He is still passionate about loving you.  Find a way to reflect that kind of love in your friendships, family and time alone.  Love you guys.

Matt

I got it. Do you get it?

Hey Guys!

Last night Jason did a great job of talking to us about Baptism.  He reminded us that sometimes we go through life just doing things and not thinking about what they mean.  

For instance, what if you missed your best friend's birthday?  I have to admit, I'm guilty on several different occasions of doing just that.  Recently one of my good friends had a birthday.  I didn't get his gift put into the mail until two months afterwards!  I felt like a total NERD after the fact.  Especially since they sent a thank you letter to us the MOMENT they received the ridiculously tardy present.  Maybe you've had the same experience.  You see, when something significant happens, you really should pay attention to it and do something that honors that event properly.  

When you come to Jesus, that is a HUGE event!  Your life should be completely changed as a result.  The Bible says that you 've been transferred from the domain of darkness into the light!  Your heart has been transformed and your life will soon follow.  That is BIG!  So it should stand to reason that you should make a big event out it right?  That's what Baptism is.  It is a public declaration of something that happened between you and God.  It is making your faith public knowledge.  Yes, the initial event is between you and God but it shouldn't stay that way.  Faith is meant to be lived out in community.  

Last night I walked away from the 201 Building (youth building) with a big stack of cards from people that have made that decision.  WAY TO GO PEOPLE!!!  I am so proud of those who were courageous enough to fill out a card and get it back to us that night.  If you thought about it and did not fill out a card, its okay.  Don't worry, we will have more baptism ceremonies to come.  We will let you know about it, much like this one, way ahead of time.  Thank you guys for coming out last night and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Matt

DEEDS OF DARKNESS

HEY TRIBE!!!

Thanks for showing up last night in full force!  Speaking of the force (nice segue right?), we talked a little bit about the "dark side" of the force last night.  Okay, we didn't talk about Darth Vader at all but we did talk about the "deeds of darkness" in Ephesians 5:11-12.  We also started a series entitled "Gossip and Rumors" where we will be talking about the different scandalous lives that we live as Christ followers.  

Last night we talk about participating in the "deeds of darkness".  You know when you go into a movie theater and at first you can't see a thing?  Then you wait a few minutes and your eyes adjust to the dimly lit room.  You can finally see the things that once seemed obscured by total darkness.  When you live your life away from Christ, you are living in darkness.  Christ on multiple occasions is called or calls Himself the "light of the world" (John 8:12).  So, life outside of Him is darkness.  My fear for your life, is that you spend too much time away from God.  The more time you spend away from Him, the more that your spiritual eyes adjust to the darkness.  The more that you let Christ into your world, the more it will be illumined.  

Darkness has the ability to confuse (not knowing right from wrong), cover up, and ultimately it comes from Satan.  So that's why "not participating in the deeds of darkness" is so important.  Being confused, covering things up and having Satanic influence in your life is a "dark" place to be.  However, light has some characteristics too.  Light has the ability to give direction to your life and has the ability to destroy darkness.  If the absence of light is darkness, when light is present, darkness cannot exist.  Part of what makes participating in darkness so crazy is that our job as Christ followers is to expose darkness for what it is (Ephesians 5:11; John 3:20).  

So where are you?  What does your life look like right now?  Is it more darkness than light?  I challenged you last night to think about something.  What if you were followed by a camera crew 24/7, would they find anything?  Is there a secret that you are keeping right now that would become public?  God promises us that everything we hold as a secret is public knowledge to Him (Luke 12:2-3).  My last question to you is this, "Who is your audience?" If your audience is your friends, your family or boyfriend/girlfriend, your life will look one way.  If your audience is God, your life will be drastically different.  Don't forget to live your life everyday as if the spotlight was on.  Live for Christ.  See you next Wednesday.

Matt

Party!!!

WOW!  Last night was A-mazing.  What a great time of celebration.  We had over 200 people at the youth building last night and had a great time of catching up and connecting.  We welcomed our new 6th graders in in typical Vibe style.  I am so excited that you guys are finally with us and I look forward to what God has in store for you.

Last night we talked about Jesus being the life of the party.  We read in John 2:1-11 that Jesus' first miracle was at...a party!  We learned that Jesus was the type of person you would want at your party, that He loved the type of people that were at parties and that life with Him is like a party.  Yet, we don't normally look at life with Him as a celebration.  John 10:10 states that one of the reasons that Jesus came was to give us life, here and in eternity, abundantly.  God's desire for us is that we would desire Him and pursue Him rather than feeling like we are obligated to do so.

At Vibe we hope that every Wednesday you would come and celebrate life in Christ with us.  That during Connection Groups on Wednesday you would engage and be a part of what God is doing that night.  That during Dgroups, or Discipleship Groups, on Sunday evenings you would come and deepen your relationship with Christ and others.  Our goal at Vibe is to connect Junior High students to a growing relationship in Jesus Christ.  We hope you will come and join us to do just that.  

In Christ,

Matt

Pondering Fatherhood

Did you ever wonder why your parents say things like,"just wait till you have kids?"  Don't you get tired of hearing it?  I did too when I was younger.  Everytime I broke a window "Just wait till you have kids, then you'll understand why I'm so mad!"  "Yeah, yeah" I used to think.  Notice that I said "used to think".  Having kids gives you a little clarity you know?  You can see your personality inside of them.  Don't get me wrong, so much of it is great!  

I can already see Kaiden, my son, starting to smile and laugh.  Sure, I like to think that's my contribution to the kid.  Let's hope he gets his mom's great looks and smarts though.  I can look at Savannah and see how much she just enjoys life.  It seems like she is always looking for a way to have as much fun in one day as she can possibly have.  Sure, I'd like to think that is something she got from her old man.  Okay, I'll give some credit to my wife ;)  

You see, whether you like it or not, you have a little bit of your parents inside of you too.  HEY, don't get mad at me, its just the way that it is.  It doesn't mean that you are going to be exactly like your parents because God has made you uniquely...YOU!  But you will in some way reflect your parents personality.  In a similar way, once you've given your life to Christ, you also begin to look like Him.  

In 1 John 3:9-11 a case is made that we can tell who we are children of by the way we act.  If we display self centered actions, we are a child of the Devil.  If we are others focused and spend our time dwelling on the things of God, we are children of God.  

I would challenge you this week to think about who your Daddy is.  Not your earthly daddy but your heavenly daddy.  If someone looked at your life from the outside and didn't know you at all, what would they think?  Who would they say your father was?  Take some time to think about different areas of your life where you have kept from your Heavenly Father and think about surrendering it to Him today.  Check you guys on Wednesday.  Laterz.

Matt    

STRANDED - PRAYER

Hey Tribe!

So, you are stranded on a deserted island and you can only bring 3 things with you.  What would those 3 things be?

Its funny, when you have to focus on just a few things, you boil everything down to the basics don’t you?  What do I really need?  How could I survive or at least, how would I be most entertained for a few minutes till the power went out on m MP3 player!  We are beginning a series at Vibe entitled, “Stranded” where we will talk about, what things are absolutely necessary for me to survive in my life with God?

Last night we started by talking about prayer and how it is essential in our existence as Christ followers.  We took a look at Mark 11:22-24 and tried to figure out what Jesus was trying say about this important topic.  When you take a quick look at this passage it seems to be saying that if we pray to God He will give you exactly what you ask for.  But after studying it and comparing it to other passages (like James 5:15; Matthew 6:6-15) it was evident that faith is an important element in the process of prayer.  It isn't just a matter of having "enough" faith because there have been plenty of times in my own life where I prayed for something that was good but God didn't answer quite the way I expected.

But prayer isn't like treating God like some kind of cosmic vending machine.  We put money in vending machines and expect to get exactly what we order.  In prayer sometimes we expect God to give us exactly what we pray for because we have put in Bible study, church attendance and good behavior.

Prayer is more about us aligning our wills to God's will.  That is where faith comes into the picture.  Faith has many elements to it but in a basic sense it is trust.  It is trusting that God is who He has said that He is and that He is capable of doing anything.  Since God doesn't conform to our standards but His own, it means that there are times when He will not answer our prayers exactly as we had imagined.  Once we begin to surrender our hearts to God He will begin to transform it so that we begin to desire the things that He desires.  Once that happens we will start praying for the things that are near to His heart.

Here are some ways that we can begin to pray the way that Jesus prayed in Matthew 6 and by doing so, begin to be transformed into the likeness of Christ:

1) BE THE CHANGE YOU PRAY FOR – A mentor of mine used to day, “Don’t lean on a shovel and pray for a hole.”  You’re like, what the stink does that mean?!  I know that’s weird but what is means is, don’t pray for something and just sit there waiting for things to happen.  Be the change you are praying for.  You can be an answered prayer for someone else.  

2) TRUST GOD RUTHLESSLY – God is in the business of changing you to look more like Christ.  Prayer is a part of that.  It strengthens your relationship with God.  In some of my darkest moments, prayer has calmed my soul because I have known that God is there.  I have spoken to Him and known that He has heard me. 

It goes something like this: the more you pray, the more you trust – the more you trust the more you will get out of your comfort – the more you try the more you will have to trust and it starts the whole process over again.  Then you will have the opportunity to see God work.  

3) MAKE A PLAN TO PRAY AND BE EFFECTIVE

A few months ago I was discouraged by my prayer life.  Then I realized, my prayer life is pretty random!  So I busted out a sheet of paper and wrote down the days of the week.  By each day I wrote down a focus for my prayer for that day.  It helped a lot!  My prayer ended up being more God focused than me focused.  Aside from having a plan it would help to write down your prayers so that when God answers them, you can thank Him for the great things He has done.  Take a look at Matthew 6 and take some tips from God like: Put God's will before your own, praise Him for His awesomeness, confess your sins and ask for God's help.  It will transform you when you do.

Remember - Prayer is about God's desire not your own.

Have a great week and weekend!

Matt

 

Baptism

Scarred - Pain From Within

Hey there Tribe!

Last night was an amazing night!  I was so glad to see all of you guys there and so focused on God.  Last night's topic was difficult and a little dark.  We asked the question, "How can God heal scars that we can't even see?" I can think back to different times in my life where people said something harsh to me and it deeply impacted my thoughts about myself.  Maybe you are the same way.  Words like "Geek", "Worthless", "Freak", "Easy" and "Liar" can cut us pretty deep.  Sure, we pretend like they don't and we put up a tough exterior but the reality is that words can scar you.

The hard part about those scars is that no else can see them and no one, not even your parents, realize the damage that has been done by them.  If we are not careful, Satan can use those words to chart a course for our lives that is destructive.  As a matter of fact, that is the Devil's ultimate goal: your destruction.  So how can we heal our scars?  Is it even possible?

Last night, we looked at the story of a man that was tormented by demons (Mark 5:1-20).  He had been controlled by voices that were literally in his head...and the rest of his body!  So much so that he resorted to cutting himself and attacking others.  This story seems like something out of a Stephen King novel but the truth of the matter is that the voices that speak to you about being a loser, are driven by Satan.  And these voices can become so loud that at times you cut yourself, get drunk, get high and even consider suicide.  So you too, like the demoniac, can be controlled by the voices in your head and can hurt yourself and others.  

The great thing about this story is that the man that is possessed meets Jesus.  After meeting Jesus, the voices stop.  The demons are cast out...INTO A HERD OF PIGS!!!  Crazy right? The demons preferred a bunch of stink swine to a face-to-face with the Son of God.  After meeting Jesus, the guy was at peace.  He was found sitting in a field, playing his guitar and singing "Don't Worry Be Happy"...okay I made the song part up.  But seriously, he had found peace and the voices were silent.  Guys, Jesus can put a stop to the torment that you sometimes feel.  You need to know that those aren't the voices of God that you are hearing, that are calling you worthless.  It is the voice of Satan.  If you come to Christ, He can replace the torment with peace.  The Bible says that Jesus went to the cross with the sin (hatred, low self esteem...etc) that is causing you pain and it was nailed to the cross with Him (2 Cor. 5:20:21).  

Instead of being called worthless, God sees you as having eternal value.  Instead of being called a freak, He calls you His child.  Now you are no longer a liar, but you are His masterpiece that is being transformed day by day.  Jesus is waiting to have a relationship with you.  Are you ready to take a step toward Him?  If you do, let us know about.  We'd love to show you how.

Matt

HEY TRIBE!!!

It was great to see you guys again last night.  I missed you over the break.  I hope you had a great one.  First off, I just got back from Camp Eagle yesterday and it was incredible!  The student ministries team went and had a blast.  We went hiking, mountain biking, and traversing across a cliff.  Some of us went kayaking and canoeing.  It gets me so PUMPED about camp!  If you are excited about camp, you need to sign up ASAP because it won't be long before we run out of spaces. 

Last Wednesday Kyle did an amazing job of talking to us about pain from the outside.  The story of Joseph is so full of examples that we can apply to our everyday lives.  One of the things I love most about the Bible is that it isn't full of perfect people or perfect circumstances.  Joseph was abused by his brothers and imprisoned for years (Genesis 37).  Yet somehow, he managed to continue to love God and follow him wholeheartedly.  As a matter of fact, he was able to say at the end of the whole experience:

 "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." (Genesis 50:20)

 There are many of you reading this blog right now that have been through a lot.  If this statement is true of you, let me first say, I'm sorry that you are going through what you are going through.  I can't even pretend to know why you are going through it or what it feels like.  What I do know is that God is there even in the midst of suffering.  It doesn't always feel like it but He is.  He is waiting for you to call on Him in prayer to help you through it (Psalm 34:18). 

He also wants you to find other followers of Christ to talk to and share the burden of this problem (Galatians 6:2).  God can heal your scars.  It doesn't matter what they are.  He can not only begin the healing process but He is so powerful that He can heal others as a result.  All you have to do is trust Him and call out to Him in your pain.  

In Christ, 

Matt

Last Wednesday

Last Wednesday was a blast!  It was great to see you guys there.  If you were there you know that we started a new series on suffering.  The series is called "Scarred" and we are talking about how each one of us has scars in our lives. Some of those scars are on the outside where everyone can see them and others are on the inside.  We asked a tough question last Wednesday night, "Does God Care?" The verse that we discussed was Romans 8:28 which says,“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

As a pastor, I know this verse is true but it doesn't always feel like it is.  There are times when I go through some really tough junk and I have to step back and ask "Does He really care?" We discussed a few ideas that some of you have about God during tough times.  Here are a few:

1. Does God exist?

2. Does God hear me?

3. Does God care?

All of these at least run through your mind when pain hits.  I really think that there is a fourth option in the mix and here it is:

4. Is God doing something with my pain?

Since God is good and there is "no darkness in Him" we know that God doesn't initiate evil.  So if you are going through something horrible (abuse, bullying, etc) God isn't at the heart of it.  It does mean that God allows these things to happen.  This is hard for us to understand when we are in the midst of suffering.  In the Book of Job (Old Testament), God allows some pretty bad stuff to happen to Job.  Upon seeing this Job's wife demands that he curses God and dies.  Great advice from your loved one right?  Job's response? "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10) 

I think this is a great question!  We never have any problems when good things happen right?  I have never questioned God when I've gotten a raise!  Never have I gotten angry when a loved one of mine has made it through a bout with cancer.  But the good and the bad are all a part of who I am aren't they?  It is the same with you.  You are who you are because of the good and bad things.

Later in Romans 8 we are reminded that we are being conformed into the likeness of Christ.  I think it is no accident that this is mentioned after the verse we discussed.  The good and the bad make us who we are in Christ.  I challenged you to put two things into action this week.  Here they are:

#1 Go to God with Your Pain - If you are going through some bad stuff right now, pray to God about it.  It doesn't mean that God will take those things away from you but He will be there with you to help you through.

#2 Let God Use Your Pain - If you have been through some bad stuff, let God use that for good.  Talk to someone who is going through a similar situation. Show them how God got you through it.  

Well, I hope this topic was helpful for you.  We've got three more to come (Pain from the Outside, Bullying & Pain from the Inside).  Don't forget: THERE IS NO VIBE THIS COMING WEDNESDAY (3-18-09).  I hope you guys have a great Spring Break, and I'll see you when we get back.  

Love,

Matt

Hey Guys,

I had a great time at the Lockout didn't you?  It was a great time to hang out and sharpen your broomball/laser tag/ video gaming/ bowling/ gravity course...skillz.  I loved doing all of those things but one of my favorite parts about the evening was hanging out with you guys and seeing you guys hang out with one another and having a blast doing it.

Community is great isn't it?  It is so cool to see you guys connecting with one another and growing to be like Christ in the process.  That is exactly what we talked about last night.  The big idea for the evening was that "True community happens in person." It isn't that online community is bad its just that it should be a supplement not a substitute for face to face community.  We targeted three things that a true community of Christ followers should be like.

1. A Place of Second Chances

If we are disciples of Christ, we should reflect His forgiveness in our group.  People should be forgiving one another left and right.  We should be accepting of others and love people that are coming to our group for the first time.  That is what the early church was like (Acts 2:38-47) as we studied last night.

2. A Band of Revolutionaries

Jesus followers should also stand against injustice.  We should not be happy with the presence of evil, in fact we should fight against it.  We should hate it when people go hungry and despise those who take advantage of the weak and make slaves out of them.  In addition to that we should have each others backs and lay down our lives for one another (1 John 3:16-17).

3. A Group that Does Life Together

We should also be excited about being around one another.  We should "break bread" together as it said the first church did in Acts 2.  We should laugh together and cry together (Romans 12:15) when necessary.  If someone makes the basketball team and you didn't, you should still be happy for them.  If someone just lost a family member we should be quick to put our arm around them and cry along side them.

These are all great things right?  Some of these things we can do online but definitely not all of them.  You see community loses its sting, its effectiveness, when it is done online.  True community is done in person right?  Come join us at Dgroups, Vibe and our other Events to be a part of this community.  Love you guys.  Check ya later.

Matt

iiNeed

Hey Tribe!

Last night was some heavy stuff right?  Just to recap, we talked about the epidemic problem of pornography online.  After researching this topic, here's some things I found.  The average age that people are beginning to view pornography is 11.  Pretty scary right?  The bulk of people online that view pornographic material are between the ages 12-17.  The industry itself is over a $13 BILLION industry.  So the question from last week still stands...Does God care about our life online?

We already know that God does care.  Because your life online and offline are the same because they are both YOUR life.  We took a look at Luke 11:34-36 last night where we learned that "What you watch affects your soul."  Jesus talks about your eyes being receivers of light.  Since Christ calls Himself "the light of the world" we know that the light that He is talking about in this passage is Him and the truth about the gospel.  The darkness that Jesus refers to could be anything that takes your eyes off of Him.

Since pornography is proven by many psychologists to be highly addictive, it frequently enslaves those who view it.  In an article that I read recently, a Christian counselor (Robert Ellis) said that these images are as addictive as cocaine!  That being said, it is easy, after frequent use, for pornography to become master over you.  Since Jesus really wants us to follow Him with our entire life, this is a problem.  

If you are struggling with this right now, let me encourage you to "FLEE" sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18).  

Fill your life with Christ (Galatians 5:22-23).

Let Someone know about your problem.

Eliminate Gateways - If there are things that get you thinking about pornography or looking at it, stop doing those things.  It could be listening to certain songs, it could be playing a video game with images that are less than pure, it could be going online and posting things on Facebook that you shouldn't.  

Extreme Measures - Take your computer out of your room, don't go online unless someone else is present. Maybe even stay away from going online for awhile.  

I hope that last night was helpful for you guys.  Please know that if you need to talk about this issue that we are available to talk to you at any time.  See you next week.

Matt

iidentity - Being the same person on and offline.

Hola Tribe!

Last night we began our discussion about your life online.  Let's face it.  A lot of us think that there are different rules online than there are in real life.  After all you can create an Avatar, which is an imaginary person anyway and live in an imaginary world filled with imaginary people.   You can create a Myspace page where you can have an alias and fake name, you can play Xbox online with an alter ego, create an email address with a different name and if you wanted to you could live in a virtual world non stop everyday of the week if you wanted to.  So certainly there are different rules right?

One of the stats that I threw at you last night, thankfully some of you ducked, was that people ages 13-24 can spend an average of 16.7 hours a week online.  This doesn't count the amount of time that you spend checking email by the way.  Nor does it account for the time that you spend plugged into your ipod.  It also doesn't count for TV watching, radio or talking on the phone.  When you add all of those things, you guys spend an average of 50 hours a week plugged into something.  50 hours!!!  That's not even a full time job, that's a full time job that is working overtime!

So the question that was asked again was, "Does God care about your life online?"  The answer is "yes", He does because on or offline, it is still YOUR life.  Last night we talked about your iidentity (yes I know I misspelled identity).  I gave you guys some action points to work on during the week.  Here are those points.

1. PONDER YOUR PICS - There are quite a number of you that are posting pics that are completely inappropriate and way too revealing.  You need to know 2 things.  #1 is that once it is out there, it is out there.  Anyone can take that pic and use it however they want to.  #2 is that pic, communicates something about you whether you want it to or not.  So be careful what you show everyone online even if it is "just your friends". (Phil 4:8)

2. PAUSE BEFORE YOU POST - Don't use Facebook or Myspace or any online media, as a place to rant about someone.  One comment could completely devastate someone.  Be mature and talk to that person one on one if you have a problem with them.  Also, be careful what thoughts you put down on a blog or any other post.  You would be surprised what some people will change their status to, not realizing that everyone and their Basset Hound is reading it. (Psalm 15:1-3)

3. PLAY/ GAME WITH INTEGRITY - Guys, just like you can play basketball, soccer, football, table tennis and even thumb wars with integrity you can do the same with the online community.  Don't tear someone apart with your words even if the scenario is imaginary.  Your words aren't imaginary, they are real and have real consequences.  (1 Cor. 10:31)

Guys...girls...God has a plan for your life.  It is a plan that is specific to you and only you.  But if you continue to pretend to be someone that you are not, even if it is online, you derail that plan.  Actions, words and pictures have consequences.  Get on board with God's plan for your life and be an influence online toward bringing people into the light and God's kingdom.  Peace.

Matt

RESET - DATING

Hey Guys,

Thanks for joining us last night.  A BIG thanks to Austin for filling in for Ian again.  Give a shout out to Ian when you get a moment to let him know we hope he gets better.  Another BIG BIG thanks to Tracy for giving us a female perspective on dating!  

I think we can all relate to the message last night on some level.  I was a text book example of how not to date when I was in middle school and high school.  Tracy made a great point about getting confused in the dating process.  I was really guilty of becoming someone I wasn't just to impress the person I was dating at the time.  I was so convinced that those people wouldn't like me if they really knew what I was like.  The problem is, that they never got to know the real me, who was pretty awesome if I do say so myself!  

Maybe you are there right now.  Maybe you are in a relationship and you are pretending to be someone that you aren't.  Let me just say that if someone rejects you for who you really are, they don't deserve to be with you!  God has made you the person He wants you to be for a reason.  When we pretend we are someone else, it works counter purpose to God's plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11).  God is molding you into the person that you will become.  Don't derail or cheapen that plan by becoming something that you aren't.

Tracy also reminded us that having a plan, ie road map, when we get into a relationship is a really good idea. You may be thinking, "Man, I'm not even thinking about dating so I don't need to think about those things." If this sounds like you, you couldn't be further from the truth.  This is the perfect time to think about the type of person you should be looking for, physical boundaries, and even if you should be dating at this stage in life.  What better time to make a plan!?  When I was dating my wife, I earned a nickname that I am pretty fond of to this day.  The name..."Man of Steel".  Not bad right?  You can totally call me that if you feel like it by the way.  I was called that because I had a plan for dating that I absolutely would not deviate from.  (I was also called "turtle slow" but I would much rather the first nickname).  

Even though Jenn and I still laugh about that name, she appreciated how much care I took to preserve a good relationship that wouldn't be ruined by going too far physically or even emotionally.  Back to you!  Take great care in your dating relationships.  You may not think it but they will effect your future relationships.  How great would it be if each person that you ever dated could look your future spouse in the eye and say, "Wow, you are a lucky person to be marrying ________!"  It can happen if you do relationships God's way.  

One last thing, if you didn't get a leather bracelet last night, come next week and we'll have more.  Don't forget, that bracelet is a reminder to live a life that is "Reset".  It is reset because you have given it to Jesus and that means a new start.  It isn't an excuse to make mistakes on purpose, but it does allow you to start over when you've messed things up.  God is in the second chance business.  How are you going to honor His sacrifice for you?  What will your life look like as a result of encountering amazing grace?

BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!!!

Hello My People,

Last night was a great night for all of those who braved the elements.  Thanks again to Sean and Austin for taking over worship last night. They did a phenomenal job didn't they?  Please continue to pray for Ian as he is recovering from the flu.  GET BETTER DUDE.  There, that oughtta do it.  

We tackled a tough topic at Vibe last night.  The take away from last night was "When grace impacts your life you share your pain, you don't hide it." We took a look at 2 Corinthians 1:3 and Romans 12:15 where pain is shown as a public thing.  You weep with those who are in turmoil and you share the comfort that you have in Christ with those who need it.  The problem is that often times, we bottle up our pain and we react to tragedy by withdrawing from the people that could help us the most.  

Sharing your pain is a tough thing though isn't it?  We have all had experiences in our life where we have shared something and it has either been abused or not received well.  So what is the trick?  How do we get past wanting to hide our pain from others?  I think a big key is to find a community of people that you trust and who are whole heartedly pursuing Christ.  

Ray Tang came last night and we both shared some hideous photos from our childhood.  Talk about painful!!  I had a mullet that wouldn't quit and Ray had some awesome "Will Ferrell" style  basketball shorts with some crazy knee high socks.  PAIN-FUL.  As I was looking for some of these photos, it reminded me of my childhood.  I saw pictures of a fishing trip I took with my grandfather (or Paw Paw).  There were Christmas times, family reunions, vacations, birthdays and graduations.  Any event you can imagine was represented.  

But as I looked through the photos it reminded me that there were a number of bad times as well.  As a kid I didn't handle pain very well.  I would party on the weekends and at other periods in my life that I  even contemplated suicide.  I had no idea how good sharing my pain with others could be.  Instead, I kept it to myself and it began to tear me up inside.

Maybe that's you right now.  Perhaps you are going through a rough patch in your life and you feel like you aren't going to pull through.  Let me encourage you to do something very difficult but extremely good: share your pain.  The Bible says that we are to "carry each other's burdens" (Galatians 6:2).  It is part of our life in Jesus to share in the good times and bad that we are going through.  Don't be a Lone Ranger, don't try to hot dog the Christian life.  Step out in faith and share your pain with someone who loves Jesus like you do.  

If you have something especially difficult that you are going through and just consulting a friend or a group of friends isn't going to do the trick, Ray has started a group at our church entitled, "Life Hurts, God Heals".  It is designed for students that have faced serious situations (suicide, abuse, death in the family) and need help getting through it.  If you are one of these people, let us know and we would love to talk to you more about it.  Have a great week!  Keep Jesus first.

Matt

 

WISDOM

Hey Vibe Tribe,

Well what is up?  Thanks for joining us last week as we continued our series entitled "Reset" where we learned that "Wisdom is easy to get but it is hard to keep."  I started the night out by screaming, along with the help of a few friends.  A couple of you in the front row had to go change right after that, I would assume because you were so excited about the night!  My point is yelling, was to show you that it is pretty hard to miss when someone is crying aloud in your presence.  Wisdom does the same thing.  It is shouting at you, through your parents, through some of us at Vibe, through some of your friends that are Christ followers but there are times when you don't listen to that great advice.  

I really think part of it is that on a regular basis we are surrounded by bad advice.  We are surrounded by people that say it is okay to have sex before you are married as long as you love the person.  It is okay to to hurt someone if they have hurt you first.  But when grace impacts your life, it should look a lot different.  So when it comes to wisdom, seek it out but know that it is relatively easy to find.  It is within reach.  All you have to do is seek it.  Open your Bible, pray, ask your parents advice and make sure that God is in your decision making process. 

Wisdom is easy to find but hard to keep.  It is only by looking for, receiving and practicing wisdom that you will be able to live a life that reflects wisdom.  Here are some thing that you can do to begin to live a wise life.

1) Run with the Right Pack

Find a group of Jesus followers and begin to live life together.  Consult them when you are making a tough decision.  Remember, it isn't always your best bud that you should consult or someone who is just going to tell you what you wanted to hear.  Sometimes it is an adult who has been there and done that.  D-groups are a great place to find those types of people.

 Proverbs 1:10 “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.”

 Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.”

2) Open Your Bible (read it do what it says)

The Bible says that we should "fear God".  It isn't an unhealthy fear of Him where we dread being in His presence.  It is a healthy dose of fear, mixed with a sense of awe and wrapped up in love.  Kind of like a healthy parent/child relationship where you fear your parents when you do wrong but know that they always want the best for you.  It starts there but doesn't end there.  

You should also read His love letter to you (the Bible).  It is there and full of wisdom.  In some places that wisdom has been tested over thousands of years.  It is like getting advice from a thousand year old man that has really lived life and done it well.  So, trust Jesus, do what He says and then work really hard at it.

Psalm 33:11 “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.”

3) Consider the Result

Before making a decision, make sure you weigh the consequences.  Will this hurt someone?  Are my actions going to cause pain to someone unnecessarily?

Does this need to hurt someone?  Sometimes telling someone something they don't want to hear may hurt but it may need to, as long as it is done in love and said in a considerate way.

Ultimately you need to decide if Jesus would be happy with the result of the decision that you are making.  That will happen if you do the above things.  Thank you guys for coming and being a part of Vibe.  I hope to see you soon.  Have a great week!

Matt

Proverbs 1:20

“Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;”