As 2008 comes to a close.. a look back at the year..

As I look back at the past year, I’ve changed a lot.

A year ago, I was a long haired wanna be scene kid that was more worried about relationships with girls than anything else in his life. I was pretty much not living for Christ.

6 Months ago, I was starting to come around some. I was still a long haired wanna be scene kid, but I was starting to see my need to live out my faith in Christ Jesus.

4 months ago, I was coming around even more. I was starting to live out in my school, talking to people about my faith, that sort of stuff.

Two months ago… well, I havn’t changed much in the past two months. My hair is now short, I no longer have any desire to be a part of the ‘scene’ or ‘emo’ crowd. My faith in Christ is more important to me than anything or anyone.

I pray that I continue to grow in my faith, and that I may continue to change to meet that relationship with Christ.

Christmas Day...

So, as this wonderful day comes to a close, I can look back and say that I've had a pretty good Christmas.

Much better than a lot of people had the opportunity to enjoy.

But aside from much gift giving and receiving, let's not lose sight of the real reason for this holiday that has become so materialistic and distorted:

Jesus. The birth, the death, the resurrection.
He was born to die, knowing what he was going to face.
He knew what he would face before he ever created the universe, and yet he still chose to create us.

let's not forget the real reason for the season.

Goodnight and God bless.

-Jamie

And So Starts The Missionary Journey...

God gave me the opprotunity to witness to this kid in my TTR class. His name is Nick. He was asking me what things I did that were 'bad.' You know, like smoking, weed, pills, sex. That kinda stuff.

I replied "Man, I'm a Christian, I don't do that stuff, bro." To which he replied:

"I prayed a prayer and asked Jesus into my heart, and I still do all that stuff.."

That line of his allowed me to talk to him about true repentance, and sin. I used the 10 commandments as the source of Law that God will hold us to on the day of Judgment.

I only had to go through 3 to get my point.

"Have you ever had sex, or lusted after a girl?"
"yes."
"Have you ever lied?"
"duh!"
"Have you ever used God's name in vain. You know, like 'Oh My ---' or used GD?"
'yes.'

"So, by your own admission, you're a lying, blasphemous adulterer at heart, and you're destined for Hell on the day of Judgment."

He suddenly got really quiet. I left him with a track with all the stuff I just went over, and if he keeps asking questions, I'm going to give him a copy of the New Testament.

Pray for Nick, as, unless he repents, he's headed to Hell when he dies.

Thanks for your support.

Solution- Hillsong United

This is a pretty great song- I thought I'd post a video on here for everyone who actually reads this thing to enjoy.

KHHS BIBLE CLUB!!!!

We'll be having our third bible club meeting on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008. This will also be our closing meeting for the 2008 year, and we will pick back up the first week back in school in January 2009!

DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU WANT TO HELP OUT!!!!!!

904.699.4974

The Great Commission

The Great Commission
In the last several verses of the book of Matthew, Jesus gives his disciples, as well as current believers, what is known as “The Great Commission,” the call to preach the gospel to every corner or the earth.

Matthew 28: 18-20
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Here’s a little background on what has happened earlier in the chapter and just before: In the last chapter of Matthew, Matthew tells his account of Jesus’ crucifixion. Chapter 28 starts 3 days after the death and burial of Christ. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to the tomb where Jesus had been laid to rest. An angel appears to them tells them that Jesus has been resurrected as he foretold. (Matt. 28: 5-6). The angel then commands them to go tell the disciples of Jesus’ resurrection. Later, in V. 9, Jesus appears to his disciples. They worship him and he commands them to meet him on a mountain in Galilee.
Verse 17 says this about when the met him on the mountain:
When they saw him, they worshiped him: but some doubted.
Wait, Some of his disciples doubted Him? They didn’t even believe what was right in front of them. The resurrected Jesus Christ, the one that prophesied his resurrection, was standing right in front of them and they didn’t believe what they saw. Crazy, right? Even though these people were disciples of Jesus, they were still human, and still found it hard to believe that which was supernatural.

Where we started, In verse 18, Jesus starts talking to them, stating his power:
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
He’s basically just telling them why they should do what He’s fixing to command them to do.

In Verse 19 is the actual charge, the Great Commission:
Go Ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
He’s telling them right from the start, Go Ye therefore which, translated into something more understandable, mean “Go because of the what I just told you.” So what Jesus is telling is “So, because I have all power in heaven and earth, go teach every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

This is our command. We’re supposed to teach EVERYONE. Not just the kids we go to school with or the people that we work with. We’re supposed to tell everyone about Jesus Christ, and his death, burial, and resurrection. Even if it means losing friends, family, jobs, even if it gets you killed.

Verse 20 is basically a continuation of verse 19:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,
He was stating that we’re to teach new converts, new Christians the laws and commandments that God has laid down for us, so they can keep them also.
The next phrase:
And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Basically, what He’s saying here is exactly what is sounds like. “I’m with you always, even until the end of the world.”
He’s not with us just sometimes, he’s not with us just when we’re preaching for him. He’s with us when we’re doing things we shouldn’t, too. He’s with you when you stick that joint in your mouth. He’s with you when you’re in the backseat of your car with your boyfriend or girlfriend. He’s with you when you take that spray can and paint obscene words on that building or sign. He’s with us everywhere. When we’re doing what’s right, when we’re doing what’s wrong. When we’re depressed because of something that happened, He’s always with us.
This last word, “Amen,” is really just a sign-off. Like saying “goodbye” to someone when you’re done talking to them on the phone. Or like saying “goodnight” before you go the bed.

So we see here in these three verses that we’re supposed to preach the gospel to everyone. We’re supposed to mentor new Christians in the way they’re supposed to live. And we also see that God is ALWAYS with us. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I encourage you to let this sink in and then I encourage you to share your faith. Here’s my challenge for you: I challenge you to share your faith with 15 other people this week. People that are non-believers, even people that scoff and laugh at God.
These three verses are why I’m preaching, why I’m writing, and why I play music. I hope they’re the same for you.

Lay Down My Pride

Lay Down My Pride

How would you describe the word "Pride?" Webster describes pride as "The quality or state of being proud" or "a proud or disdainful behavior or treatment."

Think about that definition for a second. Would you agree with me then, that people in general are prideful? What are some things that you have pride in? Is it your school? Is it your car? How about your family or friends.

The bible tells us we are to do nothing out of pride because Jesus Christ did nothing out of pride. Everything Christ ever did, he did out of humility. We see Paul telling this to the church of Philippi in the book of Philippians.

Philippians Chapter 2:1-9

1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,

This word, Vainglory, in verse 3 means "an excessive or ostentatious PRIDE, especially in ones achievements."

The scripture we just read says that Christ did nothing out of Pride. He could have done everything out of pride. He's GOD!!! He can do anything He wants. He's perfect. He could be like "Look at everything that I created, now bow down to me" But instead, He made himself like us. Like MAN. He made himself like man, was born, walked upon the earth for 33 years and then died the most humiliating death that someone could be put through in those times- death upon a cross. I'm not going to go into that scripture right now, but if you want to read an account of his death, read John 19: 16-37 later on your own.

Another thing that Jesus did that took complete humility was the washing of his disciple's feet. Bro. Will taught about this during VBS at our church, Gadara Baptist. Washing someone's feet then isn't like washing someone's feet now. People back then walked from place to place. They usually didn't ride horses or donkeys unless they were extremely rich. So, they walked everywhere. They only shoes they had were leather sandals, and sometimes not even that. They walked bare footed. Again, I won't go into the scripture for this one, but you can look it up on your own later. John 13 gives a good account of this.

Okay, so back to the issue of Pride: It's safe to assume that if you are overly proud or have too much pride in yourself or an item, that you make yourself or that item your god. The first commandment that God gives Moses in the book of Exodus is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

We're seeing now that we're not to be prideful, right? We're seeing that we're to be humble in our actions, even if it takes looking to someone like they're better than us. I know that's a hard concept to grasp- it is for me.

So here's my challenge to you- pray about this, that God would change your heart and make you more humble. And also, try living out a humble lifestyle. When you do something, don't do it so you can say you achieved something. Because that's pride, which we've seen in the last few minutes to be wrong.

If you know Christ, I encourage you to live out for him, to follow him daily in a humble mind.

If you don't know Christ as your personal savior, and you want to know more about Him, I encourage you to talk to me, or someone you know to be a Christian.