Go...

Robert: age 18
Robert hardly sleeps anymore. He stays up late to get to the next party or drunken adventure. His 'fun' doesn't start till most people are already sleeping. Every night he drinks more and more, to keep himself satisfied. He tells his friends he is really happy and really enjoys life, but when he is alone he holds back tears. He's not even close to his drinking buddies, he sits at home and listens to some music all the while waiting feeling empty, just waiting for the next night ...

Teresa: age 18
Teresa hasn't slept in days. It was a little less than a week ago that she was raped by her best friend. One thing led to the next and boundaries were passed. She tries to cry herself to sleep, but her emotions prevent her from doing so. She feels dirty, guilty, and ashamed. She lies to herself "it was her fault." She can't erase the scars, but she can't move on either ...

Jacob: age 19
Jacob hasn't been sleeping well. He trusted his roommate with his most personal secret. Jacob struggles with homosexuality. Jacob's roommate was so scared, and defensive at his news. His roommate teased him relentlessly, and Jacob stopped going to his dorm. Not having to many other friends he sleeps in the 24 hour computer lab on the couch if the person working the desk doesn't kick him out ...

Coleen: age 23
Coleen gave up sleeping when she had a baby. Being that she is one of the first in her entire family to even go to college, she tries desperately to make all her ends meet. She tries to balance getting a degree, and raising a child by herself. But she isn't sure how long she can keep the game up. The University keeps taking more and more money from her, and she is only able to afford school because of an inheritance. She wonders every night if shes doing what is best for her son...

Zac: age 20
Zac sleeps 'with one eye open' every night. Zac made some awesome Christian friends and has been trying to experience Christianity for himself. But when his father found this out he became very upset. His father never wanted Zac to spend time with these friends. He tells Zac not to return home, and that if he tries to go to his sisters wedding he will hurt him. Zac cries thinking about the choices he has ahead of him ...

Janette:  age 21
Janette tries to sleep often, but never feels rested. She is always exhausted and weak. When she looks in the mirror she is horrified with her body. She doesn't feel perfect, or even pretty. She tells herself that nobody will love her, and that she is so overweight. She forces herself to throw up again, but still doesn't feel any prettier. She is so weak that it seems all she wants to do is sleep now, but she can bring herself to because she is never at peace ...

Dallas: age 18
Dallas decided there is no point in going to sleep your last night on earth. Dallas feels completely disconnected from everything and everyone. Dallas feels homesick, but he tells himself that his parents don't miss him. After he got rejected from Frat he rushed, and the program he applied for, life just didn't make sense. He writes a 'goodbye' letter, and just contemplates if he is 'man enough' to follow through this time ...

Jessica: age 17
Jessica has been pulling all nighters several days in a row.  She has a grades to maintain, classes, meetings. She just wants to make her parents so proud. She downs some energy drinks and starts studying. She ignores her feelings begging her to spend some time with friends. Eat a meal at the union. Go on a nature hike. She drowns them out night after night with books and homework. This will make my family proud she thinks ...

Taylor: age 22
Taylor can't sleep tonight, if he does he could die. There is so much drugs and alcohol in his system right now that willingly going unconscious is a terrible plan. Taylor thinks about the friends, the scholarship and all the money he has lost. He hears sirens and wonders if he will end up in jail or the hospital again. He tells himself he needs to turn his life around, but just doesn't know how to...

Lindsay: age 22
Lindsay doesn't like sleeping anymore. She shares a bed with someone she no longer cares for. Her heart is always torn. She never quite knows what to do. She finds herself living in the 'uncomfortable' but tells her self its 'normal'. She wonders if her bed-mate even loves her, he must, that's why they have been together so long....

Chris: age 21
Chris can't sleep tonight either. Most nights he goes to bed feeling loved, comforted, respected, and secure. But tonight is different. 10 people are on his mind. 10 people which he has neglected to invite to know Jesus. 10 people which are awake right now, not feeling loved, comforted, respected, or secure. 10 people which Chris' has kept a pearl of great price hidden from. 10 people who need Jesus now more than ever. Chris begins to pray for these people, and how to introduce them to Jesus, and how he loves them so...

Jesus: age ∞
Jesus never sleeps. Not while people he loves are hurt. Not while they don't know him. Jesus says to these people "I use the weak to lead the strong, I empower the humble, I lift up the weary, I heal the sick, and mend the broken. I set the captives free, I satisfy all who are thirsty. I am coming back soon and that day I will dry every tear. Come and embrace me who has loved you since before time even began, fall into the arms of the One who died for you." Jesus never stops reveling himself to his people.


What to do with these stories:
Sometimes I find myself thinking that sharing the gospel is hard. I get nervous, and uneasy about what to say. But it is clear to me now that sharing the gospel is not something I have to do, but something I want to do. I think of the pain that 10 real people (names have been changed to protect identities) are experiencing. I take the relationship I have with Jesus Christ for granted. I forget how desperate I am for sweet grace. I think back to three long years ago before I knew Jesus. I think of my own pain and hurt, and I know my friends are feeling even worse. So no more will I conceal who Jesus is. No more will I be to scared to invite my friends to know him. No more will worry about what to say. This world won't sleep till everyone knows Jesus, and Jesus won't sleep till everyone knows him.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirits" Matthew (28:19)

Is it really a waste?

Recently I have got some opposition for my faith. It comes in public realms, as well as in private conversations. After some of these instances it made me sit down and think about what I am doing. Why am I serving a God that I cant see with my eyes? Why did I die to myself to live for another? Why do I say not my will but yours? Is any of this worth it? All of these questions were narrowed to one major question "Am I wasting my life, the only one I get?" After spending hours thinking about it, the answer is simple... No.

I will approach how I came to this answer from several angles. The first is that as a Christian I am a better person. I am a better husband, friend, brother, and son because of my faith. It is obvious when you look at the history of my life. Before I was a Christian, I had many failed relationships with friends. I fought with siblings, and parents all the time. After becoming a Christian I am seeing people through a new lens. I try to love people even amidst their (sometimes long) list of flaws.  Don't get me wrong, I still grow impatient with my family and friends, but I still approach how I feel about people much differently. I am today a greater person because of Christ.

Another thing to consider is where I would be if I wasn't a Christian. A friend of my asked me that exact question one time. I responded with "powerful for the kingdom of Hell." If I am honest with you that is where I would be. Before I was a Christian I was longing to do something with my life. To have a sense of purpose, to change the world. I think if presented with the option of changing the world for the worse, I would still be on board. So it is worth it to me to be a Christian just to take myself away from being used for the furtherance of evil.

 What about all the things that you can't do? What about all the things that you have had to sacrifice? These are all questions that I have been asked and thought about thoroughly. Needless to say as a Christian there are many things, (especially considering that I am in college) that I have had to sacrifice. But if I am honest, anything that I think through I don't miss. I mean think of Pre-marital sex. All it takes is watching one episode of "Teen Mom" to make me realize that sacrificing having sex before marriage is one of the wisest decisions I ever made. Along the same lines there are things like pornography or being sexually immoral. But if you set aside your feelings about this for a second think about how much pain is associated with pornography or prostitution, even one night stands. The hurt, the regret, the sadness, the shame. Next time you thing about participating in these acts just remember that someday that might be your daughter, or your sister. Our culture may lie to us that these things are 'manly' but I for one feel more like a man every time I say no to these things. Because there is nothing manly about not protecting women. It isn't just sexual acts that are sacrificed. The life of partying, drinking, and drugs are all given up as well. It ought to be easy to understand why I willingly give these things up. Why would I want to do something to my body in which I am inhibited from thinking clearly or acting maturely. We are told we are 'cooler' the more we party or drink, but honestly, I think we just look 'sillier.'

Something that seems to always keep people from following Jesus is the 'rulebook.' There seems to be this widespread lie that being a Christian is all about following rules, being controlled. A real 'obey or die' sort of illusion. If The bible tells us that there is not even condemnation for [breaking the rules] when you are saved by Jesus. Never in my life when I have sinned, have I had to sit down with a pastor or religious leader and be lectured about what a bad person I am. I don't live my life thinking to myself daily about all the rules I must follow. Yes I do sin, I do screw up, and each time I hand these things to Jesus, and say, "thank you for becoming this thing. Thank you for saving me, thank you for bearing my burden." Being a Christian isn't about following the law and being controlled but some authority. Its honestly only about this crazy, insane, love relationship between me and Jesus, and me following this awesome person anywhere he leads me.

The last argument specifically goes out to anyone that is walking this narrow path with me. Any one that is part of this great family of Christ, please read these next few sentences thoroughly. Let me start by saying that my life isn't boring. It is certainly packed with more stuff, but it is Fun, it is Exciting, it is Awesome. My life has been so much better ever since I became a Christian. My life feels like it has purpose. I am not just trying to stockpile as much money as possible, or become as powerful as possible. I am trying to share my treasure with as many people as possible. Every day that someone I know comes closer to knowing Jesus one of the most exciting moments of my life. Sure being a Christian can be overwhelming sometimes. There is still pain, hurt, suffering, and burn out. But it's worth it. It's worth it just to be 'alive.' Just to taste what changing the world feels like. Just to know that I am living daily for one who creates galaxies! It is awesome.

So the answer is that it is not a waste. If I wasn't a Christian I would bored, distracted, annoying, empty, lost, frustrated, confused, angry, hurtful, and spent or wasted. However as a Christian I am; renewed, healed, excited, loving, happy, encouraged, and Alive!

So the long and short of it is that following Jesus is great. It is very hard sometimes, and this path is cleverly called the narrow one. But it is so worth it. It is so great. It is not a waste, and I am sure that 100 out of 100 times if I were to relive my life I would choose to change the world. I would choose to live life to the fullest! I would choose to follow Jesus! I know you would too!

Transform!

The mission statement for campus ministry that I am involved with goes something like this; "[Intervarsity's Mission is to] Transform the lives of students and faculty, Renew the campus, and Change the world for and through Jesus Christ. This three part blog post will be dedicated to how myself, as well as Intervarsity is doing these things.

I guess we will start from the top. Transform. It seems hard for me to believe, but it was just 3 years ago that I became a Christian. It was in my Residence Hall game room. My testimony is a clear example of how Intervarsity is transforming students. I was even 'interviewed' to share my experiences with other members of the organization to help them transform other students that are in a similar situation to myself when I was a freshman. It has been this year more than ever that I am seeing true transformation take place.

Last year there were several people that I influenced. It is this year that I have seen their life truly take flight. They have a transformed mindset and an transformed live style. It is so encouraging to see how these people have matured, and how they are influencing others now.

The excitement of the growth from students from last year doesn't compare to the excitement I have for some students for this year. In the first few weeks of school I have challenged two students to give their entire lives to Jesus. I have told these students, that nothing short of 'dying' to yourself will be enough. Both of these students received this well, and are transforming how they act, and treat people to be more missional, and to be a better light to their friends and family.

I also am helping to transform a students life that 'believes' in God, but isn't sure if living for Jesus is worth it. I am excited to see how this student will transform over the year. The risks that this student is taking, and the honesty is encouraging on so many levels. I am already seeing this students view of Jesus, God, and even the Church change. This student is starting to see things from a different view, and moving back towards the path of giving their life whole heartily to Jesus.

The last student that I want to mention is not a Christian. I have had many talks with this student and their perspectives are so awesome. I am already seeing this student transform the way that they think, live, and act. I am committed to meeting with this student on a regular basis all year to 'walk' along side Jesus, and to see what it is that He is offering. This student is being changed in great ways and I can't wait to see what becomes of it.

Students on Campus are being transformed all over campus. We are being changed in Word, Deed, and Prayer. We are a generation that is moving away from being dull, boring, and stagnant to one that is passionate, alive, and world changing. These students are living testimonies of Gods power, and love. They also speak for the transforming power that the body of Christ has, when used well. Intervarsity wisely choose the word transform to explain what it is that we are trying to accomplish in students lives. And if I am honest, through Jesus Christ, we are doing just that.

Read more about Intervarsity Christian Fellowship!
Meet the Chapter at Northern Arizona University!

The Bottom Line.

School most years I find a little dull, uninteresting, and irrelevant. This year in particular is no exception. In fact it has increased. I tried for a little while to brush this off as 'senioritis' but this clearly wasn't the case. There has been something going on this last 3 weeks of school, that has brought up more doubt, more confusion, and frustration than ever before. It took me a while to pinpoint exactly what the problem was, and I never expected to learn a lesson about Jesus in it, but since I did, here goes my thoughts about Jesus and Business School.

Business School this year, (as well as most years) is all about money. We will have several hour lectures on exchange rates, the future value of a dollar, and how to make money. If I was to sum up what the last 4 years of business school has taught me it is this; 'Make as much money as possible, whatever it takes.'

In fact that statement isn't that far from the truth. In my senior business class my instructor said 'To be a good business person there are 3 things to do.

1. Make money,
2. Keep shareholders happy,
3. Always act ethically and responsibly, unless when it violates 1 or 2.'

Now if that doesn't jump out at you right away, then read it a few more times. Get why that is messed up right now. This is what my college is teaching the future business leaders of our nation. That the most important thing to do is make money. Indirectly, we are also be taught that personal safety, health, and even human life in general has a price. I am coming to that conclusion because, there is a simple formula to follow.

(e) = Event
(R) = Cost to remedy a situation, with court settlements etc.
(z) = Potential profit margin increase from (e)

If z > R we are taught at business school that this is a good idea. It is easier to mess up someones life, and take the burden of lawsuits since it will be creating more money for the shareholders.

Needless to say, it should be clear why Im starting to become more and more uninterested in business school. If there was one giant thing that was holding me back from being a better Christian it was money. But I realized that the American Dream is crap compared to the Kingdom Dream! The America Dream says, make as much money and get as much fame for yourself as possible. The Kingdom Dream, says give away all your money and everything you own of value, and get as much fame for Jesus as possible. Truth be told, the Kingdom Dream is so much better. I wish I could get a major in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now this talk isn't actually about money, even though Ill write a blog post eventually elaborating on some of these elements. This blog post is actually about something else. The fact is in business school something I hear alot is "the bottom line." Essentially this phrase means what is the absolutely lowest I can acquire this for. In a business deal, someone would say this when they are trying to eliminate as many costs as possible.

Ironically this phrase was something I was thinking about alot today. I was trying to imagine what life today would look like if Jesus said to the Father, "Ok dad, whats the bottom line here? What is cheapest price I have to pay to reconcile your wrath and save these people?" Lucky for us, Jesus is a terrible business man (at least according to our culture, perhaps, he is the best example of a businessman there is, let that stew for a while)
Jesus, instead said, "I will give everything, including life itself to reconcile the wrath of God and save the world." The more I think about it, Jesus gave everything when he didn't have to. So what is the 'Bottom Line' for me. The minimal amount I can give, is my life. Giving my life to Jesus is the bottom line. It is the cheapest, I can obtain everlasting life, and a relationship with God. Now that we have establish that "the bottom line." is a rather corrupt business tactic, I think its safe to say that I don't want to give God the minimal amount. Especially when we know that God will multiply my investment 10 fold. In fact from a business standpoint, giving God everything will yield the highest return. So let us follow the example of Jesus, and ask not the Father "what is the bottom line here?" Instead let us give God everything and then ask "What more can I give you today?"

It has always been about Him!

Recently, I was overcome with a case of stubbornness. I started viewing my life as a Christian differently. I began thinking that I had all the answers. I was getting tired of hearing the same old questions over and over again. Listening to people deal with the same problems. I even starting tell God what to do... It was a rough time. I wanted things to be about me, and I didn't want to listen to feedback or get support.

One night came around, I was eagerly waiting for it. All of my friends were returning from summer breaks. I had a list of people to talk to, and to meet. I had been excited for a long time. However when this day came, and all my friends were joined in one place, God showed up and messed up all my plans.

A conversation about God came up with a friend of mine, I felt the Spirit Leading me to pursue and develop this conversation. Now don't get me wrong, I love talking about God, but in this moment, I really didn't want to. I knew this conversation would go on all night, and even if it was fruitful, I really wanted to see my friends. I even tried to change the subject, and get out of the conversation to get back with my friends. That was when I started to feel almost sick. God spoke into my heart, and commanded me to have this conversation. I obeyed, but remember thinking to myself, "God you better explain yourself later." I felt this way, because I said that I was commanded to have this conversation, I wasn't asked, it was a very different feeling.

I spent all night talking with this person about God. The conversation was very fruitful, and I was actually very grateful that I got to participate in such a great talk. When I got home, I thanked God for the fruit that came from the conversation, but deep down, I still was a little upset I didn't get to see my friends. Not to mention I felt almost insulted by the way which I felt I was commanded to do something.

"God I didn't want to do that," I found myself thinking. God spoke to me, "Its never been about you." I was almost jaw dropping shocked. These words were painted on my heart. He was absolutely correct. It wasn't about me. Who am I to feel insulted when God Almighty asks me to do something. He reminded me that I am a servant, and that on Oct 16th from several years ago, I made a commitment to lay down the things that I wanted, for the things that He wanted. It has always been about Him!

I felt terrible for the way which I had approached my faith. The way which I had forgot the meaning of reverence, and the sacrifices that took place for me to be able to communicate with God himself so openly.
"Ok, Father, you're right, It has and will always be about you, Please reveal to me how I can serve you tomorrow." It was a very humbling moment and prayer. But nevertheless, it has been very fruitful. God has blessed me by revealing to me how I can be a servant each day. It was in that moment, I realized that being 'commanded' by God to do anything, isn't insulting, but an honor.

Jesus, wasn't born in Texas.

Here is a nice short and easy to read blog post for some of my readers out there who have short attention spans, this one goes out to you. 

A staff worker for my Intervarsity chapter delivered this talk to our Chapter. I really enjoyed the talk.

If you don't watch the whole thing, he addressed a couple of 'fake Jesuses' <-- No sure if this is a real word, but just go with it.  He said the traits and believes that people who buy into a 'fake Jesus' would express. Then he talked about the Real Jesus. He talked about what followers of the one true and only Jesus are like. Brian is a great dude, and serves the real Jesus. It made me realize that in my past I have believed some lies about who Jesus is, and I have bought into the fake Jesus. But I know now, and it is confirmed after this talk, that the fake Jesus isn't who I want to serve, it isnt satisfying. I wanna serve the one and only Jesus of Nazareth.

A Letter to Freshman

Dear Student,

I remember clearly what I was feeling just 3 short years ago when I was in 'your shoes.' The excitement of being 'on my own' the fear of 'growing up', The anticipation of living with my roommate, and yet the frustration of still not knowing my class schedule or what textbooks I will need. The rush of emotions that was just enough to keep me hooked, and enough to keep me fearful and on my toes. I only expect that you are having the same rush that I was experiencing.

Know that although at this moment in time I do not know you, you are on my heart. I have been praying for you all summer. I wait eagerly for the day where I will be introduced to you, and I am excited to see how our friendship develops from there. Even if you never read these words, or wouldn't trust them even if you did, you are in good hands. Myself, and all of my friends at Intervarsity love you and are looking forward to spending the next few years with you.

Know that college can be a very dangerous place. The temptations of sex, drugs, and alcohol are constantly in sight. Not to mention the struggles of classes, homework and bad advising. The stresses of this time of your life will be difficult, and painful. But again know, that you will be surrounded by people who care about you and want to share in these burdens, please let them. Know that you may rely on these people to help you satisfy any needs that might arise. Make good choices to resist evil, and choose Jesus. Don't be afraid of your faith. This campus needs more good Light. Take a stand in boldness for purity, and righteousness. Remember that the path is narrow, and few will find it. Rely on your friends to help and guide you into what could be the most important time of your life.

Many students, including myself at one point, come to college to 'find themselves' or find who they will be for the rest of their life. I encourage you to instead find Jesus, and to let him transform you into who you will be for his Kingdom. Be proud of this transfiguration and do not keep it to yourself. Share the good news of Jesus love and glory to your classmates, roommates, and family. 

Whether you are looking for good Christian community, or are eager to seek and possibly make a first time commitment to follow Jesus, you will be cared for the same. You will be defended and prayed for on a regular basis. I hope that you will never feel alone, or homesick as many other college students will feel. Know that it will be by God's architecture that you are here at Northern Arizona University. You are right where you need to be.

So enjoy your college experience, enjoy your short time here. I hope that when you are finally in 'my shoes' you will have the same heart for new students. I assure you that you will be here before you know it. So with all this being said...

Welcome to the Real World.

What the heck is up with Hell

My inspiration for this post strangely enough comes from a movie trailer. The trailer was for a movie about an exorcism. It was a all dark screen and then these creepy red letters faded in that read, "If you believe in God, Then you Must believe in the Devil." Oddly enough this scary commercial is actually very correct. I have also been taking classes all month about various religions and their believes. Some of the faiths that we were examining did not believe in any form of Hell. This class and some conversations that spurred from it got me thinking more and more about Hell. What it means, and what it doesn't mean etc.

Now the first thing to understand is that Hell is real. It is a real place where people really will go. Maybe this is a simple concept for some people, but there are lots of faiths that do not believe in Hell. Hell is important to my faith and here is why. Hell means that first off there is a choice. It means that I have to make a decision and live with the consequences of my actions. It also means that I have the power to determine where I end up. Hell also is accountability. If there is no Hell, and no punishment, then why should I follow the rules. Now please don't go off saying 'you should follow the rules because you want to,' my point is simply that I know what is in store for me if I choose to reject Jesus. Another thing is that Hell, means that God is perfect and just. Without some form of punishment / wrath then God is not acting justly. He is granting favoritism to certain people. The fact is that the knowledge of good and evil is made known to all, and there are real significant choices before us. Hell really is a punishment too. I have had conversations with people that believe that Hell is just a place where God doesn't 'visit'. While Hell is definitely separate from God and from Heaven, make no mistake, Hell is suffering. Final Hell is called the Lake of Fire. Vivid words to describe a intense form of suffering.

Now I suppose I could end my post here, but there are a few more points I want to make.

The first point is that Satan, much like Hell is also real. He really exists and is really on the prowl in the world right now. I know first hand just how twisted and deceitful he and followers can be. Satan is not some being with red skin and a pitch fork, like he is usually pictured in the movies, or comics about him. The 'Prince' of this world is very sneaky and is on the prowl to confuse and destroy Christ followers. A friend of mine said it to me in a way that really stood out, they said "[He is after you], because he hates you, and because you [as a Christian] are dangerous." Satan is trying to return people to the bondage of slavery where they once served.

Another thing I want to bring up is this argument that I heard from someone recently. "In our modern system of justice, penalties for breaking laws are based on the law that is broken. There is always a way to 'pay off' your debt to society. Even the death penalty, after someone is put to death, they have paid their debt. Why is it that People suffer eternally in Hell, and that debt cannot ever be paid off?" 
To this my response is what someone who rejects Jesus is doing, is rejecting his salvation and his eternal life.
 Since the life that he is offering is eternal, it seems to do justice to say that the penalty should also be eternal.

So all of this Hell/Satan/Punishment stuff being said, here are some things we can do.

1. Choose Jesus.
  There really is alot at stake here. Following Jesus is about so much more than this life here on earth.

2. Reject Satan.
  He will be right there to 'take you back' in a heartbeat. He will bring your deepest desires into view. He will speaking nothing but lies to you. Reject everything he says, and if it is bad enough, speak truth back, Satan is completely powerless against the power of truth, and the Word of God.

3. Be Open.
  If you are confused about Jesus, or life after death, or Hell or Satan, talk to someone. Ask questions, look through Scripture. If you are conflicted by the enemy, get help from people, and become equip with truth and knowledge to defend yourself with the Sword of Righteousness that we call truth.

No One Can Serve Two Masters

So this was not intended to be my next post. I choose what order I post these in carefully, but after a conversation I had with a coworker yesterday I decided to talk about this.

While I was talking to this person she said that her friend stopped participating in a certain ministry because he seen some of the students involved in the ministry live 'double lives'. When I heard this I became very upset. The person in this story is not alone. I have heard many stories that end just like this.  This brought up several interesting points I decided to share.

The first point is that we never know what opportunities we might be missing, or causing others to miss by our actions. Take the above story for example. Had this student stayed connected to this ministry his or others that he might have come across could have been very different. Now since I know the student in the story, I'm confident in saying that he turned out alright. But the fact remains that we want to always want to be opening doors for the Kingdom of Heaven not closing them.

Which brings up my next point. Secret sin hurts people. Some people are fooled into this idea that sinning behind closed doors is okay. 'If nobody knows about it, then its not hurting anyone right?' Wrong. The first key point is that, sin always hurts God. It doesn't matter if not a human on earth knows about it. More importantly, sin is separation from God. Meaning that if you are wrapped up in sinning, its hard to stop because you are separating yourself from your lifeline of help.

To go off of this, double lives, have a way of becoming exposed. When a double life is exposed there usually has to be more sin involved, (lying etc) to minimize the amount of damage that it might cause. When, (I say when, because double lives come out eventually) this happens, it can be very hurtful to lots of people. It will destroy creditability in your life, and ruin any authority that your words once carried. People will feel betrayed and hurt.

It's not just the church, or friends and family that will be hurt. I asked a friend of mine one time, what his biggest problem with [Christians] was. He replied, 'They are fake. I can go to church with [someone] on Sunday and then go partying with them on Friday. This double life that this person was living, is hurting my friends view of Christians, and the church, and ultimately God himself.

Now please don't read this and hear my words saying that myself or that Christians are suppose to be sinless. But what I'm trying to get at here is that there is a lot at stake. As Christians we carry the responsibility of exampling Gods character. This is a hefty responsibility that needs to be taken seriously. It has great and even unknown consequences if we fail to do this. So if you are struggling with a double life, or secret sin. Go tell someone. Get accountability and pray daily for this to stop. If you know who this is their story, then be praying for this person. It might be a good idea to approach this person in a healthy and loving way, and offer help in bringing them back to living a righteous life.

Give to Caesar

Now I realize that this post is very late. But I wanted to post it at some point, and now felt like a good time.

So a few weeks ago was the 4th of July. The independence day of the United States of America. Now my relationship with my country has been a bumpy ride. I had some pretty conservative world views. I was pretty outspoken about my political views. But there was a point when I was in a debate with someone regarding open borders to Mexico. I felt like I was 'winning' the debate, but it was all the sudden when I realized that my words carried so much hate. I felt sick to my stomach. I could feel God's heart breaking with disappointment, as I am committed to preaching and extending Gods abundant Love. But my words were nothing but hate. I realized that it was due to some of my political views that I was erecting a barrier of hate from Gods people. People that if you read my last post, God loves as much, if not even more than me. I decided that it would be better to take some time away from politics. I wanted to spend more time learning how to effectively love people, and to stay away from political debates until I was able to do it maturely, and I felt that God would be pleased with my words.

I stayed away from chasing the political games for a while. I spent more time with God and through the help of some other close friends, I learned how to serve a King and not a country. Now I can blog about this another time, but a King is nothing like a president. Which is the only sort of political figurehead I have ever been a citizen.  So it was quite a learning process discovering how to serve a King, and be a citizen in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As I was learning what this all means, I got very wrapped up in it. I began to despise not only our government but all government. I began to crave serving a just King. I got wrapped up and began to hate people again, this time it was political figures. I decided that all politicians, and lobbyists were corrupt jerks that couldn't be trusted. Even if I wasn't as outspoken with my hate, it still existed in my heart. It was then when I was reading my Bible. Jesus was questioned about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus begins to talk about giving to Caesar what belongs to him, but do not give to Caesar what doesn't belong to him.

Now it might be worthwhile to note that the early church was under the ultimate reign of Caesar. Roman citizens would even profess that Caesar was 'lord.' Early Christians were persecuted and even killed for not making this claim. This point and Jesus teaching about government got me thinking about what responsibilities I have to my government and my country.I know that the Bible commands me to obey the laws of the land assuming they don't conflict with God's Law. I felt that Jesus was talking right to me. Give to your Country what is theirs, but do not give them what isn't theirs.

As I was wrestling with this, some of my friends traveled to China. A nation where the public professing of faith is not allowed. Churches have to be registered with the government and have regulations for what can be taught. There are limits imposed on things like Bible sales, and where Christians can gather. It was during this time when sending emails to my friends had to be coded to prevent suspicion, that I realized how truly good we have it here in America. For everything that this nation does wrong, there is alot more that this nation does right, regardless of your political position.

So this 4th of July had a new meaning for me this year. I really thanked God for living in a place where I can openly share the Gospel with my campus mates. Even now as I am typing this and going to post it in a public forum I am not afraid of censorship, or of being imprisoned for this post. I was actually very thankful to be a citizen of the United States, even if I am ultimately a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. Just like the young Roman church I can ultimately serve one who is greater, while still paying my taxes to Caesar.

So I'm here to leave you with a challenge. Do not waste this opportunity that you have been blessed with. Since we live a Christian tolerant nation, go and openly profess that Jesus is Lord. Go and share the Gospel with friends, classmates, and neighbors. Go and learn what it means to pay taxes to Caesar while serving a King.