LIFEgroup Christmas party at the church 2nite. Bring a snack to share and wear your favorite PJ's. 630-800. C u there!

The Spiritual Battle

The Struggle with Sin
"So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." - Romans 7.14-15 (NLT)

Paul has just told us in chapter 6 that we are no longer slaves to sin, but what does this mean to us? Does this mean that we will no longer have issues with sin? Certainly this is not the case as we still live in the world and in the flesh, with all the temptations that go along with it. So how are we to look at this rightly? Paul's main point in Romans 6 is that we are now broken from the mastery that sin had over all lives, and now have a new master in Christ. We no longer have to obey it's call over our lives because we have died with Christ and received a new heart. This doesn't mean we will never fall again, but those falls now have a new outlook attached to them. John gives us such a picture in his first epistle: "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."1 We no longer desire to be mastered by sin, rather, we desire to be holy as Christ is holy.

As believers, we now have a distaste for sin as it no longer owns us as it used to. Does this describe you? Paul begins chapter 7 with an explanation concerning the law. The law's purpose is to expose our sinfulness and our complete separation from God. God's law is not the catalyst for us to do bad things, it explains what those bad things are and what they mean to us eternally speaking. God must give a standard for us to live by if we are to enter into relationship with Him, much like we must abide by the laws of the state and nation we choose to live in. These are all for our own good and protection! Back to the sin struggle. As believers, even though the shackles of sin are released, the residue still remains and as men who can succumb to sin, we continue to do so. Please don't fall into the trap that there are two sides of the spiritual war and you are simply caught in the middle. There isn't a good angel and bad angel on your shoulder trying to convince you to do or not do something. Certainly there is a spiritual battle raging, but you are not a bystander caught in the crossfire; you are on one side or another. The point of this message is that your whole desire and outlook on life is meant to be changed; a desire to be on the right side and seek to flee from the bad one. This is Paul's point in the next passage.

Growing Process for New Creations
"But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it." - Romans 7.16-17 (NLT)

As new creations in Christ, we begin a process of growth. This process is described in Romans chapter 6: "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life."2 The process of sanctification is the growth journey of a believer. With a new nature, our desire is now holiness, yet there are still barriers that present themselves in this life. As Christians, we should all be continually convicted of sin in our lives. We should never feel like we have arrived at holiness. This is the process of sanctification. As a believer our life should look different now than it did five years ago and again five years from now. This is sanctification.

Are you in a process of continual repentance and growth? Are there things in your life that bug you that maybe didn't bug you a year ago? Do you see things in your life that need to be worked through that maybe you didn't notice a while back? This is sanctification. Peter, I believe, gives us a good picture at what the life of sanctification looks like:

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."3

Rather than being perfect upon receiving Christ, God takes us on this journey to continually make us like His son. I believe the reason is so that He will receive more glory and that we will draw deeper and deeper into worship of the One who is guiding us along in this process of sanctification. The life of a believer and the journey of sanctification can be difficult at times, and in those times we must trust Christ all the more. This is our last point.

When the Battle Gets Rough...
"Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." - Romans 7.25 (NLT)

Christ is the answer! Although stated plainly, this is probably the one thing we forget the most often. In this process of sanctification, we can never trust ourselves to grow, we must lean on Christ. Without such reliance, we will inevitably fail. If we are truly in Christ, then He is faithful to re-establish us but our call is to trust in Him in order that He would sustain us. The whole point of the Christian life is that we can't do this thing on our own, it's only by God's grace through Christ that we are able to grow and know Him. Paul gives us this encouragement and challenge: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."4 Does this statement describe you? Can you claim such a faith when the Christian journey becomes rough? Ultimately it will if it has not already. It's simply the way life on a sin-stained world. Christ is the only one who can sustain us in these times.

So What?
Sanctification is great journey to be on. It begins at the moment of regeneration, or when God gives you a new heart to follow after Him. Do you have that new heart? Are you growing in the qualities of Christ-likeness? 1 John 3:6 tells us, "No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him." As a believer, it is true that we will still fall into sin, but our overall outlook on sin is completely different then it was before we followed Christ. We now desire holiness and are constantly living a life of repentance. Is this you? We are not perfect as Christians, but we are growing and we recognize our need to constantly change and look more like Christ. I urge you all to look inward at the heart and outward at your life and discern if you are in fact on a journey of sanctification. Christ is the answer! He will sustain us in the tough times. I pray that this week we will all grow in the love and knowledge of Christ Jesus and lean upon His strength alone for comfort and encouragement. Take care and have a great week in the Lord!

On the journey,

Coleman

Endnotes:
1. 1 John 2:1 (ESV)
2. Romans 6:22 (NLT)
3. 2 Peter 1:3-8 (ESV)
4. Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

Yo peeps get your face to The Gathering @ 630. Wear a jacket 2nite cause we're gonna go out and be the church 2nite. More details when you get there.

Join us tomorrow from 9am to 1pm for our student service day in South Dallas. Drop off and pick up @ The Ridge. C u guys there.

'Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.' - St. Augustine

Yo peeps! The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Bring the 'rents! Next week is super awesome potluck night. Bring your bibles 2nite and your awesome face. C u there.

Yo homeslice get your face to LIFEgroup @ 630. You know where. Bring those bibles and study guides. Tip your baristas and hug your leaders!

'I believe in order to understand.' - St. Augustine

See you guys at The Gathering tonight @ 630. Mom and dad come on down! Don't forget those bibles.

Devoted to the Cause

What do you do when you are spiritually dry? Worn out? The Word is our fountain in times of spiritual thirst, but there are also devotional readings that can aid in our refreshment. Taking a break from Romans this past Wednesday night, we spent a little time talking about two prominent figures in recent church history: Charles Spurgeon and Oswald Chambers. Both men left us with a wealth of sermons and other writings which have in turn become daily devotional material for many believers.

The Prince of Preachers
Charles Hadden Spurgeon grew up under the wings of a strong Christian family in 19th century England. Despite his upbringing, young Charles was hesitant to embrace the faith of his parents. He wandered and strayed in his young teen years, not sure of the truth of God or His Word. By the age 16, Spurgeon had come to faith and had this to say:

"I must confess that I never would have been saved if I could have helped it. As long as ever I could, I rebelled, and revolted, and struggled against God. When He would have me pray, I would not pray, and when He would have me listen to the sound of the ministry, I would not. And when I heard, and the tear rolled down my cheek, I wiped it away and defied Him to melt my soul. But long before I began with Christ, He began with me."

Spurgeon went on to become the "Prince of Preachers," and once addressed an audience of 23,654 without a microphone or any mechanical amplification! It is said he spoke at a rate of 140 words per minute for a 40 minute sermon, with only one page of notes as his aid. He did not attend seminary nor have any other formal college training, yet he started his own college and was reported to read an average of 6 books a week with photographic memory of each one. Needless to say, God used Spurgeon in a mighty way, yet he still struggled with his faith in his teen years and later in life battled with heavy depression brought on by illness. His fountain certainly ran dry, but he trusted in God and His Word, and left us with a treasure chest of material inspired from His own spiritual journey with Christ.

On the Battle Front
Oswald Chambers was born in Scotland in 1874 to devout Baptist parents. He accepted Christ in His teen years after attending a service conducted by Charles Spurgeon. The story goes that as he and his father were walking home, the young Chambers admitted he would have become a Christian if they had given such an opportunity at the service. To this his father replied, "There is no better time than now." After this experience, Chambers studied art and archeology and soon after had an experience of spiritual dryness. At this point in his life, the Bible was becoming "dull" and "uninteresting." Finally, after four years of spiritual dryness, Chambers realized that he couldn't make himself to be holy. Once he realized that the strength and peace he was looking for was Christ himself, Christ's life in exchange for his sin, he experienced a spiritual renewal. He went on to travel the world, preaching and teaching and became a military chaplain during the onset of World War I. He fell ill during the war and refused a hospital bed in order that injured soldiers would be served. Chambers died three days later.

Chambers left us with writings, transcribed by his wife Biddy, which amount to the popular devotional My Utmost for His Highest. Chambers certainly led a devoted life, yet his spiritual dryness as a young man led him to write this to a friend, "I shall never go into the ministry until God takes me by the scruff of the neck and throws me in." Of course, God did throw him in, but through His unwavering grace and perfect timing which led Chambers to eventually write, "Like a flash something happened inside me, and I saw that I had been wanting power in my own hand...The power and the tyranny of sin is gone and the radiant, unspeakable emancipation of the indwelling Christ has come."

So What?
"Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4.13-14 (ESV)

Certainly, Christ himself is our eternal fountain, refreshing us with the water of eternal life so that we no longer have to bear the deadness and dryness of this world. God also gave us faithful men and women in the body to speak words of wisdom and refreshment during specific times of spiritual thirst. God also sent us men like Charles Spurgeon and Oswald Chambers who left us devotional materials which arose out of their own walk with Christ. These men experienced what it was like to have times where God seemed absent and spiritual experiences were void. We can do much to learn from these men and more. Take a moment to have a devotional time, and have the writings of these men usher in deeper moments of connection with God. Without a doubt the Word is our final authority and guide, but take advantage of the numerous riches found in the lives and writings of God's saints who have gone before us. Next week we will return with study in Romans with chapter 5. I pray you will find time to be in the Word, both in times of quietness with the Lord and as a family. Take care and have a great week in the Lord!

Peace in Him,

Coleman

Student service day tomorrow from 9am-1pm. Meet @ the Ridge! Let's go love some kids and share some Jesus-love.

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Come get refreshed. Bring yer bible. You'll be glad you did. C u there!

Fallen Yet Redeemed

This week we explore the depth of our spiritual sickness and our need for God's grace as the only means of receiving salvation.

What we have to say...
"All people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous-not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one." - Romans 3.9b-12 (NLT)

The Christian view of mankind is that we are sinful apart from the redemption of Christ as a propitiation for our sins. There is nothing good that we do apart from God. We are capable only of sin due to our inherited sin nature. St. Augustine called this posse peccare, which is Latin for "able to sin." Augustine, describing the four states of a Christian's life in his work Enchiridion on Faith, Hope and Love says,

"When, sunk in the darkest depths of ignorance, man lives according to the flesh undisturbed by any struggle of reason or conscience, this is his first state. Afterwards, when through the law has come the knowledge of sin, and the Spirit of God has not yet interposed His aid, man, striving to live according to the law, is thwarted in his efforts and falls into conscious sin, and so, being overcome of sin, becomes its slave... and thus the effect produced by the knowledge of the commandment is this...he is involved in the additional guilt of willful transgression, and that is fulfilled which is written: 'The, law entered that the Offense might abound.' This is man's second state."

Apart from Christ, all we possess is the ability to sin. Though we might do good works in the eyes of the world (donations to charity, volunteering, buying Girl Scout Cookies), those works are meaningless in the eyes of God as meriting towards salvation. Isaiah, speaking the word of God, calls these works "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64.6). Smelly, unclean, disgusting rags. Paul in Romans 3 tells us we are all under the power of sin. We call this view total depravity. It is man's fallen state. Total depravity does not mean that man is not capable of relative good (i.e. good accomplishments, advances, acts of compassion etc.) rather it speaks to the core of our nature as a person. Our sin nature effects even the relative goodness we can accomplish in this life under our own abilities. Utter depravity means we are always looking to commit evil no matter what, and this is not the Christian view of man. The two views are often confused. We are depraved, yet we are created in God's image and so capable of relative good things even though such good things mean nothing apart from a right relationship with Christ. Augustine continues his exposition by saying,

"But if God has regard to him (that is man), and inspires him with faith in God's help, and the Spirit of God begins to work in him, then the mightier power of love strives against the power of the flesh; and although there is still in the man's own nature a power that fights against him (for his disease is not completely cured), yet he lives the life of the just by faith, and lives in righteousness so far as he does not yield to evil lust, but conquers it by the love of holiness. This is the third state of a man of good hope; and he... shall attain at last to peace, that peace which, after this life is over, shall be perfected in the repose of the spirit, and finally in the resurrection of the body."

We must understand our nature, because in doing so, we will fully comprehend the depth of salvation. God doesn't help those who help themselves; God helps those who can't possibly help themselves. This is the Christian view. Let's take a look at what the world believes.

What they have to say...
"In contrast to the Christian teaching that human nature is basically evil, Islam teaches that it is essentially good. There are many elements to Human nature and each one has the potential to bring benefits. So there is no 'Original Sin' in Islam. It is that when Man contradicts God's commandments or His will, he commits sins." - Islamic teaching

Whether it be a teaching that says man is essentially good, or can achieve goodness through meditation or karmic good works, the world's view of man is that we can achieve good apart from God's intervention (that is of course if you even believe there is a God). Another philosophical ideal in today's world is relativism. Truth is relative to society and culture and is often self-defined. You can believe whatever you want, and your truth is just as true as mine. This contradictory worldview is prevalent in schools, entertainment and even in some churches today. The Unitarian Universalist Church says,

"Unitarian Universalism is a theologically diverse religion, in which members support one another in the search for truth and meaning. As members of a non-creedal religious tradition, Unitarian Universalists are free to discern their beliefs about theological and ethical issues."

Unfortunately, the world does not believe in a standard, that is, God's standard, for truth and salvation. Earning salvation through goodness/meditation/knowledge is the best the world has to offer, unfortunately that misses the mark with God. Paul explains this in Romans 3.23, ""For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." Since people fall short of God's standard, instead of coming in line with that standard, people would rather redefine the standard. Redefining the standard allows one to feel free from the guilt of not following God's standard. With relativism, the standard is what you make it to be and this includes whatever view you want to have on sin/goodness/salvation.

So What?
"Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one-who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." - Romans 3.27-31 (ESV)

We are sinful by nature, yet we are redeemed and given a new one. As Christians, we recognize our nature but we also recognize that God's grace has saved us and has regenerated our hearts, allowing us to pursue Christ-likeness by the power of the Holy Spirit. We should also understand the different worldviews that surround us. Our fellow students, coworkers and neighbors more than likely believe in some kind of relativist thinking where everyone has their own truth and everyone is right. It's not necessarily our job to go around and call them out, but it should be our mission to engage culture and start conversations with others. Interact in their lives in order to get to know people, genuinely care for them, and hopefully guide them into the truth of Scripture. It's not our job to change people, but to love people, and this is how we can love them. Find someone that you can engage this week and just start a conversation. Maybe it will lead to deeper things, and maybe it will lead them to Christ! Press on with the Romans study. Stay in the Word! I pray you and your family are finding time to gather around the Word and the study of Romans. Take care and have a great week in the Lord!

Peace in Him,

Coleman

'No man ever believed but what he repented at the same time. Faith and repentance go together. They must.' - Charles Spurgeon

'If you read history, you will discover that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.' - C.S. Lewis

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Bring a billion friends. Memory verse for 2nite - Romans 3:23-24. C u there!

'The Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to himself.' - John Calvin

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Invite a new friend, they will love you forever. 2nite's memory verse is Romans 3.20. Let's see whatcha got! Peace.

A New Heart

This week we see what must happen to be a true believer and two scenarios for life as described by Paul in Romans

It's all about regeneration...
"No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people." - Romans 2.29 (NLT)

We all know the term "born-again." This term, taken from Jesus' words to Nicodemus in John 3, means to have a second birth of the Spirit. While many of us may consider ourselves born-again, I have to ask, do we all truly know what that means? Regeneration is the true test of true conversion: do you have a new heart that desires God and desires to be like Christ? This is the a core doctrine to our faith, without regeneration, we're merely dead people going to church on Sunday morning after Sunday morning. John Piper, in his new book Finally Alive, tells us this about regeneration:

"The new birth...is not a work of man. No human makes the new birth happen. No preacher and no writer can make it happen. You can't make it happen to yourself. God makes it happen. It happens to us, not by us...Until we realize that we must be born again, and why we must be born again, we probably will not realize what our condition really is without salvation." - p. 18, 20

Paul tells us in Romans 2 that there is no external sign that can make us right with God, rather, it is the internal act of the Spirit that has changed our hearts to desire Him and do His will. Romans 2 also shows us the way of two paths, one of calamity and one of glory. These paths, described by Jesus as the narrow and wide gate and as the way of light and the way of darkness by the early church, reveal to us the only options available to us in this world. Let's take a look at what life is like on each path.

Scenario #1: What does it look like when we follow our own path?
"There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil-for the Jew first and also for the Gentile." - Romans 2.9 (NLT)

Scripture clearly states that the way of the ungodly leads to destruction. Period. Let's look at this practically, here's whats at stake for those who go their own way. You will lose...

• community - the opportunity to be surrounded by people who care about you, rather than people who just want to use you
• purpose - if we are made to give God glory, and we go away from God, then our purpose in life disappears
• identity - similar to purpose but when we cease to know who we are as God's creation if we turn to find our identity in anything else
• fulfillment - similar to identity but because we no longer have God, then our heart is empty and needs to be filled with something; something temporary and oftentimes destructive
• joy - similar to fulfillment in the fact that God filling us provides the most joy despite the circumstances of our life. If we go the other way, those circumstances will kill any joy we may receive from this life
• real friends - similar to community but real friends in Christ will want the best for you, will call you out when your wrong and help you do what is right, rather than use you to get what they need out of life

It is a guarantee. When we choose to go our own way, the path will lead to calamity and trouble. There is no way around it! How does this happen? Listen to what Paul says, "But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed" (Romans 2.5 NLT). Being stubborn about the sin in your life, unwilling to turn from it, will set you on that path away from God. This can't be our attitude! Recognize the sin in your life, deal with it, trust in God's grace, turn to Jesus and follow Him. It may be easier said than done, but it's easier done when we drop the stubbornness and recognize the sovereignty of God. This lonely path carved by our own desires leads to misery and ruin. Always. Guaranteed. So this is the bleak outlook available to those who choose their own path. Sounds great, doesn't it? What does God's desired path for us look like?

Scenario #2: What does it look like when we choose to follow God?
"He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers ... there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile." - Romans 2.7,10 (NLT)

Scripture clearly states that the way of the righteous leads to eternal life. Let's look at this practically, here's what we gain along the path of the righteous. You will gain...

• community - the opportunity to be surrounded by people who care about you, who want to build you up and see you succeed
  
• purpose - if we are made to give God glory, and we stay on His path, then we will know and have confidence of our purpose in this life
  
• identity - similar to purpose but when we recognize that we are God's creation, then our identity is in Him rather than in the created things in this world
  
• fulfillment - similar to identity but when we continue on the narrow path, then we are perpetually being fulfilled by His goodness, even in the midst of trial
  
• joy - similar to fulfillment in the fact that God filling us provides the most joy despite the circumstances of our life. If we continue on the path, we continue to experience God's faithfulness and consistently find increasing amounts of joy
  
• real friends - similar to community but real friends in Christ will want the best for you, will call you out when your wrong and help you do what is right. They will love you above their own interests and challenge you to grow deep
  

Yes life is not perfect. Yes, people, even faithful Christian friends, will make mistakes and let us down. But that's the beauty of being on the narrow path! It's a team effort. We build each other up as we strive for holiness in the pursuit of giving God glory. It's such a beautiful picture that this world cannot compare to. There is a path of darkness, and a path of light. Yes, I know it sounds rather Star Wars-ish, but this is the truth. There is no middle ground. Jesus tells us that we are either on the path that enters into the narrow gate, or on the path that goes through the wide gate of death (Matthew 7.13-14). Which one are you on? How do you know? The real question here is, do you have a new heart that draws you to the narrow path? Has God regenerated your heart and life to desire Him and the path He calls His people to.

So What?
"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior." - Titus 3.4-6 (ESV)

Without a new heart, the true circumcision, then everything I have said here is just empty words. You're either extremely put off at everything I said, or at best, you will take it and try to make your life of sin a little cleaner looking on the outside. Adding religion and good principles to a dead life is not going to make a darn bit of difference. You will just be a zombie with some good ideas. We must have a new heart, gifted by the grace of God, to do His will and love His Word! If you don't have that heart, I pray you are stirred to reflect upon your life and pray for that regeneration. Look inside and analyze the fruit in your life. If there is no new heart, then nothing else matters! Please hear me on this. Baptism, bible reading, church attendance and Sunday school teaching is not the mark of a believer. It is a new heart that desires God, loves Christ, and longs to follow the Holy Spirit and from that new heart you will desire to do all those things and then more. Take care and have a great week in the Lord!

Peace in Him,

Coleman

Rock-In 2nite @ 8 pm. Meet at Group Dynamix. Pick up tomorrow at 8 am. Bring your favorite 12 pack of soda and snacks for the night. C u there.

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Bring a new friend. Memory verse is Romans 2.29. Make it happen!

Romans 2.28-29

Trading the Truth

Romans. The pivotal epistle from the humble apostle Paul. What do we believe? How should we think about our relationship with Jesus? Paul's words show us how to truly believe and know why we believe. From explaining our depravity to painting a picture of God's grace and love, this study of Romans will show us all exactly the depth of our undeserved favor with God, and why others should know about that as well.

This week we explore the human condition and what we all do apart from Christ and how, even though we have a relationship with Christ, we still fall into the idol-trap.

1) Your god is what you end up devoting most of your time and attention to
"They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." - Romans 1.25 (NLT)

Let's be practical. What are some things that you end devoting most of your time to? Have they become your idol? Here's a test. If someone were to take away or stop you from doing those activities, how would that make you feel? Would you feel empty and void, or would you trust God to sustain you? I encourage you to take a moment and look at your life and see where most of your time is being spent and, from there, analyze if some of those things are not in fact idols in your life. We see this in our day with the following:

• possessions
• jobs and incomes
• sports and extra-curricular activities
• friends
• our image
• our own desires

We say that what we want matters the most, making our desires and preferrences our idol. This is the focus of the world, and should not be the focus of one who desires to follow Christ. Even religion itself can become the idol. The churchy activities, the tasks associated with church attendance and participation as well as all the religious bells and whistles (yes even Jesus-fish car decals) we can acquire become our savior. Are you trusting in those religious externals, or the true Savior who looks at the internal?

2) Your gods, even though created, will still have mastery over you
"Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip." - Romans 1.28-29 (NLT)

Once you give your heart over to something other than God, then that thing will have mastery over you. It's a fact. You see this with addictions to unhealthy relationships, sex, porn, alcohol, drugs, shopping, food, and just about any other thing under the sun. Ezekiel 14.2b-3 tells us this

This message came to me from the Lord: "Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?"

The result of this embrace comes from deciding to give yourself over to something other than God. God speaks very clearly about this in His word. When Israel was preparring to enter the promised land, God gave them these explicit instructions:

"You must not make a treaty of any kind with the people living in the land. They lust after their gods, offering sacrifices to them. They will invite you to join them in their sacrificial meals, and you will go with them. Then you will accept their daughters, who sacrifice to other gods, as wives for your sons. And they will seduce your sons to commit adultery against me by worshiping other gods. You must not make any gods of molten metal for yourselves." - Exodus 34.15-17

Are you making treaties with the things of this world? God says that when we do, we move away from Him. It is so vital that we know where are idols might be, and do everything we can to destroy them! John Owen, the great puritan theologian in his work The Mortification of Sin, explains the necessity for doing this by saying

"To know that a man hath such an enemy to deal withal, to take notice of it, to consider it as an enemy indeed, and one that is to be destroyed by all means possible, is required hereunto."

Are you doing everything necessary to analyze your life and rid youself of your idols so that you may devote yourself more fully to God?

3) Only the Most High God is worthy of all our worship and attention
"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." - Romans 1.20 (NLT)

Even though this point might seem obvious, is it our constant focus day in and day out? Sports, shopping, eating and other activities are not wrong by any means, but what's our daily focus as we participate in these various tasks? Only God, the creator of the universe, is worthy of all our time and attention. The greatest command tells us to love God with all we have (Matthew 22.47-40). In the midst of all that life has for you, are you dedicating all you have to the worship of the Most High God? Chances remain that none of us are, but that's the goal. We have no excuse as Paul tells us, to know and worship God. Where are you lacking in that today?

So What?
In the final analysis, we all have aspects in our lives that are bordering on idolotry or have already become idols. We feel like there are certain things that we can't live without or possibly habits that have become so rooted in our lives that they have become our savior that we continue to seek out when life turns sour. I encourage you guys to get together in this week's family time and discuss the things in your life that fall into the idol category. Also, discuss what needs to be done to rid yourself of those. Cut the cable? Spend less time at work? Eat at home with the family? Sell the video games? Choose to stay home rather than go to the mall? We have to be about the business of ridding ourselves of the things that replace God in our lives, otherwise they will continue to bring us further away from Him. Analyze your life, be real with yourself, listen to the Spirit, and do what you need to do to turn from idols and follow God. Take care and have a great week in the Lord!


Peace in Him,

Coleman

Sharing Christ in South Dallas tomorrow. If you're in, meet @ the church at 9am. We'll be back by 1230. Check with Jimmy Hutson on Facebook 4 more info.

The Gathering @ 630. Bring friends. Special prizes for memorizing this week's Scripture - Romans 1.25. C u there.

Yeah it's Friday! Enjoy the weekend!

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Bring mula for food and drinkies. Special times await you for those who know this week's memory verse - Romans 1:17

Hebrews 4:15-16

LIFEgroups 2nite @ 630. MS @ Escape and HS @ Starbucks on Old Denton and Frankford from this point on. Bring your bibles and don't forget to tip your barista.

Final Hours of Summer

Summer has approximately 8 hours until it's dead. Rest in peace, Summer 2009. Tell Summer 2001 hello for me! For RidgeStudents, it was a great one. We had some fun activities. Here is a recap of this summer's awesomeness:

• A fantastic Student Life @ the Beach camp
• A great LIFEgroup study in 1st John
• Mission: Dallas 2009 sharing the love of Christ in South Dallas
• 2 separate Student Service Days
• Great experiences with friends and leaders

This past week, there was an instance that made me think about Christianity in our lives and in the schools we attend. There was an inappropriate comment left on Facebook for something connected to RidgeStudents (don't worry parents, it wasn't any of the students). The comment was removed and the person was reported but it made me think about the veil that we can often hide behind. It's so easy to check a box online saying that you are a Christian, or scroll down through a list and choose your faith allegiance, but what does that look like in our everyday lives. No matter how many people see my "Religious Affiliation," it doesn't mean anything unless they understand what that means practically in my life. Is it merely a label? Is it a convenient fallback?

"Facebook Christianity" as I like call it, is so easy to be a participant in. I can status update Scripture all day long, but once I leave my home, I too often fail to proclaim the same message with my mouth in front of real living humans, face-to-face. If I'm not doing that, then I'm the same as the 38 year old guy who sits in his parent's basement, commenting on various conspiracy theories on his 2-hit-per-year blog and believing that everyone else is an idiot if they don't believe that Christianity is a made up religion from old white men in suits who use it to control our minds, all the while eating nothing but Taco Smell and drinking out of a two liter bottle of Mountain Eeeew.

We have got to be people of the Gospel. Even as I write this, I'm evaluating areas in my life where I continue to fail in this regard. Paul tells us, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith' " (Romans 1.16-17 ESV). The Gospel is the power of salvation! God has chosen us to proclaim that message, and what are we doing about it!? For me, I spend way too much time arranging my iTunes so that all my albums have the correct cover art and song order, and spend too much energy "window coveting" all the stuff of this world I don't have but want and think it will somehow make my life more complete. What a waste! I need to proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified. If you believe that, let us join together in that cause.

My final words are, stay in the Word. If you are not currently in the Word daily, get in there! We all have the time, despite the excuses we might make. Get in the Word as a family, get in the Word as an individual, and get in the Word with LIFEgroups. Romans 1-8 will be our focus this semester, and these famous eight chapters contain the power of the Gospel for salvation and the very words of God spoken to His people so that they might see the truth, love the truth and live the truth! Please join us on this journey this fall. I pray God will shine the bright light of His Word in our hearts so that we may love Him more and no longer be afraid to proclaim the burden-freeing message of Jesus Christ in our lives. Take care and have a great first week of school in Him.

Peace in Him Alone,

Coleman Ford

God does not choose us because we believe, but that we may believe. - St. Augustine

Don't forget guys, Romans 1-8. Read it this week! It's awesome stuff!

Fall LIFEgroups start 2nite. 630@Escape. Bring money for a delish smoothie and/or yum yum donut.

Romans 8:6-9. Good word.

He who died for us is all that I seek; He who rose again for us is my whole desire. - Ignatius to the Romans, 2nd century AD

Indeed, it is better to keep quiet and be, than to make fluent professions and not be. - Ignatius of Antioch

Set Sail for Rome!

When in Rome...
This fall we will be taking an in-depth look at the first eight chapters of Paul's wonderful letter to the Romans. The Letter to the Romans is one of the most foundational documents of Christianity. This letter was written approximately 20 years after the resurrection and ascension of Christ to a church that likely formed shortly after the Feast of Pentacost when the Holy Spirit came upon believers and 3000 were converted in a single day (Acts 2). This makes the church in Rome one of the oldest congregations of believers. Rome itself, being the capital of the then mighty Roman empire, was home to the emperor (and subsequent emperor worship) and a wide array of paganism and idolatry. This is the context in which the Roman church found itself. In 49 AD, emperor Claudius sent an edict out expelling both Christian Jews and non-Christian Jews from Rome as the result of what the ancient Roman historian Suetonius describes as "disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus." Due to the more than common confusion of "i" and "e" in the Latin to Greek translations, most scholars conclude that this was an incident of Jewish Christians and Jews arguing over Chistus, or Jesus as being the Christ. Also, in 64 AD, the emperor Nero blamed Christians for a city-wide fire and thus began the first persecution of Christians from a secular state in which many were burned and crucified. It is said that Nero had Christians burned at the stake in his private garden at night in order to provide light. It is during this time that the apostles Peter and Paul were put to death. Christians in Rome were subject to repeated, yet infrequent, attacks and persecutions by the organized state until the pronouncement of Christianity as a recognized religion by the state under the emperor Constatine in the 4th century AD. For more info on early church history, click here.

Why Should We Study Romans?
I'm glad you asked! A study of Romans is essential for every believer as Romans contains the foundational doctrines for belief. Surely one can be a Christian without ever reading Romans, but one such person would be the most uninformed Christian in regards to their faith. The point is that a believer can not escape reading and knowing Romans as a key aspect to their belief. The doctrine of total depravity, original sin, justification, sanctification, and more pour forth from the mouth of Paul in his letter to the Romans. For one to know exactly what Christ did for us and what that means for our lives, one ultimately will find the answer somewhere within the pages of Romans. A study of Romans informs the reader of the depth of humanity's inability to save themselves and the necessity of a perfect and sinless savior to impart righteousness through faith. Here are a handful of other reasons why a study of Romans is vital for every believer.

1. Knowing Romans provides the believer with tools necessary for evangelism and spiritual conversation.
2. Knowing Romans takes the perceived power of salvation out of the believers hands and places it solely where it belongs; at the grace and mercy of God.
3. Knowing Romans better prepares the believer for a life-long journey of sanctification through the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Knowing Romans answers numerous questions in regards to the human condition, sin struggles, and the proper response of a believer upon receiving faith in Christ.
5. Knowing Romans opens the door for deeper study into God's Word through exploring Old Testament connections, a re-invitation to the Gospels, and further study into the writings of Paul and the other apostle

There are numerous other reasons why one should embark on a study of Romans. The main point is that a dedicated and intentional study of the Letter to the Romans is essential to the spiritual life of every believer and provides a context for much of why we believe what we believe.

Why only Romans 1 -8?
The reason I chose to limit this fall's study to the first eight chapters has to do with one key factor: time. We could do a brief overview of the entire epistle within the span of the entire semester, but my fear in doing that is that we would casually breeze over some very important material for the sake of moving forward. For fear of missing out on some foundational aspects, I decided to restrict the study to the first eight chapters in order that we may gain a deeper perspective on the doctrines of total depravity, original sin, justification and sanctification. Surely I can not deny the equal importance of chapters 9-16, but for the sake of our goal for this year, chapter 1-8 makes more sense. What is that goal you may ask? 1 Corinthians 2.2 states the goal for 2009; "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." Through our study of Mark, we witnessed the basic story of who Jesus is and what He did. Into the summer, we looked at the depth of God's love and how faith in Christ is exhibited towards others in the first epistle from the beloved disciple John. Finally, for the fall, we will chew on the meat of the Gospel and see exactly how far off we are and how precious a gift Christ is for those who believe. I truly believe that the first eight chapters of Romans are the best eight chapters ever written within all of history. I hope you are as excited as I am about this study in Romans. I will be contacting each family within the next two weeks to schedule a time to come by and sit down with you and explain the family study guide which will compliment the student version. Take care and have a great week in the Lord!

Peace in Him,

Coleman

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Bring a friend and let's do this!

Going to South Dallas to hang out with some kids and share the love of Christ. Meet @ The Ridge at 8 AM if you're down.

Student service day tomorrow. 8am @ the church. We'll be hanging and playing with kids in Dallas so wear appropriate outside clothes. We'll be back @ church @ 1

LIFEgroup 2nite @ 630 at the church. Them stay for games anec movie. Wrap up @ 930. Bring 5 bucks for food. C u there!

By you gift, the Holy Ghost, we are set aflame and borne aloft, and the fire within us carrier us upward. - St. Augustine, Confessions

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. - Romans 8:6

The Gathering 2nite! Bring your Bible cause it's cool to do that. Bringing friends is cool too...

True and sound wisdom consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. - John Calvin

Going to hand out the rest of our water and food downtown then heading home. We'll roll in @ 11

What a great week serving the Lord! Getting ready to come home.

Up and at 'em! Today we ask the Lord where He would have us go.

25 kids today at VBS. What a blessing! This afternoon we'll be covering the other groups in prayer. We're a little worn out but far from beat.

Day 3 of VBS. Kids hearts are being changed for Christ. Praise God!

Getting ready...

Getting ready to go do some work that has come from our ask the Lord time. Hopefully we will:

• Make contact with a nameless homeless man that Aaron got to talk to yet still wants to find
• Do some prayer walking in a neighborhood where our VBS has been taking place
• Purchase some clothes for a child who needs some new clothes
• Purchase socks for all our kids who have attended VBS
• Share the Gospel and be able to baptize new believers

Please be in prayer for the work today. We'll be coming home tomorrow but I believe the best of the trip has yet to come.

WiFi is here, praise the Lord!

Ok, so I stole some Wifi and I don't know where it's coming from so I'm taking full advantage while I can. The trip has been amazing. Our students are showing some serious fruit and I'm completely blown away. Not that I didn't think they weren't capable, but it has been such a huge blessing to see our students being humble and loving towards one another, and bold and passionate for the spreading of the Gospel. I will share a short personal testimony that came out from today's experiences.

As our group was handing out water downtown, we encountered a gentleman that wanted to keep walking and talking with us. I decided to stay back and talk with him. This allowed an opportunity for our students to take the lead and start doing the work! It's so hard as adults and leaders sometimes to just start doing the work rather than letting the students take charge and do it. God said, "Not this time." I spent the whole two hours talking with this man (Artese Johnson is his name) and every now and then I would look up and catch a glance of our students praying with individuals, laying hands on them and giving them water while also giving them Christ-centered encouragement. Alex Hines shared tonight that he prayed this morning for boldness to pray out loud for people. God answered his prayer and he was able to pray for numerous individuals out on the street. All our other students did the same thing and I am so proud of them. I know they can do hard things and I got to witness that today. Praise God.

I'll keep sending out little updates here and there and if I manage to steal any more wifi, I'll do a bigger update. I'll have pics online when we return home. This community has become very responsive to our presence and we've seen God's providence in many ways over this week. Keep praying for passion, humility, and open hearts for God's message of salvation. Take care and have a great day in the Lord!

Coleman

Living water in the streets of Dallas - what an awesome experience

Doing yard work for God's glory.

Going to bed. Such a great worship experience with Cornerstone. Tomorrow is the first real work day. Also, no wifi @ the house. Poopy.

Dallas police to me - 'You guys know where you are, right?'

Good morning world. David burned his bagel and set off the smoke alarm. These things happen. Off to church soon.

We're definitely in a whole new world. Praise God for new experiences.

Gearing Up

Packing for one week in South Dallas. We'll be working with homeless, poor families, children, and other ministries to spread the love of Christ through word and deed. Paul tells us this:

"and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." - 1 Corinthians 2.4 - 5 NASB

Please be in prayer for the following

• boldness for sharing the Gospel
  
• passion for doing His work
• love and humility towards others within our team
  
• open hearts for receiving God's free gift of salvation

Come back soon to view and read what God will be doing through our lives this week.

Men love the truth when it bathes them in light: they hate it when it proves them wrong. - St. Augustine, Confessions

O Lord, the depths of man's conscience lie bare before your eyes. - St. Augustine, Confessions

The Four Traits

With 1 John 2 last week, we were given three challenges: turn away, obey and abide. This week we explore four traits present in the hearts and lives of every believer.

Trait #1: Purity
"See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know Him. Dear friends, we are already God's children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure." - 1 John 3.1-3 (NLT)
Purity is a major theme throughout the entire history of the Bible. Israel was called to remain pure through various commands and rituals. The early church was called to remain pure in a world stained with impurities. The point is: God desires for His people to be pure, and this is what John tells us here. Do you desire purity in an impure world? So often we rationalize impure things to seem pure when they truly aren't. Are you compromising your purity? Last week we illustrated this with the "poop in the brownies" analogy. A little bit of junk ruins the entire batch! As a believer, we should have the desire for purity. This is not to say that we are perfect, but we should be constantly convicted in our walk towards purity and strive to remove any of the "poop" in the mix. This trait, shining forth in the believer's life, will point the way to Christ. Even though we mess up, the desire to remain pure will show others that we are striving for a greater goal than just temporary satisfaction in this life.

Trait #2: Love
"If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion-how can God's love be in that person?" - 1 John 3.14-17 (NLT)
The call for the Christian is love. Jesus gives us that emphatic call in Mark 12:29-32 as well as in John 15. We are called to love one another in order that Christ's love will shine through. The RidgeStudents focus verse, John 13:35, challenges us as a group to do this on a daily basis. We should have love, and this trait of love gives us assurance of salvation according to John! Do you love your brothers and sisters? This doesn't mean being everyone's best friend all the time, but do you care for one another and do you desire the best for your fellow believer? Or, do you simply tolerate them? This is a tough challenge and a hard trait to exhibit at times. Sometimes we just decide to put up with people because we feel like we have to, but our calling is so much more deeper! Love is a commitment; love is a daily reliance on God's grace and strength rather than our own. Love tests our faith. Again, this is not a call to fake excitement and cheap niceness towards one another, this is a deep and sacred calling to care for and see one another grow in the love and knowledge of Christ.

Trait #3: Obedience
"Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God....And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with Him, and He with them. And we know He lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us." - 1 John 3.18-18, 23-24 (NLT)
Speaking to the love trait, we are called to act! Talking is one thing, doing is another! James 1 speaks to the action of simply hearing and not doing. James says if we hear and do not do, we are simply fooling ourselves. The calling is to do, or obey. Obedience equals love, and Jesus speaks to this in John 15.10. Love is a command from God that is meant to be obeyed. God doesn't give commands so that we stand around and say, "Thanks! I'll think about that one, God." He gives commands in order that we follow them, and John 15.11 says that our joy will overflow when we do. Obedience equals joy, maybe not in the moment, but it is a promise that we can rely on. If we choose to obey, our joy will overflow, not in a way that makes ourselves look great, but in a way that Christ is glorified. It's in that respect that we find joy! Trait #3 for a believer is obedience. Do you have a desire to obey, or does God's commands look more like suggestions? Is it your joy or your chore to obey?

Trait #4: Righteousness
"Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God." - 1 John 3.7-10 (NLT)
Our last trait is righteousness, and I see this as the sumation of the other three traits. If we are faithful to do and live out the first three, then the fourth will be natural. Righteousness is a hard thing to pin down. At The Gathering last night, many students had questions about what exactly righteousness is and looks like. Here are a couple things to know when it comes to righteouesness:

> When we believe and put our faith in Christ as the subsitution for our rightful place in death because of our sins, then God grants us the righteousness of Christ and we are justified before Him. (Romans 3.21-22, 4.5, 10.4, 2 Cor. 5.21, Phill. 3.9)
> Those who live by faith, trusting in the righteousness of Christ, are called to live out a daily life of righteousness by showing Christ in their lives through love, obedience, purity, wisdom and faith. (Prov. 8.20, 21.21, 1 Tim. 6.11, Gal. 5.22)

So righteousness is granted us upon belief, and is a continual pursuit for the believer. The purposeful pursuit of righteousness is only possible by the strength and grace of God. Without faith in Christ and a regenerated heart, the pursuit of God-honoring righteousness is impossible. Also, the pursuit of righteousness is not a calling to be perfect at every moment, but rather a calling to live by faith, trusting in the promises of God through Scripture and allowing Him to work through you. The men and women of the Bible were far from perfect. They were liars, cheaters, adulterers, murderers and cowards yet God granted these men and women with righteousness by their faith. This gives us assurance that God will give us strength in our weakness and look upon us with grace despite our failings. What an awesome thought!

So what!?
Pursue these traits! Every believer should have them, and we all are to be constantly growing in them as well. Some we may be stronger in than others, but that does not deny the fact that we are called to exhibit all of them in our lives. Pursue these will all your heart! Be passionate about purity. Be longing for love. Obey with a cheerful heart, and seek righteous living. These traits, exhibited in our lives, draw others to Christ and even if we fail at times, God's grace is sufficient and we have assurance in salvation despite our failings! I pray your family will take time to read over 1 John 3 and talk about these traits, and encourage each other to pursue them. Talk about things in your life that are hindering you from pursuing these to a greater degree, and pray for one another and hold each other accountable. Jesus says we will have overflowing joy if we remain faithful to do so! Take care this week and have a great week in the Lord.

Pursuing these by His Grace alone,

Coleman

You saw me and it pleased you to transform all that was misshapen in me. - St. Augustine, Confessions

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Bring yourself, a friend, bible and mula for foodies! See you there!

LIFEgroups 2nite @ 630 at Escape! Bring your bibles and cinders. Don't forget to tip your Escape smoothie artist!

Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. - Oswald Chambers

Wherever we taste the truth, God is there. - St. Augustine, Confessions

The Bible was not written for our information, but our transformation. - Dwight L. Moody

All men are without excuse before God, for they have been born rational and contemplative. - Justin Martyr

Pictures....that you WILL want to see

SORRY GUYS! This was meant to post last night but didn't for some reason (probably due to total lack of REM sleep) but here it is! I'll post final camp reflections and plans for RidgeStudents moving forward in light of our camp experience but for now, enjoy the pics!

Hey parentals and blog readers everywhere! It's been such a blast to be in Orange Beach these past 5 days and we have many stories. Suffice it to say, there is not enough room here to tell them all and I am pretty stinkin' tired anyway, so let's just direct you to some fun pics. In the interest of time, I have uploaded some "choice" pics from the trip onto my Picasa page so go over to that and look at your students cutting it up and being awesome! Here are 5 fun facts from today:

1) Stuart Hall (speaker) tried to steal my wifey's wedding ring
2) 3 Tiki torches on the beach make for a great late night discussion
3) David White has some mad zip-line skills.
4) Airbrushed shirts make ANY trip 100x more awesome
5) Worship was an amazing experience and makes us long for heaven

See you tomorrow parents. Please pray for the drive home. We'll need it!

Slowly shutting his eyes,
Coleman

Scoffers, fools, wise....

Super camp day! Is it Sunday? Wow. Miss Joda has been cookin' some great food, the beach has been beautiful, and the sessions have been phenomenal! We did some games at Adventure Island today as well as some dodgeball on the beach. Thanks again to all your guys for great emails! Keep em' coming on the last day!

Today Stuart Hall gave us the challenge to be wise. Some of us are foolish and some are even scoffers (put down those who do good) but God has called us to a life of wisdom. Life is more than just a series of right or wrong decisions, it's about being wise. This kind of mentality breaks the mold of many "churchianity" teachings about right or wrong, Stu shared a very impactful story regarding a previous student that he knew who chose to do un-wise things and ended up dead. Without sharing all the gruesome details, needless to say it was a tragedy. Are we living wise lives? Are we looking to just go as far as we can without doing something wrong, or are we dedicated to wisdom in all areas of living? These were some great words to all students and leaders!

Compassion International has had a strong presence throughout the camp and today a young man from Kenya shared his story about becoming a child sponsored by CI. He is living proof that the pictures of these children that one chooses to support are been nourished, both physically and spiritually, and are growing up to be mighty men and women of God. If you don't already, take a moment to hop over to Compassion International's site and start sponsoring a child today. If you already have one, do another! What a great opporunity to make a large impact with a small amount.

So yeah, again, I managed to get to the room without any pics to load (the ladies have all cameras) but tomorrow we'll finally throw up some choice pics from the week. Continue to pray for fruit to come forth from our students. Continue to pray for soft and open hearts. And most of all continue to pray for salvation and true heart change in the lives of our students who don't know Christ. Thank you parents and others for your awesome encouragement, support and love and check back with us tomorrow for a last day update. Take care and have a great day in the Lord!

With sand between my toes,
Coleman

Hot, Red and Toasty

First full day of activities. Yeash, it was a blast. Mermaids and mermen, volleyball glory, sand mansions and some good food made for a successful day!

Stuart Hall has continued to bring us challenging messages that are fun, yet full of truth. Tonight he spoke on true biblical faith. Biblical faith is more than just hoping for something better. Biblical faith is more than just trying to do more scripture reading/praying/singing in order to finally achieve an ultimate faith experience. Biblical fatith is not something you learn in order to get something from God. Biblical faith is a promise from God. A promise of ultimate deliverance. Biblical faith is hope bridged with promises from the Word.

Are we faithful or merely hopeful? Another great challenge was to discover whether or not our faith changes when life throws junk in our face. Great words. Thank you parents for all the emails, they have been a great encouragement to your students! We'll have pics up tomorrow and Monday.

With droopy eyes but a joyful heart,
Coleman

Orange Beachy

12 hours, 40 ft of rain, Hurricane Carrollton, all on the first day of travel!

But by God's grace we are here in Orange Beach, Alabama and having fun. The beach is beautiful, the sun is out, and Miss Joda is cookin' up a storm. Tonight was spaghetti with homemade meatballs, and some ice cream. We've had two birthdays in our group so far; David White (June 10) and Burns Thacker (June 11). Burns wants you all to know that you can overnight your gifts to him here in Orange Beach.

We had our first session tonight featuring Fee (worship) and Stuart Hall. Stu-man challenged us with this thought: "Don't let the unexplainable overshadow the undeniable." Just because we may not have all the answers all the time, we can not deny the awesome work that God has done in our lives! He shared with us the account of Jesus healing the blind man in John 9. The Pharisees focused so much on the unexplainable that that could not see the undeniable! The blind could see yet those with sight had become blind. What a flip! Tonight in group time we talked about the concept of repentance and the "flip" that occurs when one enters a life of continual repentance. Our memory verse for the night was Mark 1:15 (NLT), "The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"

Continue to pray for all students and leaders here! That God will open the eyes of our hearts to reveal and see His truth. Please also be in prayer for those students who are wrestling with doubt and questions. My hope and prayer is that genuine conversation can take place, that prayer and accountablity will happen, and true heart change will be the result! It's such a joy to be here with students and leaders and I can't wait to have a great week of sand in my toes and stories about the Lord's work! Take care, we'll update soon and have a great day in the Lord!

Slighly sun-burned and ready for bed,
Coleman

LIFEgroup event night 2nite! Meet at The Ridge at 630. Going to park to grill out and have some fun! We'll back at the church for parent pickup at 815. CU there

Multi-church prayer gathering 2nite @ The Ridge from 700-830. Meeting to gather believers together for city of Carrollton transformation.

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Bring friends and money for a send Jamie to Africa shirt! C u there.

Get Jamie to Africa

Hey folks!

Our dear friend Jamie Meador (2009 DNow girls leader) is going to Africa this summer and she needs our help!

To help her get there, she's got some T-Shirts to sell and she's asking us to do our part. Jamie will be joining us this Wednesday at The Gathering to present her summer plans and promote her fund raising.

If you are interested in helping her out (and getting a stinkin' cool shirt) bring cash or a check for $15 tomorrow to The Gathering, or go online to www.getjamietoafrica.info to pre-order with credit card.

This is a great opportunity to help a sister in Christ and one of our favorite leaders. I know she will appreciate your blessing.

This week...

Hey guys! We need camp scholarship forms pronto. All money is due May 27th. If you need tips to ask your parents nicely for money, let up know.

This week we spoke on the seriousness of the Lord's Supper. This Sunday, continue to reflect on the significance of this sacred reflection of Christ's sacrifice.

'It becomes us to be exceedingly sorrowful for sin, because Christ was so, and never to make mock at it.' - Matthew Henry, 18th century theologian

The Gathering 2nite @ 630. Invite a friend or two or three. C u there!

Get your butts to LifeGroups 2nite! You'll be glad you did. Meetings at regular time and places.

Lifegroup event night 2nite - ULTIMATE FRISBEE at Creek Valley MS off Hebron next American Indoor from 6-8. We're ending the night at Sonic so bring mula!

LISD closed for a week? What will you do with all that time? Sleep? Movies? How about some Scripture? Can't go wrong there!

Trying to live the Christian life guided by our fallen human nature is hopeless. - Joshua Harris, Sex is Not the Problem (Lust is). p. 56.

The Gathering 2nite at 630. Bring a bazillion friends. They can be your entourage. C u there!

Test this!