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I just joined twitter. www.twitter.com/benjaminbowman

Turning it around

The other night in class a couple of us were talking about how God loves to take things that once stood for something and turn them around. There are so many examples in the bible, Paul for example was an enemy to all Christians but an encounter with Christ turned him into possibly the most sold out Christian ever. But there are examples in peoples lives today. I guess that's what our testimonies are, God turning us around. I think God loves to do this. God loves taking what we did wrong and using it for his Glory. It's such a great thing to be a part of. It's not through anything we do but it's who God is. An encounter with Jesus leads to life change. Thank you God for turning things around!

"It's just a matter of time before it turns around"

Will

I have been noticing a theme in my personal bible study and time with God. It's been a message that I think God is really trying to establish and root into my heart. It's a simple one, "Just do the will of the Father" Last night during worship we sang about being like our heavenly Father. One of the girls there told us about how her grandfather had just died and even as his organs were failing him he was still praising God. Then in the midst of worship Andrew (www.lionandlamb.org) shared with us a verse in revelation about Christ revealing himself as the Lamb and doing just the will of the Father and having the Fathers heart. While we prayed and worshiped I came across a passage in John 8:28-29 which Jesus says “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I Am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”

I think doing the will of the Father is something that Jesus understood so well. It was all he did and all he came here to do. So may you learn to do nothing on your own but only what your father does. This is something that I am still learning about and just now starting to understand. Thank you God for revealing this truth.

Hearts

There is this great verse in Mark where Jesus quotes the Prophet Isiah. He basically says to the group of religious leaders there that they Honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. This verse has been heavy on my heart because I think of how many times I sing to God or talk about Him and yet my actions and thought life have separated me from Him. We have a God that loves us just the way we are, I think it is important to remember that. Yet, He loves us so much that He doesn't want us to stay where we are spiritually. This inner desire to be closer to the Father is what keeps us going as Christ Followers.

So where ever you are on your walk with the Lord, remember that He loves you and more than anything He just wants your heart.

What is it about?

What is the bible about to you?

Open Discussion go!

Following the Lamb

I don't know about you but I've heard the Christmas story called "the Greatest story ever told" I disagree. It's not that interesting of a story, if stories are for entertainment value and we were to compare them with movies I would say this ranks just above Made of Honor (yes I was forced by my wife to watch that movie)

Think about it, a guy Joseph is in an arranged marriage when Mary his soon to be bride tells him that she is pregnant and it's not his baby and he can't get jealous because God has impregnated her. Not a great excuse but an original one. Joseph not believing is visited by an angel and has a change of heart as we all would if visited by an angel, just watch it's a wonderful life and you'll see. So it's tax season and Joseph has to head to Bethlehem to avoid being audited. (this is an abridged version) Mary has the baby in a manger which is designed to feed animals. See, not that great of a story which makes me wonder how did these people keep something like this alive? I think it's because God has kept the story alive. And seeing a man raised from the dead would cause you to want to know more about him.

I really believe that we would know nothing of this story if it weren't for the resurrection. Christ would have faded into obscurity along with all the other false messiahs and prophets of his day. But the act of love displayed on the cross is what kept the story alive and it's that, which to me is the greatest story ever.

So instead of talking about the birth of Jesus Impact Student Ministries will be doing a series called Following the Lamb. In this two part series we will see how communion marked the end of the old covenant and ushered in the beginning of the new. I'm very excited about this series and I think it's going to be great. Also we are having our Christmas party Dec 10th at 6:30. So come on over to the Youth House.

See you there

The Reason for the Season

I must admit, I'm a bit of a scrooge during the holiday season. It's not that I don't like Christmas in fact there are many things about Christmas that I love. The family, the food, the gift giving and receiving. Yet, there are things that I don't enjoy, like long lines at department stores, the same Christmas programs every year, and the commercialism. There are things about Christmas that I don't understand, like how they are already playing Christmas music when it hasn't even been thanksgiving yet.

I saw a sign last year that said “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” And I think this is what most Christians believe, and when I say Christian I don't mean a good person or a person who is an American or even a person that believes Jesus was a good teacher. When I say Christian I mean a person who has had a “born again” experience and has dedicated their life to following the way of Jesus. That sign got me thinking “Is Jesus really the reason for the season?” Is Jesus what we are excited about? Is celebrating the arrival of our savior what we most look forward to during Christmas? Isn't it strange that a word and holiday containing Christ seems so devoid of Christ?

The more of these questions I ask myself the more it becomes clear that we are the reason for the season and not Jesus. I know it sounds blasphemous and I do believe that Jesus is the reason for the season but if it wasn't for our sin Jesus would never have had to come in the first place. Jesus is the reason for the season but so are we. We were the ones that needed saving. Jesus came to save the world from sin. His arrival was not magnificent, He didn't have a Macy's day parade to usher in His kingdom. He came because of our sin in the most humble of ways. And His act of love and sacrifice deserves more than just a season, it demands our very lives.

There is a great verse in the bible that says “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:17

This means that the whole world was on God's mind. God had sent Jesus to be the savior of everyone and not just Christians, and not just Americans. Your Muslim neighbor is the reason for the season, your atheist relative is the reason for the season. Your enemy, your friend, everyone in the whole world is the reason for the season. Our savior is not regulated to our church or our hemisphere. He is not bound only to those you agree with. God has the whole world on His mind.

So the next time your Mother in Law is driving you insane with making Christmas all about her, tell her that she is the reason for the season. Because Jesus died for her too, just like he died for you. And He came with more than just this season on His mind.