What will last?

Today in my devotional, I read through Matthew 24 and here is what struck me the most out of this passage: "What will last?" I mean Jesus got my attention when He told His disciples that not one stone will be left on another. Reading Scripture always surprises me...I've read the Bible repeatedly from cover to cover multiple times (some portions more than others). Yet, for the first time, I see just how nothing, absolutely nothing will last for eternity...except one thing...

Jesus says a whole bunch of surprising things: There will be false Messiahs, massive wars on global scales, famines and earthquakes, and to top it off (as if that was not enough!)...Jesus says that is just the beginning of the birth pains. Then, Jesus goes on to say: There will be persecution (you will be persecuted to be exact) and death, there will hatred by all nations, there will be betrayal and turning away of faith, there will be false prophets, and if that was not bad enough...Jesus says because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.

I don't know about you, but that sounds like a pretty bleak and dark world...I'm not exactly sure if I could handle something like that if that happened today.

But here is the good news, the shimmer of hope! Are you ready for it?

Jesus is coming back. No one knows the day or the hour. No person. Not even the angels. (So please do not let anyone in heaven or earth literally fool you by saying He knows when Jesus is coming back). Only God the Father knows the exact time when God the Son will return.

Matthew 24:42-44 says,“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

The most comforting portion of this Scripture for me is found just a few verses earlier in Matthew 24, Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." No matter what happens...the words of Christ will remain. Ever wonder why some portions of the Bible are in red? Those are the words of Christ and for me there is comfort that I can trust in His promises. Even why heaven and earthy fall away...I can trust in the Lord. Is that not the most beautiful promise in all of HIStory?

Stepping Into a New Year - 2014

For those of you who actively follow my blog, I'm sorry for not posting anything in a while. My life has been busy the last few weeks: Christmas events, social gatherings, visiting family in NY and VA, traveling during snowstorms, getting sick, preparing for new year, etc... Just the normal stuff that makes up the Christmas and New Year holiday, right? Well, I just want to thank you for sticking around with me if your still reading this.

So what's new for 2014? Well, believe it or not...I've been married for just over 6 months to my wonderful and beautiful wife Leah. I've mentioned it before and I will mention again here and many more times in the future...I could not ask God for a more awesome blessing than the friendship and support of my loving PFL (Partner For Life!). She more than anyone else has made this past year the happiest of my life. And to be fair, she has also helped me through the hardest moments this past year as well (some of those moments being our own arguments and conflicts together I might add).

By this summer, I will have been serving at my church Home of Christ in Menlo Park for three years! So far I've made it past the Gallup studies that estimate the average term for a youth minister is 18 months. I guess I can wipe some sweat from my brow now...but in all seriousness, I am thankful that God has provided a place for me to call my "home" church. It's not been easy but it has been one amazing learning experience. There is not higher privilege in my mind than God giving me an opportunity to build relationships, care for youths, and work with volunteers to build up His kingdom. So I am grateful and I hope that this year the obstacles won't look like exit signs but entrance signs for me to push through and press on to the work that God has called me to do.

What do I look forward to this year? Matthew 18:1-6 says,

"At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea."

I liked reading this passage in the King James Version because I see the emphasis on how Christ says we are to humble oneself as a child of God. My prayer is that I serve my Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart, mind, and soul this year. Just as my Savior has received me with open arms, I hope to share that same love with all those that I shepherd this year. I hope that for you too, you will find that God is receiving you with open arms and wants you to do the same with others around you.