It's Bristol, Baby!

 



     "It's Bristol, Baby!" This phrase is heard every time the NASCAR circuit arrives in Thunder Valley (Bristol, TN). Why is this phrased used? In order to win a race, a driver has to "wreck" and move over other drivers to have a chance at winning. The Irwin Tools Night Race was this past weekend (August 23, 2014), and eyes were open to how racing at the Bristol Motor Speedway and our walk with Christ are the same. 
     From the 1960s to 2007, the racing groove was on the bottom of the track. From 2007 to 2012, People complained about the "new" Bristol and how it was not the same. Today, people are giving high accolades to the racing relating to the "old" Bristol, but with the racing groove towards the wall. Our walk with Christ is no different than what happened in the redesign of Bristol. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 NIV reads "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!" When we become redesigned and have accepted Christ in our lives, people will hate us. In the 15th chapter of John, Jesus states that if the world hated him that the world would hate us. Our redesign will be hated from our peers in our old life just like Bristol was from 2007-2012. 
     The preferred line at Bristol is the top groove of the racetrack. Drivers will nudge other drivers to the bottom of the racetrack to gain position. In our lives, the top groove is things in our life are going great and our walk with Christ is going strong. In the Christian world, we like to call that the "Mountaintop Experience". Jesus never promised that our cross would not be heavy. In this world, we have an enemy named Satan. Satan's goal is described in  John 10:10a (NIV), "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." Just like drivers trying to pass another driver by sending them to the bottom, or the valley, Satan will do with our life. Satan will try to get us to backslide and not experience life to the fullest with Christ, but it our job to stand firm because Jesus offers greater than what Satan offers. Satan will remind you of your past failures and guilt, but Jesus is saying to us that the shame and guilt that we are receiving has been covered by His blood poured out for us on Calvary. It is for us to not lose hope and cling to Jesus. 
     Tire fall-off at Bristol is high. That means that the tires lose their grip and speed as a race runs on. If the tires fall off too much before you change them, the tire will go flat. In our lives as Christians, we go to conferences and we get what is called a "spiritual high." After some time, that high goes away, and people live their lives like normal. Christian Conferences are meant to challenge you, and they are meant to make that fire you have for Jesus even bigger or start that fire for God in your life. Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV) says "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty." The world will not change when the people of God lose their fire for Him and His word. 
    At Bristol, everyone feels entitled to their position on the racing surface, and if something goes wrong, they complain. That is just like people in leadership today. We are in an era of "entitlement". Everyone is entitled to everything. Leaders will do anything to self promote and self protect themselves. Jesus should be the standard of leading others. Philippians 2 is a beautiful description of the humility of Christ and why he came to this world. Jesus did not take any titles, but he did take up towels. He sought out every opportunity to serve others. Matthew 20:28 (NIV), "just as the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." The world will change when us as Christians follow the example and leadership of Jesus. 

CW


*below are some images found on the internet from Bristol

A New Beginning

      

Isaiah 41:10So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
1 John 4:18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 Peter 3:13-14Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."
1 Chronicles 28:20David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

    A new school year is about to begin for many this next week. For me, I still have two more weeks until classes begin. If you are still in High School, press on! It will get better. Going into freshman year of college, many opportunities and things are about to change. Over the past week, I have been overcome with a spirit of depression. Why? Because everything that I once knew will be gone and new friendships and activities will commence. 
     What will change? For me, the community I have built with people within Students will be gone. As everyone goes their different ways, Jesus remains constant. I am grateful that God has placed me with a great group of people to finish high school out with. Over this past summer, I have found two people that I can come clean to and tell all my problems to, and I know that I am being prayed for. 
     Growing up in a Christian school for majority of my life, I was able to have a Bible class everyday. During my high school years, havinIg Bible class replaced my own personal time with God. Over this past summer, I have struggled to dive into the Scripture, but over the past couple weeks, I have begun to dive into the word and do studies of the Word. This summer has been a time of searching. I no longer have someone "holding my hand" to read the Word, and tell me what I should know about God. The most important questions you can ask yourself is "Is what I believe what my parents forced me to believe or is this my own personal belief?" and "Do you believe  what you say believe is really real?" When you go off to college, you will be on your own, and if you do not have a firm standing on your beliefs, the winds of this world will carry you away like the sand. 
     Throughout my high school days, I was not the most active type of person. However, I did run Cross Country for two years and played tennis for 1 year. Even though I played those sports, I only did it for that season. After the season was over, I would go back to being a glutton. I Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) states, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." Health and fitness are crucial parts of our everyday life and walk with Christ. Over this summer, I have began to run, hike, and bike at least three days a week. Just recently, a gym membership was purchased. Once I learn some dumbbell and machine workouts, I will begin to use it even more than I have already. A friend told me just recently "We aren't watching our health and fitness more closely to add more years to our life, but add more LIFE to our years." Starting college will mark a new beginning in getting healthier and eating better to be a more effective witness for the sake of Christ.
    A new beginning brings out the fear. Fear has already been defeated by God. (If you are struggling with fear, I suggest you watch this talk called "Fear Must Fall" apart of the Goliath Must Fall series http://www.passioncitychurch.com/watch#PCC-072014-V2 ). There is nothing to fear if you are in Christ. I have nothing to fear about the new beginning, and I can't wait to see what God will do in and through my life.


May blessings and the peace of God be with you!
     

And There I Find You In The Mystery

    I have grown up in church basically all my life. From the Vacation Bible Schools to the Summer Camps, I have done them all. I grew up in a Pentecostal Charismatic (before things get out of hand, they did NOT handle snakes) church. I accepted Christ at the age of seven. As I grew older, I became disgruntled and angry with God, and the "people of God." If you asked someone to pray for you, you would know that they would tell at least five people around them, but in return it would come out as gossip. As I became more involved within the church, Christianity started to become works based. 

  Romans 12:2 (NIV) states, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."  In 2012, I had to leave this particular church. I was at a crossroads of leaving following God completely. By this time in my life, I was addicted to the things of this world. The things this world has to offer only lasts for a short period of time, only leaving you more empty than ever before. I was serving two masters. Matthew 6:24 (ESV) states, "“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." I had no accountability at all. I had stopped pursuing God, BUT GOD was still pursuing me. 

     After leaving the church, I have heard many people talk about this little place called Passion City Church in Atlanta.  I heard many fantastic things about Passion City. I thought I would "check" it out. I had no idea what to expect. The Church to me, at this point, was a place where people came to worship God, and then gossip about other believers. That was not the case. The first time at PCC, I became renewed. I saw the Gospel as Jesus came to bring us to LIFE, and that sin does not make us bad, but makes us DEAD. Instantly, I "fell in love" with what God was doing. He still pursued me, even when I was not pursuing him.     

     I became involved within the student ministry at PCC. I have always been the awkward one. People would not want to be around me because of the way I came off. It has been constant throughout my life. I tried exhaustively to "try to fit in" at church. Before, it felt as if nobody really cared about me and am alone. I truly had no close friends, but that all changed. Now, I have found some friends that accept me as I am. However, there is still something missing,
    

     At Passion City, the big word that comes around is community. Although I now have some friends, I have no community. Let me explain what I mean by that. I have nobody pouring into me spiritually. I am in a spiritual desert. I have no godly men in my life that will spend a couple hours a week or a Saturday investing in me.  I have nobody to dive into the Scriptures with. Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) states, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." There is nobody sharpening me to follow God and gain intimate knowledge of Him.     

     God is sovereign. He has total power and control over everything. I just have to trust Him with finding community. I believe that He is trying to teach me something without having the community feeling. He works all things out for our good, and I cannot wait to see what he has in store for me in the aspect of community. I have found Him in the mystery, and am constantly seeking and finding Him more throughout the mystery of life.

 *I am trying to be as vulnerable as I can. If you become offended, or have any questions, please feel free to either text or call me. Views expressed by this blog are of those of the writer, this in no way, shape, or form is condoning any organization talked about in this post

Parted Waters

Scripture was written all around water. The Bible mentions three times of the water being parted, can you name all three? You can probably name about two: parting of the Red Sea and the parting of the Jordan, what is the third? The third parted water is found in Elisha after Elijah was taken up to heaven.

Exodus 14:13-22 (NIV)  Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. This passage of Scripture speaks of escape.  God provides miraculous deliverance for His people as they were fleeing Egypt into the land that was promised. God can make a way when there is no way. God makes a way for His children when they are coming out of the harder circumstances of life. You may be going through the valley right now, but God is making a way for you out of what you are doing.

Joshua 3:14-17 (NIV)  So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.    This passage is about going into what God has promised for you. The Israelites were wandering in the desert for 40 years. Many of them had doubts as to whether they were actually going to this land promised to them. The purpose of taking them out of the land of Egypt was to have them in. . God wants us out of our sins but into His own presence.

2nd kings 2:9-15 (NIV) When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.
This passage speaks bout empowerment. Elisha was not arrogant. God will answer big prayers to those who will receive it. Elisha changed his mentality by "changing" his clothes. Prophets are watching him. Elisha needed God then and there because He did not know how everything was going to work. This is the entrance to new anointing of empowerment. God was going to do a new work through Elisha. Elisha was in a place of being refined before Elijah was taken into heaven.

What do all these bring together? They bring together that it is always about God honoring obedience in action. When you step out of obedience to God, favor will come. These examples did not know what they were getting into, but their faith was called into action.

What does this mean for us? This means that if we are either going out of a hard trouble, into a unforeseen territory, or need to be revived, God will always provide. We have to trust and believe that He will come through. We have to be obedient and let the Holy Spirit move. Our trust needs to be without borders. When we walk with God, He will never leave nor forsake us. This reminds me of a song, "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)". As you finish reading this, meditate on the lyrics to this song. May God forever bless you.

"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior


 I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

 

Senior Year

    
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
think about Him in all your ways,and He will guide you on the right paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB)


     This is the biggest change and yet the most stressful time of your high school career. I am in the midst of it. Everyone has either been through it or will be going through it at one point in your year. The main battle is senioritis. Senioritis is defined as a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance. At this point in high school, you are tired and exhausted of school, teachers, and rules. Senioritis usually hits the hardest in the second semester because you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Procrastination sets in as well.
     "What are you going to do with the rest of your life? Where do you want to go to college?"You will hear these questions all throughout your last two years of college. I have become annoyed with these repeating questions. You hear these questions from everyone who knows you are a junior or senior in high school. For college, I will be taking the cheap route. I will be attending Chattahoochee Technical College for my first two years of school to spend less money on the core classes you are required to take before you get into your major and/or minor. After the core classes are completed, I will transfer to either Kennesaw State University or the University of Georgia to being my major. My plan is to double major in Business and Meteorology. Also, I will attempt to minor in Marketing/Advertising and Sports Broadcasting.
     Many high school seniors want to go to college FAR away. However, I would prefer not to. To me, the reason why many college students leave the Christian faith is because they think they can do it on their own and lose that community of faith they grew up in. Also, many people who grew up in church do not have a REAL and AUTHENTIC faith of their own. They have been living off of their parent's faith and not of their own. My community of faith has been found within Passion City Church in the doorholder community. I have met some of the most amazing people as being a doorholder. The beauty of this community is that we have a common goal: to bring people in and show them the beauty of Christ through our service.
      Senior year may seem stressful, but it is one of the best times of your life. My challenge for my fellow classmates and those who are about to experience this is that at the end of the day God's will is sovereign over what we may seem is right, only He knows what the future will hold all we have to do is be patient and be still.



Proverbs 18:10, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."

Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."