Author Reviews

For my Media in a Diverse Society class I am required to post a blog reviewing two of my favorite authors. These are my thoughts on Matt Chandler and John Piper.

Matt,

Thank you for your work in Creature of the Word, I have grown immensely by letting the truths in your writings speak to me. By reading this book it has shaped my view of the gospel and the gospel’s significance in the church. I pray that you continue to produce books that challenge and encourage Christians all over the world. Thanks again.

Zach

Pastor John Piper,

Thank you for your work in Desiring God, it has shaped my view of how Christians should live and think. Because of your great wisdom and ability to interpret scripture, I have been led to realize how much wisdom come from knowing Christ personally and seeking the wisdom He offers. I pray you continue to speak and write in a way that challenges Christians, young and old, to seek wisdom and joy in Christ alone.

Zach

Overflow

I recently wrote a blog post for a ministry I've been a part of for the past few years. This post gives just a small glimpse in to what it is that we do and out aim and direction as a ministry. The link is found below.

http://overflowosu.wordpress.com/

You Need His Blood

 

Matthew 27:11-26

Jesus before Pilate

¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” ¹² And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. ¹³ Then Pilate *said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” ¹⁴ And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.
¹⁵ Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.
¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. ²¹ But the governor said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Crucify Him!” ²³ And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”
²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” ²⁵ And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Wow. Condemnation without causation. What a vivid picture of the corruptness and negligence man is consumed with. This hits on so many levels. The biggest is the reality of our condition and the grace of our God.

“His blood shall be on us and on our children!” –My ancestors

The people wanted the blame. Pilate willingly gave it to them. In a fit of outrage, the people threw all caution to the wind knowing that with everything within them that this man deserved to die. He didn’t. They cried for the ramifications of his murdering to be not only on them but also on their children. Praise God they did.

While the people claim that they want his blood, God above is saying, “You need His blood.”

Grace so amazing that He would offer the blood that we asked for, not for the purpose we asked of it, but as an atonement for the asking of the blood. Selah.

If the Lord wills...

Wow. Four words is all it took to humble me this morning. Amazing how the Word of God can have that impact on someone.

In recent conversations with different people the question, "What do you plan on doing after college?" Has come up and my response has always been, graduate, get a job, buy a house, buy a car, get involved at a church, and for the sake of my Grandmother's sanity, have a wife. Don't get me wrong, these are all great things to plan for, hope for, pray for... But how often do we get caught up in our own good intentions and start thinking, "Hey, this is attainable! I'm doing really good!" Then we stop planning, because the plan is in motion. We stop hoping, because we start getting a glimpse of the final product. We stop praying... Because God has provided a means.

James 4:15 says "If the Lord wills..."

In this passage James is telling of merchants who plan on doing business in cities far way, the are PLANNING on going in the future, HOPING to make a profit, but no where in there does it talk about these merchants putting it in the hands of God.

The scripture goes on to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

If it is the Lord's will for you to live and you are living in the Lord's will, THEN you will carry ou the plans He has made for you.

If it is the Lord's will for you to do these things, and you are living inside of God's will for your life, you have nothing to worry about!

However don't think that just because it is God's will for your life that will just automatically happen. Some people think that they can live their life outside of the way God expects us to live, and still be in the will of God. This baffles me!

If you want God to open doors for you, you have to be in the right room.

Matthew 6:33, straight from the mouth of Jesus himself.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Leaving THE Legacy

This week my aunt's father, Rev. Paul Green passed away. At his funeral on Wednesday my uncle Johnny Roberts, pastor at the Bod.tv, spoke of his legacy. He knocked it out of the park. Even more impressive and inspiring than the message he delivered to a mourning family, was the message that Rev. Green lived and the legacy he has left behind. His story is so uplifting and inspirational that it can't be contained. There are so many stories that can be told about Paul, about how many lives were impacted by his life, but the one story that is so incredible happened just this last Thanksgiving. I can't do the story justice, the following comes from a blog post by my cousin Jake Roberts.

"Tonight we went around the room at my grandparents house and told what we were thankful for. At first I was a little skeptical, and I wasn’t sure what would come from it (jokes? corniness?). But once we started it went to a pretty serious level. It was really cool hearing all the things my family was thankful for. Once we were done, my grandpa walked in the room to get to his chair (which I learned you’re not supposed to sit in! haha). But when he got in the room someone asked him what he was thankful for…

Now you have to understand something about papa Paul… He is 76 and he has had alzheimer’s disease for the past 10 years. The past 6 or 7 months he has gotten really bad and I honestly don’t think he knows who I am anymore. So when they asked him, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. So there was the usual pause as he looked off into space and we weren’t quite sure that he had fully comprehended the question… And then he spoke up.

As tears filled up his eyes he said, “I’m thankful for, well, I’m thankful for Jesus Christ. I’m thankful for what he did for me and how he has saved me.” He then found himself at a loss for words and simply said, “Jesus, He’s a good guy.” Then he went on to talk about God and the blessings He has poured out on him and his family. And how every day it brings tears to his eyes to see how good God is to him.

Silence fell over the room…

Not a dry eye in the place.

We watched as this man who is losing his memory displayed his intimate love for his Savior. He may not fully comprehend what is happening around him, but there is no doubt that he is passionately in love with God. Oh to be in love with God to the point that it brings tears to your eyes at the mention of His name.

We closed it up by singing Amazing Grace together, and watched as my grandpa closed his eyes in worship.

What a legacy I come from.

Are you in love with our God who is crazy in love with you? Does it show in your life? When is the last time you stopped to thank Him for all he has done for you?"

-Jake Roberts

At this point in his life Paul was in the very advanced stages of Alzheimer's, so much so that he forgot how to sit in a car, which I witnessed. Everything had been stripped away, everything, nothing could be accomplished without the complete assistance of another. He didn't remember anything.

But he never forgot his Lord.

When everything is gone. When your life is stripped of all accomplishments, possessions, relationships, memories, health, pride. When you are stripped to the very core of your being, what will be exposed? Your love for the Savior or nothing...

Thank You Paul for the life you lived and this life that you've impacted and challenged by simply leaving THE ultimate legacy. A legacy that points straight to the One.

All That I Can Say

This is all, this is all that I can say right now

I know it's not much

But this is all that I can give

Yeah, that's my everything

-David Crowder

If you haven't heard this song, All That I Can Say by David Crowder, you should do so now. I'll wait...

This song is the perfect description of life, and how it should be lived. It's a cry saying "God I'm doing all I can to live for you, I don't feel like it's enough, but I will never be enough, so I'm just giving You my everything."

As we go through life in this fast-paced world that we live in, we must stop... and rest in Him. Knowing that we have done all we can to glorify Him. Living your life like this can push you to that point of pure spiritual exhaustion. Sometimes we get so exhausted and caught up in being beat down that we don't even see Him right there next to us, holding us, enduring the pain of life with us, taking care of us...

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

-Matthew 6:33

Life is a struggle...

This week has been a very humbling one for me. And as much as I hate to admit it, it was a much needed humbling, at that. I have seen several failures and been shown so much through the past few days. Here is a tidbit of what I rediscovered through these failures.

When we get caught up in what we think is right for us and don't look to God, we get frustrated, and not by coincidence. God has to put us through these circumstances to grow us. As soon as he sees that we are going stale or getting comfortable where we are, he forces us to move, through a decision, opportunity, or occurrence. We don't always move toward Him like we should but we always move. It's through this movement that we become closer to or stray away from what God has planned in our lives.

This week I had the incredible opportunity to lead worship at a See You at the Pole Pre-Rally at Hilltop Baptist Church in Morrison, OK. There is nothing more exciting, fulfilling, and humbling, than leading passionate students in worship to our God. Whether it's 55 students, sitting in church pews, using a borrowed sound system, or 300 students, with the best lights and sound equipment money can buy, it's all worship and God hears it the same. The magnitude of me is ALWAYS less than the minimum of Him.