It's time to take out the trash!

This blog is in response to the previous blog of I hate... Wednesday at youth we continued a series of getting angry at what makes God angry. This particular talk was about discoverying a specific burden God has put in each of our paths for us to champion. We discussed Nehemiah and how his burden was rebuilding the wall. We each were challenged to pick a burden (what is your fight), to pick a side (whose side will you fight for), and to pick a weapon (how will you fight). The night ended with anyone wanting to pick a fight to come up and get a black X on your hand to act as a symbol of God here we are willing and ready to fight your fight when you show us which fight to fight. It was beautful. I guessed maybe 10 kids would come up and take this serious. I think almost everystudent came up, I was blown away. This generation truly is about standing up for justice as I saw many students eager to do their part to change the world. As each student came up I saw in their eyes passion and hope to change their culture. Afterwards I spoke with many studnets as they told me different things they were going to stand up and fight for or against. One students wants to fight for their whole family to come to church and give their lives to Christ. Another student wants to start a bible study to help new Christians know God better. Another student wants 3 of here friends to know that God loves them no matter what. Many other students are waiting to hear from God what thier fight is but one student siad it best. He simply looked up at me and said Dustin, "it's time to take out the trash." I loved it, he was right. Something stinks and we've grown accustom to it instead of taking it to the curb. For us the way of the culture stinks and instead of complaining were stepping up and taking that junk to the curb. If you have a fight God has laid on your heart, share with us, I'd love to hear what God has called you to champion.

I hate ...

At youth we started a new series last night centered around getting angry at what makes God angry. Thus over the next several weeks we'll be challenging each other to think about what is the unique think God allows you to get angry at that makes Him angry. For example some people really get bothered by unfriendly christians so God probably is calling you to lead a greeting ministry. Or maybe you get angered over seeing teenage Christians unfamiliar with the Word, then maybe God wants you to start a bible study. I don't know what God allows you to be bothered by but whatever it is it is meant to lead us to action. What keeps you up at night praying and hopeing that something would change, that someone would step up. Well change is coming and its coming from you. For me God keeps me up at night burdened for hopeless teenagers. Teenagers with no love, no hope, and no life. What about you? What keeps you up at night? And more importantly, what will you do about it? I look forward to see what God does with our collective anger.

Maybe David's biggest moment

I have just been wowed by David's humility and leadership as a person and as a father. I Chronicles 22 walks us Thru David passing the baton to His son Solomon, but the baton is huge. The passing is the building of the house of God, the Temple for the Lord. There was nothing bigger or more amazing than to build the Temple for the Lord. However God tells David he doesn't want him to build instead he wants his son Solomon to build it. Davids' reaction is priceless. He calls builders from all over, buys all the material, and begins setting up his son to succeed. He didn't pout about not building it. He put all his energy into making sure his son had every chance of success. As a father, this challenged me to be sure that I do everything in my power to make sure my kids Callie Joy and Riley are set up to succeed. Not just in life, but to succeed in pleasing God and building His Kingdom. Then in verse 11-13 David says a prayer for Solomon. The prayer request God to give Him success, wisdom, and understanding as well as to be strong and courageous. Well later on Solomon is described as the wisest person to ever live. Coincidence? What a legacy David left his son. What humility David (a King who always had power and control) had to step aside and let someone else lead. This has to be one of the most amazing things David did on earth. What en example for us as both fathers and leaders to learn from. Good stuff.

Margin

Recently, I realized something about myself that I didn't like, I had almost no margin at all in my life. Many times I've wanted to give to someone or something but couldn't because there was no financial margin. Many times I've wanted to do more with my wife and kids but because I overload my schedule I have little energy margin. Many times I want to do more for the Kingdom of God but find myself too busy with everything else. I have had many conversations with some friends and many have tossed in the towel and simply said, "that's just life." I disagree. I refuse to believe that a margin less life is the one John 10:10 talks about when Jesus describes living abundantly. Recently I read Jesus taking a walk on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and during his (unproductive and pointless) walk, that He had margin for, He met Peter and Andrew. These two people would not only be two of Jesus' closet friends but would also be instrumental in building the Church, the avenue of hope for the world for generations to come. This took place in the margins of Jesus life. He simply went for a walk. In the midst of our business may we slow down, take a walk, and see what God has in store for us in the margin of our lives.

One brick at a time by one prayer at a time.

In the early 90's a small group of teenagers wanted God to move on their school campus so much that they immediately left there home and went to the school and began praying around the flagpole for God to move. That simple and single movement started the world's largest prayer gathering I've ever heard of. This past Wednesday millions of students from elementary to college age students met other Christians around their flag pole to come together and pray for their campus. This took place all around the world. I went to Pine Ridge High School to be apart of theirs and what an amazing site to see. You see Pine Ridge High struggles with racial gangs but on Wednesday I stood back and watched white students hold hands and pray with Hispanic students and Hispanics students holding hands and praying with African American students and so on. It took place in the middle of everything so thousands of students witnessed the melting pot of believers coming together in peace, love, and unity to bring glory to God. I joined a small circle of about 8 students praying. The circle included one white girl, one African American boy, myself, and then the rest were Hispanic boys and girls. Now I didn't know any of them at all. We just bowed our heads, prayed, and when we were done everyone just started hugging everyone else. You couldn't see it but you could feel it, the racial walls were coming down, one brick at a time and we all loved it. I don't know the kids names and they probably don't know mine but what we all do know is that God is tearing down the walls of racism one prayer at a time.