Now i have to practice what i preached?...

For those who may be unfamiliar with who i am, God has given me the privilege of being a youth pastor. i'm certainly no one special, but that's how He's gifted me, the passion He's given me to pursue.
We've been doing a series on 1Corinthians 13: the famous "love chapter". i've found and shared with our youth that love is simply our choice to value others above ourselves. Love has little to do with our feelings but everything to do with our volition. We choose to value others.
Romans 13 lays out the mandate that we are to love everyone. In fact, Paul goes so far to say that we are indebted to others to love them. In short, we must love everyone. Case closed.
Not only must we love everyone, but Paul also explains that without that love our Christianity is absolutely useless. Isn't that the heart of the gospel message? God loved the world so much that He gave us Christ. Hence, a failure to love is a failure to communicate the gospel. The message is useless unless it is validated by our actions. Jesus points out in John 13:35 that the proof of our discipleship, our "following Christ" is the love we exhibit toward others.
In other words...love's important.
How do I show that love? What does it look like? That takes us into the heart of what i've been sharing in youth group. Love is patient. Love shows kindness. Love is not envious or boastful or proud or rude. Love doesn't demand it's own way or get irritated when it doesn't get its way. Tonight, however, hit extremely close to home. Love doesn't keep a record of being wronged.
The idea of "keep a record" is that of accounting. It's very much like a receipt that we are quite used to dealing with in the world of retail. It's keeping track. It's filling out a detailed list of all the things that are owed.
In this case, the merchandise being accounted for is the wrongs that people have committed against us.
Hence, the title of the post..."Now i have to practice what i preached..." i was okay with everything up until this point because i'm wired that way. i'm a very easy going person, very patience, not easily irritated, not demanding, very sensitive to others feelings. i don't have to have my own way. i can go along with what others are doing. Good enough, right... Not according to God.
i no longer (not that i ever did in the first place) have the right to hold grudges. i can't hold anything over someone else's head anymore until they ask my forgiveness or somehow satiate my inner need for some type of olive branch. i can't keep track of how people have hurt me. i have to let it go...or...wait...i GET to let it go.
i don't have to experience the gut wrenching poison of bitterness. i don't have to keep a list of what each person has done to me and keep them in my personal prison until they've "done their time." i don't have to be offended anymore and let others ruin the day that God created for me to rejoice and be glad in. i'm FREE!!!
What about you? Is this as tough to swallow for you as it it me? i know...this bitter (insert the most vile tasting medicine you can think of, for me it's probably robitussin or vicks 44, the complete opposite of grape dimetapp) called forgiveness is difficult to swallow, but once you do this amazing elixir soothes and completely heals the ulcers of bitterness and unforgiveness. No more pain. No more sleeplessness. No more strain. No more eating away at the very core of who you are. You can be free.
Just think of how much you've been forgiven (an infinite sin debt you could never repay). All of a sudden, your perspective completely changes. The $20 your buddy owes you doesn't really matter when you realize your debt of untold millions that's been erased. Now you're free to love. Pretty "revolutionary", huh.
i haven't arrived yet, but i'm on my way. What about you? Thanks for reading.

Revolution

Now, i'm officially part of the universe that is blogging. i realize it's quite doubtful that many will read, but i'm excited about the few that will. i'm excited because there's a tremendous opportunity for growth as it is that others respond to what i've shared. i'm excited because i have another unique outlet to be able to express the "revolution" that is taking place right now in my heart and life. In the world of theology, i suppose this "revolution" to which i refer is called "sanctification" or "becoming like Christ". i'm excited because in many ways the Christ that i thought i knew growing up is not the same Christ that i see in the vibrant pages of God's Word. The Christ that i'm discovering is completely "revolutionizing" every facet of my being. He's changing me as i'm captivated by His love. This is the very reason for the title of this blog. i want everyone that reads, every life that my Precious Lord allows me to touch to experience this same "revolution" in his or her life as well--being changed by God's love. Did i mention that i'm excited... Thanks for reading.

my Story

i know there may be those of you reading this who are part of Haven that know my story quite well. But for those who haven't heard the story...

When i think of the story of my life, the overwhelming thought that floods my mind is that of grace. In the Christian tradition, we like to define grace as “God’s unmerited favor” or “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” Yet, grace is so much simpler and, at the same time, so much grander than that.

Grace is the story of a boy named jameel ali mahdiah, born as the result of an affair at a drug rehab center. jameel would spend his infancy and early childhood in a home where his mother could not control her drug addition, at times leaving her one-year-old virtually unattended in order to pursue her next fix. This negligent lifestyle would continue until child services became aware of the irresponsibility saturating this home.

Determined to change her ways, this troubled mother began the painful struggle for recovery. Yet, just when it seemed she was turning a corner, this tortured soul would be sucked back into the quagmire of her addiction. The more she struggled, the more she became entrenched. Nothing seemed to help. There appeared to be no light at the end of the tunnel only the darkness of hopelessness swirling around her.

Meanwhile, jameel had become a ward of the state, placed into a random foster home until his besieged mother could break free of her cruel master. Tragically, this freedom never came. Drugs claimed the life of yet another slave.

That’s where grace stepped in, turning this “random foster home” into a new family and a new beginning for young jameel in more ways than one. This new family (the Schick’s) took “jamie” in adopting him as one of their own. Most importantly, this new family radiantly exemplified God’s love, introducing jamie to his Savior, Jesus Christ: the One Who lived, bled, died and rose again to transform this destitute child into a trophy of His grace.

Grace had not only given this boy a new family (the Schick’s, as well as my beautiful wife Andrea and three precious children: Ethan, Elijah and Ella) but also a new name (james david schick, still known as “jamie” to his family and friends from back home) and a new destiny (a king-in-training awaiting the glorious commencement of Christ’s physical kingdom upon the earth).

Grace is nothing more than a gift. It’s so simple, yet that’s the very thing making it so amazing. You can’t earn it. You’ll never deserve it. You must simply accept it.

Though the details may differ, our stories (yours and mine) are really the same. God in His infinite grace has already given you literally everything in your life, from the computer you’re viewing to the very air you breathe. Now He’s offering you the opportunity to experience what you’ve always been looking for (quite possibly, without ever realizing it): a living, breathing, dynamic relationship with Him. Your heart will be forever restless until you find your rest in Him. Let God’s grace transform your life like it did mine. Thanks for reading my story.