Talking to God...Becoming Completely Honest

WOW!! Ok I've been looking for a job for like... a month, and I couldn't think of anywhere to work that I would enjoy... so what better place than church and what better job than a custodian. I decided I would do this if it was what God wanted for me. Keith Walters is moving to Cali. which opens up a job, so I asked... yesterday (I know I procrastinated just a little). The guy said 'I don't know, there is already someone that is supposed to come in but we haven't heard from him yet, leave your name and number and we'll call you.' So I leave with a good attitude and just started praying, 'God, I don't know if this is what you want me to do during college but I need a job and you are the only one that can get me one since I don't even know where to start and I know you will provide in some way...' So today as I'm leaving church a different custodian comes up to me and says 'Are you Nick?' 'Why yes I am' he said 'Be expecting a call soon because tomorrow is this guys last day to show up, if he doesn't we need someone hired ASAP' Can you say all-powerful? I had no clue that was the situation and once again prayer proves to be the solution to all problems.

Walking With Jesus...Porter's 'The Passion of The Christ'

I recently had the honor to be in the church's Easter play. I was a dual-role actor, the blind man Barnabas, and a Roman guard. In other words Keith healed me and I was so grateful that I helped kill him(or as the Gospel of Judas would say 'Jesus told me to when he healed me'). The experience was very odd. I have never seen The Passion so I have never seen a graphic depiction of Jesus' death, but in being a guard I gained an appreciation that I had never had before. Jesus died for my sins, in other words my sins killed him(I killed Jesus), and in the I helped kill 'Jesus'. The carpet burns and cuts did absolutely no justice to the actual torment and pain our Lord went through on that day. This experience gave me an all new perspective of the death of Christ that will forever change my view of Easter. In order to attain this new perspective I have also been reading John McArthurs 'The Murder of Jesus'. It is a book that goes into further detail using all the gospels and prophesies involving Jesus' betrayal, trail, death, and resurrection. There is also some commentaries sections throughout. The section that is really getting to me is the scene in the garden. Jesus' praying was so intense it made him bleed from his pores. This was explained by a physical sickness common to stress and lack of sleep, but the commentaries I have read from many authors suggests the torment he was having was from the dreading of the physical pain and humiliation he would face the next day. Why would the God of all creation fear pain and humiliation? I think he is speaking of the wrath of God (the turning of his back on his Son) when he says 'this cup' not the atoning sacrifice he was about to provide.

Spring Break...The Return to The Routine Day

Now that Spring Break is over we all come back to continue our routine, boring, traditional, day. My wish for all of the 10 that went to Destin, Florida with me, will continue their daily time with their Savior and will continue leading the Student Ministry for as long as the church will let us. What makes me sad yet happy is that, that trip will probably be our last 'thing' we do together before we disperse into the real world. The last time we will see each other for who we really are (living together for a week). Yet at the same time it is to disperse the good news of Jesus Christ into the real world. The past week was good though some of us got sick of each other we are still just as close if not closer. I hope that when we all go off to school that we will keep in touch and remain accountable to one another. I hope that you will find a church home near where you are that preaches scripture and not only feel good text. I will be praying for all of us that we will not give in to temptaions that we will be so influenced by in this new environment and that when we return to see each other their will be nothing we would regret doing after it all. We talked about everything we want to change in our lives now is the time to put all of that into action.