Who's In?

Some thoughts and reflections from Men's FIGHT CLUB held on Sunday, May 28th at GENESIS. To learn more about FIGHT CLUB, please visit www.genesisthejourney.com. Next FIGHT CLUB is Sunday, April 18th at 6:30 PM.

Men like William Wallace and Maximus Decimus Meridius inspire most men. They were men who lived with passion and conviction, a character trait most men long to have. Not only was there passion and conviction in how they lived, but married to this passion and conviction was a reckless pursuit of something far greater than themselves.

I am convinced that if men want to rise above mediocrity to become godly men, they will be men of great passion and conviction. Some will argue that passion and conviction are personality traits reserved for the more charismatic and extroverted types, but to see passion and conviction as personality traits would be a grave mistake. Passion and conviction are character traits that are born deep within a man who longs to live for something greater than himself.

If a man wants to be a godly man, he will not be confused as to who his God is and how he pursues godliness. Some will argue that pursuing God and godliness is easy, anyone can do it. The reality is that those same people who argue that are typically the most self-absorbed, self-focused, and self-centered men. Any man can live life seeking to make much of himself, but it takes a courageous man, a godly man to die to himself daily, not seeking to make much of himself, but of the God he follows – namely Jesus!

I believe that a godly man pursues God and godliness in such a way that he cannot and will not be distracted from that which he pursues. Do you know what or who you are pursuing? Is what you are pursuing really worth it?

Many men will struggle to answer these questions because we pursue anything and everything that will advance our name, our cause, our pleasure. A godly man who pursues godliness will know how to pursue God and godliness. He will know how to pursue his wife or girlfriend in such a way that God is honored and she is blessed because she is being pursued as she deserves to be pursued. He will know how to pursue a relationship with his children in such a way that God will be honored and his kids will be loved, trained and equipped to one day walk with God as well. He will lead in such a way that those he leads will grow closer in relationship not with him, but with the God he continues to make much of.

The Apostle Paul did not want his spiritual son Timothy to be confused as to what he should be pursuing. “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…” 1 Timothy 6:11-12

Called to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Called to pursue eternal life, meaning we don’t pursue things that will not last.

In a 2^nd letter from Paul to Timothy, he calls Timothy to “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22

What a tragedy it is to see a man who physically looks different 20 years removed from High School, but still lives and acts as he did when he was in High School. If you are to be a godly man, there must come a point where you say enough is enough, I’m done living like a little boy in a grown man’s body.

If you are to be a godly man who pursues the things and ways of God, you must…

1. Know whom you serve – see Joshua 24:14-15

2. Know what God wants you to do – see Acts 13:22

3. Know what distracts, detours, and derails you – see Hebrews 12:1-3

I’ve by no means arrived, but one thing I know for sure – I know my God and His name is Jesus. I’m done with seeking to make much of me because to be honest, there’s not much to make much of. It doesn’t take much to be a man, but it will take a death to self to be a godly man. A godly man knows his God and pursues godliness know matter the cost to himself. Who's in?

LIAR

Have you ever told yourself something that was a lie? Has time went on, you actually began to believe it to be true. For years, I told myself that I was 6.2, when in actuality, I’m only 6.1. It happens a lot – lies get so deeply embedded in us that we actually begin to embrace them as truth.

As you consider your speech, how much of what you say is actually true? The mouth gives voice to the heart, so how much of what your heart says is true? How much of what you say is exaggeration, half-truths, ‘white lies’, deceptive, sarcastic or manipulative?

Why do we do this? Why do we lie so often. Its rarely the case that we intentionally plot out elaborate lies, but why is it that when talking to people, before we know it, lies are spewing forth? How is it that lies seem to flow a lot quicker and more frequent then the truth does? I believe that we lie because we want to appear before others in a certain way and the truth does not always match up with how we want to appear. So the LIE helps us achieve the perception we ultimately want to project.

Many might argue that what we lie about is ultimately not that big of a deal, but the reality is that our words are a really big deal to God. Matthew 12:36 – “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” This is a verse that sends shivers up and down my spine because I have let many careless words fly out of my mouth.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenged His listeners to a higher standard of speech. Matthew 5:37 – “Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes,' and your `No,' `No'” We are called and commanded to be people who speak the truth – at all times – in all places – no matter who our audience is. But how?

TRUST GOD WITH THE TRUTH

Many of us tell lies because we are afraid of what the TRUTH might bring. So in order to manipulate outcomes to our favor, we lie. When we lie in order to achieve or accomplish certain outcomes, we reveal a reality about ourselves that we don’t want to admit – we don’t trust God! If we believe that God can work all things in order to accomplish His will in our life, then there is no need to lie. Often the thought goes something like this: “If people knew the truth, then I wouldn’t be able to…”

If we have to lie in order to accomplish what we think is God’s will, then its safe to say there is a confusion as to whose will is actually being pursued. The reality is that lying (sin) will always find us out {Numbers 32:23}. What we think will never be discovered will be uncovered in time. It might be a few days, weeks, months or even years, but the truth will always be discovered. The beauty of being honest upfront is that we not only honor God with our speech, but we won’t always be wondering what lies were told, and what lies need to keep being told in order to keep the story going.

Jesus calls his followers to truthful speech at all times, in all places no matter who our audience may be. Let it be said of you that when you speak, your audience is not left wondering if what you’ve said is true.

To watch or listen to the full message called LIAR, visit the GENESIS website.

The Gospel - Part II

To watch the full message, visit GENESIS on Vimeo, or to listen to the message, visit the GENESIS website.

Something or someone is at the center of who we are, and whatever is at our center will determine who we are becoming. From our center flows such things as our attitude, actions, reactions and behaviors. What’s at the center of our lives not only impacts how we view ourselves and the world we live in, but it impacts how we understand and relate with the God who is creator of all.

If we would be people that would have the Gospel at the center of who we are, then a healthy and accurate understanding of the Gospel is essential. The Gospel simply means ‘Good News.’ But what exactly is the good news of the ‘Good News’?

Before that question gets answered, one thing must be made perfectly clear. The Gospel is about GOD – not about man. The Gospel is about what God has done – not what we’ve done. The Gospel is about what God is doing – not what I am doing. Simply put, the Gospel is God-centered, not i-centered

In many ways, the good news of the Gospel can be summed up in the following verses:

John 3:16-17 – "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

1 Peter 3:18 – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

The good news of the Gospel is that God loved humanity enough to pursue us despite our sin and rebellion against Him. We know God loves us because of Jesus – He showed up! Jesus stepped into a depraved world for one purposes – to be the Righteous One who would bring the unrighteous ones (us) to God through His perfect life, bloody death and glorious resurrection.

The good news of the Good News is that God did for humanity what humanity could not do for itself – salvation!

As one looks through the epic story of God (the Bible), the news that makes the Gospel so good can be seen in the following;

1. There is a Living God! Meaning, God is not dead as some throughout history have suggested, but God is ALIVE and He is the creator of all. Acts 14:8-15

2. Our God Reigns! There is no god (idol) that is more powerful then our God! Isaiah 52:7; Psalm 146:10

3. There is NO God like OUR GOD! There is nothing or no one in all of creation who is comparable to our God because there is NO God who is like our God! Deuteronomy 4:35-39; 2 Samuel 7:22; 1 Kings 8:60; 1 Kings 18:36-39; Isaiah 43:10-13; Isaiah 46:5-10

4. JESUS is the SAVIOR, the CHRIST, the LORD! Humanity does not need to be confused as to who the Savior is because Jesus, the only Savior who could save stepped into humanity nearly 2,000 years ago. Luke 2:10-11

5. JESUS died for our SINS in accordance w/the Scriptures! Simply put – because of Jesus, all of our sins have been FORGIVEN! Mark 10:45; Romans 5:1, 8; 1 John 2:2; Colossians 2:12-14.

6. JESUS is ALIVE – HE is RISEN from the DEAD! The one that was brutally murdered conquered death. The Savior who sacrificed His life so that we could have life eternal was victorious over sin, Satan and death! Luke 24:5-7; 2 Timothy 2:8-10; 1 Corinthians 15:13-17.

7. Salvation is for all who believe. To those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came to save sinners and confess Him as such, salvation is not a possibility but a reality! Romans 1:16; 10:9-10; 1 John 5:11-13

8. Our eternity will be spent in heaven with God, not in hell separated from God. Jesus death and resurrection secures for those who believe a new eternal home – heaven! John 14:1-3; Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:1-4.

9. The promise of the Holy Spirit. To those that confess Jesus as God, we are not left to figure out on our own how to live lives that please God. We have been given the Spirit of God who resides in us that guides, teaches, convicts and empowers us to live the lives God has purposed for those who believe. John 14:16-17; John 14:26-27; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Acts 1:8.

10. The promise of a new life. Because of Jesus, I am not just a refurbished version of my old self, but I am a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 2:20.

What makes the good news of the Gospel so good is that without the Gospel, the news would be horrific. The headlines might read something like this –

· Humanity has no hope of ever being RECONCILED with GOD!

· Humanity has no hope of ever having PEACE with GOD!

· Humanity has no hope of ever KNOWING GOD!

Thank you God that the news coming from you to us is Gospel – Good News!

The Gospel - Part I

To watch the full message, visit GENESIS on Vimeo, or to listen to the message, visit the GENESIS website.

Some questions to consider…

What is at the CENTER of your LIFE? We all have something or someone at the CENTER of who we are. And whatever is at the center drives us to do what we do, act like we act, think like we think, or respond like we respond. Simply put, whatever is at the center determines who we are, and who we are becoming.

For some, FEAR is at the center. And if FEAR is at the center of who you are, your life will be marked by INSECURITY – a life that is desperate to be loved, accepted and embraced. The desperation is so great that you’ll do whatever you can to obtain the favor and approval of others in hopes that you’ll be able to taste the security that comes with knowing you are loved.

For some, ANGER is at the center. And if ANGER is at your center, then your life will be marked by UN-FORGIVENESS. Not only will you lack joy, but when ANGER is at the center, there will be a trail of broken relationships largely due to your inability to forgive, be gracious, compassionate and merciful.

For some, LUST is at the center. And if LUST is at the center of who you are, then your life will be marked by EMPTINESS. You will always be telling yourself, “If I could only have that, then I would be filled and content.” Your life will be a constant chase of consuming that which you hope will fill – whether that be the relationships, career, fame, fortune, etc. The pain is great when you realize that what you’ve chased not only did not fill, but only exposed how great your emptiness actually is.

For some, TIME {past, present, future} is at the center. And if TIME is at the center of who you are, then you will live an utterly CONFUSED life. The confusion comes because you’ll allow your past to not only shape who you are, but who you are becoming. For some, the present is marked by an overwhelming sense of worry & anxiety over what was, what is and what ‘might be’. For others, thoughts of the future fill you with paralyzing uncertainty because of thoughts like: ‘what if that or this happens?’, or, ‘what if they do that or don’t do that?’, or, ‘what will I do, or where will I go and when will that actually happen?’

We ALL have someone or something at the CENTER, it's just a matter of identifying what’s at your center. When we decide to place the GOSPEL at the center, the core of who we are, something amazing happens –

There is no need for FEAR which manifests itself in insecurity because the Gospel declares that I am loved perfectly, completely and unconditionally {1 John 4:18; Romans 8:35-39}.

There is no place for ANGER which manifests itself in un-forgiveness because the Gospel floods our life with the love, mercy, compassion and the grace of God, and that which is at the center of you, overflows to those around you. The Gospel brings freedom from anger, and births within us healthy fruit {Galatians 5:22-23} that breads healthy, deep, meaningful relationships with those around you.

There is no room for LUST which manifests itself in emptiness because the Gospel at work in us does what only the Gospel can do – it fills us completely. Not only does the Gospel fill, it brings with it great contentment {John 10:10; Philippians 4:12-13}.

There is no concern over time which manifests itself in a confused life because the Gospel at work in our lives brings transformation. The Gospel does not cover past wounds with band-aids. The Gospel does not offer cliché answers to present situations and circumstances which are neither helpful nor beneficial. The Gospel does not speak of empty promises for your days ahead. The Gospel transforms time – meaning, the Gospel at work in us leads us to declare that I can trust God in ALL things at ALL times because He is Faithful, Sovereign, and Worthy of my trust. The Gospel not only redeems time {past, present, future} and ALL that has happened within it – but the Gospel has the power to transform you so that it is not time that shapes you, but the Gospel! {Genesis 45:7-8, 50:20}

If you are going to have the Gospel at the center of your life, you must understand fully what the Gospel declares. The Gospel means Good News, so what is the Good News of the Gospel? This question will be answered in The Gospel – Part II.

ALIVE

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 16:1-8. These are just some reflections from that text. To watch the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.vimeo/genesisboston, or to listen to the message, go to - www.genesisthejounrey.com/media. Message title - ALIVE

We all know we will eventually die, but then what? What’s next? Heaven? Hell? Purgatory? Don’t know, don’t care?

This is the question that ALL of us must answer – ‘Beyond death, is there life?’ If YES, then how does one conqueror death? If NO, then there is even a great question one must wrestle with. What’s the point? Why are we even here? Are we the brunt of some cosmic joke? If there is no hope in death, then what hope is there in LIFE? Why care? Why love? Why do anything?

The final verses in Mark’s Gospel deal with death & life. Specifically, the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible makes clear that Jesus was brutally murdered, but that on the third day after His death, he was raised back to life. But if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then I would have to agree with 20^th Century Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said –

“If he did not rise from the dead, then he decomposed in the grave like any other man. He is dead and decomposed. In that case he is a teacher like any other and can no longer help; and once more we are orphaned and alone. So we have to content ourselves with wisdom and speculation. We are in a sort of hell where we can do nothing but dream, roofed in, as it were, and cut off from heaven.”

SO – Why does the resurrection of Jesus ultimately matter? ‘So what?’ The following are three truths about the ‘so what’s’ of the resurrection…

1. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship with God changes –

A. We are justified before God {made right with God both now and in eternity}

Romans 4:25 – “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

B. We are raised up with Jesus to eternal life with God (Heaven), not eternal death (hell).

1 Corinthians 6:14 – “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.”

John 11:24-25 – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

2 Timothy 2:11 – “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him…”

John 6:40 – “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

2. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship w/ourselves changes –

A. Jesus resurrection sets us FREE to live a NEW LIFE!

Romans 6:4 – “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Galatians 2:22 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Philippians 1:20-21 – “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

John 15:5 – “"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

QUESTION – is how you are living today (who you are, and what you are doing) – is this how you want to be living when He returns for you? If no, then make the decision tonight to REPENT – turn away from self, and turn to the One who gives you new life.

3. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship w/humanity (the world around you) changes –

Those who came into contact with the resurrected Jesus were compelled to introduce the world around them Jesus! The Good News that Jesus was ALIVE compelled His Followers to share this Good News, urging the world around them to be reconciled back to God (Read 2 Cor. 5:13-6:2).

The RESSURECTION of JESUS MATTERS b/c it changes our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with the world around us! Following the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the disciples – they were NOT THE SAME! There was NO more arguing over who’d be the greatest! There was NO more desertion, denials, or doubting who Jesus was and is! There was NO more life as NORMAL, rather what we see is a community of followers who preached fearlessly about the resurrected Jesus, who lived fearlessly the mission Jesus set before them and figuratively became the hands, feet, heart and mind of Jesus to the world around them.

They became known as ‘Christ-ones’ (Christians). The resurrection of Jesus Christ enabled them to live differently. The resurrected Jesus changed them, not just their circumstances, but it changed them from the inside out. They were forever different and the world around them began looking very different as well. Is He (Jesus) changing you so much so that you and the world around you is looking different?

If You See Him...

I’ve been thinking a lot about suffering lately. Not by choice mind you, but because its become a reality for a close friend of mine. As I type these words, there is a heart that is breaking, and as their heart breaks, mine is breaking for them. They’re asking all the right questions – questions anyone of us would ask. ‘Why me?’ ‘Why now?’ ‘Where is God in the midst of this madness?’ ‘Is there purpose somehow in this pain?’ ‘Is there some greater good to be gained?’ ‘Will all of this somehow be redeemed, or will I just be left reeling in a sea of hurt, confusion, loneliness and anguish?’

They are fair questions. But fair questions don’t necessarily equate to helpful questions. Meaning – what happens when there are no answers? What’s worse – the suffering itself, or not having any answers to the questions you are asking? To suffer is bad enough, but to suffer with no knowledge of why you are suffering can lead one to despair.

So what does one do? Not just when suffering becomes a reality (and it will), but when there are few to no answers to the questions born out of a broken heart?

Answers would be helpful, but I’m no longer convinced that answers to my questions in the midst of suffering is actually what I need most. So what is needed most? If not answers, then what?

Vision!

Suffering as a unique way of blinding us. We can only see as far in front of us as our current pain will permit. Why vision? What does vision have to do with comfort in the midst suffering?

Consider Job – that’s the guy in the Bible whose life got flipped upside down, turned around and then flipped all over again. Talk about suffering, well let’s just say that Job would be somewhat of an expert on the subject. Throughout his entire story, he had no knowledge of what was going on. Meaning, he had no idea that a private meeting took place in heaven with Satan and God. He had no idea that Satan was the architect behind his suffering, and He certainly had no idea that God had granted Satan permission to do anything and everything short of killing him (Job 2:6).

No answers came to Job. He asked, but he never got understanding as to why he was enduring the suffering of it all. But the one thing that Job got in the end was VISION. Not answers, but vision. What did he see? God!

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5)

Through it all, Job had heard of God, but he had not seen God until he endured the suffering of it all. We often want answers to our questions, but I don’t think what we need most is answers. What we need most is vision – a vision of God. And when one sees God the reality is that the suffering might not end, but our view of it will be radically altered because we have been given a new vision – a vision of something, rather someone far greater – God!

Maybe the answer is that suffering comes so that we would see what we cannot see in the calm of the day. Maybe the answer is that God is most concerned not with our comfort, but that we would cast our eyes on Him and Him alone. Maybe the reality is that His desire for us to see Him is so strong that He permits the unthinkable to happen in order that our vision of Him would be set aright. Vision is what we need most, not answers.

To my friend who is suffering right now – my prayer for you is not so much that you would have answers, but that you would see God. Despite the pain, confusion and hurt, my prayer is not for relief, but that you would see God with clarity. For I know if you can learn to see Him in the pain, you will never miss Him when there is peace. If you can see Him in the storm, you will never miss Him again in the calm. If you see Him, you will see a God who not only sees you, but you will see that He cares. If you see Him… that is my prayer for you!

be GENEROUS

My college pastor told me that it is a good idea. He even went one step further and said that it was a Biblical command. I responded: ‘I don’t have anything to give.’ His response was transformational – “Michael, learn how to be generous and your giving will not be impacted by what you have or don’t have.” Perplexed, I mulled over his words and realized that giving is not always tied into being a generous person. Anyone can give, but I didn’t want to be just anyone, I wanted to grow and mature into being a generous person.

How about you? Would you use generosity as an adjective to describe your character? Like me, you might answer by saying you don’t have anything to give. But I want to encourage you to consider that giving and being generous are not always married together. Simply stated, not everyone who gives is generous, but people who are generous will always be found giving. The question is not which one are you, but which one would you like to be?

The Men and women of GENESIS seek to reflect the character of God to a world that is in desperate need of knowing that God not only exists, but that He cares. How does God show that He cares? He is generous beyond compare. As I’ve studied the Scriptures, I continue to see that God’s generosity is without end:

• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”

• Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

How might we reflect the generosity of God to those around us? We ALL need to grow in the grace of giving; that we would learn how to be a generous people. The Apostle Paul made clear, the root of generosity is joy; and joy stems from the gospel at work in each of us. Grasped by the grace of God joy can be seen in our generosity.

The churches in Macedonia were facing severe trials from extreme poverty and persecution, but their joy in the gospel was evident by their generosity. They had nothing to give, but generous people are not bound by circumstances.

2 Corinthians 8:2-3 – “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.”

Let it be said of GENESIS that we give beyond our ability. As GENESIS moves forward into God’s call to church plant, you will have the opportunity like the Macedonian churches to be generous. On Sunday, June 7th, we will make a financial pledge of how we will support what God is doing within GENESIS.

Over the next two weeks, I would ask that you seek the Lord as to how He would have you use the resources that He has entrusted to you to support the work of His church.

The needs of GENESIS will be many, but generous people have a way of meeting needs.

Please don’t let your giving be done with an attitude of ‘I have to do this’. Rather be joyful knowing your generosity towards God’s work reflects to the WORLD the very character of God.