The Gravity Ministries Blog

Now I was...

2009-10-21T12:41:00.002-05:00

The other day I was reading through Nehemiah 1. If you know me, you know I love the story of Nehemiah. It is such an authentic 1st person look at a simple man of God with a desire to do something big. As I was reading through his opening prayer for Jerusalem's restoration, I was unusually gripped by his final sentence in that 1st chapter. He writes, "Now I was cupbearer to the king (1:11)". It isn't something I have never read before. In fact, it seems pretty mundane at first. It is a simple sentence without any grammatical or literary brilliance. But as I read Nehemiah's words that night in my living room after my wife had gone to bed, I imagined him putting those final inscriptions on paper. I can see him huddled in a tent in Jerusalem on a late night, making record of his journey and a sly grin creeping across his face.

Nehemiah isn't just making the statement for informational reasons. The guy is bragging! He isn't doing it pridefully but as a man who is scheming. This political figure has realized his position in the world and the unique opportunity that lies before him. As cupbearer, his very existence depends on the success of his career. His job description includes tasting the wine for poison before serving it. He selects only the best while living as an example for the other palace servants. But more than that, Nehemiah has the ear of his king! His opinion is one of the few that matters to the man on the throne. He is showered with opportunity and comfort every morning that he reports for duty.

With this position, Nehemiah is one of the most powerful men in Persia. More than anyone else in his generation, Nehemiah has the resources to restore the walls of Jerusalem, to affect political change and spiritual restoration in Judah. He is God's man and knows exactly what he is there for!

How can God use your opportunities and talents to further his plans? Just imagine it.
I am quarterback of my high school football team.
I am president of our local PTA.
I am director of operations at my company.

Maybe your position in life is less glamorous.
I am president of the math club.
I am the neighbor of that weird family with Christmas lights up in July.
I am the office janitor.

Either way, God has placed you in your position for a reason. He has given you the opportunities, responsibilities, and giftings you currently possess to fulfill his plans where no one else can. Like no other time in history, the Church is in position to do something amazing. We must all stand up. Are you ready?

New Website and an Upcoming Date

2009-10-15T18:17:00.004-05:00

When the seasons update faster than your blog, you know you're either in Texas or you're not on it enough. In this case, both are true. But now there is quite a bit going on!

I just posted the new gravityministries.org and our new facebook fan page! It is a new way for me to keep you posted about our ministry and give you something to read on your news feed other than your best friend's complicated relationship.

I am getting all of this ready because we anticipate God doing some great things in the coming months. At this point, I have no idea what that may be or what it even looks like. For now, I feel that we must be ready even if it seems that we are out of season.

Holly and I appreciate your prayers in these coming weeks. We are getting ready for a D-Now with Stephen Watson and his students at Oak Grove Baptist Church, just outside of Kansas City! We will be going through an in-depth study on Nehemiah and God's restoring on the people of Judah. I am writing the small group curriculum in addition to the preaching. Pray that God will speak through me, that He will already begin working in the hearts of these students, and that all will go well as they plan for this event.

www.gravityministries.org

Hangin Out in Sky Ranch Cave Springs

2009-07-22T10:17:00.002-05:00

Its been a while since my last post. Right now I am writing from the office here in Sky Ranch Cave Springs. It is an awesome camp with an amazing staff. We have been enjoying highs in 80's and lows in the 60's each night with a steady breeze. So far it has been a much-needed break from the Texas heat.

I am here with the students at First Baptist Clarksville, AR for their camp, "Elemental." Dustin Wagley has put on an amazing schedule and a well-flowing curriculum. The students are having fun, growing in their faith, and spending valuable time in community. Worship this week is being led by Rob Rudd, a great guy with a passion for meaningful worship.

Pray for us this week as we near the end. We have been discussing God's holiness, our unique place in creation and our sinful state. Last night focused on our approach to God as an unholy, sinful people and tonight we will discuss God's loving response to our fallen condition.

Many of our students have confessed in small group settings that their spiritual lives have dried up. At best, many of them feel that they simply go through the motions. While no event alone can cause long-term change, pray that these students will be compelled by what they learn this week and will take it with them throughout their lives. As I told the students on Monday night, pray that this week will be legendary. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move. Please also pray for me as I seek to communicate these truths, that God alone will be glorified and I will be his mouthpiece.

Ill update soon on the backend of the event.

www.gravityministries.org

Spring, Stuttgart, and Stress

2009-03-11T14:57:00.003-05:00

Things have been going really well over the last few months as I gear up for some major changes in my life. I recently had the privilege of speaking to the youth in Stuttgart, AR for their House Party Weekend (D-Now). The students were fun to hang out with, the leaders sacrificially poured themselves out, and God seemed to be present through every facet of the event. It was such an amazing experience!

It has been increasingly difficult to focus on here and now lately. It feels like senioritis in high school on steroids! I am working on transitioning into the youth minister position at Audubon Park Baptist Church in the Dallas area while preparing for my future marriage, which is just over 2 months away. Between planning for the summer, helping Holly move into her (soon to be our) apartment, registering for classes at DTS, and the general excitement over graduation, it seems the last thing on my mind is homework!

But God has been faithful in all of this. As stressed as things may get from time to time, deadlines are being met, I'm having fun, and doors are opening. God is good and I am so thankful for the opportunities before me. I appreciate everyone's prayers and support more than you'll ever know.

Matt

www.gravityministries.org

The Last Semester Begins

2009-01-16T23:37:00.002-06:00

After a month away from all my responsibilities, it was strange to arrive back on campus and hit the ground running so quickly. Like the beginning of any other semester, I have just been in shock with the workload sitting before me. I've been spending much of my time thinking back on my past semesters and realizing this is my final run. It's my last registration, my last time to run through Rush Week with the Chiotes, my last set of roommates, and many other things. After three and a half years, I am coming around the final stretch.

To be honest, given the speed at which things are hitting me, Refuge has been the last thing on my mind. It wasn't until I was driving up to Second Baptist around 8:15 last night that it hit me I was about to preach. I walked into the church as I normally do to meet our prayer team but what I found surprised me. I walked in to find the back stairwell full of other students who were there to pray. I instantly knew it was going to be an amazing night. A rush of excitement hit me and Klayton as we realized God was in the process of doing an amazing work. I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead such an incredible ministry and I thank God for everyone who has sacrificed their time and efforts to make Refuge a possibility.

Amazing things are happening!

P.S. - This week's message is available for download on the website at www.gravityministries.org/audio.htm if you want to check it out!

The Journey to Christmas: The Invasion Begins

2008-12-25T01:47:00.001-06:00

It was a busy night in the ancient town of Bethlehem. Due to Caesar’s demand for a census, people from all over are returning to the homes of their ancestors to register. Outside the town, the shepherds are keeping watch over the flocks; continuing in a tradition held even by David, their forefather and most celebrated king. The inn is filled to the brim with visitors seeking safety for the night. More comparable to a saloon, the establishment is crawling with prostitutes, thieves, drunks, and others unfortunate enough to be stuck in the middle. The streets are quieting as those in the community board up for the evening. Few are aware that in the barn behind the inn, the time-splitting event in human history is underway.

Mary and Joseph are one of the many couples traveling to their homeland. Since their lineage dates back to King David, they have travelled to the town. As soon as they arrive, Mary goes into labor. After getting rejected from the inn, they take residence with the animals. In the simplest of towns among the simplest of couples, a child is born and the world is forever changed.

As the events behind the inn unfold, the lowly shepherds are resting and keeping watch when an angel appears. Frightening and awesome in appearance, these lonely outcasts are terrified by this heavenly messenger. With fear striking their hearts, the angel assures them that he comes to bring good news. The rescuer has arrived!

While the shepherds marvel, an entire host of angels appear. They are not singing but proclaiming, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." It is like the battle cry of an army. The King has arrived and victory is imminent!

At the scene of man’s captivity to death, the Creator promised a rescuer. He selected for himself a people who he fought for and delivered from oppression. As their sin mirrored that of Adam and Eve’s, they found themselves in captivity once again. From there, the promise was renewed that a deliverer would arrive. And in a world that celebrates kings, prophets, and warriors, God chose to use the forgotten and outcast to carry out his plan.

On this innocent evening, the armies of light declared war on the principalities of darkness. The Creator has come back for his people. Not only was he born, but he paid the price for our sin through death on the cross. Three days later, he conquered even death! Jesus Christ came to fight for us when we could not fight for ourselves. Paul explains it best.

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col. 2:13-15).”

Merry Christmas.

The Journey to Christmas: A New Cast

2008-12-23T01:23:00.001-06:00

One of the most difficult parts about moving off to college was saying goodbye to my old friends. I was born in north Dallas and my family never left. I went to the same church since I was 2 and grew up in the same schools since 1st grade. I met most of my childhood friends in the nursery and I am sure a few of them saw my diaper getting changed. This made the friend-making process in college difficult since I was used to people who knew me my entire life. A new cast developed in my life story with a new setting and culture.

After thousands of years of kings, deliverers, and prophets guiding the Biblical story, a new cast begins developing. Hundreds of years have passed since God has last spoken and the culture in Israel could not be more volatile. The Persian government has been replaced by the Romans. Jewish religious sects have developed who now oppress the poor and hurting. To make matters worse, influential men are claiming to be the promised deliverer but are instead leading good Jewish men to their own crucifixions as the merciless Roman soldiers exercise zero tolerance. It is a society marked by guilt, pain, and longing for freedom.

As the Jews suffer, the world is getting smaller. Roman roads are the most advanced in history. The Koine-Greek language is serving as a universal means of communication. Shipping lanes, aqueducts, and other amenities are also growing as the Romans continue to advance their unstoppable empire. The people are hungry for freedom and the culture is poised for a new movement.

As the world continues to grow and tear itself apart, a faithful priest named Zachariah enters the Temple to perform the ritual sacrifices. He is not a man of prestige, wealth, or fame. He is simply an obedient man of God. While he is there an angel appears, telling him that his wife will bear a child who will prepare the way for the long-awaited Messiah. Shocked and riddled with doubt, Zachariah protests and is cursed to remain mute until the child’s birth.

Meanwhile, another messenger of God appears. This one is Gabriel. As before with Zachariah, the recipient is not a person of wealth or fame. It is a young Jewish girl in a back-woods town called Nazareth. At around 14-15 years old, this teenage girl named Mary is preparing for her marriage when Gabriel appears. In spite of her virginity, Mary is told she will give birth and his name will be called Jesus. He will be the Son of the Most High, the future King, the rescuer.

While the culture continues to look for their political or militaristic leader in the world-class cities, God is working among the greatest victims of this fallen world. He is working among the faithful and the obedient. They are the same ones forgotten by society and disenfranchised by its self-destructive pursuits. In a time of oppression, pain and sorrow, the message is clear. The armies of light are preparing for their invasion on the principalities of darkness. As promised in Genesis and throughout Israel’s history, a child is on his way. An invasion will soon begin and it will be led by our rescuer.

Read Luke 1 and respond to one or more of the following questions. Also, feel free to add your own insights into the text. The more interaction, the better!
What key differences do you notice between Zachariah and Mary’s reactions to the angels’ messages?

What does Mary’s song tell us about God and his plan for this child?

Why is John’s birth so significant?

www.gravityministries.org

The Journey to Christmas: Rescue is Coming

2008-12-16T23:45:00.002-06:00

Quite a bit has taken place since the Journey to Christmas first began. It started in the Garden where Adam and Eve experienced God’s plan in the fullest. Things were perfect until sin entered the picture and the world was thrown off balance. In the moment of mankind’s greatest despair, God promised a deliverer to bring his people back to himself.

God carried out his plan through the descendants of one man – Abraham. Through his descendants, God chose to glorify himself and give this people his presence. At the height of their history, the Israelites learned that God fights for their victory. However, God’s presence left them as it did Adam and Eve when Israel also failed to keep God’s laws and they soon found themselves exiled from the land.

Just as God provided for Adam and Eve, he also delivered the Israelites from their exile and returned them to their own land. However, they soon found that something was still missing. Although back in the Promised Land, they were still under the rule of other kings and kingdoms. Oppression and slavery still marked their existence and God’s presence seemed anything but near. In the midst of their despair, God began speaking through the prophets of a deliverer. One such prophet was Isaiah who had this to say.

The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.

For as in the day of Midian's defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior's boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. –Isaiah 9:2-6

Isaiah’s message is loud and clear. Rescue is coming. For those who have been living in darkness, soon there will be light. For those living in the shadows of death, a new day is dawning. Where there has been sorrow, guilt, shame, and pain; soon there will be joy like that of a prosperous year or a decisive victory. Where there has been slavery, oppression, and burdens; soon there will be freedom. Where there has been war, soon there will be peace.

All of this will come to pass through a child. A new Kingdom is coming that will be on his shoulders. What the Israelites still do not realize is that this new King is for all people. The rescue is for anyone living in darkness, oppression, death, pain, or war.

Our God is coming for us. The one to crush the serpent’s head will soon arrive. In the darkest nights, hope is rising!

Read Isaiah 9:2-7 and respond to one or more of the following questions. Also, feel free to add your own insights into the text. The more interaction, the better!
What do Isaiah’s words tell us about Christ?

How do you believe this message would have been received in Israel?

www.gravityministries.org

The Journey to Christmas: God Restores His People

2008-12-14T19:52:00.002-06:00

One of my fiancée’s favorite movies is “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days”. Anytime it’s on TV and I’m with her, just guess what we watch. If you haven’t seen the movie, I’ll give you a quick synopsis.

Girl and guy meet.
Girl and guy con each other.
Girl and guy unexpectantly fall in love.
They find out they conned each other.
They are stupid and fall for each other anyway.
They live happily ever after.

The interesting part to me is the end of it all. They live happily ever after? Let’s face it. The two just placed bets on how miserable they could make each other. That’s one sick start to a romantic relationship. Have you ever wondered what had to happen with the characters after the plot ends? They often end up together but does that mean they never fight, get married, have kids, and die a pleasant old death? Even though it seems the immediate problem has been solved, it doesn’t mean that life is just perfect thereafter.

As we continue on the road to Christmas, Israel has just been established as God’s chosen people in the Promised Land. Under Joshua’s generation, the nation manages to hold things together by obeying God’s laws and taking care of those who don’t. However, the generations that follow do not. The victory and joy of the previous episodes do not continue. Instead of trusting God to fight for them, they look for a human king to fight their battles for them. Despite the rejection of God that this demand carries, God appoints men who will lead them. The first is Saul, an attractive and physically dominating man. But his love for God does not match his physical stature. After Saul’s failure comes David who serves God honorably but still leads Israel down wrong paths in the end. The kings that follow lead Israel into generations characterized by sexual immorality, idol worship, corruption, and spiritual failure.

Despite warnings from the prophets, the Israelites fail to turn away from their sin and by 586 BC, they are completely conquered. Just as Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden, now Israel has been removed from Canaan. Once again, mankind has failed to keep God’s standards, resulting in oppression. Where God has established freedom for his people, they have forfeited their blessings for sin.

When Adam and Eve fell in the Garden, God provided for them and promised a deliverer. When Israel found themselves under Egyptian slavery, they were miraculously liberated and delivered to a new home. Now that they have failed, God will liberate his people yet again.

After generations of oppression and exile in Babylon, the empire would fall to Persia where King Cyrus would sign an edict, allowing the exiles to return. Upon arriving back in Jerusalem, the Israelites find the city in ruins just as they left it. God rises up two leaders, Ezra and Nehemiah who will restore the nation. Ezra reinstates Israel’s spiritual identity while Nehemiah focuses on Jerusalem’s infrastructure.

As Nehemiah gathers the people to rebuild, local governors object to the restoration of Jerusalem’s walls. While growing closer to rebuilding the walls and their national identity, the people of Israel find themselves facing enemy threats to destroy them. Nehemiah energizes the people with this simple command...

"The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us! (Neh. 4:19-20)"

This phrase is strikingly familiar to the lesson that earlier generations learned through God’s faithfulness to them. Even in spite of our sin, Israel’s history teaches us that God is still at work to liberate his people. No matter how unfaithful mankind may be at any given moment, we can rest assured that God is faithful.

Respond to one or more of the following questions. Also, feel free to add your own insights into the text. The more interaction, the better!
Read Romans 5:8. How does this passage explain God’s devotion to delivering us?

How does this relate to the Christmas story?

www.gravityministries.org

The Journey to Christmas: "Our God Will Fight For Us"

2008-12-10T00:36:00.001-06:00

One of the biggest influences on my personality is where I grew up. The fact that I was raised in the city is something that has defined me. I love city skylines. I enjoy spending time with friends at Starbucks on a busy street corner. I even take pleasure in city traffic at times. When I am out of that element, it feels like a part of my personality is missing. I feel lonely, not because of a lack of friends but I am away from where I belong. When I’m home in Dallas, there is a part of me that just comes alive again. I am in my comfort zone and living in a culture that is familiar.

This tension between big city and small town life has never been greater than the summer following my sophomore year. While looking for summer ministry positions around the Dallas area, I received a call from an old friend who was pastoring a church in Saint Jo, TX. He wanted me to come lead their youth group for the summer. Originally an intersection of two major cattle trails in the 19th century, Saint Jo is a town of under 1,000 people along an old U.S. highway. You can still find places to tie up your horse in the town square!

Amazingly, this is where God called me to work that summer and needless to say, it was difficult. Not only was I leading a ministry for the first time in my life, but I was doing it in a culture I did not understand. Despite the amazing support I had from my pastor and the church, there were still days I felt I would never make it through. But through this learning experience, I found that by simply being where God had called me to be and doing the job he had called me to do, all of my needs were met. The details of camp, the mission trip, the Bible studies, and all the rest just seemed to come together. The lonely moments often became sweet times with God. Over time, I came to understand that I needed only to be available and God would do his work through me.

This principle is one that the Israelites grow to understand very well in the early parts of their history. After generations of oppression and slavery under Egyptian rule, God intervenes. He hears their cry and calls out Moses, a murderer and an outcast. Moses isn’t a likely first choice to lead an exodus. He is a terrible speaker and ran from his last encounter with danger. Nonetheless, Moses is God’s man. The Lord leads him before Pharaoh, where he and his brother Aaron protest the injustice carried out on God’s people. But it isn’t Moses who drives Pharaoh to let the people go. The Israelites aren’t the ones who incite the plagues. Throughout the text, the narrator makes it clear that God is orchestrating the entire situation for his own good.

After being released, the people reach the Red Sea only to see the Egyptians coming down after them, trapped between their oppressors and an impassible body of water. This is when Moses shares the secret to Israel’s success. In their moment of greatest fear, he declares to them, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Ex. 14:14)” With that, Moses’ staff enters the water and the Israelites cross on dry ground.

It’s a theme that continues throughout Israel’s story. When the Israelites later reach the edge of the Promised Land, they fail to remember this concept and end up wandering in the desert until the current generation completely dies off.

God fighting for his people is seen a third time when Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land and conquers Jericho. Rather than attacking the city at the crack of dawn while the Canaanites are off-guard, they surround the city for seven days, blasting the trumpet. On the seventh day, the walls supernaturally fall and the people take the city. This is no brilliant military strategy; it’s an act of God. In the first recorded act of liberation, God does the work. The people simply stand still. In the story of Christmas, we find the same story repeating itself. When the time is right, our God sends the rescuer. The only role any human plays is receiving the little gift who will soon enter our broken world.

Respond to one or more of the following questions. Also, feel free to add your own insights into the text. The more interaction, the better!
How does this concept of God fighting for his people relate to the Christmas story?

What other parallels do you find in the exodus story and the Christmas story?

How can you apply this concept in your daily challenges?

How does this passage relate to Matthew 6:28-34?

The Journey to Christmas: A New People

2008-12-05T00:55:00.003-06:00

I believe one of the great rites of passage in life is a person’s first love. You never forget that person who you first fell head-over-heels for. That first relationship is always a life-changing one. You begin feeling things you never experienced before and a part of your heart opens that you never knew existed. It seems as if everyone else just fades away. But all the emotions and excitement of saying those three magical words for the first time are still not as life-changing as when you say goodbye. It’s never the relationship that is life-changing but the break up.

The true power of love can never be fully understood until it has been put to the test. My dad once told me you can’t love a person until you know what you hate about them. Until you’ve seen all that makes up a person, you can’t truly love them. Love isn’t blind, it’s sacrificial. Love sees a person’s weaknesses and resolves to provide strength. This is displayed no better than when God sees our failures and chooses to provide a way out.

Mankind’s failure in the Garden is the failure of a relationship. After sin enters the picture, things change. God and man cannot co-exist as they did before. Yet even in the pain of loss, God resolves to love. He banishes Adam and Eve from the Garden but quickly begins bridging the gap. God’s pursuit to restore his people begins with just one man – Abram. Like the serpent, Abram is given little introduction in Genesis. We know about his family but the narrator never explains why God would begin with him. The point is that God chose Abram, not the other way around. The narrator doesn’t elaborate on Abram because he isn’t who the story is about. Abram is the supporting actor whose role is to bring the main character to life.

When God calls him out, he tells Abram to pick up everything and leave his family’s land. This isn’t like moving to a new city. Abram is leaving a land passed down through generations! Without any further explanation, God leads Abram out with the promise of a new start. Through this man, God will build for himself a new people who will function as priests to the broken world. Abram and his descendants will display God’s glory the way Adam and Eve were meant to. Instead of living in the Garden, they will reside in a Promised Land. To restore the relationship, a law will also be given to them. This law will prepare the people for God’s presence in their midst as Adam and Eve once experienced. If Abram’s descendents follow God’s law, his presence and the land are theirs. If they fail, the results will be like Adam and Eve’s.

There is beauty in the fact that God begins the story of his saving work by inviting humans in. Despite our failures and weaknesses, he offers every opportunity possible to join back in. His love never fails, even when those he loves do. As his creation, we have willingly surrendered to our own oppression but Abraham’s calling demonstrates that God pursues his people even when we fail to see our need for him.

Read Genesis 12:1-9 and respond to one or more of the following questions. Also, feel free to add your own insights into the text. The more interaction, the better!
Do you think God’s promise to Abraham is a conditional or unconditional promise?

What makes this passage significant in our study of Christmas?

www.gravityministries.org

The Journey to Christmas: The Story Begins

2008-12-01T00:29:00.002-06:00

As Christians, we have a lot of phrases that get tossed around so much that we often forget the original meaning or the power behind them. One of my favorites is when we sit down before our meals and pray, “Please bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies.” There is nothing inherently wrong with the prayer until you pray it over a ½ pound bacon cheeseburger from Wendy’s and a large fry so glazed in grease that its holder is now transparent. I imagine God in Heaven looking down and responding, “What, seriously?”

Another favorite of mine is when we invite a recent convert to the local church and proclaim, “He just got saved!” to everyone who passes by. Like the dinner prayer, it’s not wrong to pray it but sometimes we use the phrase and forget what it implies. If a person has just been saved, logical thought leads us to believe that there was a force holding him captive. Someone or something has gripped his or her life and a liberator has rescued that individual. It seems essential for Christians to understand this and I believe most of us do. The problem is that we love to focus on events like Christmas or the resurrection before we ever understand their power.

In our last study we found that God created the universe with the intent of displaying his glory. God and man interacted together in perfect unity. Man and woman shared unrivaled intimacy. It is like a movie which paints this ideal picture of life in the first few minutes. The main character is happy and the world is in pristine order. In two chapters, Genesis shows us God’s original intent. But like any other story, the picture is quickly smeared.

By chapter three we find Eve frolicking in the Garden of Eden. To Adam’s delight, she isn’t wearing a stitch of clothing! Things are going as they normally do until the serpent appears on the scene. The Bible doesn’t give him much of an introduction other than that he is crafty. He begins to solicit Eve with a thought.

“Hey Eve, what if this whole ‘don’t eat that fruit’ thing is really nothing? I bet God just doesn’t want you to be like him, knowing the difference between good and evil!”

In and of itself, the fruit of that tree is hardly different than any of the other fruits in the Garden. But given what the serpent had to say, there is something more to it. The text says it is the potential gain of wisdom which makes the fruit so desirable. With her curiosity peaked, temptation is hatched. She picks off the fruit and eats it. Adam is nearby and she gives it to him as well.

Instantly, something changes. Adam and Eve are aware of their nakedness. Even worse, God doesn’t seem so approachable anymore. They cover up and hide but when God confronts them, it is their awareness of their nakedness that tips him off. I sometimes imagine the look on God’s face. I don’t picture it as an angry Father. Instead, I envision God with the face of a heartbroken man. His expression disappears and his eyes glaze over in pain. Like a man who has just been betrayed, he knows the ramifications of the trespass on their relationship.

Evil cannot exist where good is not found. The nature of sin is to take what is inherently good and pervert it. It is only natural that the consequences will do the same.

God’s gift was for them to multiply. Now Eve will bear children in pain.

God’s gift was man’s charge to dominate and cultivate the earth. Now the earth will work against him.

God’s gift was perfect harmony between man and wife. Now Eve will desire her husband’s leadership.

God’s gift was perfect intimacy between the Creator and the creation. Now there is just fear.

God’s gift was his presence. Now they must leave him.

Throughout the rest of the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy), men grow increasingly further from God’s presence. As they do, their lives are shortened. Death quickly becomes a concern never seen in God’s original plan. As humans, we have been held captive by a force we willingly submitted to. In our sin nature we no longer belong to God. Death has taken ownership.

However, in the midst of all of God’s curses there is hope. God tells the serpent that a man will someday be born of Eve. He will rise up and although the serpent may bruise his heel, the man will crush his head. In other words, God will not leave his people in bondage. His image is still within them, however marred by sin it may be. It is at this scene of despair and pain that the road to Christmas begins. The rest of the Bible chronicles God’s plan to bring his people back. Even when they do not desire him, he will woo them into his loving arms. He will provide for them and when the moment is perfect, he will declare war on the principalities of darkness and send a hero to rescue the oppressed.

Read Genesis 3 and respond to one or more of the following questions. Also, feel free to add your own insights into the text. The more interaction, the better!
In Genesis 3:4-5, the serpent makes an accusation about God’s true motives. How might he actually be telling the truth but framing it in a way that demonizes God?

Did Eve get what the serpent said she would get?

How does the concept of nakedness relate to the concepts of intimacy and harmony in the passage?

What makes this passage significant in our study of Christmas?

www.gravityministries.org

The Journey to Christmas: In the Beginning... (Pt. 2)

2008-11-26T14:10:00.008-06:00

One of my favorite new TV shows is Chuck on NBC. It’s about this brilliant guy who gets framed for cheating in college, is kicked out, and finds himself working at a “Buy More” (really a Best Buy). Little does he know that his college roommate who framed him is actually a rogue CIA agent. After five years, he sends Chuck an email containing every secret the government has ever collected and each piece gets downloaded into his brain. If someone suspicious passes by, Chuck’s brain flashes and he instantly knows all their information. A quite attractive CIA agent is assigned to protect Chuck along with a scary NSA assassin. He and the CIA agent carry on a fake relationship as a cover and the NSA agent works with him in his under-realized life as a retail employee. The story unfolds as Chuck learns the finer points of living a double life while hoping that he can someday become a normal person again. With each episode, he gets closer to living in freedom but with each attempt it is snatched away.

As a fan, I watch Chuck with the hopes that this good, ordinary man will be able to recover from the mess that has been created for him. But in truth, if Chuck actually did manage to live a normal life again, could the series even continue? Not many shows about average people doing average things tend to make it very long. (Other than Seinfeld or Friends…) Every plot is driven by a problem. If there isn’t a problem, the story can’t even begin. If the problem is solved, the story is over. However, this never actually keeps us from rooting for the good guy. Why? Because in the beginning we have seen what life could be like for the character. We want him to attain it, even if it means our entertainment comes to a close.

Our Bible works the same way. We are immediately given a picture of the ideal and we are trying to get back to it. It’s pretty simple, really. “In the beginning, God…” Just four words in and our main character has emerged. The story is about him. He is both the author and the hero. In an impressive display of his glory, God simply speaks the universe into existence. Where he got the idea of a universe is beyond me. It isn’t as if he could pick up a how-to kit in a craft store. God just told it to exist and it did. Take that Chuck Norris.

But why create a universe? Why even bother with it? Look at it from an artist’s perspective. A painter paints in order to express an idea or emotion. Composers write music to share what words can’t. Sculptors create objects to take otherwise abstract concepts and make them tangible. God’s first introduction of himself is as an artist. He is creating to express who he is. Everything from the stars and moon to the leaves that dot the forests, it is all created to display his glory. And as God continues to create, he seals each phase of his divine construction with a declaration, “it is good”.

It’s good, but for what? It’s good for displaying his glory but it is also good for man, the crown of his creation. It is good for the one he will place his image within. The key principle our author wants us to recognize is that God is working towards the good of mankind. Other origin texts written at the time show mankind as slaves to the gods who must now be managed and controlled. To our Father in Heaven, mankind is a display of his glory which means we are treasured.

After all of his creative work, God rests and places Adam in the middle of it all. Then he creates Eve from his rib. Adam and Eve exist in perfect harmony and without shame. There is no conflict, no shame, no jealousy, and best of all, no clothes! It’s just unhindered intimacy between two people.

These two not only experience this intimacy with each other but with God. They walk with him, talk with him, and enjoy his presence. With God in their midst there is no death, no pain, no insecurities, no fear, and no evil. It is a relationship between God and man, no less real than what you and I experience every day but far more perfect.

However, we all know this doesn’t last for long. With one simple step of disobedience, the harmony and intimacy carved out by our gracious Creator is destroyed. A problem will arise and with it, the story will begin. It is a story of restoration, a story of a God who will step out of Heaven to liberate his most prized creation from the grip of sin and death. It’s the story of Christmas and it begins with just four powerful words.

“In the beginning, God…”

Read Genesis 1-2 and respond to one or more of the following questions. Also, feel free to add your own insights into the text. The more interaction, the better!
Genesis 1:27-28 gives us two reasons to view humans as particularly important to God. What are they? (Hint: We have been given something and charged with something)

In Genesis 2:1-3, the Creator of the universe takes a break from things. What should this tell us about God’s view of rest?

What makes this passage significant in our study of Christmas?

www.gravityministries.org

The Journey to Christmas: Introduction (Pt. 1)

2008-11-26T02:24:00.002-06:00

I decided I want to try something new. Over the years, I have noticed that I often neglect the true spiritual impact of Christmas. I get wrapped up in the presents, being with friends and family, enjoying the cold weather, and all the rest that I too often end the Christmas season in regret. In an effort to not let that happen again this year, I decided to create for myself a journey into the events leading up to Christ's coming. Every three days I will be posting a short devotional on a passage in Scripture that shares with us God's heart and the events leading up to the coming of our King.

I figure that I am probably not alone in this and I want to invite each of you to also be a part of it. Every three days I will post a new devo that is quick and easy to read. The post will also include study questions that we can discuss through the comments feature. My goal is that as an online community we can dig deeper into the meaning of Christmas and God's gift of his son.

I hope this is something that will enrich Christmas for you this year. I look forward to seeing where God takes us!

In His Grip,
Matt
www.gravityministries.org

Refuge Messages Online

2008-11-24T23:23:00.004-06:00

I've posted several messages from Refuge online. They come from September when we were in JPAC. Included is the Nehemiah series and our one week study in Jeremiah. Each are MP3 downloads so feel free to check them out! If you have any download problems, leave a comment and I'll try to help.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving break!

-Matt
www.gravityministries.org

The New Dates

2008-11-23T21:57:00.006-06:00

So a few new dates have just been added to the calendar for the months of December and January.

December 17
Christmas Bonfire Event
Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
Cabbot, AR

January 1-4
Journey 714 Conference
Birmingham, AL
*I'll will be leading with the worship team and leading a community group.

A New Chapter

2008-11-21T20:57:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the new website! I am very excited about what God has been doing in my ministry lately. Right now I am currently teaching at Refuge, our weekly collegiate gathering here at Ouachita Baptist University. God has been working in powerful ways each week.

I will be completing my undergraduate degree and marrying my college sweetheart in May, two events which seem to dominate my thoughts lately. I cannot wait to see what God has in store next.

I hope that having this new website does not come across as arrogant. I just truly believe God has placed a call on my life to preach and this is a new part of the preparation. I will keep you posted on what's going on!

My Intonation Problems

2006-10-15T23:49:00.000-05:00

So I was playing violin at Fellowship again this morning. I have to admit, I love it! It is so encouraging to get up there every week and know that I have my own place and I play my own part. It is a great picture of the Church in general. We are all playing a symphony and we all have our own parts. Individually we can play beautiful notes, but as a Body we turn those notes into music!

Usually when they let me know I will be playing the next weekend, I like to bathe that weekend in prayer. It is easy to get obsessed with the gift God has blessed me with. Equally dangerous is my tendency to get overly wrapped up in my own part, not listening and harmonizing with everyone else's instruments. I have learned that I must always prepare my heart and ask God to give me the strength to make it through each service and allow me to coherently play the music. Simply put, I am worshiping in a role of leadership and that is never something to be taken lightly or attempt on my own! If I attempt to take such a burden on myself, I am wrong and I will fail!

With all of that said, I have to admit...I was terrible this morning! Something was not right in my heart and it came out in my playing. At one point I even played a wrong note. It sounded awful! It was off-pitch...much like my heart! I guess thats what was encouraging though...I want my worship and ministry to be so deeply entrenched in my wandering heart that I must rely on the God who has called me out. I cant do this on my own! My mistakes this morning outlined where I fall short and it was so great to know that my God is the one pushing me along! It is the Holy Spirit's ministry of conviction and it was definitely a humbling experience.

"My prayer is that my public passion for Christ will never exceed my private passion for Him." - Beth Moore