Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

God usually deals with people through covenants. Covenants are deals that a stronger person makes with a weaker person, with terms that they both agree to. The Israelites had a covenant with God and in his grace, even though they broke their end of the covenant, a small amount of people have returned from exile, rebuilt the Temple, and restored the Laws. However, more of the promises, in line the covenants, hadn’t come true yet. The kingdom was small and still ruled by non-Israelites. There is no great future materialized. And God hadn’t returned to the Temple. They were now waiting, but after decades, they start doubting and get discouraged and lose hope. In this, they were getting lazy and half-hearted and starting breaking faith. Breaking faith was liking have a contract [covenant], but then not living by it. So God sent Malachi to them to remind them of the covenant and the blessings or punishments that came with it.

A couple of the things they were doing (again as these were why they got exiled in the first place) were that they were marrying foreigners of different religions which lead to idolatry. As well, they were also divorcing which was wrong in God’s eyes. He hates it because a good and godly marriage is to lead to godly children. (This shows how important it is for parents to follow God and to impart that on their children – it wasn’t the Sunday School’s job.) Their marriages had more than just the two of them at stake. Malachi told them that God was saying, even though they worshipped in the Temple, to put them out. Even though they prayed, with tears, God did not answer them because of these sins.

God cared about their marriages and families. He cares about your future marriages and your future families. This includes your relationships while dating and before dating. You need to date carefully, date honorably (God’s name is worthy), and date in a way that follows Jesus. In marriages, there is only one way to live: God’s Way. There is no mixing of values or goals.

Maybe you’re not thinking about marriage yet. If you are single or dating, I hope that you can work at being ready for it. Maybe you are married. Then I hope this helps. Here are some things that I’ve learned. Some of it you may not agree with, but it’s things I’ve learned from experience, from my own life and others, stuff that I think I’ve learned from knowing God, and stuff I’ve learned from understanding how the world has changed with its good results and bad results. These are general thoughts to base your standards of dating on godly marriages, rather than secular ones. To have a marriage, and to prepare for that, in God’s way.

1. God wants marriages to strengthen faith, in each other and in the kids. You need to have someone walking on the same ground and in the same direction towards the same goal. Even if you’re only 10 degrees off, eventually over time you’ll see that it seemed parallel at first, but after walking for miles together, you’re far apart. Together, there’s a better possibility that you won’t stray from the faith – and walk according to it.

2. God wants marriage to be between one person and one person, male and female. Sex joins your flesh and spirit. Imagine if every time you have sex, any form of it, a rope was attached from you to that person. Imagine then if on your wedding day, you are giving yourself to one person, but you are attached to all these others. You’re only supposed to have one rope between you and someone else. This includes porn, which teaches you a wrong sense of what sex is really like. A good rule might be to have no touching where bathing suits are. Keep all your sexual activity (not just sexual intercourse) until you’re married. Why? Cuz it’s not supposed to be an act of lust. It’s not only an act of love. It’s an act of commitment, a commitment that comes after you’ve made the covenant of commitment in public. Learn about physical affection and avoid physical sexuality.

3. Learn about, prepare for, and fight for good marriage dynamics – even before you’re married. Model your marriage on good Christian couples that you know and not Hollywood’s fictional people and relationships. Sex and love in Hollywood movies or TV shows isn’t real sex (even porn stars probably don’t have sex like that in their relationships) or relationships (notice how in most sitcoms the father is an imbecile and the mother is a nag?). Develop communication, understanding, forgiveness, proper perspective on sexual activities, loving mindset, selfless heart, how to spend good, godly quality time, etc. Get it into your head that divorce, abuse, and self-centeredness is not an option. Know that it’s until death do us part. We don’t follow Hollywood. We follow Jesus. It’s supposed to be a good marriage and one that lasts until someone dies. Is it all great or easy? No, spouses have to work at it, but that’s part of the beauty

I hope that you can have a marriage that’s as good as mine, even better than mine. I hope that you have a marriage that is a role model and makes others jealous (in a good way), and that gives shine to God. One that helps you to know God, grow the church, and show Jesus Christ to all better. I hope that you have a marriage that doesn’t break faith, but reflects love and commitment, the kind that Jesus has for the church. God’s hopes are good for your marriage, and even before your marriage. God’s name is worthy in your marriage, and even before your marriage. God’s covenant is good for your marriage, and even before your marriage. Instead of focusing on what marriage and dating shouldn’t be, learn about what God wants it to be and prepare for things that way. Whether you are dating someone now, thinking about it, or hope to in the future, start understanding what you think of relationships and sex and marriage and also start praying, reading the Bible, thinking, and talking about how God wants it and see how much it lines up. Get ready to be the kind of spouse God wants you to be and to have a kind of marriage that God wants you to have.

Scripture: Malachi 2.10-16

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

“Hello My Name Is…Worthy” (not to be confused with dope emcee Shames Worthy)

Vince Carter is one of the most hated men in Toronto. It’s because he said something to the effect that he didn’t try his hardest while he was playing for their NBA team, The Toronto Raptors. This might be because “Toronto is a blue collar sports city” meaning that even if people don’t expect to win a championship, but we will love a player who tries hard. Vince is still a good player, but to many, he didn’t seem like he tried his best. When you play for a team, you gotta be proud of that name and the people you play for and play with and play to. There is a certain reputation and a certain value or worth that the name has. Isn’t this the same for a God? What is God’s name worth? Not thinking about image, but who they actually are, what’s the reputation that he should have? Now, what does it mean to be a Christian? How does a church help or hinder the perceived value of God’s name? How much do we value God’s name?

The worth of his name was included when God made covenants with people. The rules and consequences both good and bad, reflected this. Sometimes he didn’t wipe people out when they broke the covenant cuz of the bad rep his name would have. Often times he saved people from their wandering because of the good rep of his name. Malachi prophesied about the Isrealite people: a small amount of covenant people have returned from exile, rebuilt the Temple, restored the Laws, but the promises, in line the covenants, hadn’t come true yet. The kingdom was small and still ruled by non-Jews. There is no great future materialized. And God hadn’t returned to the Temple. So, after decades, they start doubting and get discouraged and lose hope. In this, they were dissing God’s name and worth, by getting lazy and half-hearted in their ways of following God. For example, the priests were to lead the people in God’s ways and do their duties in the Temple with a high value of God’s name. They were leaders and servants in the church. Priests were to teach the Laws of Moses and administer the sacrifices. However, Malachi was sent to them because they administered in a way that dissed God and showed partiality in their teaching. They were to do the roles that they had to a certain level because God’s name was worthy of it.

For us these days the church consists of a building or an organized way of our religion, but more importantly it’s the people and the roles they play.

* Pastor’s role: Pastors do a lot of things: preach, meet, teach, counsel, envision, evaluate, administrate, etc. But all of that isn’t so that pastors do everything in the church, but to equip the congregation to do it. His/her job is to help people do what they can do for others. Their job is to serve by leading. Their job is to help build the church by helping build Christians and helping build Christians by helping build the church.

* Serving-Leader’s role: Serving-leaders are to do the same, whether its serving in the praise band or with administration or with being a greeter or a janitor, etc. It’s to help the rest of the church get to where we have they go. It’s to help the church run smoothly and well. It’s to be people who do stuff in the front or do the menial, unknown tasks so that the congregation can do their stuff, both as maturing as Christians and helping to mature others.

* Congregation’s role: Simply, to do it. Simply, to be the hands and feet of Jesus, simply to rep Jesus in all that you are and all that they do. It’s to take what they’ve learned and take who they are and take the opportunities that come up and benefit others while representing Jesus.

God says “my name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations.” How much more do we need to do this in our churches?

Christians, we can’t do this half-hearted. No one can or should. If you have been, it’s not time to give up, but to go all out from now on. Step-by-step, with intention and effort, let’s grow into loving each other like a family should and work like a team should because of God’s name – because he is worthy. What’s holding us back? Shame? Guilt? Doubt? What pressures have we put on ourselves? What are we afraid of? Looking uncool? Other pursuits in life? The current reputations of churches, good or bad? Church splits? You believe that youth ministry isn’t important as the rest? How Christians are represented? All this doesn’t change the worthiness of God (only what we think of it). God’s name is still worthy of our following and praise, prayer and honesty, effort and motivation, because he is still powerful and still loving. And by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can do this.

Imagine all our churches full of people who are knowing God, growing the church, and showing Christ to all because of what we all do. Imagine it full of our friends, family, and the people around our cities and towns. We can do this, from the small changes in our lives and perspectives to the big ones, with consistency and intention. Do what you can. Christians and churches haven’t repped God very well. We do have a lot of work cut out for us, but we’ll get there. Be hopeful that as you recognize more and more how worthy God’s name is, our faith gets better, and we’ll handle life better – and church will get better. At the least, let’s start with this: With the things we do (or don’t do) in your daily lives, think about how that does (or doesn’t) honor God. It’s not about guilt, but making sure that our friends and others in our lives that know we’re Christian, also see how great God is. No matter how small or big our faith is, put our effort in because this church isn’t about our shine, but about God’s. Together, let’s grow our churches into being churches that fully rep that. Let’s have churches that fully honor, respect and love God’s name – because it is worthy.

Scripture: Malachi 1.6-2.9

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

Throughout time, God related to people mostly through covenants. Covenants are kind of like “deals”, but are between someone who’s more powerful than the other. The stronger one makes the stipulations: “Do these things and good things will happen. Break them and these bad things will happen.” Some of the major covenants between God and people:

* Adam & Eve – do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil + a messiah will come
* Noah – never again floods the earth (one-way) and puts the rainbow as the sign of that covenant
* Abraham – you will prosper, have many children, the world will be blessed through you
* Moses – Ten Commandments
* Palestinian/Israelites – obey these commands and you will prosper and stay in the land + disobey them and you will be kicked out of the land (but you will return)
* David – stick to my ways and you will always have someone from your descendants as king
* New – (as stated in Jeremiah 31) believe in Jesus and you will have eternal life

God always kept his part of the deal. However, the Israelites often broke covenant and part of the deal was that they would be punished by being sent out of the land (which was of high importance). Whever they were breaking it, God sent prophets to warn them of the punishments coming and how they could prevent them or why the bad things were happening and how they could change things. They might have gotten more specific details, but usually it wasn’t anything new as it was all in and agreed upon in the covenants. If God were to keep the covenant discipline, he would be fair. However, many times, out of God’s grace, he brings them back to the land and into covenant. Here is where we catch up to what Malachi prophesied about to the people: a small amount of covenant people have returned from exile, rebuilt the Temple, and restored the Laws, but even after several decades, the full extent of the covenant blessings hadn’t come true yet. The kingdom was small and still ruled by Gentiles (non-Israelites). There was no great future materialized and God hadn’t returned to the Temple. So they start doubting and got discouraged and began to lose hope. In this they also get lazy and half-hearted in their ways of following God and breaking covenant again.

In these “down times”, through the prophet Malachi, God reminds them that he loves them and the proof is in his loyalty to his promises and how he chose to fulfill his purposes through them, the Israelites, descendants of Jacob, and not the Edomites, the descendants of Jacob’s twin brother Esau.

Malachi 1.2-5: 2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” 4 Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the LORD Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the LORD. 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the LORD—even beyond the borders of Israel!’

Today, we follow God through a covenant love too and in this new covenant, there are blessings and guidelines. God keeps his side of the deal, but we have to as well. That covenant is through Jesus Christ and only through Jesus Christ. In fact, all the covenants in the Old Testament have been building towards this covenant. That’s why at The Last Supper, Jesus says that the bread and the wine representing his body and blood, his dying for us, is the new covenant. Understand that God doesn’t covenant with us because of how good we are or how bad we are. He does it because he loves us. Don’t believe it? He doesn’t have to make a covenant. He could just wipe us out. Or he could have made a covenant that wasn’t so good. It could have been 613 rules like the Israelites had instead of one like we have: believe in God’s Son and you will have eternal life.

Sometimes we get discouraged though. We think that believing in Jesus would have given us a perfect life by now, or at least a better one than we have now. We think we’d have more money and happiness, or at least less pain and suffering. Or at least better grades or a job. So where are the fulfillments of these promises? Where are the results of God’s love for us in our lives? The things that were prophesied seem to be coming true, but where is the complete fulfillment? It’s been 2000 years since Jesus died for our sins, why aren’t Christians the most successful/loving/loved/good-looking/perfect people on Earth? Why is eternal life, the quality and the quantity, taking so long to get here? Cuz God wants all people to be saved and not just us. In the meantime, let’s not can get lazy in living it out.

Christians should and can go full out. We may still suffer pain and heartache in our lives, but there is also healing and peace. Bad things can still happen with our families and friends and it’s still hard to find jobs and it still sucks when we lose them. However, step-by-step, even if it’s slow, God can help us through it all. God’s love and purposes do come true and this does include good things for you, the church, and for people who will come to follow God through his covenant through Jesus Christ. Jesus is going to come back as he promised to take us to a perfect place and perfect fellowship. During this time, let’s follow God in the fullness of the covenant of Jesus Christ. Let’s follow him the best. We can know God better because we know that we have a deal with a righteous, powerful, and loving God.

Scripture: Malachi 1.2-5

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

People used to have to follow God through what was called the Laws. These were expanded into 613 commands from the 10 Commandments. Needless to say, it was quite tough. When Jesus Christ came, died, and resurrected, following God became a bit simpler. The 613 weren’t what made a person righteous in God’s judgment anymore, but rather, having faith in and following Jesus is what it is.

The people of Galatia were tempted to add back some aspects of the Law to the life of faith. Paul, who wrote the letter to them, said that it won’t work cuz salvation only comes through Jesus Christ. In fact, the Law could not save anyone. It was never intended to. It was mostly to help us know what sin is. It is still good to follow them, but it was ineffective for being judged righteous. It is not unlike having a relationship with a significant other or a spouse where you don’t live by the “rules” but love and who they are. For example, adultery isn’t just that you did wrong, but that you broke trust and their heart. Another example, you don’t give a gift according to set-out rules, but according to who they are, generosity, circumstances, etc.

We live in a time now where God has set the way to living life being following His Son, Jesus Christ. The Law no longer defines our relationship with God. Because of this, some people decide to live sinfully, but following Jesus is done by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. We live by him and if we don’t keep in step by him, we are following our “flesh”, the sinful part of us. What the Spirit says and what the sinful side wants are the opposite. For example, in a relationship, following the Spirit could be like taking others into account and doing what’s best for them, or you two as a couple. Following the flesh is like not considering them and just doing what you like.

So how does one live by the Spirit? Part of it is having a relationship with God. Don’t just read the Bible for the “rules”, but with asking questions such as, What is God like? What are his purposes? How does he work? It also includes things like being a part of a church and serving, praying and evangelism, worshiping God and gaining discernment. Living by the Spirit is about submission. Living in Jesus, through Jesus, and for Jesus more and more as our faith matures. Often times it takes practice, humility, faith, and partnerships. Don’t follow the sinful side of life. Dead that and come alive in the Holy Spirit and follow Jesus.

But if we don’t have the Law to judge our righteousness factor, then how do we know if we’re doing a good job or not? Through what the Bible calls the Fruit of the Spirit. After all, fruit is an outcome. We may not realize it much these days cuz we just go to the store and buy fruit when they’re ready, but they do start off as seeds and take much sunlight and watering and the final outcome is the fruit. These fruit are the success markers of a life of faith following Jesus Christ. If you are living by the flesh, that’s easy to recognize. Your life is marked by drunkenness, sexual immorality, idolatry, witchcraft, jealousy, etc. The life of keeping in step with the Spirit has increasing success markers of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our life isn’t based on what we do in our careers or what we have in our lives, but in who we are and how we treat others. As we mature in our faith, does this fruit become more evident?

Scripture: Galatians 5.13-26

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

As you don’t learn to cook a steak at a pasta house, you don’t learn to follow Jesus outside of the Bible. We should be beyond this. Churches keep saying it but we don’t do it. Why? What’s a good reason? As a pastor, I feel like I’m a broken record player. As a Christian, I understand. However, we often know more about everything else, even the devil, than about following Jesus. Why? The 12 Apostles learned directly from Jesus – and were told to teach others. Today we have the Holy Spirit and the Apostle’s teachings in the form of the New Testament. Why don’t we read the Bible? Is what we know enough? Do you know God and following Jesus? Is it not important? Not relevant? Not interesting? Too difficult in our minds? Scary? Discouraged?

In Acts 2.42-47, we read about the 1st fellowship of Christians. This isn’t a description of the perfect church, but at least the first one. And with them, we have to remember that they were all new Christians following Jesus as Messiah. They had to learn what it meant to live that out, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. They knew about everything leading up to Jesus (see Old Testament) and they still needed to learn about Jesus and how to follow him – how to be (better) Christians. Many of us don’t know a lot about the Bible. Don’t we need to know the Apostle’s teachings about Jesus?

Doctrines are good to study and learn and live by (but we must also be humble and loving while doing so), but we must read the Gospels, the New Testament, the Bible to learn about Jesus. For example, can one be gay and follow Jesus? How would you know? From “common sense” about what’s fair or from a version of tolerance or from God himself? The Bible is like passing down knowledge. It’s like learning to swim by taking lessons and not by just being thrown in the deep end. Pastors get sermons from the Bible and God the Holy Spirit inspired it!

Salvation isn’t about getting the ticket to heaven and then waiting. It’s about learning to live life how God wants. This discipleship is the purpose that the Apostles wrote down what they did. As Christians, we aren’t simply to be nice or moral people, but to follow God’s Son. We can’t mix Christ with other religions/beliefs/spiritualities and it doesn’t always come from common sense or from following the current culture. To follow Jesus, we need to know Jesus.

To mature in our faith, the biggest building blocks come from praying and studying the Bible personally and usually it’s not that we don’t have time, but that we don’t make time (as we do with a lot of other stuff). We need to be living out the decision we’ve made: walking that talk. At some point, we have to be responsible, proactive, and disciplined. Make a plan, make it a priority, prepare for it, gain passion and perseverance. We don’t worship the Bible, but it is a tool to following our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The first Christians, “They devoted themselves…to the Apostles teaching.” Shouldn’t we?

Scripture: Acts 2.42-47

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

Acts 2.42-47 described the first group of Christians. These Israelites at the time had to adjust to a new life. Often, when we become Christians, we also have to adjust to a new life. The Breaking of Bread, whether it was a common meal or a form of the Passover celebration, was a reminder of Jesus death and resurrection, ushering in the new covenant. Prayers, whether formal or informal, kept them connected with Jesus. We need to be reminded and stay connected as well. Kanye West said that Jesus walks with us. The question is, do we walk with Jesus?

If we were to compare our walk with Jesus as a drive through the city, we can see that we have choices. We can continue on the path to salvation completed (Heaven) or veer off. We can take side-streets or stop and park altogether. Often we get distracted and go another thinking that it’s so easy to come back to the road. Sometimes we stop for a while or forever. The distractions and pressures and confusion are many, especially since we can’t mix it with other “laws”, Law, religion, spirituality, morals, etc. There is only one path that God himself has carved out. We have to stay on it until Jesus returns to take us home.

Jesus was God’s answer to the promise that he gave to Adam and Eve as the solution to their sin and the consequences it brought (death). Salvation from the punishment of our sins does not come from outdoing our bad with good. That’s rather impossible. Salvation only comes through forgiveness and that only comes that only through Jesus. This is God’s way. It’s offered to everyone and at the end of it all, Jesus is coming back for those who believe. In the meantime, life isn’t just about sitting and doing nothing or living in rebellion, but about living the life that God wants you to live. It isn’t about “don’t don’t don’t” but more about “do do do”. Do love others, do live morally, do be generous, do walk together in faith, do worship God, do follow Jesus, do have a purpose in life that is bigger and outside of you, do have hope, peace, worth, and love. Do start a life with Jesus or do come back to Jesus, and then do stay with Jesus.

Life is often tough and sucks, but it can also be healing and joyous. However, we stay driving on the path. We have to follow Jesus. Jesus didn’t save us just to belong to a church, but to follow him (even though you do need a church to follow him). Go and help those less fortunate than you. Be a participant in the church and not just a spectator. Develop friendships that benefit each other’s faith. Read the Bible. Pray. Remember Jesus in Communion. Get baptized. Tell others about Jesus. Do the things that you need to do to remember him, look forward to him, and stay connected to him. They devoted themselves to the breaking of bread and to prayer. We need to too.

Scripture: Acts 2.42-47

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

This can be a difficult teaching for some because it requires getting a new mindset. It’s often counter-cultural because it forces us to look at our lives as part of a group rather than simply self. It comes with understanding that faith is personal, but not private. Following Jesus needs “partnerships”. It needs help, advice, from people with same foundation, morals, goals, but different experiences, personalities, perspectives, etc. You can’t have faith on your own. Fellowship is part of faith and you can’t have fellowship by yourself. We fellowship in families because you’re part of a family. We fellowship with friends because of school, work, interests. We fellowship with church because of God. What is fellowship? It’s having commonality. Fellowship is not a Christian term and it’s more than bowling or hanging out. It might include that, especially if you are a bowling team or a social club, but for Christians, our fellowship is based on Jesus. It’s about close relationships and having our community in common. It’s about following Jesus Christ, whom we have in common as our Lord and Savior, together and the common sharing in life. In God, no one is perfect/complete by themselves. A Christian isn’t perfect/complete but a group of Christians is much closer. We have to be in this together – this is the mindset we need in our faith, in our church, in God’s glory.

Remember, this was a new life for these 1st Christians and there was no formal church building until around the 3rd century. The term ‘Christian’ was first used in another city about another group of people. At this point, there was no formal church – only a fellowship in the community. This is not about ekklasia, but about koinonia. They needed fellowship and they devoted themselves to it. What about us? In our times of individuality, we often forget about the idea – and standard – of togetherness: commitment to each other in Jesus Christ. We are to have a common foundation and common purpose with common success markers. We are to hold things in common so that if someone else needs it, we could make it available for them. This doesn’t take away your personality and individuality, but we get to add it in and make something greater. Differences aren’t supposed to cause division in a fellowship, but can make fellowship greater to the glory of God.

We should care how much each other is involved in fellowship. What do you see when you look at (other) Christians? Struggles, joys, victories, sins, faith, hope, love, hurt, doubt, hate, pain, loneliness, success, child of God, fellow-journeyman? Do you talk about God with each other (and not just to each other)? Do you talk with God about each other? Do you pray for each other’s faith? Are you concerned with the Jesus Walk of those in your church? Let’s up our fellowship. Small group is a formalized version of things we should already be doing. Concern yourselves with each other, especially in faith and have solidarity: Jesus didn’t just save you, he saved us. You aren’t just a Christian, you are a part of a church.

He is not just “my God”, but “our God”. Imagine people marching and you can envision strength, solidarity, stability, reliance. Lone ranger doesn’t work. Your faith will hit a low ceiling without fellowship. Whether a seasoned Christian or someone thinking about becoming one, you will need the partnership and support of other believers. More than Sunday services, and it does include these, talk to each other about faith.

They devoted themselves to fellowship. We need to too.

Scripture: Acts 2.42-47

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

May 21st, 2011 was believed to be Judgment Day by a group of people. The reaction to this was varied: foolishness, none, sadness, teasing, and the like. In the end, the prediction didn’t help the reputation of Christ or Christians (because of stereotype of non-Christians to Christians). In fact, it may have made evangelism harder. However, we can give them props for something: they were trying to reach people with Jesus and salvation, which is probably more than many other Christians do.

In the book of Matthew, chapters 9 and 10 of the Bible, Jesus asked his disciples to pray for workers because the harvest was plenty but the workers were few. There was a lot of work to do but only a few workers to do it, so they should pray for more workers. Then he gave them the ability and sent them out. Sure it may seem to some that they were bamboozled, but they were the workers!

Today, we are in a similar situation. There are many people that don’t know Jesus. Even if 1 in 6 people are Christians in the world today, there’s still over 5 billion people that need to know! We may pray for them, but at some point, we have to be the worker too! Are you one of the over 5 billion or one of the 1 billion? Either way, it’s time to talk about Jesus. It’s time to pray and talk. It’s time to strategize, pray, and talk.

And remember, the 12, the Apostles, were all different. It probably wasn’t expected that their strategies were all the same. It may have depended on who they interacted with and who they were. Their personalities and perspectives, experiences and expertise, were still a part of them, but now they were targeted towards something else. They were allowed to be who God had made them to be thus far as they were repping Christ. Each person and each strategy might be different, but a few things are sure: prayer, learning Jesus, being involved in a truthful and loving fellowship, and going with a purpose were what they did. It’s what we should do too.

May 21st, 2011 may have been a wrong date, but today isn’t. Neither is tomorrow. People need to know about Jesus, a lot of people. The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. The harvest is plenty, but he workers are you.

Scripture: Matthew 9.35-10.10

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

What is prayer? Simply, communication with God (not unlike a phone call). It’s supposed to be easy as it requires no equipment and can be done anywhere, any time by anyone and yet we don’t as often as we should or even could. Maybe some of us think that God is good and will make things happen anyway. Or that you do your part and he will do his – like there is an unspoken deal. Or that he will bless it anyway if you’re doing the right thing. Or thinking that if I get things off my chest to God, then I won’t talk about it with others. Or I’m extroverted and if God doesn’t talk back, it’s hard to keep a convo going. But the Bible tells us that God requires me to pray. I am to work and pray. And pray in Jesus name.

Praying “in Jesus name” isn’t just about ending our prayers with “in Jesus name we pray….” or only about “in Jesus name I command…” (cuz of the authority he has). It could be these things, but it’s also so much more. What are some things that we usually pray for? Health or healing, money, guidance, job, school grades – these are good, but it can’t be all. And these are usually only about us. While we pray for these, we usually for these as well, no? Also, do we only pray in times of desperation or anger or hurt or need? This can be good too, but couldn’t our communication with God be more? There might not be anything wrong with praying for the things of our lives, but why not also pray – and work – about the things that God wants: salvation, church, relationships, evangelism, etc.?

In John 14.12-14, the context is about praying when doing God’s work. Jesus is going to die, resurrect, and the Holy Spirit will come. The Holy Spirit can’t come until Jesus is glorified and in that time, the apostles can pray in Jesus name and do the work that Jesus is telling them to do. We are in that same time cuz Jesus hasn’t come back yet. We are filled with the Holy Spirit (if we believe), to do work for God, and we are to pray in Jesus name.

To “pray in Jesus’ name” means: “(1) to identify the content and motivations of prayers with all that Jesus is and (2) to pray with full confidence in Him as He has revealed Himself.” This is because a “name” in the biblical world represented the character and quality of the person or thing named.

In this context “name” means something like: “those who seek his glory and speak accurately for him, who are genuinely his authorized representatives. Nothing could be further from the pagan magical use of names that sought to manipulate spiritual forces for one’s own ends.”

“To pray in His name means to pray for the Father’s glory, asking for whatever He Himself would desire.” Jesus brought glory to God. Praying to God in Jesus name acknowledges the place that Jesus has. It attaches Jesus to God and Jesus as God. When we pray in Jesus name and he answers, it brings glory to God.

Does this require us to study and know Jesus? Yes, that was part of what Jesus did as he was showing himself to the disciples. Then as he was going to the Father, he left the disciples with comfort, but a mission to continue the work – of salvation. We are to do the same. In our mission, there has to be submission in our works and in our prayers. And in our working, God’s answering prayer while you are doing what Jesus was doing. In fact, his disciples – and us? – will do even greater things. He will do it. Jesus will answer it.

There is a freedom, and there can be a confidence. (And keep praying until you come out smiling as you finish). We can also know how to pray as Jesus gave us instructions in what is called “The Lord’s Prayer”. Imagine if the success markers of our churches were fulfilled? Imagine if we our goals were met? We know that pastors are to lead in a spirit of servant-hood, with responsibilities, wisdom, more judgement, easy and tough times, etc., but s/he shouldn’t only be doing the tangible things, but also praying. But let’s also all pray as we are the church: times of prayer for yourselves, our churches, and others. (And don’t let this be an excuse for not praying, but an encouragement for praying: rather than thinking “others are praying for it so I don’t need to” be about “they’re praying for that, let me ask God for it too”.) Christians: do the work, but also pray for these things, for all the people involved and for God’s glory.

Scripture: John 14.12-14

Contributed by Youngdo (Ill Breaks Crew)

Jews believed that Jesus was their Messiah, but there was a thought that Jesus was coming back soon. And when it wasn’t happening, they started to doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. They were thinking that they should go back to their old covenant, or at least part of it, and so the writer of Hebrews is writing to convince them that Jesus is the Messiah and to hang on cuz the benefits of believing are coming true and the ultimate one that’s still to come is going to come true. Not unlike them we need to think the same: God will come through, but sometimes we need to hang in there.

This is cuz God is not just God in the good times but still God through the bad times as well. The product of our hope and faith and love will come true. Jesus will come back and take us to heaven. And compared to the old ways of the Old Testament, Christ is supreme. That’s why the covenant through Christ is superior to the covenant through Moses. That’s why the old covenant is being done with. The fruit will come: it will be worthwhile. Have confidence, draw near to God with sincerity and assurance, being cleansed of sin.

There are four “let us” statements in Hebrews 10.19-25:

Let us #1: hold fast to the hope
Let us #2: provoke each other to love and good deeds
Let us #3 and 4: do not give up meeting together and encourage each other – all the more as you see the day approaching

God’s promises will come true and until then, we have to be holy. We have to be different, set apart, being, doing and living the life that God wants from those that don’t believe. It isn’t easy, but that’s why God didn’t make it so that we do this alone.

There are no lone rangers in Christianity. Church isn’t simply about what I learn, but about how we walk. Church isn’t simply about feed me, but feed us. And it simply isn’t about the leaders and other volunteers doing things, but also about each other helping each other. Christianity is personal, but it’s not individualistic. You need the rest of the church and they need you.To use an analogy, Jesus isn’t coming back for 1 billion brides, but one bride, the group of people called the church.

The church that is being written to can’t go back to the old ways of the old covenant or the false ways of other religions or even the idea of ‘good people go to heaven’. Without salvation all we have is judgment and we shouldn’t want that for each other. Church is more than friendship, but about fellowship. It doesn’t say ‘let me’, but ‘let us’ – we’re in this together. God builds us together. We need each other. Again, you need the rest of the church and the church needs you. And not just your friendship, but your fellowship – not just that you can hang out, but that you can help out in your faith. We know that Christians can burn each other, but Christian can also better each other. We grow in our faith through the encouraging, equipping, and empowering with other Christians. We can easily lose our faith through loss of connection with the church. Without a church, our faith’s maturity will most likely hit a low ceiling. For example, in following Jesus, we are to love. How can you love if there is no one else to love? How can you be patient with someone if there is nobody to patient with? How can you confess your sins to one another if there is no other to confess them to?

When you go out to eat or text each other or Facebook each other, do you encourage each other to stay strong in the faith? Do you encourage each other to do the good things in life and love others? It’s not all the pastors’ or elders’ or someone else’s job – it’s yours. If you aren’t a part of your church’s fellowship, including, or especially, your Sunday services, go. For those that go, how many people have stopped or slowed down? You probably know at least one. What can you do about it? More than just having a prayer life, your words and actions count – and do a lot.

None of us is perfect, but together we can be. Together we will be. Jesus is coming back. His ways are true. So with each other’s faith, take initiative, have courage, and be persistent. Keep each other doing the loving things and the right things. Keep each other from straying from each other. Keep encouraging each other in your walks of faith – our walk of faith. Reach out to those that are missing in fellowship and do it today. Let us hold fast to the hope, let us provoke each other to love and good deeds, and let us not give up meeting together and encourage each other – all the more as you see the day [of Jesus's return] approaching.

Scripture: Hebrews 10.19-25