Prayer: Talking with God

Stop whatever you are doing right now and PRAY.

Are you still reading? Stop it. I have a few things to share, but they aren’t as important as your conversation with the God of the Universe.

How was it?

Personally, prayer is tricky for me. During the summers sometimes I have awesome time on restful hikes or sunrise beach mornings to spend with God, but more often then not, I am lacking community and consistent church time and my prayer life suffers. I often feel like my only options are Bible reading and sermon listening to hear from God. Wrong, so wrong.

Slowly I am learning that as my life changes, changes, and changes again, my prayer life should not. As much as I have tried to predict what the next year of college or grad school will bring I am always wrong and Jesus has not decided to start revealing these things to me during my prayer time. Here are a few things, though, that have helped my understanding and experience of prayer.

Prayer is a spiritual discipline and it requires practice to enjoy and be good at. (Careful now, God doesn’t love us more based on how well we pray.) Just like anything else that is worth working for prayer is NOT fulfilling if I just give it a half-hearted effort while I brush my teeth in the morning. After a long period without prayer, I find it SO difficult just to sit and be still in God’s presence. Sometimes it takes me an hour just to filter out all the junk floating around in my mind before I can stop being antsy and just talk to God. As I spend more and more time praying through Scripture, journaling my requests, or confessing my faults, I find it comes more naturally to seek Jesus in prayer for longer periods of time. Just like an old friend I haven’t seen in awhile, it takes a little time to get back into our rhythm of conversation.

We can, and should, pray in our cars, at the grocery store, and while falling asleep. But, I think lately that is emphasized so much that we forget how important it is to also set aside specific and focused time for prayer. Getting completely alone, closing your eyes, and sitting in a way that doesn’t make you want to fall asleep are so necessary to have a good, extended conversation. It takes patience to get used to this, but it is worth it.

Asking is a crazy thing. When I struggle with knowing what to say or I feel far from God I ask the Holy Spirit to help me pray. My sinful nature makes me selfish and anxious even in prayer, but Jesus gives me Grace in everything. I ask God to have mercy on me and teach me to love and know him better. Please Lord, help me hear, see, and know Your heart! I love asking open-ended questions and seeing what Jesus brings up, like, “How do you see this Lord?” and “What is it you want me to understand here?” I am overwhelmed by the fact that I can be so bold as to ask questions of the One who made me. Also, there is no time limit on how long you can pray for something. The Bible promises that God answers all our prayers, so my policy is to ask until it happens, until I gain understanding, until Jesus changes the desires of my heart, or until God specifically says no.

Finally, lack of prayer leads to apathy and anxiety in my life. Consistent, intentional prayer results in my eyes being opened to sins I need to confess. It results in caring about the hearts the poor and orphaned and the lady who cut me off in traffic. Most of all prayer reminds me of my identity in Christ and the life-altering Grace of God.

The good news is we don’t have to resolve to be “better” at prayer. Jesus died for us while we were still sinners and we get to communicate with God because of that amazing Love. 


 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6


I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.- Psalm 66:17 


For more on prayer check out our previous blog- Prayer: What is it? and Why is it important?


Written by Annie Beury, AXO alum 

Make an IMPACT!

As many (or all) of you know, my beautiful fiancee Shelley and I are joining full-time staff with Cru and Greek Impact. We recently returned to Columbia from an awesome 5-week training down in Orlando, Florida. There was so much that we learned and so much that I could write about, all of which would be relevant and good to hear. On the same note, I would love to write it all, but I don't know if you would have the desire nor the time to read 5 weeks worth of fantastic material. But there was one thing that I believe we all need to be reminded of throughout our time at USC...

Our ministry by no means stops when we walk across the stage and turn our colored tassels from one side to the next. Our ministry, our life, continues until our dying breath. What a burden!

Now, that statement may appear burdening, but it should be exciting! Our ministry continues throughout our life, and it could look countless different ways. Just as we aren't called to be college students the rest of our lives (though some may disagree), we aren't all called to work in full-time Christian ministry. But we are all called. After your time at USC, you might go on to be a nurse, or open your own practice, or photograph precious little brats (er, I mean children). You may be very successful, and the Lord may bless you financially. You might also struggle to get by. But thankfully, our success is not dependent on what the world sees as success. Whether you live on Easy Street or not, our success is in Christ. We are His. What He did for us over 2000 years ago, bought us into His family! What better successful life is there?

Even as we are His, not everyone knows this life, this eternal family, exists. So who better to tell them? US! We are ALL called to share the wonderful riches of God's grace. We are all perfectly placed for our time at USC to have our own ministry and share Christ's love with others, and that is awesome! What more influential time in a person's life is there other than college? Whether you are involved in Greek Impact or not, whether you lead a Bible study or not, we are all called by Christ to share His love and grace. But it doesn't stop in college.

Just as Christ's love never ceases and His grace always overflows towards us even when we don't deserve it, we should never cease sharing the Gospel wherever we are. It doesn't matter if you are on the Grassy Knoll in the Greek Village at USC, in a small cubicle working a 9-5, or working with orphaned children in a small village in Uganda. There are people in every segment of society and every corner of the world who do not yet know Christ.

I urge you to continue sharing your faith in college, and leading and attending Bible studies, and coming to Greek Impact! Those are all wonderful ways to grow closer to the Lord and have a deeper walk with Him.

But I urge you even more imperatively to continue sharing the Gospel and leading Bible studies and getting involved in a great church after college. You might go on to graduate school after your time at USC. What a great place to have a ministry! You might be employed as an engineer after graduation. What a great place to have a ministry! You might work in a small cubicle in an office. What a great place to have a ministry!

You see where I'm going with this. The point is, you don't have to join Staff with Cru and Greek Impact to have a ministry and live a missional life. We are ALL called to live out the Gospel and share it with others wherever we may be. We are Christ's Ambassadors. You can have a ministry in your sorority or fraternity RIGHT NOW. You don't have to wait to make an impact. You don't have to be a theological genius- God uses all of His children to change the world by changing people's lives with the truth of the gospel!

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us."    

 - 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

So live missionally. Seek to serve the Lord wherever you may be. And just be AVAILABLE. He will use you in amazing ways.

Written by Braxton Towery 

                           









                            

What I Learned about Relationships This Summer

As we grow up we are constantly given advice surrounding relationships, sex, and love. Whether you have taken your advice from a parent or friends, you have to remember that although they might have your best interest at heart, their advice is tinted by their own experiences and opinions. In the past I tended to run to the person that would build me up and give me the information I wanted to hear, not necessarily what I needed to hear. 


At the beginning of the summer I attended a Christian conference for college students where I sat in on a Dating and Relationships seminar class. Before, when I would attend classes on similar topics, I would pick and choose what I wanted to hear. I would take what I liked from the message and use it to justify my actions while neglecting the truth that I didn't want to hear. However, this time was different; I felt more aware and convicted. I learned about God’s design for love, sex, and marriage, and how my thoughts and actions were drawing me away from God’s truths. Below are just a few of the truths that stuck with me.


God's Design for Love: “It turns out that everything is the opposite of what I remember. Under the old model, you dated a few times and, if you really liked the person, you might consider having sex. Under the new model, you hook up a few times and, if you really like the person, you might consider going on a date…we’ve lost the ability to just ask someone out and get to know them.” –The Demise of Dating


What is wrong with this picture? Well for starters, we don’t understand love. Most people in today’s society think of love as “What can I get out of this relationship? Is this person willing to give me what I need to be happy and satisfied?” We see love as just a feeling; how someone makes you feel about yourself. If love is just a feeling then you will eventually leave when the feeling fades. The Gospel teaches us that love is a passionate commitment to put someone else first, a sacrifice, a dying to yourself. 


When Jesus found us we were not beautiful and we had NOTHING to offer, but yet he humbled himself into a servant and committed to us despite our running away. God designed us to love. First and foremost He designed us to be in a loving relationship with Himself, so that we are able to share His unending love with other people. With the love of God in our hearts we are able to love selflessly, to carry each other’s burdens, and to fill each other’s weaknesses with our own strengths. The more you see yourself as a sinner saved by grace, the more you will be able to love other sinners. 


 God's Design for Sex: A lot of people in the world experience sex as just another step in a relationship; as a way of showing the other person you care about them in a physical way. By jumping into sex we try and take a short cut to feeling wanted and alive. Sexuality becomes all about us and OUR needs and OUR “drive”, but what about the One who created sex? Don’t take Him out of it! Sex was designed uniquely by God as a gift to unify two people in a marriage relationship. Sex was meant to bind a husband and wife together not just physically, but spiritually as well. It is drawn from emotion and it creates vulnerability. It is powerful because it serves a purpose. It can work to heal and restore when viewed as a gift in marriage. 


So how can we approach sexuality in our current relationships? First, know that your body is not your own. If you're a Christian it belongs first to God, and second to your future spouse. God created us in His own image as one being with three parts. We have a body, soul (your mind, will, & emotions), and spirit. The three are deeply intertwined. Sex is never "just sex". So whenever you give your body to someone, whether just a kiss or something more vulnerable, like sex, you end up with less of yourself to give your spouse. Outside of a marriage relationship we can’t expose ourselves to something as powerful as sex without being damaged or hurt. 


Second, asking questions such as “How far is too far?” or “Is foreplay considered sexual sin?” are the wrong questions to ask and are completely missing God's purpose for our lives. God's purpose for you and me, is to make us more like Himself. He wants us to grow in holiness. If you love Jesus and want to become more like Him, then you should be pursuing holiness. I know I used to wonder the same things and get caught up in the ambiguities of everything, but really I should be asking "How can I keep this relationship holy?" and "Does this action honor God?"  1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us to "Flee from sexual immorality". Not so that we can be seen as “good,” but because we love God and trust that He knows what is best for us. Trust the Lord and put Him first in all your relationships. 


 I know I have only hit a few points on dating/relationships, but I hope you find truth in these words. I learned so much, these are just a few key things that stuck with me. Whether you are currently single, in a relationship, or married, know that God has a design for how we interact in those relationships. Seek the Lord first and then wait for someone who loves Jesus more than they love you. 

-Written by Dendy Steddenbenz




















For more resources on God's design for Love, Sex, & Dating, check out Pastor Andy Stanley' sermon series here.


Or for girls, buy Marian Jordan's book, Sex and the City Uncovered.


If you want to know more about starting a relationship with Jesus and what that looks like contact scgreekimpact@gmail.com. 

For Freedom

             Today, beaches are packed and lakes are crowded with star spangled citizens. Jean shorts are painted red white and blue, sleeves are cut off of tacky t-shirts, and coolers are packed for the day’s activities. We Americans love to celebrate freedom. We post facebook statuses thanking the men and women who have fought for our freedom and we glorify the nation that was birthed 236 years ago.

What about the one man who gave his life for our freedom? What about glorifying God, the author of life and of liberty?

On July 4^th, 1776, The United States was declared independent from Great Britain and we were free to establish democracy. But, in the year 33, you were declared free. YOU WERE DECLARED FREE because Jesus died for you that day in Calvary. He paved the way for you to have a personal and real relationship with God.

When you accept and believe that this is true, when you decide to rely on God, you are free. Free from sin, free from guilt, free from bad habits, free from insecurities, free from inadequacies. Because of Jesus (and only Jesus!) you are perfect, you are innocent, your bad habits are broken, you are confident and powerful, you are completely qualified.

One of the hardest things for me to believe is that I am really free. I have a difficult time thinking that I am a new and different person. It’s tough to realize that Jesus did change me, that he is changing me, and he will continue to change me…Romans 6 has helped me understand the truth. Verses 6 and 7 tell us, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him (Jesus) so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been set free from sin”

If you feel chained by guilt, if you are struggling with something that you can’t handle anymore, or even if you can’t kick your bad habit of biting your nails, read Romans 6. Ask God to change you. About 14 months ago, I sat on the ground and prayed that God would change me. I listed out every single thing that I hated about myself and that I wanted him to change. He has opened my eyes to so much. He has done incredible things in my life, and will continue to. In the moments when I don’t believe it, I have to remember what God has done, turn to Romans 6, and continue to trust him.

So, please glorify Jesus today, because it is “for freedom that he set us free” (Galatians 5:1). Enjoy the blessing of living in this country and being able to celebrate freedom when so many cannot. But, do not forget that God is the creator of life and the commander of liberty. He is the ultimate.

Challenge yourself

1) It’s easy for me to equate freedom and independence. Don’t fall into this trap! We can only have continual freedom from sin if we are dependent on God. We also need Christian friends and a solid church to help us. In what ways are you being too independent? What is keeping you from depending on God? What do you not believe about him or about yourself? Apart from God you can do nothing. John 15 explains that. You can also read Psalm 145 to learn more about God, see that he is worthy to be praised, and that we can rely on him.

2) Don’t become complacent! Don’t just settle into your freedom - that’s when we become lazy, taking God for granted, not continuing to learn and grow. Hebrews 6 is helpful when I need a kick-start.

•••

If you have any questions for me, want to know more about God, or have any reactions to this post, please email me, Laura Dwight, at dwightl@email.sc.edu . I’d love to talk about it with you!

Trusting Him.

Trusting in the Lord has never been an easy task for me. I am a worrier. I catch myself worrying about the most ridiculous things, too. Things that are so far out of my control. Sometimes I think I even worry BECAUSE things are out of my control. As I've grown older, I've learned that this trait runs in the family. My mother almost immediately thinks the worst when I don't return her phone calls, and my grandmother is in a worry-category all her own.

At first I thought that I might not be the best person to write about trusting, as the Father and I are still working on this. But I think a lot of people struggle with it, and it will hopefully be helpful to share what I use to get me past worrying and onto trusting.

One of my most favorite verses is Matthew 6:25-27 which says,

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Every time I read this I come back to the realization that worrying does nothing for me. Now, this doesn't mean that I should be indifferent to life. There is a fine line between caring and worrying. I think some people take this passage to mean that we shouldn't even think about the future, things that will matter to us in time. But that is not the message I gain from this. I will need food, water, clothes, etc. They are important things, and I should do my part to attain them. But the Lord is the ULTIMATE provider. The things we need come from Him and no one else. He is in control. He is THE ONE. 

I've found myself lost in thought, surrounded with worries, in times when nothing seems to be working, nothing is going in the way I would like. And then I refer to another of my favorite verses. 

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

Our Heavenly Father is so much higher than all of us. He knows so much more. When things don't go in the way I had hoped, sometimes I am angry. I ask God "why did you do this?" or "why didn't you come through for me?". And it's ok to be angry or frustrated, but this verse says that God is always thinking of the bigger picture. He has something else in mind, something BETTER. Which brings me to another of my favorite verses. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:28

How comforting is that? Our Heavenly Father will work EVERYTHING for our good! We have the God of the Universe on our side, always looking to help us and bring us joy. And once I realize this, once I have received this "big hug" from the Father, I know I don't have to worry. I never have to worry. God's got it. 

In Christ,
Makena Cummings 

The Gospel

Many Christians use the word gospel, but how many actually know what the word gospel means?  We as Christians make a habit of throwing around Christian words that sound cool, but if we were honest…we have no idea what these words truly mean.  The Gospel means good news…that:

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  -2^nd Corinthians 5:21

Growing up I always heard the phrase "love the sinner, hate the sin".  As I have grown in my relationship with Christ I have realized Jesus never said such a thing.  As a matter of fact it was Gandhi who uttered those words.  Like most people, this realization was shocking and tough to wrestle with.  The Bible says that we are born in sin and inherently sinful in nature. (Psalm 51:5, Ephesian 2:3)  We do not have a choice on our human nature.  We are inherently born against God.  In order to prove this let me ask some questions.  Do you have to teach a baby to be selfish?   What is one of the first words a baby ever says?....mine.  Have you ever known something was wrong but you did it anyways?  Afterwards you told yourself you would never do that again, only to do it again a short time after that.  Because God is holy, perfect, and righteous the Bible says that he hates sin.  So, because God hates sin and sin is our inner nature….yep you guessed it.  At this point red flags are going up in your head, but I ask that you stay with me.  God’s wrathful nature is not something our culture likes to talk about, but if we don’t first recognize God’s wrathful nature we will never recognize his loving nature.  In the most popular Bible verse known to man the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

So am I saying that God both hates and loves sinners?  Yes, yes I am.  The greatest news that the earth has ever heard is found in Romans 5:8 which says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Because God is just and holy somebody has to pay the penalty.  God has given us a moral law and we all have broken his moral law time and time again.  God cannot allow sin into heaven.  He demands perfection and we deserve God’s wrath.  The great news of the gospel is that Jesus has satisfied the wrath of God.  In Luke 22: 42 before Jesus goes to the cross he says, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.”  What cup? God’s wrath.  Fast forward to Jesus hanging on the cross.  In John 19:30 Jesus says arguable the three most important words in human history.  “It is Finished”  What is finished?  God’s wrath.  The cup of his wrath was overfilling and God in his love for humanity chose to pour out every bit of his wrath onto his son.  Jesus finished the cup.

 So does God hate sinners? Yep.  Does God love sinners? Yep. He loves them so much that he chose to pour out all his wrath on his perfect and blameless son, so that you can have a personal relationship with him.

This means that when you turn from your sin and turn to Jesus Christ you don’t have to worry about where you will go when you die anymore.  Jesus said he came to give life and life to the full.  The gospel is good news for unbelievers and believers.  The gospel is freedom. 

So, if you have trusted in Christ for your salvation God sees you as perfect, spotless, and blameless in his sight.  It is not because of anything that you have done but all because of what Christ has done for you.  He took your place.  You no longer have to worry because Romans 8:33 says “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.”  Galations 2:20 says, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”  Colossians 1:12 says that you have been qualified, delivered, transferred, redeemed, all because God loved you enough to come and die in your place despite everything you have ever done against him.  That is a supernatural love.  A supernatural love that when understood properly creates a love for God that allows you to follow God and his commandments out of love, not begrudging submission.

If you are struggling with God’s love for you, realize that he loves the version of you right now, not some future perfect version.  It is ok to admit your weakness and struggles before God.  That is what the cross of Christ is all about.  Keep pushing, keep fighting, keep moving forward.  God knew you were going to be messy, he knew it would take time.  Trust in his power not your own.  In and of yourself you cannot overcome the sin in your life but In Christ you can do all things through him who strengthens you.  If you ever doubt his love for you just look at the cross.

Jesus earned God’s approval for me so I can stop trying to

Jesus was Strong for me so I can be weak

Jesus was Someone so I can be no one

Jesus was extra ordinary so I can be ordinary

Jesus succeeded for me so I am free to fail

Jesus won for me so I am free to lose

Take time to think on this today…

What's Your God Given Talent?

And Are You Being A Faithful Steward?

         

   It does not take much searching to see how much God has blessed us. As American college students we are privileged well above many other people in our region, not to mention the world, and all of our blessings and gifts flow directly from God. Something I tend to lose sight of is this divine source of my gifts and how I was intended to use them. By breaking down the Parable of the Talents, I think we can get a better understanding of what God has given us and what He expects us to do with it.

            The Parable of the Talents is found in Matthew 25:14-30:

¹⁴  “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants^[a] and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents,^[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.^[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹  For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

            In this parable, there are two types of servants that the master has entrusted with his riches: The Faithful Servants and The “Other” Servant. It’s not hard to tell that clearly we are supposed to resemble the Faithful Servant, but how exactly would somebody “invest their talents” for the benefit of God’s glory? (As a side note, a “talent” in the parable is a type of money. So the “talents” I am referring to could be any gift from God: public speaking skills, artistic talents, financial situation, bow hunting ability, etc.) By examining the attributes of each servant, it should paint a better picture of what we should be doing with God’s gifts.

            First off, the Faithful Servants went to work immediately. They didn’t sit around complaining about how they wish they had received more talents or how “Bobby’s talents look cooler”; they “went at once” to multiply their master’s fortune. Not only did they act promptly, but they were also good stewards of what they received by using them in favor of their master. In 1 Peter 4:10 it says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” That should pretty blatantly answer one question. You were meant to love one another with your gifts so that it would bring glory to God’s kingdom. A good example of this could be anything from offering people rides somewhere, to taking someone a meal—if you’re a good cook.

            Another desirable attribute of the Faithful Servants was that they were working for the sole benefit of the master. Their master didn’t say that they were going to be rewarded for expanding his wealth, but they used what they were given to the best of their ability regardless. Fortunately for them, they were rewarded even though they weren’t told beforehand: “I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Fortunately for us, we will also be rewarded with God’s kingdom for our faithful stewardship and we are being told (through this passage!). That being said, it is not our stewardship or the use of our gifts that earns us the Kingdom, faithful stewardship is just evidence of a child of God. It is easy to be misguided by focusing on your gifts as well. So, rather than trying to achieve happiness, we should happily achieve for the glory of God and we will be filled with joy from the Spirit.

            The “Other” Servant that was cast “into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” looked a little different when he was given his talents, clearly. He was immediately fearful and anxious about what his master had trusted him with and he hid his talents in the ground. This is NOT what God wants you to do with your outgoing personality or your basket weaving skills. This ungodly fear is what cripples us into hiding God’s gifts rather than sharing them and making God smile accordingly. And not only is the other servant fearful, but he is lazy and selfish for not investing for his master knowing that the master was a hard man.

            The truth is that these are not set roles and that as Christians we don’t ever fully embody one servant or the other. We will constantly struggle with the presence of pride when recognizing our gifts and try to attribute them to ourselves. In reality, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” James 1:17. Although it sounds Sunday School-esque, we must constantly remind ourselves where our gifts came from and ask God how to use them by praying and reading the Bible daily. One gift in particular that God has entrusted with every one of us is the message of the Gospel, and God has even been more blunt about the need to share it with everyone. A great way to think about it is that God gave us very specific talents, gifts and passions so that we would be more capable of sharing the Gospel with very specific people He put in our lives. In doing this He will look down upon us with a beaming smile and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

            It’s also crucial to also understand that the use of God’s gifts will not get us the Kingdom of Heaven, but faith and trust in Christ alone will bring us salvation. Read Ephesians 2:1-10 for more clarification.

            Some questions for reflection:

1.     What gifts has the Lord entrusted me with?

2.     Am I being a faithful steward of these “talents”?

3.     How can I become a better steward for Christ?

Written by Kevin Walker

Receiving The Abundant Life!

Dear Friends, I recently heard a sermon on receiving eternal life and inheriting a full life as it was meant to be lived on earth that I want to share with you!

The scripture I want to talk about is Matthew 19:16-22:

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life ?” ¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’” ²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

The question that the man is asking here is quite simple, he asks Jesus how he will get eternal life. And what he means by eternal life is a full life that starts now on earth! I think we can all relate to this question, at least I know I can.  Because in some way or another, each one of us has already answered this question for ourselves, in fact, our own answer is most likely driving a significant portion of our lives. Because we are all seeking a significant and full life, one that will last beyond our years, one that is eternal.  And so fellow greek sisters and brothers, I challenge you to ask yourself, what does your life say is the answer to how you get eternal life?

Now, if you’re like me than you are probably feeling a little convicted at this point, I realize so often in my own life that I tend to take the bible as good advice, instead of seeing it as it is—the Word of God who is our only source of life! Even the rich man in the passage does this, notice how in verse 17 he calls Jesus, “teacher.” And while yes, Jesus was a teacher, he certainly spent a lot of time speaking and teaching to people about God, but it is important that we don’t limit Jesus to simply a teacher, because Jesus is soooooo much more than just a good teacher.

If we simply limit Jesus to being a good teacher, we as sinful and selfish humans are not likely to take his advice to heart. How often do we as college students tend to question what our professors say, or the advice that they give.  Jesus is not just a teacher, he is the source of life, eternal life! We know this because in John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Notice in this passage Jesus doesn’t say I have come to teach them how to have life, no He, God in the flesh, has come so that we might receive the undeserved gift of eternal life through His death and resurrection on the Cross! Wow!!!!

If we read on in the passage you may say, wait a minute, why does Jesus list off a whole set of commandments that this man must follow to receive eternal life? While I dont really know what Jesus was thinking, the most likely answer is that Jesus knew this man’s heart, he knew that the rich man did not regard Jesus as King.  Jesus also knew that there was one thing this man loved more than anything else…. Money!  And so when Jesus says, “go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” I think he actually means it! Now, this is not to say that we all should go and do this. But what Jesus is saying here is that he wants all of us! Jesus, our King, wants us to submit EVERYTHING we have to Him, to the one who is good, as it says in verse 17. You see dear friends; the God we serve is a jealous God who wants all of our hearts to be captivated by Him. And for the rich man, money was the one thing that he was unwilling to let go of in order to follow Jesus.  The irony in all of this is that the rich man would experience a true richness of life if he really would just let go of his money and learn to regard Jesus as far more precious.

Friends, we really can experience Christ and the abundant life here and now if we are willing to submit our lives to the King. The best part...... is that God is not a stingy God who is holding out on us, no rather when we submit our earthy possessions and treasures to Him, we receive much more in fullness of joy from our Creator, who knows exactly what we need to be satisfied!

Some questions to ask yourself in reflection are:

1)      What is keeping me from submitting my life to God?

2)      What areas of my life is Jesus calling me to submit to Him?

3)      In what ways has Jesus been generous to me?

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. -Colossians 1:15-17

Written by Michelle Faucett

A Note for the Doldrums

Hello friends!

I hope that your summer is off to a great start! I wanted to share some stuff that's been on my mind the past week as I've been working through the transition from USC to home this summer. Enjoy--

I was reading in the Bible (Numbers 11, Joel 3 and 1 Corinthians 15) this morning, thinking about how insanely powerful the Lord is...

How God provided bread from heaven (manna) for the Israelites as they lived in the desert after they were freed from slavery in Egypt. 

How Jesus rose from the dead and defeated sin, once and for all people who trust in Him.

How Paul killed Christians for telling others about this until God  called him from a destructive life that leads to death to a new life, redeemed and forgiven by the Lord. 

How I, you, we can and do experience this grace daily through Jesus Christ.

It hurts sometimes to think about it, and I don’t always fully grasp it- this grace, this love, this eternal redemption.

Or that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. The God that parted the Red Sea or created land is exactly the same God I get to know today.

I think, did I make the right choice? Will God still provide for me? Am I listening to lies? Is God truly making me new? What does it mean that I don’t always comprehend?

It’s easy for me to turn off my emotions, to curl up inside myself and recount my sins, my fears, my insecurities. Over and over and over again.

 

I learned the hard way just how estranging that can be. So, when I start to feel overwhelmed, I turn to the Bible and specifically look at the promises God gives his children before, during and after Jesus returned to heaven.

Fear	God’s Promises
Did I make the right choice?	1 Corinthians 15:58
Will God provide for me?	Numbers 11:23
Am I listening to lies?	1 Corinthians 15:3-8 and Numbers 11:17
Is God truly making me new?	1 Corinthians 15:10, 50-56
Grace, love and eternal redemption	Joel 3:21

What I want to tell you is this-

Summer is challenging. I travel back home, surround myself with family, friends, and no routine, and it’s easy for me to become complacent in my faith. It’s easy to choose not to spend time learning about God or reading His promises. I’ve been there and learned that the more distance I put between myself and God’s truth, the more I stumble through the exhausting emptiness of my fears.

I don't have the perfect answer on how to escape from past pains or present doldrums, but I do know this- it's when I return to God’s Word and just read it to learn what’s there, that I find assurance for that day.

If you aren’t like this, then please, praise God! You have been surely blessed!

But if you are, try it. You don’t have to be a theologian or know all of the books of the Bible or do an in-depth study on every verse you find. Just read God’s Word. Read it to know about Him.

Because, truly, who knows us better than the Lord?

Your sister in Christ,

-Karly

& We're BACK for SUMMER:2012

I'm excited to announce that the Greek Impact blog will be back in action over summer break! At least once a week student leaders will be posting about what the Lord is doing in their hearts, sharing summer experiences, and answering any questions you might have about growing in your faith!

Summer can be a relaxing but tricky time, whether you're living it up at the beach or enjoying being at home with the family or working an internship. We would LOVE to hear any questions you have about how to grow in your relationship with Jesus. We have some great resources available and will be posting them on this blog. Please feel free to post comments with questions or email them to scgreekimpact@gmail.com. 

Just for fun here's my newest favorite song! Happy Summer! 

2012. A New Year to Live for Jesus

My 2012 New Years Resolution is this: to love Jesus more deeply, to follow Him with surrender in every area of life, and to let His unfathomable love change my heart from the inside out. Everything else in my life will flow from His power inside me and will produce supernatural results, rather than my own self efforts that yield exhaustion and frustration.


I'm joining The Fellowship of the Unashamed and living for Jesus wholeheartedly in 2012. The Fellowship of the Unashamed was written by Dr. Bob Moorehead and is a powerful declaration of faith and commitment to Christ. 

The Fellowship of the Unashamed 

I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit
Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has
been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow
down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense,
and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight
walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions,
mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or
popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised,
regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by
patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my
way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted,
or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the
pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of
mediocrity.

I won't give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I've preached up, prayed
up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a
disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop,
preach until all know, and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My
colors will be clear for "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.." (Romans 1:16)

What will your resolution be? Will you join The Fellowship of the Unashamed? Will you become a follower of Jesus or be just another person in the crowd? It's a time for new beginnings. Jesus offers a clean slate for every moment of every day. Enter into relationship with Him and all of your sin is wiped clean. Surrender everything to the One who loves you unconditionally. Live for Him. He will take your plans for 2012 and replace them with HIS plans. Scary, I know, but I promise His plans are better, because He loves you more than You can imagine. So let's join together to start off 2012 right by following Jesus daily. He is the only way, truth, hope and life!

Written by Kelsey McKinney of Alpha Chi Omega