Monthly Archives: March 2010

Today’s Scripture of the Day paints a picture that is hard to see, even with the eyes of the imagination. 

tells of the Apostle John’s vision of heaven, which includes a throne, one who looks like jasper and carnelian, a rainbow that appears like an emerald, twenty-four elders, lightnings and rumblings, torches, a sea of glass, and four freaky-looking living creatures.  Even though John describes this scene with great detail, I have trouble even conjuring up a mental picture.  Maybe I need to google “jasper” or “carnelian”, but this glimpse into heaven almost seems unreal.

But is it possible that this heavenly picture that I have trouble imagining is actually more real than the earthly surroundings I see everyday?  In

, Paul says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”  The Christian life is based upon truth that you know is real even though you cannot see (or even imagine) it.  Heaven is a real place.  While this earth feels like “reality” now, it will only last for the blink of an eye when compared to the eternity.  Also in 2 Corinthians, Paul writes, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”  He describes this present “reality” is light and momentary, but heaven is eternal and weighty.

While today’s SOTD is hard to imagine, it is talking about something that is very real, and the reality of heaven in the future should make all the difference in the life of a believer today.  If you know that this heavenly scene in Revelation is real, you will get less caught up in the things of this world.  You will spend more time, effort, and money investing in the Kingdom of God (which will last forever).  If you believe in a real God that sits on the throne, you will have a greater hatred for ungodliness.

As we read through Revelation in Scripture of the Day, remember that these chapters are not only full of descriptions of hard-to-imagine things.  They are real and that reality that should change the way Christians live each and every day.

One of our goals at True North is to evangelize every high school.  The main way we do this is through Campus Lunches.  At schools all across Orange County, students start Christian clubs on their campus.  The clubs meet every week for a Bible study.  Once a month, we bring in free food, gather a crowd and a student stands up to preach the gospel.

Here’s a pic of one of our students, Jackson Dahl, preaching to over 100 of his peers a couple of weeks ago.  It was awesome to hear how quiet the crowd was as he read Bible verses and explained them.  The gospel was ringing out!

Aftwards the rest of our students at that school were able to talk with their friends and others in follow up conversations.  It is fascinating to hear the reaction of a student who is hearing the gospel for the first time.  Some of the students who attended that lunch, have since come to our church.  Our prayer is that they will eventually repent of their sin, put their faith in Jesus and be saved!

The key to these campus lunches is our student leaders.  The lunch will only be as good as the students who are willing to stand up and boldly speak the Word of God.  They have to work hard to prepare for the Bible study and even improve in their public speaking.  They have to take the initiative in inviting their friends and spreading the word of mouth on campus.  I am so thankful for the work that God is doing in the lives of our student leaders.  They are being bold on their campuses to get the Word of God out there and bear fruit in others lives.

Tomorrow there is a campus lunch going down at Laguna Hills High School.  For the first time on that campus we are meeting in the Mult-Purpose Room which can hold hundreds of students.  There will be free Subway for all.  Please join me in praying for Mike Lasutschinkow who will be preaching the gospel.  And pray for the rest of our students at Laguna Hills as they have follow up conversations.

God has started a good work in the high schools of Orange County, but there are still thousands of students who are unsaved and many who have not heard a clear presentation of the gospel.  True North is here to do something about this.  Pray God uses us to bring about REVIVAL!

Who’s with me?

Do you, like most people in the world, think that trials stink?

Then think again, and check out what God says in

.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”

At first glance, such a statement seems odd.  Why would you attach such positive language – “all joy” – to something with such a negative connotation – trials?  Thankfully, God gives us a reason in the next two verses.

“For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

God has a purpose for testing his people; he wants them to grow into spiritual maturity.  Through trials, he sovereignly supplies his people with the patience and character that they need, so that they will be “lacking in nothing.”

So what end are you seeking when trials appear in your life?

Are you simply seeking the end of the trial?  Do you pray, “God, please take this hard circumstance away as soon as possible so I can get on with my life as I planned it.”

Or are you seeking God’s end of the trial? Do you pray, “God, please use this hard circumstance to make me more like Jesus so I can grow in my life as you have planned it.”  If you take this second attitude and look at every test with a confidence that God has a sanctifying purpose for it, you will be amazed at how much easier it is to “count it all joy.”

Tonight I started planning out the end of the year for True North.  One thing I am really looking forward to is the return of our teaching series Don’t Stop Standing!  So many high school students fall away from Christianity as they go off to college.  I am praying that our graduating Seniors will stand firm in their faith for the rest of their lives!

This thought goes along perfectly with our chapter on Scripture of the Day.  As we read the last chapter of 1 Peter, he has the same desire for the Christians he is writing to:

– And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Only God can keep someone standing.  If he has chosen you to be on his team, then nothing can stop you from experiencing eternity with him.  He has all of the grace he needs to bring you to his glory.  What a hopeful perspective Peter ends the book with: complete confidence that God will continue his good work until it is completed!

Let’s all pray that God will do this kind of work in us.  That we will have a faith that perseveres to the end, especially for the True North Class of 2010 as they get ready to graduate in three months!  Who will join me in praying for them?

(Over the next few weeks, Pastor Ben and I will be posting highlights from our old Don’t Stop Standing sermons.  Keep checking the blog here for encouraging words to help you stand strong for our Lord Jesus Christ!)