How is everyone? It's been a long time.

It's been a while since I last wrote, mostly just cause focus has been elsewehere I guess. Well, for a quick update, I got laid off from building evaporators and condensors for Johnson Controls more than a month ago now and I've still been looking for a full time Job some place. Everything is going great with my significant other, and in fact could only be better in ways we should probably be patient with anyway. I'm an Illinois National Guard Member now and I have my first drill on March 7th, so pray for me in that challenge. I have gotten the body back in shape now I think (even though I know most of you know I was never really in that bad of shape), and I am boasting only in Christ since earning my Pastoral Counselor's Certificate from World Christianship Ministries. I just finished reading the book of Hebrews again. Some good stuff. I recommend everyone contemplating challenges to read what God has to say in Chapter 13: 17-21. It just hit the spot for me as I read it this morning. I now have buisiness cards made up for The Martin Center, and for Martin Ministries. I am still working on the National certification credential for non-profit organizations, but I have begun building relationships in the schools and out at the local community college. It is fun work to be in ministry, but I'll definitly have to say, it really doesn't pay the bills. So far it's ended up to feel like an expensive (in time anyway) hobby. I ask for your prayers in finding employment. I know ministry and teaching swim lessons is so rewarding (in everyway but that which puts food on the table) and it is so worth it. I have no idea what God has in store for me, but I feel I am going to need something more very soon. I won't leave for basic or AIT for the 68 Whiskey (medical) division of the guard till early July, and I am still looking for something to tie me off at least until then. I do know that God will provide though, and I ask that you join me in prayer.

Helping my brother understand Christian Humanism is a Lie

My bro is back from college now and he's been working on this paper I was reading for him today. It was really easy for me to see how confused he's been about God lately while I was reading it because the whole ordeal is a paper for his core class at a Catholic college teaching the goodness of Christian Humanism. After saying just a few brief things about how those two words don't even belong in the same phrase really, I found this beautiful artile on the "Truth about Christ Blog." It reads...

"Do good works save you…what did Jesus teach?
Do we need to do good works for salvation? That is a big question in some religious circles. Both Christian and Non-Christian groups alike teach that we need to do good works in order to obtain salvation.
The big question that we need to ask is, “Is this biblical or man-made?” So where do we need to go to find an answer to whether or not works are needed for salvation? The best source I believe is Jesus Christ Himself, and Matthew chapter 7 is where you will find His teaching on this topic. In this chapter Jesus is still preaching the Sermon on the Mount, and at verse 13 of this chapter Jesus starts to tell the people about the way to heaven (narrow is the gate…). He then goes on to tell the people to beware of false prophets who will come to deceive them into believing something else, and at verses 21 – 23 we find the following words of Jesus:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Matt 7:21-23 (NASB)
Obviously, “on that day” is talking about the day when Jesus comes to judge us all, which will determine where we will spend eternity. Right before Jesus passes judgment, what does Jesus say the people will appeal to in order to show Him that they are worthy of a heavenly reward?...their good works. Jesus listed out a bunch of things that the people said they did in His name, and what was Jesus’ response to all of this? Did He say, “Well done, your heavenly reward awaits you”? No, Jesus told them to depart from Him because doing those things isn’t what saves you. Only our relationship with Christ, our acceptance of Him as Savior and our obedience to Him will matter. No faith in an organization or denomination will save you...it's only our faith in Jesus Christ that will save you.
Posted by Tim4Christ at 7:08 PM"

I encourage everyone to read through this more than once and then visit Tim's Blog as well as the other links on it. There is some great ministry being done by these folks, and so far, I have to say I agree with their motions to be obedient to God. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and feel free to send me your prayers so I may pray with you.

I felt like Jesus today...I think

It's tough to manage your thoughts when there is more holding you down than lifting you up. It sure is good that the few items lifting me up are stronger. I am currently working on a B.S., M.A., and Ph. D. all at the same time while working 3 jobs. It sounds like a lot and it is, but it's really the emotional weights that pull on me, not the stresses on my academics. You see, when it comes right down to it, I only reach out for achievements because they help in other areas of my life, or they keep me sound of mind, or they allow me more freedom physically and financially. Today though, I recieved a phone call from my significant other, and realize the damage the distance is doing. You see there are different types of distances in a relationship, but the one that concerns me is the connectivity of our emotions currently. I realized that I don't like how she is beginning to get used to being without me physically, and that yanks on me. I also realized why Jesus never leaves our hearts, but can really miss us at times. If he were sitting in my living room and I just walked right by him, recognizing he was there, but ran out the door with my coffee ready for work without saying a word?--I felt like Jesus. Sonya is a wonderful woman, and I love her very much, but think I am really beginning to realize that respect and responsibility are not all that holds a house together. I geuss you could say it was a DA!!! moment, but someone has to be in your house in order to consider them a part of your household. My house has been dirty with clutter and filled with love, but today...I knew a part of me was not there. your relationship with Jesus is no different. We must all concentrate on him first for our lives to feel right.

Today in Reflection

This morning I went out to eat with the family for breakfast like we commonly do on sunday mornings, and the conversations quickly turned from Nascar and football to ordination of ministers and churches. It has been enticing during the last month to see a growing interest in many of my family members' hearts about religion and God. In some ways this is provoked by my desire to do ministry, but since I have been home from college they also see me going to church often (which is out of the ordinary from when I left home five years ago). College prepared me for many things, but it never prepared me to challenge everything I set my roots in growing up.

Well, after breakfast I talked my mother and grandmother into attending church with me, and I attempted to do the same with the men in my family, but with the call rejected, I drove the women in the family (giving them door service of course) to a message on the importance of answering the most vital question we ever come across in our lives. "Who's Jesus to you?"

This question and it's vitality to our lives, so invaluable and needed as bread and water, re-evaluates the sole beneath our feet as we walk on so many sharp, broken pieces and through boiling water on our daily journey (whether we know Christ or not). In Mark 8: 29, Jesus asks "but what about you? Who do you say I am?" Peter, the one disciple Jesus asks to be the leader of his church after he descends into heaven, confesses, "You are the Christ." God asks us all to have a relationship with him and recieve his nurturing, his nourishment. I challenge you to take 5 minutes out of your day today and just ask yourself that question? you see, cause the problem is that when you accept what the world has to say about Jesus, or what organized religion has to say about Jesus, you lose the chance for eternal peace, eternal joy, eternal life. If these are true then life is chaos, and life is meaningless (just as it says in Ecclesiastes) and life is not really living, but merely exhisting. Please, I beg you, don't be one of those that misses the point. Being a Christian is not a religion, not a building, not good works or doing the right thing. Pray and read your bible because all God has ever asked from you is for a relationship with Him.

So, "Who's Jesus to you?"

Exciting News on My Own Walk with Christ

I have just acquired the title of Doctor of Divinity and become an ordained minister. It is very exciting to recieve these credentials and be given the opportunity to serve with them. As of right now, the ministry I am invovled in ranges from college students down to 3 year olds in swim lessons. The bottom line is that I love what I do, even if that is not much to some people and too much to others. Leadership comes through serving selflessly those who seldom or maybe even bitterly acknowledge you. My life has taken some strange twists and turns the last 5 years, but to now be given this great achievement at age 23, I feel extremely blessed. Life is more valuable than we could ever imagine when we consider the possibilities turned over in front of our eyes when we give our lives fully over to Jesus. It is no wonder we are so precious to HIM when we wear His reading glasses. I read two books recently that have enlightened a new spirit in me and reiterated some feelings I have had my whole life. These two works of art are "Spiritual Authority" by Watchman Nee and "The Men We Long To Be" by Stephen Boyd. One clarifies our thoughts on the meaning of Christian Manhood and the other teaches us about who the real authority is in our lives. I highly recomend these works to any and all that can get their hands on them. The knowledge in these peices of literature are as valuable as prayer because they teach (primarily men) the undeniable value of personal relationships, obedience, and responsible leadership. Above all, listen to God. When you get to know his voice, you need to heed it and follow in Christ's footsteps. It really is the only way to live in true spiritual freedom. Just like Chris Tomlin sings, "My Chains are Gone" we must rely on His Amazing Grace for Love's overpowering revelation.

Creating Martin Ministries

I have created Martin Ministries to reach a valuable generation of people in our world. No matter who you are, to Jesus...you are valuable. You are all unique, precious, treasured creations of the king of the universe, and He LOVES you. He loves you. He LOVES. God is amazing and alot of us in this generation don't even take the time to speak to him. Not talk to our creator? That's just nonsensical and neglectful. There is so much evidence that demands a verdict, and many of us ignore it for the longest time. I include myself in this description too. I am certainly not perfect. I ask God to forgive me everyday for stupid things I do, but I also thank him for the blessings he has given me in this life. I became a christian at age 17 and now I finally walk in the way of Jesus. Of course the choices lie inside each and every one of us, but we all know by experience that "if you don't control your life choices, your choices will control your life." Don't let your past haunt you any longer. Give up your life to Jesus Christ and see the magnificent things he can place in your life. It's not all pretty flowers and great smelling perfumes though. Sometimes God breaks us into vulnerable little pieces, but we get stronger when we allow HIM to put us back together. God has called me to this ministry to help people of all walks of life. I want to reach a technology age of children and teens, as well as buisy college students and adults. Many times we focus on the children and the old folks that regularly come to a church and we simply try to keep them there, but our job as ministers is to reach out and help God fulfill the Great Commision by encouraging personal communion with God. My desire is to help the world learn how to know and love God, and then translate that love to other people. Lets break out of our comfort zone and experience the walk that Peter did when he walked on water for just a few brief moments. It breaks my heart when I see a man lying on a park bench and everyone just walking by, hoping maybe someone else will pay attention. It breaks my heart when there's a full cup of change in front of that man and all he really wants is to spend some time with someone who cares about him. It breaks my heart when I see a college party fight break out and become a huge spectacle to stare, but not one of those students is in church the next morning because they don't feel God has anything useful to say to them. I can't stand to see children fail in school because they are not worked with consistently and just feel like giving up--and a teacher becomes ok with it. I desire more than this from a creation made by God to reflect God, and take care of his other creations. I don't want to live in a world where we kill the children, but save the trees. None of us deserve to live in such a world. I am therefore serving as a simple man caring about the world, connecting it, and showing love for it. I tutor kids and college students of all ages, and I teach bible stories, serve as a youth minister, and network with others to reach out to those who need God in any and every way humanly possible. I work a fulltime job in these tough economic times at a factory building industrial refrigeration condensers and I devote even more of my time lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons at my local YMCA. I boast not in myself but in the strength and the gifts God gives me. I would love to do so much more if God calls me to do so. I know where I fail God will succeed, but someone has to step up in worshiping Him in all that we do. Feel free to contact me if you have advice, or just want to aid in my ministry. Whether it be in ideas, finances, or just talking about God, I am very appreciative of any aid. Thank you and may God bless all those that read the messages our Lord has to offer.

Spending Time With God Can Be Eye-Opening

I've been on some really eye-opening trips in the last couple of years as a college student. These are some pictures of those moments. I know back in Biblical times they did not have such things as cameras, but God's word can give us some magnificent pictures to remember him by. Many of these can simply be found in the natural world around us. Don't just take advantage of it. Take the time to explore it for all it is. There is not one sight that is accidental. When we take pictures in the mirror, or a window, we see the world glow, but the world glows all the time. Put on God's glasses. He sees truth, and he gives us the opportunity to do so also. Why not do what God created us for? If you need Him, pray. Talk to your king, you will find he can help you out a lot. There is no better communion than a prayer with your master.