Moving blog....

Please check out the new location of Sovereign Wind blog:  www.sovereignwind.wordpress.com.  Also, check out www.lovingthetruth.wordpress.com, a collection of articles written by college students who attend our church.

B90X - Wicked Leaders - Godly Leaders

Day 25 - We speak often of the wisdom and riches of Solomon, but what a let down he became to the Kingdom of God!   His descendants continued in his wicked ways... worshipping other Gods and doing what was sinful in the sight of the people.  The allure of power is seductive and makes common men do truly uncommon acts of sin.   Perhaps it's the freedom given to those in power?  Or, maybe it's the thrill of control that seduces a man into believing he is above the law, political or spiritual.  Whatever the cause, it is clear that far too many leaders in history have strayed from their calling and sought the fruit of sin that is so readily available to them.

Our modern world has seen great Presidents rise and fall under the pressure of the office.  They begin their campaigns with a genuine desire to serve mankind, yet within months of being elected they resign themselves to petty politics and selfish ambition.  Woe to those who God raises up who respond by turning away from His precepts. Woe to Pastors who are given charge over His Word... to preach, teach and proclaim it to this generation... who distort it with their liberal theology, dismiss it with their weak convictions, and discourage the body by lording over them or running from their responsibilities.

As in the days of Solomon and his descendants, we desperately need godly leaders in our churches and courthouses.  We need men who are resolute in their commitments to doctrinal integrity. Men who do not fall prey to worldly ambition, but seek the favor of God and the wisdom of His Word.   Men who speak boldly and can articulate the necessity for truth, justice, morality and faith.   We must begin now to raise up the next generation of leaders.  Young men who will develop the character traits that will preserve them into old age.  We must invest in the lives of this present generation... teaching them to obey all that God has commanded of them and to choose righteousness over sinfulness.  We must ignite in their young minds a thirst for God-centered theology, ignite in their hearts a passion for Christ-like character, and ignite in their souls a zeal for missions that drives them into the far reaches of the world!

Let us look to leaders, young and old, who have the heart of David are willing to lead others to the throne of God.

B90X - Ask for Wisdom

When Solomon came before the Lord in prayer he could have asked for anything. Money, fame, beautiful wisdom, loyal subjects, land, etc. However, his desire wisdom eclipsed all of these. Unlike many of us Solomon knew that with great wisdom you can lead a people, influence nations, effect the economy, solve problems on a global scale. And Solomon did all this and more. People traveled from far away nations to learn from Solomon and he built wealth that would far surpass the riches of Gates or Buffett. Wisdom.

Let me encourage you today to seek the Lord for wisdom, for when you do He will respond. And know this. When we ask for wisdom we don't just become wise, we receive the one who is wise. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is not just a gift of wisdom but a filling up with the One who IS wise. Oh what riches God has stored up for those who humbly seek Him! So why don't we pray the "Solomon Prayer"? Perhaps we think we know better? Maybe we fear what we Would have to give up? Maybe we want our worldly, earthly wisdom?

Pray Solomon's prayer today. "Give your servant a discerning heart that he may know the difference between right and wrong". That is true wisdom... To know what is right in God's sight and what is wrong.

Peace and wisdom to you this day!

B90X - David and Goliath (Day 23)

Day 23 - As a child I was often told the story of David and Goliath... we all were!  It was inspiring and riveting to any young boy listening or reading about this unbelievable account.  And it was an account... not a myth or story meant to spark imagination or motivation.  it was a real-life account of young man's faithfulness to a holy, all-powerful God.   It is not a story about the power of man, but the power of God.  It is not a story about the courage of a man, but about the sovereignty of God.   

The amazing message from this epic battle was not that "big things come in little packages", but that God is sovereignly ordaining the steps of his children and is victorious over sin... regardless of how BIG it appears to be.  Remember, David's faith was not in his marksmanship with a sling, but with the belief he had in the promises of God.  When Goliath fell God took all the glory, David just took Goliath's sword.   I find it amusing and pathetic that pastors and speakers will use this event to build up the courage of men or to inspire us to do "BIG" things for Jesus.  It gets so close to man-centered motivation that one hardly sees the power and purpose of God in many of the messages presented today.    Let us never use scripture for self-motivaiton unless it is to motivate us to greater submission to God... like that of David.  

B90X - Leader Moses?

Day 5 - When God took Moses by surprise with the fiery bush he said... Who am I Lord? In other words, I'm a nobody! Pharaoh won't listen, the people won't follow me, and I have a fear of public speaking. But lead them he did! Not because he was the wisest or most talented, but because he was called out for a purpose and was willing to obey God's command.

If you stood before the Lord and He said "go"..... Would you go? Maybe he is already calling you to a new task, ministry or lifestyle change. Maybe the fire of the lord is burning right before you but you are saying... Who me? Why me? Not me! Perhaps you need to surrender like Moses to a task that far exceeds your abilities so God can display his power through your weakness.

Stop worrying about your abilities and start seeking the Lord for the wisdom and strength you will need for the calling. Be sure you pray for humility, for you will need it!

B90X: day 4 - Time

I am using the above term for this 90 day reading and blog. I figure I'm more likely to finish reading the Bible in 90 days than doing Tony Horton's P90X workout videos for 90 days!

As I read in Genesis I am struck by how slowly life moved. This week I read about how 7 years, plus 7 years, plus 7 years Jacob waited to get the "right" wife and his livestock. Many years later his son Joseph would learn the value of waiting as he set in prison for years for a crime he did not commit. There forefathers waited and their descendants would wait for deliverance for decades while wandering in the desert.

To wait on the lord, particularly in times of trials and testing, is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks for the modern day Christian. We are not expected or willing to wait for anything. I suppose if we could shorten pregnancies to 9 days vs 9 months we would be thrilled! Fast food isn't fast enough, and no doubt people want their sermons short and sweet!

But God does not operate according to our timeline. He has a plan for our lives that may require us to wait and endure for years before we see the fruit of our labor. Oh sure, sometimes the return is fast, but more often God seems to train us through the long hard trials of this present age. Trials that produces character and in turn build our hope and faith in Christ.

So slow down and be patient for the Lord. This is not a fast food religion, but one that lasts for all eternity. Delight in the Lord this day and settle in for a long life with Him.

90 Day thru the Bible

Day 2: What a dramatic promise God made to Abraham. "look up at the heavens and count the stars-if indeed you can count them....so shall your offspring be". Abraham could count his sons and daughters just as surely as I can count mine. It was not the bloodline of Abraham that God promised to expand throughout the generations, but the spiritual bloodline. The blood not of Abraham but of the one who he trusted would come.... The Messiah. Yes, Abraham has a rich lineage but it is held together by faith alone in Christ alone. If we are heirs with Christ then we are children of Abraham. Oh to be connected to such a rich and wonderful family... Isaac, Joseph, Jeremiah, And many others.

It is a privilege to be counted among the "stars"!

One Passion

"I have but one passion - it is He.  It is He alone.  The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ."   Count Zinzendorf of Moravia, 16th Century Missionary.

To view our country is that place on earth that we can be most used for the sake of the gospel is counter to our American mindset.  It's a radical view of our lives and our calling.

Mystery of Marriage

(This article will appear in the June issue of the Wacoan.  It is their annual Bridal issue)

I remember like it was yesterday.  As I stood with my groomsmen awaiting Lydia’s entrance I was full of joy and great expectation of our life together.  We were crazy in love and ready for marriage!   But as a 22-year-old college Senior how much could I really know about marriage?  What kind of husband would I be? Where will we live? What about money, kids, and the million other great unknowns of marriage?  Like a heart-pounding mystery novel that you can’t put down, marriage takes hold of two people’s lives and carries them on a journey to places they’ve never known.  

God’s Word says that marriage is a “profound mystery” (Ephesians 5:32) and like a great mystery novel it must be unraveled before it is understood.   The mystery of a marriage is not found in the laws that govern it or the traditions we inherit from family, for these can be changed according to cultural norms.  In California a witch doctor can unite same-sex couples in marriage and they are granted the same legal benefits as any other couple.  So to understand the mystery we must look to one who designed marriage, for His plans are unchangeable and everlasting.   In the beginning God ordained marriage with these simple words; “…a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”  (Genesis 2:24).   

The first clue to the mystery is to understand the idea of two people becoming one flesh. This unusual term is referring to the act of consummation, which is intended to take place after the wedding, not while dating!  (Shocking to many… but true!)  There is a created order to love and it begins with vows not with sex.  So, the first clue in the mystery of marriage is that God creates physical oneness to testify to the spiritual oneness created by the vows.

The second clue to the mystery is found in the connection between marriage and our relationship to Jesus Christ.  “This mystery (of marriage) is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”  (Ephesians 5:32)  When we place our trust in Jesus Christ we become one with Him and share in His eternal inheritance.   Like marriage, conversion to Jesus Christ is a covenant relationship - a solemn, binding agreement. In Biblical terms we are the Bride and Jesus is the Groom.  So, the second clue to the mystery is that our union in marriage is meant to reflect Christ’s union with all those who follow Him.  Imagine the freedom a marriage has when husband and wife strive to love each other the way Christ and His church love each other.  

To better understand the depths of the mystery of marriage we have to recognize the painful and destructive effects of ending the marriage.  If marriage is the uniting of man and woman physically and spiritually, then divorce is both a physical and spiritual separation.   We have all consoled a friend whose spouse had an affair, and grieved with them as they spoke about the intense pain of rejection and the dramatic effect it is having on the whole family.  When the covenant vows are violated the offended spouse feels like their heart and flesh are being ripped apart.  The pain is deep, hurtful, and while forgiveness can come, there are lasting consequences.  Like Bethany Hamilton whose arm was violently ripped off by a shark and now lives with the consequences of that tragic event, divorce leaves a scar in the heart and effects future generations.  

The mystery of marriage is that two people are united as one flesh for the purpose of reflecting the love between Christ and His church.  When God is glorified in marriage love endures in the midst of trials, generations are blessed, and joy is found in each other.  May we all unite with Christ so that we can fully unite with one we love and share in this great mystery together.

Baby sonogram

The wonder of sonogram technology has become commonplace for my generation, but prior generations were unable to see the miracle of new life taking place in the womb.   What a blessing for expectant mothers, whether the pregnancy is planned or unplanned, to hear the heartbeat, observe the movement of the child and to know whether it's girl or boy!   No doubt, the news of pregnancy strikes fear in the hearts of many young, unmarried women, especially if the father is unwilling to accept responsibility.   However, before a decision for abortion is made and a life is taken, that expectant mother deserves the right to see, and hear, the child within her.   Fortunately, there is a new bill before the Texas House requiring a sonogram before an abortion is performed.   Doctors, pregnancy center counselors, and abortion providers, should be required to provide the full disclosure that sonograms offer and do all they can to guide expectant mothers to choose life for their baby.  It is not only rationale to assume that a live birth is a better than an abortion, but it is loving, humane and the right choice for the baby and mother.  Sonograms reveal the overwhelming truth, which cannot be denied, that a baby is alive in the womb.  We should urge our representatives to pass this bill as it empowers women to choose what is best for their baby and their future.

Jay Mathis

510 N. Valley Mills Dr. 

Ste. 304

Waco, TX 76710

254-855-5401 cell

What is Required?

Our memory verse for this week is Deuteronomy 10:12-14.  In this passage we are challenged to flow God according to His standards and requirements.  As rebellious people we are continually seeking our own negotiated terms of relationship with Jesus Christ. We are all guilty to some degree of making the Bible "relevant" to our whims and desires and traditions. If God could simply bend to our notions of what should be required of us, then it would certainly make life easier!  But that is not God's way. He has a form and structure to His religion and it is not to be tampered with. While His requirements are certainly challenging they are also doable.... Since all things are possible with God. So let's be clear on God's requirements as outlined in Duet. 10:12-14....

Fear Him
Walk in His ways
Love Him (heart, soul, mind, strength)
Serve him (with all your heart and soul)
Keep all His other statutes and commandments

Whew.  Notice how He threw in that last line. It's like saying; "In case I didn't cover it here, keep any other commandments you come across in future readings."

Here's the good news!  If you will abide with Christ and strive to do all that is commanded of you, He will abide with you and equip you for every good work. And... When you stumble and fall God will lift you up with His mighty right hand and grant you forgiveness and strength.

So, do not be discouraged by His commandments but be encouraged!  Now is not the time for negotiating the terms of your relationship with Him, now is the time to obey Him Him with dogged determination and burning desire!  Memorize this verse and let it become a delight to your soul.  Peace out.  

Requires of us!

Our memory verse for this week is Deuteronomy 10:12-14. In this passage we are challenged to flow God according to His standards and requirements. As rebellious people we are continually seeking our own negotiated terms of relationship with Jesus Christ. We are all guilty to some degree of making the Bible "relevant" to our whims and desires and traditions. If God could simply bend to our notions of what should be required of us, then it would certainly make life easier! But that is not God's way. He has a form and structure to His religion and it is not to be tampered with. While His requirements are certainly challenging they are also doable.... Since all things are possible with God. So let's be clear on God's requirements as outlined in Duet. 10:12-14....

Fear Him
Walk in His ways
Love Him (heart, soul, mind, strength)
Serve him (with all your heart and soul)
Keep all His other statutes and commandments

Whew. Notice how He threw in that last line. It's like saying; "In case I didn't cover it here, keep any other commandments you come across in future readings."

Here's the good news! If you will abide with Christ and strive to do all that is commanded of you, He will abide with you and equip you for every good work. And... When you stumble and fall God will lift you up with His mighty right hand and grant you forgiveness and strength.

So, do not be discouraged by His commandments but be encouraged! Now is not the time for negotiating the terms of your relationship with Him, now is the time to obey Him Him with dogged determination and burning desire! Memorize this verse and let it become a delight to your soul. Peace out.

Jay Mathis
254-855-5401