​Job had three pretty awful friends who did not at all understand how God works.  There are so many beautiful gospel truths found in the book of Job that not only proves God’s character as good but points us to Jesus and his unconditional election.  Job’s friends believed that Job’s loss and pain where a direct response to something Job had done. Job responds to them by defending himself knowing that he had done nothing to deserve the loss and pain acquired.  The primary concern of God is His own glory and as God, only He deserves glory!  In his pain and suffering, Job is displaying the glory of almighty God. Job is proving God’s goodness!  As bad things happen Job trusts God.  Sometimes bad things happen, we can choose to glorify God as Job did or we can curse God.  Our purpose in life is to glorify God!  In Job 38 & 39 we see God respond to Job’s wrestling over trusting in God.  God reminds Job that He alone is almighty God. God reminds Job that He alone is faithful. God tells Job to “dress for action like a man” or basically to man up. God reminds Job that He has never failed and will never fail and that Job needs to just trust God! Today we can trust God through all things! Jesus has come and defeated sin and death! We need to fear nothing and trust God! He is faithful.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:25-26

​Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

​Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

​“Most segregated time of day is Sunday Service. Now what you think that say about the God you worship.” Those lyrics from Lecrae’s song “Dirty Water” have been heavy on my heart for a while now. We have failed to open our doors for all people. We have failed to acknowledge the image of God in all humanity. Leonce Crump says “The world will not listen to you if your Christ is not big enough to form a family from all nations as the bible says. We are inauthentic at that point.” There should be no such thing as “White Church,” “Black Church,” “Asian Church,” or “Cowboy Church.” All these things seek to segregate what God calls to be integrated. The church has failed to reach out to all people. We only seek out others who are “like us.” One thing the Bible has taught me is that I have more in common with a Chinese Christian in rural China and a Christian black man living in the inner city of Los Angeles than I do with my lost white neighbor that has the same income as I do. God shows us the value of ALL mankind with His grace towards Noah. God shows us the value of ALL mankind with His grace through Jesus! Noah and his family were spared. God then reminded them that they were made in the image of God (Gen 9:6) and told them to multiply His Image and His Glory (Gen 8:17, 9:1,7). Jesus saves us from our sin making a way for us to live with Him for forever. Jesus calls us to be like Him (Luke 6:40) and multiply His Image and His Glory! Ask God to reveal any racism in your heart. Ask God to reveal any feelings of superiority over another human made in the image of God. And ask God to fix those things with in you. Ask Him to let you see people as He sees them!

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

In the beginning God called humanity to be "fruitful and multiply." But in Genesis chapter 6 we see humanity being "sinful and multiplying." God created humanity in His image for the purpose of spreading His Glory! At this point no one except for one man was living for the glory of God. The Bible calls Noah a righteous man. Was Noah perfect? No, but Noah was a man who trusted and had faith in the Lord. You do not spend years of hard labor building a HUGE boat unless you have faith in the one who told you to build it. Noah trusted in God for salvation. He trusted in the fact that God would provide salvation both from the flood and also from his own sin. Humanity failed and continues to fail at our primary responsibility to glorify God by being fruitful and multiplying. Praise be to Jesus that He came to right all of our wrongs. Praise be to Jesus that He rescued us from our sin and has made a way to righteousness. Praise be to Jesus that if you have given your life to Him you can actually live out your primary reason for existence and glorify God! Be fruitful and multiply, go make disciples. Trust in Jesus he is our rock and our salvation! If he is for me who can be against me! Noah's faithfulness brought a new temporary clean slate for humanity. Jesus's faithfulness brought an everlasting clean slate for all who repent and believe! ​

​It's pretty awesome to think about how God created humanity in His own image! Because of that truth, every life has value, beginning at conception. Because of this truth we are reminded that Jesus calls us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) to all people of all backgrounds and color. Let's pray for racial reconciliation in our country and that God would open the door for our church to start reaching people who are different from us and also let's pray for the unborn all made in the image of God! Hope y'all enjoyed day 1!

The most basic purpose of the church is to glorify God. Therefore the most basic purpose of the Student ministry is also to glorify God.  I also believe that the primary way we do this, is by making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20, John 14, Acts 1:8, Romans 1:16-17).  So to start moving our ministry in the direction of disciple making, I have begun walking a group of 5 students (our student leadership team) through the Bible using Robby and Kandi Gallaty's book "Foundations."  The cool thing is that the Gallaty's have 3 different "Foundations" books one for Adults, Students and Children.  If you would like to follow along with us, BUY THE BOOK, also I will be posting regularly my thoughts on that days reading! 

My favorite thing about "Foundations" is that its not just about reading God's Word but studying God's Word!  The Gallaty's teach a method of studying called the H.E.A.R. method.  Highlight, Explain, Apply, Respond.  I'm not going to explain anymore than that because I really want you to buy their book!  This is a great resource for Christians who are serious about discipleship!