Its been a while since I last posted, I'll see if I can do something about that.
Over Christmas break I got the opportunity to go up to Camp of the Woods in Ontario Canada. Winter-camp was awesome, met some legit high school students and camp leaders passionate about Christ and transforming the youth of the area. I'm hoping to be able to make it up to Canada this summer for at least a week to serve at COTW. It was so legit with great fellowship and tons of snow, in the face a few times. It was called Reality Check- which was all about checking in with everyone and seeing where everyone is at spiritually- to see where we have slid in faith or even lost focus on Christ. IT was awesome reconnecting with them and i cant wait for summer.
This past week was deeper life week at Crown, last semester I found out why its called deeper life week through my Alliance History and Distinctions class. The founder of the C&MA started the Alliance when he broke from a Presbyterian Church in New York because of their rejection of specific people groups. From there Simpson started this church, not in hopes to create another denomination but to bring the focus of the Church back to Christ. Through this he created the Four Fold Gospel which is: Christ our Savior, Sanctify, Healer and coming king. The most important thought was Jesus Christ and his all satisfying work on the cross; plus nothing else. This life of following Christ know as the "deeper life" served as what it meant for a Christ followers to experience Christ in daily living.
Deeper Life was so Legit, our speaker Trance Nichols spoke on 'the facebook effect' but it was more about relating it to living a more Christ centered life and what that looked like. Each night had a message that permeated as the sermon went on highlighting a spiritual discipline. The authority and power of the word of God, the responsibility of all to give our lives to obey the commands of Christ in missions nad living. These two were just parts of the spirit moving in the hearts of those here at crown.
the most impactful night for me was on Wednesday when i missed the regular chapel time and came for teardown to work and the chapel was still full at 8:05 when chapel should have been over at 7:50 so i came in, sat, and listened. Basically what i missed was Terrance sharing his testimony of God's work in him, but i caught the end of it. He referred to an experience that he had as a kid that i related to him with and when he had the strength to mention it i felt a connection with him as a brother who has been through the same thing and, like me, has been freed from the pain of that situation. As i sat and thanked God for the moment God brought to mind for me the fact i had just shared my testimony and shared my favorite verse at the beginning of baseball practice. It was Col. 1:13,14 where "we" have have been delivered from a dominion of darkness and transfurred to the kindom of his beloved son" as god worked on my heart it became heavy on my heart that The freedom from the bondage of sin through Jesus is a stronger bond that that shared freedom that I had with Terrance. IT amazed me how God enlarged my vision, allowing me to see that the freedom that i share with every bother and sister in Christ is stronger than any experience or any other deliverance.
From there God continued to work on my heart relating to how we should care for and be watchful of our own actions for the sake of a brother. Because we share in this freedom, I don't want to hinder the work of God in their life. It reminded me of the Francis Chan Sermon at the "Think" conference where he pointed to Paul, in Romans 9, praying that he would consider himself cursed for the sake of his brother. What love is that? to hope be broken so that you would pray that God would take me instead of allowing them to live in their death(Eph 2:1) any longer. How Legit is that? To God be the Glory, how his mercies are new each day.
Praise to him alone. May you be encouraged and uplifted.
Right now Things are starting to take shape for this summer, Pray that God will lead and bring me further into that "deeper life" in Christ alone.
