Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Bible Study - “Remain Calm” OR David’s Really, Really, Really Bad, Awful Day

There is an account in I Samuel 29-30 that I had never spent much time thinking about before this summer. The context unfolds after a bunch of things we are familiar with:
  • David has been anointed, but Saul is still in the position of king (Hmmm)
  • David has killed Goliath, the Philistine champion (Yeah!)
  • Saul pursued David, but David escapes (Twice!)
While David and his men are hiding among the Philistines (huh?!?...yep, hiding among the enemy), David has a day like no other. His perseverance and strength teach our hearts to hold on to the Lord through the hardest situations.

1) David faces a bunch of hardship. What does each of the following verses describe him losing?

-- I Sam. 29:6-10 --
-- I Sam. 30:1-5 --
-- I Sam. 30:6a --

2) What did David do in the face of such challenges in I Samuel 30:6b? What does that mean from the testimony of the rest of Scripture?

3) David approaches the Lord about the situation. What does David hear from the Lord I Samuel 30:7-8?

4) Read I Samuel 30:9-19. How did this encounter with the Lord lead David to act? What was the final result of David’s response to God’s directive?

5) How does this lesson impact your situation? In what ways does the Lord want you to respond by faith right now?

by Jason Holt
originally posted September 2009

Consequences

Sin. Do we ever really consider the consequences of our sin? I know that right in the moment when sin is “crouching at our door” and we are feeling the onslaught of temptation it can be very difficult to consider what is going to happen if we give in. Ought not we do so? That's not really the point that I am trying to make though. In the midst of the moment, with emotions rising and our thinking smoggy, we are always aware of those kinds of things. What I want you think about right now, when you aren't in the moment of temptation, is how sin really does have consequences.
In our culture sin obviously does not really matter. In fact, the question raised would be, “What is sin? Is it really going to matter if I do this thing or not?” The fact of the matter is that God is Lord of all, including us. Being who He is, He can make rules and laws about how things ought to work. He has done that very thing for us. As Christians we ought to desire to walk according to those rules and laws. I am afraid that we too have been tainted by this mindset of not thinking there are consequences for our actions. I look back over my own life and see how my sin has had an effect not only on myself, but on those around me. It keeps us from knowing God and from being able to carry out His will. At the very least, when you sin against God, you are not loving your neighbor. The specifics of that though are sometimes different for other people. Interesting thought though, huh? It along with what James says about having broken just one part of the law we have broken all of it. Sometimes our sin costs us different things such as money, time, marriages, friendships, and all sorts of other things in this world, and it always costs us spiritually. Never is our sin unaccounted for.

God told the Israelites that the sin of the fathers would be counted down to the third and fourth generation. Can you imagine that? Maybe you are feeling the effects of that. That scares me. Sometimes I think that it's ok, as long as I don't get caught, I'm good, but it's not like that. God always knows. He always sees. There is actually some comfort in that though. Being held accountable for our sin is a good thing. It sure does stink though. Nobody likes to get caught doing the wrong thing. Especially when we know that we have been. I wonder if Hollywood knows that. I wonder if I know that. Have you ever taken the time to look over your life and see how your sin has had an impact on those around you? I've screwed with peoples lives so many times with my sin, that I want to know why God still lets me even exist. Sometimes I think it would be better if He just took me out so others don't have to deal with the consequences of my actions. It's bad enough that I have to deal with them, but others do too. It does not seem that fair does it? That is the way it is though. Sin has consequences. Our actions produce reactions. Thankfully in the midst of that sin, confusion, hurt and pain, when conviction comes from God we can rise up off our knees and go to Jesus. In His arms we find comfort.

I say this to you as a warning, but also more so as an encouragement. As Christians we need to understand and live sober minded. We know what sin is. Sometimes we don't count the cost of that sin. I am quite confident that if we took the time to look back and see how our sin has had an effect upon us and those around us we would weep with sorrow and beg God to forgive us and give us the strength to never do the same thing again. Sin...it'll get you every time. Jesus...He'll get sin every time.

Find hope in that.
 
by Justin Kantonen
originally posted May 2009

Spiritual Warfare

The following is an excerpt from a devotional that I have recently written. I thought it fitting and good to share with you this month as we, hopefully, are growing day by day into the likeness of Christ amidst the great battle that we find ourselves in. The devotional is called “Dialogue with God” and I pray that you are as encouraged by it as I have been.
“Something that I have personally found very effective in spiritual warfare is simply to acknowledge that there is a battle going on each and every day of our lives. Sometimes it seems like we don’t even know what is going on around us, but, my friends, there is a battle for your soul and the souls of the whole world taking place. Our enemy is the devil, Satan himself, and it is he and his dominions that we wage war against. Therefore, I believe that it is quite necessary that we acknowledge each and every day that we are at war. For if we do not, we are going to be defeated time and time again, not even realizing what is taking place in our lives.

Something that I have found to be a good practice every morning is to spiritually get dressed for this battle. I read through Ephesians 6:10-18 and mentally and spiritually get dressed. I am pretty sure that anybody in a physical war wouldn’t go running around naked during battle. I think the same ought to be true for us spiritually. As we spiritually and mentally prepare ourselves for battle we can then enter into the victory that Christ has already won for us. Remember, the devil wants to destroy you. Unless you are ready for him and his attacks you are going to live in defeat. Now, don’t get me wrong, just because you may be ready for the attack doesn’t mean that they will diminish. In fact they may even become more common, but Christ did not offer us a life of ease, without struggle. Be ready for war, and enter into Christ's victory, first by His blood and then with the armor that He has so graciously has given to us.”
 
by Justin Kantonen
originally posted April 2009

Giving...? Even When Times Are Tough...? Yes!

Ever since we have been hearing about the economy being in crisis and people losing their jobs, oil and gas, and all this hoopla about how we are going into a recession, I have been periodically thinking about how this is going to make an impact on the giving from the Christian’s perspective, especially giving towards foreign missions. The reason I wonder is because as soon as things start to get a little bit tight, financially that is, not your jeans around your waist, we tend to cut back on certain things, namely giving. So maybe that is the real concern that I have, are we, as Christians, going to continue to give as times get tough? Or are we going to allow the cares and fears of this world to impact us more than the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

I am sitting here thinking about two worlds. We live in a natural, physical world of which we are called to be in, but not of. As Christians we are a part of God’s kingdom. We are to think and live according to that kingdom and not the one in which we currently live. This is something that has been difficult for me to grasp, but in recent weeks and months God has really been teaching me what this is all about. As Christians we look forward to Heaven and living in that kingdom, but until then we are to live as though we are a part of that kingdom already, because we are. That means that when things get tough economically and financially in this world we continue to operate according to the other world, God’s world. Not that this isn’t God’s world too, but you get what I mean, right? We are a part of God’s kingdom and ought to be living like that. If you don’t know how, you need to seek it out. (Matthew 6:33)

Jesus said that in order to find life we must lose it, that the servant would be great in His kingdom. These two statements don’t really make sense in this world, but are the reality of the other. Which kind of go along the same lines with our giving. Just because things get tight doesn’t mean that we stop giving. Malachi 3:10, the classic verse on giving our tithes to the Lord, says that when we do that He will pour out a blessing for us and that there will not be room enough to receive it. We also have the promise given in Matthew 6 that we do not need to worry about the things that we are going to eat, drink, and wear because God knows that we need these things. Doesn’t it seem that when money gets a little tight those are the very things that we begin to worry and get anxious about? We have bills to pay, a mouth to feed, a body to clothe, a gas tank to fill up and then, on top of it all, a Church and work of God to give to. Heaven forbid that we should get caught up in the economy and thinking of the world. God’s promise is that He will take care of us and, yes, even bless us when we give back to Him some of that which He has given to us.

Much of this has to do with an attitude of our heart. If we do not believe what the Word of God says we are not going to trust in the promises of God. If we do not trust in the promises of God we are not thinking and acting according to His kingdom. If we are not thinking according to His kingdom we are not going to be giving as God would desire for us to give. Maybe giving to God’s work means that you are going to have to give up something else. Maybe in order to continue to give to the ministries you have been supporting, but now are wondering how you are going to because of the rising costs on everything, you will give up something that you like but don’t need. Maybe instead of giving up supporting a ministry that is taking the Gospel to and meeting the needs of people that desperately need help you could give up cable TV, lattes or eating out every other meal. In a sense I am grateful for times that make us question and wonder what is going to happen and how things will turn out. They put us into the pressure cooker of life and in that pressure cooker is when faith and trust are activated. We begin to see that God’s promises are true. He does some of His best work in us during the hard times of life.

I end with this challenge to you. Please do not forget about the foreign missionaries that are bringing the Good News of salvation in Christ to many people around the world. Please continue to support them and those around you who desire to go and preach the Gospel to those around the world. You may be just a college student, but God has called you to give as well. Don't be afraid of what tomorrow brings. Continue, or even begin today, to give to God’s work. See how He will bless and take care of you in the times to come.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted March 2009

Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright

As I write this I am sitting on the deck of my host family's home here in Lake Stevens, WA on an absolutely gorgeous morning. It is 42 degrees outside, the sun is shining brightly and just down the hill and across the street the Lake is shimmering in the coolness of the day. It is one of those days where you know that God is in control and His mercies are new each morning. I have been struggling to get this article written for the past
three or four days because of different reasons, but something that stands out to me even right now as I write is that God is in control. I have been wanting to write about the glory of God all week, because that is what we talked about at youth group the other night. I have just really been thinking about how a surrendered life to God brings Him so much glory. A person who has committed their life to Christ, and lives in denial of himself and in complete surrender to God, for the sake of Christ, is truly a majestic thing, and here is why. Irenaeus, a bishop in the second century once said, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” I completely agree with Him. My agreement is based upon the Scriptures in Matthew 16 in which Jesus says that in losing our life we will find it. When someone loses their life for Christ, gives up all of their hopes, ambitions, dreams, and talents — their whole life, they will find life in Christ, and a life in Christ is a most glorious thing.
When God can take a life and use it to accomplish His purposes, in His way and time, its awesome. The glory goes to God. (p.s. I just saw a raccoon with no tail go running by. Those things creep me out.) I can't even begin to tell you how this desire to bring God glory in my life consumes me today. I just want to go shout it from the tree tops that God is alive and that He is in control. I love God sooooo much. (p.p.s. The creepy raccoon is coming towards me; I am seriously freaking out. Thankfully I think that all it wants is the cat food and not my body. I just hissed at it and it is walking away. Whew.)

As I was driving back to my host family's house from our staff meeting this morning I had the radio on and a song by Bob Marley (whom I am not saying listen to or do not listen to) came on that seemed to be God's little answer to me about getting this article written because I had been so worried about getting it written and having it be just so perfect and all of that jazz, but this is what it said, "Don't worry about tomorrow, every little thing is gonna be alright." How fitting, huh? A pleasant little reminder of Matthew 6. God is in control. Don't be afraid to give up your life Christ, for in doing so you will find life and all of the glory will go to God.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted February 2009

The Year In Review

Well, as it is, another year has come to a close. As I sit and think about what this past year has held, not only in my own life, but in those around me and the country at large it is good and right to say that God is good. Sure the economy has gone up and down, things didn't turn out like many of us wanted them to in the presidential election, you may have lost your job, maybe someone close to you died, or maybe you have struggled to wonder what God is trying to teach you amidst the seemingly endless cycle of boredom and nothingness that you seem to find yourself in. If you truly were to take the time to look back over this past year though, I think that you also would be able to say that God is and has been good, especially to those who love Him. I can't help but think of the promise that comes from Romans 8:28. Here is what it says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.” (ESV) I pray that you will take the time to look back to see how this has been true in your own life.

As I continue to sit here, in my parent’s basement, and continue to think and ponder over the last year I truly can't help but be amazed at how God has worked out all of the difficulties, the fears and wonderings of my heart in the middle of the night for my good. I dare say that He has even taken my shortcomings, my inadequacies; my sin and caused it all to work together for good. I hope, not just for my good, but even for the good of those around me. For as I have been strengthened, challenged and grown, I pray that I can be an encouragement and challenge to those around me as well. It is often by looking at the past that we can be encouraged about the future. Not just our own past but also the pasts of others. I love reading through the Old Testament and seeing how God was so good and faithful to His people despite the fact that they turned their backs on Him over and over again. I especially love to read, pray and think about how God told Hosea to go and “take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” (Hosea 1:2 ESV) What a picture of God's great love for us. He has called us to Himself, reconciled us to Himself through Jesus; despite the fact that we continue to leave Him and seek after other things in this world over and over again. Maybe that is where you find yourself at the end of this year. Maybe you are in the place where you have once again turned your back on God and find yourself living in the world and seeking after the “pleasures” that it has to offer. If that is the case I would encourage you to come running back to God. Confess your sin to Him. Find that sweet forgiveness and wholeness in your soul once again. It may not be that when you look back you see many bright spots this last year, but the New Year can certainly begin with one... can't it?

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted January 2009

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Christmas: The Coming of Christ

When you think about what the “Christmas season” means what are some of the images that come to the forefront of your mind? Are they images of Christmas trees covered with decorations, an infant surrounded by farm animals and two young parents, family gettogethers, presents galore? Or maybe all that you can see is red and green everything and can't wait for the season to be done. I am pretty sure that all of those things that we think about are good and wonderful things, but I want you to think about something else with me for just a moment. I want you to think about the cross. The cross where Jesus, that little infant baby now a grown up man, was crucified roughly 33 years after that first “Christmas.” Think about the beaten, bloody crucified Jesus who took all of our suffering and all of our punishment upon himself that day so long ago. Think about it long and good because that is the reason why we celebrate this Christmas season.

Don't get me wrong though. Christmas certainly is a time for celebration and good times with family and friends, but we cannot lose sight of the true meaning behind it. Sometimes I think that we get, I get, so caught up in the “Christmas” spirit that the significance of what we are celebrating gets kind of pushed into the background and not thought about as often as it should be. We sing our little Christmas carols and get the children all dressed up in their donkey and sheep costumes and have them sing about the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. Which is a fantastic and an amazing thing in and of itself, God wrapped up in a poopy diaper mess, but really, what is the significance behind all of that. Is it just a cute time with the young'uns? I don't think so. I think that what it comes down to is that we are a sinful, screwed up people, that desperately needed God to come down to earth to make a way for us to enter back into a relationship with Him.
Please don't think of me as a scrooge. I absolutely love the Christmas season. I love the lights, the music, the get-togethers, and all the rest, but more than anything, especially this year, I love the Christ who came to rescue me from my sin and bring me back to the God who is crazy in love with me. Crazy enough to send a part of the Godhead into His creation as this little guy who couldn't take care of Himself to the point that the creator became dependent upon the created. Baffling huh? Take some time this Christmas season to think about it and thank the God, who became baby, who became man, who became the sacrifice that we all so desperately need.

As I personally think about Christmas this year and all that is  encompassed within it the lyrics from the song "In the Bleak Midwinter" kind of summarize the only good and fitting response that I can think of to give. Here they are:

In the bleak midwinter, frost wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted December 2008

God’s Goodness

Have you ever wondered why it is that we, as Christians so often turn our back on our Father, who loves us and gave us Christ to bring us back to Himself? It completely befuddles me sometimes to think about why it is that we continue in sin when we have so greatly been blessed by the love of God. I find some comfort in Romans chapter 6, knowing that it is the flesh that we are battling, and also in the knowledge that I have been made a new creature in Christ. However, my heart still longs to be set free from the battle with sin and with Satan. Sometimes I wonder how it is that God can keep loving me after I continue to sin against Him time and time again, despite what He has done for me.

It always amazes me though, when He brings me back to Him and in confession and repentance I find forgiveness from Him. I relish the times that we have together where He takes the time to deal with and heal underlying motives for the sin in my life. He doesn’t necessarily just want our actions to be changed, but He is also, more so, concerned about the nature of our heart. I love that He desires to bring us healing and cleansing where it is so desperately needed in each and every one of our lives. In Jeremiah 33:6-9 God talks about how He is going to bring His people health and healing; abundance, prosperity, and security; and how He is going to cleanse them from their guilt and forgive them of their sin against Him. He then says that the city would be a name of joy to Him, and a praise and glory before the nations because of God’s goodness to them. What a great picture that paints of God’s love in our own lives as well. As God brings us back from our own sin and rebellion against Him we find forgiveness, health, healing, abundance, prosperity, and security in our own lives resulting in our name being a joy to Him and a testimony of praise and glory to those around us because of God’s goodness in our lives.

As I think about these things I am so grateful that God can take the sin and disgusting things in my life and because of His goodness towards me, use it as a testimony of how great and amazing He is. He can do the same with yours as well. Could it be that you are now in a time of sadness or depression because of sin and the constant battle that is taking place? Then take heart. God wants to take your battles, your sin and rebellion against Him, and bring to you forgiveness and healing. In which He is brought much glory, honor, and praise.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted November 2008

He Will Meet All Your Needs

"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
This verse has rung true in my life in the past few days. I came to realize a couple of days ago that I have been seeking to fulfill some part of me with the approval of man. As I have gone through the past couple of years or so, I have been so desperately praying that God would send someone my way with whom I could connect on a spiritual level. Looking back I see that He has but it was just not in the ways that I wanted Him to do it. Basically I realized that I have been praying for someone to come into my life that would really say to me, “Justin, you’re doing a great job, keep up the good work.” What it so disgustingly selfish about it is that people have been telling me that, I know that they have been, but it hasn’t satisfied this deep longing in my heart for approval. Really what it comes down to is that in the midst of seeking the approval of man, and trying to prove to myself that I am good, I have been trying to prove to God that I am good.

Good enough for what He has called me to do. God has gotten it through my head that I cannot earn my salvation, my right standing before Him. It has taken some time for Him to break through my thick skull that I also cannot be good enough to do what He has called me to do without Christ. It is only in Him and through Him that I will have everything that I need to accomplish the work that He has for me to do. I will never be able to prove to God that I am good enough for His work. That is what I was trying to do by seeking the approval of man. In a sense it was me trying to say to God, “Look, God, they approve. They see the good work that I am doing. Didn’t you hear what they said? Is that good enough for you?” I was trying to prove myself and that is just not something that I can do. I cannot prove myself to God, but God can approve of me through Christ.

Another aspect of this trying to prove myself has been the presence of fear. Fear that I am not going to be equipped to do the work that God has called me to do. Fear to step up and be who God has called me to be. What foolish and petty thinking. What does the verse above say? It says that God will supply all of our needs. All of them. Not just some of them but all of them. He will supply the strength, knowledge, wisdom, resources, and everything else that I could think of ever needing. I know that I could never do His work on my own, I know that very well, but somewhere along the way I have gotten so sidetracked and focused on my weakness that I have forgotten His strength. I am so glad that I can rely upon Him meeting my needs, not needing to fear that I am not good enough. I am not, but knowing that it is through Christ that those needs are met. Basically what it comes down to is I am seeing how much of a spiritual mess I am and how desperate I am and dependent I am for the presence of God in my life. I need His wisdom, direction, strength, and guidance as I continue to live this life.

As I sit here and try to process through what God has been teaching me, I can’t help but think about you and what needs you may be striving to meet in your own life. You know you’re never going to be able to meet those needs in your own strength. It is only through Christ that those needs are going to be met. If you do find yourself at a place where you are straining and striving and seeing nothing as a result, except more emptiness and failure, I would encourage you to take some time to spend with the God who can and will meet those needs. Take some time to let the Good Shepherd lead you into a pasture of rest and peace and comfort. A place where you will find all of your needs being met.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted October 2008

The Joy of the Lord

“The joy of the Lord is our strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) What a statement that is to make. Say it with me again a little bit louder. “THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH.” Can you sense it? That wellspring of joy within your soul: the freeing feeling of having your sin, guilt, and shame lifted from your shoulders in exchange for God’s freedom, grace, and mercy. Or maybe the daily responsibilities of your daily life have become a burden to you. Have your thoughts and questions about the future – where to work, who to marry, should I marry, what classes should I take, did I take the right classes, sucked the joy right out of you? Have you come under such a burden that you can’t even get out of bed in the morning? Has your lack of joy and strength left you wondering what it is that God has done to you? Are you left questioning where God is in the midst of the circumstances of your life? Well… if that is the case, then take heart my friend because He has not abandoned you. He has not left you. He has begun a good work in you that He will not fail to bring to completion. That thought alone ought to bring some joyful ‘tude into your life. Let me ask you some questions as we continue on. Have you been spending time with the Lord lately? Have you been seeking Him? Meditating on His Word? Talking with Him throughout the day? Are you walking in obedience to the things that He has told you to be doing? Are you going to where He led you to go? Take it from me and my own personal experience. If you are not spending time with Him, walking according to His ways, and His path for your life you will not find your strength in the joy of the Lord, because your life is not lined up with Him. If though, as far as you can tell, you are walking in obedience to Him and to His Word, you are seeking Him; desiring to walk in His ways, then take heart: “Joy shall come in the morning.” Continue to seek Him and spend time with Him. One other thing that I have been thinking about that could be stealing your joy is the spiritual forces in this world. As followers of Christ we are at war with Satan and his demons. Maybe what you need to do is really begin to fight for your joy by engaging in this great spiritual battle that we are all a part of. I really do believe that by doing so you will begin to walk in the victory and in the joy that Christ has won for us. Maybe you need to put on that battle armor everyday and wield the Sword of the Spirit. Remember this; we are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) Maybe though you are simply lacking joy in your life because your life has become so busy that you have been ignoring or have forgotten about all that God is doing and has done in your life. If that is the case then maybe what you need to do is take some time in the near future and spend some time evaluating your life with the Lord; Asking Him if there are some changes that need to be made, because there probably are. Spend some time thanking Him for the things that He has done in your life and for the things that He has brought you through and given to you. Yep, I really am going to say it again. It is the joy of the Lord that gives us strength and by spending time with Him and thinking about His goodness is a help to igniting that joy within our souls. In closing I want to say this, “THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH!!!!!!!!!” Don’t forget it. The devil wants to steal your joy and squash it under his feet. Don’t let Him. By the power of the Holy Spirit within you, fight for the joy that Christ paid such a high price for us to attain.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted September 2008

Humility and Servant Hood

Something that has been on my heart, as of late, is the subject of humility and servant hood. You know, Christ came not to be served but to serve, and as Christian it is our duty and our privilege to serve those around us.

A scripture passage that comes to my mind even as I am writing this is Galatians 6:9-10. It says, “And let us not grow weary in doing good. For in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” What really sticks out to me, as Paul writes this, is how he instructs us to do good, but to “especially” do good to those who are believers along with us. This is an interesting concept, as well as one of the hardest things that there is to do. Sometimes it is so much easer to love someone who is not a Christian; because you know that they have not been saved and experienced the love of God like the rest of us. For those that have though, we sometimes hold much too high of a standard for them and if they don’t act how we would like them to we treat them unkindly or make judgments toward them that we don’t have the right to make. There is no prerequisite for someone to receive good from us, especially for a fellow Christian who is a brother or sister in the faith. A song comes to my thinking process that goes well with what I am writing, it is called, “They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love.” I think that it is fitting as we think about being humble and serving others. It ought to come with love because without love it means nothing (I Corinthians 13), but with love, that is, God’s love in us and through us, someone can be changed by one good deed towards them. The other thing that I have been thinking about in regards to servant hood and humility is the fact that we cannot do it on our own and we are in a desperate need for the Holy Spirit to give us the strength and understanding that we need in order to serve those around us in love. We cannot do it on our own. Take some time to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to work within you to make you a servant to all. “Make me a servant, humble and meek. Lord, let me lift up those who are weak, and may the prayer of my heart always be, make me a servant, make me a servant, make me a servant today.”

May that be the prayer of all of our hearts today and in the years to come.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted August 2008

Faith Like a Child

This summer I am working at Park River Bible Camp This week here in Park River is Jubilee Camp. This is a week where people with physical and mental handicaps come out to camp for a few days to experience the goodness of God in a very spectacular way. As I write this we are on our second night of three and already I have been blessed beyond measure.

On Sunday night we opened with a bluegrass/southern gospel concert with the Freedom Band, who came all the way from Canada (yeah Canada), and rocked our socks off. The joy and enthusiasm that was emitted from the crowd during most of, and after all of the songs was incredible. The band fed off of it and we worshiped our God that night with more joy than one could express. The next day was spent doing various activities around camp such as crafts, fishing, a hayride, swimming, and therapeutic recreation and with great willingness and joy, once again, the campers participated. For most of thesecampers life here at camp is one of the highlights of their year. When I look into their face and see them smiling and singing with so much life, despite not knowing the words, it brings joy and love flooding into my heart.

God has blessed us with great campers this week and great staff to work with them. I don’t write this simply to tell you about the great week of camp that we are having, but to encourage you to take a look into your life this week and ask yourself what your faith is like. Is it like the faith of a child, which Jesus says is all we need? Or is it cluttered and self-conscious and filled with worry, anger, fear, and sin? You know God does not look for faith that does not seek Him. Is your faith in Him truly causing you to seek Him or has it become so null and void in your life that you wonder if it still exists? I look at each of these campers and wonder what it would be like to have their faith or even just their lives. Not one of them can completely take care of themselves and are entrusted into the care of another. They know no other way. That is such a great picture of what our lives in Christ ought to be like, where we are completely entrusted into the care of our God in heaven. There is not one of us who can take care of ourselves; no matter how much we try, or think that we can, we cannot be self-sufficient. We may think that we can be for awhile, but when our lives are measured up against the Word of God and how things ought to be, we will quickly see that we are not. Maybe all it will take though is that first broken relationship or a constant anger in your life. Those things too quickly remind us that we cannot take care of ourselves and life around us; that we need to entrust ourselves with complete and childlike faith into the loving hands of our God.

And so, as the Jubilee campers continue to come here year after year and express their joy in Christ and hope in Him let’s learn a lesson from them and express our joy in Him as well.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted July 2008

Free To Go

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21

The message of reconciliation to God is the message that has been passed down from generation to generation ever since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ came down to this earth and was crucified to death on a cross and three days later rose again from the dead. Thus making it possible for all to have new life in Him for in His death we all have died and in His life we all might live. This is the message that ought to give us the necessary love and motivation to go out and tell others about the sweet love of God.

Read the above Scripture again and let the good news of what is says sink deep, deep into your spirit. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation. The OLD has PASSED away; behold the NEW has COME.” If you are in Christ today you are a new creation. You are no longer dead in your trespasses and sin but have been made alive unto God and been brought into a right relationship with Him. No longer are you destined for Hell and damnation but you are destined for Heaven and glorious living. You have been brought out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. Colossians 3 sheds some more light on this subject of being brought out of darkness and into the light very well. Verses 13-14 say, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We have been given the righteousness of Christ and stand justified before God.

Just the other night I was watching the movie “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” and if you have seen the movie you will understand what I am talking about, if you have not, here is a brief synopsis. A priest has been charged with negligent homicide for the death of a nineteen year old girl named Emily who was demonically possessed and died under his care the day after he had performed an exorcism on her. Throughout the course of the movie we learn bits and pieces of Emily’s story during different stages of the trial. At the end of the movie the jury finds the priest guilty of negligent homicide, and this is where things begin to get really good. Not because of the greatness of the movie, but simply because of the very accurate portrayal of a truth of the Gospel message. After the jury has announced the verdict and the judge is about to pronounce his sentence a head of the jury stands and asks permission to give a recommendation for the sentence. The judge agrees to hear the recommendation and the jury asks that the sentence be “time served.” The judge agrees to the terms and turns to the priest and says, “YOU ARE GUILTY, AND YOU ARE FREE TO GO.” That is what Christ has done for us. We are guilty of breaking the laws of God but because Christ came and took our punishment for us, we are, as the priest was, free to go out and live as God intended for us to do.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted June 2008

As Lovers Do

It is in the quietness that He speaks; a silent whispering in the deepest parts of our soul. This is where we meet Him; this is where He calls us by our name and speaks to us of a love so rich and deep that we cannot even begin to fathom its greatness. It is here that we find out who we are, who He has created us to be. When the noise around us becomes silent and the ambience created around us is nothing less than the Holy Spirit of God filling our presence and our very being with His love. It is here that we begin to know and to understand what we were created for. It is here in this quietness that we begin to know Him. Put aside all of the rituals, all of the religious jargon that has begun to fill your days and come aside and listen, as Christ so often did, to the words that the God of the universe longs to speak to you as a father speaks to the child that he holds in his arms. He longs to whisper to you the things that only you can hear.

Encouragement, love, rebuke at times, but coming with a desire to see you become who He created you to be and to experience life as it once was. Not filled with noise and work and seemingly endless responsibilities that He has not created us for. Instead working, and living, and experiencing life as He created it to be. So often it seems that we get caught up in the doing what we desire to do, what we so often think is even good, and forget what we were created to do and to be. It is only in the quietness, in the stilling of our hearts before Him that we can come back, that He can bring us back, to what He longs for us all to be. Loved and adored by Him. The other day I was talking to one of my roommates as he was getting ready to head out to his class that night and after we had finished talking he headed out to his vehicle and as he was walking to his car his fiancé pulled up and she jumped out of her car and leaped, literally leaped, for joy at seeing him. He went to her and he hugged her and held her close. As I was watching this take place I couldn't help but think about how glad I was for the two of them and the joy that was expressed at seeing the one that she loved. My thoughts then turned to what it would be like for me to experience that in my own life and then the Holy Spirit spoke to me, ever so quietly, and said that it already is like that. Our God rejoices over us with much love. This is what Zephaniah has to say about it, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” How totally awesome it is to think about the fact that God looks at us that way. What joy that brings to my heart. A seemingly insignificant afternoon, according to what had already taken place on that day, at least in my estimation, had now turned into one of great blessing.

Maybe those of you who are married, engaged or have a significant other can attest to this love easier than I can, but if God's love is anything like the love that I saw that day then I am excited to continue to grow in my relationship with Him and experience more of that love each and every day. There is a song by Isa Couvertier called Pressing Into You and in this song she sings about the for forgiveness, redemption, and the healing of God, and so, because of what God has done in her life she is going to press into Him - to seek Him, to know Him more. I like the picture that gets put into my head when I think about that taking place. She has another song called My Way Is Not Hidden and in it she say that she want to be “loved as lovers should.” That's the way that I want to love God, as His bride waiting one day to become united with Him. I long to see my Lord and Savior more than anything else, but until that day I will not rest in seeking and knowing Him as intimately as lovers do and I encourage you to do the same.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted May 2008

One Step at a Time

Have you ever wondered what God’s will for your life is or what it is that He wants you to be doing right now? I mean, He has given you gifts and talents that He wants you to use, different people that He wants to speak to through you and has a bunch of other great things planned for you. Yet sometimes it seems that we are making no progress at all. Why is that? I think that sometimes it is because we are not willing to go one step at a time. Could it be that we think that we can take the next step in doing what God wants us to do when we have not yet done that which He has already asked us to do? That is just like trying to take two steps with your left foot before you take one with your right. Impossible. In order to move forward you have to put one foot in front of the other; taking one step at a time. I often find myself getting stuck in this pattern of thinking. God tells me to do something and I reply with an, “Ok, God, I’ll get right on that.” The next thing I know two days and then two weeks have gone by and I still have not done that which God had told me to do and I am asking God what the next thing that He wants me to do is. How foolish of me to think that I could move on to the next thing before doing that which He has already told me to do. What I am talking about here is in regards to God’s plan for our lives. We all know that He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us; to give us a hope and a future right? Then why do I feel, so often, that I am not living according to that plan? Could it be because we have forgotten that He gives us light enough for one step at a time and somewhere along the way we didn’t take that step because we were afraid of what might happen. Then as a result have ended up going along on our own path for a while. Or maybe we just, in the battle to overcome that sin of being stubborn, didn’t want to take it and have now ended up right back where we started. I find myself doing that every once in a while. Going back and doing the same thing over and over again. Hoping that somewhere along the way God will see that He was wrong and that I was right. That He should now do things my way and tell me to do something other than what it is He really does want me to do.

Take for example the lesson that I learned about a year and half ago about staying up all night and sleeping during the day. In order for my body to operate efficiently and to take care of itself properly it needs to sleep during the night and not during the day. Well, I learned this while I was working the night shift somewhere and that was fine, and I was done working there I thought that I had come to understand this. Apparently not though because every time that I find myself not having anything to do before noon I tend to stay up until all hours of the night, even though I know that I am not being a good steward of my body. This has been something that God has convicted me on over and over again. Yet I still find myself doing the same thing over and over again. Why? I guess what it comes down to is that I am hoping that God is going to speak to me in some special and unique way during the dark hours of the night even though I know that it is against His will for my life. Don’t get me wrong here though. Sometimes, on occasion, God does speak to us during the night and when He does we need to be listening to Him, for He can speak at anytime. I guess another part of this is that I am scared. Scared that He is not going to speak to me and direct me into the next thing that He wants me to do. So I go back time and time again to a place in which He has spoken to me already hoping that it is in that spot that He will speak to me again. That is not how it works though. We must continue to plow forward trusting that He is in control. For if we continue to go back and do the same old things again and again, how is it that we are going to ever move forward?

Sometimes it is hard to remember all of the lessons that God has taught to us. We may find ourselves faltering from time to time, but thankfully God has given to us the Holy Spirit to help us on the way. He will sufficiently bring to mind the things that God has taught us. The Holy Spirit truly is a gift from God that we ought to be thankful for. It is He that not only guides us into truth, but brings peace to our hearts and speaks to us mysteries of the deep that we do not know. It is in our conversations with Him that we find the confidence to continue on the path that God has laid down for us. That was a slight tangent but the Holy Spirit has become such an integral part of my life that I could not help but write of Him for a short period of time.

I pray that as you are seeking God’s will for your life that you do not do as I have so often done and as the Israelites so often did, and that is to continue to go back and do the same things over and over again. Whether it be fear or something else entirely that keeps you from taking the next step that God has for you in your life know that you will not be able to move forward until you have done what it is that God is telling you to do. One step at a time, one foot in front of the other is how we plod along the path both in this physical life that we live, as well as in our spiritual lives. It is the Lord that directs our steps, even though we sometimes think that our plans our going to guide us better than He ever could. Oh, what foolish and prideful thinking. May we continue, by His grace, to walk one step at a time.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted April 2008

Everybody Needs Somebody

Something that I have been thinking about lately is the concept of how detrimental it is to be a loner in life and try to skate through without any significant relationships. I think that all of you understand what I am saying, but in case you don’t let me explain. How many of us have relationships in our lives, whether they be friendships, work relation, or family, that we would consider to be significant, but we really have no idea why? Is it simply that they are important to us because they have to be, or we enjoy the same things, or we have a good time together, or is it because those relationships have gotten beyond the superficial and have dug down deep into the very depth of our souls? For many of us, if not all of us, including myself, I am afraid that the most significant, important relationships in our lives fall very short of what they could be – how God designed them to be. Now, let me set something straight. My concept of a loner and your concept may be completely different; so let me explain myself. My concept is simply of a person who has not given themselves completely over to any relationship. Though they may or may not be surrounded by friendships or family or whatever, they live in isolation simply because no one knows who they are. They keep people outside and at times push them away, never letting anyone come inside to see how God has decorated the interior of their heart.

I am not saying that we ought to go around baring our souls and walking around naked all the time, but it is essential for us to sometimes strip down and take the plunge into Relationship Lake that is filled with honesty, integrity, love, and acceptance. I know that this can be one of the most difficult things to do in life. I mean, who wants to take off their layers of work, and weather, and sports, and lies, and hypocrisy, and politics, and war, and actually stand naked before someone in their fear, and sin, and love, and faith, and dreams, and desires. Oh, wait, that actually sounds like a pretty good idea doesn’t it? Let’s be honest, all of us are looking to know and to be known by the people around us. I can’t help but think of Jesus and the disciples as an example for us all. What Jesus saw in those guys is beyond me, but you can tell as you read the Scriptures that these guys were honest and real. They had their faults and struggles but they were comfortable enough with Christ to bare themselves before Him and Christ accepted them for who they were. Sure, He wanted to see them grow, and over time they did grow and mature in their faith, but He had called them long before that took place. We too ought to be as Christ was. Accepting of those around us for who they are as well as being willing to invite people into our lives, as Christ did, and letting them see us for who we really are.

As I close I can’t help but think of two examples that accurately describe what I am trying to say. The first is a line from the chorus of Keith Urban’s song “Everybody.” This says it very well and very simply, “Everybody needs somebody sometimes.” The second is from the movie “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” The movie closes with Frodo and Sam walking down a path through some woods on their way to Mordor; they are wondering together what it would be like to have people read about their adventures and what they would say of them. As they are walking and talking Frodo turns around to look at Sam and says, “Frodo wouldn’t have made it far without Sam.” Friends, we all need somebody sometimes because in the end we can’t make it far without the help of those around us. Don’t let yourself be a loner. Be willing to take the plunge into an honest and real relationship. It may be difficult, but you’ll never regret doing it.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted March 2008

New Found Freedom

“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works.” Romans 2:1-6

Such powerful verses these are and God has used them in recent days to teach me much about myself and to convict me of sin in my own life. Even now as we think of standing before God on judgment day we must ask the Holy Spirit to guide us into the truth of whether or not we are as these Scriptures say. Are you as verse one says, one who passes judgment on another while at the same time practicing the same thing? Do you gossip even as you tell others that it is wrong to gossip? Do you lie even though you have told your family that you know it is wrong to lie and get after your younger sibling when they lie to you? Do you look at pornography, never telling a soul, while getting after your friend, who is at least seeking help, to discontinue looking at it? The list could go on and on in regards to what it could be that you are doing in your life and yet at the same time passing judgment on others who are doing the same things. Scripture tells us that those of us who do such things will not escape the judgment of God, but will one day be judged according to our deeds.

Have you, as I have done, taken the kindness of God for granted, not understanding truly what it is to repent. Repentance is not merely lip service to God. Certainly you may agree with God that what you are doing is wrong. You know it is wrong, because you see it as wrong in other peoples’ lives. Repentance though is a complete changing of the mind about what you are doing. Maybe what needs to take place in your life is not so much the understanding that your actions are wrong but that there will be consequences for your actions. God is not a God of lip service. God looks at the heart of a man. If you continue to confess your sin and then go and sin again continually, over and over again, even as you are passing judgment on others God will hold you accountable. God’s kindness ought to lead us to repentance, as the Scripture says. It is in God’s forgiveness and grace that we find the desire to turn from our sin and begin to seek after a life of holiness and honor before God. Understand this though, we all struggle with sin and just because you sin more than once in a certain way or perform the same sin as another after you have passed judgment over their actions does not mean that you need to begin to freak out and start worrying about your relationship with God, simply confess your sin to Him and ask Him for forgiveness and the understanding of how you can completely turn from your sin. It is in the secret hidden sins in our own lives that we most often find ourselves judging others over and those are the ones for which God is going to hold us accountable. As verse six says, God is one day going to render to each one according to His works and if you continue to sin and pass judgment over others for the same sin you are storing up for yourself wrath on the day when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

If God has convicted you of sin in your life today I encourage you to turn to Him, ask forgiveness for your sins, and in your freedom in Christ turn from your sin in repentance, thanking for His kindness towards you. You know, something that I have found interesting as God has convicted me and brought me to repentance is that in this new found freedom God has given me the ability to show love and grace towards those on whom I had previously passed judgment. Neat, huh? Thanks be to God who leads us into triumph!

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted February 2008

Grounded

Grounded. This word conjures up many images in my mind. Including one where I am sitting at home on a Friday night during high school because I have been “grounded” for disobeying my parents. This is not the type of grounding that we are talking about here as the theme for this new website and college ministry. The grounding that we are talking about is being grounded in the love of God and in His Word, the Bible. Our prayer for you comes from Ephesians 3:17-19. They say, “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and GROUNDED in LOVE, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the LOVE of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” May this grounding cause us to serve the Lord with both joy and gladness.

Many of you, I am assuming, have grown up in a Christian home and have been grounded in the Word of God. You know that He loves you and now think that everything is great. You are off in college and doing the things that you have always wanted to do. You are involved in extra-curricular activities, taking classes you enjoy, and hanging out with people of the opposite sex. Woohoo! Big whoop, if it means that you have walked away from your grounding in God’s Word and the love of God and your faith and confidence in Him, then something is wrong. Those activities mean nothing if they are causing you to sin and you have strayed from God. Come back to that grounding. That faith that was given to you by God. Come back to it. Turn from your wicked ways and come back to Christ and seek Him first again.

There are those of you though who have not turned away from Christ and are still seeking Him. Many are like Timothy who have been given a gift and are struggling with timidity and fear. You’re not quite sure how to go about doing what God has called you to do. My encouragement to you comes from II Timothy 2:5-7. They say, “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and you mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well (sounds like a good AFLC family). For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” Fear has become your guide and you have forgotten what God has given to you. This is Paul speaking to Timothy, his young apprentice in the faith, who has become like a son to him. These verses have been an encouragement to me and I know that they can be to you as well. Do not think that God cannot use you because you are young. Paul also encourages Timothy to not let anyone look down on Him because he is young. He had been given a gift and a responsibility to use that gift by God and no one but God ought to tell him when to quit doing what he had been called to do. Again Paul encourages Timothy to “continue in the things you have learned and been convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” I think that many Christians struggle in their and faith, wondering what God has called them to do and what gifts He has given to them. If that is the case for you then begin to seek God about this and get involved when and where He gives you the opportunity. Growth often comes through much trial and error; so if you can’t find your place quickly do not lose heart because He must have some work to do in you as He guides you to the place He wants you to go. We cannot live our lives in fear, for fear gives Satan an opportunity to come and place doubts and disappointment in our lives causing us to live in an ineffective manner. Be confident in Christ and the Word which he has given to you. You have been given a gift by growing up
grounded in the Christian faith and in God’s Word to us. Do not be afraid to go forth and do the things that God has called you to do. This is a quote that has encouraged me time and time again in the past couple of years and I pray it will encourage you as well. I am not sure where it came from but I think that I read it in a book somewhere.

"We must never underestimate the potential of youth. Throughout history God has called young men and women to rise up and change their world through the power of the Gospel."

Go forth and serve God with everything that you have, guided by the Holy Spirit; grounded in the love of God, knowing that He will never leave you nor forsake you.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted January 2008

Bible Study - LQA Bible Study

Lesson, Question and Application
This study can be done as an individual or in a group. Read through the passage either out loud or silently. Then brain storm all the possible lessons "L" from the passage. Next brainstorm all possible questions "Q" from the text. Finally, look for all the applications "A" in the text.

If done in a group, break into small groups from the beginning and go through LQA in each group, then at the end gather everyone together for a time to breakdown what the passage is about.

Philippians 2:5-11
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became
obedient to death even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

What Lessons did you find:


What Questions do you have:

1.

2.

3.

What Applications can make for your life:
 
 
 
 
 
originally posted May 2009

Bible Study - Matthew 28:18-20

“Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, “All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded  you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age.” (Amplified)

1. Jesus gives the disciples a reason for them to go and make disciples of all nations. What is that reason? Does that not rock your world? It does mine.

2. What is the third command that Jesus gives to the disciples after telling them to go?

3. Do you think that we sometimes forget about this command, and maybe the second one too, when it comes to modern day evangelism? We get told to ask four questions, make five comments, and our good deed for the day is done. I think that we have lost sight, at least to some extent, of what the Great commission really is, or maybe we have actually lost sight of the promise that comes along with it.

4. When you talk to someone about your faith, do you honestly believe that Jesus is with you and that His power is there with you as well? Do you think that the Holy Spirit could actually be at work, or you are just doing it do it?

5. One final question. What are you doing to play a part in the Great Commission?


by Justin Kantonen
originally posted March 2009

Bible Study - Matthew 16:24-26

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

1. What does Jesus mean when He says that If anyone wants to come after Him he must "deny himself?"

2. Jesus also says the he is to "take up his cross and follow me." Have you ever thought, wondered, or asked Him what He means by that or what your cross to bear might be? If so, what do you think that He means, and if not, go ahead and take some time to do that right now.

3. Have you ever thought that verse 25 is somewhat of a paradox? "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Does that even make sense? Most definitely. It doesn't make sense to our natural, finite minds but to those who have experienced it, nothing could be more true. When one loses his life, gives up everything (wants, desires, talents, gifts, abilities, possessions - everything) for Christ they will then find life, for they will have then found Christ, and knowing Jesus is eternal life. Have you lost everything for Christ? Is your life totally/completely surrendered to Him or are there things that you have not given up to Him yet?

4. Christ's call is to deny ourselves and lose ourselves and if we do not we must be careful then for what could happen? What happens if a man gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Can a man give anything in exchange for his soul?

5. Jesus call to find life in Christ through denial and loss is not one that is easy to swallow or comprehend because it requires faith and trust in Him, but the call is clear and the promise is sure. Life is found in Christ. Have you given Him yours today?


by Justin Kantonen
originally posted February 2009

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Bible Study - Romans 8:28-29

Read Romans 8:28-29


1. Do you think that it is common for people to misunderstand Romans 8:28?

What do you think some common misunderstandings are?

2. Are there any recent experiences in your life that are making you wonder or question how God is going to be able to use them in your life?

What are they?

3. What do you think that verse 28 actually means when it says, “all things work together for good?”

4. What does verse 29 say that it means?

5. Oftentimes people assume from this verse that God is simply going to take their circumstances and make them better than what they are currently going through. That is not what the Scripture is saying here. God is much more interested in seeing us become more and more conformed into the image of Jesus. That is what Paul means when He say that God can use all these things for our good. It is definitely for our good to be conformed into the image of Jesus.

Does hearing that make you angry with God; or can you be satisfied knowing that your circumstances may not change, but you are becoming more and more like Christ?

6. Looking back, what are some ways that you can see how God has changed and molded you?

What are some ways that you think He might be trying to change you even now? Are you resisting that change?

If so, flee to the feet of Jesus and seek His forgiveness; that His work might continue to bear fruit in your life.

7. If you are not a follower of Christ and do not love Him, do not assume that these verses are for you. They are a promise to those who love God. For those of you who do love God, be excited. Know that God is working in your life to conform you more and more into the image of Jesus. How exciting is that? Very, if you ask me.

by Justin Kantonen

originally posted January 2009

Bible Study - Psalm 66:1-6

Read Psalm 66:1-6


"1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth;

2 sing to the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!

3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come come cringing to you.

4 All the earth worships you and sing praises to you; they sing praises to your name."

5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him."

1. As you read through these verses of this chapter take the time to ask yourself what some of the things are that God has done recently in your life. What are the reasons that can cause you to shout for joy, or to sing the glory of His name, or give to Him glorious praise?

2. Have you taken the time to answer the previous question? If you haven't please take the time to do so, God will bless you richly as you take the time to think about His great and awesome deeds. If you have done it take some time now to thank God for what He has done.

3. As you read through the verses is there a verse that stood out to you more so than the others? If so take some time to meditate on that verse and allow God to speak to you about what He is trying to communicate through it to you.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted December 2008

Bible Study - Psalm 16

Read Psalm 16


1. What kind of mood or thinking process do you think that David was in during the writing of this Psalm?

2. What is the significance of David’s recognition that he has no good apart from the Lord?

3. What is the meaning of verse 5?

4. What is a good explanation for the second half of verse 7?

5. David’s strength was in the Lord, where are you putting yours?

6. Why is David’s heart so glad?

7. In verse 11 David says, “You make known to me the path of life,” are these words meant to be descriptive of eternal life that we are given or are they also meant to de a description of walking through this life as well?

8. David’s strength, joy, and security was found in God. If you were to take an honest look at your life would you be able to say the same thing? It is easy sometimes to say it but to actually be living it out is much more difficult. Don’t let your heart be satisfied with the things of this world, ‘cause let’s be honest once again, it never really can be.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted November 2008

Bible Study - Blessed

Read Psalm 1

1) What does the word “blessed” mean?

2) Who does it say is the man that it blessed?

3) What does “walk in the counsel of the wicked” mean?

i) Is there any aspect of your life in which you are walking in the counsel of the wicked?

4) What does it mean to “stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers?”

i) Is there any way in your life in which you are doing those things?

5) What is the law of the Lord?

i) How do we delight in it?

6) Have you been meditating on God’s law? If not then what is it that you have been meditating on? There has to be something that you are thinking about right? Really take some time and think this one through. It is imprtant to know what you are meditating on? Is it video games, your boyfriend/girlfriend, how you are going to make tons friends at school, how you are going to get through school? What is it?

7) What does verse 3 say that the one who meditates on the law of the Lord is like?

8) What do verses 4 and 5 say that the wicked are like?

9) What does the Lord do over the way of the righteous and what will happen to the way of the wicked?

10) What way are you on and how is it that you determine what way you are on?
 
 
by Justin Kantonen
originally posted October 2008

Bible Study - Born Again – Are you?

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17

1. Have you experienced that love?

2. Have you ever realized that God did not send the Son, Jesus, to judge us but instead to save us?

3. Do you think that it is God’s will for you to perish?

4. Do you know where you are going to spend eternity?

Scripture Reading: John 3:1-21

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do theses signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see he kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You mush be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you don not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Just as Nicodemus was confused about what it meant to be born again, so too do we sometimes question and wonder don’t we? I mean, think of it, to be born again, to be given life within our lifetime? It doesn’t really make sense does it, unless one is thinking with an eternal perspective? And that is how Nicodemus and Jesus are talking, in the eternal. I love how Jesus takes the time to explain these things to Nicodemus. He takes the time to explain to Him a very odd concept, to be born again, to a man who was seeking to know the truth. The question remains the same though. “Do you know where you are going to spend eternity?” The only way to spend eternity in heaven is to believe in Jesus Christ and in so doing to be born again.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted September 2008

Self-Denial

Read Matthew 16:24-26

1. If we desire to become Christ’s disciples what is it that we are to deny in order to become so?

2. What does it truly mean to deny oneself?

3. What then are we to take up after we have denied ourselves?

4. What does this mean in greater detail?

5. Have you denied yourself yet and taken up your cross and are following Christ?

6. Is it worth it to live for yourself in this world simply to lose your eternal life as a result?

7. What is Christ talking about when He says “his life?”

8. Will it profit you anything to gain everything in this world, “your life,” only to lose your soul, or life for eternity?

9. Are you willing to give anything in exchange for your blessed life, your eternal life, in the kingdom of God?


by Justin Kantonen
originally posted August 2008

Bible Study - Mark 16:1-6

Read Mark 16:1-6


1. What was it that Mary, Mary, and Salome were doing the morning after the Sabbath had past?

2. Why do you think that they were going to do this?

3. According to verse three what was it that they were saying to one another as they were on their way to the tomb?

4. What word best describes to you what they were thinking at this time?

5. When they got there what two things did they see and what was their reaction to them?

6. What did the angel say to them?

7. Have you ever doubted that the words of Jesus would come true?

8. Think of an example in your life when you wondered if the promises that God has made to you in His Word would come true or not and what was the result of that situation?

9. Are you going through a time in your life right now where you are wondering of what Jesus has said is going to come to pass? Or maybe you don’t really have a clue about what is going on in your life right now, just like Mary, Mary, and Salome. They didn’t quite understand what Jesus had been talking about when He said that He would be put to death and then rise again from the dead three days later, but it did come to pass nonetheless. The same is true for you today. The promises that God gives to us in His word will come to pass. You may not understand what is taking place in your life right now and are wondering what you are going to do, but just as it was that day that Jesus rose again from the dead, so it will be in your life as well. What Jesus has said He will do, He will do. His Word cannot fail and thus you can put your hope and trust in our God of faithfulness. And when that day comes to pass when God’s Word comes to pass, we need not be alarmed, but instead we can rejoice and be thankful that it came to pass just as He said it would.

by Justin Kantonen
originally posted July 2008

Bible Study - Reconciled for Reconciliation

“Do we really get it?”

Read I Corinthians 5:17-21

1. Look back and see what the “therefore” in v. 17 is there for.

2. From where did all that we have now been given/become come from and what is it that we have become?

3. Through whom did God reconcile us?

4. What does the word “reconcile” mean?

5. What has, as Christians, become our ministry?

6. Why are we ambassadors for Christ?

7. In Christ what do we become?

8. The last and final question of the day is this: “Are you doing the work of reconciliation that God has called you to do and if you are not what needs to change in your life in order to make it so?”


by Justin Kantonen
originally posted June 2008

Bible Study - Faith in Action

Read Hebrews 11

1. According to verse 1 what is faith?

2. After reading the whole chapter how would you describe faith in your own words?

3. Is faith simply a belief you have in your heart or does it require more than that?

Read James 2:14-26 for further study.

4. Name at least 10 examples of an active and living faith, naming specifically the work each person was called to do.

5. To you, which one stands out the most? Take some time to reflect and seek God about why it does.

6. Is there anything in your life that God is calling you to do by faith? What step is He asking you to take? What is keeping you from doing it?

7. Take some time to share with one another what you believe God is calling you to do; talk about what it means to truly live by faith in today’s world, especially our extremely secular society.
 
by Justin Kantonen
originally posted May 2008

Bible Study - As A Man Sows, So Shall He Reap

Read Hosea 10:12-14

1. What are the two things that Hosea tells God’s people to do?

2. What time does he say that it is?

3. What would be the results for them if they were to do these things?

4. Up until this time Israel had not been sowing and plowing as they ought to have been doing.

What were the three things that they had actually been doing?

5. How was it that they had been doing these things?

6. What would be the result of their actions?

7. Take some time to look at your own life. Have you been sowing righteousness and reaping steadfast love or have you been trusting in your own way and your own strength and plowing iniquity and reaping injustice?

by Justin Kantonen
originally published April 2008

Bible Study - Integrity

Read Genesis 39
1. Is integrity basically an attitude, a commitment, or an action?
Explain.

How is self-respect related to integrity?

2. Read Genesis 39. After having been sold by brothers who hated him Joseph finds himself a slave in Potiphar’s household, what does Potiphar observe about Joseph?

3. Why does Joseph refuse the request of Potiphar’s wife?

4. Instead of calling your sin or indiscretions evil, wicked, or against God, what excuses are you tempted to make for your actions?

5. How does the woman’s persistence make matters more difficult?

6. How much do you think Potiphar’s wife understood about Joseph’s reasons for refusing her?

How would you compare her loyalties with Joseph’s?

7. Why does Potiphar believe his wife instead of Joseph?

8. If Joseph had listened to Potiphar’s wife what would he have lost?

9. Have you ever been tempted to think, “The rules don’t apply to me” or “Nobody’s going to know anyway?” What were the circumstances and how did you respond?

10. In what ways can you follow Joseph’s example and maintain your integrity, whether at work, home, or play?

by Justin Kantonen
originally published March 2008

Bible Study - Philippians 4:4-11

Read Philippians 4:4-11


1. What is the command that Paul gives the Philippians in 4:4? Why do you think that Paul says this?

2. Why is it important that our gentleness or graciousness be shown to those around us?

3. What are the key words in verse 6?

4. What is the reward found in verse 7 from following the commands of verse 6?

5. What eight things in verse 8 are we told to meditate or think on?

6. What were the things that Paul wanted the Philippians to begin to put into practice?

7. In verse 10 which was more important: the fact that the Philippians cared or that they were given the opportunity to show their care?

8. What does the word “content” mean?

9. How was it that Paul was able to be content in all things?
 
 
 
by Justin Kantonen
originally published February 2008

Monday, January 18, 2010

Bible Study - Chosen To Serve

I would encourage you to read the whole book of Daniel, but our focus for today is going to be on verses 6-10 of chapter 1 and four young men who were taken from their homeland of Jerusalem and chosen to serve in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Read Daniel 1:6-10, or the whole chapter if you would like to get more of a background.

1. What do you think it would have been like to be taken from your home, marched across country and treated like a slave after living in complete freedom? What kind of thoughts and questions would have been going through your mind?

2. Do you think that Daniel and his compadres were glad to be chosen from among the most promising of the Jews to serve the king? Would you have liked to be chosen?

3. What were some of the requirements for being chosen to serve the king?

4. What kind of food were these young men to be eating?

5. What did Daniel decide that he was not going to do?

6. Why do you think that he made this decision?

7. What could have been the ramifications of this refusal?

8. Do you think that it was easy for Daniel to make this decision? Where do you think that the strength and courage to make the decision came from and do you think that it came in that instance or had that strength been grounded in him beforehand?

9. What were the results of David’s request?

10. Why did God take care of Daniel and his compadres in this way?

11. Is God asking you to make a decision that “goes against the grain?” Why would God ask you to do something like this?

12. What might the ramifications of your decision be?

13. Where does your strength and courage come from?

Do not be afraid to make decisions that go against what everyone else is thinking and doing. God does not call the equipped but equips the called. If he is asking you to do something difficult then He will give you the strength to do it and will bring a blessing into your life because you have been obedient to Him and His calling on Your life. God gets much glory when we make decisions according to His leading and guidance from the Word.


by Justin Kantonen
originally posted January 2008

Speak Out - Shrewd as Serpents

  • Modern scientific enlightenment has made god unnecessary.
  • It is unethical to make judgments about moral decisions.
  • Only arrogant people claim to know truth.
  • Overwhelming scientific evidence proves that all life came from a common ancestor through random mutations over long periods of time.

I faced all of these challenges in my first year of college. As a 2 month-old follower of Christ some of these blew me away. It wasn’t until my second year of college that a mature believer helped me gain some compassion-soaked boldness in living my life for Christ. I’d like to help you with the intellectual side of that, if only in a brief article.

How do you THRIVE—not just survive, in a challenging academic environment? God has given us this wisdom in various ways: Always be ready to have an answer for the hope that is within you, but with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15). See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception (Colossians 2:8). Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he may not be wise in his own eyes (Proverbs 26:4-5). But I want to focus on a more pointed verse: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” –Jesus in Matthew 10:16.

Challenges are an opportunity to proclaim and explain the truth. God’s Word is truth. Therefore, nothing in God’s Word is false, and nothing discovered to be true outside of God’s Word will contradict God’s Word. This does not mean that all truth is contained in God’s Word, or that we have complete knowledge of God’s Word. But it does mean that followers of Christ have no reason to fear challenges. Here is a good start on how to discuss subjects with friends, co-workers and even instructors:

Check Your Attitude

Start out by checking your spirit. Don’t be a jerk. God’s truth will be offensive—but you don’t have to be. The truth is not a club, and using it as such will poison the well for an eternal soul. If you beat a dog with a stick he won’t play fetch. So argue well, but don’t be argumentative.

Questions, Assertions, Arguments
  • A question is an inquiry:
    What is the moon made of?

  • An assertion is a statement:
    The moon is made of green cheese.

  • An argument is support for an assertion:
    Samples from Apollo 11 contained entirely green cheese.


A wise listener will discern the difference between these three objects. Sometimes assertions come in the form of a question: How can you trust a book that’s full of fairy tales? And sometimes people try to pass off an assertion as an argument: The Bible is full of fairy tales. The actual argument being made looks like this:
  • If the Bible is full of fairy tales, then you cannot trust the Bible.
  • The Bible is full of fairy tales.
  • Therefore, you cannot trust the Bible.

The best way to clarify the question and form your answer is to ask a few questions of your own.

Terms, facts, logic

Every argument contains terms, facts and logic. Errors in an argument come from misusing terms or using inaccurate facts and logic. You can make most of an opportunity for the truth by learning to ask three kinds of questions.
  • Definition of terms:
    What do you mean by fairy tales?

  • Establishing facts:
    How do you know the Bible is full of these fairy tales?

  • Questioning logic:
    How does the presence of these accounts prohibit trust in the Bible?

Argue well, but don’t be argumentative

At this point in a discussion you may well be accused of being “argumentative.” What do you mean by “argumentative?” Of course, all you are doing is trying to argue well. Sometimes people don’t like to have their points of view questioned. But someone who is confident of the truth has no reason to be defensive or accusatory. As stewards of God’s truth followers of Christ hold the sacred trust of answering the questions of others and asking good questions of them in return. Attacks on the truth are not a threat, but an opportunity. So pray for and make the most of these opportunities.

Remember the best answer of all when you don’t know: I don’t know. Some skeptics will claim that because you do not know something it is not true. That is false in itself, of course. To quote Dr. Jonathan Strand (Condordia University, Edmonton), “The fact that you don’t know something doesn’t entail anything significant, except that you don’t know everything, which, of course, you already knew.”

How do we know the Bible is true?

As with any ancient document, we must ask three questions: How many manuscripts do we have, how close are they to the time of authorship, and how well were they copied? Answers to these questions establish that we have reason to trust the Bible more than any other ancient document. After that we must look at internal consistency (does it agree with itself) and external accuracy (does it agree with outside evidence). While skeptics will disagree, the results are very favorable to the authority of Scripture. And remember, how do you know the Bible is false needs answering, too.

How do we know God exists?

If someone asks for proof of God’s existence, ask what kind of proof they will accept. There is a chance that they won’t consider what you’re about to say, so ask first. Don’t be fooled: There is no proof that God exists is an assertion, not an argument. While there are several strong extra-Biblical reasons to believe that God exists, we need the revelation of Scripture to know Him intimately. But start with these three arguments:
  • The universe exits- Followers of Christ have an answer for In the beginning… (Genesis 1:1)
  • The universe exhibits design- This implies a designer, for In Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).
  • Moral law exists- Everybody knows it’s wrong to torture babies for fun, cut in line, or hit your mom with a shovel. This implies a moral law giver. The law of God is written on their hearts (Romans 2:15).
Why do good things happen to bad people?

Be sensitive on this one, especially if someone in pain is doing the asking. This is the most difficult question posed to followers of Christ, and oddly, one of the easiest to answer. The answer comes from Genesis 3, the fall of mankind. Where are all the good people? There aren’t any. The real question is how great is the mercy of God that would spare us from the penalty of sin. Further, we see what God intended (in creation) and what God has prepared (in heaven). The sin, death and darkness we experience in between is brief, and specifically a result of sin. The follower of Christ has the only answer that is sufficient. The more difficult version of this question relates to the sovereignty of an all-powerful God, but the basic answers hold.

by Pastor Wade Mobley

Pastor Wade Mobley (pastorwade@livingwordfreelutheran..org) originally faced campus challenges at South Dakota State University, and serves Living Word Free Lutheran Church (Sioux Falls, SD) with his wife Michele.


Resources
  • The Bible- know the truth so well that lies become obvious
  • Stand to Reason, http://www.str.org/. How to be an ambassador for Christ’s truth.
  • Cross Examined, http://www.crossexamined.org/. The Biblical apologetics web site of Frank Turek, author of I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.
  • Answers in Genesis, http://www.answersingenesis.org/. Biblical creationism with scientific analysis.
  • A Ready Defense, Josh McDowell. A compilation of great basic writings on finding the truth.
  • Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Peter Kreeft & Ronald Tacelli. General answers concerning the Christian Worldview.
  • Common Ground Without Compromise, Stephen Wagner. 25 Questions to Create a Dialog on Abortion
  • Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult, Garrett J. DeWeese and J. P.Moreland. A beginner’s guide to life’s big questions.
  • Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview, J. P. Moreland and William Lane Craig. A bit technical, but a great primer on philosophy, logic and methodology for finding answers.







Speak Out - Madagascar

This past summer I spent two months in which the only constant from day to day for me was the pair of 8-inch work boots that I had on my feet. I spent my summer with the Teen Missions International Madagascar team. I felt the Lord tugging on my heart to go on a mission trip for a while and in November of 2007, I started to seriously consider and look into it.

The country and people of Madagascar have a special place in my heart. My grandparents, Rev. Amos and Ovidie Dyrud, were missionaries there for about twenty years. I have heard countless stories of my dad, two aunts, and uncle growing up at the boarding school for the missionary kids, and of my grandparents out in the field. My dad worked in a hospital in Madagascar for two years right after my parents were married, so my oldest sister was born there. He took my family back for three months as he worked in a hospital again right after I was born. We have pictures, trinkets, games, decorative papers and tapestries from Madagascar all throughout our house, so even since childhood, Madagascar has always subconsciously been on my mind. Then in August of 2003, my family went back to Madagascar for three weeks. We took a road trip from the capital city, Antananarivo, south to Fort Dauphin, where my dad grew up at the boarding school, and then flew back to the capital. It was then, seeing all the places  where my grandparents lived and worked, visiting the hospitals in which my dad worked and my sister was born, meeting the people who my dad grew up with and worked with years later, and just seeing the countryside and its people, that I fell in love with Madagascar.

Naturally, then, when I first thought about going on a mission trip, I wanted to go to Madagascar. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to arrange a trip there by myself with only one remaining American contact there, so I looked into Teen Missions International, an organization that my oldest sister went on a trip to Egypt with nine years ago. When I saw that they had a team going to Madagascar, I knew that it was the one I was supposed to be on! I sent out support letters at the end of January, and the Lord provided the over $5,000 I
needed to raise well before my deadline.

I left on June 20th and spent the first two weeks away from home at “The Lord’s Boot Camp” in Merritt Island, Florida. We lived in tents, got up at 5:30 to run the obstacle course each day, and took both classroom and hands-on classes to prepare us for the field. We learned things like block laying, steal tying, cement mixing, carpentry, and puppets, among many other things. All the teams took the same classes, whether you were a work or evangelism team. The goal of the classes was to make sure we would be useful on the field, and the goal of the uncomfortable living conditions of boot camp, the work boots we had to wear, the bucket bathing and laundry, the tents, the bucket flushing toilets and no running water, was to prepare us for the worst of mission fields. To be completely honest, I hated boot camp at first, but I knew I had to get through it in order to make it to Madagascar! It was through this time at boot camp that God helped me realize that I could not do it in my own strength; that I needed to surrender everything to Him.

When we first arrived in Madagascar, we had a few very long bus and truck rides. As uncomfortable as they were, they allowed for a lot of time to think and reflect. Missions has become heavy on my heart and Madagascar has always been very close to my heart, so I was hoping that this summer God would use this trip to reveal to me whether I am supposed to be a missionary to Madagascar or not. I found myself picturing myself living in Madagascar with a family some day and falling in love with the countryside, but I never did get a clear answer.

My team’s main work project was adding ceilings in the unfinished dorm rooms of the Bible Missions and Work Training Center that we stayed at in Mahajanga. We had four rooms to finish and we worked in pairs. The rest of the team worked on other various projects including building a railing (and chiseling rocks into blocks to be used as the foundation of it), building a staircase, and painting “English curriculum” animals, shapes, letters, and numbers on the outside walls of the school. We also taught the classes that we had taken to teams of Malagasy teens as we ran a boot camp.

I was not assigned a teaching job, so I actually had very little interaction with the Malagasy kids. As I struggled with having a good attitude about this, it made me wonder if maybe it was God telling me that I’d be back someday and that I needed to let my teammates have their turn. But then maybe it was God’s way of telling me that the Malagasy kids don’t need me and that it’s not His will for me to go back to Madagascar as a missionary. God has not revealed His specific plan for my future to me yet, and I am learning to be content with where He has me now.

by Hannah Dyrud