Name:Matthew Country:United States State:Indiana Metro:Fort Wayne Birthday:11/14/1983 Gender:Male
Interests:the bible, Jesus, my wife, my youth groupers, guitars, computers, xbox live, cleaning Expertise:windows xp, itunes, international travel, how to stay up all night and maximize your next day, cramming, being lazy, driving around the city of chicago, wasting time on the internet, youth pastor Occupation:Customer service/support Industry:Nonprofit
I know i have been bombarding you kids with all of these updates, but I figured out the rss deal.
Basically I want you to suscribe to my blog. It is super easy to do! Just click on this link: Matthew J Hawkins' Blog!
and you will receive updates as new blogs are there! I want the xanga community to still be a part of my life! The whole 3 of you! you know who you are!
www.matthewjhawkins.com ---click on the above picture...
This is what i put on there. If i could only figure out how the rss thing works so people on here could suscribe to that instead of having to post things on here and also on the other page!
So this morning, I woke up at
5:30am and we had a book study over at Starbucks. The Youth Group is
studying the book a Case for a Creator on Tuesday mornings, and having
a little time to talk about it and basically discuss what the book is
talking about. It was really amazing, and I really enjoyed the time.
It seems that it is a very current topic, and it is cool to get a Godly
perspective on science and on what creation involves and all that!
Speaking
of creation, I saw this trailor for a movie called Expelled with Ben
Stein and it is about scientists that have left their presidencies and
other positions because they were kicked out for not conforming to the
Darwinism theory. It was quite facinating, and it seems that there is
a lot of pressure in the scientific community to just accept this
theory blindly, even though it has its flaws! I thought it was super
cool, and not even necessarily a Christian thing, but in the end it
does put up a defense for a Creator!! It comes out April 18th!
this passage from Joshua has really been ministering to me. the power of prayer! Let me know if you like it!!
"We are almost finished with the book of Joshua, and since we have started, I have been just continuing to encourage the Youth to pursue victory in Christ and also to be living in a victorious life. We have seen so many times in this book that the life of victory is challenging at times, but through God there is real strength, power, and the enabling of the Holy Spirit to live in victory. One thing that really ministered to me, and was something that I wanted to share at the prayer night for the youth, is the amazing things that God can do through prayer. Joshua 10 seems to be a really amazing outline for experiencing victory. When the 5 kings of the Amorites had gotten together to overtake the Gibeonites, which Israel had just made a treaty with, Israel and Joshua found themselves in the place to have to bail out these guys from the Amorites. God said in verse 8, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” With that promise in hand, they marched the entire night, over 20 miles, of an ascent of around 4000 feet. They knew the promises of God, but it was left to them to be obedient, and to live in victory. Once they had gotten there, in the midst of fighting, the Lord cast down large hailstones (10:11), the sun stood still and allowed for more day (10:13), and in that the Lord fought for Israel (10:14). The great and amazing thing was is that when Joshua and Israel were obedient to do what God had commanded them, “there were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword” (10:11). God wants to do amazing things in the battles of our lives, and in the kids’ lives. And I think where this comes together is when we look at prayer. Prayer is a sure way to be obedient and to battle for the kids, and if we are diligent and faithful to be in prayer, it will be God that changes lives, brings conviction, brings victory, and allows for fruitful lives in us as well as the youth group. He will do amazing things that aren’t evenly humanly possible as He did in the time of Joshua, and as He has done throughout history. The real power lies in God’s hands! There is only so much we can humanly accomplish. So once again I challenge you to prayer, and to be in daily prayer for the Youth Group. We are having a Prayer Night for anyone that wants to be a part of this ministry, and the next meeting will be on Tuesday March 18th at 7PM at the church. Thanks so much for all your support!! "
well it has been a while since i have updated, i never thought i would turn into that person. i hate people that never update, and it looks like i need to practice what i preach! Anyway this semester has been super busy, and it has been really hard to keep motivated already, and to keep on task. So....that stinks!
So my camera is toast, and it isnt gonna ever turn on again. so that is lame, so don't look for photos on here for a long time, considering i gots no money for a camera....lame.
youth group has seemed to be taking a nose dive since i got back from california. I am not sure what God has in store, but no one has been coming to much stuff since then. Everyone is going over to another church in town, that is much more flashy, etc. I am not sure why, it is the same as always, but it looks like god is doing something. Either he is weeding out the kids who don't care, or he is weeding us out. It has honestly been extremely tough and very challenging. On to top it all off, we had parents prayer tonight and no one showed. But i took the opportunity to spend time in prayer, and i left blessed, and just wanting to see God move. I was going to share how in Joshua when the 5 kingdoms were attacking the Gideonites, and since Joshua and Israel had a treaty, they came down to the dirty south to bail them out, and the Lord did some miraculous stuff, and threw down large hailstones, and gave them more daylight. I think it was an amazing story of just being obedient, and seeing God move in ways that are just so completely out of the ordinary, and more than ever expected. So i look at prayer that way, and I guess my life and the ministry. There is only so much that i can do, but the real power and ability comes from God. I pray for his equipping, leading, and Spirit to pour out into my life, as well as the kids in the Youth Group. It has honestly been hard to remain faithful, but I know I gotta focus on what God has called me to do, the simple life of faith in the minstry, and just see where he leads.
so if you think of it be praying for me, and praying for the kids.
