A New Year, A New Decade

It’s that time again! Time to rollover the calendars and start off another year. The one different thing about this year is that it is the dawning of a new decade. A time to start some new trends that we as a society will later regret and look back on the ones that we already do… but also look back on the good times we have shared this decade.

As we stare the coming year of 2010 in the face I take a personal look back at my life this past decade. (In no particular order)

-I have made so many new bonds with people, along with strengthening some old ones. Some friends have come to be more like family.

-I graduated High School in 09 and made the decision to go to school in Tennessee, where I also now work as a Student Ministry intern.

-All of the time spent in middle school and high school, learning ad becoming who I am today.

-I went to China and stood on the Great Wall and saw the Forbidden City… AMAZING!

-I really got to see this country, and all its beauty, through the eyes of someone growing up, trying to find their place in it.

-I earned the rank of Eagle Scout with a lot hard work put forth to do it.

-I gave my life to God’s calling of me to full time ministry! I can see God molding me and I praise him for that.

-I found one of my life loves in learning to play guitar and slowly developing my skills. I found no more of a rewarding use for it than worshiping our God, and leading others to do so as well.

-I voted in my first Presidential Election

-Some of my most fond memories are all of times spent with my youth group and church family over the years.

There are so many memories I could pull out, we would be here forever. I praise God for my family, my parents and the strong bond they have formed with me. As well as my close friends, who are as close to me as family. Josh (Emily too), Floyd, Brittany, Sam, Gregory, Ross, Raquel, Logan, and Colton. I love all of you guys! Also this decade I came to know Jeff, his wife Stephanie, and daughter Karis. I consider Jeff not only as a mentor, but him and his family as dear friends as well.

Everything and everyone I have mentioned have been a major part in my life throughout this decade. Looking back I see where God has blessed me in so many ways, and I look forward to whatever he may have in store for me.

Happy New Year to you all!

Home for the Holidays!

It's been just over a week since I made the trek back from Clarksville, Tennessee to my home in Midlothian, Texas. I have had some great times catching up with family and friends and seemed to very seamlessly pick up right where I left off in when I left for school at the end of August. It's a great feeling getting to see everyone when it feels like it has been so long, and it's only been three and a half months. I'm first off excited to see my family, as well as a few friends it's been almost unbearable to only have talked to via facebook or phone.

In the midst of all of the enjoyment I do wish to remain thoughtful of why this time is important to me in my faith. I am so grateful that I was able to travel safely through the long stretch of road between Texas and Tennessee, that I drove through without stopping except to refuel, but I am even more grateful in this time because of the reason we celebrate. I know it seems almost cliché this time of year, certainly in our day and age, to say "Jesus is the reason for the season" or "Keep Christ in Christmas", but these seemingly over-used phrases are an attempt to remind our society why, and for whom, we celebrate. See, Christmas isn't about the presents, decorations, and over-crowded shopping malls, but it is a time to celebrate the coming of Christ, Jesus, whom is our only way to salvation. Without Christ our fate is that of men (and women) who alone cannot overcome their fallen state. Celebrating and spending time with friends and family is great, enjoy it, but remember the coming of hope that we celebrate this day, that through Christ we may glorify the Father.

Merry Christmas everyone!

An Ever-Changing World Meets an Ever-Constant God

"While God has not changed, the world has, and his people need wisdom, not legalism, to live in it."- Pastor Mark Driscoll, from Religion Saves: + Nine Other Misconceptions


In my reading of the book mentioned above, authored by, Seattle WA based, Mars Hill Church pastor Mark Driscoll, I came across this statement (also stated above). In the book he is on the subject of the church's view of birth control, but this statement applies to more issues than that alone, some of which are also addressed in the book, which is why this statement caught my attention. In our world's ever changing culture new issues are addressed, some old issues are re-evaluated, and things that were once not an issue become one (i.e., alcohol). My purpose in this post is not to debate those issues (I'll save that for another time, perhaps a more personal method. Not to say I won't discuss those issue on this blog, but let's just leave that alone for now.), but to look at the term "legalism" and how it fits into our society.

The thing we must first look at is the world that we live in, and the issues presented to us as believers in Christ. See, the world, or culture I should say, that we live in is uncertain. Over thousands of years it has been in a constant state of transformation, and even at some points maturity, though this is not always the case. The simple fact we must realize is that in the midst of all this change, God and his word have been unwavering throughout, from the beginning. What has changed is our own maturity and understanding of his word. When new things come as issues in our world, many times they will stem from a direct issue addressed biblically. For example, pornography is not necessarily a new issue, for what it has evolved from and to is all compounded on the sin of lust, which is clearly stated, on many occasions, as sin in the bible (i.e., Matthew 5:28; Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18; just to name a few). In some issues that have come in recent history to the modern church (I will avoid specifically discussing these issues, so that I do not negate from my point.), there is a fine line where something is all well and good, and then can pass over into being sin. In issues like these, it is not right for someone to form a strict view (i.e., legalism), on either side of the issue, and then proceed to force that view onto others as biblical truth, for it is not biblical truth. What legalism does is, it takes the prayerful discernment of a Christian on something that, in essence, is pure, yet can be taken by the world and made sinful. I will use one example, yet not dwell on it, in dancing. Dancing is something that, biblically, is holy and worship towards the lord (i.e., 2 Samuel 6:14), but the nature of dancing has been taken by our culture and perverted. To take the stance that all dancing is sin, and should be prohibited, is completely contrary to scripture. To summarize my thoughts, in conclusion, legalism takes God out of the equation. We, as a believing body of Christ, should not count things that have been perverted by our culture as automatic sin, but each of us should prayerfully discern these things as to where it stops being pure, and becomes twisted by our changing world. For times and cultures change, but our God remains constant. Rely on him when things seem hazy. God Bless!

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another."- Galatians 5:13-15

An Act of Faith

This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to speak to the students at First Baptist Clarksville. It also was the official announcement of me as the Student Ministry Intern (This was not on purpose, just happened to work out on the same night). Even in the few months I've been here I've already gotten so much out of it. The students are a great group and Jeff and Josh are some of the greatest guys to serve the Lord with. I look forward to what God has in store for me here.

When it was decided that I was to speak to the students on the final night of the "Rebel" series, something had already been laid on my heart for a good while. When I think of a rebel, in the sense of a rebel for God, one of the first to come to mind is Daniel. Now, Daniel, throughout the book of the same name, shows many instances where he rebels and takes a different path to follow God and not his surroundings. The passage on my heart was Daniel chapter 6, the story of Daniel and the lion's den. Now this story is something that we learn early in the church, but I wanted to go farther than the story of it, and on to the sound biblical truth contained in it. Daniel's reputation was that of one who followed his God above all, and this fact was taken into account by those who were out to get him because he favored highly by the king. These men set a trap for Daniel that anyone who makes petition to any king or god besides Darius, the king, should be thrown to the lions. Verse 10 tells us that Daniel knew full and well the law had been passed and the consequences of it, yet prayed to God anyway. Most of us know the story, Daniel was brought before the king and, even though the king tried to save him, Daniel was thrown in the lion's den. The next morning, after a sleepless night of God weighing on the king's conscience, he goes to see what has come of Daniel.
"Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God." - Daniel 6:23

After this all of the accusers are killed, God is glorified through the king's proclamation, and Daniel prospers. The part I focused on, and caught my attention the most, was the way Daniel followed God unwaveringly, and acted completely on faith. We know that he knew the danger, yet he followed God anyway. This is something that we as Christians don't fully grasp today. We don't do things for God because they may seem dangerous, crazy, or stupid. Or maybe the world tells us that something has too big of a risk, when the reality is we should step out on faith. Our God is too great and has done so much for us, if we feel God's leading in a situation we should act out of faith and not worry about if the world thinks it is crazy or stupid. Our God is bigger than our own view of things and has a much greater plan than what we can foresee.

"Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: 'Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.'" - Daniel 6:25-27

Errbody in the Church Helpin' Lottie

God is Truly Bigger Than Our Plans

Jeff and Josh created this rap to teach the students at First Baptist Clarksville about Lottie Moon and giving to missions. I was able to help out by assisting in the filming of the video and even got my own little cameo spot at the the beginning. This video has gone international to churches and missionaries all over, with (at the moment) almost 4,000 hits on youtube, and even shown at the International Mission Board chapel service. God truly does work bigger than we can imagine.

New Surroundings

So I'm working on my third full week of classes now here at Austin Peay. I'm loving it here, but it still taking some getting used to. There's so many differences here in Tennessee from living back home in Texas. For one, it's not as open, there is a massive abundance of trees, much like East Texas, but I have grown up in Central Texas, where from my house you can see downtown Ft. Worth and Dallas. Another thing, people from Clarksville think there is nothing here, but they have a lot compared to what I'm used to. Midlothian was always a small town, and business wise still is, so here it's a completely different atmosphere. I still don't understand the barbecue argument between Texans and "Southerners". Barbecue is barbecue! If you smoke some meat and throw some homemade barbecue sauce on it I'll eat it, whatever kind of meat it is. On second thought, I might have a couple of reservations on the meat choice, like no domesticated animals, that's just weird. Everything here in Tennessee is great and beautiful, but in a different way than Texas. A few things that are great about being here. Like the fact that my favorite style of music, bluegrass, is in abundance here. I love helping out at First Baptist and being a part of what is going on there. The students are a great group, and the college ministry is a blast.

If there's something I have learned here, it's that you can't forget who you are. Not in the sense of me being from Texas, but in the sense that even in an emotionally stressful time, in the midst of changes in life, you can't forget who you are in Christ. When something is thrown in your way you can't revert back to how you used to be, but accept it and move on. Things happen, and since being here things have been tossed in my way that started to make me doubt myself, and have that "poor me" attitude, but through some constructive words from back home, I had to remember who I am. Christ has made us new, and there's no reason to go back to the way you were before that, because the slate has been wiped clean and you are alive in Christ.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17


Just for fun, I mentioned bluegrass at the first of the post, here's some bluegrass!

Christ’s Example to Glorify the Father- Philippians 2:1-11

It's been a while since I've posted anything, soon I'll have some more up, but in the time being I wanted to post this. This was my sermon outline for the last time I spoke in front of Oak Crest before I left for college. I think that this is something we can loose sight of and it's good to be reminded of our chief purpose.

- If we take a long, honest look at our culture as a whole, we live in a world where people live for their own gain. A world where “popularity” is worshiped, whether you’re talking about celebrities, reality shows, or the lottery. A culture that teaches to look out for your own interests and not care about someone who is “worse off” than yourself. Sadly, we can see the affects of our culture leaking into our churches. People who care more about how they look to everyone than giving all to God. In Philippians chapter 1, Paul talks about living for Christ, saying in verse 21, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This conveys his desire to live for Christ, as well as his desire to be with Christ. Beginning in chapter 2, verses 1-11, he further explains how to live for Christ by showing the example Christ himself gave to us through his life, and by his death on the cross. If you’ll read with me, beginning in verse 1…

1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

- Paul begins this section by invoking the people of the church at Philippi to peer into their own life and heart to see if these qualities are evident. Encouragement, comfort from love, participation in the spirit, affection and sympathy, these qualities come from being in Christ. He then says in verse 2, “complete my joy…”, as Paul cares greatly for them and is writing from prison, “... by being of the same mind, having the same love, being of full accord and of one mind.” He doesn’t mean that they should all think exactly the same, but to be one for the cause of Christ, each doing their part, none bigger or smaller than the other, but all together as body of believers. In verse 4, he begins to explain further what this looks like, saying that each person should not look to their interest alone, but to also look to the interests of others. In other words, if we make sure that we are taken care of on an individual level, we cannot function properly as the body of Christ. Instead, be unified in love, putting other’s needs over your own.

- Next, Paul writes saying to, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” This heart of love and spirit of selflessness is in us through Christ. If we embrace these things and put away the vain teachings of this world and culture, we begin to imitate the humility of Christ. In verse 6, he explains the humble attitude shown by Christ, “… who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Jesus is the perfect example of how we should live, as servants to an all powerful God. In doing the task set before us, following God’s lead, putting his agenda before our own, we imitate Christ, who “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

- Beginning in verse 9, Paul explains that through this, Christ showed that he shared the likeness of God, being “highly exalted” and having “ bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,…” Then, in the last of verse 11, he explains the purpose of it all, “… to the glory of God the Father.” That’s it! Simply put in seven words. The purpose of man, the purpose of following Christ’s example of obedience in love, the purpose of Christ himself and his death on the cross, the purpose of it all is to give glory to God the Father.

- So, as we are daily bombarded by a culture that teaches self reliance and to live for the gratification and the gain of one’s self, we as a body of Christ are to follow the example of Christ. Putting the needs of others above ourselves in a spirit of love and selflessness, fulfilling the purpose for which we are made, giving all glory to God in every aspect of life itself.

-

Why....?

Wow..., I feel like I set this up and I've just been neglecting putting up new post, but here is a new one, long over due.

Today at lunch I had an interesting event occur at our table. We were sitting there, eating like normal, and this kid came and sat down, no food, just sat and didn't say anything. I don't even know who he is, I've mabey only seen him once before. Anyway, after a minute or two, he raised his head and asked, "Do you think God is real?," at which I replied by vigorously shaking my head yes beacause I had a mouth full of breadsticks. Then ensued a conversation that he began by saying why he didn't think there was a God, and telling us how he saw people using Christianity as a way of just covering your bases, or even how he sees people who praise God when they have a great life, yet hate him when life is bad. We explained how we know God is real because of what he has done in our lives, how we are not just hoping God is real, but that we know he is real and we've felt him. We explained that Christianity is more than religion, but a relationship with Christ. The entire time he respected what we said, as well as us respecting his thoughts. At the end of lunch he took off and didn't give us time to even get a name, but we hoped that at least a seed was planted. At the end of it all it left me remembering why I believe in Christ, and how he saved me from a dark path that was leading me to destruction. I thought of how even when bad things happen God is in control, and I praise him for that. It's amazing how someone asking questions can make you remember why your a Chritian to begin with. So I thought I'd ask, what has God done in your life to show he is there, why do you believe what you believe?

Love God, Love People

The I Heart Revolution 2 from Tony Mazon on Vimeo.

"Love God, love people, that's it. That's the revolution - revolutionary I know, but if we understand what that means, if we get it, if we establish in our thinking how that looks, and we start living it, we will change the world. It's not so much about the big stuff, it's just about the stuff. It's about the people in the places being the answer - in the places, and together; becoming the answer to the big stuff. It's about your backyard and it's about my backyard." - Joel Houston

This being my first real post, I want to pose the question, "What does it mean to love God, and love people?". My answer to that begins with biblically defining love. Love is clearly summed up in Romans 12:9, which says, "[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good," love is clinging to what is good, the things of God. That being said, if we cling to God, if we truly love him, we will love the things and people that he loves. We will be compelled to reach out to a dying world as God calls us to. It's not enough to stay in our huddle, we have to get out and go to this world and show them the Christ that we have. The basics of what I'm trying to say is that if we LOVE GOD, like we say we do, we should as well LOVE PEOPLE!

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love [is] the fulfillment of the law. - Romans 13:10

He's a "Foos-ball" He-ro (Stars in His Eyes)!!!

The name "foosball hero" basically comes from my being a self proclaimed "master of foosball". But seriously, the name of this blog pretty much comes from the main purpose that I want it to serve, that being knocking back and forth, as you do the ball in foosball, theological discussion. My goal in this is to get people asking each other questions that make you think deep on something you may not have really thought about, or even something you may have a very well biblically based view on. Whatever the topic, either brought up by one of my blogs, or by a comment posted on one, the purpose is to pose a biblically based question to make people think about why they may believe something that they believe. Is that view based on God and his holy word, or preconceptions of tradition?