Check out Pastor Jason’s newest blog entry–Gift or Giver?
To-do Lists and Trust.
Stress. My thoughts recently have been centered on what I have to do next. There’s a seemingly never-ending to-do list on my phone and I always feel that at the end of the day I haven’t checked off as many tasks as I should have. Welcome to adulthood? No thank you.
My recent stress is due to the move I’m making in August (That is, if I survive until August;) ). I’m up all night thinking about the things I need to do to prepare and even dreaming about what will happen if I don’t get everything done. What on earth is going on? This isn’t like me.
It boils down to this: trust. Am I trusting the Lord with this? The Bible has all sorts of scripture on this and there are two that are specifically speaking to me.
1)
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. -Psalms 9:10
2)
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.- Isaiah 26:3
Am I continuously seeking God? He won’t forsake me in this.
Is my mind stayed (or focused) on him? He’ll bring me peace!
Both scriptures (and many, MANY more) bring up trusting the Lord. It doesn’t say it’s easy, and certainly doesn’t feel like it in a time like this, but it DOES say that the end result is worth it. Peace? My heart needs some of that please and thank you! I cannot do this by myself. I’m convinced I will lose my mind if I try. So why not just give it over to the Lord and trust that everything will work out according to his purpose and sovereignty. He’s got it all planned out anyway so why not just let him lead the way he’s already chosen for me.
It will be a daily battle for me this summer and it will take all the prayers I can get. Will you pray for me? I know it will all unfold in His timing. It’s time for me to be patient and TRUST the Lord.
Life on Purpose
Lately I have been thinking a lot about life…. mainly because Megan and I have been blessed with 2 little ones that are coming to a Rios Household near you! (Not really just my Rios household, so don’t go to a family named Rios asking to see the 2 little ones 
When Megan and I found out that we were having twins it was an absolute shock to Megan(who is a twin), her sister (the other twin), her family (who had twins in the family… see the first two people), to our church (who has 7 sets of twins in the church) and to me (who married a twin).
However… It was not a shock to God because God does everything with purpose (“Many are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” Proverbs 19:2)
That is something that has been resonating in my life lately. God does everything with purpose. Here are a few things that I have learned that God has done on purpose (thanks to Dr. Andy Woods & the College of Biblical Studies)
1. Between Malachi and Matthew there was 400 years of silence between God and His people, but there was also a reason that Jesus wasn’t sent during that time as well. It was prophesied that Jesus would die on the cross and during that time the Romans were not in power, who “perfected” the crucifixion. It had to be the right timing for Jesus to come. Jesus was sent with purpose.
2. Jesus told people not to tell others the miracles that he did because it wasn’t his time yet. There were still things that needed to be in place before the crucifixion took place. Then during the crucifixion Jesus at anytime could have called down a legion on angels to destroy everyone, but he didn’t. He knew he came for a reason, to die for EVERYONE’S SINS. Jesus died with a purpose.
3. 3 days later Jesus arose from the dead and not to just pull off some magic trick, but for a purpose. He arose from the dead to show the world that He overcame sin for us!
Knowing all of this expresses great love for us, but it also shows us that He did everything with purpose! So whenever something happens in your life that doesn’t make sense or seems like too much realize that there is a purpose for it. You are created with purpose and that purpose is “to give glory to God in all things”
The Gospel Project
Something new is coming to 9:05 beginning May 20th. The Gospel Project. The Gospel Project will help us understand that Jesus isn’t just part of the story the Bible tells–He is the point of the story! Over the next few weeks we will begin The Project by studying how God reveals himself to us. Each week I will post a Gospel Project Study Guide. Prepare yourself for Small Group by spending time on the devotionals and utilizing the study aids. One of the most influential professors I had in college always encouraged our class to do the “optional reading.” He claimed that it was way more interesting than the required reading. Some of my peers ignored him, and I did too at first. But then I tried it. And guess what? He was right. Not only were the extra articles interesting, they also came in handy during test time. By the end of the semester my grade had improved from a B to an A. So, what’s the point of this little anecdote? DO THE OPTIONAL READING. It will make a difference in what you take away from The Gospel Project. And you may even enjoy it.
Not A Fan Encore (Texas v A&M)
If you missed it Jason spoke on Jesus not WANTING people to be fans of Him, but be Completely. Committed. Followers of Him. After Jesus had fed the 5,000 he had a lot of people who wanted to “follow” him (fans) but once they realized the cost (Matt 16:24) Deny Self, Take up Cross, and Follow me they said “no thanks, that’s too much” and left him. A lot like a bandwagon fan…
Jesus wants people who are going to be in the game for Him and not people just on the sidelines waving a flag saying “Go Jesus” when things are good and then jumping off the bandwagon when things get rough.
It is well known throughout the student ministry that I am a huge Texas Longhorn fan (Hook ‘Em!) and if you live in Texas then you are most likely rooting for Texas or A&M… never both! One of my best friends is a huge A&M fan and we have rules for one another when Texas and A&M play each other…
Rule 1) Minimal, but definite smack talk before the game – because you need to smack talk, but we already know that we are rooting for our teams so too much just doesn’t make sense
Rule 2) Whoever is the underdog in the game that person can text the other during the game – either saying “wow, we are getting our butts kicked” or “y’all didn’t want to play today?”
Rule 3) THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF THEM ALL: Absolutely NO TEXTING, CALLING, EMAILING, SKYPING, SMOKE SIGNALING ANY SMACK TALK OR MENTION OF THE GAME FOR AT LEAST A 28 HOUR PERIOD AFTER THE GAME. ( 28 hours because by then ESPN has stopped playing the highlights and you have had 4 hours to get it out of your mind or for it to be the first thing said in the conversation for the person who won)
With all that being said I have a respect for A&M and their traditions (despite most of them being cultish) One of their traditions that I admire is the 12th man tradition (Aggies, excuse me if I butcher this, but I think I got it right) In a game in 1922 against the nations top team the Aggies were falling like flies. The coach at the time remembered that one of the fans in the stands was eligible to play so he called him down from the stands to get suited up and prepare to play in the game. Still to this day the fans at A&M are known as the 12th man.
Now what if this happened to you in the game of life? What if God was calling you to no longer be in the stands and to no longer just be a fan of His, but to be a COMPLETELY COMMITTED FOLLOWER of HIM?! Would you listen to the call or would you be satisfied with just waving the “Go Jesus” flag when you are at church on Sunday. Would you say well maybe when I am older, maybe when I have more money, maybe when …
Last thought: So lets stop waving a Jesus flag and get in the game, but remember this: God loves us for the person we are right now just as much as He will love us for the person He wants us to be.
