YouTube

Oh YouTube.. how I love you.. not as much as my God, girlfriend or family.. but you still have a warm place in my heart. You bring out the funniest, weirdest, coolest and most random videos that I have ever seen, you even put on parts of the King of Queens! (haha that rhymed). 


February 14th, 2005 was a day that changed the life of all computer nerds and people who love America's Funniest Home Video's. Because on that monumental day in history, all people with access to a computer could watch home videos as much as they want... for as long as they want... for free! YouTube was born.. and it is still going strong. 


But not all good things are great... YouTube has been used for bad as well.. people have added really bad stuff that you just don't need to see. Pornography, abuse, racism, slander, and blasphemy is all part of YouTube, luckily there is a report button and they are usually good at removing some bad stuff. 


So I was looking through YouTube and found this video... please watch it all the way through... it's pretty trippy..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPdAkDAg8ys&feature=rec-LGOUT-real_rev-rn-1r-8-HM


Here is what she said.. in a slower way so you can completely understand it...


"To be a survivor in this Amazing Race with the need for speed you need God’s Grace and if you're desperate like housewives watching days of our lives, you can’t cope without hope and that is not on a soap. If your looking to Oprah or Dr. Phil you can shop non-stop or pop a pill, but the void won’t fill and the pain won’t kill until you love the one that hung on a hill. Kicking back in your lazy boy easy chair watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, nah your not gonna find it there. No American Idol or Council Tribal has the final answer that will satisfy ya. C.S.I. ain’t got a clue. S.V.U. don’t know what to do. Not the ER or those seen on a CD, TV, DVD or MP3 can save you and me. CNN has got no Good News here’s a headline you must choose. It’s not a simple life Paris Hilton, It’s treading on thin ice living in sin. You can be an apprentice for Donald Trump or eat Fear Factor fast food from a dump you can be a heavy hitter or wheel of fortune winner or a Fox news no spin spinner or flat sinner but you better check this life that your livin’ and make sure your sins are forgiven. I bet ya 50 cent, Elvis done come and went, and eventually every Black eyed pea, Gwen Stefani, P-Diddy and Britney. Every wanna-be on MTV with their Icy Bling, every Dixie Chick that Sings, they all gonna see the King of Kings. I don’t care if your J-Lo, Leno or Bono. One thing you gotta know. Some day your gonna die, Bro. Then where are you gonna go. Hey, I’m not talking some punk junk that is irrelevant. Like your Grandma’s church from way back when. It’s not some preacher feature on TBN that you need to be liking or listening. The real superstar is Jesus Christ. He’s the way, the Truth and the Life. One day He’s gonna split the sky. He is the brightest light and the Highest high and so what I came to say and what I’m telling you is don’t buy that stupid stuff they be selling ya it’s all designed to fill your head and waste your space until your dead here’s the bottom line in my rhyme. Give your life to God while there is still time."


That whole thing was so cool I thought... but the last 10 words are the most important of all. "Give your life to God while there is still time". Just because you aren't 90 years old doesn't mean that your days are numbered. God has a time for everything just like it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

3:1  For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 

3:2  A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3:3  A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;
3:4  A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
3:5  A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
3:6  A time to seek, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to cast away;
3:7  A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
3:8  A time to love, And a time to hate; A time for war, And a time for peace. 

God created all and knows all, and He is a merciful God and loves everyone. But everyone will die eventually, whether it is sooner or later. So what you need to do is give your life over to God, and actually live for Him. "Well when I was little I said the sinners prayer so I'm safe whatever I do.".... yes and no.. You need to have your sins forgiven and start your life over. If you are a christian, tell others about God's love and be in the word.

 If you have any questions about anything, just email me at igtmatt@gmail

    -Pastor Matt

When you're dead will your ears be itchy?

You all probably know the old superstition that if your ears are itchy someone is talking about you. I think that's a bit far fetched but I'll go with it and write this blog.

Where my Dad is a Pastor I have had the opportunity to attend a lot of weddings, but even more funerals. There is no one wedding that is the same, they are all unique... same thing goes with funerals.

When you are planning your wedding you are concerned about what people are going to say about you, how the wedding went, how your dress or suit looked, how the food tasted, if you have a creepy 70's wedding singer dressed up with the baby blue frilly suit or not, etc. People can get so consumed with their weddings that they just have an awful time, instead of enjoying the process they are stressed out about money and silly little things. People need to slow down and enjoy themselves.

So many people are so consumed with the little things in life that don't matter, that they miss out on the good things. They get so stressed out that they can't enjoy themselves, and then all of a sudden they wake up and look, and they are old and their life is coming to the end.

I want you to do something before you move on...think to yourself, "Hey what are little things in my life, that won't matter in 5 years that I am getting stressed out about?" ... really.. do that right now. Did you do it? Ok :)

Some funerals that I have gone to have had hundreds of people attending, some have a handful. Like I said earlier, every funeral is unique. But as I am sitting there I look around and sometimes I see family crying, sometimes they just don't care. That is when my brain starts "What kind of life did this person live", "What legacy did they leave", "Are they even going to remember them in a years time".

We need to make sure we leave a legacy for people to remember us by, we may not have our own day on the calender like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but that doesn't mean we won't have a legacy. Nicole Nordeman penned a song a few years back called "Legacy" and the chorus goes like this...

--------------------------------------------------

I want to leave a legacy 
How will they remember me? 
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough 
To make a mark on things? 
I want to leave an offering 
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically 
And leave that kind of legacy


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbi4nSrhRxo

---------------------------------------------------

What will your Legacy be? What will they say about you when you are gone? Will you get consumed by the little things in life or actually live your life for God and have fun? It's completely up to you but I have chosen to try to leave a positive legacy.

James 4:14 says "How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone."


Life is short, you may not live to be 143 like you want to.. so live each day building up your legacy and hopefully when you are dead.. your ears will be itchy :)

Jesus.. your new "What not to Wear" Fashion Expert

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." (1 Peter 3:3-4)

Ok ok ok...... ok.. This blog may get me on the bad side of some people who read my blog but it has to be said. Sometimes just because a piece of clothing is in your size, doesn't mean you should wear it! Yes, there is such a thing as "too" low cut, "too" tight, "too" small & "too" just plain old wrong. There is nothing wrong with dressing up or anything like that, but this verse is really meaning that we need to be more concerned with our insides rather than the outs.

I think so many times instead of just being ourselves, we are trying to fit in with the dudes, divas, movie stars and singers... so we will dress and act very inappropriately.

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait Pastor Matt... you said dudes and divas... I thought you were just talking about girls??"

Oh no, for a perfect (and funny) answer to this, I look to 2010's first internet sensation General Larry Platt who sings...

"Pants on the Ground, Lookin' like a fool
With your pants on the Ground
With the gold in your mouth
Hat turned sideways
Pants hit the ground"

Guys can fall into the same trap of not dressing modestly. I'm sorry but honestly guys we shouldn't have to see your butt or boxers, wear a belt or pull them up.

Our bodies (guys & girls) are the temples of God and we need to remember that. We need to do all things, yes even dress, like Jesus was standing right there. I don't think that you should have to wear head to toe coverings so we don't see you, but I also don't think that we should see how little we can wear without being naked. You need to find a good in between.. nobody can tell you how to dress, except for your parents, but I think you should take the first step yourself. You will find that you will feel better about yourself, and you will have more self confidence.

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (Taken from 1 Samuel 16:7)

To God, there is a complete acceptance of people regardless of what they wear or what they look like, and He will love you no matter what. But I think the Lord would be pleased with you if you dressed like He was standing there. I think we would all laugh and be embarrassed if I decided to start dressing in clothes that were too tight and very revealing, because I'm the Youth Pastor. But the same should go for you, you are part of the Body of God.

Many people spend countless hours each week maintaining their outward appearance; we should all do more to develop our inner character. While everyone can see your face, only you and God know what your heart really looks like.

If you ever need to talk about anything my email is igtmatt@gmail.com, gimme a shout!

-Pastor Matt

Doug Heffernan & the Trinity

I love sitcoms. Just the good ones though! I usually watch them when I am relaxing on the couch, slowly turning into a vegetable. My Amazing Girlfriend Gabe has got me hooked on King of Queens. I came across a great conversation between Doug and a Rabbi in an episode. It’s about religion.

The three most popular religions are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These three religions all have something in common. They all claim to have roots to Abraham. Abraham is a guy that we first meet in Genesis (it's the first book in the Bible). Generally speaking Jews and Christians both agree on who Abraham was and why he was important. Abraham was on a mission from God and the mission was continued through his son Isaac. This is where the Muslims disagree. They say that the mission was continued through his other son, Ishmael. Now, to the average Joe this argument seems pointless. Who cares!? Don’t these religions all worship the same God? Why can’t we just overlook the differences and simplify things a bit? Why not just admit that we all worship the same God? Is it true that right now we have three separate religions that all worship the same God and just disagree about a few details? The answer for this is a swift, simple, answer... I won't tell you the answer but the word starts with an "N" and ends with an "O".

The Details

Well some people don’t think that these three religions worship the same God. I think that there are many Jews, Christians and Muslims that think we all worship the same God. But each religion thinks that it is the one that God favors. You can be a Christian no matter what, As long as you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for your sins, He rose again three days later and is now in Heaven. We also need to believe that there is no possible way for us to get to heaven except for having a personal relationship with Jesus. But I'm a good person! I give money to poor people..... good works can't get you into heaven, it is only by believing in Jesus and having Him in your life. You can be a Jew and become a Christian and Muslims can become Christians, everyone can be. I think instead of worrying about what "title" we put over our door, we need to worry about our personal relationship with God and His Son Jesus.

Surprisingly, Doug (the not-so-bright star of King of Queens) understands the distinction between Christianity and its rivals. Why don’t you take a look at the script and then I’ll explain the important distinction.

Transcript from an episode

Setting: In a car on the way to Arthur’s wedding. Deacon is driving. Doug and a Rabbi are in the back seat.

Doug – I can’t believe you aren’t the one getting divorced.

Deacon – Hey stop talking about divorce will you, you guys are gonna be fine. You always work these things out. She screams, you cry, two pizzas later you’re back to normal.

Doug – This is different Deac, Okay? We had a commitment about our future and she just didn’t hold up her end. That’s not right, is it?

Rabbi Feldman– Well I certainly understand why you’re upset, but I also know that God believes in forgiveness.

Doug – Yeah. Is that just your God, or any God?

Rabbi Feldman– Do you think you and I have different Gods?

Doug – No! No, no, no, no… oh, I mean, yeah. Only cause my God is… Jesus. But, uh. But from what I understand my God is the Son of your God. So, I’m sure they’re on very good terms. They probably see each other all the time. You know holidays, family functions.

Car screeches to a halt and Doug rams into the seat in front of him.

Doug – Hey! What the (blank) was that for?

Deacon – To shut you up.

The Difference Doug Makes

This bit between Doug and Rabbi Feldman is supposed to be funny. Those of you who are familiar with King of Queens probably read it with the appropriate tone of voice. Even though it’s funny it is also true. As Christians, we worship God and we believe in the Trinity (cool word). The Trinity is amazing, it's God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit... so God + Jesus + the Holy Spirit = God :) 1 + 1 + 1 = 1

Doug mentions that Jesus is the Son of God. This is true. Jesus made it clear to his fellow Jews (yes that’s right, Jesus was a Jew) that if they did not follow Him then they were rejecting the Father. Well, let’s let Jesus speak for himself.

“he who rejects Me rejects Him Who sent Me.” Luke 10:16

Jesus says, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”" John 14:5-7

So we need to know Who we believe in, why we believe and then we need to tell others about it. In my sunday school class our key verse for last week was found in Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature".. so hear it, believe it, and do it.

So I encourage you to do that, if you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord, it's easy, if you would like to talk about getting to know Him or anything else that is on your mind and you just need an ear, gimme a shout. My email is igtmatt@gmail.com.



---Pastor Matt













Original concept from matcoke

How Cool Are You?

If I could write you a song to make you fall in love, I would already have you up under my arm. I used up all of my tricks, I hope that you like this, But you probably won't, you think you're cooler than me. Shh, see I got you all figured out, You need every one's eyes just to feel seen. Behind your make up nobody knows who you even are, Who do you think that you are? --Mike Posner "Cooler Than Me" How about you? Ever thought that you were cooler than someone else? At some point in life I think we all have classified groups of people into the "way cool" crowd all the way down to the "LOOOOOSER!" who are just "Hideous freaks of nature" supposedly - right? And isn't it funny how we always compare up the cool chain, not down? We're always focused on the group that we want to move up to in order to further our popularity agenda, instead of down at the groups who apparently aren't worthy of our time and attention. And that's about the time that God looks down at us and is disgusted... Why? Because He made everyone the same, and when we are so obsessed with our popularity and fame, we become part of the evil that comes out of the "How cool am I? And how can I move up the chain?" mentality. Did you know that the "who's cool and who's not" mentality started way long before Canada was even a nation? Over 2000 years ago in Jesus' day, the coolest crowd in his world was actually the religious teachers. They were given these great positions to help people, but instead they let it go their heads and they changed into spiritual bullies – and that earned them a seriously strong rebuke from Jesus: "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best-the sun to warm and the rain to nourish-to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you" (Matthew 5:43-47). Put simply, Jesus is saying that if you follow Him, you do not play favorites. You do not have an agenda to climb the popularity ladder, and you have permanently dropped out of the "I think I'm cooler than you" way of thinking. God is singing an unconditional love song to everyone on the planet, and the lyrics tell us that His affections have no exceptions, no exemptions, and no requirements. And if we claim to follow Jesus, the soundtrack of our lives should play the same song so loud that it can't be missed by those in our lives. In other words, Christians aren't cooler than anyone... But oftentimes we think we are, don't we? The world needs to see Jesus in us, but instead we give them cheesy movies, confusing bumper stickers, televangelists, and judgmental attitudes. Meanwhile God is asking - "Who do you think that you are???" Let's all take a lesson from Mike Posner in terms of it not being cool to think that we're cooler than others, but more importantly, let's remember Jesus' teaching to the cool crowd in His day to love everyone and treat everyone the same. Otherwise, the beautiful and life-changing message of the gospel could get lost in the impression that we are playing the same silly drama game as all the other people on earth. And when you truly show that kind of love, God's love for everyone comes shining through, and that makes people want to run to Him. "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." – The Apostle Paul What's it going to be for you?

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"(Matthew 7:1-3). At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-3). My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism (James 2:1). (resources from Dare2Share and Soulfuel)