Bold Is an Understatement

Have you ever heard of Polycarp of Smyrna? If you have a quizzical look on your face right now, do not fret. I was in the same position as you just a few months ago.

But over the past few weeks, through my dad and a History of Christianity class, I have had the pleasure of being exposed to his incredible story, especially the last few hours of his life.

Instead of rehashing the story for you, I will instead set up the scene for the last scene of his life. Polycarp was born around 69 a.d. He became the Bishop of Smyrna (a major city in the Roman Empire) and defended the Orthodox faith against Marcionism. Around 155 a.d., Christians began to be persecuted by the Emperors of Rome.

The following true story unfolds as Polycarp is 86 years old. Roman officials are on hot pursuit to arrest and kill Christian leaders. You can read the rest of the story here. If you do not desire to read it all, start at verse five and work through verse 19. The last few statements that Polycarp make are insanely bold.

You can find more information on Polycarp here.

It Is Coming...

If you have not heard about the ESV Study Bible, check out more information on it here. I am blown away at the amount of people I look up to who have endorsed the Bible.

The Understanding That I Have Nothing To Give of My Own

A few weeks ago, I was writing a chapter evaluation for my Missions class, specifically addressing the financial shortage in supporting missionaries. But the problem is not a lack of monetary funds, especially in the United States. More so, many people just to do not give (or give generously). As a generalization, it seems like people are very protective of their money, and are hesitant to give their money to anyone or anything else (because it is their money).

Oddly though, one of the richest men in the world seemed to understand reality. Not only did he have monetary wealth, but he had power, influence, and success in every aspect. Towards the end of his life, he prayed to God in the presence of the nation he ruled and said, "Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand" (1 Chronicles 29:14).

What would change if the reality that all things you supposedly "possess" (e.g. time, money, intelligence, skills, resources, etc.) were actually God's and he was allowing you to be a steward of it?

The Consistency of the Gospel in Personal Uncertainty

The last four months have been extremely difficult. My thoughts about the future, vocation, and seminaries caused great concern and uncertainty. There were days I would wake up feeling certain of what to do, but going to bed thinking something completely different. One verse has continued to encourage me in this season, Psalm 119:92: "If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction."

Yes, this may seem to be an odd verse. Why would anyone delight in the law (Bible)? For me, this set my mind in a tumultuous time on the one thing that is consistent, the Gospel. The question then is, what is the Gospel?

Simply, the Gospel is the truth that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. But there is more. Our sin has a real consequence, eternal separation from God. Without Christ, there is no way (e.g. good works) we can overcome the great gulf our sin creates between God and us. But there is no strength, confidence or security in intellectually knowing these things. We must each receive Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Truly then, my hope in uncertainty is not in myself, but in my relationship with Jesus Christ and His unexplainable love, compassion, and truth.

Discipline Leads to Freedom?

A friend shared a great quote on his blog on Discipline. Check it out here.

Don't Waste Your Life by Lecrae

I just heard the song "Don't Waste Your Life" by Lecrae this morning. Once again, the lyrics are inspired by Scripture with an obvious passion for the Gospel and seeking Christ as our treasure. Check it out here.

You can preorder the entire Rebel album here.

Apple Pie...Eaten by Appachen

This is what an apple pie looks like after my Appachen (grandpa) gets a hold of it. He seems to like the middle a bit more than the crust (he says that others enjoy the crust so he was saving it for them).

The funny part is when he is confronted with the evidence, he cannot help but break out laughing. That is the beauty of being old or really young, you can get away with things that would usually cause people to be upset with a simple chuckle.

So you know what he looks like, here is my grandpa with his great grand daughter Meghan.



I do not want to be unfair, so here is my Ammachy (grandma) with Meghan too (I apologize for the glare)...


Ok...one more. This is Josiah, my brother Justin, Meghan, and my sister-in-law Lisa (not Josiah/Meghan's parents).

This is not a small parfait...it is a baby

Kyle was sad.

New Macbook and Macbook Pros?

According to this it seems like new Macs could be coming as soon as September. I'm hoping it is true.

Binil's Testimony and Funeral Video/Slideshow

The following video is Binil's testimony of his journey with Christ. I plead with you, reading these words, to take a few minutes and watch the clips.



The next video is similar to the one above but to music (in an incredible way). In addition, there are a good amount of pictures and a humbling quote at the end.

Jesus Wept

He really did.

I'm glad Jesus felt the emotionally pain of losing a friend on earth. Here is the story, from John 11.

Jesus was going about his life of ministry with his disciples when he was informed his dear friend Lazarus was sick (vs. 3). Although news of the illness came as "new" information, Jesus knew that he was going to die (vs. 14). Nonetheless, Jesus traveled to Bethany to see his close friends Mary and Martha, Lazarus' sisters.

For anyone who has experienced a sudden/tragic death, you know what the scene is like at the family's house. There were tons of people at Mary and Martha's place consoling them (vs. 19, 31). They must have been distraught, weeping greatly, and likely in shock.

The shedding of countless tears.
Random verbalizations of frustration/sadness/hopelessness.
Moments of composure that leads to questions of "What if?"
People coming in and going out of the house.
An overall sense of loss and uneasiness.




When Martha heard that Jesus was near she ran to meet him. She shared the sorrow on her heart and the hope, that if Jesus had only arrived earlier, Lazarus would have lived. Mary, after being informed by Martha, runs to Jesus' feet and states "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died (vs. 32)."

There must have been a sharp pain Jesus felt at that very moment. "...he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled (vs. 33)."

So Jesus asks them to take him to the tomb. As the group walks towards Lazarus' permanent resting place, the firmness and finality of death must have increasingly become a greater reality with each step. Soon enough, they were at the tomb, with the smell of death evident in the air (he had been dead for four days-vs. 17).

I imagine Jesus separating himself from the group and approaching the tomb alone. In front of him is a stone symbolizing the physical reality of death. Behind him stands a group of people sobbing and heart broken. In the midst of all this, Jesus breaks down and begins to weep (vs. 35). The emotion, shock, and sorrow had penetrated his spirit, producing tears that expressed the unexplainable emotions of the soul.

Today, as I remember Binil's passing, I find great comfort knowing that the Rock that I cling to, especially in moments of deepest sorrow and pain, understands what I (and maybe you) am going through.

He has been there. He has wept.

Binil Mathew Samuel (1985-2007)

The following has been a part of my Facebook profile for the last year:

The person to the right is Binil Samuel. He passed away in a car accident on August 6th, 2007 at the age of 22.

He was not a perfect person. In fact, his sin destined him to eternal separation from Christ.

However, in his abbreviated life, he was passionate about the one thing that saved him from his own sin, Jesus Christ.

Binil did not do enough pious sacraments to earn heaven. He placed the destiny of his eternity on Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.

Here are a few characteristics that set Binil apart from the rest of the crowd:
• He was witty and funny yet able to have deep, serious conversation. This is a balance that few ever master. Some are natural comedians but struggle with discussing the tougher issues of life. Others are just the opposite. Binil was blessed with a personality that was both/and.
• He cared about people. It was over a year ago now that the 35W Bridge collapsed in Minneapolis. Binil was one of the first people to call and see how I was doing. This may have been expected for the closest of friends, but Binil and I had not seen each other in months.
• More than just a phone call, Binil had a huge heart for the kids at the Navjeevan Center. Most of these kids are born of women from the red light district in Mumbai, India.
• He had a bigger picture in mind when it came to life. One of the last emails we exchanged, he mentioned how he was about to start his professional career as a consultant with Accenture. Here was his last line in regards to the job:

The best part is I get 25 PTO, not including 9 holidays, and my future manager has said people take it all their PTO at once usually, so the possibility of me being able to travel on missions annually is a very reasonable reality.

The reason I say these things is to give you a sliver as to how incredible of a person he was. But the hope of all this is not to draw more attention to him. No, it is to point the glory towards Christ.

For the next few posts, I hope to work through a few passages that have brought affirmation, realization, and encouragement over the past year.

***If you have Facebook, you can check out his testimony on my profile.

35W Bridge Collapse

It has been over a year since 35W Collapsed. As some of you may know, the apartment I was living in at the time was only a block away from the bridge. The following was the monthly update letter I wrote to friends and family a few hours after the event.

Note: By no means will this be a normal monthly update

At 6:04 p.m. on August 1st, 2007, I sat in a coffee shop on 6th and University confidently discussing the joy in knowing that the God I have entrusted my life to knows what will happen tomorrow and has everything in his master plan.

At 6:05 p.m., with a few flickers of the building lights, that simple thought was amplified and scrutinized. The fall of a heavily traveled bridge produced inquiry, anxiety, wonder, helplessness, uncertainty, and sorrow.

At about 6:15, my eyes fell upon an inconceivable sight, literally one block from my apartment. The billows of smoke, sirens from every direction, crowds of people, a major highway standing vertical, and the faint site of a school bus bombarded my senses.

It is times like this that create many critical questions directed towards God, but paradoxically, leads us to ask God himself for help. In the same breath two quotes are heard: "Why would God do this?" and "Our prayers will be with the families that are suffering and the workers that have responded."

I long to believe that God has everything in control and knows what is going to happen. But I cannot comprehend then why He would let something so dramatic and destructive occur. Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." Too often I want to grasp an eternal, immortal, and invisible God within the boundaries and confines of my limited, tangible, experiential mind.

Friends and family, you may wonder what the purpose/point is in this rambling? The brevity of life is magnified when seemingly inconceivable events occur in your own front yard. The hope is that, although many of you may have slim to no ties to "35W," you know "94," "90," "55" and "400." You can attempt to relate and understand.

In this process, my longing is that each of you deeply comprehends and contemplates the uncertainty in a seemingly routine daily life. Inevitably, we will all face death, whether dramatically or naturally, surprised or expected.

At 2:49 a.m., as I near the conclusion of these words, all my strength and hope stems from one avenue, Jesus.

Each of us is destined to drown in the sea of hell as the proper consequence of our sin. Will you and/or have you grasped the soul-preserving hand of Jesus, who died on the cross to be in a position to offer eternal life?

Josh
08.02.07

Indelible Grace Music

A couple weeks ago at church, we sang a song titled, “Father, Long Before Creation.” I was struck by the lyrics and set out on a search to find it. After having little luck, I emailed our worship pastor and he pointed me towards the website for Indelible (impossible to remove/alter) Grace.

According to their website, Indelible Grace’s “hope is to help the church recover the tradition of putting old hymns to new music for each generation and to enrich our worship with a huge view of God and His indelible grace.”

Most of their music is free to listen to on their website.

What music has "struck a cord" with you recently?

Enjoying Suffering for the Greater Goal

During our softball game tonight, I made a play at shortstop that involved diving to my left, fully-extended in the air, and snagging a ball destined for center field. It was probably one of the sweetest sports plays I have ever done. The aftermath was a mouth full of dirt, a shirt covered in it, a broken necklace, and a very sore left shoulder. But none of that mattered when I began in pursuit of the ball or after the catch. It was completely worth it for the greater goal of getting the out.


In light of the catch, this same tolerance (and even joy) of pain or persecution can be experienced as a Christian. As a Christian, we are not promised a simple or easy life (Luke 9:23-26, 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, 1 Peter 4:12-14). But suffering (or on the opposite end, the pursuit of safety) will not be our primary factor(s) of consideration if our physical and spiritual eyes are set on the greater purpose of pursuing Christ (his fame, kingdom and the spreading of it).

All of a sudden, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 starts to make a little more sense:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal

.

The One Thing You Have To Do To Start Praising God

My friend Brian has a great post on praising God. He briefly but properly works through Psalm 99:1-3.

Here is a short excerpt:

If you're anything like me, you're probably not always feeling up to falling at God's feet in delightful worship. Some of you hate or avoid or want nothing to do with God. Others find yourselves longing to joyfully praise Him, but instead you battle indifference only to muster a trickle of response. How does Biblical praise happen? At what point do we change from numbness to happily exalting His name?

Check out the full piece here.

This Is What We Have To Look Forward To?

This small quote was on the front page of the local news paper in the "Birthdays" corner.

Jane Doe turns 89 today. She enjoys sitting on her patio looking at her yard and flowers, and spending time with family.

.

I changed the name for sake of not pointing the finger at the person, but more so the trend that society seems be promoting. As a young professional, I am advised to save, contribute to a 401(k), invest wisely, and start a Roth IRA. But for what purpose? For comfort? For security? To look at flowers? To retire early and disconnect from life and coast into my death bed?

There must be more! There has to be some sort of purpose.

The greatest cause in the world is joyfully rescuing people from hell, meeting their earthly needs, making them glad in God, and doing it with a kind, serious pleasure that makes Christ look like the Treasure he is. (Piper, Don't Waste Your Life, 122)

My reaction to this simple quote may be a bit extreme. What do you think? What is the point of retirement? What would you want your retirement years (if you have them) to look like?

La Paz, Bolivia.....is Now

About a week ago, a friend I met while on summer project headed down to La Paz, Bolivia to work with a Christian social welfare organization called Bolivian Street Children Project (BSCP). She has been keeping a blog about her experience and I highly recommend checking it out.

Here is a short snippet Patty included in her email about BSCP prior to heading down to Bolivia:

BSCP is a christian social welfare organization that seeks to love kids who live on the streets and introduce them to a new hope to live in the world, a completely different world from which they are familiar with. These children have left homes due to abuse or have been forced to the streets due to the death of both parents. On the streets the children may have their autonomy, but lack so much knowledge to live the life kids should live. BCSP serves the thousands of street children living in La Paz by forming relationships with them in their world, the streets. They invite children to live in their homes where they are able to receive education, food, stable housing, and most importantly a familial love. The kind of love that doesn´t hold back in loving the core of the person, but will also not hold back in offering order and guidance that every child needs from a parent-figure.

This is what she will be doing:

I will be working for the next five weeks with this organization to assist in establishing a more established volunteer program. This organization receives numerous requests from volunteers from both America and Europe, yet there are no concrete volunteer positions to which people can apply. Most often this organization will take volunteers and then create a volunteer position that cater to the skills of the individual, which can be fruitful, but inevitably leads to more work on the part of BSCP. My work will involve a week of observing all the activities of BCSP, creating and writing several formal volunteer positions, and creating a handbook that can serve to orient a volunteer prior to arrival in Bolivia.

Again, you can find the blog for her time down there here.

The Awe Factor of....

Folks, check out this video. If this will not blow you away, I'm not exactly sure what will. Usually, we are blown away with things that happen in our own lives (e.g. vacations, experiences, hopes, problems).

If we take time to think of others, famous people, corporations, and news events come to mind (e.g. Iraq War, the falling economy, Google, C.C. Sabathia going to the Brewers).

But where should our awe be of God? This may help in realigning our perspective to reality. What other things can we do to help our perspective of life?



HT: Liz Mathews

Pepperdine University

So we are traveling down the Pacific Coast Highway and lo and behold, we run into good ole Pepperdine University.

I'm not sure how students get studying done when the ocean is a few blocks away.
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

Meghan Likes Her Cereal

Words Used in Various Circumstances

Are there words that you use in one form of communication but not another?

For example, I use "w00t" or "hooray" in written communication forms (e.g. email, Facebook, texting). However, I rarely use these words in verbal situations.

On the other hand, I often say "tough" or "sick" as verbals, but only occasionally in written form.

What are some of the buzz words you use as verbals? How about in written form?

May 2008 Learning Point...Bible Reading Encouragement

Each month I write an email update to friends, family, and other people I have come in contact with throughout life. Towards the end of each of these letters, I include a section called the "Learning Points." Here is May's learning point.

Yesterday, I asked a friend, "what comes to mind when I say Bible?" His response was "a lot of pages." I can see his point. The Bible looks so big and intimidating. The natural conclusion for most is just not to even pick it up. However: when it comes to Bible reading, quality is more important than quantity.

What good is it to read through the entire Bible but not remember, understand, or have the ability to apply it? It is far better to properly study, pray about, contemplate, and apply five verses.

Try it! I challenge you to read John chapter 1 through chapter 3 over the next few weeks.

HT: Lisa Mathews (my sister-in-law)

Over 1 Billion Indians...and Not One Good Basketball Team?

Last week a few friends and I got together to attend a Saturday night service at Harvest Bible Chapel. On our way home we stopped by Gino's East to grab a slice of extremely good pizza. Our conversation was all over the board but one of the things we discussed was that out of 1 billion people, India has to have eight guys that are good at basketball. The probability is on our side! However, you never hear of India in the Olympics. Something is wrong with this equation.

Josish After "Splish Splash"

Here is my nephew Josish after he had a "splish splash" (more commonly known as a bath).

Does Your Thought of the Gospel Include This Idea?

A church that does not provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn’t unsettle, a word of God that doesn’t get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn’t touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed-what gospel is that?

Archbishop Romero, El Salvador

This May Cause Tears....

I saw this video on Justin Taylor's blog a few days ago and was reminded of this incredible story of an Autistic high school basketball manager named Jason McElwain.

Unashamed Tour

Over the past few weeks, I have started listening to rap music again! I'm not sure if I have any good reason outside of the heavy base in most of the music. I came across a record label called Reach Records (Tedashi, Lecrae, Trip Lee).

After listening to a few songs by these guys, I am blown away with two things: the lyrics and the music. These guys are dedicated to writing raps that are focused, purposeful, and full of meaning. Reach Records is traveling across the US doing concerts called the Unashamed Tour. Check out the calender to see if they are coming to a city near you.

If you check out their website, you can listen to a good amount of their music. I personally like Lecrae's "Break it Down" and "Fanatics" and any Trip Lee song.

Desiring God wrote a small piece on the tour too.

This is Lecrae's "Jezus Muzik."

Unstoppable Live

This past week I was sitting at work when the song "Unstoppable" popped into my head. It is one of those moments when you wonder, "why did that come to mind?"

Even more than the lyrics, it is sweet to see that this church (Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis, MN) has not only allowed, but provided a platform for the display of worship that is much different than the general culture of the congregation.

Check out the video below!

From Riches to Rags

Who really would choose, even desire, to go from riches to rags? There is a guy I know who grew up in a home where his parents taught him well. He was well respected. In the eyes of most people, he was good. In fact, he was very good. His integrity was above most people. Further, he was pretty passionate guy. He really lived out his convictions. One of those guys who many people wanted to be, but were not bold enough to become.

But in a moment, this guy gave up all hopes for power, wealth, and fame. He did not give it all up for the sake of his family or to have a better work-life balance. He wasn't pursuing a stress-free lifestyle.

In fact, it was the opposite. The rest of his life was filled with going to jail (multiple times), countless beatings, being stoned, and he was even caught in some crazy natural disasters. No matter which side of the diversity line the people he came in contact with stood, they didn't like him. For the most part, he was homeless, poor, and hungry the rest of his life.

Who is this man? His name is Paul. You can read a more accurate narrative in 2 Corinthians 11:23-30 and Philippians 3:4-6.

So why would he go through all of this. It is pretty obvious from what he says in 1 Corinthians 15:19, "If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people to be pitied."

Paul choose a seemingly foolish lifestyle of sacrifice, persecution, and hardship for the sake of Christ!

Many people have a different definition of "believing" in Jesus Christ. What does your definition of "believe" practically look like? Is it similar to Paul's? If you believe in Christ, would your life be pitied/regretted if Christ's resurrection is not true?

A Post On Theological Education (But Applies to All)

I read this quick article titled, "How to Waste Your Theological Education."  I was ready to write it off because I am not currently in any sort of formal theological education, however I gave it a quick glance.  

Honestly, this post is for everyone!  Granted, there are a few things that do not apply to everyone, but there are some good suggestions. 

Here are a few that convicted me:

8. Practice misquoting and misrepresenting positions and ideas you don't agree with.  Be lazy and don't attempt to understand opposing views; instead, nurse your prejudices and exalt your opinions by superficial reading and listening.

23. Day dream about future opportunities to the point that you get nothing out of your current opportunity to learn God's Word.

Numbers 30, 32, 35, 40 were also great (in that they forced me to deal with my own inadequacies).

A Trip to the West Side (of the Nation)

This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Seattle, Washington.  While there, I visited a cousin, a very close friend, and did the stuff an average tourist would do.  What set this trip apart were the conversations, fellowship, and interactions with a close friend and his group of friends.  

Many people will say that post-college graduation is some of the hardest years of life because most people are distanced from a large group of their close friends.  In Seattle, I was blown away at the pure, authentic fellowship that I experienced.  For some reason I thought that the community I was surrounded with in college would never be experienced again.  In just a few days across the country, I realized that thought was terribly inaccurate.

See below for pictures.  I must say, it was beautiful too!

How to Have a Spiritually Sweet Summer

I just read this post titled, "Don't Waste Your Summer (9 Resolutions)." This is a great article for those who are enjoying summer vacation from middle school, high school, or college.

Here are a few more suggestions or further explanations from the article.

1) Really take your time through the Bible. The key is not how much you read, but how rich your times are in the text that you are working through (quality over quantity).
2) Have a Bible reading plan. Set aside a certain time, place, and what you will read. This will prevent you from feeling lost when you set aside time to read.
3) A book I would add to the list that the link mentions is "A Call to Die" by David Nasser. It is a challenging book and is great to do with a group of people. I also like "The Jesus I Never Knew" by Philip Yancy.

Blue Earth

Somewhere in Minnesota. The sunrise service in Dell Rapids is over and I am on my trek across Minnesota. I'll be making a wick stop in Rochester and then back home in Kenosha.

Happy Easter!
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

Goodbye Dell Rapids

Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

A Real South Dakotian Truck

Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

cupcake

This is a picture of Matt Hupila's mom's famous cream cheese cupcakes.

She literally went to Target today and bought all the cooking utensils (and ingredients) just to make them!
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

Sonic.jpg

Sonic beakfast burritos....check
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

No Frills

Interesting check out @ grocery store in Omaha.
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

University of Iowa

Came into hawkeye country last night. It was pretty hard to be surrounded by black and golf, but I survived.

This morning I had the opportunity to see part of campus. I must say it is pretty nice. However, Carlson at the U is much nicer than the business school down here.

Going to see the famous (at least around here) Hamburg Inn and then off to Omaha!
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

Hillsdale, Iowa

Stopped at a gas station in the middle of nowhere. However, the middle of nowhere now has a name, Hillsdale.

I met a lady st the gas station. She shared how her father was a drunk growing up. One day a pastor came over to their house and started talking about having a personal relationship with Christ. By the end of the conversation her dad was on the floor weeping.

Now, her dad and brother are both preachers and she says Christ is the best part of her life!

Are you kidding me?! Oh the power of God in Hillsdale, Iowa!
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

The start

Here is the first leg of my road trip. Iowa city = 4 hours
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

Josish getting in trouble

Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

Josiah

Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com

Meghan Rachel Mathews

This is a test post.
Joshua Mathews
joshmathews@gmail.com