The Journey of the Inland Empire

Good Friday Service

2009-04-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

This is the second year in a row, that The Journey will organize and host Centerpoint Church's Good Friday service. Last year's service was a success, so now we have a reputation to uphold. I know we will be expected to do as well, if not better than we did last year. I know several people will come by, just because they're curious to see what this year's service will provide. Journey Leaders have been putting their thoughts and ideas together, and we've come up with several ideas. This year's Good Friday service should be a success. I know that God will help The Journey provide whatever the attendees will need. We will not be alone in this endeavor. God will give us whatever is necessary to reach out to others. We are looking forward to this year's service, and what God has planned for The Journey.

Lenten Fasting

2009-03-19T19:15:00.001-07:00

As a newly Born-again Christian, fasting for Lent is a new concept for me. I never really understood the significance of giving something up for 40 days. I couldn't truly grasp the idea of giving up something to be closer to God. It wasn't until this year, when I decided to give up chocolate (which was something I had really become addicted to), and realized I needed to pray to God for help in controlling the cravings. It's been really difficult, and I find that I go to God more than I ever have before. It has truly been a blessing to know that I'm not going through this alone. God is constantly by my side, and He is just waiting to pick me up if I fall. I now longer have to depend on myself, and it is the greatest feeling ever. I get my strength from Him, and I don't ever have to feel helpless again. I thank God everyday for loving me, because without Him, I have nothing.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T15:46:00.001-08:00

Welcome to 2009! This year is going to be great for Journey members! We have some members getting married, some are expecting babies, and others will be graduating from school. The Journey will also be getting lots of new members, with Ignition's graduating seniors! We are also looking forward to any new people who may be curious aas to discover more about the Journey and Centerpoint Church.

Our Friday night Fuel worship gathering will be getting a new format, which will be revealed starting January 9th, when we have our first Fuel of 2009! Pastor Shawn and our other Journey leaders have a lot of great ideas in the works. I know I can't wait, and hope the rest of you are as curious and excited as I am!

Don't forget about our Subway Groups: College-Age and Twenty-Somethings, which both take place on Tuesday nights starting at 6:30 pm. For updates an information about these groups and any other Journey happenings, go to Towardtruth.com.

Let Freedom Ring

2008-11-25T01:58:00.000-08:00

"I'm singing for freedom/ I know I'm not the only one" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). According to my favorite song, freedom can be achieved and only one person can grant it. The reasons why it's my favorite is because of the band as artists, the lyrics, and how I relate to it.
I first thing I notice in a song is the music and the vocals that follow. Run Kid Run sing, "Freedom", which is currently my favorite song. They're a newly, popular Christian band. And not solemn hymnal music, though that's great too, I would classify them as a mix between alternative and soft rock. "Freedom" begins with a soft melody by piano playing and soft guitar strums. Drums pick up once the chorus starts bringing dramatical effect. But the one thing I picked up the most, in any song really, is the vocals. David Curtis is the lead vocalist and his voice overwhelms me. It's deep and buzzy pulling his emotions into the music. The last thing that keeps me hooked, is the lyrics. Their metaphorical of a prisoner compared to the life of a follower of God.
Right off the bat, the lyrics begin with imagery. "All my chains I can't disengage/ I don't believe that I want to" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). The narrator is trapped with no hope of escaping, but he wouldn't want to if he could. I believe this is the result of giving in to temptation and is now faced with the consequences. He continues with the next dilemma, "I keep holding my chains/ No longer bound/ Still you wait patiently" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). Here the consequences are over; God has released his traps. However, he either doesn't want to give up his sin, or he too ashamed to come to God. And finally he gets a response, " take my hand grace has found you... in the end there's only love" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). God reached his hand to pull him out of his misery. And though he couldn't see it, love was there, all he had to do is embrace it. But how do these lyrics with the music make it my favorite song?
Well, I can relate to it. I enjoy the concept of freedom, beyond what my country gives me. I often feel enchained by anger the the problems that come my way. In the song, God rescued him as he has for me, and probably will again. I've gone through, from what I can tell, the same things the narrator has. So, it reminds me of difficult times and how God has pulled me out. This shows me, though I struggle too, it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one. This song also gives me a chance to worship. By remembering my past experiences, through the lyrics, I bring adoration to God. As well as, praises for his compassion, love, and forgiveness displayed in the song.
So, though Run Kid Run is searching for freedom through difficulties and complete justice, for the time being, they bring us freedom. Often times we might forget, and they remind us of God's love through their song. They're a great band that bring thoughtful lyrics making "Freedom" an amazing song.

The Journey Update

2008-11-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

Here's just a quick reminder about our new video series, They Like Jesus But Not The Church, at Fuel in November and December. Tonight we tackle the question of whether Christians are negative and judgmental. We will be meeting in the basement in the main building tonight at 7pm. Childcare will still be available.

FUEL FALL FEST

2008-10-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

FUEL FALL FEST

FRIDAY. Oct 31
7:00-8:30 p.m.

Centerpoint Church
Student Ministries Building
495 N La Cadena Drive
Colton, California

CONTESTS, PRIZES & ALL THE GOODIES YOU CAN EAT!

Cupcake Eating Contest

Best Costume Contest

Marshmallow Mayhem

Punch the Piñata

“They Like Jesus But Not The Church” series kick-off

Prizes include free gas giveaways!

Make Fuel part of your Halloween fun!

Leader Study 2

2008-10-16T22:43:00.000-07:00

I Timothy 1:3-7
... not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work-which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Attitude: Keep an eye on the doctrine I teach and learn. Beware of those that might decieve me in false teaching. Correct those that don't quite have it right. Stay away from myths( I would include false stories, gossip, and superstition) and the study of ancestry (whatever that implys) and meaningless talk. Also, to learn to love with a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. So no concete or personal gain (unless to aid in knowledge), so pride cannot be there. And if it is apparent, pray for God to take it away. Maybe, I should repent before I go to teach, or maybe it means to not live in sin, be holy (set apart from the world). And to have a faith that's true and accurate. Awesome!
Questions: What is genealogies have to do with meaningless talk? What is considered meaningless talk exactly?
Scriptures:
Consequence of false teachers
Prov 19:5
A false witness will not go unpunished and he who pours our lies will not go free.
Beware of false teachers
Matt 7:15-16
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they're ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. (good drama idea)
2 Pet 2:1-3
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Sovereign Lord who bought them...Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of the truth into disreput. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.
What to do (exactly the scripture to remember)
2 Tim 4:2
Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage- with great patience and careful instruction.
I think that's exactly what teachers should do!
Maybe the genealogy thing has to do with class and honor, maybe God doesn't want us to talk about how our ancestors did because that's not our time. Maybe it's discouraging. And meaningless talk is probably just talk that doesn't matter and won't build you up. I struggled with this at first because I like exploring meanings and why this is the way this is and I like to learn, but it's not meaningless because it aids in my knowledge and knowledges is not meaningless.

Leader Study 1

2008-10-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

I Timothy 1:1,2
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope. To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Insight: Jesus our hope! Paul just has a way with words. And this is probably the theme throughout Timothy to help Timothy in becoming a good leader. Actually, this is the theme throughout the New Testiment. Also, that God would be gracious (grace), merciful (mercy), and provide peace through his growing process. That he would be gracious, merciful, and peace giving. God would show these qualities in Him through Timothy.
Attitude: I think that God's telling me to just focus on these this week. To always remember and rely on the hope of Jesus or just the knowledge that Jesus is hope. Maybe remembering his sacrifice and his teachings and what he does in our lives everyday. That's hopeful. And in order to remember these things I have to stay in his word daily. Wow! Right off the bat he's telling me in order to grow as a leader, I need to be in the word. And he was already telling me that just for our relationship. The Bible, or studying the Bible rather, is really essential. Also, I need to pray for his grace when I don't deserve it, mercy when I screw up, and peace when I'm feeling anxious or overwhelmed at all. As well as God showing his grace, mercy, and peace for the children through me.
Questions: What does "Jesus our hope" mean exactly? What he's done or what he does in our lives who he is and what he's going to do in the future? What is grace, if not mercy? And do these characteristics deal with leadership or just in general?
Scriptures:
Hope in Jesus' comming
Rom 8:24,25
But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
(Also, in hope for peace during a hard time)
Guides us
Rom 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scripture we might have hope.
Fulfilled prophecy(faithfulness)/ Chosen us/Christ and his sacrifice and the Holy Spirit (which Jesus gave to us)
Rom 1:24,26-27
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you... the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Also, mercy means unmerited favor.

The Journey Update

2008-10-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

We have a NEW "TWENTY-SOMETHING GROUP" that starts this Tuesday (10/7) in Redlands. The Journey's Twenty-Something Group is an informal small group where we will have the opportunity to delve deeper into God's Word, ask questions, share insight, and support each other in prayer.

This group is perfect for...
- those who are ready to transition out of the College-Age Group
- those who have been attending Thru the Bible but are ready for something a little more in-depth
- For anyone ages 21 to 29 looking for a place to get below the surface in relationship with God and His people.

Details...
Twenty-Something Subway Group
Hosted and led by Shawn and Cristina
Tuesdays @ 6:30-8:00 pm

Email for directions (subway@towardtruth.com)

The Journey Update

2008-09-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

I have two tidbits to share with you today, and then a closing thought...

First, the bad news is that, as of this week, we no longer have a Young Women's Group on Tuesdays. The good news is that we are not leaving you hanging. We will be starting a new Twenty-Something Group on October 7. The group is open to anyone ages 21 to 29 and will meet at my place in Redlands on Tuesdays at 6:30pm. Cristina and I are excited to be able to open our home to you and to get to know you in a more relaxed setting as we grow in Christ together.

Second, I want to invite you to Fuel this month. We will be talking about "God's Gift," how we can become the difference in to each other's lives. We'll be discussing issues like why Christian fellowship is important and how we grow stronger spiritually. Fuel happens Fridays at 7pm in the Student Ministries Building at 495 N La Cadena Drive in Colton.

Just as a reminder: we no longer serve dinner beforehand. But you are welcome to come early to pray in the sanctuary on your own anytime between 6:30-7pm. This is a great time to praise God for His grace, to place the problems of your week in His hands, and/or just prepare your heart for our time of worship together.

Let me add just one more thing. It seems that there are a lot of us right now that are going through difficult times. You may be sick, in a tight spot financially, or in the middle of some sort of relational conflict. This being the case, it is not the time to resign ourselves to our situations but to God's grace. This is a time to examine our hearts and confess our sins. This is a time to seek godly wisdom and discipline in matters of study, sleep, diet, and budget. This is a time to stand firm in the face of temptation and pray against the schemes of the devil. This is a time to seek God in the midst of the trial and to give thanks for ALL He has done! It is time to pray and to press on!

Please keep your fellow journeyers in prayer this week and be open to letting God use you to help and encourage them.

Blessings!
Shawn

The Names and Nature of Messiah, Part 3: Son of Man

2008-09-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

An important prophecy about the Messiah was recorded over 500 years before the time of Jesus by the prophet Daniel:

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

An important part of this prophecy is the term “son of man.” Literally, it simply means what one would guess: “human being.” But in this vision this human being is showing signs of being more than human. He was coming with the clouds, approaching God Himself, taking on authority, glory, and power, being worshiped, and ruling forever! This was no ordinary son of man. One massive question arises: How could this human being in the presence of God be worshiped by every nation and language unless He too was divine? Could this be the Son of God who will reign forever—the promised Messiah?

Of course, the scene described in Daniel has not yet taken place. It is linked to events prophesied in the book of Revelation which describe future events. But it is very significant to us now in understanding Who Jesus was claiming to be when He called Himself the “Son of Man” in the New Testament gospels. For instance, let’s look at Mark 2:1-12:

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

On this occasion, Jesus was claiming to be the “Son of Man” and acting like it. First, He forgave the man of his sin. As the teachers of the Mosaic law rightly pointed out, only God could forgive sins. But the Father had given Him authority as the Son of Man to forgive sins. Second, to show His authority in a tangible way He healed the man. This pointed to sovereign power the Father gave Him as the Son of Man. Note that, though Jesus was also God, He set aside His own authority, glory and power as God when He took on a human nature. From the time of His birth to the moment He died He used only the power and authority given to Him as Messiah by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

While on earth Jesus lived a model life for us. The same Holy Spirit that was available to Him is living in us as Christians. Not only that, but Christ shares His authority, glory and power with us as His ambassadors in this world. Too often we forget that Jesus does not just offer us forgiveness but also eternal life. That means both that we get to live together in fellowship with Him forever and that He now shares the qualities of His life with us. His righteousness, His peace, His holiness, His power, His love, His wisdom, and so much more—God shares Himself with us in Christ through the indwelling of His Spirit! That means that no matter what the situation or temptation may be we are more than conquerors through Christ! So let’s add to our daily prayers a plea for God to teach us how to walk in the fullness of His eternal life every day.

The Names and Nature of Messiah, Part 2: Son of God

2008-09-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

Romans 1:1-4 begins, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In the past, I have had a hard time understanding this passage. I knew that in eternity, before time began, Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father. That is to say that He and the Father have had an unbroken relationship from eternity past and will continue to share in that divine communion forever (the same goes for the Holy Spirit). There is no point at which Jesus became the Son of God. He has always existed; and He has never existed as anything or anyone but the Son of God.

What I did not know was how Jesus, the divine Son of God, could be “appointed” to be the Son of God. Were there other candidates? Who, or what, was He before this appointment? It didn’t line up with what I already knew to be true about Jesus, that is, not until I read about a promise God made to King David almost 1,000 years before Jesus took on a human nature and was born into this world.

David was known as perhaps Israel’s greatest king. At one point, he had decided to he wanted to make a temple for God, a place where the Ark of the Covenant (where God’s presence rested) could be housed and where sacrificial offerings could be made on behalf of the people. But God, through the prophet Nathan, told David that He had a different plan. Instead of David building a house for God, God would build a house (royal dynasty) for David. The promise is in 2 Samuel 7:11-16.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by human beings, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

First of all, this prophecy is about David’s son, Solomon, and subsequent heirs to the throne. Notice the phrase, “I will be his father, and he will be my son.” God is telling David that he is going to adopt Solomon (and those decedents who would sit on David’s throne) as sons and that He would have a relationship with them as their Father. In other words, whoever sits on the throne of David would be called a “son of God,” especially and ultimately the Messiah.

In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews applies this prophecy to Jesus as the divine messiah (1:5-9), who was a descendant of David, and who’s throne will last forever. When we put our faith in Him, we can participate in the relationship that He has with the Father. That is, God will be our Father too, and we His sons and daughters. But this prophecy is also about the future. And when Jesus comes back to establish His throne forever, we will reign with Him. Therefore, the Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:18, feels warranted in extending the prophecy to us as Christians.

So, now that I understand that “son of God” is a title applied to those who sit on the throne of David, I can reason that Jesus never began to be the divine Son of God; He always was. But He was appointed to the office of the “son of God.” In other words, He was appointed to sit on David’s throne as king. Not only that, but this appointment was “through the Spirit of holiness,” which means Jesus was consecrated by the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be the Messiah. Moreover, by His resurrection He was shown to be both God and Messiah Who would deliver us from the bondage of sin.

There’s even more to say about Jesus as Messiah. For those of you who heard the message on Friday, you know I’m adding much more here in writing than I could share with you in just one evening. So please check back soon to read the next installment of “The Names and Nature of Messiah.” Finally, as children of God who will reign with Christ one day, let me challenge you to rule over your own affairs well. Consider reading a chapter a day through Proverbs starting October 1 so that you can acquire practical wisdom for daily life.

The Names and Nature of Messiah, Part 1: The Christ

2008-09-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

On Friday at Fuel, we ran out of time, and I was unable to finish my message. So, as promised, I will finish it here online. However, for the benefit of those not with us Friday I will briefly recap from the beginning…

Historical Baggage

The term, “Messiah,” has carried with it a lot of baggage over the centuries. I want to bring some clarity to our understanding of who the Messiah is and what that title actually means.

When Jesus came on the scene the Jewish people were expecting God to send them a warrior-king, like in the times of the judges, from the royal lineage of David, who would deliver them from the rule of the Romans. He would lead the people to victory, give them back their land, and rule over them in righteousness. But this was not exactly what God had in mind when He promised to send a Messiah.

The Christ

Messiah means “anointed one.” In Greek, the word is “Christos,” where we get the term “Christ.” So when we talk about Jesus Christ, we are calling Jesus the anointed one. But what does it mean to be anointed?

It is not much different than how our political system works. Whether McCain or Obama wins the election in November, our next president will not take office until January when he is sworn in. Whether it’s a president, a judge, or any elected official, our representatives in government don't officially take office until they are sworn in. Now, we don’t swear in just anyone, but only those who have already been elected and chosen by the people.

In ancient Israel, priests, prophets, and kings were consecrated into office by being anointed with oil. That’s how they were commissioned for office (2 Kings 11:12). Anointing with oil symbolized anointing by the Holy Spirit, that He was working through the anointed person, thus making that person sacred, or holy, because of the Spirit upon that person. Anointing was an outward sign that God had chosen a person for office and that He would empower that person to carry out his or her duties.

So, when we call Jesus the “Christ,” or the “Messiah,” we are saying He is the “Anointed One.” Specifically, He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit was upon, or with, Him and empowering Him for a certain purpose. But what exactly was He anointed to do?

One day, Jesus read a scripture from Isaiah in the synagogue which sounds a lot like a messianic mission statement: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” After reading it, He claimed that the scripture was being fulfilled in Him (Luke 4:16-21).

On another occasion, Jesus was talking with a Samaritan woman by a well. In the course of the conversation He revealed to her many things about herself that He shouldn’t have been able to know. But, most importantly, He revealed that He was the Messiah. Once she had told the people in her town about Jesus, some believed her based on nothing but her testimony while others came to see for themselves (John 4:16-26, 39-42).

--

He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

--

I will not be offended if you do not believe in Jesus based on my testimony alone. But you do yourself a disservice if you dismiss Him altogether, without taking the time to find out for yourself Who Jesus really is. You may not have a chance to spend two days with Jesus in person. But at least read through a gospel or two (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) before you decide where you stand. As you read, ask yourself, “Is Jesus the promised Messiah?” and, if so, “What was his mission as Messiah?”

There’s more to come. I’ll be continuing with thoughts about the “Son of Man” and “Son of God” as the week goes on. In the meantime, why not read a gospel? Find out for yourself whether Jesus really is the savior of the world!

The Need to Give

2008-08-30T01:31:00.000-07:00

We need to realize our need in order to receive.
We need to receive in order to give.

The Journey Update

2008-08-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Cristina and I are back from a very enjoyable week in Washington State. We are refreshed and ready to serve the Lord with you again here in the Inland Empire! With Labor Day upon us, the traditional end of summer, we are so thankful for what God has been doing in The Journey these last few months, in our Journey Groups, at Fuel, through Summer Sports Series IV, and through the Be the Difference campaign.

AT FUEL TONIGHT, we will be having our last dinner together for a while. Starting next week, dinner will no longer be served before Fuel, although we will still have dessert afterwards. Instead, we are asking you to come five, ten or fifteen minutes early, not to fellowship, but to pray. Let’s use that time before Fuel to prepare our hearts and pray for God’s presence and provision.

TOMORROW MORNING (8/30) IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to be the difference with The Journey this summer. We are once again going out to feed the homeless of our community. Meet us at Centerpoint at 8am to make sandwiches. Then go with us to show a little bit of God’s love as we talk, pray and pass out food together.

THIS SUNDAY is another important date because that’s the day we begin reading 1 Kings as part of this year’s Storyline Challenge. As we head into the autumn season this may be the perfect way for you to devote yourself afresh to reading the Bible. Just read one chapter a day. And don’t worry about reading ahead or skipping a day; that’s fine. The goal is to develop a regular habit of being in God’s Word and allowing Him to transform us by His truth. I hope you will commit to reading the Storyline Challenge with us.

May God bless your journey!
Shawn

In need of prayer.........

2008-08-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

Rex and I could really use some of your prayers right now. This morning, at 6am, my car loan company repossessed my car. Thankfully, the tow truck driver rang the doorbell, and gave Rex a chance to get all of our things out of the car before he took it. That was truly a blessing, because tow truck drivers don't normally do that. I know it's just a car, but that was my car. I had it before Rex and I got married, and even though he helped with most of the payments, it was always seen as mine. I had never owned anything else. We had it for two years, and I believe it would have been paid off sometime next year. Unfortunately, because I'm not working, we got behind in payments. We needed all our available money to pay for rent, utilities, etc. My car payment kept taking a back seat to other bills. We had never intended to get so far behind.

Please pray that God provides a way for me to get my car back. We can't keep using Rex's mom's car, because she'll need it eventually. It belongs to her. She just lets us use it out of the goodness of her heart. If, for some reason God doesn't want me to have my car back, please pray that he provides another means of transportation for us, so we can return Rex's mom's car to her. Thank you.

The Journey Update

2008-08-12T16:29:00.001-07:00

Journeyers!

As you may know, our theme and our goal for this year is to BE THE DIFFERENCE! And we have two important opportunities for you to do that.

First, we are going to be feeding the homeless. We’re going to be making sandwiches and passing out food at a local park. We need people ready to serve and willing to reach out with the love of Jesus. We’re meeting at Centerpoint THIS SATURDAY (8/16) at 8am to carpool. If you can, bring $5 to help cover the cost of food; if you can’t, it’s okay, just come and help. I hope you all can be there!

Secondly, well, I’ll just let Marla explain…

Here at The Journey we need people who are looking for a way to serve God by serving others. Our volunteers help our Friday night FUEL services run more smoothly. Without our volunteers, we wouldn't be able to give our attendees the full spiritual experience they are searching for. In fact, if it weren't for all of our volunteers, Fuel might have never existed!

Currently, we need volunteers in the following areas: childcare (teaching lessons and doing crafts), dinner (planning, purchasing and preparing meals), and technicians (setting up and engineering sound for worship).

If you feel that God has put it on your heart to help others and you want to be a part of the ministry of The Journey, let us know! We are looking for God-loving and God-honoring people to be the difference with us as we serve one another. If you would really like to be one of those people, or if you just want to know more, contact us at serve@towardtruth.com. We would love to hear from you!

So those are our two big BTD opportunities. Also, don’t miss this week’s Fuel as we discuss “Loving the Poor.” Please be praying that God would do great things as we take these steps toward being the difference in His name.

See you on the journey!
Shawn

ALL JOURNEY POT LUCK POOL PARTY

2008-08-07T19:14:00.000-07:00

Get ready for an ALL JOURNEY POT LUCK POOL PARTY!!!!! It all starts at 1pm this Saturday (8/9) at Evan & Adda's house in Grand Terrace. Bring a dish or dessert to share, along with a towel and sunscreen! Email us for directions (tj@towardtruth.com).

Coming next Saturday... be the difference by feeding the homeless.

Congratulations Warriors!

2008-07-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

We won the football game on Saturday, which caused us to win the entire series! Love Potion #1 was a tough team to beat, and it was really looking bleak for us Warriors. LP won all the first three events, and WOL were lagging behind. It wasn't until the awesome comeback at the volleyball game, that WOL came within a hair's breadth of the title! We were within 50 points! LP fought back furiously at the Wii Sports Showdown, but WOL managed to win both rounds! So the score was tied as of Friday night. Saturday was the deciding factor, and after a hard fought game between the teams, WOL prevailed! LP gave us some serious competition, but we managed to pull through! Warriors of Love were the victors! Love Potion was a great team to play against, and team captain Bart was always good at pushing his team to do their best. I did my bast as the captain of the Warriors, but because I'm pregnant, and was unable to play in three of the events, I appointed Cristina as my Co-Captain. She did a great job taking over when I wasn't available. Both teams played with a lot of heart, and this years teams had a lot of good sports. Several players were injured in some of the events, but they pulled through and persevered! Some even continued to play through their injuries, unless they were too severe, and they bowed out gracefully. Great job Journey members! I'm proud of ALL of you. I would have to say this has been the best year of competition of the last three years. We had NO poor sports this year, and everyone supported everyone else! That is truly awesome!

For final scores and more details, go to Sports.towardtruth.com. They should be updated soon!

Spending Time With God

2008-07-25T14:05:00.000-07:00

When I was little I always felt guilty if I didn't read my Bible or wanted to do something else instead. And it was wrong to watch tv at the same time. Well, when I started working at Mountain Lakes it would get really boring and I would run out of things to do sometimes, so I brought my Bible and would read in between customers. Then ever since I stopped working I would read my Bible while watching tv after Lily laid down for her nap. I think I do get insights from the Spirit while I'm reading, though I'm not giving my full attention. So, I thought it wasn't really a big deal. But something occured to me one night when I was done reading my usual studying I didn't want to stop, but I was tired of reading. I've been going through kind of a difficult time lately, just not really enjoying my circumstances and I've been waiting for some prayers to be answered for quiet some time. Not that I'm complaining, we all have to go through difficult times to grow. So, the last couple of weeks I've been looking for God's peace and some has filtered through my sorrow some days. So, that night I stared at the scriptures from a distance enough to see the words, but not actually read them. I felt a little relief and I imaged if God would be sitting across from me. And that's when I realized that's what I'm doing when I study the word. I'm spending time with God. Afterall they are his words his history. And how much more insight and peace I would feel if I read with the tv off. And that's why I feel comforted when I read the word.

We're Not Alone

2008-07-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

There was a song in church the other morning that explained how we're free and no longer chained down so we can now shine to the world. Well, the line that explained how were redeemed and been set free really spoke to me. I think that when things get a little difficult we start forgetting what God's done in our lives and we don't feel very free. But though we may feel chained down by drugs, an unhealthy lifestyle, relationships, or just dealing with life itself, we're still free. Jesus doesn't want us to feel trapped by these things that's why he calls us to cast our cares on him. And I think it is still really difficult, but the thought that we have someone looking out for our interests is amazing.
Then it accured to me that we're not alone in our troubles. Yeah, we know that God is always around us and above us and in us. But I think we often take that for granted and don't really grasp it in our minds. And I think we think we feel guilty for not measuring up to what we know were suppose to do or prideful that we need to do and fix our fears or our mistakes or what causes sorrows on our own. I know I struggle with this. And Jesus reaches out to us when we're in need( or tugging at our hearts to come to him). Well, he did die on the cross so that we would no longer face the worst that comes our way all alone. When we're fearful or sad or stressed or angry or trapped by unwanted circumstances, whatever the case may be, he doesn't walk away or leave us to fend for ourselves. He's right there with us every step of the way.
And deeper than that, we are all sinners and whether we're not currently sinning, being tempted, or blinded by the actions we're doing, God still loves us. How could God love such corrupt and sinful people? Honestly, I'm not really sure, it's even hard for me to show love to those that have done wrong to me. I know that God see's our hearts for every spec that it is. Every corruption it has and every future wrong we'll make, but he looks past our sinful nature and love us for the person that we are. And I don't know about everyone else, but that means a lot to me because I'm a girl and hold a few insecurities and the person that created me and will judge me some day loves the person that I am, that's awesome. Think about it, though. You have a huge God has written all our names on his hand and will never faint or grow weary and who created this world with just a few words and see's us for who we exactly are and loves us anyway. So deeply it fact, that we can never ever comprehend or even recipricate to him or anyone else. So, to a loving person that see's everything past present and future and loves us beyond what anyone or anything can seperate why not spill our guts. Afterall, we're not alone and we're free to do so.

Warriors serve up first win.

2008-07-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Huntington Beach, Ca—Some may say it was the brisk beach air, or the cool cloud cover, but for the Warriors of Love (WOL), it was a plain matter of perseverance. Of course, it looked bleak at first, as the undefeated Love Potion #1 (LP) easily won the first in a best-of-three volleyball match. But WOL kept positive, showing constant support for their teammates and a determination to keep playing the best game they could. With a combination of strong serving and tight defense they won the second round to tie up the match. Now, it was anyone’s game, and both sides knew it. There was plenty of ducking, diving and even a little dancing. Both teams put their best feet forward (especially Jessica Landis of WOL), but in the end game point went to WOL. And as icing on the cake they also walked away with all the bonus points for the day, closing the point gap for the series to a mere 50 points.

VOLLEYBALL SCORE… WOL: 100 + 25 +25 = 150; LP: 0.

CURRENT STANDINGS after four events... LP: 350; WOL: 300.

Friday (7/25) it’s anyone’s game as The Journey introduces Wii Sports for the first time to Summer Sports Series. Any young adult is welcome to join a team. Dinner starts at 6pm. Fuel starts at 7pm. See Sports.TowardTruth.com for all the latest Summer Sports Series news.

Shoulder injury wins points.

2008-07-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

Colton, Ca—On the brutal battlefield of dodgeball, not everyone survives. This year’s bashfest left two players out of breath on the sidelines and one player, Brendan, with a shoulder out of place. He was able to raise his arm to put it back in place, but the pain will be with him for days. This recurring injury actually needs surgery. The Journey asks you all the pray and trust God with us for a speedy and complete healing. For his great attitude in dealing with the injury, Brendan earned his team, Warriors of Love (WOL), 25 sportsmanship points. WOL also picked up 25 teamwork points. But for all their coordinated assaults, they still could not keep Love Potion #1 from achieving their third straight victory.

DODGEBALL SCORE… LP: 100; WOL: 25 +25 = 50.

CURRENT STANDINGS after three events... LP: 350; WOL: 150.

Love Potion to defend decisive lead in sports series.

2008-07-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

Riverside, CA—It was an intense soccer match Saturday at Hunter Park as Love Potion #1’s (LP) team captain, Barton Thrasher, went head-to-head with veteran Summer Sports player, Cristina Candelaria, of the Warriors of Love (WOL). To heighten the drama of the game the soccer field was shortened to a 30 yard square. At one point Shawn Candelaria, acting LP goalie, threw the ball to score a goal from his post, a play which was immediately and unanimously deemed illegal. LP didn’t look worried as they took the lead early on in the game. But WOL came up from behind in the second half to close the point gap, in what looked then like anyone’s game. It was 5-5, With two minutes left to play. The pace was quickening as many attempts by the WOL to score were thwarted. Finally, with 7 seconds on the clock, LP scored the final goal to win the game 6-5. All was not lost for the WOL as pregnant and perseverant team captain, Marla Arnold, led her team to once again garner sportsmanship and teamwork points.

SOCCER SCORE… LP: 100; WOL: 25 +25 = 50.

CURRENT STANDINGS after two events... LP: 250; WOL: 100.

Tonight (7/18) Love Potion fights to protect their lead in a dangerous game of Dodgeball at FUEL. Any young adult is welcome to join a team. Dinner starts at 6pm. Fuel starts at 7pm. See Sports.TowardTruth.com for more all the latest Summer Sports Series news.

Love Potion leads Warriors 150 to 50

2008-07-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Love Potion #1 (LP) beat Warriors of Love (WOL), 7-6, in overtime Friday, as the Journey officially kicked off Summer Sports Series IV with Pass, Catch and Shoot. LP also got bonus points for picking their name first and for good sportsmanship because they brought drinks for everyone at half time. WOL also got bonus points for sportsmanship and teamwork. Unfortunately, for all their teamwork, they could not get the ball in the basket for the first half. But their passing game almost paid off when they came from behind to tie the game at the end of the second half.

Current Standings after one event...
LP: 100 + 25 +25 = 150
WOL: 25 + 25 = 50

Tonight the Warriors compete to take back their pride in Soccer competition. Any young adult is welcome to join a team. Meet at Centerpoint at 5pm to caravan to Hunter Park. See Sports.TowardTruth.com for more details.

The Journey Update

2008-07-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoyed your holiday! As for us, we had an amazing time camping in beautiful San Jacinto State Park. First the bad news… we were down two stoves with one to go and we couldn’t get that one to work either. But not to be defeated, we were able to put the pot and pan we had on a grill directly over the campfire. The food took a little longer to cook, but it was delicious and we were certainly not underfed. Then, as we began “Fuel in the Forest” all our flying beetle friends decided to join us, distracting us to the point of cutting our time of singing short.

But the good news is… We had great times of reflection and discussion both nights, being challenged in our ideas of what it means to love one another and getting opportunities to put that love into practice throughout our time together.

Especially memorable and rewarding was our 6.6 mile hike through Deer Springs Trail up to Suicide Rock. For some of us it was a cakewalk. But for others of us (including me) it was an exercise in pushing our bodies to their utter limits. There were slips, bug bites, blisters and moments of self-doubt. But with encouragement and perseverance we pushed through together. And it was all worth it. Though the trail itself was beautiful, the view from the rock was amazing! We ate lunch at the top with both a sense of accomplishment and a thirst for ice cold water.

That hike was just the beginning of a full month of teamwork and determination as we embark on The Journey’s SUMMER SPORTS SERIES IV. Every Friday and Saturday in July two teams will compete to be this year’s Ultimate Journey Champions. You can join a team at any time and will remain on that team throughout the series.

This Friday’s competition is basketball with a twist—Pass, Catch & Shoot—a fun game for athletes of any skill level. Just show up for Fuel at 7pm (dinner’s at 6pm) and we’ll get you on a team. And remember, there will be childcare for those who need it.

On Saturday, get in on the action as our two teams run, kick, and defend their goal in Soccer. Just meet us at Centerpoint at 5pm to follow us to Hunter Park.

For a schedule of this year’s events, directions to Hunter Park, or pictures of Summer Sports Series III, go to Sports.TowardTruth.com.

Hope the camping trip went well.

2008-07-10T00:36:00.000-07:00

I don't know who all went, and I haven't heard back from everyone, but from the ones I did talk to, I heard that it was a wonderful experience. I'm sorry that Rex and I missed it, but we had several very good reasons:

1) We were helping our friends Matt and Bridget move into their new apartment. We had to move everything from Ontario to San Bernardino. I helped on Friday, and Rex helped out both Friday and Saturday. We rested on Sunday. :-)

2) Rex doesn't like camping. He does not enjoy sleeping in a tent, in a sleeping bag, and not being able to shower, or use a normal toilet. (I heard about the "No Facilities" at the camp. Was there at least an outhouse, or some kind of indoor toilet?)

3) Rex's mom needed us, to take her to run some errands. It's only fair, since she's been loaning us her car for the last several months, until she has her last (hopefully) eye surgery, and her eye heals well enough for her to drive.

4) Last but not least, for those of you who don't know: Rex and I are having a baby! We are expecting our little bundle of joy on January 22, 2009! Of course, since it's my first pregnancy, there's even less guarantees on the due date, then there would normally be. We are so happy, and we're glad to share this experience with everyone in The Journey, and as of next year, we will have a new addition to the Journey family: Baby "Peanut" Arnold! (It's only a nickname, we are not actually going to name our baby "Peanut"!)

Hope everyone is well, and I will see some of you on Friday, at Fuel. We missed everyone last Friday, so we're glad Fuel is back at church! :-)

Yard Sale!

2008-07-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Where do I begin? It has been a whirlwind month!

With our one-year lease up July 1, Cristina and I had been thinking about whether we should sign on for another year or look for a new place. We visited a few houses for rent but nothing was worth moving from our apartment which we both really loved. But then, one month ago, we got word through my brother that his complex had an opening for a 1-bedroom apartment. Our name had been on the waiting list for a 2-bedroom since last summer. And a few months ago they called us with a vacancy, but we were still in our lease, so we couldn’t accept. So we put on name at the bottom of the list. But now this 1-bedroom opened up. We had to move on it right away. So we thought about it and prayed about it.

The night before we had to decide, I went for a walk and went through the 5 ways of making a good decision that we had talked about at Fuel last year. Was it God honoring? Well, it meant fewer, or smaller, gatherings for The Journey. But it also meant more money with which to be more generous than we could before. Was it Spirit-led? This was not the product of our own effort. It was totally a God thing. We had gone asking, seeking and knocking. But God presented this door in His perfect timing, without us even seeking it out. Was it wise? By moving into this smaller but quite comfortable apartment, we would be saving $500 every month; that’s $6,000 a year! That meant we could be debt-free sooner, build up a more substantial savings for unexpected expenses, have the money to make future necessary purchases like new cars, and invest more for the future, all making us better prepared for any possible future editions to our family. Was it well-advised? Having such little time, I decided I only had time to seek Cristina’s advice (and not also the usual list of trusted friends). And in her separate personal considerations, she thought it would be a good move. So, lastly, with everything pointing toward moving, and being in agreement, we mustered up the courage to call and accept the offer to move in.

We started moving in on the 21st, packing and moving about one room at a time. Then we had all the big stuff out by the 28th. Yesterday, we finally got the last of our stuff and cleaned up the place. Today, I turn in the keys to our old place.

It’s amazing how God has blessed us. He hasn’t given us more pay. But He has given us more money. By leading us to this new apartment, it’s like we got a $500/month raise! God is good!

And we will be busy for about another month as we try to unpack 1600 square feet of stuff into 950 square feet of space. I have two words for you: yard sale.

You can work at Stater Bros.

2008-07-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

I hear that Stater Bros. will be accepting applications for both checker and janitor tomorrow (7/8) at 7am. Dress in business attire. Be there early. The store is located at 1786 E Lugonia Ave in Redlands.

Need a Job

2008-06-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

Education jobs
For those without degrees there are a number of classified positions for which they would qualify
http://www.edjoin.org/advancedSearch.aspx

California Jobs
http://www.caljobs.ca.gov/

City of Colton Jobs
http://www.ci.colton.ca.us/hr/

City of Fontana Jobs
http://www.fontana.org/main/hr_risk/hr_main.htm

City of Grand Terrace
http://www.cityofgrandterrace.org/jobs.asp

City of Highland
http://www.ci.highland.ca.us/employment.htm

City of Loma Linda Jobs
http://www.lomalinda-ca.gov/asp/Site/Departments/Administration/HumanResources/JobOpportunities/index.asp

City of Redlands Jobs
http://www.ci.redlands.ca.us/manager/personnel.htm

City of Rialto
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/rialto/default.cfm

City of Riverside Jobs
https://cityjobs.riversideca.gov/hr/

City of Yucaipa
http://www.yucaipa.org/employmentOpportunities/index.php

Government Jobs
http://www.govjobs.com/

Riverside Community College
https://jobs.rcc.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1214678372871

Riverside County Jobs
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/riverside/default.cfm

San Bernardino County Jobs
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/sanbernardino/default.cfm

San Bernardino Valley College (including Crafton)
https://www.sbccdjobs.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1214678270322

University of California at Riverside Jobs
http://humanresources.ucr.edu/jobs/

UCR library jobs
http://library.ucr.edu/employment/

University of Loma Linda Jobs
http://llu.edu/hrm/

University of Redlands
http://www.redlands.edu/x2701.xml

Time is running out!

2008-06-25T17:11:00.001-07:00

Journeyers, time is running out!

YOU CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE FOR ONE MORE WEEK! Gather all you cans and plastic bottles and bring them to Fuel this Friday! We will redeem them and give the money to Tunde & Friends Ministries. This is the last week we are collecting cans. Please rinse them out before you bring them in. OR, if you want to redeem them yourself and bring in the money, that’s fine too. For more information go to BeTheDifference.TowardTruth.com.

FOURTH OF JULY FUN IN THE FOREST! We need your money in by this Sunday! That’s $30 for two nights, or $25 if you need to come home by Saturday. You can pay Kevin tonight at Thru the Bible, or Shawn on Friday or Sunday. The details are as follows…
· 2 nights camping at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (showers & bathrooms available; you bring your own camping equipment).
· Friday, July 4, 1pm, through Sunday, July 6, 1pm.
· 5 meals, FUEL in the forest, Summer Sports Series, hiking & more!
· All for only $30. THAT'S TEN DOLLARS A DAY!!! (and it INCLUDES GAS!!!). Payment in full secures your spot.
· All money must be in on or before June 29.
· If you have to be back early: We are only allowed 2 vehicles for every 8 people. So as long as you ride up with 2-3 other people who need to be back early, you can ride back together too. And if you HAVE TO leave on Saturday, I will knock $5 off your camping price, which means you'll only have to pay $25.
· Have any questions? shawn@towardtruth.com

THERE IS NO FUEL ON FOURTH OF JULY. Due to the camping trip & holiday, there will be no Fuel on July 4. We will be back on July 11. For more information, check out Fuel.TowardTruth.com.

See you on the journey!
Shawn

4th of July Weekend Camping Trip

2008-06-20T00:25:00.000-07:00

THERE'S ONLY TWO WEEKS UNTIL SUMMER EXCURSION!

- 2 nights camping at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (showers & bathrooms available; you bring your own camping equipment).

- Friday, July 4, 1pm, through Sunday, July 6, 1pm.

- 5 meals, FUEL in the forest, Summer Sports Series, hiking & more!

- All for only $30. THAT'S TEN DOLLARS A DAY!!! (and it INCLUDES GAS!!!). Payment in full secures your spot.

- All money must be in on or before June 29.

DO YOU HAVE TO BE BACK EARLY?

We are only allowed 2 vehicles for every 8 people. So as long as you ride up with at least two other people who need to be back early, you can ride back together too. And if you HAVE TO leave on Saturday, I will knock $5 off your camping price, which means you'll only have to pay $25.

YOU CAN PAY BY JUNE 29.

- $30 for Friday through Saturday OR $25 if you have to come back early.

- Bring your money to me (Shawn) at Fuel on Friday or Remix Sunday evening (I'm the bass player).

- Or give the money to your small group leader--Adda or Ellie on Tuesday, or Kevin on Wednesday--and they can get the money to me.

EMAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

shawn@towardtruth.com

Join us in Judges

2008-06-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

We have now begun our fifth book in the Storyline Challenge: Judges. If you'd like to read along with us, here is a schedule.

Monday, June 16 - Judges 1
Tuesday, June 17 - Judges 2
Wednesday, June 18 - Judges 3
Thursday, June 19 - Judges 4
Friday, June 20 - Judges 5
...and so on...

If you are just joining us, the Storyline Challenge is a committment to developing a habit of reading the Bible by reading just one chapter a day through 13 books of the Bible that tell the story of the Bible from Creation to the Church.

The Storyline Books will introduce you to the major people, events, and ideas of the Old and New Testaments without giving you an overwhelming amount to read. And as you read you’ll gain a better understanding of the other books because you’ll know where they fit into the story.

If you get a late start, don’t worry, catch up when you can.

And don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day (or more). Just start again the next day. The main purpose is not to stick to a schedule, but to develop a regular habit of reading the Bible, which will spark growth in all areas of your life!

Don't put it off any longer. Start today!

To get the most out of your personal Bible reading, it is helpful to have a study Bible. Check out five great picks at Bible.TowardTruth.com.

FUEL Goes to Africa Tonight

2008-06-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

One of our own, Nathan Womack, is going on a missions trip to Africa this summer. Come out to support him as he shares about what his team will be doing on behalf of Christ tonight at FUEL. FUEL happens at 495 N La Cadena Drive in Colton at 7pm. See you there!

The Journey Update

2008-06-12T16:42:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen of The Journey…

Congratulations to all our graduates out there on your excellent achievement! You did it! And to those of you who have yet to finish the race, you CAN do it. It IS worth the effort. Don’t lose heart; don’t give up. Press on toward the goal as you trust in the Lord at every step for the strength and guidance you need. But for now… Enjoy the summer! I have three suggestions on how you can.

First, get ready for THE JOURNEY’S SUMMER EXCURSION, Friday, July 4, 1pm, through Sunday, July 6, 1pm.

2 nights camping at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (showers & bathrooms available; bring your own tents).
5 meals, FUEL in the forest, Summer Sports Series IV—Mountain Olympics, hiking & more!
All for only $30.
Space is limited. Only payment in full secures your spot, so get your money to me as soon as possible.
All money must be in on or before Sunday, June 29.
To learn more email me (shawn@towardtruth.com).

In other news, there are no longer any Journey Groups on Mondays. The men’s group is taking a summer break. The YOUNG WOMEN’S JOURNEY GROUP has moved to Tuesdays at 6pm. Join them in Rialto for a time of encouragement and discussion through the Proverbs and Parables of the Bible. For more info email Ellie (ellie@towardtruth.com).

Finally, is abortion unthinkable to you? Are you not sure where you stand on abortion? Would you like to be better equipped to defend a pro-life position? Join us for a DVD series, MAKING ABORTION UNTHINKABLE, Sunday mornings in the Student Ministries Building at 10:30 AM beginning June 15th. If you plan to attend, contact the church office (connect@centerpointcolton.com) and let them know so there will be enough materials ready.

However you enjoy your summer this year, I hope The Journey will be part of it.

Blessings,
Shawn

Medal of Honor

2008-06-04T01:03:00.000-07:00

On Monday June 2, 2008, President Bush awarded the Medal of Honor to Private First Class Ross Andrew McGinnis of the U.S. Army. The award was accepted by Ross's mom and dad, Romayne and Tom

President Bush noted, “That element of his character was to make all the difference when Ross McGinnis became a soldier in the Army. One afternoon 18 months ago, Private McGinnis was part of a humvee patrol in a neighborhood of Baghdad. From his position in the gun turret, he noticed a grenade thrown directly at the vehicle. In an instant, the grenade dropped through the gunner's hatch. He shouted a warning to the four men inside. Confined in that tiny space, the soldiers had no chance of escaping the explosion. Private McGinnis could have easily jumped from the humvee and saved himself. Instead he dropped inside, put himself against the grenade, and absorbed the blast with his own body.”

….

“No one outside this man's family can know the true weight of their loss. But in words spoken long ago, we are told how to measure the kind of devotion that Ross McGinnis showed on his last day: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080602-1.html

Read about MOH Paul Ray Smith
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806u/medal-of-honor

Our prayers go out to the family and friends of Ross McGinnis and all Armed Forces may God bring them all home safely.

Memorial Day 2008

2008-05-26T02:00:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day 2008

Today take a moment and say a prayer for our Courageous Soldiers and their families. Remember the sacrifices they have made and be thankful for their continued efforts to keep the citizens of this country and other countries free to live and safe from tyranny.

Consider giving to the Semper Fi (http://www.semperfifund.org/) fund and go read about the story of Iraq through the eyes of our Soldiers by reading The Moment of Truth in Iraq by Michael Yon.

“Today, though that moment is not yet surely gained, it remains within our grasp as long as we are true to ourselves. For it is our values that can win this war, for us and for the Iraqi people, just as betraying those values very nearly lost it.”

….

“LTC Kurilla’s soldiers relate an incident that occurred before I arrived in April 2005, when he or his guys killed an enemy one day, and the dead guy’s cell phone rang. Kurilla’s interpreter answered it. It was the dead guy’s brother. The story goes that Kurilla said through the interpreter that he was the American commander, adding, “I just killed your brother and am coming to kill you!”

Michael Yon, Moment of Truth in Iraq http://www.michaelyon-online.com/

And FYI, “Congress this week found time to honor a college basketball team, Arnold Palmer, and Frank Sinatra…but then went home for a two-week vacation without funding American troops in combat, putting even the paychecks of our soldiers in jeopardy.” Freedomswatch.org

Think about that when you vote this year.

The Journey Update

2008-05-23T00:34:00.000-07:00

We have a few special things going on this week.

START READING JOSHUA TODAY. The STORYLINE CHALLENGE begins anew today as we begin the book of Joshua. If you have been reading with us since January you will have already finished Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. If you have not yet joined us, but you want to get into the habit of reading the Bible and you want to understand it better, now is the time! Just read one chapter a day. That’s it!

All that means is deciding right now to set aside about 5 minutes every day to read your Bible. Start with Joshua chapter one today. They read chapter two tomorrow, and so on. Also, join us for FUEL tonight (7pm) and we will be talking about the book of Joshua and what to expect as you read through it.

INDIANA JONES AND THE JOURNEY MARATHON. See all four Indiana Jones adventures this Memorial Monday, May 26. Raiders of the Lost Ark starts at 10am at the Candelaria residence in Redlands. Bring $3 for lunchtime pizza. After Temple of Doom and Last Crusade we’re having a BBQ dinner (on us) and then heading off to Krikorian in Redlands for the 7pm showing of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Get your tickets now through the box office or movietickets.com.

NOTE: This means NO SMALL GROUPS this MONDAY.

THE CASE FOR CHRIST—LIVE! See the author of The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, in person at Biola University as he tells the story of how the evidence for the truth of the gospel led him to faith in Christ. Plus, everyone gets a FREE DVD of The Case for Christ—The Film. Also speaking will be Mike Erre and J. P. Moreland. Meet at Centerpoint to carpool at 5:45pm on Tuesday, May 27. We’ll be back by 11pm.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (6 of 6)

2008-05-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

FORMULA FOR FINANCIAL FREEDOM – BUDGET WORKSHEET

GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)

GROSS (wages + tips + allowance + gifts + etc.) = __________
TAXES = __________

NET 1 – “Take home pay” – available to spend after taxes (GROSS – TAXES) = __________

TITHE – percentage devoted to God (GROSS x .10) = __________
THRIFT/D.I.P.S – percentage set aside for a thriving future (GROSS x .10) = __________

DEBT REPAYMENT (THRIFT/4) = __________
INVESTMENT SAVINGS (THRIFT/4) = __________
PURCHASES (THRIFT/4) = __________
SAVINGS (THRIFT/4) = __________

NET 2 – Available to spend on TALLY, TREAT & GENEROSITY (NET 1 – (TITHE + DIPS)) = __________

TALLY – every dollar spent on bills and expenses during the month = __________

Housing (Rent/Mortgage + Renter’s/Homeowners Insurance) = __________
Utilities (electricity + gas + water + trash + phone + cable + internet + cell) = __________
Food (groceries + eating out) = __________
Car (payment +insurance + gas + maintenance/repairs) = __________
Health (medical/dental/vision/life insurance +prescription + co-pays + gym membership) = __________
Personal (hair care + childcare + child support +etc.) = __________
Household (laundry + household supplies + misc.) = __________
Education (tuition +fees +parking + books +lab) = __________
Debts (credit cards + student loans + etc.) = __________

NET 3 – available to spend on TREAT and GENEROSITY (NET2 –TALLY) = __________

TREAT – desired to spend on personal enjoyment = __________

Clothing = __________
Beauty (nails + etc.) = __________
Entertainment (movies + gaming + theatre + concert + etc.) = __________

GENEROSITY – available to give to others (NET3 – TREAT) = __________

Gifts (birthdays + holidays + special occasions) = __________
Charitable Giving (ministries + missions + organizations) = __________

A Formula for Financial Freedom (5 of 6)

2008-05-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the budget at a glance...

GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)

Gross = all the money earned before taxes are taken out.

Tithe = 10% of gross income OR 10% of net income and tax refund

Tax = all federal and state income tax, social security and medicare withholdings

Thrift = 1-20% (match percentage of tithe or adjust as needed) of gross paid to D.I.P.S.

Debts = ¼ thrift goes toward paying off smallest debt first (in addition to minimum payment)

Investments = ¼ Thrift goes toward building an investment fund for 401k, mutual funds, stocks, and/or bonds.

Purchases = ¼ of the Thrift fund goes toward saving up for bigger purchases.

Savings = ¼ of the Thrift fund goes toward saving for emergencies.

Tally = the total monthly amount of money paid toward bills and expenses

Treat = money spent for personal enjoyment

Generosity = amount of money left over to be a blessing to others

“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” – John Maxell

Tomorrow, in the final installment of this series, I will be posting a worksheet to help you calculate you personal budget.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (4 of 6)

2008-05-13T12:00:00.001-07:00

Tally is the total monthly amount of money paid toward bills and expenses. This is where all our money disappears. As Proverbs 23:5 so aptly observes, “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” Again in Proverbs 22:7, we are told that, “the borrower is slave to the lender.” We have to pay our bills. But here’s the beauty of this budget. All you have to do is make minimum payments and let your DIPS accelerate your financial freedom.

This is also where you have to do a little acting. If you pretend to be rich now, and live like you can afford anything, then you will soon end up with nothing. But if you pretend to be poor now, you will eventually be able to afford anything you need (see Proverbs 13:7). So ask yourself some important questions. What unnecessary payments are you making? Where can you cut back? Learn to discern the difference between a need and a desire. For instance, you need clothes; you do not need designer brands. You need food; you do not need to frequent your favorite steak house.

The hardest part is learning discipline. For example, in order to keep our spending under control, Cristina and I give ourselves a cash allowance to spend on eating out and entertainment every two weeks. Once that cash is spent, we cannot withdraw any more money. And we absolutely may not use a debit or credit card. This has helped us to rein in our impulse spending and splurging.

Treat is the money you can spend for personal enjoyment. That is, if you have any money left over after paying God (tithe), your future (thrift) and your bills (tally), feel free to spend a little on yourself. You don’t have to feel guilty because God gives you money to enjoy. But remember any money you spend on yourself cannot be used to help others, which is your goal.

Generosity is the amount of money you have left over to be a blessing to others. You may use this for gifts for birthdays, holidays, weddings or special occasions. Or you can give to ministries that bless you (besides your church), missionaries, or other organizations you believe in. In particular, I suggest you should consider the poor (see Proverbs 14:31; 21:13; 19:17; 22:9).

When it comes down to it, budgeting takes discipline. And this may or may not be the best budget for you. You may have to tweak it here and there. But I believe everyone would benefit by considering the two G’s, the five T’s and the DIPS.

The main thing is to choose a budget and use it! Decide where every dollar you make will go before the month begins. And follow your plan. You may not get it down the first month, the second month, or even the third month. But keep at it and you will experience the pleasant peace that comes with financial freedom.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” - Hebrews 12:11

So, wherever you are on your financial journey, take the next step: budget. Do it this week!

Tomorrow, I will post a basic outline that recaps the last few posts in a quick and simple format.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (3 of 6)

2008-05-12T12:00:00.001-07:00

Thrift is 1-20% of your gross that you pay to debts, investments, purchases and savings (DIPS). It should be the second thing you do in budgeting—that is, pay toward your future. Thrift is what you do to make your money work for you. It is the pivot point of financial freedom. “Thrift” comes from the word “thrive.” And you will thrive financially if you follow this simple step based on the principle that, “whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow” (Proverbs 13:11). Ideally, setting aside 20% would be of the most benefit, which means 5% of your gross would go into each of the DIPS categories. Realistically, you may have to start small, depending on your current debt and expenses. I suggest paying at least as much to thrift as you do to tithe. Keep in mind, that the more you pay toward thrift the faster you will achieve financial freedom.

Debts is ¼ of what you set aside in thrift that goes toward paying off your smallest debt first (in addition to your minimum payments). Again in Romans 13:7-8, it says, “Give to everyone what you owe . . . if revenue, then revenue . . . Let no debt remain outstanding,”

Investments is ¼ of what you set aside in thrift that goes toward building investments, such as a 401k, mutual funds, stocks, and/or bonds and the like. Investment is a calculated risk—using a portion of your money to make money. You should seek professional advice when making investment decisions. But here is one tip from Ecclesiastes 11:2: “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” In other words, don’t put all your money in one place. What if you invest only in Starbucks, and it turns out Coffee Bean puts them out of business?

Purchases is ¼ of what you set aside in the thrift fund that goes toward saving up for bigger purchases (besides regular household necessities and living expenses). Make a list of all the things that aren’t in your monthly budget and prioritize them. Figure out how much each item on the list costs. When you have saved up enough money, buy it. If you don’t have the money yet, wait to buy it. Do not finance it!

Savings is ¼ of what you set aside in the thrift fund that goes toward saving for emergencies. Proverbs 10:15 warns, “the wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.” Life doesn’t always happen according to plan. It we don’t have a financial cushion, it could be our ruin.

Because of this, I suggest that, before you even start setting aside money in thrift (DIPS), start by devoting all of your thrift funds to savings until you have at least a $500 cushion ($1000 is better). Hopefully, this takes less than six months. After you have reached this first goal of putting away $500-$1000 in savings, you can start paying your thrift money into all four categories of the DIPS. You’ll already have at least $500 at the start; now you’re just building up your financial firewalls.

The big question will be how you keep track of your DIPS—by ledger or accounts? I personally do not have the discipline to leave my DIPS alone if the money is in my checking account with all the rest. So I have set up four accounts at two banks. At one bank we have a checking account for debts and a savings account for investments. We also have savings account for savings and checking account for purchases at another bank. All our income first goes into my main account (which I use for debts and all other expenses) from which I transfer the money online to my other accounts as needed.

Think about how you want to keep track of your thrift money, on paper of by using separate accounts. Make a goal for yourself to decide and have your system set up by the time you have your initial $500-1,000 saved up.

Who am I?

2008-05-12T00:47:00.000-07:00

After hearing Pastor Shawn's message on Friday, and seeing the video that Andre made with Potter and Jason, I had to ask myself this question: Who am I? I was no more clear about myself, than I had been before. I know who I would like to be, and I know what I would like to do with my life, but have no idea what I am supposed to be doing right now. So I asked myself these questions:
What is my purpose here on earth?
What is expected of me?
Why am I even here?
Why do I have the friends that I have?

I sat down and began wondering if I was truly being myself. I wondered if I was trying to be somebody I wasn't. I had spent so much of my life trying to fit in with different crowds, that I began to wonder if I had compromised myself. I doubted if I even knew who the real me is. Was I just wearing a mask, and playing a role? Did I spend more time trying to please others, rather than myself (or God) ? Once I finally convinced myself that I always do my best to be true to myself, and always try to honor God, I began to ask a different set of questions:
Am I identified by my parents?
Am I identified by my husband?
Am I identified by my friends?
Am I identified by my job (or whether I have one or not)?
Am I identified by my education?

I had to seriously figure out what makes me, me. After several hours of prayer and self-reflection, I've decided that I am my own person, but every aspect of my life (family, friends, church, work, school) has molded me into who I am today. If it weren't for all of those factors, I would be a completely different person. (I don't think I would have liked the other me.) This revelation led to a whole other set of questions:
Am I the best person I can be?
What can I improve about myself?
How can I continue to help others?
Can I truly make a difference in other people's lives?
Am I putting other's needs before my own?
Why was I chosen for this particular ministry?
How can I serve God better?

Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to these questions yet. I'm still in the process of figuring them out. Everyday, I learn something new about myself, and how I can benefit others. I pray to God for guidance, strength, and perseverance. Only God knows the person I will become. Everyday, He reveals to me more and more. Everything will be given to me one step at a time. He will not reveal more than I need. I may not be able to see the entire path, but I know that as long as I continue to have faith in God, I will become the person He wants me to.

The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian

2008-05-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

oIf anyone is interested next Saturday in seeing The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian I can get discount tickets from work for the Krikorian in Redlands. There is a showing at 3:35pm Saturday May 17th that Wanda, Wesley, and myself are planning on attending. I need money before friday so I can purchase the tickets from a cowoker. Tickets are $6.50. Let me know if you are interested. Laura

"I CAN!" be the difference

2008-05-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

The Journey is partnering with Tunde and Friends this summer, praying for them helping to support them financially.

There are many ways you can help. But one thing we are ask the entire Journey to do is bring in all the cans you can—from your household, your friends, your family, anywhere—and bring them in every Friday.

We’ll cash them in and donate the money directly to Tunde and Friends Ministries.

NOTE
- Please rinse them out before bringing them.
- Any plastic bottles with "CRV" on them are also acceptable.
- You may want to redeem them yourself and simply bring in the money.
- You could also give a tax deductable gift. Write a check to Centerpoint Church and write "Tunde and Friends" in the memo.

A MESSAGE FROM TUNDE
Yes, we are putting a group together for Nigeria this summer. I will leave after school is out around July 3 and return August 22 just before resumption of the 2008/2009 school year. We are trusting God for the grace to continue to make a difference by making friends, touching hearts and changing lives as we express the love of Christ. This year, in addition to the free medical screening we intend to intensify efforts towards disability awareness in congregations and communities, making church buildings accessible by building ramps, providing wheelchairs, etc. Reaching out to high schools and colleges with the same message, we intend to introduce the Disabled Students Services program to the colleges and universities, with the aim of easing the problems students with disabilities encounter in getting into colleges, getting around while in college and graduating from college. We are also planning on introducing the "True Love Waits" service in some church congregations. These are some of the things planned for this year.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (2 of 6)

2008-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

As with any great plan, we need to begin with a goal in mind. I suggest to you that the goal of budgeting is generosity. We want to be wise with our money so that we can bless others. So a good budget should lead to financial freedom—freedom from debt gives us the freedom to be generous. With that in mind, here’s what a formula for financial freedom might look like.

GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)

Let me explain. We all know by now that money doesn’t grow on trees. The Apostle Paul’s rule was, "anyone who is unwilling to work shall not eat." Proverbs 10:4 says, “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” The only other way I know to get money is the tooth fairy, but I haven’t lost any teeth for while. So this formula is assuming you have a job, and hopefully one that is enjoyable, fulfilling and well-paying. But, really, any job will do. This budget is adjustable to any income level. So let’s take a look at ingredients of the formula.

Gross is all the money you earn before taxes are taken out. Of course, the first thing taken from your paycheck is taxes.

Tax is all federal and state income tax, social security and medicare withheld from your paycheck. You may not be happy about paying taxes, but here’s what the Bible says in Romans 13:5-7: “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes. . . .”

Tithe is 10% of your gross income (OR 10% of your net income and whatever tax refund you may get). The reason for tithing is so that you can support those who devote their time to ministering to you and help those who have no one else to help them. It also reminds you that God is your ultimate provider and teaches you to honor Him in everything. We are instructed in Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” So the first thing you should do in budgeting is to calculate your tithe. And the first thing you should do with your money every month is pay it.

You may be new to tithing, unsure of its value or unconvinced of its necessity. If so, it’s okay to start small. You may want to start with one percent or five percent, or however much you can. But once you get started you will likely find it easier and even exciting to increase your percentage (Try a one percent increase every 3-6 months until you get to ten percent). As for Cristina and I, we have committed to increase the percentage we give to our church by one percent every year. I am confident that when we honor God in this way, He will honor us in return.

Start this month! Sit down right now with your pay stub and calculate how much you earn every month. If you get paid a regular rate twice a month, multiply what you earn in one paycheck by 2 to get your monthly gross. If you get paid every two weeks, multiply what you earn in one paycheck by 26, then divide by 12 to figure your monthly gross. Once you know your gross, multiply that by .10 to calculate your tithe (for ten percent). If you decide to start with five percent, multiply your gross by .o5. Write you check today and take it to church with you next time you are there. Make your tithe check the first check you write every month!

A Formula for Financial Freedom (part 1 of 6)

2008-05-08T12:00:00.001-07:00

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.” - Proverbs 3:13-18

Wisdom is the key to blessing, and this is especially true when it comes to money. Wisdom is worth more than worldly wealth, but wisdom is the best way to build wealth.

Wealth gained without wisdom leads to worry. You may get what you want, but you end up in debt. You live paycheck to paycheck and you’re never content. So you sell all your stuff just to pay rent.

Wealth gained through wisdom leads to peace. You work hard for your money and you’re happy with life. You have all you need and blessings besides. And you won’t lose all that you have overnight.

Wisdom is the insight and foresight to do what is right. Financial wisdom helps us understand how to manage our money so that we can be debt-free, enjoy life and help others. It helps us plan ahead so that when our car breaks down, or we get sick or lose a job it’s not a devastating crisis. So I want to share with you some advice about how to handle your money wisely through a budget I’m going to call the A Formula for Financial Freedom.

John Maxell says, “a budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” Most of my life I’ve been wondering where my money went. But over the course of the last year, in preparing for marriage and as newlyweds, Cristina and I have begun to tell our money where we want it to go.” We have not yet arrived, but we have made progress. We have had financial victories over the past year that show the process is working. Out of 5 credit cards, we have already paid off two, and will likely pay off two more by the end of the year. As far as paying for education, we have paid one student loan in full, have been making payments on the others, and been paying for my graduate school up front. I won’t owe Biola another cent once I graduate in December. So we’ve been telling our money where to go, and so far it’s working.

In the next few posts I want to outline for you the financial formula we have been following, along with a budget worksheet that I believe will help you manage your money wisely as you plan for the future.

Christian Charity

2008-05-04T23:11:00.000-07:00

“In the passage where the New Testament says that everyone must work, it gives as a reason ‘in order that he may have something to give to those in need.’ Charity – giving to the poor – is an essential part of Christian morality: in the frightening parable of the sheep and the goats it seems to be the point on which everything turns. Some people nowadays say that charity ought to be unnecessary and that instead of giving to the poor we ought to be producing a society in which there were no poor to give to. They may be quite right in saying that we ought to produce this kind of society. But if anyone thinks that, as a consequence, you can stop giving in the meantime, then he has parted company with all Christian morality. I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them. I am speaking now of ‘charities’ in the common way. Particular cases of distress among your own relatives, friends, neighbors or employees, which God, as it were, forces upon your notice, may demand much more: even to the crippling and endangering of your own position. For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear – fear of insecurity. This must often be recognized as a temptation. Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity; we are tempted to spend more that we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality) and less than we ought on those who really need our help.”

-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p.86-87.

Thanks!

2008-05-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

To All Journey Members:
Everyone has been so supportive of my finishing school, deciding to quit my job back in December, helping Rex and I move, and my current job search. We appreciate everything the group has done for us. All your efforts and prayers have been a true blessing. Many things would not have occurred, if not for your love and support.

To Cristina, Wandica, Ammie, Kat, Chris, (and whoever else may have helped):
I appreciate the efforts of you guys on Sidewalk Sundays (especially last Sunday, since I wasn't there). I'm guessing everything went well, because Shawn hasn't contacted me with complaints. It was truly a blessing to find people who were willing to run the table for me, and outreach to other young adults at Centerpoint. Keep up the good work!

To Paul:
Thanks for having the patience to deal with me during announcements. I know sometimes I lose track of what's going on, and other times I get carried away. I appreciate all your efforts to keep me on track. I know I'm not always easy to work with.

To Shawn:
Thanks for giving me this opportunity to be such a huge part of The Journey. It has been a blessing for me, because it has helped me grow spiritually and further my education. I enjoy all of the work you pass my way, and I look forward to much more activities and assignments with the group. I love working with all of these wonderful people. I hope you continue to have faith in my efforts.

To my wonderful husband, Rex:
I love you so much! Thank you for loving me, and being a part of my life. You were the one who convinced me to go to Cal Baptist, and believed in me when I doubted myself. If you hadn't prodded me, I wouldn't be graduating on Saturday! Our marriage has been a blessing, and I look forward to many more years of happiness with you. God truly has blessed us both!

To anyone who is planning on going to my graduation on Saturday:
The ceremony starts at 9am, but I recommend that you get to Cal Baptist as soon as possible, so you can find parking! The ceremony will be two hours long, so we should be done by 11am. If you would like to meet up with me after the ceremony, you can meet me at the short wall in Stamps Courtyard. To get to the courtyard, you go up the steps in front of the Yeager Center (by the waterfall), past the rotating globe in the walkway, past Wanda's (on the right), out into the courtyard. It's the short wall just before the grassy area, and there's a black marble plaque on the ground. It's not far from the front lawn, promise! If I'm not there when you find it, Rex should be. Call one of us if you get lost.

A week in the life of me...

2008-05-01T03:29:00.000-07:00

There are so many things to do and so little time with which to do them!

I just sent in a paper that I’ve been working on, little by little for weeks. I wrote it for my Reformation and Modern Theology class. For those of you who don’t know, historical theology is my favorite intellectual hobby. I am by no means an expert, but I am learning. And I thoroughly enjoyed researching this paper about the French mathematician/physicist/apologist, Blaise Pascal and his masterpiece, the Pensées. Here’s an excerpt…

The most famous section of the Pensées is known as The Wager,[1] which argues that, “if there is a God, he is infinitely beyond our comprehension.” We cannot understand him by dividing him into systems and parts as in science. And there is no vantage point from which we can see all of God all at once. He is infinitely greater than anything we can grasp. “We are therefore incapable of knowing either what he is or whether he is,” because we could never give adequate rational grounds to prove a being infinitely beyond our rational capacities. Does God exist? “Reason cannot decide this question.” We must toss a coin. Heads, God exists. Tails, he does not. Everyone must make a choice. If you call heads and it turns out God exists, “you win everything, if you lose you lose nothing.” When the odds are even and the prize is infinite, it is a reasonable bet to make.

My preoccupation with this paper has left little time to do much else. I missed my step-father-in-law’s family reunion on Saturday to work on it. But I took a break Saturday night to map out The Journey’s summer schedule so we could discuss it at our leaders meeting on Sunday afternoon. We ended up deciding on some great ways we can be the difference this summer. Stay tuned for that. We also have an amazing Summer Sports Series IV in store in July.

Sunday, I got up to lead worship with Jess in the morning at the 10:35 service. It was Sidewalk Sunday, so we were passing out newsletters. We had our Journey leaders lunch meeting. I played bass for Remix then went home and passed out on the couch. When I came to, Cristina and I got some dinner, went grocery shopping, paid bills and called it a night.

On Monday, after sleeping in, I again got to work on my paper, cleaned up around the house, had the young men’s group at our house, helped Cristina with the laundry, and started back on my paper for way too long before getting to bed.

Tuesday, I again worked on that paper. In the evening we went to my parents’ house for dinner, after which I was working on my paper. While taking a break and playing with my pet rabbit, Buffalo (now 5 years old), I noticed a lump sort of hanging from his belly as he walked around. It didn’t seem to hurt him, but I am concerned. Cristina and I prayed for him and we have an appointment with the vet tomorrow. I was finished with my paper around midnight that night, but it was 3,000 words. My professor specifically said it should be “strictly 2,000-2,500 words.” So I went through it about 3-4 more times removing any unnecessary information. I was done by 3am.

Wednesday, I get up in time to meet a friend for lunch, and then head over to Centerpoint for an enlightening staff meeting. The rest of the afternoon I spend updating the website for the month and planning for this Friday’s Fuel. Unfortunately, due to this paper, I have not yet had time to upload most of last April’s messages for the Fuelcast. I expect to be back on top of things next week. I would have liked to update our contact list with all the new green sheets so that I can send out a newsletter, but that will have to wait until next week as well. About 5:15, I rush out to get a bite to eat and come back to rehearse two songs for Mega Wednesday. Afterwards, Cristina and I go to Target for some essentials (and dinner, after all). She give my paper one last proof read and gets ready for bed while I send it to my professor via cyberspace. I then check my grades to see my status. And it turns out that if I get an A on my paper and my final I will be okay. (Please be praying for that!) And now I am here immortalizing the writing of my paper for you.

Thursday will be devoted to even more homework, and hopefully good news at the vet, then off to La Mirada for an evening class. Then, from 9:30pm until 7pm on Friday my mind will be focused almost exclusively on Fuel and making it happen.

On Friday, Fuel will happen. We will worship together. I will preach. And I will likely have the pleasure of hanging out with you all until late.

Saturday, Marla graduates, Chris BBQ’s and Evan turns 30-something.

Sunday will be our last 10:35 service (so come say farewell). I’d like to go to the Greek festival at the Orthodox Church for lunch and maybe a church tour (we’ll see). Then it’s back to Centerpoint for another amazing time of worship!

And that is a week in the life of me. I just wrote over 1,000 words in a relatively short period of time. I don’t know why 3,000 were so difficult for me this time around, but it was. There was a lot of background to learn and a lot of information to synthesize. In the end, I’m a little smarter for having done it. I am blessed to be getting a degree for studying what I love to learn and would read about anyway. I am humbled to be able to serve God alongside such amazing young adults. And I am in wonder at the support of a wife who loves me through it all. God is good! I am tired. Goodnight.

[1] Pascal, Pensees, 121-125.

The Journey Update

2008-04-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

FUEL FOR NIGERIA. Join us for a special Fuel event this Friday (4/25), as our guests Tunde and Titi share about their work in Nigeria and how we can partner up with them to be the difference.

$7 BLESSING. Also remember this month's challenge. Take $7 and meet a need. Come to Fuel this Friday to share how you used your $7 to be a blessing in someone's life.

SIDEWALK SUNDAY. We need your help this Sunday (4/27) to get the word out about the Journey and all we have to offer. All you have to do is smile, pass out a few brochures, and let young adults know there's a place for them at Centerpoint Church. If you can help at 8:50-9:20am, 10:10-10:40, 11:20-11:50, and/or at 5:45-6:15pm, please email Marla ASAP so that she can plan accordingly: marla@towardtruth.com.

The First Marathon and other historical factoids.

2008-04-21T00:11:00.000-07:00

“Such is our love of freedom that we fight.”

Cyrus the Great became the King of Persia in 559 BC after which he conquered most of the Mediterranean. In turn that meant most of the subjects of his empire were not of Persian descent. The Persian Empire became the most powerful empire in the world and indeed the most powerful the world had ever seen. Persian rule was relatively light with all the benefits of the empire; it does not matter, because people hate being ruled by foreigners, and therefore it was fear that kept the subjects in line.

In 540 BC, Persia conquered Ionia, which was populated by Greeks. In 499 BC, the Ionians rose up in rebellion, knowing the limits of their power and the might of the Persians they asked their Greek brothers across a gulf of water for help. Unfortunately most of the Greek Polis’ were busy that weekend, however it just so happened that Athens and Eritrea were available to answer the call. Athens and Eritrea send Hoplites (Greek foot soldiers) and Naval Vessels to assist the Ionians.

In 494 the revolt fails and the Ionians are crushed. Darius I, who succeeded Cyrus, was bent on revenge. Darius understood that the empire was held together by the fear of his power. In 490 BC, Darius sends an army to Greece to punish Athens and Eritrea in order to remind everyone the extent of his power.

Twenty thousand soldiers arrive in Eritrea, the size of this army was nothing to the Persians but it was the biggest army the Greeks had ever laid their eyes on. Persia demands Eritrea’s surrender. Eritrea refuses. “Geography is destiny,” as someone once said. Eritrea is weak and has very little natural defenses. The Persians punish the Eritreans resistance by destroying the city (completely). The remaining citizens were displaced a 1000 miles east.

The Persian army leaves Eritrea and travels by Sea down the coast of Greece where they land at the city of Marathon. The Persians send a messenger from Marathon to Greece, which is a distance of 26 miles. The messenger declares that resistance is futile and demands the Athenian surrender.

In the Greek Polis, the soldiers were the citizens and as such the politicians. The citizens of Athens assemble and debate the course of action for which they must take. They send a messenger back, declaring that ‘we know your power is much greater than ours, but such is our love of freedom (eleutheria) that we will fight.”

After the assembly decided to fight, they go home, grab their armor and march out. They are not forced to fight but are fighting to defend their homes. In all, the Greeks number ten thousand (Persians have 20k, 2 to 1 odds) and they march out to confront their fate at the Battle of Marathon in 490BC.

To make a long story short the Athenians were victorious in a huge upset. In all, seven thousand Persians were slaughtered, whereas only one hundred and ninety-two Greeks fell. The freemen fighting to defend their homes were more motivated to fight then the subjugated Persian army.

After the battle the Athenians send a runner back to Athens, he runs the entire way, upon his arrival he shouts in great exuberance, “victory, victory, victory!” Then he dies, thus completing the first ever Marathon.

After the defeat, Darius imparts on a slave one job and one job only. Everyday this special slave was to remind Darius to punish the Athenians. Darius dies before he ever gets the chance, but his boy, Xerxes will not soon forget the loss they suffered at the hands of the Athenians.

Storyline Challenge: Numbers

2008-04-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today (Thursday, April 17) we begin to read Numbers, the fourth book of the Bible, which picks up where Exodus leaves off at Mt. Sinai, and follows Israel’s forty years of wandering in the desert. It is the story of God’s faithfulness and compassion despite His people’s disobedience. It shows how God prepares His people to conquer the land He promised them through Abraham (in Genesis). In fact, the book—Numbers—gets its name from two main sections in chapters 1-2 and 26-27, each where a census is taken to determine the number of able-bodied warriors there were in Israel. There is also a genealogy of Aaron’s family and the Levites (those who performed priestly duties) in chapters 3-4, which is important because the book is also concerned with the purity of the people who offer proper worship to the Lord. The flow of the story may seem a bit random. But the big picture is that this Storyline book is the bridge between the Israelites being freed from Egyptian slavery (in Exodus) and conquering the Promised Land (in Joshua).

Take the Storyline Challenge and establish a personal habit of Bible reading by reading just one chapter a day. Here is our schedule:

April 13 – 19: Exodus 37-Numbers 3
April 20 – April 26: Numbers 4-10
April 27 – May 3: Numbers 11-17
May 4 – 10: Numbers 18-24
May 11 – 17: Numbers 25-31
May 18 – 24: Numbers 32 – Joshua 2

To learn more about the Storyline Challenge go to Bible.TowardTruth.com.

Thanks to The Journey!

2008-04-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged. Everything has been crazy busy for me and Rex. We had to try to find a place to live, I've been looking for a job, trying to get through school, deal with having only one car, my choosing to volunteer with the preschoolers on Sunday mornings, and all other every day occurrences.

It has been a long road, but much of it has paid off. Rex and I found an apartment in Colton (5 1/2 blocks from church), and many Journey members helped us move! Thanks to everyone's help, we got moved in ONE DAY! Rex and I are so grateful to everyone who was there. We never could have done it without you guys and gals!

As far as school, it's going well. I should be done in August. I'm expecting to graduate in May, and as soon as I get all the details, all Journey members are invited to attend! It's going to be the first Saturday in May, but I'm not sure of the time. I also know it will be at Cal Baptist, so we know the location. I promise I will let everyone know what time the ceremony is! I hope you can all make it!

I still haven't been able to find a job, but now that Rex and I live in Colton, the car situation is much simpler, since it only takes 10 minutes to get to Rex's job. So, either I can take him to work in the morning if I need the car, or he can come home for lunch, and I can take him back to work so I can have the car. Or, if I don't need the car at all, he can just take it, and still be able to get home quickly, if I need anything.

Rex was okay with me deciding to volunteer on Sunday mornings. In fact, he took it better than I expected. He knows I love kids, and it's something I've been wanting to do for a long time. I knew that Jodie and Wandica used to do it, and Cristina is still doing it, so I wanted to do it too! The nice part about finally volunteering is, Cristina and I are both teaching during the 10:30 service, and she's in the room next to mine! I teach the 3 year olds, and she teaches the 4 year olds. I also get to see Regina and C.J. Hill in the big room for worship and storytime! It's great to be around so many other Journeyers!

Thanks to all of The Journey, for being part of our lives, and being so supportive in all of our endeavors. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives, and we look forward to many years with the group. We love you all!

Watch Expelled Friday night at 9:25pm!

2008-04-16T16:01:00.000-07:00

Get tickets to join The Journey as we watch Expelled this Friday after FUEL: April 18, 2008, 9:25 at Edwards Ontario Palace Stadium 22.

Tickets are $10.50 for adults, $9.50 for students, or $11 online here.

Watch the original "super" trailer for Expelled now...

Read Relevant Magazine's review here.

Go to the Expelled website here.

The Journey gets expelled!

2008-04-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Watch EXPELLED with The Journey this Friday after FUEL.

The Journey Update

2008-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have an action packed schedule for you in the next two weeks—blessings, Ben Stein, dodge ball, and being the difference!

$7 BLESSING - In case you missed FUEL on the 4th, we handed out $7 to everyone there, along with a challenge to meet a need or be a blessing to someone with that money and come back on April 25 to tell us how you used it. If you weren’t there, I would challenge you to take $7 of you own and think about how you can use it for others. Be creative. You may want to buy something that you can sell for more money. You could buy a card or a gift for someone who needs encouragement. You could buy lunch for someone on the street. You could donate to a ministry or missions organization. Or you could give an offering to Centerpoint Church. Remember, God blesses us with all we have in the first place. We’re just using a little bit of it to bless others in Him name.

GET EXPELLED WITH BEN STEIN – One of my professors got to see a prescreening of the documentary-style movie, “Expelled,” and said it was funny. That may be true, but there’s a lot more to it than that. In the movie, Ben Stein goes on a quest to find out why professors and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired for exploring evidence that there might be design in nature. Join us at the movies this Friday after Fuel (4/18) as we watch this entertaining expose of evolution. Bring money for your movie ticket.

REIGNING CHAMPIONS – The ATTIC (All The Truth In Christ), another youth and young adult ministry in Riverside, is hosting their 2nd Dodgeball Tournament this Saturday evening (4/19). Last time our team won the championship. This time we’re going to defend our title! If you want to join our team, email Paul (paul@towardtruth.com) immediately. We will meet at Centerpoint to carpool at 7pm.

TUNDE & FRIENDS AT FUEL – Next Friday, April 25, at Fuel, we will have special guests, Tunde and Titi, sharing about their plans for ministry in Nigeria this summer and how we can help. Tunde and Friends Ministries mission and outreach to Nigeria includes free medical screening, disability awareness in churches and communities, providing wheelchairs, building ramps to make churches wheelchair accessible, introducing Disabled Students Services programs to the colleges and universities, and "True Love Waits" services for local churches. You will not want to miss this great time of fellowship and partnership. Fuel starts at 7pm in the Student Ministries Building; or come early for dinner at 6pm.

Autism Walk 2008

2008-04-13T00:04:00.000-07:00

Autism Walk 2008
By Jessica Cox

As most of you know I have a couple of things that I am one hundred percent passionate about. One of them is autism.

Last fall, the agency that I work for decided to host our first annual Walk for Autism to benefit the Coachella Valley Autism Society of America (CVASA). We set out to have 250 walkers and raise 25,000 dollars. We knew it would be a huge task but thought that with hard work (and prayer as far as I was concerned) we would be able to pull it off. As we got closer to the date, we started looking for people and groups to volunteer and to walk in the walk. That's when the Journey began....

I first approached Shawn about forming a group for the walk of people from the Journey. Little did I know that my "favorite" employee and, more importantly, my friend was ahead of me. She formed a team and started recruiting people like crazy. Later, we needed some signs made for the walk itself and my boss suggested that the young adult group from my church make the signs. So one late night after Fuel, some very dedicated and creative young adults made approximately 25 signs. They were beautiful. Even the brown donations sign.

The day of the walk approached and my coworkers and I had tried to think of every possible crazy thing that could go wrong. The night before the walk we had to close online registration because we already had 516 people signed up. We were freaking out. I was praying.

The day arrived and we were up early. Well, I slept through my alarm but I still was up at 5:45. On a Saturday. But I digress. We started setting up and prepared for an awesome day.

And it was.

People started arriving at the walk and we were continually blown away as we kept seeing more and more people arrive. Journeyers arrived and started to congregate in the middle of the lawn. Soon, my boss approached the Journeyers and asked if they would be willing to stand along the walk route and direct traffic and encourage the walkers. They willingly volunteered and were quite enthusiastic along the route.

At the end of the day, nothing had gone terribly wrong, which was good. But the best part was, we raised 34,000 dollars and had approximately 600 walkers. It was amazing! Seeing so many people out, united for such an important cause was fantastic.

The best part for me was after the walk, my boss approached me and said how grateful she was for the people from the Journey that helped out along the walk. It was really awesome to know that the Journey came together to help people that they didn't necessarily know and didn't necessarily have to help. Not only that, but it made a difference in the lives of the kiddos that I love and the people that I work with. I try to be a light in my workplace in everything that I do, and with the help of the people of the Journey (whom I love so so so so so much!) the lives of my coworkers have been touched.

Look out for Autism Walk 2009!!!!!

Holy Scripture, Part 3 - Ignorance, Blindness and Vice

2008-04-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Nothing more obscures Christ and the glory of God, nor induces more blindness and all kinds of vices than does the ignorance of God’s word. If we profess Christ, why are we not ashamed to be ignorant in his doctrine, seeing that every man is ashamed to be ignorant in that learning which he professes? That man is ashamed to be called a philosopher who reads not the books of philosophy; or to be called a lawyer or an astronomer or a physician, that is ignorant in the books of law, astronomy, and physic. Now can any man then say that he professes Christ and his religion if he will not apply himself (as far as he can or may conveniently) to read and hear and so to know the books of Christ’s gospel and doctrine? Although other sciences are good and to be learned, yet no man can deny that this is the chief and passes all others incomparably. What excuse shall we therefore make (at the last day, before Christ) if we delight to read or hear men’s fantasies and inventions more than his most holy gospel, and will find no time to do that which chiefly (above all things) we should do, and will rather read other things than that for which we ought rather to leave reading of all other things. Let us therefore apply ourselves, as far as we can have time and leisure, to know God’s word, by diligent hearing and reading thereof, as many as profess God and have faith and trust in him."

* Taken from A Fruitful Exhortation to the Reading and Knowledge of Holy Scripture by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury (1547)

STORYLINE CHALLENGE READING SCHEDULE

Sunday, April 13, Exodus 37
Monday, April 14, Exodus 38
Tuesday, April 15, Exodus 39
Wednesday, April 16, Exodus 40
Thursday, April 17, Numbers 1
Friday, April 18, Numbers 2
Saturday, April 19, Numbers 3

Everyone needs a good study Bible.

2008-04-10T02:01:00.000-07:00

Listening to Dane speak on Sunday served to further my resolve to exhort us all to establish a habit of Bible reading this year. There will be various issues we discuss at Fuel and in our various groups, but always with the goal of developing a biblical perspective and living out biblical principles. If there's one thing I hope to accomplish this year is that everyone in The Journey will have established a regular, second-nature habit of reading the Bible.

If you are reading this right now and you haven't laid this important foundation yet, start reading the Old Testament book of Numbers with us starting, Thursday, April 17.

In his sermon, Dane recommended the NIV Study Bible. I totally agree that a study Bible is the best all-in-one resource for reading and understanding the Bible. But there are other good ones out there as well. Let me introduce you to a few of them...

NIV Study Bible - $19 (softcover)
This one does have it all: study notes, concordance, cross-references, maps, topical reference. It is a good study Bible in a classic modern translation. My only problem with it has been that it usually does not have a satisfying explanation for the truly difficult passages. If you want a good, all-purpose study Bible, look no further.

TNIV Study Bible - $20 (softcover)
I haven't used this one yet, but I do primarily use this translation for my sermons. It has the same features as the NIV Study Bible with an updated look and the updated version of the NIV translation called, Today's New International Version (TNIV). If you want an updated version of a good, all-purpose study Bible, this is the one.

The Quest Study Bible - $27 (hardcover)
I have never used or owned this one, but I have always wanted to. It has all the cool stuff the NIV and TNIV Study Bibles have, but it specializes in answering questions. The study notes are all in Q & A format. So, when questions pop into your head as you're reading, this study Bible has already anticipated your question and has an answer. If you are the inquisitive type, this might be the one for you.

Life Application Study Bible - $15 (paperback)
I have not used this one myself. But I have had trusted friends use this study Bible to great benefit and encouragement. It comes in just about any translation. I would personally choose the New Living Translation (NLT) with this particular Bible. If you are less interested in theology and mostly want some pratical insight about how to live out what you're reading, this is the one for you.

The New Spirit-Filled Life Bible - $53 (genuine leather)
When I was in high school, my campus pastor gave me this Bible as a gift. Regrettably, I lost the original. But the replacement has been a cherished resource for many years. It has all the good stuff of a study Bible (commentary notes, cross-references, maps, concordance), plus amazing articles on worship, healing, prayer, praise, end times, God's will, and the power of the Spirit. It is edited by one of my pastoral hereos, Jack Hayford. The only downside is the reliable, but less readable New King James Version (NKJV). If you are looking for a study Bible that presents a theologically balanced charismatic perspective, this is it.

The Apologetics Study Bible - $27 (hardcover)
I got this one for Christmas. Cristina and I have been using it to read the Storyline Challenge. It features the very readable Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) translation and many notes and articles answering questions about hard to understand passages and objections to the faith, some written by professors of mine at Biola. If you want to confidently defend the faith against rival religious, cultural, scientific, ethical, and philosophical views, this is a good place to start.

TNIV College Devotional Bible - $20 (softcover)
Okay, it's not a study Bible, but it is for college-aged young adults. So if you think you might benefit for a Bible that features stories that connect the scripture with your everyday life, this is the one for you.

I have provided links to the least expensive version of each of the study Bibles at ChristianBook.com. Most of them come in softcover, hardcover, bonded leather, genuine leather or Italian leather, in various colors. They are available at most bookstores, like Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.

For those of you in need of a good study Bible, it may be time to put some of your tax refund/rebate to use! There really is no better tool for helping you understand the Bible as you read.

The Journey Update

2008-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today we begin our new FUEL series on a topic that I know is near and dear to many a young adult heart: MONEY! Do you have any? How can you get some? What are you supposed to do with it? We will be discussing these questions and more. So bring a friend and your kids (if you’re a parent, that is... remember, we have childcare) and be a part of one of the best young adult worship gatherings in the Inland Empire! Worship starts at 7pm in the Student Ministries Building on the corner of La Cadena and F Street in Colton. Or come early for dinner at 6pm.

Also, let me remind you two things…

First, we have plenty of insight and encouragement to fuel your daily journey at TowardTruth.com, including the entire MP3 audio series—“What if there is no god?”—now available to download. You can also read our new blog, called “I.E.”

Second, I want to encourage you to keep going in your commitment to read the Bible, particularly if you have been reading a chapter a day of the STORYLINE CHALLENGE with us. I know it can be difficult sometimes. (Just tonight, Cristina and I had to read 5 chapters to catch up.) But there is no doubt that developing this habit of simply reading God’s Word will be a source of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding that will bear fruit in all areas of your life. If you want to start fresh, you can get a head start on the book of Numbers, which we will begin on April 17. But for now, here is the reading schedule for next week:

Sunday, April 6 – Exodus 30
Monday, April 7 – Exodus 31
Tuesday, April 8 – Exodus 32
Wednesday, April 9 – Exodus 33
Thursday, April 10 – Exodus 34
Friday, April 11 – Exodus 35
Saturday, April 12 – Exodus 36

What if there is no god... for your Ipod!

2008-04-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

The Journey is now Fuelcasting the entire March series: “What if there is no god?”

You can listen to the Fuelcast at TowardTruth.com, or simply click on the links below…

Part 1: There is No Meaning
Part 2: There Is No Freedom
Part 3: There Is No Hope
Part 4: What Happened After God’s Funeral?

Join us in April as we ask the question: “Where is your heart?”

Death is not the end, but a means to an end.

2008-03-23T00:32:00.000-07:00

"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a human being. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But in this order: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." - 1 Corinthians 15:20-25

Christ, in His human nature, is kind of a prototype. He has died and risen from the dead. And when He comes back, those of us who put our trust in Him will also be resurrected—body and soul!

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." - 1 John 3:2

"But someone will ask, 'How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?' How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body." - 1 Corinthians 15:35-38

What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. This is true of a seed that dies to become food for the root and stem that grows out of it and becomes a plant or tree. This was true of Jesus who was lifted up on a cross that he may be exalted in resurrection. This is true of our souls when we die to sin by faith in Christ, and live in the freedom and the power of the Spirit.

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." - 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

"And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man [ADAM], so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man [CHRIST]. I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable." - 1 Corinthians 15:49-50

The human race will once again bear the image of God without the tarnish of sin. And if our bodies die, along with our corrupted nature, we can rise again to new life and experience all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ. So, for the person who trusts in the death and resurrection of Christ, death is not the end, but a means to an end.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!
Shawn

*from "There Is No Hope," my message for Good Friday Fuel.

The Journey Update

2008-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight we are hosting Centerpoint’s Good Friday Service in the Student Ministries Building. We will be addressing the question—“What if there is no god?”—in light of the death of Christ. Not only is this the first Fuel open to young and old alike. But it is our biggest team effort to date. Chris has drawn a portrait of Jesus, Ammie has written a eulogy, which Andre will be reading, and Jess has written a song—all for tonight’s Fuel gathering. It all starts at 7pm, but you will want to come a little early to find a seat. Also note: there will be no dinner served, but dessert will be available afterwards.

Just added to our schedule: “Expelled” with Ben Stein at Biola University! How are scientists who follow the evidence that leads to Intelligent Design treated in the academic community? Find out in this sneek peek event featuring Ben Stein. Buy your tickets online for $10 here. Then email us to let us know you are coming (tj@towardtruth.com). We will be meeting at Centerpoint this Thursday at 5:45pm to carpool to Biola. We should be back by 11pm.

Finally, this week is your last chance to check out BeTheDifference.TowardTruth.com to learn how to be the difference to families of autism.

Tomorrow night..........

2008-03-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

The Journey is hosting the Good Friday Service at Centerpoint Church. Everyone is welcome! The service is open to people of all ages. Come join us for a beautiful service in remembrance of Jesus Christ, and what He sacrificed for us. The service starts at 7pm, in the Student Ministries Building, at Centerpoint. We are offering childcare for children 0-12 years old, so parents can come to the service. Teenagers are welcome to come to the service with their parents. We will have worship, prayer, and a message from Pastor Shawn. We will also be offering dessert after the service, for those who wish to stay and fellowship together. We look forward to all of those who will be attending.

For more information about The Journey or the Good Friday Service, please check out our website at www.towardtruth.com, or Centerpoint's website at www.centerpointcolton.com.

Why Do We Forget?

2008-03-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

Why is it that we forget the things that were revealed to us in the past so quickly? Some how when life gets too rough we forget the things that have guided us through the toughest issues in the past. Or maybe it's not that we forget, but that we don't remember. That's why we can't conquere this world on our own.
Suddenly, I had forgotten what I knew all you need is God. Things got a little rough. I finally realized I was feeling too much pressure and it's not like the world made it any better. So, I was finding ways to get things off my mind like tv, or playing out my story ideas in my head, and even cleaning became a distraction to my burdened thoughts. Why didn't I just turn to God? You know he was reaching out and calling me the whole time probably. So, one day at Fuel, I think two Fridays ago, Jess sang a few songs that really clicked. God showed me that yeah, it's okay to enjoy watching tv and thinking about my stories, and cleaning(really who enjoys cleaning), but that's all they are. They will never take away the pain or stress I was dealing with and will only cover them up. The ultimate joy that will never get boring or will never stop satisfying is God. Granted, I still felt pressure to the point where I wanted to explode on Saturday, but I had gotten(or was reminded) of the peice of the puzzle. And you know what's funny I wrote a drama about the things of this world are fun, but God is satisfying (and fun, too, of course. I'd rather praise God than watch tv for 3 hours anyday). And it never clicked that that's what I needed to remember.
Well about Saturday. It was horrible (I just like using that word to describe bad things). I think I woke up to a bad day. Usually, I'll know if I'm gonna have a bad day if the morning goes bad, but I knew as soon as I got up. It's my fault, I let the sun go down on my anger. Anyway, it's almost like I would try to make it better (with effort) and it'd get worse. So, on my break I went to the car and cried. (It was good for me) Then it started to rain and I don't know how I thought about it or where it came from, but I remembered God is big and powerful. He'll get me through my troubles because he's bigger than it. Then it snowed and I think He make it snow to make me feel better. Maybe, I was trying to think of Scriptures to encourage me. Honestly, God is ultimate relief, but a lot of times reading a Scripture will assure me and that'll comfort me. Well, the rest of the day wasn't any better. I acted like, quoting my mom, a "pycho". I just wanted to be by myself and I felt like curling up in a ball and being alone. That's not surrendering in God's peace. That's dealing with life without God territory. How dare I act that way? That's not how I should feel. I'm not sure if your really not supposed to act that way. But I didn't reach out to God like I should have. That's when it's not okay. So, I really sat down and prayed and just got everything out and gave it to God. Now that's the easy part. The hard part is leaving it in his hands, I have a tendancy to take it back. So, maybe I did forget and God reminded me at the right moment.

The Journey Update

2008-03-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Journeyers!

First, let me remind you to check out our new blog! Just go to our website (TowardTruth.com) and click on "IE."

Second, an important announcement about BE THE DIFFERENCE is that we are making signs for the Autism Walk tonight (Friday, March 14) after Fuel. If you can't make it for Fuel at 7pm, then join us at 8:30. We'll be in the Student Ministries Building… and there will be food! Learn more at "BeTheDifference.TowardTruth.com."

Third, don't miss our annual Spectacular SAINT PATRICK'S DAY POT LUCK O'GOLD. You can bring a yummy dish or dessert to share, or just bring yourself (dressed in green, of course)! It all starts Monday, March 17 at 6pm at CJ and Ellie's house in Rialto. If you know what you are going to bring, or want to know what we still need, contact Cristina at cristina@towardtruth.com.

Finally, The Journey is hosting a special GOOD FRIDAY service for the whole Centerpoint family at Fuel week, March 21, at 7pm! Note: there will be no dinner served that night, so plan ahead.

The Ability to Decide

2008-03-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

There is No Meaning

2008-03-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

If you missed Fuel last Friday, you can now hear the message at fuelcast.towardtruth.com. I usually upload them on Tuesdays. Here's an excerpt from "There is No Meaning":

Most of us know what’s wrong with us; we know the emptiness and sin inside. And we know that if there is a God He can give us second life. But we’ve been stripped of our confidence to come to Him. Those who do not believe say life is what you make of it. But Jesus follow me and I will make you; come to me and I will give you rest.

connecting the dots

2008-03-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

I've been a christian for about 13 years now. In those 13 years i've read bits and pieces of the bible here & there. I've tried to read from the beginning a few times only to get to Genesis Ch 3 or 4 and then no further. There have been times when I've felt ashamed that I din't know the bible. At times it seems as if my sister (a claimed athiest) knows more about what's in the bible than I do.

I'm enthusiastic to say that that's slowly changing! Tonight I was at the women's bible study. We were studying Miriam tonight (Moses' sister). I never knew why the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt until tonight. It all made sense though because I've been reading along with the storyline challenge. I was able to connect everything. People and places have become more real to me. There are 2 other women in the group that are going through the challenge as well. It's neat to be on the same page as everyone else in our readings. Talking about it makes everything so much clearer.

To some who know every book in the bible, this may seem trivial. To me, it's a huge step in my walk with God. I'm excited to continue reading His Word and getting a clearer picture of who God is and His people. I encourage anyone else to go through it also. If you haven't started yet, just pick up from where we are on that day. The schedules is on http://www.towardtruth.com/ or below.

Storyline Challenge: Exodus

2008-03-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, we begin reading Exodus, the second of the Five Books of Moses, located in the beginning of the Bible. Exodus covers the birth of Moses, God's deliverance of His people from Egypt--over 2 million people--in about 1446 B.C. (including the 10 plagues and parting the Red Sea), and the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.

If you do not have a regular Bible reading routine, please consider reading along with us. Here is the reading schedule for this week...

Saturday, March 8 – Exodus 1
Sunday, March 9 – Exodus 2
Monday, March 10 – Exodus 3
Tuesday, March 11 – Exodus 4
Wednesday, March 12, Exodus 5
Thursday, March 13 – Exodus 6
Friday, March 14, Exodus 7

for more information about the Storyline Challenge visit bible.towardtruth.com.

God?

2008-03-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

To whet your appetite for tonight's Fuel...

Journey Update

2008-03-07T06:00:00.001-08:00

Journeyers!

It wasn't until I was sharing these announcements with the Wednesday night Thru the Bible group this week that I realized how many great things we have happening on The Journey this month.

MARCH 7—What if there is no God? We have a new series in store for you this month at Friday Night Fuel. Join the discussion as we explore reasons why a world without God is a world without meaning, freedom, hope or honor. We meet at 7pm in the Student Ministries Building on the corner of La Cadena Drive and F Street in Colton, or come early for dinner at 6pm. Childcare is provided.

MARCH 10—New Men's & Women's Journey Groups Begin. Our men are following the Storyline Challenge through Exodus. And our women are starting a study called "Women Who Achieved for God." Learn more here.

MARCH 14—Be the Difference! Our next "Be the difference!" opportunity is making signs for the Autism Walk next week after Friday Night Fuel. For more information on autism and how you can help, please go to "bethedifference.towardtruth.com" and share this link with your friends.

MARCH 17—St. Patrick's Day Pot Luck Party. Whip up a delicious dish or dessert to share and come on over to the Clark's for some Celtic craziness! It all starts Monday, March 17 at 6pm in Rialto. Don't forget to wear green. Details TBA.

MARCH 21—Good Friday Memorial Service for Jesus of Nazareth. The Journey is hosting a Good Friday service for the whole Centerpoint family at Fuel at 7pm! This would be a great time to bring your parents. There will be no dinner served that night, so plan ahead.

MARCH 29—Autism Walk. Sign up today to walk with us! Enter team number 34 along with the rest of your information here.

EVERYDAY—Get fresh blogging to fuel your daily journey! Our new blog is called "The Journey of the Inland Empire," or "IE" for short. You can read thoughts by many of your journey group leaders, add your own insight and find links to other interesting journey bloggers. Read it now, or subscribe here.

So I guess what I'm saying is, you may want to print this email out and keep it next to your calendar so you won't miss an ounce of all this Journey goodness!

May God bless your journey!
Shawn

The Seven Deadly Sins That Lead to Debt

2008-03-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

I just ran across an interesting article on managing money. Now, I know you all have you finances under control. You all are probably rolling in the dough. But just in case you don't quite know how to advise your friends on the matter, here are some tips: Seven Deady Sins

If you're looking for more help, on budgeting and investing and paying off debt, you might want to try these websites:
Dave Ramsey
Crown Financial Ministries

Also, don't miss Fuel in April when our series will be "Is God Worth it?: How we honor God with our finances."

"Our Struggles Within" now on MP3

2008-03-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

Our February series has come to an end. And now we're gearing up for our March series, "What if there is no god?" But you can still hear past messages on our Fuelcast. The entire February series, "Our Struggles Within," is now online.

Series titles include...
"The Reality of Depression" by Mark Cox, marriage and family therapist
"Growing Confidence," "The Root of Bitterness," and "Just Anger" by Pastor Shawn

Unfortunately, due to privacy issues, we are unable to podcast the autism presentation.

Holy Scripture, Part 2 - The Well of Life

2008-03-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

"Therefore, forsaking the corrupt judgment of carnal men, which care not but for their carcass, let us reverently hear and read Holy Scripture, which is the food of the soul. Let us diligently search for the well of life, in the books of the New and Old Testaments, and not run to the stinking puddles of men’s traditions, devised by man’s imagination, for our justification and salvation. For in Holy Scripture is fully contained what we ought to do and what to eschew, what to believe, what to love, and what to look for at God’s hands at length. In those books we shall find the Father from whom, the Son by whom, and the Holy Ghost in whom all things have their being and conservation, and these three persons to be but one God and one substance. In these books, we may learn to know our selves, how vile and miserable we are, and also to know God, how good he is of himself and how he communicates his goodness unto us and to all creatures. We may learn also in these books to know God’s will and pleasure, as much as (for this present time) is convenient for us to know. And (as the great scholar and godly preacher Saint John Chrysostom says), whatsoever is required of man for salvation is fully contained in the Scripture of God. He that is ignorant may there learn and have knowledge. He that is hard-hearted and an obstinate sinner shall there find eternal torments (prepared by God’s justice) to make him afraid and to soften him. He that is oppressed with misery in this world shall there find relief in the promises of eternal life, to his great consolation and comfort. He that is wounded (by the Devil) unto death shall find there medicine whereby he may be restored again unto health. If it is required to teach any truth or reprove false doctrine, to rebuke any vice, to commend any virtue, to give good counsel, to comfort, or to exhort, or to do any other thing requisite for our salvation, all those things (says St. Chrysostom) we may learn plentifully from the Scripture. There is (says Fulgentius) abundantly enough, both for men to eat and children to suck. There is whatsoever is convenient for all ages and for all degrees and sorts of men. These books therefore ought to be much in our hands, in our eyes, in our ears, in our mouths, but most of all in our hearts. For the Scripture of God is the heavenly meat of our souls. The hearing and keeping of it makes us blessed, sanctifies us, and makes us holy. It converts our souls; it is a light lantern to our feet; it is a sure, a constant, and a perpetual instrument of salvation; it gives wisdom to the humble and lowly hearts; it comforts, makes glad, cheers and nurtures our consciences; it is a more excellent jewel or treasure than any gold or precious stone; it is more sweet than honey or honeycomb; it is called the best part, which Mary did choose, for it hath in it everlasting comfort. The words of Holy Scripture are called words of everlasting life, for they are God’s instrument, ordained for the same purpose. They have power to convert through God’s promise, and they are effectual through God’s assistance, and (being received in a faithful heart) they have ever a heavenly spiritual working in them. They are lively, quick, and mighty in operation, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and enter through, even unto the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, of the joints and the marrow. Christ calls him a wise builder that builds upon his word, upon his sure and substantial foundation. By this word of God we shall be judged: for the word that I speak (says Christ) is it that shall judge in the last day. He that keeps the word of Christ is promised the love and favor of God, and that he shall be the mansion place or temple of the blessed Trinity. This word, whosoever is diligent to read, and on his heart to print what he reads, the great affection for the transitory things of this world shall be diminished in him, and the great desire for heavenly things (that are therein promised by God) shall increase in him. And there is nothing that so much establishes our faith and trust in God, that so much conserves innocence and pureness of heart, and also of outward godly life and conversation, as continual reading and meditation on God’s word. For that thing which (by perpetual custom of reading Holy Scripture, and diligent searching of the same) is deeply printed and graven on the heart, at length turns almost into nature. And, moreover, the effect and virtue of God’s word is to illuminate the ignorant and to give more light unto them that faithfully and diligently read it, to comfort their hearts and to encourage them to perform that which by God is commanded. It teaches patience in all adversity; in prosperity, humbleness; what honor is due unto God; what mercy and charity to our neighbor. It gives good counsel in all doubtful things. It shows to whom we shall look for aid and help in all perils, and that God is the only giver of victory in all battles and temptations by our enemies, bodily and ghostly. And in reading of God’s word, he most profits not always that is most ready in turning to the book, or in reciting it without the book, but he that is most turned into it, that is, most inspired with the Holy Ghost, most in his heart and life altered and transformed into that thing which he reads—he that is daily less and less proud, less ireful, less covetous, and less desirous of worldly and vain pleasures; he that daily (forsaking his old vicious life) increases in virtue more and more. And, to be short, there is nothing that more maintains godliness of the mind and expels ungodliness than does the continual reading or hearing of God’s word, if it be joined with a godly mind and a good affection to know and follow God’s will. For without a single eye, pure intent, and good mind, nothing is considered good before God." (from A Fruitful Exhortation to the Reading and Knowledge of Holy Scripture by Thomas Cranmer)

Saturday, March 1, Genesis 44
Sunday, March 2 – Genesis 45
Monday, March 3 – Genesis 46
Tuesday, March 4 – Genesis 47
Wednesday, March 5 – Genesis 48
Thursday, March 6 – Genesis 49

Get rid of it!

2008-02-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 4:31 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

The fact that the Apostle Paul can say get rid of it means that bitterness is a choice. It may be your character right now, your habit, your default way of dealing with things. And if it is, you didn’t become bitter overnight. And if it’s not your habit, when you struggle with bitterness don’t let it become a part of who you are.

You might say, “But you don’t know how hard life is, how many bad things have happened to me, how many people have hurt me.” You’re right. Proverbs 14:10 says, “Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.” I only know the bitterness that I have had to struggle with. No one else can feel what’s in my heart; that’s why no one else can choose joy for me! We all have to choose joy for ourselves.

Bitterness doesn’t just happen to us. Bad things happen to us. Bitterness is an optional response to those bad things.

It’s like if it starts to smell in our house, I know I better throw the trash out. I don’t want the smell of rotten food or mold, or the sight of an overflowing trash can festering with maggots. But just because I threw the trash out yesterday, doesn’t mean I won’t have to do it tomorrow. In even the cleanest household there will be trash, and you can choose to let it sit there until you go crazy or pass out from the stink, or you can decide to get rid of it.

The word for malice is kakia (kak-ee'-ah), which, to me, sounds a lot like caca. So you could say that Ephesians is telling us to get rid of our crap! And it’s not a one-time thing. Every time that trash can fills up I need to get rid of it. Every time bitterness wells up in me I need to get rid of it. Every time rage or anger starts to rise, I need to get rid of it. Every time I feel like brawling, shouting, or telling someone off, I need to pull it up by the root and get rid of my bitterness.

*from my message, "The Root of Bitterness," given at Fuel last Friday. Tomorrow, I will be speaking about anger.

Trying to outreach........

2008-02-27T23:56:00.000-08:00

I did a presentation about The Journey tonight, in my Business Communications class, and it seemed to be well received. My classmates were attentive, and I could see many of them nodding in agreement. The surprising part was that out of the 15 people that raised their hand when I asked "How many of you are 18-29?", only three of them raised their hands when I asked them if their churches offered a Young Adult ministry. (I hope I reached some of them, by letting them know they have another option for spiritual growth). It absolutely amazes me that so many churches miss out on the opportunity to reach their young adults. They leave them to wander alone, and just assume that their spiritual journey will happen naturally. Most churches figure that once you're out of high school, you should automatically become a part of the Main Church.

The problem is, it's not that simple. Once you hit 18, your brain doesn't immediately shift to "Ok, I'm adult now. Time for me to join in the Main church activities, with people my parents age (or older)." It's absolutely scary once you turn 18. You're no longer a child, and most of the time you "age-out" of the high school group. (Not always, but it happens too often.) So you're left wondering "Now what? I no longer have a small group of people I can relate to, and I don't have much in common with the people my parents know from church." Often times, this is when young adults wander from the church. They are usually working, going to school, or both. So they become lured out into the world, and find it harder to resist temptation. They no longer have their small group to hold them accountable, and help encourage them along their walk with God. They often lose their way, and make choices they wouldn't have made otherwise.

More churches need to offer Young Adult ministries. It would be a blessing not only to the young adults, but to the church as well. If more young adults are given continued guidance past their high school years, they are more likely to become stronger Christians. If they are able to continue worshiping, praying, and fellowshipping with people their own age, they will feel more comfortable as they transition into their spiritual adulthood. Young Adult ministry allows the members to ask questions they may be afraid to ask in church. They are able to relate to many of the other members who might be going through similar experiences. They may encounter members who have already been through what they're going through, that may be able to offer assurance and guidance through the difficult times. They have a continued sense of belonging, rather than feeling like an outsider.

That's why The Journey is here. We offer this sanctuary to any young adults in the Inland Empire who might feel lost, or are unsure of what their next step should be. We're here to offer a community of people who can sympathize and empathize with their struggles. Our wish is not that they leave their home church, but that we are able to offer something additional, whatever they may feel is missing from their lives. We want to "Be the Difference" for them, and help them become the difference in the lives of others. We hope to enrich their spiritual lives, and help them strengthen their relationship with God. The Journey is a supplement, not a replacement.

Anyone who has questions, feel free to visit www.towardtruth.com, and learn more about The Journey. We have a podcast available for anyone who wishes to hear some of the messages before they decide to join us on our journey of truth. God Bless!

Reading Through God's Victory - The Storyline

2008-02-27T15:02:00.000-08:00

“What passes for history is merely the propaganda of the victor transcribed by different hands and described from different angles. The reason the Bible can never become irrelevant or outmoded is that, unlike all other histories, in its case the victor is God. Thus, in the most literal sense, the Bible is the Word of God.”

-Maclcom Muggeridge, from the book Christ and the Media.

Holy Scripture, Part 1 - Does the Bible leave a bitter taste in your mouth?

2008-02-26T18:00:00.001-08:00

For those of us who remain unmotivated to even read the Bible, I offer this excerpt from A Fruitful Exhortation to the Reading and Knowledge of Holy Scripture by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, written in 1547 but very relevant to us today. I plan to the remaining portions of this sermon over the next few weeks...

Unto a Christian man, there can be nothing either more necessary or profitable than the knowledge of Holy Scripture, for as much as in it is contained God’s true word, setting forth his glory and also man’s duty. And there is no truth nor doctrine necessary for our justification and everlasting salvation but that is (or may be) drawn out of that fountain and well of truth. Therefore, as many as are desirous to enter into the right and perfect way unto God must apply their minds to know Holy Scripture, without which they can neither sufficiently know God and his will, neither their office and duty. And as drink is pleasant to them that are dry, and meat to them that are hungry, so is the reading, hearing, searching and studying of Holy Scripture to them that are desirous to know God or themselves, and to do his will. And only their stomachs do loath and abhor the heavenly knowledge and food of God’s word that are so drowned in worldly vanities that they neither savor God nor any godliness. For that is the cause why they desire such vanities rather than the true knowledge of God. As they that are sick of a fever, whatsoever they eat or drink (though it be never so pleasant) yet it is as bitter to them as wormwood, not for the bitterness of the meat, but for the corrupt and bitter humor that is in their own tongue and mouth. Even so is the sweetness of God’s word bitter, not of itself, but only unto them that have their minds corrupted with long custom of sin and love of this world.

Break your unholy fast!

2008-02-26T16:16:00.000-08:00

Some of you who have been with The Journey for a while may have noticed the absence of a call to fasting this lenten season. Usually, in the forty days leading up to Easter, we fast from something in order to identify with the suffering of Christ. We're not asking you not to fast. In fact, it may be something you decide you need to do. But this year, instead of calling a holy fast, we are calling you to break your unholy fast from God's Word.

Our theme this year is "be the difference." But how can we be the difference in our worlds if we aren't allowing God to be the difference in our hearts? Too many of us neglect our spiritual diets, starving ourselves at home and eating out only once or twice a week.

We at Centerpoint enjoy a good feast of biblical truth every time we get together. But if that's your only source of biblical nourishment you may need to rethink your diet. We all need to develop a habit of reading and a skill in studying the God's Word. We won't all be master theologians, just like we aren't all great chefs. But just as we should all be able to make ourselves a basic sandwhich, we should all learn to meditate on God's Word.

Of course, the first step in understanding the Bible is reading it. So, our challenge to you is to read just one chapter a day. If you would like to read along with us, here is this week's the schedule...

Saturday, February 23, 2008 – Genesis 37
Sunday, February 24 – Genesis 38
Monday, February 25 – Genesis 39
Tuesday, February 26 – Genesis 40
Wednesday, February 27 – Genesis 41
Thursday, February 28 – Genesis 42
Friday, February 29 – Genesis 43

Last Night's Fuel Gathering

2008-02-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

It was great. Pastor Shawn spoke about bitterness, and how it can truly affect your life. I never thought of it in the way that God revealed it through Shawn. I began to see the uselessness of being bitter. Here are some of my notes from his message (paraphrased):

Bitterness is keeping a record of wrongs, it boils up into Rage, which is uncontrolled passion. If you lose control, it can turn into Anger, which is a violent emotion. Anger can escalate into Brawling (fighting, punching), and become Slander (speaking ill about someone else). Any type of Malice, which is wanting to do harm someone or see them suffer, is wrong. Don't let Bitterness become part of who you are! Bitterness is an OPTIONAL response to bad things that happen. We deserve God's wrath, but He gives us grace.
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." -Ephesians 4:31-32

When I heard these words, they truly hit home for me. How can I expect God to forgive me for my wrongdoings, if I can't forgive someone else? Who am I to judge the actions of someone else? I need to let go of all the wrongs that have been done against me, and forgive those who committed them. I am the one who is choosing to let these things continue to bother me. I am the one who chooses to be angry. I need to ask God to help me forgive them. I need to give my anger and frustration up to Him. I need to stop being bitter, because all it's doing, is eating away at me. It's tearing me up inside, and will eventually affect my entire life. As I sit here, typing this, I offer up my bitterness and resentment to God. I pray that He helps me to become a more forgiving person.

If you would like to hear Pastor Shawn's message, go to www.towardtruth.com, and click on The Journey's Podcast.

Suffering -- ?

2008-02-23T21:37:00.000-08:00

Suffering. What do you think of when you hear the word? It obviously means different things to different people, and i think that we all can bring to mind instances where we've suffered. Some of us may say that we are suffering now. I, in fact, would have said my wife and I are suffering now. Until I got to thinking a little while ago.

Suffering, I realized, is relative. What I consider suffering others consider a walk in the park on a sunny day without a care in the world. And, of course, vice-versa. How, you may ask, would I feel I am suffering? The majority of those who know my wife and I are aware that she quit her job at the end of December, with my encouragement. She was suffering at work, quite genuinely, and had been for some time, and it was time for her to leave there. So, with a great deal of emotionality (she'd been there 10 years), she quit. We figured she'd have no trouble getting another job, but that has not turned out to be the case.

So, she's been off work for nearly two months now. She gets to sit around the house all day... but she hates sitting around the house all day. She worked for ten years straight! Therefore, she suffers from boredom and stir craziness. We had no savings, so we've been struggling to make it on my salary, and while I don't make peanuts, it's barely popcorn, if you get what I mean. Suffering.

BUT...

We still have our apartment; God has provided several times while Marla was still working and since. Last month we did cash advances to make rent -- kinda took it out of His hands there. So our suffering in that respect is nothing compared to those who are having to impose on friends and family, let alone those who have been forced to "live" on the streets. In the same vein, we have sufficient food, her car hasn't been repo'd, and we're healthy.

Yes, life would be easier if my car was running too. Yes, things would be more comfortable if my wife had a job too.

But here's the question: why are we being asked to "suffer"? What is the reason that she can't find a job, that we can't afford to fix or replace our second car, that we don't know where March's rent is coming from? Granted, our suffering is not so great when viewed in context, but it's more than I'd like. So... why?

If I never experienced want, I could have no empathy for those who have. As it is, I can truly say to someone who can't even see the ends, let alone how they meet, that I understand how she feels. I know the fear of looking at the last week of the month and knowing that the two paychecks I have before the date we'd get evicted will pay about half the rent. I know the agony of lying awake at night trying to decide if I own anything worth selling off so I can put enough gas in my (wife's) car to get back and forth to work for another week. I know the hypocrisy of standing in line at Taco Bell to buy lunch, just like everything's normal, when I know that the six bucks I'm about to spend would at least buy stuff to make lunches for a week. I understand all that; I've been there.

I think that's why God sometimes asks us to suffer, at least in relative terms. If we've never been broke, if we've never been truly ill, if we've never known aching loneliness, we can't truly ease the hearts and minds of those who have. Paul and James both tell us to rejoice in suffering, because suffering ends in character, hope, perseverance. Truly that is so, but it won't unless we realize that there's a point to what we're going through. Yes, we will grow from our experiences. But, in addition, we gain the opportunity to help others.

So next time you're suffering, ask yourself how much you're actually suffering. Then ask God who you can help.

Journey Update for 2/23

2008-02-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

Greetings Young Adults!

I need to let you know about three things…

First, the College-Age Group is having dinner and a movie today, SATURDAY (2/23), at the Dahlke's at 4pm. If you are 18-23, be there!

Second, there will be no men’s group or women’s group THIS MONDAY (2/25). We will return next week. Stay tuned for more details on new series for those groups.

Third, if you have not yet started the Storyline Challenge, now is the time! The Storyline Challenge takes you through 13 books of the Bible that tell the whole story of the Bible from Creation to the Church. All the other books fit into that storyline somehow. So, if you read just these 13 books you would have a better understanding of how the entire Bible fits together. And the best thing is you can finish all these books in one year by reading just a chapter a day!

If you’re just joining us, today we are beginning the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, then rose to power in Egypt. It is an example of how God can take a messed up life and turn it around for the good. Here’s a reading schedule for the week…

Saturday, February 23, 2008 – Genesis 37
Sunday, February 24 – Genesis 38
Monday, February 25 – Genesis 39
Tuesday, February 26 – Genesis 40
Wednesday, February 27 – Genesis 41
Thursday, February 28 – Genesis 42
Friday, February 29 – Genesis 43
And so on…

You can find the starting dates for each of the 13 books at bible.towardtruth.com. This is an easy way for you to start, or get back into, an infinitely beneficial habit as the Spirit of God opens the pages of His Word to you.

Enjoy the journey!

Thank you Jess & Kari!

2008-02-21T02:29:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to thank Jessica & Karilee for their amazing presentation last Friday about autism. We now know the heartbreaking nature of autism and the passion they have for helping families find hope as they live with it. I especially enjoyed hearing about how God opened the doors for them to work with autistic kids and how He has used the experience since to shape their character and their view of the Christian life.

Unfortunately, to protect the privacy of Jess & Kari's clients, most of the touching and endearing details they shared at Fuel cannot be published online on this blog or on our podcast. But you can still be a part of their cause!

I urge you all to join The Journey's team as we Walk for Autism. Just go to http://www.bestautismservices.com/teamwalk.html and enter "34" as your Team ID, along with the rest of your information.

You can also donate here.

However you choose to be the difference, please pray for Jess, Kari, their co-workers, and the families they serve.

B.E.S.T. Services

2008-02-17T17:12:00.000-08:00

Behavioral and Educational Support Team Services, Inc

The Journey will be participating in the Coachella Valley Autism Society Walk on March 29, 2008, along with B.E.S.T. Services, to help raise money for Autism. Their goal is $25,000, and they currently have raised $2,500! If you would like to help with a donation you may do so by writing a check to B.E.S.T. Services, and give it to one of the walkers. Or you can go online and donate with a credit card or PayPal on the website: www.bestautismservices.com. If you are interested in walking with us, you may join our team. All are welcome! To join, go to the website and click the link for the walk. Click on the "Join a Team" link, and enter in Centerpoint Church's ID number. Enter in your information and you will be added to the team!

Thank you so much for helping us in the fight against autism, and God Bless.

Centerpoint Church ID: 34

Facing Autism tonght at FUEL

2008-02-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

See what you can do to change the world of autistic children tonight at FUEL.

Tonight, we meet in the Main Sanctuary at 170 West F Street in Colton.
Dinner starts at 6pm. Worship starts at 7pm.

Our very own Jess & Karilee to share about Autism and how you can help!

2008-02-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

Whether or not you know someone with autism, you can be the difference in the lives of many families affected by it. Join us at this Friday at Fuel (2/15) as Jess & Karilee share their experience working with Autistic kids and show you how you can be the difference too!

THIS WEEK ONLY: Fuel will meet on the corner of 7th and F Street in Colton. Worship starts at 7pm, or come early for dinner at 6pm.

Blog.TowardTruth.com... Now with more insight & interesting info!

2008-02-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

Now, your Journey leaders all have a chance to share their thoughts and hearts with you!

Rather than a blog with one voice, we figured it would be better to offer many voices with differing perspectives, all with the goal of equipping, encouraging and helping you take the next step in your journey!

Check back and see who writes next!

Storyline Challenge

2008-02-13T09:04:00.001-08:00

Was wondering how everyone is doing with the Storyline Challenge. I hope it is helping everyone get better acquainted with the Word. If you're not sure where we are in the challenge, check The Journey's website at www.towardtruth.com, or join us this Friday at Fuel, where we will read the current chapter before worship. Join us on this journey of learning more from the Bible. God Bless!

Be the Difference... Vote your conscience!

2008-02-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

My fellow Americans:

In case you are undecided about whether you will take the time to stand in line to weigh in with your wisdom on the measures and candidates on the ballot today, allow me to help: DO IT! The polls are open from 7am to 8pm.

The question should not be if you will vote, but how will you vote and who exactly will you vote for? To help you with that, I have provided links to the appropriate measures and candidates below. Do take time to consider the issues and be a voice for what is good and right for California and America.

God Bless America!

MEASURES – http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Hillary Clinton – http://www.hillaryclinton.com/

Mike Huckabee – http://www.mikehuckabee.com/

John McCain – http://www.johnmccain.com/

Barack Obama – http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Mitt Romney – http://www.mittromney.com/

VIDEO: Candidates in their own words, with analysis - http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000006338.cfm

QUIZ (just for fun): Presidential Candidate Selector – http://www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html

Therapist Mark Cox to address "Dealing With Depression" at Friday Night Fuel

2008-01-31T12:00:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce our special speaker this week is Mark Cox (marriage & family therapist). He has agreed to come and share with us about dealing with depression. Mark is the father of Jess, our worship leader.

If you or someone you know struggles with depression, please make it a point to be there this Friday. As always, dinner is at 6pm and Fuel starts at 7pm in the Student Ministries Building on the corner of La Cadena and F Street in Colton.

Other topics this month at Fuel include: Indentity, Bitterness, Anger and a special night on Autism.

"Through Your Prayers" series now on Fuelcast

2008-01-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

If you missed FUEL in January, or simply want to hear it again, check out the Fuelcast.

In "Through Your Prayers," I talk about how we can partner with the Holy Spirit to make a difference in the world through prayer.

And in "Lord, Teach Me To Pray," Merle Aaker talks about the relationship we have with God in prayer.

I'll be posting again soon about our February FUEL focus: "Our Struggles Within."

Blessings!
Shawn

Our Former Blog...

2008-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

From now on we will be blogging from a new site: blogger. But you will be able to read our blog by simply going to our home page at towardtruth.com or going to blog.towardtruth.com.

To read posts from our former blog please go to http://blog.myspace.com/towardtruth.