Did you say youts?

"Let no one despise your youth" or "Let no one look down on you because you are young" or how about this one, "Don't let anyone put you done because you're young". These are all the same verse said a little bit differently in various versions. They're all take from 1 Timothy 4:12. If you grew up in church, then you heard this verse over and over. Paul, writing to his "own son in the faith", giving him instructions as a young pastor says these words. Many times, when I heard this verse, I focused on the part that I just quoted. I would have thoughts like, "Yeah, I need to show the old people what's up!" and "The adults don't respect us/me and they don't serve and witness the way we do, so we need to show them up and light a fire under them to get on board!" I know, I know. I was a punk.

But here's the thing that missed. In verse 10, it says "For it is this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers." Notice the first part there says "we labor and strive". You know what word doesn't come to mind when I hear the words "labor and strive?" EASY. This verse is saying that this thing of following Jesus is a big deal. It's such a big deal that it's going to take alot of work. We're going to have to fight. We're going to have to push ourselves to the limit and then some! We're going to have to STRIVE!

And how do we do that? Well, after Paul told Timothy to not let anyone look down on him because of his young age, he tells him, "but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example to those who believe." I think many times we miss the point of the first part of the verse and take the not allowing anyone to look down on us part and have it say that now I'm going to take the back seat anymore! I'm going to lead all these old people and if they don't like it, they can find someone else! Instead we need to take it as, "If I want to make a difference, if I want to be heard, then I need to show myself as a true follower of Jesus."

I need to be an example with the words that I say (to others and about others), the things that I do (and that includes my attitude), in love (putting others first), and purity (of thought, mind, and actions). You might be sitting here thinking, well, I'm just not there yet. This may or not be true for you, but we should all be striving toward this. It's not about what others expect of us; it's what God desires for us, and He tells us that you and I are now a child of the King! Let's begin acting like it! You can do this! It's what God has made you for! Not just to be young and accepted, but set the standard of following Christ in your church! Have a great day!

Ron Foster
Mariners' Church

Thanks God!

As I look back at the journey and course God has taken me on in this life, the thing that amazes me most are the people that God brought into my life at different periods in my life to fill a very needed and necessary part of my life. Let me explain.

For the sake of time, I won't go through my whole life. I'll just limit it to high school and college. Because of my dad's job we moved around from time to time and in the middle of my sophomore year, we moved from San Jose, CA to Denver, CO. I had come from a very strong and growing youth group in San Jose and wasn't finding one to connect with right away. Even at the Christian school I was going to, I felt like one of the few Christians in it. That was a very hard year for me, and then came Chris. Chris was the first person to really befriend me there. I didn't feel alone anymore. I had someone that understood where I was coming from. He got it. I thank God for Chris.

As I read through 2 Thessalonians, some of the phrases I keep running into are "We ought always to give thanks to God for you, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater", and "But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth."

There are certain people that God brings into our lives to help us. They lift us up. Their walk with God makes us stronger. Their presence in your life makes you want to follow Jesus with more and more vigor! Those are the ones we thank God for!

I think of some of the guys that were that for me in high school. Guys like Jon Mark Trammel, and Ben Wooten, and Johnny Veatch. Guys like these that encouraged me in my walk with Christ and hopefully, I did theirs. But I know that God placed guys like this in my life at that time of my life for the purpose of pushing me forward towards Jesus. I thank God for them!

I think of guys like Jeff Penner, and Mike Shrader, Courtney Wheeler, Christian Morris, Ray Rhoton, Dave Armstrong, Nick Olson, Gary Shackleton, Phil James, Heath Marion, Randy Harp, and Steve Doss. All guys/peers that God brought into my life during that period of time that I needed pushing and they did! Some of them pushed my into walls, but that was usually just during a wrestling match in an empty dorm room. Here is my point. God knows when to bring just the right people into your life for the type of growth that He has ready for you. He is also bringing you into someone else's life for the same reason. I thank God for these men that God brought into my life because just like Paul said, "because your faith is greatly enlarged". Because their faith was great, it spurned my faith to grow great as well!

I want to encourage you to read all three chapters of 2 Thessalonians today (don't worry it's not very long). Then take a look around you. Look to see the people that God has in your life and thank God for them. Then go and thank them.

Thanks for hanging with me today,

Ron Foster

I'm Proud of you

"I'm proud of you." If you've never heard those words before, then I know that you are longing for someone to say it to you. If someone has said that to you, then you know what I'm talking about when I relate the feelings that come along with hearing that phrase.

I've been reading through 1 Thessalonians and a verse has stuck with me over the last couple of days. Let me encourage you to read all of chapter 2 today. The purpose of this blog is help get you into your Scriptures so stop reading this blog, open up your Bible, read the chapter, and then come back to finish here. Go ahead. Right now.

Good job. So here is what stood out to me that I can't get out of my head. Paul is writing this letter to the church in Thessalonica, and he's recalling his time with the people there and what happened there and all that. Then toward the end of the chapter he talks about wanting to come visit in person but can't seem to make it. Then he says in verse 19-20, "For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?For you are our glory and joy."

In other words, Paul just told the people of this church, I'm proud of you. Knowing that you are following after Jesus on your own brings me joy. That thought brings me joy. You are following after Jesus no matter who the preacher is or whether your parents are following or not. The fact that you're gonna go after Jesus no matter the circumstances brings me joy.

During my first year of Bible college, both my Pastor (Ron Sears) and Youth Pastor (Sean Sears) had come to the college on a visit. Before they left, at individual times, both of them had pulled me aside, looked into my eyes and said, "I'm proud of you." I wasn't quite sure what that meant at the time. I didn't understand how I could make them proud. I felt a sudden desire to do right to keep that pride they had because of me. Now I understand. I was no longer under their ministry care, but I was still following after Jesus and growing! I remember thinking that I hope to one day begin saying to students out of my youth group, "I'm proud of you." I've had the privelege to say that phrase now to so many. So what brings me joy? Seeing students who are following after Jesus whether I'm around or not. They love Jesus and His Word. They are following Him and growing closer to Him every day. Man, that excites me! And you know what? I still get calls from my Youth Pastor and Pastor and when I tell them about my family and their extended spiritual family, they still tell me, "I'm proud of you." And that still humbles me to this day and makes me want to follow God with even more vigor.

Will you follow Jesus with all you have today? If we on this earth can have this sense of joy when seeing others follow Jesus, what kind of joy do you think that brings Christ? What motivation! Why not plan your time for tomorrow (since you already did today ;) to spend some time with Him? He's waiting for you. And you coming to Him brings Him joy. See you soon!

Ron