INTENT IS PRIOR TO CONTENT

Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” 

What has brought you to this blog today? Are you reading to see what Queens Chi Alpha believes in? Are you reading this because you’re curious about Jesus? Or are you trying to understand even more about God?

You might be wondering why I am asking so many questions. As with many questions, they are meant to reveal our motive, our intention. Our intentions act as a filter for information. Whatever the intention is for reading this blog, will filter what information we will take away from it. Then the filter only allows the content that we are looking for into our thoughts. Essentially, we are only going to find what we are really looking for. This truth can be summarized as “intent is prior to content.” 

Think for a moment about the last time you lost something. What was it? Where did you find it? I recently lost my keys. Thankfully, I found them. But by the time I realized where my keys were, I was already locked outside of my house. What drove me to find my keys was necessity. What was it that led you to find that last item you lost? Necessity? Or even just a deep desire? Have you ever happened to find something that you weren't looking for? You probably answered “yes,” but this is still a very rare occurrence in most situations. This is because intent is prior to content. My intention will determine what I find in something. 

We also see the truth that intent is prior to content when we seek the Lord. Many people will look only for specific things they want to know about God, and when they seek only something specific, they will miss knowing all of who He is. We should be seeking all of Jesus, and not just parts of who He is. 

We almost never find things that we are not actively searching for. Do you search after more of Jesus? Do you read His word only through the lens of your current situation, or do you read it to get to know Him better? When we come to the Bible, we should always approach His word with a humble and sincere attitude. God will show you more of Himself if you ask Him to. He never turns away an honest man or woman. What are your intentions of reading the Bible or seeking after Jesus? Stop and ask yourself that. Are your intentions only to please yourself and to get a quick spiritual fix? Are you trying to prove you are right, so you’re looking for scripture to back up why you are living the way you are? All of these motives are wrong. There is only one way to have the correct intention, and that is to seek Jesus, and to get to know Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” God’s promise is that we will find Him when we seek Him! How great is that?! There is a literal promise from God that we can know Him! 

So how do we seek after Him? First is to spend time with Him. Open up the Bible and read it. If you have never read the Bible before, start with the book of John, and read it all the way through. Many of you are probably already reading the Bible, and are wanting to grow even deeper with Him. I would encourage you to increase your devotional time- ask your small group leader for a good book and read it. Another few things I will challenge you in are to increase your time in prayer, spend more time in godly community with other believers, memorize more of the Bible, and even color code your Bible with different topics as you read. What an honor we have to know God!

- Collin Zellmer

WHAT GOD DOES IN YOU HE WANTS TO DO THROUGH YOU

Have you ever heard of the Dead Sea? Located on the border of Jordan & Israel the sea has such a high salt content that no life can grow. This is because water flows into the Dead Sea from one main source, the River Jordan. There is no outlet for the water, and so is forced to evaporate. Hence the water evaporates and the salt stays. This relates to a Christ followers’ life. When our source, the Lord, does so much in us and we do not have an outlet; meaning we do not do this for others, we will not produce life… but death. In other words, all that the Lord has done in your heart, He longs to do through your life. What God does in you, He wants to do through you.

God spoke to Abram in the twelfth chapter of Genesis ‘and I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. And a blessing Abram (later Abraham) was! He fathered God’s chosen people, the Jews, of which Jesus Christ was one. Abraham was blessed in order that he would become a blessing. But if Abraham ran from God after his initial blessing and did not allow himself to become a blessing, would we have had Christ? The apostle Paul echoes this principle when writing to the Corinthians, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” The Holy Spirit comforts us for our own strength but if we do not then go on and comfort others, we miss out on strengthening our brothers and sisters. That comfort dies with us. What if Christ allowed what was happening in Him, stop with Him? It could not be said then that we love because He first loved us. (1John 4:19) 

 God’s hope is for the whole world! Don’t let His love stop with you. Don’t let yourself have no outlet so that death follows. But do have an outflow of what He has done for you. God begins a work in your life so it can overflow into the life of others! So that you might be a part of His masterplan, that NONE shall perish. 

 So how do we continue to have an outlet of what God is doing in our lives? Start by doing these 3 things

1.      Ask yourself “What has God recently in my life recently?” Or “What is the greatest thing that God has done for me?” that I can do for others? 

2.     Read 2 Timothy 2:2 & do what it says! 

3.     Share your testimony (your story of how you came to know Jesus) with someone. Tell of what God has done in you in hopes that through you he or she will get right with God.

Jesus is with you as you do this, trust Him to empower you as you let Him work through you!

 - Kate Anderson

Maria- NEW LIFE

My mom and my aunt raised me because my parents divorced right after I was born. They tried to teach me to do the right things growing up, but the norm for my family was prostitution, alcoholism, and drug addiction. I always knew about Jesus, but I still felt that I was missing something in my life, and I tried everything that I could to fulfill that emptiness. Until one day that I found myself crying and praying to God for help.

In 2020 (before the pandemic), I was looking to join a sorority in my college because it sounded “cool.” I actually thought that Chi Alpha was one of them, so I went to one of the small groups on campus. There I found out that this was a Christian community, I said, “okay, God, you brought me here. Let’s see what will happen”. Then the pandemic came, and unfortunately I stopped going. In September, I reached back out to them, and it was the best decision!

During XA’s Fall Advance retreat I could feel how God was changing my life. Before I used to feel numb towards everything- no matter how happy or sad the situation was. In the worship session, I felt overwhelmed with emotion as I made the decision to truly let God work in me!

Finding the Truth helped open my eyes and see the purpose that God has for me. I’ve found friends who support and love me. I’ve found peace and I now understand that having God in my life is what I was always longing for. Now, seeking His Kingdom and His purpose in my life is all I want to do. I know that in my highs and lows, He is with me, teaching me in every process I go through. There are moments where I may feel exhausted and tired from all the noise in this world, but now I know that all the peace and strength that I need only comes from God, my Heavenly Father.

-Maria, junior

Praise Jesus for what He has done in Maria’s life! If you want to get plugged into a small group DM us!

LOVE BY NATURE BINDS ITSELF

In our current culture, we can say that we “love” everything. What are some things that you love? I love McDonalds’ French fries when they’re hot and salty with a cold refreshing Coke. I love wearing a new pair of shoes. I love camping. There are many things that I say that I love, but there are actually very few things I truly love when, for example, the fries go cold and limp, the Coke goes flat, the shoes are overcome with unrepairable holes or scuffs, and there are spiders, scorpions, and ticks in a camping tent during a downpour.

These examples of the current use of the word love are false examples. A more appropriate word for them would be that I enjoy these things. Enjoyment is a positive experience that is felt momentarily and conditionally. All of the items are said to be “loved” until they are not enjoyable anymore, and then all love is withdrawn. Real love, on the other hand, is an unselfish choice for the highest good of God and His kingdom (including you and me). 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16)… This means that love in its truest form is to be unconditional and unselfish.

When I married my husband, it was one of the most wonderful days of my life. We made promises to one another to remain faithful to one another no matter the condition of our lives.. Then we ate delicious things and danced the night away. All of our friends and family were in the same place at the same time, celebrating with us. It was the best party I have ever been to. 

There is a song that has been dear to my heart for many years by an artist I love named Sara Groves. She sings, “Better than the promises, are the days we got to keep them…” This verse says it all. There is much beauty when a man and a woman bind their lives to one another through vowing before God and witnesses to love one another in sickness and health, for richer and poorer, for better and worse, etc. Sara’s song says that even better than these promises is the day the promises are kept. When the difficult days knock at the door and the choice to love is made. This is love. It is not a feeling primarily, but a choice. 

God, who is love (1 John 4:8), has chosen to bind Himself to us. He could have left the world to  itself when He saw that mankind had rebelled against Him, but He didn’t. Instead, Jesus came into the world as a man, to live for God and die for the whole world to be reconciled to His heart. True love says “I will fight for you.” This is the deepest desire of the world that we see in great works of art, film, writings, and other forms of mankind’s creative outlets. Everyone desires to be seen, and to be rescued. That is exactly what God did for us and has never stopped doing.

We are commanded to LOVE God…. And to LOVE our neighbors as ourselves. As much as we are committed to our own highest good, we are to love our neighbors this way.

Jesus so loved the entire world that he bound Himself to us. He also promises to never leave nor forsake us.

Practical Challenge:

Make a list of the things you have chosen to bind yourself to. This could be a relationship or dream of one, an expectation, a career, an accomplishment, a physical item, etc. Hold that list before God and ask Him to reveal anything on the list that takes a higher place than your commitment to Him. Then repent and share this with your small group leader.

WHAT DOES YOUR RELAXED MIND DEFAULT TO?

We can all remember the joy in seeing our grade school teachers wheeling a box TV into our science classrooms, or connecting a DVD player to the TV, so that we could watch Bill Nye the Science Guy or the Magic School Bus. Do you remember watching the DVD logo bounce across the screen, changing colors, while the teacher fumbled getting the movie started? I can still remember my class watching anxiously to see if the logo ever bounced directly in the center of one of the corners!

In the same way that the TV screen defaulted to the DVD logo, our minds naturally default to something when we’re not consciously thinking. Our minds continue to think and work, even when we don’t try to. Everyone’s mind has a relaxed place that it will return to. Though, ironically, it doesn’t mean that this place is actually very relaxing at all. When our thoughts are in a relaxed default state we may find ourselves worrying about finances, dreaming about the future, running through an endless to-do list, or reliving an embarrassing moment from the 6th grade. 

So, what does your mind default to? 

If I choose to fill my time with Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, and other social media, my mind will be filled with calculating every single “like” and “share” and “retweet” I get; I’ll find myself closing one social media app just to open another one, and checking all of my DM’s constantly. The default of my mind will always revert to a state of worry about my image and what others think of me. On the other hand, if I consciously choose to place my thoughts on Jesus, what He has done in my life, remembering what He did on the cross, what His character looks like, and recalling the promises of His Word, then I will see that my thoughts default to the truth of who God is. Essentially, when our thoughts behold who God is, we will become more like Him. 

Our minds naturally relax to whatever they are filled with. Our mind at its most relaxed, default state reveals what we fill our minds with. Colossians 3:2 says to “set your mind on things above, not earthly things.” God’s Word is clear that our minds should be filled with the things of heaven, but how easy is it to be distracted by the things of the world we live in? It may seem foreign at first, but we must remember that if this is in God’s Word, then our minds are designed to be set on heavenly things. We were never meant to be filled with things like fear. We were made to be filled with the things of God.

PRACTICAL CHALLENGE: This week I challenge you every time you find your mind defaulting to things like worrying about the future, or feeling anxiety creeping in about whatever it is that you need, take a moment to list out a minimum of 10 attributes of God’s character and see how the Holy Spirit will transform your mind to default on the cares of His Kingdom.

By: Olivia Schmelter

Maddie- FREEDOM

I have loved the Lord since I can remember. I grew up in church, going to weekly Sunday school and Friday night services. After a family circumstance that brought a lot of doubt into my life, I decided to seek God for myself. In that seeking, the Lord’s love and faithfulness became evident and He went from being my parents’ God to my God.

Growing up, I felt like I had to hold up a facade of perfection because of a pedestal I constantly found myself on. I made sure that I was always the “perfect, put together” Maddie everyone knew me as and because of this, no one ever knew of my battles. I was afraid to let people in. Afraid that if they saw how imperfect I was, it would change how they viewed me. The only one who knew me through and through was God. While I had a great relationship with the Lord, I struggled with friendships because I was afraid of vulnerability and being hurt.

This all began to change when I became a part of Chi Alpha. I found a community that was nothing but a representation of Jesus’ love. Their friendship challenged me to seek God even more, but to also face my issues with vulnerability. In the process of opening up to my small group leaders and trusting my small group friends, they showed me Christ love and I slowly started letting my walls down and letting others in. Now, I no longer have to hide behind fear or carry the burden of perfectionism.

In His love and grace, I was able to find complete freedom. 1 John 4:18 says “perfect love drives out fear” and I’m so grateful for Jesus’ perfect love in my life.

-Maddie, Freshman

Your Mission Field Is Where Your Feet Are

Victor Plymire sailed across the sea in the early 1900’s. He traveled from the United States to Tibet and fought hard to learn the Tibetan language and win souls. He endured hardships, buried family members in Tibet, and kept going. He shared the Gospel and handed out Bibles for sixteen years before he won his first friend to Jesus. Then Victor built a church that would later be filled with believers. Lost people were being reached. One hundred years later, that church still stands, and men and women of God still worship in it.  How did he do it? What was his secret? What makes a missionary a missionary?

Victor knew Jesus intimately. Jesus is the source of all spiritual knowledge, power, and intimacy. That’s the most important thing. He didn’t become a missionary on a boat ride overseas. He didn’t become a missionary riding a mule through the Himalayas. What made him a missionary was that he loved God and fought for the souls of the people around him. His life’s work was to reach the lost.

If a selfish person went overseas, what difference would it make? Would they be a missionary? No, they would not. It is not where you are, but who you are that really counts.

As a campus missionary, I want to represent Jesus well at Queens College, but not just there. I also want to be a light on the train, in the grocery store, at church, at home, and anywhere else I go. To act like something one place and not the other is to be an actor. Actors pretend to be someone on screen, but are themselves when the cameras are off. That is not who we are. We are disciples and disciple-makers 24/7— when we think someone is watching and when we don’t.

Jesus was God in heaven. What amazes us about Jesus was that he came down and was God on earth. He changed His location, but He stayed the exact same.  That is what makes a missionary. It is about who you are. If we love Jesus, our family should know, our friends should know, and our coworkers should know; even strangers should know. If God has called you to go serve Him overseas, the best thing you can do is start doing now what you will do later. Reach the lost for Jesus!  

To put it simply- make a friend on purpose for Jesus.

Your mission field is where your feet are. God has placed you in a distinct time, a unique location, with a specific circle of influence that only you can reach. You have classmates and coworkers who may never enter a church. They may never talk to a pastor or read a Bible, but they are around you every day. Open your eyes, and pray for God to help you reach them.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Right now, everyone can pray for missions, give money to a missionary, and most importantly BE ON MISSION WITH JESUS. Start to look at your home, neighborhood, school, and workplace as a mission field. Begin to ask God to give you influence. You are not there by accident. You are there to be used by God and be a light in the darkness.

Just like Victor, just like Jesus,

YOUR MISSION FIELD IS WHERE YOUR FEET ARE

Practical Application:

        1.      Walk out the front door and do a lap around the block without your phone. Ask Jesus to show you what He sees and how you can help (try it everyday for a week)

        2.      Next time you’re on the train or bus or Uber don’t put your head phones in. Make eye contact and start a conversation. Share Jesus with them however you can.

        3.      Next time you are at work and some starts to bad mouth a coworker or boss say something positive about that person and exude gratitude.

- Craig Richey

IT'S HEALTHY TO BOW

My professor once told us a story of what an old rabbi described heaven and hell to be like. When he looked into hell it was a beautiful dining room with a large table surrounded by people. He could smell the savory stew that sat before them all. The room was filled with the thick aroma of a hot, delicious, pot of stew. However, when he looked at the people, they were all famished, miserable, and on the verge of starving. Then he saw that the spoons everyone had to serve themselves with were extremely long; long enough for everyone at the large table to reach the pot of stew, but too long for them to be able to get the spoons into their mouths. Thus, they all starved. When he looked into heaven, it was the same room - large table, lots of people, delicious stew. However, everyone in this room was joyful, full, and sharing the glory of a good meal together. The difference? The people in this room learned to use their extra-long spoons to feed one another, and thus they were filled. 

God created man for community, and He created man to bring Him glory. What does this mean? God did not create us to be self-serving, but to serve. He created us to bow to one another and to Him, for in our bowing He is glorified, and we reflect His perfect love to those around us. The Word is clear that the Lord opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34). The Lord directly resists those who are prideful, self-serving, and self-righteous. But, to those who humble themselves, bow to Him, and lay down their lives for others, He gives grace and His inheritance. What greater example do we have than Jesus Himself? For though He was God, He did not cling to that equality. Rather He gave it all up and humbled Himself to human form and humble himself further to death on the cross for the sake of the world. From there God lifted Him above all others and gave him a place of highest honor (Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus turned the world upside down. Rather than coming to make Himself a King by force and power, He made himself small and loved those who were forgotten and unloved. By doing this, the world was forever changed by the Gospel and the Kingdom of God is exalted. 

So, what does that mean for you, for me? It means that it is healthy, it is good for us, to bow. It is literally good for our souls and healthy to put the needs of others before ourselves, to honor others before ourselves, and to exalt Jesus as true King of our lives. We can daily bow by serving others joyfully, by respecting and honoring those who others tear down, by stepping aside so another can get the prize. The more we bow ourselves to God and to each other, the more we store up treasures in heaven. Jesus reminds us that when we serve others for all to see, we receive our reward of the praise of people. But when we serve quietly, bowing ourselves low, God sees it and rewards us in eternity (Matthew 6:1-4). Why have the fleeting, momentary praises of man when we can instead have the eternal, glorious reward of intimacy with our Heavenly Father?

Practical Challenge: This week, find 2-3 (or more) ways to serve without notice or acknowledgement!

Jyoti- RESOLUTE

“I relate to doubting Thomas. In the worst times, I’ve questioned my faith in God and how serious my belief was in Him. To a certain age I was convinced that praying to God was enough to call myself a “Christian”. But, throughout my life experiences, I realized how different and wonderful are the ways God reveals himself to us and uses us for His glory. It is a relationship. During my first semester at college, I started getting involved in Chi Alpha & I am forever grateful to my Chi Alpha family!They have offered me the perfect space for healthy and constructive discussions about my spiritual life . Now, like Thomas, though I still have many questions, my faith is resolute and grounded in the goodness of Jesus. I know for sure that He is who He says He is. There is still a lot more for me to learn, and my friends and fellow believers keep me humble and interested to learn more. Indeed, wherever two or three are gathered in His name, He is there in their midst and I am humbled to have been able to experience it. We all are treasures in clay made by God, it is our time to rise and shine to give God the glory. I am taking steps to know my Lord better and continue surrendering unto him. Thank you Chi Alpha family!”

-Jyoti, sophomore

Do YOU relate to Jyoti? Or do you want to be resolute & unwavering in your faith?

If yes, join a small group! Small group is a place where we learn to live out our faith, as well as strengthen our relationships with Jesus & one another! We have a place for YOU.

THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A GREATER AFFECTION

When I was four years old and Christmas came around, I had my little heart set on Polly Pockets. They were what I went to sleep at night thinking about and praying to receive during the holidays. I was full of excitement when I received different sets from people in my family. 

A few years down the road, I was turning 9 and dreamed of an American Girl Doll that looked like me, a tiny bunk bed for her to “sleep” in, and fashionable clothes to adorn it. My dream came true and I couldn’t believe it. I immediately forgot about those tiny Polly Pockets that once filled my heart’s desires.

Many years passed, and I bore my own tiny baby. A perfect, plump, dimple-cheeked boy who was so beautiful. I couldn’t (and sometimes still can’t) stop looking at him, thanking God for the gift of a boy full of LIFE and JOY and EMOTIONS and everything about him is real. He is truly made in the wonderful image of God. I learn so much about God’s heart through parenting my son, and through his tender spirit and love for God, his family, and the people around him. What a gift. I have absolutely left the doll behind. The Polly Pockets and American Girl Doll once held my complete affection, until something of much greater value was placed into my hands. 

Once there were things we all enjoyed (maybe even loved), until Jesus breathed LIFE into our lungs and now have something truly worthy of our affection. A relationship with Him is far greater than anything we can give to follow Him.

A hymn that has become an anthem in my life says it well:

“I have decided to follow Jesus;

No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, I still will follow,

No turning back, no turning back.

My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus;
No turning back, No turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me;

No turning back, no turning back.”

Jesus is the the most worthy, loving, and loyal Father, Friend, and Lord. He is worth your time, money, resources, and anything you could leave behind to follow Him.

-Kait Richey

Practical Application: Ask Jesus to show you what you value most in your life, and if it is anything more than Him, offer it back to Jesus and repent. Idols are not just golden statues, but anything that takes the place of affection in your life that rightfully belongs to the Lord Jesus!

Irene- FAITHFUL

“Growing up, I dealt with a lot of anxiety and depression. Always stuck in my thoughts and feeling broken and lost. I went to many doctors to seek help, and although doctors helped, I still felt like something was missing; I felt weak and broken. I became so desperate I began to pray, and as I prayed, I began to have hope that perhaps things could change for the better. That’s when God washed me clean by His amazing grace. He gave me a new heart with new desires, wanting to please Him and love others. Although I became a new person, I still was learning to renew my mind to think like Christ. At moments I still struggled with anxiety; however, daily, I chose to deny myself and pick up my cross, & the Holy Spirit empowered me and helped me think like Jesus. From a place of want and need, God helped me see His abundance and to rejoice when obstacles come because God is working it all for my good. I began to grow even more in the fruit of the Spirit. However, I was not able to do this on my own; God graciously placed people in my life to help with that. Being a part of Chi Alpha and a home church, I have found a place I call home. A place I can learn from others, love others and see the love of Jesus. I was filled with the Holy Spirit and man all I can say is Jesus is just amazing, it is like a filling up of his love, that empowers you to walk in power. He has given me different gifts in which I can encourage and love others. God is absolutaly amazing. I would not be where I am today if it was not for God's amazing grace; He knows exactly what we need! When I felt so weak, tired, and broken; God never lost sight of me; instead, He graciously poured out His love over my life and set me free. He gave me a new hope and filled me with love, joy and peace! He is faithful.”

- Irene, junior

WE FIGHT WITH IDEAS AND ATTITUDES

This year has been the most unplanned, inconvenient, and difficult one for many people, including myself. Some have lost jobs, become sick, been stuck at home with family members much longer than normal, and forced to enter into a season of waiting with no end in sight. A few weeks ago, I went to Maryland to visit my family and, coming back to New York, I had to stand in line to get a rapid Covid test with my wife, which took about two hours in the rain. Reflecting on that moment, there was little I could control. I couldn’t control the fact that the line was moving slow. I couldn’t control the fact that I needed to get tested. I couldn’t control the rain. However, the one thing I could control was my perspective. Over these past nine months, I have really come to learn that the people of God fight with ideas and attitudes.

I believe one of the greatest ways the Coronavirus has affected people around the world has been by changing the way they think and feel about others. Maybe you can relate. Has this season given you people to blame, complain, and gossip about? Has this season made you more short-tempered; always on the verge of losing your cool? Has this season allowed you to divide people into either good guys or bad guys? It may be easy to justify a poor thought-life so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, but this is far from the heart of God.

Are we to be no different than the rest of the world in our grumbling, complaining, and thinking? I don’t believe so. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus explains the greatest command given to us is to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. It’s interesting that Jesus points to our minds as one of the most important ways we can love and honor God. The reason we fight with ideas and attitudes is that it is impossible to truly love someone while we think poorly of them. In fact, the way we treat people is usually symptomatic of how we think about them. Therefore, if we think poorly of people and have a bitter attitude toward them, we will treat them unkindly, we will gossip about them, and we will dishonor them and justify ourselves while doing it. However, Jesus calls believers to a higher standard. Loving God with all of our minds doesn’t only mean having a right view about God, but also having a right view of the people created in His image. To have a mind in love with God is to have a mind that is aligned with God, and this is something that we have to work on. We live in a culture where slander, bitterness, and hostility are considered the norm, but those certainly are not reflective of the kingdom of God. 

Maybe you are thinking that fighting with attitudes and ideas doesn’t seem to be all that powerful of a weapon, but remember that we serve what seems to be an upside-down kingdom. The kingdom of God operates by a different set of values. We fight with ideas and attitudes because thinking rightly about God, ourselves, and others will actually lead to a life on mission. When I think of Jesus’ life, for example, He was refreshing to be around. He had a high view of people and was always restoring honor and dignity to whoever He was around. He was able to do this because He knew who He was, so He was free to serve and knew the potential of people around Him even when they were far from God. I have heard it said once that Jesus didn’t die to redeem sinners, He came to redeem sons and daughters. Jesus never lost sight of the purpose for which we were created. Therefore I encourage you not to lose sight of the purpose in which you were created. Don’t settle into thinking less of people, less of God, and less of yourself. We really do fight with ideas and attitudes.

- JORDAN PARKER

Practical Challenges: HOW CAN YOU BETTER FIGHT WITH YOUR ATTITUDES & IDEAS

• Listen to a sermon by Dan Mohler or Francis Chan and meditate on it.
  

• Read the Book of Colossians slowly over the next week.
  

• Next time you’re in a conversation where people are complaining, offer an encouraging alternative.
  

• Ask God to give you a higher picture for someone who may annoy you or that you are tempted to write off.
  

• Write out areas in their life that you can praise God for.

Samm- IDENTITY

“Growing up I was always the good Christian girl. I did well in school, I was involved in church, and I was a good daughter. I thought all was well with me and Jesus; I loved Him and served Him. But, when I went to college and no longer had people holding together who I was, I found that I was carrying a lot of brokenness. 

During my college years the Lord was gracious to show me the bondage I was walking in. During those years I wrestled with issues of codependency, identity, and movements of depression. I didn’t realize how much I placed my identify and worth in other people. I was constantly striving for approval, fearing rejection, and worked so hard to belong. I did not know how to truly be myself and I was always afraid that people would leave me. I often felt isolated, lonely, depressed and worried.

 When I began surrendering my brokenness and the things that held me in bondage to Jesus, I began to find true freedom. He began to show me the riches of the identity I have in Him! I finally found a place where I belonged and did not have to strive.  

Jesus helped me to let people into my life to shoulder my burdens with me. He helped me to allow people into my heart so I no longer had to fight through life alone. In Him I found who I truly am and the worth He has given me.”

-Samm

THE FIRST STEP AWAY FROM GOD IS INGRATITUDE

The first step away from God is ingratitude.

Take a second to think back to the moment you surrendered your life fully to God. What filled that moment? What filled your mind and heart? Most people would say that when they surrendered to the Lord they were immersed in the presence of God where they fully experienced His great love, never-ending joy, immense peace, overwhelming kindness, His goodness towards them, His infallible faithfulness, His gentleness, etc. Right then, our eternities were marked with overflowing gratitude as our hearts welcomed the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and lead us forever. What an awesome time to recount when we were made new in Jesus! What a precious and wonderful day to keep at the forefront of our memory.

Recently, I have loved digging into all of the details and historical/cultural contexts behind the many celebrations we read about in the Old Testament. People often speed through reading the book of Leviticus in an attempt to get to the more ‘interesting’ things in the Bible. Lately I’ve wanted to spend time on these skimmed over topics that God sees as important enough to include in His Word. In this specific Bible study, I have been so excited to learn about the reasoning behind all of the feasts, festivities, and holidays. Did you know that the feasts listed in Leviticus 23 are all in remembrance of a specific act of God’s faithfulness to His people? This means that God commanded these celebrations to take place in the hope that His chosen people would remember who He is and remain grateful for all that He had done for them. God intended that the act of choosing to be grateful upon remembrance would lead to celebration and ultimately would keep His people close to Him.

While our feelings may fade or change, just like the people of Israel on numerous occasions, we always carry the weighted choice of the attitude we walk in. Gratefulness is close to God’s heart because it’s the attitude He has created us for. Gratitude keeps us close to Him and drawing near to Jesus. Likewise, choosing ingratitude drags us away from our Father. To stay in step with God, we must remain grateful.

The Bible doesn’t stop encouraging us to remain thankful in the Old Testament. We read through the Gospels that Jesus never chose to be ungrateful. Throughout the New Testament we are encouraged by early church leaders (like Paul) to walk closer to God as we walk in greater obedience and thankfulness. Paul encouraged the church of Colossae saying:

“Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

Gratitude is a weapon against the enemy because the very attitude of gratitude keeps us close to the cross. Gratefulness keeps our memory close to the powerful love of God that overcame sin and death once and for all. Thankfulness keeps me near to Jesus because I am going forward with the perspective He intended.

I know we have all heard the phrase “count your blessings” at some point while growing up. My mom always reminded me of that when I didn’t want to finish the veggies on my plate at dinner. While this phrase might induce some eye-rolling, this instruction is actually a very powerful weapon to wield. By taking time to note all that God has done in your life and blessed you with, you’re removing any space for the enemy to direct your attention to what may be lacking. 

I challenge you to try it in any moment when you feel something missing in your life. Maybe you would like to have those sick, solid white Air Force Ones just like your friends, or maybe you are tired of long commutes and want more freedom of a car. I challenge you to ask God to help you see all that He has given to you as a blessing that He has poured into your life. I challenge you to go a step further and to praise Him for those blessings and to take time to worship Him for who He is. 

The good news is that if we are walking with Jesus, we always have something to celebrate in the truth of the Gospel, that our God came humbly to serve, teach, and ultimately to die for us in the hope that we would spend all of eternity with Him.

Attitudes are contagious! What attitude are you exposing to the people around you?

- in Him Olivia

Connor- VALUE

“Upon entering college, I was on academic probation and had little to no drive in my life. The idea of God wasn’t even on the back burner of my mind; it was absent from my life all together. I did what many new students do and rushed into a fraternity thinking friends and fun would remedy my brokenness. 

As the semester spiraled downward my life became unbearable. I was on the brink of failing out of school and giving up all together. In that lowest moment I spoke to God in my dorm room saying a simple phrase “God if you’re real could you help someone like me.” (Psalm 40) Little did I know that that small prayer in my room would lead me into a life filled with love for Him.

 Through a random run in with a girl I knew from high school, I was invited to Chi Alpha. I didn’t realize it, but the Holy Spirit was leading me to a place where I could experience real relationship with Him and others. In XA I was befriended by a man who treated me like no one ever had before, I knew it must have something to do with God. Through Jesus in his life, and much time spent together, my hard heart toward God had been tilled and cultivated. For the first time in my life I felt I was of value to someone. God had taken a heart with no direction and breathed life into it. I repented of my sin’s and picked up my cross to follow in Jesus’ footsteps of sharing with others the hope that is found in Him. Today I am a born-again Christian, faithful husband and loving father. I am His.”

-Connor

Does the “normal” college experience have you feeling empty and unfulfilled? We understand who we are and our purpose in live when we look to whom created us. Join a small group to find out more about God, YOUR creator.

IN HIS IMAGE

In His Image

“So God create man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:21

When I first started walking with God, I noticed the desire to want to be with people that I never would of thought to spend time with before. Our only similarity at first, was that God created us and the Jesus redeemed us. God used these early friends in my faith to show me His personality and His character, so that I could begin to look more like Him.

These friendships were most influential in that season:

1. My servant hearted friend: Always the first to clean the dishes or let me borrow her car. When our friend had cancer she never left her side. She even slept on the hospital floor next to her, so she wouldn’t be afraid. She often toiled, take me God instead of her… “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”, Mark 10:45 had come alive to me.

2. My introverted friend: I learned through her introverted qualities the necessary of being alone with God and the importance of spending significant time with Him daily. I learned of HIs desire to be with me. John 15 “Abide in me and I in you” began to make sense to me in a way it never had before.

3. My peacemaker friend: This friend did not shy from hard conversations, but when it was necessary, he embraced it. I began to understand how God uses healthy. confrontation (with the aim of reconciliation) to get to the root of an issue and make true peace. Not keep false keep. I understood “Blessed are the peacemakers…” in Matthew 5:9 from the way this friend lived his life.

When God created Adam and Eve in His image, we could see parts of His personality, but not all of who He is could be captured in two persons. God continues to create person after person, instilling more of who he is inside them. In ourselves it is not possible to access all of who God is, but we learn about Him through His word, guidance of the Holy Spirit and our relationships with each other. To miss out on relationships is to miss out on God.

Every person is a unique, irreplaceable, finite expression of God’s infinite personality.

How can you build God honoring friendships? Here’s a challenge for you: think of someone in your small group who seems very different from you. Seek out a friendship with them! Ask them their story. Then ask yourself: how is this person different from me and what part of God/s character do I see in them?

ALSO have you heard about Fall Advance? It’s October 23rd through the 25th. The whole aim of this retreat is to form new friendships, deepen existing ones and discover more of who God is. So what are you waiting for?Reach out to your small group leader or send us a DM for more details to attend.

Love you guys,

Kate Anderson

Kaitlyn- KNOWN

I have always believed in God, but never really knew how to have a relationship with Him. I thought flipping open my Bible to a verse to hear from God in difficult times was enough. I believed that being a good person who believes in God was all that I needed to be in a relationship with Him.

I saw people who were older than I was, married, with children and assumed that to really “get it,” or understand how to know God, I had to be older and have a family of my own. I thought that was the key I needed to unlock what it would take to know God personally. 

It was the first week of my freshman year of college when I met a friend who was a student, and I could tell she really knew God. I had to know more and I began spending as much time with her as I could. I became a faithful member of her small group and as I met more students in Chi Alpha, I saw how normal it was for people like me to know God intimately, to hear His voice, and to know His will. I gave my time to learn as much as I could from my new friends and felt like the questions I never knew were in my heart were being answered. 

As I soaked up the Truth like a sponge and spent time with these people who knew God’s character, I began to read the Bible with a hungry heart to know God. I began to hear His direction and will for my life. Chi Alpha pointed me to the person of Jesus! John 17:3 “This is eternal life, to know the One True God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.”

-Kaitlyn 

Join us at small group to hear His direction and will for you!

GRIEF IS PROPORTIONAL TO INTIMACY

No one in this universe or the next has experienced grief in the magnitude that God has. In that same breath no one in this Universe or the next is as intimate a being as God. So it is no surprise that we, being made in the image of God, experience both of these things in our lifetime. Think of it in this way, a mother and child share a special bond that is unique in nature. The way she cares for, looks at, and kisses her child is something to behold. She develops a deeply rooted tie with her child, not merely through large moments, but through thousands of small, everyday memories and routines. 

Heaven forbid tragedy strikes and that child dies an earthly death and is graduated to our Father’s everlasting arms. On the outside looking in, we grieve with that mother, whether as a friend or family member. But no one grieves like the one who gave birth and nurtured that child day in and day out. Her grief seems unbearable compared to ours. Thus her grief is proportional to her intimacy with her lost child.  

Intimacy with God is what we were designed for as His children. To walk with God as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. One truth has always resonated with me since I began my journey with God. The simple and subtle truth that you are as close to God as you want to be. The book of James puts it this way:

 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

It is God’s nature to desire an intimate relationship with each one of us. The God of the universe has more than enough love to give, but we have all experienced that the closer you grow with someone, the greater potential there is for them to harm you or to help you. If someone close to you wrongs you or does something that lets you down, it affects you much more deeply than if it had been a stranger. Therefore, you can imagine the terrible grief God bears daily as His children choose to sin against Him. His heart breaks at the thought of us hurting one another or even ourselves as we deny the very laws He designed to protect us. 

As we reflect on this truth, let it lead us to not treat God’s Heart in a careless way, but understand that He is our heavenly father who loves us and cherishes us. Let us not grieve Him by choosing to live selfishly, but let’s honor Him by choosing to walk in righteousness. 

Practical Challenge: 

Each day this week: Spend the first fifteen minutes practicing gratitude. Thank God for different things (large and small) in your life. An attitude of gratitude is a great place for our hearts to grow in intimacy with the Lord.

- Connor Anderson

Jordan- FAMILY

I didn’t grow up knowing the Lord in the same way that I know now. My Dad would encourage us to pray when we needed things and he taught us that there was a God who existed, but that was pretty much it. My relationship with Jesus was very transactional, not intimate. Throughout High School I was an average kid trying to figure out the direction of my life, but I felt like I was doing it alone.

I lived with my dad and brother, but I often felt like I was on my own. As I grew older, I grew bitter towards family, I became easily frustrated and I vowed to myself that I would make something of my life despite my childhood.

In one of my first church services, I remember the pastor sharing the Gospel in a way that simply resonated with me for the first time and I surrendered my life to Jesus. Jesus saved me from finding my value in success and trying to prove myself and gave me an identify that I didn’t have to earn. He gave me joy to replace the bitterness I had toward my father and he gave me a new community that I consider family to this day.

My life looks radically different than I could have ever imagined but life with God truly is an adventure. I wouldn’t be here without countless people believing in me, loving me, praying for me, feeding me and taking me in as their own. The community of God forever changed my life. 

-Jordan

GOD DOESN'T CALL THE QUALIFIED, HE QUALIFIES THE CALLED.

Imagine what the first disciples of Jesus felt when the Messiah came. He was everything they had hoped for and so much more. He had the words of life, and He was wise in ways that challenged the Pharisees. Jesus commanded thunderstorms to stop and healed people from sicknesses, diseases, and handicaps in an instant. He gave hope to a hopeless people who were occupied by the powerful Roman Empire, but He also extended salvation to all outside of His chosen ones. He surprised everyone and was the most wonderful expression of God in the flesh. Then He was arrested and executed a thief’s punishment of crucifixion on a cross.

His disciples witnessed the death of the One who brought them hope and healing, so they fled; fearing for their own lives. Then Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and He appeared to them several times. He commissioned them saying: 

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20

Just a few weeks later, the promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled, and those SCARED disciples were EMPOWERED by God to do the work He commissioned them to do! 

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly…With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was powerfully at work in them all.” - Acts 4:31,33

When Jesus gave what we know as The Great Commission, He didn’t say that we should GO only if we meet certain requirements or are born with specific talents, but He commands all to GO while promising to GIVE us exactly what we need to do the work He sets before us. This distinguishes Jesus from all other gods. He can use anyone despite their shortcomings; rather, His power is made perfect in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). Be encouraged, friends! Your life has purpose in His Kingdom, and it’s not about what you can give but what Jesus already gave!

Before I entered college, I had the idea that to be used by God, I had to be like other people I had seen God use in great ways. I compared myself to others around me thinking they simply had gifts I didn’t have and truly believed I would never be able to be used by God, because I didn’t have much to offer. Beginning to grow in relationship with Jesus, He showed me that it wasn’t about me at all. As I focused on Him first and stayed faithful to Him alone, He equipped me with gifts and strengths over time and has used me to serve the people around me! Be assured that YOU are called, and He will qualify YOU for whatever he sets before you!

Practical Challenge: Each day this week, when you get up in the morning, ask Jesus what He wants to do in you and through you that day. Perhaps he will show you a scripture or challenge you to lay down an attitude that has become second nature to you. Or maybe He will bring someone to your mind to reach out to and pray for or serve in some way. 

Our God is alive! He speaks! He has a will and wants it to be known.

Blessings Friends,

-Kait Richey