Summertime Update

I have not given you an update in a long time. For that I am sorry. It has been a great spring semester at the University of Florida and I was able to develop greater relationships and minster to the guys of RUF this spring. It was wonderful this year seeing how God uses the broken and the small things of this world to advance His kingdom. In my own power I am nothing, but he has used me in many ways through this internship to reach and equip students and to soften my own heart to the Gospel of grace.

I will not recap the entire spring here, but you are welcome to follow the photo links on the right to see a visual diary of some of the adventures of RUF at UF. Also, take a look at my newest update letter for past happening and current needs:


As you go forward this summer I pray for your best and hope that I may continue to let you in on the wonderful story that God is playing out through His ministry of RUF!

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Prayer Requests

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf. - Romans 15:30


Thank you so much for your continued prayer and encouragement! I need it. Without your prayers and the God who answers them, I would have no hope in any of my endeavors. "Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan." - John Bunyan

This Summer:

• Pray for my intimacy with Christ; that in fundraising, resting, and planning for the fall I would not become overwhelmed or complacent, but would actively pursue Christ as not only Lord, but my treasure.

• Pray for my support to come in this summer and fall. Pray that God would make me bold in asking forsupport, and be preparing and enabling potential donors to give to my ministry in Florida. I don’t bite… so if you have any questions about my support raising, would like to give, or know of someone who would, call me up! I’d love to fill you in on what God is doing at UF and what my current needs consist of.

• Pray for wisdom and guidance as I seek Christ for direction in my life for the future. I know that I want to be involved in ministry in some capacity, and am trying to figure out if I am called to vocational ministry. I am beginning to look into seminaries, with a possible emphasis in campus ministry. Also, since early spring I have been dating a wonderful, fun, and lovely lady. Callie is the RUF intern at Texas A&M, and is such an encouragement to me. It has been a true blessing pursuing Christ together, though the long distance can be hard. I would love your prayers for wisdom, patience, and guidance with Callie.


Thank you for your prayers. God has been at work this year at UF and it has been wonderful to be a part of the ministry. May God continue to richly bless us all in Christ,

-Matt

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I Love You O Lord My Strength

I love you, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.
- Psalm 18:1-3

Last week I had lunch with one of the sophomore guys that I love meeting with regularly. We decided to memorize one verse a week this semester and hold each other accountable in reading the Word. He was wanting to find a verse to memorize that magnified God as a shield and protector, and I suggested the first few verses of Psalm 18.

It is probably my favorite start to a Psalm: "I love you, O LORD, my strength." I am so glad we are memorizing these verses this week because I often forget where my strength lies. God is my rock, yet I spend minutes, hours, and days placing my trust and trying to gather strength from other gods. So often I don't love God. I drag out other idols, polish them up, and try to rest in their shadows.

But they never satisfy, never grip me in powerful, loving, protective arms. It is his power that frees me from the talons of my sin. I can run and grab hold of the horn of my salvation, Jesus, and know that I am saved from my fears, saved from my doubts, saved from myself. He is my rock of refuge.

I have loved adding verse 1 to the start or end of my prayers in the last few days. It has been a great reminder of the mountain of his comfort. I love you, O LORD my strength!

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Spring's First Weeks

The last two weeks have been busy as RUF at UF has gotten rolling again after Christmas break. Here are a few pictures of some of the happenings of RUF:


The first two weeks we tabled on campus a few days a week. We handed out fliers, candy, and told students about RUF and what we do. I was encouraged as we made several contacts that have started coming to RUF for the first time













The first Wednesday of school we had a ice cream/bonfire social. It was a fun time getting to know folks better and reconnecting after break.








The first weekend of the semester RUF had its annual camping trip. Although it was nothing like Colorado camping, it was awesome to leave Gainesville and head out to a house in the woods.








It was a great weekend full of games, fires, smores, frisbee golf, worship, prayer, getting to know more about the students in this RUF, and encouraging them.








On Saturday we had an RUF work day, partnering with a local non-profit Christians Concerned for the Community. There were three projects that day, cleaning a lady's house, landscaping and cleaning up a local church, and building a wheelchair ramp for a lady who could no longer manage the steps at her house. I was a part of the ramp crew and had a fun time building a 36 foot ramp. It felt good to get out and work on something physical and quantifiable with my hands.

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The Priority of the Church

On the holy mount stands the city he founded; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Selah - Psalm 87:1-3


Last semester Steve finished out his "Christianity is..." series with "Christianity is Too Institutional." We looked at the common objection that the organized church is outdated, unnecessary, and even harmful to faith. As Steve lead us through the church's origin, priority, and composition, I was taken aback when he said that Jesus did not come to save individuals, but came to die for the church. It made me re-think the importance of the church in new ways, and as a community of believers what it entails to be the bride of Christ.

In saying the Jesus did not die for individuals, Steve was not saying that Jesus does not love and pursue individual sinners, but that when he saves them he does not leave them to themselves. In saving lost, wandering persons, Christ is redeeming for himself a people. This "bride" (singular) of Christ, is who he loves more than all else. There is a glorious unity in the church where individual members become more distinct and purposed when acting as a body. The body is greater than the sum of its individual parts. (see 1 Cor 12:12-26)

The primary passage we looked at was Psalm 87, and the key phrase that stuck out to me was in verse 2, where the Psalmist writes, "the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob." Zion refers to the Holy City of God, where his temple is. In Christ, the old sacrificial system and the physical temple had their fulfillment, and All Christians now have access to the throne room of grace; We are the temple of God. "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor 3:16) It is staggering to realize that God has established himself in our hearts, and brought us out of darkness into the light of true community. "'Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.'And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken." (Isaiah 62:11b-12)

In the Old Testament God made covenants with several individuals but they were always for a people; His people. Jesus loves me, but his love and my love is made complete in and as the Bride. In his restoration of all things that were shattered at the fall, Christ has knit us back into dependence upon himself and upon our fellow brothers and sisters. He has promised to be with and guide us.

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them,” (Mt 18:20) is not an arbitrary promise of being heard in corporate worship. The very nature of God as a community and the way He has chosen to give power to his children is through the church. It is his institution, backward and broken though the bride be, he has promised to prepare and purify her, to present her to himself faultless. The church is the betrothed of God, and who he has chosen to spend eternity with in glory.

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A New Year of Great Joy

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. - Jude 24&25

I flew back to Gainesville two days ago and am already at full sprint. RUF had it's first large group of the semester last night, I have played ultimate, been to two RUF house parties, handed out fliers and talked with students on campus, planned out my schedule with Steve, and hung out with many amazing students and friends. All in a day and a half! It was great to be worshiping at RUF last night and to feel excited for what God is doing already this semester. I was reminded again of our loving Father who not only lifts us up out of the pain and judgment of sin into new life, but who does so with great joy... both for ourselves and for Himself!

In the great doxology of Jude, I have always taken the inherent joy to be my joy... which is true, but it is not ultimate. The doxology is to and about Him. Our joy will not be complete until God's joy is complete... when all his children have been gathered home to his side; "before the presence of his glory." At that time his laughter and roar will echo through the universe. That is our hope and our joy; that God sings over us. His rejoicing over his children through Christ is the greatest need of the human soul, and what I hope to be able to convey this semester, through my faltering lips, to students silently yearning for such love!

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!

The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
"Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.

The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

- Zephaniah 3:14-17

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