The Chase

It has been quite a while since I last really posted, I have had many ideas and topics which have been floating about but just haven't had much time to sit down and write it out. I however am writing now because I can't get an image out of my head and I just want to share it.

I'm not sure where it came from or why, but what I can't seem to get away from and just keep thinking and overwhelming myself with, is this image of chasing after God.

Now everyone has heard all the Bible references about the Christian walk being like a race that we run but for some reason  this image has just become real to me. I am running there is pain and exhaustion when I run it's not easy but the goal at the end of this race is God and that is worth all the side aches and shortness of breathe.

More specifically though I have just had this image of a child chasing his father. A child will do anything to reach his father but sometimes that child falls along the way. A child is not as stable on their feet as an adult it doesn't take much for them to trip. But what happens next is the greatest part. The child is met by his father and picked up and comforted before the chase again resumes.

This is the image I have been seeing in my own life and walk. I am striving so hard to get to the Father, but I trip and fall, I am not yet sure of foot. I still have a long way to grow. But I am not left in my pain and disgrace from having fallen God meets me where I am in the form of Jesus Christ who picks me up and offers comfort and direction. He points me to the Father so I can resume my chase after Him. The joy and prize of my faith.

I can do nothing but marvel at the grace of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Corinthians 9:24

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

Ethiopia Trip

Scott Green

Moody Bible Institute

820 N. LaSalle Blvd.

Chicago, IL  60610

Dear Friends and Family,

The Moody Bible Institute men’s basketball team is on the verge of seeing God’s faithfulness at work in ways we could never imagine for ourselves.  He has opened a door for cross-cultural ministry through the use of basketball.

I am committed to making Jesus Christ known to the world.  As a member of the Moody Bible Institute men’s basketball team I make that commitment to the team and humbly before God.  Through our team, we desire to encourage believers and communicate our love for Jesus Christ.

We are looking forward to seeing God work this spring.  In mid-March, Innovative Missions Opportunities (IMO) has invited us to come to Ethiopia to minister to local national families and individuals.  The goal of IMO is to bring the gospel to parts of the world where the gospel has never been before.  We will be working alongside the missionaries to encourage and train the Ethiopian people in the Word of God, using sports as a ministry, and basketball.  We will be running clinics and encouraging them through Bible studies and worshipping with them.  In the times we are not running clinics, we will have opportunities to participate in various ministries throughout Ethiopia.  These might include sharing in churches, house churches, ministering with children, encouraging and supporting the local missionaries, and playing basketball games against Ethiopian teams.

We are looking for individuals to be involved with us as we prepare for this trip. If I can ask only one thing from you, I would ask that you shower our team and this trip with prayer. Specifically pray that God will do a mighty work in our lives and equip us for His service.  Also, ask God whether He would have you partner with us financially. Please pray that the Lord unites us as a group and prepares us for the task ahead.

I look forward to sharing the fruits of God’s ministry with you upon our return.  May God richly bless you.

Sincerely in Christ,

Scott Green

Please complete the Minisrty Trip Response Card and mail it directly to:

DRM Department- Moody Basketball Team/Ethiopia

Moody Bible Institute
820 N. La Salle
Chicago, IL 60610

                If you are participating financially, you may do so by check, payable to the Moody Bible Institute, or by credit card.  Tax-deductible receipts will be issued to all donors including the student.  The cost of the trip is $2500 per person.  This includes training, travel, and ministry expenses.  **In the event I do not go on the trip or I raise money over what is required, the money will be used to support similar missions’ projects and administrative expenses, and will be under the complete discretion and control of the Moody Bible Institute. Therefore your contribution is nonrefundable.

Blessed By The Best

It's been a while since I've posted on here. Transitioning back into college life has made me quite busy in fact. Even taking the time to write this right now means I am putting off studying for a Greek quiz. But last week I found some interesting things out that I feel the need to share.

At the end of August after a year away from college life (even though I was still taking online classes) I finally made it on the campus of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. When I decided to transfer from Northwestern and pursue going to Moody I was almost crushed when the acceptance letter came back that I would not be allowed on campus until a year from then.

Even though I was disappointed about having to go back home for a year, I found that at the end of that year that I had grown significantly as a believer and many other good things came out of it. And when I did finally come to campus in August I only appreciated finally getting here even more.

I want to be involved as much as possible while I am here at Moody. I don't want to just do classes but I want to be involved in intramurals, Men's Basketball, Student Groups, and as a Student Ambassador.

This last group is the one that I have realized something that makes me blessed to be here even more. Student Ambassador's is a group on campus that the admissions office uses to give tours and host prospective students. At my interview for this group I learned that the program I got into, the one year online plus three on campus program, was not supposed to offered to transfer students. I should have only have gotten the option for the campus in Spokane, Washington which would not have been a good option for me.

The fact that I am here right now, learning the Bible in one of the best schools in the country, and being taught by some of the best professors, I am feeling exorbitantly blessed to be in the position that I am.

I once was utterly disappointed by the cards I was dealt almost two years ago, but now I am so thankful for God's grace and provision in my life. I only hope to use this time I have at MBI for God's glory.

One Life,

T'will soon be past.

Only what's done

For Christ will last.  

Yea Mon! No Problem

Just wanted to write about my experiences and time in Jamaica last week. It was a great time that I think I saw God work greatly in Jamaica and in our team.

Things started out a bit rocky. We drove up 3 hours to Minneapolis to fly to Dallas, but before we started the drive we had learned that the flight was delayed which meant that we would have about 20 minutes to get on our connecting flight in Dallas. 

When we arrived in Minneapolis we learned that that flight had been totally cancelled and they were going to put us on a flight to Miami which had exactly 22 open seats which was the exact number of our team, and this flight was leaving in 40 minutes. Meaning we had to get all 22 of us to check our bags, get through security and down to the gate.

It was amazing to see God work in order to get our team to Jamaica even if we got there later than we had planned. getting through Jamaica immigration and customs went smoothly for the most part but our transportation from Montego Bay to Black River, a 2 hour drive, was just a bit small. So we had to cram 5 people into 4 seats in almost every row while one of our leaders basically sat on our luggage in the back to keep it from falling on the people in front. 

Yet we made it to our hotel safely and were able to get some rest for Sunday Morning service. It was definitely an experience. We didn't realize they had a children's church and so hadn't prepared a lesson for the kids yet we made it work.

The next day everything seemed to finally go more the way we had planned. However we found that the kids seemed to be quite reserved and we had to work hard to get them to warm up to us. Singing songs were a struggle the first couple of days because we couldn't get the kids to do the motions with us. But by the end of the week everyone loved to sing the songs and didn't want us to stop.

My responsibilities for VBS were to teach 3 lessons and half of another to the eldest group of VBS goers. At first I was a bit discouraged, the first day we only had about 6-8 students in our group and because they weren't open those first days it was hard to dialogue with them one of my other youth leaders put it well when she said It's hard to know if we are getting through to them. 

These kids reminded me a lot of me growing up, most of them had been coming to church all there life and they knew most of the Sunday school answers. And so it did make it hard to know whether or not we were getting through to them. But again by the end of the week I felt like I had seen dramatic changes. They were asking questions and not goofing off as much as first days. I felt like what me and Dustin, my other teacher, were finally getting through. 

My lesson planning went like this; Day 1: Creation, God makes all there is for His glory and man is to be representative of God on Earth. Day 2: Fall, Man has broken his image with God, he is no longer walking in obedience to God and must therefore pay the price, yet there is hope. Day 3: Gospel, Even though man is now a broken image of God rather than destroying us God has a plan to redeem us back to himself and He did it through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The bible tells us if only we have faith in Christ we will be saved, but more than that saved to be back in God's presence which is where we should long to be. Day 5: Worldview, I taught about man's ways to explain away an all powerful creator, i.e. evolution. We looked at Romans 1 which tells us that God has clearly shown himself to us yet because we want to be our own boss we harden our hearts to Him and explain him away. Also I taught that everyone has a worldview and as Christians our worldview must have biblical lenses.

Then on Friday night we had a outreach to the whole community which we had been going into the town of Black river nearly every night to witness to people and to invite them Friday to see the movie Courageous. we also did a couple of skits, songs, and some from our team gave testimonies. One lady came forward afterward to receive the gospel but I think that many more seeds were planted.

It was also neat to see a local man come to Christ that was helping with our construction team. And hopefully we will see him grow as we continue to partner with Black River Baptist. 

I have so much more I have to share but this post is already really long so thank you for any still reading. If you would like to know more about what our team and I did in Jamaica feel free to talk to me. It was a real blessing.

One Life...

I remembered this poem today and thought that I should share it with you. It was a driving force for me in my decision to go into ministry, the two repeating lines in this poem really struck at my heart. I hope it does for you as well.

“Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, 

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,

Gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave,

And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,

Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill,

living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,

When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way,

Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, “twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

CT Studd 

F.R.O.G

On this day last year, May 19 2011, my grandfather lost his battle with cancer and was taken home to be with the Lord.  The months leading up to this were some of the best and worst times in my life. It was near the time I had decided to change my major from Engineering to Biblical Studies that I learned the news that my grandpa was fighting for his life with pancreatic cancer.

If you never knew my Grandpa Green let me fill you in. He loved. No matter who you were or are my Grandpa genuinely cared for and loved you. That love also came out in the form of correction, he was not willing to take a blind eye to anyone's faults but would in love give correction.

He was a man of prayer, he and my grandma would pray for each person in my entire extended family before going to bed. I can remember one time my family was staying at my grandparents house for a visit I was watching TV and my grandparents had gone to bed about an hour before and when I went to the bathroom I could still hear them praying. I am certain that these faithful prayers contributed to each and everyone of my family and extended family's lives. My brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousin are all believers and I can't help but think those times in prayer had something to do with it And this was the time he spent praying for our family let alone any other times he would be praying for other people and things.

He was for many years a major influence to the college of Cedarville in Ohio, I have no idea the countless lives he impacted in his time there. He was an artist, he painted and drew many pieces that I still love to look at when we visit. He also did woodworking and carving. I am almost certain that my love for woodworking came from him even though I missed out on the drawing/painting gene that my sisters got. He was truly a handyman who would do it all around the house.

Lastly he was a man of God and Scripture. Obviously he was not perfect and had flaws like all of us but he was a student of the scriptures and did almost everything with his eyes set on God and his will. He was famous for giving out little rubber like frogs to most everyone he met. I can remember a couple times him giving them out to waitresses we had. But when he gave them out he would always ask do you know what FROG stands for? and says FROG mean Fully Rely On God or when you add an S for FROGS it is Fully Rely On God's Son, and then he proceeds to ask them how he could pray for them. My grandpa was a man that I hope I can become more like, a Christ follower.

As a kid I could always remember my Grandpa and I getting in these sort of wrestling matches where he would get hold of me and I would try to escape but I never could. My grandpa was a strong healthy man that I loved to be around as a kid. I am ashamed to say that I loved my grandpa more for the fun side of being around him than for who he was as a Christ follower. It wasn't until my first year of college that I really appreciated the man he was the pillar my family could stand on proudly and yet his fight with cancer had weakened him greatly.

I never truly knew what strength was until I saw my grandpa at his weakest physically yet so strong spiritually. He wasn't afraid of death he was one who truly believed that "to die is gain." My grandfather taught me that physical strength and health is no substitute for a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. I will never forget the great lump I had in my throat during his funeral it was hard to breath let alone speak. He became my role model especially after my change in majors and it was so hard to see him go.

I am writing this to celebrate the life my grandpa lived and the impact he has left on me. I also hope that my grandpa would be an example for all of us on how to live life. Put God first and foremost in the center of our lives, love other to a greater magnitude than ourselves, be willing to give up your own life for the sake of knowing and loving God, do not fear death for we will not be taken one second before our time and when we are taken we will see the Lord and that is our whole desire and joy.

Fully Rely On God