The Way Matt Sees It

This world needs a solution.   Everyone knows it.   But no one agrees on what that solution is. One week ago (Saturday, 03/25/18), thousands across New Jersey and millions across the nation rallied together for the end of gun violence this past Saturday.   Inspired by the tragic events that happened in Florida just weeks ago, they pushed for our state to make NJ gun laws, which are among the toughest in the country, even tougher in an effort to end school gun violence once and for all.   Two days later, hundreds of gun rights activists held a demonstration of their own in NJ’s capital.   They argued that it’s not guns, but there are other things that contribute to gun violence.  This world needs a solution, but we can’t agree on what that solution is.   The thing is, this isn’t a new idea.   People have gathered together for change because they recognized that our world is broken all throughout history. Take the Civil Rig...

THE BOOK OF EZRA I’m reading through the Book of Ezra and I came across an interesting passage.   The nation of Israel had been living in exile away from their home country for 50+ years, but a guy named Zerubbabel got special permission from Cyrus the King of Persia to go back to their country to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-4; 3:8).   As Zerubbabel is leading the Temple construction, we come to this passage: The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel. So they approached Zerubbabel and the other leaders and said, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God just as you do. We have sacrificed to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel replied, “You may have no part in this work. We alone will build the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us.”   (Ezra 4:1-3) The peop...

Recently I had an experience that left me offended and pretty angry.   I was mad for a few days straight and it consumed most of my thoughts for the week.   I felt that I was right about the situation, and felt justified being angry, but had no idea how to react or what action step to take. It’s pretty cool how God works, though.   I found the answers in my daily devotions that day: HUMBLE YOURSELF | Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.” Even if you’re right in being angry, don’t make it about yourself.   Although you might have been sinned against, it doesn’t make you the perfect person, or the one who has to dish out justice.   Realize that you don’t have all the answers, and even if you aren’t sinning by being angry, don’t revel for so long in your anger that it does become sinning. SHAKE THE DUST OFF YOUR FEET | Mark 7:11 “Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you ...

I’m not much of a camper.   In fact I don’t like camping at all.   Putting up a tent?   I would have absolutely no idea how to do that.   It’s just not my “cup of tea,” if you will (or coffee, because I like that more). Yet this is what the Apostle Paul did for a living.   While he traveled as a missionary, apostle, and evangelist, Paul would float back and forth between full-time ministry and part-time ministry; his other part-time job being tent-making [Acts 18:3].   I’m sure that Paul wasn’t upset whenever he had to make tents though; it opened new doors for him to talk about Jesus! He never lost sight of the mission. I’ve been thinking more and more about what it means to live “on mission.”   This is a term we have at Searchlight Church, and I love it, because it gives me a sense of why I do what I do, and helps me to prioritize in my life.   Our mission is to reach and teach people to live and love like Jesus. Being new...

I work at Starbucks, and for real they call me, “Batman” and “Mattman.”   The best part is that I’ve never even told anyone to do that.   They just know what’s up ;-)   We actually had a new hire come on and joke that he was Batman, and everyone immediately corrected him, “No dude, Matt is Batman.   Get that right.”   I thought it was hilarious (and amazing, and appropriate). I was telling this to a friend, saying how proud I was that everyone at work calls me Batman and I’ve never even told anyone to do that.   But I wondered why.   If I’ve never told anyone to do that, how do people know that I love being called “Batman” (this has happened at two different places I work at)?    My friend responded like it was obvious: “Matt, you just ooze Batman.   It’s like it just comes out of you.” SECRET IDENTITY I thought his response was kind of funny, and to him it was pretty obvious.   But it had me thinking.   What if ...