The Way Matt Sees It

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 ...

THE HEART OF A JEDI… With Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens releasing this year, it's reawakened a deep Star Wars love inside me.  It’s funny how the Star Wars prequel movies are given so much flack for being so bad, yet are still loved despite some of their terrible qualities amongst Star Wars fans.   I definitely belong to this camp.   But I want you to hear my heart.   Although the prequel movies suck in more ways than one, they still hold a special place in my heart because they still belong to Star Wars. That being said, it’s a subject of debate amongst Star Wars fans which movie is the worst of them all.   It’s accepted that Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is the best of the prequel films.   But of the two that remain…which is better? My opinion? Attack of the Clones > The Phantom Menace. I know that this is not generally agreed upon, but I have a strong opinion on this.   I’ll admit that I hav...

After years of waiting, I've finally gotten married!  And I’ve finally moved down to the Long Branch area to serve my church in the best way I can.    In the midst of all of this, I’ve been praying for God’s direction, guidance and blessing. Recently I read John 3, the famous passage where Jesus talks to Nicodemus, a high-ranking Pharisee, about being “born again,” or born of the Spirit.   While I’ve totally glazed over this in the past, this passage really came alive for me (in part because of watching The Bible miniseries on Netflix this past Easter).   In John 3:8 Jesus says: “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” –Jesus (John 3:8 NASB) As Pentecostals, we always talk about being led by the Holy Spirit.   But even from this passage, Jesus makes it seem like it’s not an easy thing.   Just like the wind, you don’t...

SPEAKING IN TONGUES This can be a touchy subject among Christians.   There are varying viewpoints, and this issue seems to spark so much emotional and personal feelings it’s almost taboo to talk about it even among Christian circles.   I’ve decided to focus on answering 10 questions regarding speaking in tongues.             1. What is speaking in tongues?             2. Is speaking in tongues found in the Bible?             3. What is Baptism in the Holy Spirit?             4. Why is there so much division on this subject?             5. Is speaking in tongues still for today, or was that just for the Early Church?             6. W...