The Way Matt Sees It

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 ...

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...