It may be a bit too obvious to write this, but America needs God. We are in desperate need of a great awakening. Many American hearts have grown cold to the drawing of God’s Spirit. Many ears are too dull to hear the glorious truth of the gospel. Too many people indifferently glance over churches and crosses and nativity scenes as just relics from an American past, but containing no reality of truth and power. Something must change.

Noah found himself among a people who had also turned from God. The Bible says of his generation that “every intent of the thoughts of [their] hearts was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Therefore, God sent judgement and flooded the earth, leaving only Noah, his family, and the animals alive. However, the time came when things began to change.

In the midst of judgement, there also came the opportunity for a fresh beginning. Destroying wickedness made room for lives of righteousness. The rain of judgement eventually turned into a promise in the heavens for life and life more abundantly. And the turning point from judgement to new hope came when the wind began to blow.

The Bible says that after the rain “God remembered Noah . . . and God made the wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided” (Gen. 8:1). The water, which represents judgement, began to subside when the wind blew, which represents the moving of the Spirit. The Bible describes the first Holy Spirit baptism like this: “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind . . .” (Acts 2:2). Also, Jesus likens people who are born of the Spirit to the wind in John 3:8. Therefore, Noah’s story teaches us that the way to turn judgement into righteousness is by the movement of Holy Spirit.

The answer for America’s current condition is not better politics or legislation, but the activity of Spirit born people releasing the wind of God. What will change the condition of hearts is when people encounter the One who convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgement. Judgement subsides when the wind blows, and the wind blows when wind folks release it. You have a part to play in turning America back to God. Let’s cry out for the wind of God and believe that the winds of awakening can blow once again across the hearts of American people.

-Micah

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Christmas is quickly approaching, which means time is flying by. During this time of the year I often struggle to maintain a focused mind and intimate communion with the Lord. I get caught up in community festivities, buying gifts, and traveling plans. None of this is intrinsically wrong; it simply distracts my attention from the One who should be receiving the most attention. This holiday originated in order to celebrate the birth of Jesus; it was designed to magnify the person of Christ, but instead we have turned it into a celebration of self.

Instead of shifting my focus by realizing the festivities, gifts, and merriment are all momentary, I wrongly often set my mind on cruise, and delay the inevitable. The inevitable is this: Christmas morning will arrive, and then it will be gone. After all my gifts are given and opened, after I have eaten way too much, and friends and family have gone, I will realize I missed the real Christmas. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with thankfulness for a Savior, I will feel guilty. I will feel guilty for shortening my personal time with Him to go shopping, ignoring His beckoning to watch one more Christmas movie, and devouring dessert instead of His word. This is how I would feel if I repeat the past Christmas experiences.

I am viewing Christmas differently this year. Instead of wishing the days away so I can get back on track, I’m trying to see how close to Him I can become before the New Year dawns. Instead of receiving for myself, I’m focusing on giving to the One who gave it all. I parallel this birth day of Christ with my own birthday. On my birthday, I expect to receive gifts, words of adoration, and even surprises; in a non-self-centered way, the day is about me. December twenty-fifth and this whole season is about focusing on Jesus. We should do this every day of our lives, but like our own birthdays, this is a human holiday invented for God.

This Christmas I want to give the Lord gifts, tell Him often how I love Him, and even try to surprise Him. As He searches the Earth and tests the hearts of men, I want to be found accessible. Instead of becoming distracted let us focus on the one this season is about, Jesus. What you do with the last couple weeks of this year could make it the most significant year of your life with the Lord. This time of year is also when people are in need the most. I would encourage everyone to find a family or children to bring Christmas to, go above and beyond in your giving, and dedicate the next two weeks to celebrating Jesus. Also, read the real Christmas story, it is a great way to remember the One we serve! (The account in Matthew is my favorite :<})

-Lexie

Unmet expectation is a dangerous thing. It can discourage us, hinder us, and even completely separate us from walking with God. It dampers our hearts and causes us to get entangled in the cares of this world. Prayer requests seemingly go unanswered. Loved ones remain lost. Personal issues resurface again and again though we thought we defeated them. Hope gets deferred, and our hearts get sick. Unmet expectation can be a real killer. If you don’t believe me, ask the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had massive expectation. They envisioned a Messiah coming on a throne, the Son of David who would release them from the oppressive rule of Rome and break the back of Caesar. They envisioned a natural king who would change all of their natural circumstances. However, when the Messiah came, their expectation was not met. Natural kingdoms and rulership seemed to be least among His concerns. Jesus came talking about the oppressive rule of sin and breaking the back of Satan. His throne was a manger. This unexpected Messiah kept the Pharisees from following Him, so they missed the very God they had prayed for. Their unmet expectation killed them.

However, scripture also tells a story of a lady from Canaan who did the right thing with unmet expectation. This lady in Matthew 15 comes to Jesus expecting to have her daughter healed, but when she first calls on Jesus, He ignores her. Then, the disciples get irritated with her persistence and ask Jesus to send her away. To further add to the disappointment, Jesus explains why He’s ignoring her: “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). She still does not stop, and then Jesus essentially calls her a dog. But when she keeps pressing in spite of all this, Jesus turns to her and calls her a woman of great faith and her daughter is healed.

This lady did the right thing with unmet expectation. She refused to let it cause separation from Jesus, but would not quit seeking. The proper response when we encounter unmet expectation is lay hold of a tenacious, persistent pursuit of God. We may feel ignored. We may feel rejected. We may even feel insulted, but those who emerge from the situation as people of great faith are those who do not stop seeking.

Today, you may have unmet expectation. There may be delay in situations you thought would be resolved by now. However, don’t let discouragement drive you away from God’s presence. Keep seeking. There’s a person of great faith in you and the delay will bring that person out. God is looking for someone who will simply keep seeking.

-Micah

Thinking rightly about God is a principle that drives much of what we do at the Ramp. We are obsessed with thinking rightly about God. A. W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy has taught us that thinking rightly about God is the most important thing you can do in life and thinking wrongly about God is the most dangerous thing you can do in life. Our thoughts and perceptions about God shape everything that we do. Therefore, we must make sure that scripture is shaping the thoughts that will shape our lives. We must make sure that our definition of God is God’s definition of God. In our recent Wednesday night Bible study, Casey Doss delivered a word that brought our understanding of God closer to the Bible’s revelation of who He really is, which is really exciting.

Scripture teaches us that we must not think of God as only God, but also as Father. Throughout the book of Ephesians and Colossians, Paul over and over again refers to God as both God and Father: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;” “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ . . .” (Eph. 1:3; Col. 1:3). This distinguishing between God and Father is very important to grasp if we are going to think about God rightly.

We must understand that God does not rule with the heart of a dictator who simply enjoys seeing people do whatever He says. Yes, He is God with all power and authority, but He is also Father. His rulership flows from His heart as a Father. Therefore, when He exercises authority and demands obedience, it is with our greatest good in mind. It is for our well being that God commands obedience.

Hebrews 12 tells us, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. . . . He [corrects us] for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness” (v.6, 10b). His correction and discipline come from His great love as a Father. He does not exercise authority for His sake, but “for our profit.” He is God, meaning that He has all power and authority, but He is also Father, meaning that the power and authority He has is for our good.

God’s being both God and Father must be grasped. If it’s not, then we’ll spend the rest of our lives either shying away from obedience or doing what He says grudgingly. We’ll resent His authority if we don’t see that His authority is our freedom. His Lordship is our well being. He is God, yet He is Father. He is good. Let’s think rightly about Him today.

-Micah

When you consider the word “Christian,” what’s the first definition that comes to your mind? Here’s my off-the-top-of-my-head answer: someone who follows Christ and Christ’s teachings. I’ll bet your definition is similar. However, I’ve come to discover lately that this definition is not the totality of the answer.

This personal journey of redefining the terms of Christianity begin in me while reviewing some Ramp footage from December of 2008. While introducing his sermon, Damon Thompson stated that to be a Christian you must not only follow Christ, but also be in possession of the attributes of Christ. We must not only read and believe His teachings, but also express His very nature through our lives. Now, this may seem to be only stating the obvious for you, but for me, this redefinition has been a paradigm altering discovery.

I began to see in my own life how I was a follower of Christ, but not a possessor of Christ. I can read scripture, agree with what I read, even teach what I read, but the very nature of Christ living through my body is a whole different story. The compassionate heart of Jesus in my chest is different than agreeing mentally that giving to the poor is right. Hatred for compromise is different than a disciplined life that’s learned how to dodge temptation. The fear of God and utter deadness to the opinions of men cannot be learned by refining outward behavior. I need an encounter with the cross.

The cross is the place where true Christianity begins. Therefore, the cross is where we not only agree that Jesus was right in His teachings, but where we possess His Spirit. Before an encounter with the cross, there is nothing in us that remotely looks like Christ. Romans 3:10, 11 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.” Even perceived human goodness is evil in the sight of God. Man is completely depraved. However, after an encounter with the cross, we are given the right to operate out of a different nature. John 1:12 says, “As many as received [Jesus], to them He gave the right to become the children of God . . . .” Therefore, receiving Jesus does not just change my eternal position, but it changes the very attributes I possess today.

The apostle Paul would go on to write in Romans 8:9b, “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” What a redefinition of Christianity! The test of whether or not we belong to Christ is not what we profess we believe, but what spirit we possess. If we aren’t in possession of Christ’s Spirit, than how much of our lives we’ve handed over to Christ’s Lordship needs to be questioned.

Today, I find myself challenged. Whenever I feel myself growing comfortable, scripture breaks through and redefines for me what it is to walk with God. I hope today you have been challenged as well. Let’s embrace this redefinition of Christianity and seek today that we might be possessors of the Spirit of Christ.

-Micah

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Have you ever found yourself looking towards the future and realizing you have no idea what it holds? There are many things in life which seem to be consistent, as if they will always be a part of your life forever, but when it comes down to it, God is the only consistent thing in the world. We often find security in people, such as our family, or in a job, but even these seemingly stable institutions fail. If you have not come to this realization or had a life experience that has forced you to acknowledge it, you will.

I recently made a major decision that literally changed the rest of my life. I had my whole future planned out and suddenly realized it was not the word of the Lord for me anymore. When I came to this point I was somewhat nervous, because I could no longer say that this is what I am going to do or this is my future. When people ask me, “What are you going to do with your life?” I have to say, “I don’t know.” Not only do I have to respond this way, but also I have to be okay with my answer.

Our society has taught us that we must know what our vocation is and where we are going, but our God does not always operate this way. For example, the Lord has begun to move many people to Hamilton from different cities and states. They come on a word, but do not know where they are going to work or even exactly how they will operate in our community. The world would look at this and say it’s crazy, but we know it is God and this assurance gives us peace.

Finding peace in the unknown is quite simple and freeing when you accept it. First, you must trust the Lord: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5,6). Second, have confidence in your pursuit: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). It is okay not to know the future as long as we know our God. Damon Thompson once made a statement that I have never forgotten: “There will be a generation that knows who they are, because they know who their God is.” If you find yourself in the unknown, be at peace; all you have to do is seek the Lord, and He will lead you into your future!

-Lexie

Sometimes we take it for granted that we are people of faith. We assume that because we go to church and give in offerings and say our prayers that we believe in God. But there is a story in the gospels that should make us reconsider whether or not we truly believe.

Matthew 17:14-21 tells the story of a frustrated father who took his demon possessed son to the disciples, but they could do nothing for the boy. After Jesus casts the demon out, the disciples ask, “Why could we not cast it out?” The answer is simple. He says, “Because of your unbelief.”

It’s amazing to me that the disciples are following Jesus, praying for the sick, and feeding multitudes, but are still struggling with unbelief. At some point all their religious activity started being driven by something other than faith. It could have been ambition, security, or any number of reasons for following Jesus, but the primary motivation stopped being faith.

This story has caused some self-examination within me. It’s caused me to pause a moment during my religious activity and ask myself if my actions are currently being driven by faith. I ask myself if I’m praying because I’m just being responsible and disciplined or because I believe the God of heaven and earth hears me. Anything that does not have as it’s foundation utter belief in God cannot in any way please God. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Regardless of how right the actions look, God is searching for a heart of faith.

Therefore, today I give Paul’s charge to myself and to all who read: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). May our actions not only look pleasing to God, but actually be pleasing to God because we are driven by faith.

-Micah

Damon Thompson recently spoke at the Ramp, and his message was entitled, “The Nature of God in Storms.” One fascinating statement he made was the following: “It is in the nature of life to have storms, not God.” From this statement we can see that life will have storms, but they are not sent from God. If we understand this, the next step we need to take is to come to a place of understanding how God works in storms.

Damon spoke from the perspective of two Biblical stories in which Jesus and storms were prevalent: Matthew fourteen and Mark four. The first thing Damon declared is that we must not try and do what God has told us to do without God. In Mark four Jesus tells the disciples to leave, after this it says “So they took Jesus into the boat and started out . . .” (Mark 4:35). Jesus had told the disciples to leave, but they would not leave without taking Jesus with them. Scripture teaches us that a storm comes, the disciples become fearful, and awaken Jesus from sleep. Damon taught us from this that we cannot become fearful in the midst of a storm if we have Jesus on our ship; it is impossible for Jesus to sink. After he has rebuked the storm, he rebukes the disciples. This parallels the mercy and love of God. When caught in a storm of life, we often forget who God is and what he has done. Instead of rebuking us first, he calms the storm, and then corrects us.

Matthew fourteen continues this example when Peter walks on the water. The first thing we learn from this story is that we must come when God says come; we must go when he says go. Peter asks Jesus to tell him to come; Peter responds by coming, but becomes afraid when he starts to sink. Once again, Peter does not realize with Jesus he cannot sink. And again we see the nature of God when he saves Peter and then rebukes him: “Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. ‘You have so little faith,’ Jesus said, ‘Why did you doubt me?” (Matthew 14:31).

Returning to the nature of life and the nature of God, we come to the conclusion that life will have storms, but God does not send them. We can learn from the stories aforementioned that we must be in possession of God just as the disciples were. Possessing Jesus goes back to the simple principles we always address: prayer, Bible study, worship, and relationship. We can expect the storms of life to come, but we like the wise man can be established in Christ and know that no storm can conquer us as long as Jesus is on our ship!

-Lexie