Arrogance | Bad Days Better

by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

I have been thinking alot about knowledge lately.  Sometime it seems we try to use knowledge as a weapon or as something to hold over someone else.  I know people that can’t seem to wait to get the inside scoop on a situation just so they can say they know about it.  Or to act as if somehow they know more about it than anyone else.  Some people even seek out to know more then others to the point of gossip because they have to know what is going on in a situation.  Interestingly enough these people never gain complete knowledge of a situation they merely gain what they want to know and hurl and cast their judgments from ignorance rathe than knowledge which seems odd when knowledge was apparently what they were seeking in the first place.  Not sure if this makes sense to anyone.  

This has become especially true over my circumstances in the recent weeks.  Though I have been through alot as well as my family I am amazed about what people think they know about my situation only because they heard something from someone else.  In reality these people know very little because they are acting on limited knowledge or in many cases ignorance.  Some even casting judgments or having preconceived thoughts without really knowing all of what has happened.

Tonight I read

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.  If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

These verse are primarily dealing with christian liberty.  The Corinthians were faced with a huge dilemma and in reality they needed help.  Not much different then us they lived in the middle of a sinful and pleasure filled society so how were they to act.  The Corinthians needed guidance from the Apostle Paul could they eat meat offered to idol and what about social function what were they to do?  What restraints were put on the Christians liberty or freedom?  Could the Christian do whatever they wanted to do?  Is there a difference between the Christians behavior and the worlds?  It is with that backdrop that Paul is writing here in 1 Corinthians 8.  What I wan to talk about is this knowledge that Paul is talking about in the first 3 verses.

It seems to me what Paul is saying is to judge according to love not according to knowledge.  This strikes me as different because we usually do the opposite.  Paul states in the very first verse that “we all have knowledge”.  I am sure that some of the Corinthian believers were stressing the importance of using the intellect to determine right from wrong.  There are three very important points Paul gives us concerning knowledge in these verses.

1.  Knowledge makes arrogant but love edifies.  

I think the point is clear.  Just because one can reason through the facts and clearly see something gives them no right to be arrogant about it.  Yet our quest for knowledge about circumstances and the like often is done so we can know more than another believer or so we can set someone straight.  The root of this is arrogance.  This is the very thing Paul is coming against.  

Paul is making it clear that the rule of all Christians is to be love not knowledge.  It is love that builds others up and helps them to grow not knowledge. The Christian is not to run around stressing their superiority because they know more than someone else.  We are to love and control our lives from love.  

2.  Paul tells us that knowledge is only partial.  

Here is the kicker no matter what someone thinks they know it is always incomplete.  We are totally incapable of knowing anything in its fullness or its totality.  Of course we like to think we know things but in reality we do not.  We often like to try to think rationally but the truth of the matter is to be rational is often weak especially when compared to thinking through things with love instead of rationally.  So the next time we think we know something or we think we know the whole story I would encourage you to stop and think again and react and be motivated from love rather than knowledge.

3.  Love unites us to God.

If someone loves God then that person is known by Him.  Did you notice that we are not known by God because we are always thinking rationally.  It also does not say that we are known by God based on our knowledge.  It is based on one thing and that is our love.  God know us because we love Him.  The person that decides to base their life on love rather than knowledge that person is loved by God.  

“But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him” (1 Corinthians 8:3)

I give this challenge the next time you seek knowledge about a circumstance or a situation try to seek love instead.  See if it makes a difference.  To often our knowledge leads to arrogance.  So much could be accomplished if we only sought love.

 

 

President Bush is Fast | Bad Days Better

by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

Dec 15

Posted by Josh

I happen to like president Bush and I know that is hard for some to believe especially living in a world where he seems to be hated by so many people.  When I saw this clip on the news I was not surprised by the guy throwing his shoes I was surprised by how fast President Bush was able to get out of the way.  Not only that I was surprised that the President kept a smile on his face the whole time.  Well here it is.

Uncategorized

Son | Bad Days Better

by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

May 25

Posted by Josh

If you have ever had a premature baby you know that there are definitely many ups and many downs.  Our daughter was born premature she was born at 30 weeks and had to spend 48 days in the hospital.  That was a little over 8 years ago.  For y wife and I that was an emotional roller coaster one visit everything was great and the next everything was not good at all.  It was a very difficult time for us and our faith was stretched to great lengths.

Once again with the birth of Micah John Monda we had another early birth.  Micah was born at 33 weeks and 3 days which is very good as far as premies are concerned.  He came out doing great right from the start.  He cried quickly and looked healthy.  During his first check ups in the NICU the doctor told us he was doing better then expected.  Tomorrow will mark is seventh day in the hospital and the doctors are telling us it looks like he can come home Tuesday.  Wow this is great news for us.  We have had people literally all around this world praying not only for the birth of our son but praying for his health.

 I remember the day my son was born I sat and looked at him and wept to think God would bless us so greatly and I often think of the faith of that little preemie daughter we had and how very early on she began to pray every day that her mommy would have a baby.  What faith and what and awesome testimony of prayer she already has at 8 years old to see an answer to prayer that she constantly prayed for for years. How awesome is our GOD.

In addition to all this we are in the middle of a move.  We had a group of teens show up at our house to hel us move and that was a true blessing.  In addition we had Keith Stutzman and Jim Smith show up.  They really helped us a great deal in packing a 26 foot Penske truck full.  Everything has been loaded and is on its way to Missouri.  My wife and I are sleeping on air mattresses and doing some final cleaning and then we will wait word from the doctors before heading for Missouri.  

On a crazier side we were told we had to find an infant car seat that would hold a child for 4 pounds.  Are you aware that most car seat are rated at 5 pounds and up.  Here is the kicker we found only two car seat stroller combos that are rated at 4 pounds an up.  1 was and Eddie Bauer stroller System the cost for it was 229 ouch compared the one I had picked out at 169.  I did not like the Eddie Bauer system it was not user friendly.   So our only other option was this Chicco System it was a measly 279.  That was 279 I did not plan on spending.  So I am thankful for Laura Smith who found me a coupon and I saved 10 percent at Baby Depot which helped.  Why don’t more companies make these things for smaller babies and help us out.

 The hospital told us they are going through some sort of thing right now where they don’t have the car seats to give away.  So what do they do with people that cant afford to spend this kind of money?  I couldn’t afford it but I want my child home.  On top of that the brakes on the only vehicle I have here are shot.  Actually I think the Caliper is frozen up do I have to get it fixed before we leave but it is the only vehicle we have in PA so I will probably have to rent something while it gets repaired.  Man this is all too crazy.  But Praise the Lord my son is coming home.  Sorry for all this depressing stuff that went along with it.

Life, My Thoughts

May 19

Posted by Josh

It was 4am when the phone rang.  As I picked it up my wife was on the other end and she told me her water broke.  Our first child was a fast labor so I woke up my daughter and we headed off to the hospital.  And about 2 hours later Micah John Monda was born.  he was born at 6:17 am and my was at 33 weeks 3 days.  Micah weighed in at 4lbs. 9 1/2 ounce and was 17 1/4 inches long.  My daughter has prayed, and prayed, and prayed for this moment.  Her faith was always so strong believing God would give her a brother or sister.  It took  wife and I over 6 years to have this child and God poured out his blessing on us.

 Its interesting to see how God has brought blessing, after blessing into our lives.  I have been blown away.  Well I could right alot more but to be honest I need some rest and tomorrow I have alot of work to do.  Here is a picture.

Life, My Thoughts

Obama | Bad Days Better

by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

Russell Moore’s sermon manuscript, Joseph Is a Single-Issue Evangelical: The Father of Jesus, the Cries of the Helpless, and Change You Can Believe In, is now online. Here’s how it closes:

The question for us, then, of whether we are truly pro-life or not, has very little to do with how many signs are in our yards or what bumper stickers we put on our cars. Indeed, it may be the case that after this election the abortion debate will be over in this country politically. 

But even if that’s the case, it’s not over. Our churches are to follow in the walk of faith, which means that–like Joseph walking away from stability and comfort–our churches must be different, they must be counter-cultural, the kind of place where the teenage mother is welcomed and loved, where abandoned children are received, and where a culture that is in love with death can come and hear a message saying that life is better than death because there is a man, an ex-corpse, a former-fetus, who is standing as the ruler over all the nations and the universe. And he is not dead anymore. 

 What we must have is a church in which the gospel we give is the kind of gospel that leads people out of death and despair and toward the kind of life that is found in confessing a name–a name that was first spoken by human lips by a day-laborer in Nazareth, “Jesus is Lord.”

 If we follow this kind of pure and undefiled religion, it doesn’t mean we will be shrill. It doesn’t mean we will be culture-warriors. It doesn’t mean we’ll be belligerent. It will mean that we will have churches that are so strikingly different, that maybe in ten or fifteen years the most odd and counter-cultural thing a lost person may hear in your church is not, “Amen,” but is instead the sounds of babies crying in the nursery.

 And hearing the oddness of that sound, when they look around at the place in which all of the Lord Jesus’ brothers and sisters are welcomed, protected, and loved, the place in which the lies of a murderous and appetite-driven dragon are denied, the lost person might say, “What is the sound of all these cries?” And maybe we’ll be able to say with our forefather Joseph, “that’s the sound of life. That’s the sound of hope. That’s the sound of change.”

 You might even say, it’s “change you can believe in.”

You can also listen to the MP3 online.

Ministry | Bad Days Better

by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

Apr 05

This Is Where I Am At

Posted by Josh

I was reading this blog post tonight and it really spoke to me because this is where I am currently at in my life.

Thanks to http://timschmoyer.com

Last week in a conversation with my mentee, he asked, “How do you know if you’re called to ministry?” If we’re all honest, there have been times when each of us has questioned our calling to ministry, particularly during the difficult times. My mentee is not currently in that situation, but the issue of feeling “called out” of ministry is still a difficult one. When we go into vocational ministry, we often use language like, “God is calling me to serve at this church.” Or, when we leave one ministry position and go to another, we say, “God called me away from that ministry to this new one.” Sometimes we’re clearly over-spiritualizing a situation, sometimes not. But when we start to question the calling, let’s not confuse those emotions with ones of discouragement or insecurity. For example, if you had a lot of people encouraging and supporting you, would you still feel “called out” of ministry? If you felt affirmed by key people in your ministry, would your calling change? Remember, our calling into ministry does not come from people, nor should it be retracted by people. It comes solely from the Lord. If you’re doubting your call to ministry, don’t confuse it with feeling discouraged or insecure. Deep down, we all feel that in ministry.

Affirmation and encouragement are absolutely healthy and necessary things to have in your ministry, but never should we base a calling to ministry on the praise or opinions of others. Base your calling on the Lord’s direction in your life.

Uncategorized

Mar 31

Discouraged

Posted by Josh

I admit that I rarely allow discouragement to get the better of me.  I typically am the type of person that allows most things to roll off my back and then move on.  God has allowed me to go through alot of challenges in my life and in ministry but I can’t think of a time where I have been more discouraged.  I understand and realize that God is definitely in control of all things and I suppose sometimes that is where discouragement seems to set in.  Because in the reality of everything I am in control of nothing.  It seems that lately I have been continually reminded of this.  God has continued to teach me humility and sometimes that daily prayer that I say “God reveal in me those things that are not of You” just gets harder and harder.  There are days I don’t want to say it but I continually am confronted with those thing that are not of God that are in my life.

I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to intern at making and I am doing one of the things that I love most which is ministering with students.  I have had the opportunity to speak on Wednesdays and Sundays and it has been awesome sometimes to see the teens response the word of God.  I have had numerous teens come and counsel with me after a message and tell me what God has spoken to them.  In addition I have had adults do the same thing.  God has truly blessed.  However I know that God has called me to full time Christian Service and I guess that is where the discouragement comes in.

I t is so hard to know that God has called you to something and yet feel like you are not doing what God has called you to do.  For the first time in my life I have questioned what God has called me to do.  I know God has called me but I suppose it is hard when you sit back and you wait on Gods plan to unfold.  So often we want things to happen so fast.

I have given my life to christian service.  In the last 14 years I have served in two churches and have  seen numerous teens come to know Christ as savior.  I have seen numerous teens be baptized, and have seen numerous teens live out there faith.  I pray that I have effected lives in ways that I will never know and I pray that God has somehow used me to change peoples lives forever.  However I continue to find myself asking God “what about now God”  God amI done?  God are my days of full time ministry over?  Have I done all  that you wanted me to accomplish in full time ministry?  I feel  the answer comes back no that God has more for me.  Oh but it is so hard when you cannot see it.  This is just how I feel.

Uncategorized

May 31

Farewell Pennsylvania

Posted by Josh

Just recently I left Pennsylvania with my wife and my 10 day old son and started the trek to Missouri.  Currently I am in Urbana Illinois staying in the Eastland Suites.  If you are ever this way I would recommend them.  One of my good friends asked me what I was going to do on my last day in PA.  I really did not know what I would do but my last day was definitely a busy one.  

It started by waking up and finishing some things up for our move.  We had some cleaning and some other things to do.  We then took our baby to see a few people later that day and then spent some time with some friends.  It was a good time.  I enjoyed my last day just spending time with some old friends two of which I had not had the chance to talk to in awhile.  It was so nice to just catch up with people and to just sit down and be myself and hang out and act goofy with others.  One of the guys I hung with has his own site you can check it out here.  I knew all of these guys from tie in Youth Ministry together.   To be honest I could not think of a better way to spend my last day then just being me and that is what I had the chance to do.

Over my 9 years in PA it has been great.  It has been awesome to see how the Lord has allowed me to have an effect on the lives of many, many teenagers.  I had so many opportunities to lead teens to Christ and had the chance to see many teens not only come to know the Lord but to also follow after the Lord in their lives.  ore than one parent thanked me for the affect I had on the life of their teen.  I can remember one parent that spent some time talking with me and brought me to tears.  I praise the Lord for the gifts he has given me and I pray that I have made a difference in PA in the lives of those that I have had the opportunity to minister to.  Whether they were teens or adults.  I believe a legacy is not found really in what you leave behind at the church but what you leave behind in the lives of those you have touched.  When I left PA I left a part of my heart with those God blessed me to minister to.  Whether it was through a Bible class, a sermon, or just being there for someone.  I pray God bless you all and may God use you to bring others to Him.

Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application

May 15

Only the Lonely

Posted by Josh

I remember as a college student at Hannibal LaGrange College a professor saying that ministry in lonely.  If I recall correct he said that to be in ministry is to be in some of the loneliest time you will ever know.  When asked why he stated because you feel like you cant have any real friends.  I thought this cant be true but it is.  Why is ministry so lonely?  Does it have to be that way?  Why do pastors and youth pastors feel like they have to shelter themselves from everyone?  Why do we not let people see the real us?

I have been a Youth Pastor for over 14 years and they have been some of the loneliest years of my life.  I have often wondered why?  It seems odd that we have certain criteria that we want followed and we often do not want people to step outside of our box.  Somehow and idea has invaded the church that a pastor can not sin or can do no wrong so Pastors shelter themselves trying to live the perfect life.  I rarely have had anyone that I could just poor my heart out to and tell them what I was feeling and why I was feeling it.   Even at times when I did share struggles or problems I was judged instead of loved.  

I can’t tell you how many times I would sit at home with my wife and wish we had someone just to hang out with.  Hoping maybe some people would just call us up or that we could just go out to eat with someone or watch a movie with someone.  This happened a few times with some people some more then others.  It is odd that a Pastor can stand in the pulpit and have people hanging on every word but outside of the pulpit no one seems to care.  I have some great friends that accept me for who I am unfortunately they are thousands of miles away some not that far but they all have their own ministries.  The funny thing is loneliest is one of the number one reasons pastors leave.  I do not like the loneliness especially right now with all that is going on.  But I think of those words from my professor “to enter into ministry is to enter into some of the loneliest time ever.”

And as I think of the possibility of getting back into ministry I am forced to ask myself this question.  ”Do I want to be lonely?”

Life, My Thoughts

May 09

High Cost of Living Ouch

Posted by Josh

So I have had alt of churches contacting me over the last weeks which has been crazy in itself.  The reason it is crazy is because I don’t know how alot of these Churches even know about me or that I am available.  Most of these churches are from all over the US Texas, North Carolina, and so forth.  I have never really looked that deep into any of these positions as far as what the towns are like and so forth.  I especially had not looked into the cost of living into any of these places.  

Honestly I am still undecided on what I want to do or pursue.  I really think a year off from full time ministry is probably what is best for me and my family right now as we need to heal.  At the same time I want to be open to where the Lord may lead and doors He may open to me.

Anyway there has been one Pastor that has been in contact with me for a little bit now and has really pursued after me.  They have just built a brand new facility completed a few months ago and are currently running about 60 kids and the church has about 280.  He asked for a statement of beliefs from me and I send it out to him and we seem to have alot in common.  Though I am still unsure what the Lord may want and even though personally this sounds like it would be a perfect fit for me as far as a church and even location though I would still be far from family.

Well here is the part that scares me.  The pastor said I want you to look at the cost of living here as housing is very expensive and that is the downside to our location.  I was thinking well how bad could this be I mean I live in Berks County PA and housing is expensive here so I thought.  Anyways I began to check out realtors and and soon found out that housing was through the roof.  The cheapest house I found was for 189,000 and that was a trailer on some land.  Ouch you talk about expensive.  So I did some more research thinking we could probably rent and be ok.   There was a three bedroom 2 bath trailer for rent it was only 1200 ouch again.  Man this has totally floored me.  After some more digging I found that the cost of living in this place was 16% above the us average.  The good news they are one of the fastest growing counties in the US.  

Well to some it up there is alot of potential in this church and if God calls us there He would definitely have to supply.  Please understand names, and places have been left out intentionally.

Life, My Thoughts

Apr 27

Teens are Involved

Posted by Josh

Yesterday (4-26) I had the awesome privilege of being a room host at our Regional Teens Involved.  If you are not familiar with Teens Involved it is a competition that is hosted by Word Of Life (if you are not familiar with them then that can be another blog) anyway at this competition teens can compete in 23 different categories.  Yesterday I hosted the instrumental room which was a riot for me because I know very little about music.  What I was so impressed with was the quality of teens that were in this competition. I had the wonderful opportunity to pray with every teen before they performed and to chat with them briefly and wow.  We hear so much bout our teens doing bad things and this and that but these teens wanted to be there.  These teens wanted to give what they had to the Lord.  Specifically I remember one young lady playing her violin and I was nearly moved to tears.  My heart was encouraged being with those teens.

My heart was also encouraged as I had the opportunity to hear two young men preach.  These young men are special to me as I have had the opportunity to be a part of their life and have even lead one of them to Christ.  It was so awesome to hear them clearly lay out the gospel and clearly give a plan of salvation.  It was neat to hear that they had taken my advice.  Though I am saddened to not be their Youth Pastor anymore do to my recent resignation (thats another blog), I am excited to see them live for the Lord.  Both these guys and many others hold a special place in my heart more so then they or anyone else will probably ever know.  Guys if you read this you did an awesome job and I am so proud of you,

Teens are the church of now and into the future and it is a joy to see them serve.  I would encourage you if you are involved in a church what are you passing on to those that are below you.  Look for someone to get involved with and pass the things of God on to them.

My Thoughts, Spiritual Application, Uncategorized

Job | Bad Days Better

by Josh Monda | Jun 18, 2009 | Uncategorized

It has been along time since I have posted primarily because I have been so busy.  I know that is hard to believe that I have been busy without a job but I sure I have been.  Rather than update about Mike Erre’s book (I will do that later) I thought I would just give some things that have been going on in my life.

I’ll start with the crusade we recently had.  I meet with one of our Pastors pretty regularly and I really enjoy the time I get to spend with him.  Leading up to the crusade he asked me if I would like to help with train the counselors I of course jumped at the opportunity because this is the very thing I love to do.  So I spent a few nights getting things ready and going over the training and then we trained the counselors for two evenings, to be ready for the response we were expecting during the crusade.  The Impact Macon Crusade was February 22-25 and I was there every night.  We saw God move in a remarkable way during that week we saw over 100 decisions for Christ and over 90 0n one night.  I must say I was not ready for over 90 people to respond to the gospel that night but it was wonderful.  Hey they were all counseled to.

Secondly I was asked if I could teach a book of the Bible to the youth what book would it be.  I replied I would go through the book of James and the response was “why don’t you teach it” of course I jumped at that any time I get a chance to teach some teens I am going to do it.  So on Sunday nights I am taking our Student Overflow through James.  I pray and hope they are enjoying it.  I have already taught through James so I already have the messages done, but if you know me you know I spend a great deal of time with message prep even if I have already done it before and making sure I am saying what the Lord wants me to say.

Thirdly the first week in March I started taking over the Wednesday evening teaching to the Youth.  This has been going great once again I love teaching the teens.  On Wednesdays I typically play a game with them and then we go over prayer requests and then I teach.  I desire to see both these ministries grow tremendously and I have seen God definitely working on the hearts of some of the teens that come.

Fourthly I received a call from the principal here at Atlanta school and was asked if I could come in and teach Science while the current teacher is away on maternity leave.  I accepted the position.  Which if you are a teacher you know the work that gos into lessons and so forth.  So for the next few weeks I am now a Science teacher.  I must say that teaching in the public school is a lot different then teaching in Christian School, or teaching at church, however the kids seem to like me as a teacher and some even thanked me for teaching.

Finally all of this has been happening while still sending out resumes (required for state aid) and while going through an interview process with a church that is interested me.  So yeah I have been busy but hey I like being busy.  Please pray I will be directed to the church God wants me at and that I will know it and so will the church.