Ronnie Rasmussen

You Got To Risk It, To Get The Biscuit!

A while back I was talking with some junior high guy students... For those of you that have ever worked with junior high guys, I feel your pain. Only kidding, junior high guys are the bomb! So we were talking about the typical things junior high guys love to talk about: sex, girls, & well sex again. One of the students suggested that when it comes to getting girls you have to "Risk it, to get the biscuit". Of course everyone laughed because let's be honest that's hilarious, and if you're not laughing I'm sorry you don't have a sense of humor. I'll be praying for you. I began to think about it & how there could be two ways this could go, either straight to someone being a pervert or it being leveraged for Jesus. Most of us probably didn't choose the high road at first, saying "I'm going to risk it to get the biscuit for Jesus". And you know that's okay, I didn't, we're not perfect. Here's the deal, God began to speak to me about this & how it could be used for the kingdom. Get your seat belts on, here we go. We as "Christians" have to be willing to risk our: lives, popularity status, comfortable Christian lifestyle, jobs, relationships, ect... To get the biscuit: PEOPLE REACHED FOR JESUS! That's what it's all about gang, it's about giving up our selfish ways & desires so that other people can meet Jesus. Here are three questions I started to ask myself...

Am I caring about what people think?

-For those of you that struggle with insecurity this is a big deal, been there done that. We should only care about what God thinks not man. That's straight Galatians 1:10!

What is getting in the way of me & God?

-This could be anything: having sex before marriage with your girlfriend(be a man & treat her right, respect her!), Being obsessed with money, alcoholism, drug addictions, you get the point. Sin separates us from God, That's why there is Jesus & what he did on the cross! Whatever is getting in the way of you reaching a full life in Christ, get rid of it! You have freedom over it! I will use this verse a million times, Galatians 5:10 it never gets old! 

Would I give up EVERYTHING to live for Jesus?

-I'm SO serious about this! Sell your house! Actually give it away! Some of you are thinking would you really? ABSOLUTELY! If it meant someone getting saved or that's what I felt God was leading me to do, I would do it! Doing what God wants is far greater than what we want, & His plan is better than ours! Plain & simple. Let's use the story of the rich young ruler. (Mark 10:17-29) This guy wants to follow Jesus & Jesus straight up says in verse 21, "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." This guy walked away looking like someone just told him his pet dinosaur died. I'm sorry if Jesus was like go sell everything you have, I would do it in a heart beat. Fact of the matter is most of us wouldn't and that kills me. Do you really think your life here on earth is better than what God has for? It's not & if you do I'm sorry & I'm praying you have a true encounter with God.

You got to risk it, to get the biscuit. My translation: We need to be willing to abandon EVERYTHING to live for Jesus & to reach people for Jesus. Isn't that what being a Christian is all about? I Love you all! You're in my prayers!  

Are You Burnt Out?

The past couple weeks I have been feeling SO "burnt out" spritiually, mentally, & physically which by the way is NOT good if you are in some sort of leadership. God doesn't want us that way hence the "sabbath", there hasn't been one of those in my life for the past two months. That is nobody's fault except my own. If I'm not a 100% in my life I cant be a 100% for other people, and I can't stand not giving people my best. The world can go without you & I for a day and I'm so glad it's like that!!!

Let's use the story about the baker... A baker is always running around getting ingredients, preparing the food, & giving it to people. Right? So he gets so busy doing all of that stuff to help other people but he forgets about himself. What happens? The baker dies because he wasn't feeding himself or taking care of himself. He was too busy taking care of everybody else he forgot about why he's doing it. Let's NOT be like the baker!

A good leader doesn't do that, a good leader makes time for him/her self to get "fed". It's okay to tell people no! It's okay to be selfish when making time for you & God. If you don't you're going to be "burnt out" & useless to other people. I don't know about you but that's not the kind of leader I want to be known as. I want to be able to give everyone my best! Jesus would go to a quiet place & pray quite often.(Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16 )  I believe that he does that so he can recharge his batteries & give us an example that we need to find our quiet place & be alone with God so wedon't get "burnt out". If he did it so should we.

 I pray that if this is you that your eyes would be open & your heart would be soft to do this if you are "dead" spiritualy, mentally, or physically. Love you guys! I leave you with this verse.

Matthew 11:28-30 28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

 

 

 

A Movement

This morning I was listening to "God Is Moving" from Hillsong United's first CD. There are a few lines that get me SO PUMPED! It goes like this: "There's a stirring in the Spirit,There's an urgency in this hour, We as children must obey, Can you hear the footsteps of God?" These lyrics just bring so many emotions to me to name a few:

1) Overwhelmed with joy because I see students, parents, grandparents, ect... running to Jesus to take away the wounds in their hearts. I'm so jacked right now I could run a marthon & do 10 backflips! God is SO good!

2) Burdened with tears because I see so many Junior Highers & High Schoolers feeling hopeless, broken, & lost yet they continue to conform to what soceity says is "cool". Let me tell you that drinking alcohol, doing drugs, & having sex(out of marriage) isn't cool at all actually it's a waste of time. I get so ticked off when I hear girls saying that they're not beautiful or that they are "fat". Girls you are beautiful because God says you are! Society says you have to have big boobs, the perfect face, great hair, & so on but that's not what God says! Just remember God thinks you're beautiful & so do I! It's time for change in this generation & I see it on the rise... A generation that answers the call to a higher standard & lives by what God says! It kills me when I hear these kids say that they drink, do drugs, or have sex to take away pain, my heart cries for them! Parents if you're reading this WAKE UP! This kind of stuff is really going on! If you are in junior high or high school & you're reading this know that I am for you, I believe that you can be the change, that I'm praying for you & that I Love you!

3) God is waiting to unleash a HUGE out pouring on this generation. That gets me FREAKIN JACKED!!! He's waiting for you to answer the call, to step up to the plate, the ball is in your court it's the fourth quarter make your move! Press into Jesus. He can fulfill any desire, want, hurt, pain, ect... in your life! He WANTS you to run to him! What do you have to lose?

Ask God to do BIG things(I can't say that enough), I'm praying that he will in each & everyone of your lives! Let's be the change the world needs, let's live as Jesus did with love & compassion! Love you all!

Thoughts On Junior High Ministry.

When you think of junior high students there are a few words that instantly come to mind (for me atleast)... Routy, Akward, Bad B.O.(usually the guys), A.D.D. Those are just to name a few. I've been leading a small group of J-high guys which by the way they are AWESOME and if there has been one thing God has tought so far through leading them it is definitely patience! I REALLY believe in them and I am so for them, I think a lot of times people just avoid junior highers because of their age. When I look at them I see students that have so much potential but they aren't doing anything with it because they don't know how to "unlock" it. I've heard the "well you're only in junior high" excuse WAY too many times! I personally believe that those years of 6th, 7th, & 8th grade are SO important. Not only do you start to develop who you are and what life is all about but also who you are in Christ. My thoughts, ideas, & questions to help them "unlock" that potential, help them figure out who they are, & help you work with them...

-Cast vision into their lives, They want hope & to know that though they are young they can still do great things!!!

-Ask them if they died today what 5 characteristics they would want to be remembered by...

-Help them discover their gifts!(SO IMPORTANT!!!)

-Point them to Jesus!

-Be there for them! This is HUGE!

-Go to sports events! Speaks volumes to them though you may not see it outwardly expressed, inwardly they think you're the bomb!

-Be the leader God has called!

You aren't going to always have the answers to every question they ask & if you don't thats okay! Just be who you are & who God called you to be! that is a great example: your own life!!! Be Blessed!

It...

I've been reading a book called It by Craig Groeschel. If you haven't read it or heard of it then get it & read it! God has really been showing me some awesome things through the book & bringing a lot of thoughts as well as questions to me. Have you ever wondered if your ministry has it? Here are some questions you could ask yourself...

1) Is God in complete control of my ministry?

2) Am I doing the talking or is God?

3) Is there growth?

4) Are lives being changed?

I believe these questions can completely rock your ministry! Our ministries should be completely God centered because isn't that who ministry is all about? Beg God to do BIG things & show up in incredible ways! We need to let the holy spirit speak through us! God is waiting for you to ask him what he wants you to speak or teach on! Just ask!!! I personally am a huge believer that if there isn't growth something isn't being done right. When God is moving people run to that! All you have to do is ask him to move but you have to be willing to do crazy things! Don't keep him in a box! Only God can change people! You cant nor can I, but God CAN! So people let's let God reign in our lives! Let's get on our faces and beg him! so our ministries can have It!