"Brothers And Sisters In Christ" is held each Thursday night while UNI classes are in session. Up to 800 students converge in the Lang Hall Auditorium at UNI for student-led worship. A time of Biblical teaching is typically led by a college ministry leader from one of the sponsoring organizations: Orchard Hill Church, Lampost, or Nazareth Lutheran Church. Everyone's welcome to join us at BASIC!
Who’s Speaking at BASIC?
August 28 :: Jeff Mickey
August 28 :: Ice Cream Party/Ministry Fair
September 4 :: Matt Hoffert
Septermber 11 :: Karla Chestnut
September 18 :: Jeff Hanson
September 25 :: Adam Koester
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Thoughts
Be Happy!
(Secret 5)
Jeff Mickey
OHC College Director
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:39
Week 5
It’s the last week of our how to be happy series. The 5th and final secret to happiness included in the book, Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die is “give more than you take.” This is so counter cultural to a western world that has bought into the ideals of instant gratification and consumerism. We can do or get almost anything we want, anytime we want, any way we want it. And many times we do simply because it brings us pleasure. It makes us feel good. It makes us happy. But it’s never a lasting happiness. The new car smell fades in a matter of weeks or months. The credit card or cell phone bill shows up and I suddenly have a case of buyer’s remorse. On the other hand, I’ve never heard someone just back from a mission trip say, “Boy that was a waste of time and money. I wish I wouldn’t have done that,” or a person who has just given someone a special gift say, “That was stupid. I really regret doing that.” No matter how hard the trip might be or how much of a sacrifice the gift is there is something about participating in this way of living that touches and satisfies the deepest part of our soul. Jesus said if you want a meaningful life, you will give yours away for my sake. And then he modeled that for us. He comes and he models servant-leadership, washing his disciples’ feet, spending time with sinners, surrendering the power that was rightfully his, he gives up his life to be crucified on the cross for our sake. And as Paul explains so well, he did it for the joy set before him (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus gave his life away to save us and redeem us and to bring His father glory. He also modeled a meaningful and happy life. When we follow Jesus’ way in the world, when we do as he did and give more than we take, our external circumstances may or may not improve, but our souls will be satisfied with joy.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.”
Matthew 6:34
Week 4
Live in the moment. Don’t look back or forward or judge the present. This is the 4th Secret You Must Discover Before You Die according to author John Izzo. This is not a new revelation of truth. In fact it is ancient. Solomon, credited with being one of the wisest kings to ever live, came to the same conclusion in Ecclesiastes. “Nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad” (Ecc. 9:15). Essentially Solomon says we can’t understand all of God’s ways, much is meaningless to us. People who deserve good suffer. People who deserve punishment are often rewarded. It doesn’t seem to make any sense. But we must remember that God’s ways are much higher than our ways and He sees the whole picture: the past, present, and the future and has our best interests and His glory in mind in all things. This thought should fill our hearts with awe. It should empower us to find contentment and gratitude and joy in the moments He gives to us, for life is fleeting.
Jesus, himself, spoke this great truth in his Sermon on the Mount, telling the people, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear... Look at the birds of the air... Your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable...” (Matthew 6:25-26)? What are you anxious or worrying about? You don’t have to live in the future. You can trust God to provide everything you need, when you need it, to face what will come. What regrets are you holding onto? Are you living with anger? If so, you’re living in the past. Both living in the future and living in the past paralyze and prevent us from living in and enjoying the moment. Jesus says you can trust God even if you can’t understand all His ways. God has proven himself faithful and good and loving even to the little birds. How much more does He care for your every need? When we truly embrace this truth it brings us incredible freedom and an amazing blessing to enjoy the moment, to live joy-filled, meaningful lives. Obviously this doesn’t mean smooth waters and sunny days the rest of our lives. And it doesn’t give us license to ignore the injustice, oppression, and evil that exists. But it does remind us who is in charge of both the sunny and rainy days. Seek first His kingdom and his righteousness and you will find yourself better able to live in the moment!
We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
1 Thessalonians 2:8
Week 3
Become love! That’s the 3rd of Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, the secrets to a happy, meaningful life. The author of this book, John Izzo, did not create this idea. Neither did the people he interviewed for his book. They simply discovered one of God’s deepest truths – Love Wins! It’s exactly what Paul writes about time and time again in his letters to the early churches that he and the other disciples planted. He tells the church of Thessalonica, we not only came to proclaim the good news of Jesus to you, we came to demonstrate his love, to share their lives. And if you know Paul’s story you also know that this isn’t a golden ticket to easy street. Becoming love isn’t a guarantee of success, fame, riches, popularity, security, or anything else we often equate with happiness. In fact, it seems sacrifice and struggle are often wrapped up in joy and fulfillment. This is the path to true happiness. It’s the path God chose. God loved us so much that He put on flesh and blood and became love to restore us and show us the way to an abundant, happy, meaningful life. So how’s it going for you? How are you doing at becoming love this week? How are you doing at becoming love today? I’ve got a long ways to go. I hope you’ll join me and help me on this journey!
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:35-36
Week 2
Do you have any regrets about choices you’ve made in your life so far? Don’t let them rob you of your joy in the Lord. Leave no regrets is the second “secret” to happiness in John Izzo’s book, The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die, featured in the Des Moines Register last week. Is it possible to live a life without any regrets? Can you live this week, or even today without any regrets? What would that look like? I pray that you discover a life without regrets this week as you listen for God’s leading in your life, courageously step out in faith to follow, and embrace the grace and forgiveness of Jesus when you fail!
Intro to Series
"What makes you happy?" Right about now I’m thinking a nice, sunny, 80 degree day with nothing to do but hang out and enjoy being outside would really make me happy! Truth is nothing can really “make” you happy. It’s a choice. The Des Moines Register had a great feature February 10 on how to be happy. It revealed 5 “secrets” to happiness. And it was amazing to realize as I read these that they really aren’t secrets – but they are truths God wants us to know and truths He revealed to us through His word and through Jesus. I thought maybe I’d write about one each week for 5 weeks. By then it will officially be Spring – the season of new life, happiness, hope (and warmer weather)!)
(The Register highlighted the five secrets from a book by John Izzo called "The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die." Here they are: 1) Be true to yourself, 2) Leave no regrets, 3) Become love, 4) Live the moment, and 5) Give more than you take. In an attempt to avoid controversy and eliminate criticism that I am just embracing some worldly notion of happiness or some psycho-babble disguised as truth, let me just say that to some degree you may have a point. And I would definitely prioritize my list differently. You would also be correct to point out that there is no mention of God in this list. So, before I start to look at the first listed "secret" lets start with the assumption that we agree that this is not an exhaustive list and that all happiness is a gift from God, and that we might even prioritize our secrets to happiness differently. Let's also agree that all truth is God's truth and none of these statements is complete truth. The first two truths on the list present the most difficulty for me as a Christian. As stand alone statements and taken at face value they appear to encourage a selfish approach to life in direct opposition to the humility of Jesus' selfless approach. Still, I think that if you dig a little deeper, there is some truth to be discovered).
Week 1
Be true to yourself - "because you are fearfully and wonderfully made." The writer of Psalm 139 cries out with praise at the woderful works of God. "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place," he says. The truth is God made you. At the very least, He oversaw the process and approved the work order. He made each one of us unique and he desires for us to know how we are made and to use that knowledge for our happiness, the happiness of others around us and for His glory. He gave you strengths and passions and experiences and spiritual gifts and a personality that He didn't give to me or to anyone else. And he gave you these things to bring you happiness and to bring himself Glory. The way you bring him glory is through your deep satisfaction in Him and that includes your deep satisfaction in his creation, the pinnacle of which is human life, including yours.
Have you ever noticed how some people are just more comfortable in their own skin than other people are? Often, it seems they just have a peace about them, a satisfaction that puts others at ease. Man do I want that for myself. I just struggle so often with jealousy and envy. I'm comparing myself to others all the time. I want to be good at music like that guy. I wish I was funny like that person. Boy if I was good at that or smart like that or had that talent I'd be set. The truth is I have a lot of great strengths and gifts and to deny that the gifts God has given me are also good is to deny the goodness of my heavenly Father. God made me who I am so that I can bring him glory and so that I can live a rich, happy life, filled with the deep satisfaction that comes from knowing him and his goodness. Knowing who I am and being true to myself, to who He made me to be, is a great beginning for knowing that happiness.
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