Archive for category Christian living

Hey Matt!

Sep 17

Posted by matrill in Christian living, Hey Matt! | No Comments

The concept of writing to oneself at a younger stage of life is certainly not original.  Numerous people have used this literary device to convey lessons they have learned through time and experience.  This is my first public attempt to reach back into the past and speak from acquired wisdom to that teenager growing up in the 1980s (and anyone else who will listen).  Although styles and society have changed greatly in thirty years, some principles that I have learned remain steadfast.

Hey Matt!

Take a good look at the people sitting around you in the cafeteria.  Listen to their conversations.  (Probably more trivial than meaningful, but you won’t see it that way.)  Think about who you consider to be your friends.  What common bonds draw you together?  Why is it so important to be accepted by certain groups?

At your ten-year class reunion, you will engage in conversation with some people you tended to look past in school.  The reason is that you share important common ground.  Others will still be friends, but you will discover a different foundation for your friendship.  Often, this common ground is a shared perspective, specifically our faith in Christ and a desire to serve Him.

I was reminded of that again last week in our men’s Bible study group.  I sat with some of the same guys that are at the lunchroom table across from you.  You probably hear conversations revolving around homework, sports, music, and girls (not necessarily in that order).  On the same campus thirty years later, we were discussing how to make our life’s work have lasting value.  We challenged each other to be a witness in the workplace and elsewhere.  Every week there is some talk of how to become a godly husband and father.

It’s funny to think of the contrast between our choice of topics in 1982 and 2010.  I find that I like some of the same people that I did in high school – for a whole new set of reasons.  Mind you, there was a great group of teenagers at Keswick back then.  I just don’t remember our primary topic of conversation always being about maintaining a separated life and striving for excellence in our walk with God.

Use biblical standards and pick your friends wisely.  Don’t be afraid to think deep thoughts and speak about spiritual concepts.  Be bold about your faith.  One day a lot of your friends will eagerly talk about their love for the Lord and His Word.  Consider this your chance to be a trendsetter.

By the way, keep your plaid board shorts.  Eventually, they will be back in style – or at least your kids will need them for ‘80s day at school.

What do you wish you could tell your teen-aged self?

Fatherhood means…

Sep 10

Posted by matrill in Christian living, parenting | No Comments

In 1970, the film Love Story produced the popular statement “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”  I completely disagree with that sentiment, but that is a topic for another article.  However, in a similar vein I have discovered a personal summary of parenting.  “Fatherhood means enjoying your children’s success more than your own.”

I recently noticed this during a football game when I heard the voice from the booth announce, “Tackle made by #56 Justin Trill.”  I realized that the feeling I experienced was stronger and more gratifying than if I had heard my own name announced.  I have recognized this through the years as I watched my daughter congratulated for serves that stymied the opposing team or a big basket that turned the tide of a game.  I have felt that emotion when Aaron held up his blue ribbon at a regional art competition or his first-place medal from youth league basketball.  The same thing applies to their academic achievements. Thankfully, I also realize that I receive even greater joy from seeing my son stand in front of a congregation to present a song or testimony than in his opening up a hole in the defensive line for a running back.  The same is true for each of my children.

Therein lay the challenges for me.  First, my job as a parent is not to live vicariously through my children.  I have to remember that although their accomplishments may cast a reflection my way, they are still theirs. Second, and more importantly, I have to remember the relative value of their life’s work and consistently reinforce what is truly important.  (That’s tough for a guy that cheers as heartily as I do at their games.)  However, if I don’t do this well, they will be prone to fall into the same trap that many of us do; placing more value on popularity than on purity, more weight on success than on service, more focus on money than on ministry.  We should rejoice in every talent, ability, and gift that God gives to us.  However, we must recognize that real success in life is using them for Him.  Only then do they have genuine significance and eternal value.

Sure, I’m proud of my kids for their academic and athletic endeavors.  But, I’m even more grateful for spiritual successes.

By the way, a high school friend pointed me to this great article by Scott Linscott that reminds parents of the proper perspective we must maintain to encourage enduring faith  in our young people.

The Spirit in this Place

Mar 1

Posted by matrill in Christian living, music, New Testament Baptist Church | 1 Comment

Just before last night’s church service, a friend commented, “The spirit in this morning’s service was awesome.”  I quickly agreed and added that I noticed it from the first song through the final conversation at the door.  I am sure that we were talking about the same thing – the environment or atmosphere as God’s people met together.  Because it is hard to define completely, perhaps it must be experienced firsthand to understand it fully.  Although we refer to an earthly environment, I am convinced that it is a sense of God’s presence in our midst that we feel. 
Certainly, we can experience God’s presence in a personal way, but there is something wonderful and unique about the atmosphere in a gathering of God’s children.  I am convinced that preachers are acutely aware of the congregation’s spirit every week. We often talk of the “liberty” sensed in preaching to a group where “the Spirit of the Lord is” (2 Cor. 3:17).  Without His presence, we cannot duplicate or manufacture that environment.  We can have an enjoyable or exciting time, but not a spiritually meaningful one. 
How do we experience that spirit in a worship service?  Music certainly can play a part in tuning our spirit to meet with God.  Yesterday, we were blessed with a great brass trio, a choir rejoicing in God’s great mercy and love, and a congregation singing energetically about the victory we have in Jesus.  I especially appreciated how the songs directed our minds and hearts toward the message about our possessions in Christ and how that enables us to overcome the world. 
More than just music, the hearts of those gathering must be in tune with God’s Spirit.  We must find ourselves walking in the Spirit in the days before we meet together.  Obedient living aligns our spirit with His will and allows for genuine worship. 
Finally, earnest prayer is a vital component to invite God’s presence in our midst.  Can you imagine the impact of hundreds of God’s children seeking His face in the days and hours before they gather?  “Lord, renew a right spirit in me and meet with us as we worship you this week.”  He has promised to answer. 

Psalm 145:18-19  The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. [19] He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
If you are a part of New Testament Baptist Church, I hope you were there yesterday to experience it for yourself.  If not, I invite you to come next week with a heart prepared to meet with God. 
If you read this from somewhere else in the world, I pray that you find the opportunity to worship with a Bible-believing church that is filled with God’s presence.