WOTS Issue 9
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
- WORD ON THE STREET MAGAZINE (WOTS) is a UW-Stout affiliated publication released twice per semester that has been in publication for 16 years. WOTS is written, laid out, and printed by members of Street Level Ministries on UW-Stout and UW-Superior campuses. We also print a version of the magazine on Cebu Island in the Philippines. We’re Christians who love Jesus and want to write about life, God, and college. [email protected] ReadWots.com MEET THE WOTS STAFF: from three cities and 2 countries UW-STOUT, Menomonie, WI UW-Superior, Superior, WI Cebu City, Philippines 2 FEATURED ARTICLES PHILIPPINES EXCLUSIVES INTEREST STORIES TOLERANCE OR SALTED ANTHONY’S INTOLERANCE? CONVERSATIONS STORY 12 5 17 Christian Athletes Summer Camp 2015! You Don’t Know Beans page 4 page 16 page 10 Modern Genocide: Iraq The 90s is the New 80s Band Interview: page 8 page 6 Hello December page 15 Signs You’re Starving Find Great Hangouts for Satisfaction page 7 page 18 3 Athletes you Didn’t Know were Christians 5Word on the Street, a branch of Street Level Ministries, wants to know what interests our readers. So when Street Level hosted their annual Block Party at the beginning of the semester, we did a poll asking students what they’d like to read about in the magazine. Thank you to everyone that participated! We chose one article, but all of your votes and suggestions will be considered in upcoming issues. The topic chosen is “Jesus in athletics”. Here are links and a short description of five athletes you may not have known were Christians. Type in the direct links below or go online to www.iamsecond.com and search for these athletes to hear their testimonies. Being a Christian is a way of life, not just a belief. God, if you let Him, can permeate everything you do. Being an athlete can be a way to shine for God using what you are passionate about. Listen to these guys tell about how they came to know God and the influence He has in the ring, on the field, on the ice and in the end-zone. Josh Hamilton -Outfielder for Cincinnati Reds “The next night I asked God; I said I need help. I’ve been trying to do this so long that I can’t do it anymore. I can’t try anymore because I fail on my own. You do with me what Mike Fisher you want to do with me. I -Hockey player for surrender.” Nashville Predators -www.iamsecond.com/seconds/josh-hamilton/ “At 19 I made it to the NHL. I made it. I made my dream. Everything was good on the exterior, but on the interior it was not Clayton Kershaw good at all.” -Pitcher for L.A. Dodgers -www.iamsecond.com/seconds/mike-fisher/ “When I kind of relinquished control of my life was the day I got drafted. That was life changing…It is just an amazing providence God had in my life. Landry Jones God was there the whole time I -Quarterback for just didn’t bother to look.” Pittsburg Steelers -www.iamsecond.com/seconds/clayton-kershaw/ “I had nothing I needed, I had everything. So I didn’t Vitor Belfort think I needed God.” -MMA Fighter in Ultimate Fighting -www.iamsecond.com/seconds/landry-jones/ “A lot of people say man, how can you serve God when you are there, you are punching, you are kicking someone? What about hockey or American football? Everyone is a fighter.” -www.iamsecond.com/seconds/vitor-belfort/ 4 Delicious! Think about your favorite food. Maybe it’s Crispy Pata, Pork Chop, Chocolate Cake, Ice Cream, or Pizza. Is your mouth watering yet? One of my favorites is Spaghetti, but I don’t love all the spaghetti in the world. There are only some that get my taste, and I believe you As food gets its taste from the can relate to this. We all have preferences the principles we live in taste and not all cooks have the same by and the things we value. For instance, ingredients used, we speak taste, so they prepare food differently. A when we fall in love with a person, we tend lot depends on which ingredients are used, to talk about him/her all the time. “Bukang according to the things that we and how much of each ingredient is there. bibig” in our language, because what is inside of our hearts bursts through our feed our hearts with – these are Speaking of ingredients, salt is a very speech. important and essential factor in cooking the things we believe in and the every kind of food. Have you tried a simple Now, if your words were to be converted to fried fish without first seasoning it with food, what would it be? Would it be fresh things we value. salt? The right amount of salt releases the and delicious, seasoned perfectly, or stinky, tastiness of food. It brings out all of the flavorless and spoiled? As we continually desire to have a delicious food’s best qualities. Indeed without salt, taste in every word we speak, let us not If you answered spoiled food, then we know food is never good. Keep this in mind as forget to season our hearts with salt, which there is something wrong. We may excuse you read the following Bible verse: is the Word of God, each and every day of ourselves by saying people just do not know our lives. Let us ask God that our hearts what we have gone through. We blame our “Let your speech always be will constantly seek His Word and that it family background or our sad childhood. gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you will be what will fill our hearts. As And we can definitely think of other ways to may know how you ought to answer each mentioned earlier, our speech is the output justify our speech. person.” of the input in our hearts. Let us make God’s Word the primary input every -Colossians 4:6 But this is what we know: that you can second of our lives and as a result it will be change it and turn your spoiled-food-taste the primary output of our mouths as well. Just like with food, the words that you words into fresh and delicious words that attract others to Jesus. Jesus Christ already speak reveal what is inside of you. As food Lastly, let us be watchful with the things died for your sins 2000 years ago including gets its taste from the ingredients used, we that we see and hear. speak according to the things that we feed your speeches that were negative, bad, foul our hearts with – these are the things we and offensive. This is the good news! “Above all else, guard your heart, for believe in and the things we value. How do Through God’s grace to all of us—no everything you do flows from it”. we feed our hearts? First, it is through our exceptions—we have the hope to restore - Proverbs 4:23 lifestyle. One famous saying goes, “You are our hearts. God promised that He will clean what you repeatedly do.” What materials our hearts as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18); ABOVE ALL ELSE! guard your heart! Let us do we frequently read? The movies or TV He will remove our defiled hearts and give not allow lies, anything negative and shows that we always watch? The websites us a new heart (Ezekiel 11:18). especially sinful things inside our hearts. that we always surf through the internet? Let us not allow things that will stain our The music that we always listen to? The Without Christ in our lives, we are full of hearts to enter. But this is possible only speeches that we always attend? These insecurities. These insecurities were why I through the grace of God. Indeed God’s things effect and steer the words we say kept bad-mouthing other people and grace is amazing because He not only because they’ve impacted our hearts. gossiping about others. Perhaps we find forgave and gave us a new heart but he satisfaction when we are able to hurt others also gave us the strength to guard our Secondly, your environment feeds your and feel more powerful than them, but God hearts, if we ask Him. heart and drives your words. The people is able to give us new hearts when we ask that surround you significantly shape who for forgiveness from Him and live to love Remember Luke 6:45, “For the mouth you are. These are the “ingredients” of others as he did, even in our conversations. speaks what the heart is full of”. Let our your speech because these are what enter When we desire to be like Jesus, we will hearts be full of God, so each day our the passages to your heart: your eyes and start to have compassion and love towards speech will be seasoned with salt. ears. And what we put in our hearts other people so that we are able to speak eventually becomes what we believe in, goodness towards them. 5 If time proves anything, it has certainly shown that you can’t keep a good decade down. Welcome back, 90s, you’ve been missed. If you’ve recently sang at the top of your lungs when “MmmBop” resurrected from the dead on the radio, or if you’ve found yourself especially drawn to flannel as of late, you’ll know that the 90s is quickly sending the 80s out the door.