Be Transformed

How to speak Christianese

2010-12-19T23:04:00.000-08:00

Saw this on another blog and wanted to share... enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H-29cJSuv8&feature=player_embedded

Thanksgiving Part 3

2010-11-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

What is a truly thankful heart? The past two days we’ve read the Thanksgiving Day proclamations from both, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, and now let’s look at how we do not commit idolatry when we give thanks. Let's see what pastor John Piper has to say in an excerpt from his book The Godward Life.

Jonathan Edwards has a word for our time that could hardly be more pointed if he were living today. It has to do with the foundation of gratitude.

True gratitude or thankfulness to God for his kindness to us, arises from a foundation laid before, of love to God for what he is in himself; whereas a natural gratitude has no such antecedent foundation. The gracious stirrings of grateful affection to God, for kindness received, always are from a stock of love already in the heart, established in the first place on other grounds, viz. God's own excellency.

In other words, gratitude that is pleasing to God is not first a delight in the benefits God gives (though that is part of it). True gratitude must be rooted in something else that comes first, namely, a delight in the beauty and excellency of God's character. If this is not the foundation of our gratitude, then it is not above what the "natural man," apart from the Spirit and the new nature in Christ, experiences. In that case "gratitude" to God is no more pleasing to God than all the other emotions which unbelievers have without delighting in him.

You would not be honored if I thanked you often for your gifts to me, but had no deep and spontaneous regard for you as a person. You would feel insulted, no matter how much I thanked you for your gifts. If your character and personality do not attract me or give me joy in being around you, then you will just feel used, like a tool or a machine to produce the things I really love.

So it is with God. If we are not captured by his personality and character, then all our declarations of thanksgiving are like the gratitude of a wife to a husband for the money she gets from him to use in her affair with another man. This is exactly the picture in James 4:3-4. James criticizes the motives of prayer that treats God like a cuckold: "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?" Why does he call these praying people "adulteresses"? Because, even though praying, they are forsaking their husband (God) and going after a paramour (the world). And to make matters worse, they are asking their husband (in prayer) to fund the adultery.

Amazingly, this same flawed spiritual dynamic is sometimes true when people thank God for sending Christ to die for them. Perhaps you have heard people say how thankful we should be for the death of Christ because it shows how much value God puts upon us. What is the foundation of this gratitude?

Jonathan Edwards calls it the gratitude of hypocrites. Why? Because, they first rejoice, and are elevated with the fact that they are made much of by God; and then on that ground, he seems in a sort, lovely to them. . . . They are pleased in the highest degree, in hearing how much God and Christ make of them. So that their joy is really a joy in themselves, and not in God.

It is a shocking thing to learn that one of today's most common descriptions of how to respond to the cross may well be a description of natural self-love with no spiritual value.

We do well to listen to Jonathan Edwards. Does he not simply spell out for us the Biblical truth that we should do all things-including giving thanks-to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)? And God is not glorified if the foundation of our gratitude is the worth of the gift and not the excellency of the Giver. If gratitude is not rooted in the beauty of God before the gift, it is probably disguised idolatry. May God grant us a heart to delight in him for who he is so that all our gratitude for his gifts will be the echo of our joy in the excellency of the Giver!

Thanksgiving Part 2

2010-11-23T22:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation and now here is the first Thanksgiving Day proclamation from a United States president, George Washington.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.  

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

Thanksiving Part 1

2010-11-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my friend Chad and I were talking about the Thanksgiving to come and Black Friday. We essentially began talking about the Proclamation that President Abraham Lincoln gave to the nation declaring the last Thursday in November to be set apart and observed "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” I then realized that George Washington was the first president to make a similar proclamation with a few others, then Lincoln brought back the tradition and every year since each president has done the same.

So I thought it would be cool to post up the two most famous proclamations leading up until Thanksgiving to give us a glimpse of how past generations viewed this day of Thanksgiving and hopefully some food for thought. This first one will be from Abraham Lincoln. Tomorrow will be from George Washington. Then we will look more inwards with some pastoral advice from John Piper, with some words from Jonathan Edwards on Wednesday.

October 3, 1863

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

A. Lincoln

Actions Speak Louder

2010-11-16T20:14:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u8oBEkOCFk

Lyrics:

Swoope
If I'm honest I'm tired, hungry, I'm frustrated, all of the above/
A little sore from civil war when all I seen was blood/
I shed tears, heartbroken, all I need is love/
Im Drowning fast in my sorrow, all of me is flood/
I've seen hurt, seen death, seen slaughter. Now I need some clean water, all I see is mud/
It's like nobody out there cares 'cause all I see is shrugs/
It's like nobody out there hears 'cause all their ears is plugged/
(Psalm 34)
Man I'm feeling like a lion whose hungry and weak/
So it's the mighty God of Zion who humbly I seek/
I stumble and weep/ with the tears running from cheeks/
Each moment I wonder if he will ever so subtly speak/
And I'm confident He will so I'm confidently still/
Deliver me from sickness Lord conquer what is ill/
I still stand, and when I'm rescued is His choice/
I stand still and know my refuge is His voice//

Tedashii
God, today another home somebody owned is now a puddle/why the rain came I wonder while they wander through the rubble/
Why me, why now, should they think why not/
Is everything against me to take everything I got/
Someone got out the bed this morning some got of the floor/some went off to work this morning some went off to war/
Some ate half a plate and trashed it just to get some more/but trust me that’s not an option in places like Darfur/
Vision blurry as the skies cries like my eyes/
In despair I cast my cares as I cry to the sky/
I never hope in man, though some are willing they’re unable/
But I’m the kind who’ll be fine with crumbs from the Master’s table/
I know this situation hasn’t caught you by surprise/
In fact it’s with faith I choose to walk instead of sight/
I know that you love ‘em, since the womb you knew them/
You never forget/so may the grace that drew ‘em, renew ‘em/

Lecrae
I don't have the words to articulate
the way you let me drown in your never ending grace
how my crimes are covered and washed away in blood
There is nothing in me conditioning you to make you love
I cant attract, impress or try to win your heart
but you give it all and you been involve
and your never change even when I'm wrong
your love still goes on to make an atonement
love infinite and unconditional
nothing can separate us cause now I live in you
there is no amount that can calculate your divine love
its so much that Christ was given to die for us
Its stronger than death, deeper than the ocean
bigger than the night sky the earth could never hold it
and its not impulsive, its holy and pure
its not a weakness or soft its sharp as a sword.

Make War

2010-11-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuYbkGAY_wU

Boasting

2010-09-30T15:40:00.000-07:00

What do you boast in?

Lecrae ft/ Anthony Evans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjkX3r5dB6U

Hook:
If this life has anything to gain at all
I count it lost if I can't hear you, feel you, 'cause I need you
Can't walk this earth alone
I recognize I am not my own, so before I fall
I need to hear you, feel you, as I live to make my boasting you alone

Verse 1:
With every breath I take, with every heart beat,
Sunrise and the moon lights in the dark street
Every glance, every dance, every note of a song
It's all a gift undeserved that I shouldn't have known
Every day that I lie, every moment I covet
I'm deserving to die, I'm just earning your judgment
I, without the cross there's only condemnation
If Jesus wasn't executed there's no celebration
So in times that are good, in times that are bad
For any times that I've had it all I will be glad
And I will boast in the cross, I boast in my pains
I will boast in the sunshine, boast in his reign (rain)
What's my life if it's not praising you
Another dollar in my bank account of vain pursuit, I do
That count my life as any value or precious at all
Let me finish my race, let me answer my call

(Hook)
If this life has anything to gain at all
I count it lost if I can't hear you, feel you, 'cause I need you
Can't walk this earth alone
I recognize I am not my own, so before I fall
I need to hear you, feel you, as I live to make my boasting you alone

Verse 2:
Tomorrow's never promised, but it is we swear
Think we holding our own, just a fist full of air
God has never been obligated to give us life
If we fall for our rights, we be in hell tonight
Mere sinners own nothing but a fierce hand
We never loved him we pushed away his pierced hands
I rejected his love, grace, kindness, and mercy
Dying of thirst, yet, willing to die thirsty
Eternally worthy, how could I live for less?
Patiently you turn my heart away from selfishness
I volunteer for your sanctifying surgery
I know the spirits purging me of everything that's hurting me
Remove the vale from my darkened eyes
So now every morning I open Your Word and see the Son (Sun) rise
I hope in nothin', boast in nothin', only in your sufferin'
I live to show your glory, dyin' to tell your story

(Hook)
If this life has anything to gain at all
I count it lost if I can't hear you, feel you, 'cause I need you
Can't walk this earth alone
I recognize I am not my own, so before I fall
I need to hear you, feel you, as I live to make my boasting you alone

Bridge:
Glory was solely meant for you
Doing what no one else could do
With all I have to give, (With all I have to give)
I'll use my life, I'll use my lips (My Lips, Yaaa)
I'll only glory in your work
What gift to me I don't deserve
I'll live in such a way that it reflects to you, my Praise

(Hook) (with Descant)
If this life has anything to gain at all
I count it lost if I can't hear you, feel you, 'cause I need you
Can't walk this earth alone
I recognize I am not my own, so before I fall
I need to hear you, feel you, as I live to make my boasting you alone

Mighty Men

2010-05-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

In 2 Samuel 23, there are many men who are called the mighty men whom David had. Here's a little sample of who these men are,

"And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. And David said longingly, 'Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!' Then three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord and said, 'Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?' Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did." (vv. 13 - 17)

Because King David was thirsty for some water, these three mighty men risked their lives to satisfy their king. They went into an area encamped by their enemies for water. WATER. They risked their lives for water. I was shocked after reading this a couple of times.

In this section of scripture, a lot of mighty men were associated as war heroes for Israel and Judah who fought valiantly for the Lord under the rule of King David. And then I got to wondering what do mighty men look like in our days? We live in a different context under a new covenant, so what would it look like?

Thabiti Anyabwile quotes John Wesley in his blog Pure Church, "Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell, and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth." These are the mighty men of today, people who will go hard for the Lord and will proclaim his name until death. Just like David's men risking their lives to serve him, are we willing to die daily to ourselves to serve our Lord and King, who is even greater than David. Are we willing to risk our lives, our security, our popularity, or whatever we trust in for Christ and His Kingdom? Will we go all out for the King of Kings?

I pray that God will raise up men who will go all out for him. GO HARD or GO HOME. 116 BABY

I'll leave you with a excerpt from John Piper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDWLFhHwtMY

The Son was Crushed

2010-05-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

CJ Mahaney preached a sermon at Resolved 2007 called the Suffering Servant based on Isaiah 53 and emphasized John 3: 16 in light of Isaiah 53. Powerful message and beautifully emphasizing who was behind the crucifixion of Christ.

For God so loved the world, that he crushed his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life

The Silence of The Lamb

2010-04-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

"But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed"

Matthew 27: 14

Charles Spurgeon wrote on this verse.

He was never slow of speech when He could bless the sons of men, but He would not say a single word for Himself. "Never man spake like him" (John 7: 46), and never was any man silent like Him. Was this singular silence the indication of His perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that He would not utter a word to stop the slaughter of His sacred person, which He had dedicated as an offering for us? Had He so entirely surrendered Himself that He would not interfere in His own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be bound and slain a submissive, uncomplaining victim... A long defense of Himself would have been contrary to Isaiah's prediction. "He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth" (Isaiah 53: 7). By His quiet, He conclusively proved Himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we salute Him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our hearts, let us hear the voice of Your love.

And 3 days later, He is the Ultimate Resurrection and gives life to all those who trust in Him.

"Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.'"

Matthew 28: 1 - 7

Blasphemy and Treason

2010-04-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Since yesterday was Good Friday, our Lord's cruxificion, I thought it would be nice to meditate on why He suffered and died through a quote from Sinclair Ferguson in his book By Grace Alone.

The two charges leveled against Jesus were blasphemy (that He had made Himself equal with God) and treason (that He had rejected lawfully constituted authority).
Why were those two charges significant? It was because these are the charges each of us faces before the judgment seat of God.
In that court, I am guilty of blasphemy, because I have made myself rather than God the center of the universe.
I am also guilty of treason, since I have sought to overturn His lawfully and gracious constituted authority over my life.
Blasphemy and treason were also the crimes of Adam. These are the age-old crimes of which every one of us - old and young, rich and poor, wise and simple, famous and infamous - stands accused. We are on the same charge sheet. We are all guilty.
But Jesus has come!
Jesus came and suffered all this to take our place, to bear our judgment, to deal with our sin, and to save us.
All this we see in the intricate weaving of Luke's tapestry portraying Jesus' passion. The central motif is now clear: Jesus died for sinners, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3: 18)
The meaning of the cross is this: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5: 8).
He took my place. I take His grace. He becomes my Savior. (Pg 44 - 45)

I pray that we may all gaze at the suffering Savior. He suffered when He didn't have to. Jesus lived the perfect and holy life that God required. Pontius Pilate found nothing wrong with Him, but it was in the Lord's will to crush Him. In our hate and blindness, we crucified Him and played into the ultimate plans of God, who planned them before the foundations of this world. Repent of your sins and look to Him as your Lord in Savior this day if you do not know Him.

Soli Deo Gloria

What Does The Cross Mean?

2010-03-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Thabiti Anyabwile posted a series of posts that focus on the importance of the cross as he read through Sinclair Ferguson's book Grow In Grace. He mentioned that Ferguson was meditating on three things the cross means and asks the all-important questions: "How do we find the grace of God in the cross? How has it become God's instrument of salvation to those who have faith?"

The Cross of Christ Demonstrates the Love of God

The Cross of Christ Demonstrates the Justice of God

The Cross of Christ Demonstrates the Wisdom of God

Enjoy

The Line

2010-03-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

Lecrae ft/ Tedashii - The Line

This is off of Lecrae's first album Real Talk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHqch0Z_Ous

[Verse One]
You know it's on and poppin and aint no stoppin
keepin the party rockin for God who's watchin
Without Christ the Rock who would rock ya body
Who would rock the party, or rock the lobby
He gave us a reason to praise Him up in the Steeple
When He came down and died for the evil that we do
We aint playin games or reppin His name to gain change
We do this to maintain and change the mainframe
gangstas that gangbang and hustlas that slang thangs
We know you're a sinner but it's time for a name change
It's the Holy Rock Repper, reppin the Rock whether or
not it's hot on ya block in the hot weather
We in the party screamin "Jesus WHUUUT"
You see somebody wildin out? what you seen was us
We keep it krunk for Christ because of His redeeming love
We gone rep him till we die or til He beams us up so get 'em up!

[Chorus]
You rollin with the line now baby
Get your hands up high now baby
We keep it crunk for Christ, we'll never change that
The same cats rockin even after the cows came back (mmmmm)
Get your hands up, Get your hands up, get your hands up, get your hands up

[Verse Two]
Tadow! How you like me now I'm in the mix
See I'm a fiend for Jesus Christ and I'm about ta get my fix
With the Krunkness, I hope you feeling my worshipnow peep my drunkness
because the Spirit is working I pray you pump this
to all your friends that are worldly, to see we bump this
because we know that He's worthy
I'm from the dirty
the place where they say that the cops got him, or the glock shot him
this is where people hit rock bottom
crack houses and dirty spouses, how can you not spot him?
Because of this drama I nicknamed my block Sodom.
But God took this brotha, one coming a dime a dozen
and brought me back to His loving, delivered me from destruction
From the land of the Trill, worse than Amityville
with one hand on the wheel, and one hand on the steel
To His commandments and will, He understands how I feel
but he called me to run as hard as Emmit ran on the field.
Now get 'em UP!

[Chorus]

[Verse Three]
Ride with this Christian Partner, While we present the
Father, Vibe to this rhythm holla, live till you hear
them holla, or see them follow, forsaking Impalas and
dollars, or smoking la la, For popping collars in honor to Abba
Now wild out! And get crunk to this Plumbline
collaboration, we out to grab the station til God gets his adoration

Aye yo this beat got us jumpin and stompin we keep it
pumpin like Jesus comin
I see you runnin, you keepin somethin from me, you frontin
But you can't front on Jehovah, He knows ya...
Not J-A-Y but J-E young soldier
I told ya, He's the owner man
He want it, He says it and gets it, it's over man
He gave us the life that we're livin, He owns us man
You either rollin with the Rock or get rolled over man

[Chorus]

God's Rule Comes in Us

2010-03-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

From the very beginning of his [God] work, those who relied on him had, at his touch, entered the rule, or governance, of God and were receiving its gracious sufficiency. Jesus was not just acting for God but also with God – a little like the way, in a crude metaphor, I act with my power steering, or it with me, when I turn the wheel of my car.

And this “governance” is projected onward through those who receive him. When we receive God’s gift of life by relying on Christ, we find that God comes to act with us as we rely on him in our actions. That explains why Jesus said that the least in the kingdom of the heavens are greater than John the Baptist – not, of course, greater in themselves, but as a greater power works along with them. The “greater” is not inherent, a matter of our own substance, but relational.

So, C.S. Lewis writes, our faith is not a matter of our hearing what Christ said long ago and “trying to carry it out.” Rather, “The real Son of God is at your side. He is beginning to turn you into the same kind of thing as Himself. He is beginning, so to speak, to ‘inject’ His kind of life and thought, His Zoe [life], into you; beginning to turn the tin soldier into a live man. The part of you that does not like it is the part that is still tin. (pg 20)
The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

Our faith is not just about doing this or that, but having the Spirit within us and conforming us to be more like Christ. The Spirit ‘injects’ the life and thought of Christ into our being, so we can think and act more like him. Our life is not about what we do or not do, but who do we have? If the answer is Christ Jesus, then we have all, but if not, then we have nothing.

A Person, Not Principles

2010-03-06T13:23:00.000-08:00

It is typical for people who have turned their backs on religion to believe that Christianity is no different. They have been in churches brimming with elder-brother types. They say, “Christianity is just another religion.” But Jesus says, no, that is not true. Everybody knows that the Christian gospel calls us away from the licentiousness of younger brotherness but few realize that it also condemns moralistic elder brotherness. (pg 67)

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

Keller is right on point. Christianity is not just another religion; it is in itself, a whole different category. Religions give you principles to live by to hopefully have eternal life. Religions tell you how to live and it is up to you to figure the rest out and earn it on your own.

Christianity, though it does have principles to live by, is not the same. The Christian message is that “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3: 10b – 11), but we are hostile towards God, his enemies, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5: 8), so that all who come to him in faith and by His Son’s blood, they may have forgiveness of their sins, justification, and have eternal life with Him.

The Gospel is the heart of the Christian message, so why is it not preached? For example, at my large group meetings the past two weeks, we have had our preachers teach about being peacemakers and celibacy. The first one bothered me a lot because we were looking at a peacemaker chart that displayed the different peacemaking responses. One end was a running away type where we would not want to deal with a situation. The other extreme is the aggressive side that would respond more physically. The middle portion (which is where we want to be) is the different peacemaking strategies that peacemakers use, such as reconciliation, forgiveness, etc. Then after we looked at the chart and saw where we tended to lie, he asked us what are we to do to become peacemakers. Someone said humility and others continued along, but not once was Jesus the solution. Then the message ended, having some good principles taught, but not the gospel. The next message dealt with celibacy and at the end, he left us with three things to think about 1) not to denounce celibacy, 2) if God calls us to things that we don’t want to do, then we need wrestle with God, and 3) do it in community. I probably summarized these really bad, but they are three really good principles to live by.

Even though these had some good principles, how do they differ from other world religions? Most world religions will teach us to be better people and one way to do that is to be a peacemaker. I’m not sure about celibacy and if it is taught in other world religions, so I won’t talk much about it. But one thing I do know is that there is no religion in the world that proclaims a Christ crucified. There is no world religion that has God coming into the world to die for sins. But that is the Christian message going all the way back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And after leaving large group the past two weeks; I didn’t hear a Christ crucified preached. I wasn’t more enthralled in the person of Christ.

“And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24: 25 – 27)

If Christ and the message that He brought into the world, namely himself and what he has done, is proclaimed all throughout scripture, shouldn’t it be filled in our lives and our preaching? When I hear someone preach, I don’t just want principles, I want a person. I want Christ Jesus. If you do give me principles, give me Jesus as well. Bring me to the throne of God and leave me there with Jesus. Here is a quote that I read and want to share:

“It is no good giving me a play like Hamlet or King Lear, and telling me to write a play like that. Shakespeare could do it — I can’t. And it is no good showing me a life like the life of Jesus and telling me to live a life like that. Jesus could do it — I can’t. But if the genius of Shakespeare could come and live in me, then I could write plays like this. And if the Spirit could come into me, then I could live a life like his.” -William Temple

The Prodigal God

2010-03-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some excerpts from Tim Keller's book The Prodigal God. This book is based off of the parable The Prodigal Son in Luke 15: 11 - 32. I have not finished the book yet, but am thoroughly enjoying it. Keller is amazing and understands the gospel so well.

The hearts of the two brothers were the same. Both sons resented their father’s authority and sought ways of getting out from under it. They each wanted to get into a position in which they could tell the father what to do. Each one, in other words, rebelled – but one did so by being very bad and the other by being extremely good. Both were alienated from the father’s heart; both were lost sons.

Page 36

Here, then, is Jesus’s radical redefinition of what is wrong with us. Nearly everyone defines sin as breaking a list of rules. Jesus, though, shows us that a man who has violated virtually nothing on the list of moral misbehaviors can be every bit as spiritually lost as the most profligate, immoral person. Why? Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.

Page 43

The gospel is distinct from the other two approaches: In its view, everyone is wrong, everyone is loved, and everyone is called to recognize this and change.

Page 45

Like Peter, elder brothers expect their goodness to pay off, and if it doesn’t, there is confusion and rage. If you think goodness and decency is the way to merit a good life from God, you will be eaten up with anger, since life never goes as we wish. You will always feel that you are owned more than you are getting. You will always see someone doing better than you in some aspect of life and will ask, “Why this person and not me? After all I’ve done!”

Page 52

Elder brother self-righteousness not only creates racism and classism, but at the personal level creates an unforgiving, judgmental spirit. This elder brother cannot pardon his younger brother for the way he has weakened the family’s place in society, disgraced their name, and diminished their wealth. He highlights the fact that the younger brother has been with “prostitutes,” while he has been living a chaste life at home. “I would never do anything as bad as that!” he is saying in his heart. Because he does not see himself as being part of a common community of sinners, he is trapped by his own bitterness. It is impossible to forgive someone if you feel superior to him or her.

Page 55

Elder brothers don’t go to God and beg for healing from their condition. They see nothing wrong with their condition and that can be fatal. If you know you are sick you may go to a doctor; if you don’t know you’re sick you won’t – you’ll just die.

Page 66

Goodbye and Funeral to Birthday

2010-03-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Last track of Our World Fallen and the first and second track of Our World Redeemed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m1FhgubZHY

Lyrics

They just shot my cousin fam right here in front of my face
Two in his back and one in his face
He still bleeding
Wake up cuz
Breathe homie breathe
This ain't the time for you to leave homie please
I called the police
They ain't here yet
He's laying here helpless
His shirt is real wet
I never thought that I would see this day
My lil cousin a leave this way
He was only 18
He had dreams of leaving the game
Leaving the cane alone
He was seeking to change
He just wanted to stack bread
Buy his moms a Benz and baby sisters a brand new bed
Please tell me God'll let him in
He had a hard life
Tell me God'll forgive him for his sin
Tell me God got his angel back
And that he got his wings
And he ain't gotta deal with no more pain
My cousin had a good heart
I know God knew
Tell my peeps was a good dude
Tell me, Flame, it'll be okay
If we just pray and I'll see his face again one day
My cousin wasn't perfect, nobody is
I know he fulfilled his purpose
We all God's kids
He left me here to live in the sky
And I don't wanna say bye
Why I gotta say

[Chorus:]
Goodbye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye
I don't wanna say
Goodbye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye
See I don't wanna say
Goodbye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye
I don't wanna say
Goodbye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye

I know it's real hard to say bye
See I can't answer why
Bu I know that we don't live in the sky
And I know that we don't get wings
God doesn't get angels back
In fact we human beings
See, God can't let us in
And He won't let us in Heaven
Unless we have His perfection
Yea he might've had a hard life
But if you not in a non stop relationship with Christ
That changes the way that you act and think
And putting off the old man
As he's becoming extinct
Then you can't think that you and God are cool
It's written in the Bible dude
We can't break the rules
And nobody has a good heart
In God's eyes
Nobody's good enough
His standards too high
Ain't no hope if you die in your sin
I don't know if you'll see him again it all depends

[Chorus]

[Vamp:]
I know it's hard
To say goodbye
To someone close to you
In your life
Where do I go from here?
What do I do?
So many questions
So little answers

I thought that God was a god of love
This is feeling like hate
He allowed this to happen
You can't say this a mistake
How can a God full of mercy and grace
Let a kid 18 catch a slug in the face

I know it's hard to see God's love at a time like this
To see your little cuz die like this
Remember this the same God who allows the life to be taken
Will awake him but Christ would've
Had to have been that mans Lord and Savior
In order to be with the Lord who made us
But the questions ain't why did he die in the game
You let his death be in vain if you die the same

I'm tired Flame, cause the pain is deep
I been trying for years for the Lord to change me
I'm angry can I go where it's good at?
I always thought I'd die right here where the hood at

[Chorus]

2 Corinthians Chapter 1 verses 3 and 4 begins, "blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our affliction. So that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with which the comfort we ourselves, are comforted by God."

Now at this time we have someone from the family who will give words of condolences. Thank God for you young man. Yes, go right ahead

[VERSE 1:]
Can't believe that he gone
When he left he took apart of me
Forgive me, It's so hard to speak
See we went from the days of playing hide and seek
To being faced with the day I had to watch him leave
And though memories fade his face is on my arm
So he'll live on after the grave
Ya'll remember him for acting thug
I see highwaters, loafers and a Jackson glove
We were so young
Nothing could get us apart
Not even death
He'll always live in my heart
And Auntie, you know there was nothing that I wouldn't have did for him
I was willing to die for him
Now I want to live for him
With every breath that I'm breathing tonight
If you hear me, I promise your death will lead me to life
It's time for a change start living it right
I'm ready to make a decision for Christ
I want to give Him my life

[HOOK:]
Thank – You – Lord
I've been running away from you too long
But I'm coming, I hear you calling me, saying come back home

[Spoken:]
Amen Amen. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, that even in the midst of such an untimely tragedy, the glory of God is revealed in this young man giving his life to Christ. And right now we have a special request from the family - that a young man share his heart. Receive at this time Marcus Gray

[VERSE 2:]
My heart goes out to the family first of all
Ya'll need help don't hesitate to call
I'll be right here
If it's just for a prayer to God or just to talk I'm right here even just to wipe tears
But what I wanna say
There's gonna come a day
For each person to die and then to face God
None of us know when it's our time to go
So while we all still alive
Just repent and embrace God
Not these lie's these guys telling all on the block
The same lies in disguise that's got this man shot
It's hard ya'll when we at this type of funeral
Cause usually the eulogy is where we talk nice
And when we leave you sell weed and chop bricks
And turn tricks until something like this, flip on the lights
Guess what I'm saying it's the same old song
He loves you so much so come - back - home

[Spoken:]
Now according to our text in 2 Corinthians Chapter 1 - we have the promise of God that He is a comforter in not just some, but all of our afflictions. Yes, and those of us who have experienced the abundant comfort through our relationship with Christ, are equip by the grace of God to assist in comforting this family. And, yes, church we want to wrap our arms around them and serve them at this time of bereavement. Not just in word, but indeed also.

Now as I look over all of these young faces in this Sanctuary. There is no doubt you have been touched by the life of this young man and gripped by his death. Yes, we are forced to hold our attention at death today - though in our generation, life, pleasures, pursuits, having big things and living big dreams are more appealing topics of conversation and thought. But today, we face with one undisputed absolute truth of our own mortality. But in 2 Corinthians Chapter 1 verse 9, God gives us two reasons for us to face death and our powerlessness against it. Number 1, that we should not trust in ourselves. And number 2, that we should trust in God who raises the dead.

Now understand, we are not victims of death, but death according to James is the result of our sin and rebellion against God. But we are not left without hope - for God sent His Son Jesus Christ who took up all our sins and died on the cross. And according to Hebrews defeated death through His resurrection for all who would believe. Chris Johnson has not died in vain. There are some in this room, who through the glory of Christ, this day will be redeemed

[HOOK:]
Thank – You – Lord
I've been running away from you too long
But I'm coming, I hear you calling me, saying come back home
(You ought to come back home, you ought to come back)

Streets of New York Music Video

2010-03-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

DJ Official ft/ J.A.Z. and Magellan from the Entermission album

http://reachrecords.com/news/10178

Hope For Haiti

2010-03-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

Lecrae, JSon, and Flame concert to raise funds for Haiti.

Lecrae is a beast for the Lord. Gotta remember why we watch this and the purpose of the concert. Not about them, but it's all for the Lord. Check it out at the 16 - 17 mins mark

http://reachrecords.com/news/10175

Guard the Gospel

2010-03-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1: 8 – 14

In this passage, we see the apostle Paul tell Timothy to guard the good deposit, which is the Gospel. Paul was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gospel and he suffered for the Gospel. Now it is Timothy’s turn to guard the Gospel that was entrusted to him. What is he to guard the Gospel from? Two things that come immediately to mind are that we must guard the Gospel from anything that may pervert the Gospel and to not forget the Gospel.

The Gospel has been and will be under attack until Christ returns. Since Paul has been preaching, there have been many who proclaim a false Gospel. And in our days, we corrupt the Gospel in more ways than we think. We try to add a works-based righteousness to the Gospel. We try to bring in prosperity to the Gospel and get a health-wealth Gospel, which is no Gospel at all. We try to add traditions to the Gospel and elevate them. If you looked at all of the Christianity today, you could spot perversions to the Gospel almost everywhere. So this is one thing that we must fight to defend. We must fight to go back to the basics of the Gospel and to teach sound doctrine.

Another form of guarding we must do is to not forget the Gospel. If we were commanded to guard something that is of great value, we would never take our eyes off of it. We would constantly know what is up with it and where it is. One example that illustrates well of protecting something is the secret service and the president. The secret service, at least from the movies I have seen, are surrounding the president and make sure that nothing will happen to him. They know where he is going and never lose track of him. They have already made sure the places he goes to are secure and if there is any threat or danger, they would advise him not to go. If the security for the president is this tight, how much more so should we with the Gospel? We shouldn’t take our eyes off of it. We should preach it to ourselves everyday, or even more if we have to. We must be sure that it is proclaimed in every message we hear, whether it is at church or large group.

We need to be filled with the Gospel so that we are sure that we don’t lose it and that we can detect any other supposed gospel that is not the true Gospel. We need to be filled with the Gospel so that when we encounter hard times, we can remember how good God has been to us, foremost in saving our souls. We are to have a Gospel centered motivation in all that we do. If the apostle Paul puts such an emphasis on the Gospel, shouldn’t we do the same? Let’s bring it back to the basics and fill ourselves with what is of first importance, so that it may overflow to those around us.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you – unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. The he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

1 Corinthians 15: 1 – 11

Lions and Liars

2010-02-28T20:16:00.001-08:00

Sho Baraka's new album is dropping March 30th called Lions and Liars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD8ZLwnqj_o

Reflection from bible study 2/23/10

2010-02-23T21:26:00.000-08:00

We had bible study earlier today and studied Matthew 4: 18 – 22 and Luke 9: 57 – 62. In Matthew 4, we see Jesus call the first disciples to follow him. In Luke 9, we see that there is a cost to follow Jesus. I’ll skip through everything and go to verse 62 of Luke 9.

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

I don’t remember exactly what we were sharing about, but one of the people said that looking at her life, she does not feel fit for the kingdom right now. There are still a lot of things in her life that are very important for her, such as family and school.

I will agree that if we are honest with ourselves, we will never be fit for the kingdom of God and if we try to be fit for the kingdom, then we will utterly fail. No matter how hard we try or what we do, we will never be good enough or fit enough. There are two things that will happen if we try to make ourselves fit for the kingdom and one is that we will die trying. It is a works-based righteousness that we try to work ourselves to be fit enough for the kingdom, but in the end will fail. Another end of that is we will give up all together because of our failures. These two ways won’t work. Then what?

The Luke 9 passage should have us wonder, then who can be saved? Who then is fit for the kingdom? And our eyes and hearts should look to Jesus. He is the only one fit for the Kingdom. He is the only one who is right for it.

When Christ was crushed underneath the wrath of the Father, he paid the price for the sins of those who believe in Him. And those who believe in Christ and place their faith in Him, Christ’s righteousness is imputed unto them. The One who was fit, died for those who aren’t fit, so that they can have his fitness (not sure if that makes sense or works, but I’ll go with it).

That is the Gospel. Christ died, so that we can have His perfect standing before God and receive an inheritance that only He deserved.

Your Inner Life is not the News

2010-02-14T00:46:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple paragraphs from Michael Horton's book The Gospel Driven Life from chapter 1

"News is important not because it sells but simply because it is news. It tells us what is going on outside of our own inner experience. Even the sports page with its predictions of division champions is expected to be based on the games that have actually been played, the national standings of each team, injuries, and other factors. We take all of these things very seriously. Yet when it comes to religion, we go soft. It doesn't really matter whether the report is true; the main thing is that it works for me. It helps me create my life plan."

"The bible is not a collection of timeless principles offering a gentle thought for the day. It is not a resource for our self-improvement. Rather, it is a dramatic story that unfolds from promise to fulfillment, with Christ at the center. Its focus is God and his action. God is not a supporting actor in our drama; it is the other way around. God does not exist to make sure that we are happy and fulfilled. Rather, we exist to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. God is not a facilitator of our 'life transformation' projects. He is not a life coach. Rather, he is our Creator, Lawgiver, Judge, and Covenant Lord. As we will see, he is also our Redeemer. However, before we can speak of God's saving work in Christ we have to reverse the focus from a human-centered to a God-centered way of thinking. The gospel witnesses not to an inner light within the self, but to the Light that came into the world, shining in the darkness and overpowering it (John 1: 4 - 9)."

Far Away

2010-02-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

Lecrae - Far Away

A song that Lecrae wrote for those in Haiti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjnwylRaLI0

You can purchase the song on iTunes and the profits go towards efforts to help Haiti

Why

2010-01-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

Oh man I love this song. Heard it at Jim's house and loved it.

Why - Michael Card

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T74qnBqip8

Why did it have to be a friend
Who chose to betray the Lord
Why did he use a kiss to show them
That's not what a kiss is for
Only a friend can betray a friend
A stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough
To ever cause so much pain

And why did there have to be thorny
Crown pressed upon His head
It should have been the royal one
Made of jewels and gold instead
It had to be a crown of thorns
Because in this life that we live
For all who seek to love
A thorn is all the world has to give

And why did it have to be
A heavy cross He was made to bare
And why did they nail His feet and hands
His love would have held Him there
It was a cross for on a cross
A thief was supposed to pay
And Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away
Yes, Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away

The Blind Side

2009-12-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

Last night, I watched the movie The Blind Side and it was pretty good. I really enjoyed it and enjoyed the people that I watched it with. But getting back to the movie, I was looking forward to watching it because of the good stuff that I heard about it. Originally we were going to watch the Twilight movie, and I’ll be honest that I kind of wanted to watch it, but changed our mind to watch something else. I am really glad we did and even more grateful that we watched this movie.

This movie stunned me because it has a good gospel truth within it (the doctrine of adoption) and it is a true story based on NFL offensive lineman Michael Oher. I’m not sure how well the movie stuck with his life, but I will describe what the movie showed. Michael was one of twelve kids and was born to a woman who was a crack addict. He moved from foster home to foster home and had a 0.6 GPA. He was a ward of the state and had nothing to offer. He got into a private Christian school (I’m not going to talk about how he did) and from there his life was changed.

Michael was basically homeless and was going to stay at the school’s gym while it was raining because it was warm. Leigh Anne Tuohy, a wealthy mother of two kids who went to the same school, saw him and invited him into their home. She didn’t know anything about him, but had compassion on him and not only gave him a place to sleep, but fed and clothed him. She gave him his own room with his own bed and treated him as her own. She gave him all that she gave to her own children. Eventually she became his legal guardian and adopted him. She loved him, cared for him, and gave him the best of what she had. And he didn’t do anything to deserve it.

How much so for us and God? We are in Michael’s shoes before God, an unworthy, homeless person who doesn’t deserve anything. We are the ones who are filthy and stained with sin. But to go even further, we are traitors to God and attack him everyday when we turn our back to him. We resist him and do not want anything to do with him. Paul is right when he says “none is righteous, no, not one, no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3: 10 – 11). There is no one who is truly seeking after the One and True Living God, until He seeks them out first. Many of us desire a god and think we worship and know god, but don’t. We may hear about God, but only believe what suits our own desires and preconceived notions about who our god is. Our god may be a loving god who sees nothing wrong in us. Our god is too loving to condemn anyone to hell. Our god desires us to work our way to him and earn our way to heaven; all we have to do is do more good than bad. Our god created this earth for us and all of life is about us; we are at the center of life. And the list continues.

But this isn’t what the bible teaches. In the bible, we are taught that everything is wrong with us because of the Fall (Adam and Eve; you should look it up if you don’t know what it is) and that only God can make it right. We are taught that we are totally wicked and that even our good deeds are as filthy rags. There is no amount of good that we could do to earn our way to heaven and into the presence of the Living God. We are taught that there is a standard of righteousness that God demands and He will not settle for anything less. We are taught that it is God who seeks after us as we are running from him. We are taught that God will not stop at anything to find who are His and that nothing in this world can keep Him from His own. We are taught that it is God who saves us and redeems us from this fallen world. We are taught that it is God who changes our heart and gives us a desire for him. We are taught that all life and everything that was created, the seen and unseen, are about Him and not us. We are taught that all glory, honor, and power are His and that He deserves it all. And we are taught that through Christ and his crucifixion, our sins are paid for and that we are brought back into the presence of God.

Jesus, the second person of the trinity, came into human form and lived the perfect life that we can’t live and bore the sins that we can’t bear so that we can have a renewed relationship with the Father. It is through the sacrifice that Jesus made for us that we can be adopted into the family of God. We didn’t do anything to deserve it. We can’t do anything to earn it. It is by grace alone and through faith alone that we can receive the forgiveness of our sins, but even the faith that we have is a gift that is given by God. So where can I boast within myself and how can life be about me? All life is about God and His glory. This is one aspect about the Christian faith that separates it from every other faith and religion.

Do you see how the movie gives us a little glimpse of the doctrine of adoption? I say a little glimpse because what God does for those who believe in Him will be infinitely greater than what Leigh Anne did for Michael. And yes, it will be good.

Soli Deo Gloria

Chisel Me

2009-12-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

Chisel Me by DJ Official ft/ This'l, K Drama, J-Son, and Tedashii

It's off the hook

http://www.wadeoradio.com/component/content/article/18-blog/370-wade-o-exclusive-dj-official-feat-thisl-j-son-k-drama-and-tedashii

It Will Cost You Everything

2009-12-07T22:44:00.001-08:00

Something You Can't Buy On Black Friday: The Gospel

2009-11-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Today is Black Friday, the largest shopping day of the year and you can buy almost anything at a very discounted rate, which meant that I had to arrive at work by 4:15 in the morning to many shoppers waiting in line for the deals when Target opened at 5 am. I always enjoy seeing what movies are on sale because I love movies and I like seeing what is good for $3.99 or $5.99. But since I have stopped buying movies, I don’t have a need to look at the discounted movies, unless I get one for free from my boss who can requisition it. And other than that, you wouldn’t find me waiting outside any store for any deal because I don’t think it is worth it and I actually really despise this day. But there is something that I would get up early for and that cannot be bought on Black Friday or any other day and that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Gospel means Good News and hence, it is the Good News of Jesus Christ that will captivate man’s heart. Man is fallen and condemned before God because of the original sin committed by Adam in the garden. We were separated from God and became His enemies. But God had a redemptive plan to redeem mankind from before the foundations of the world. And it was made manifest through the appearing of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into the world through a virgin birth, lived a perfect, righteous life that was pleasing to God the Father, and laid down His life and was raised from the grave three days later and now resides at the right hand of the Father continuing to intercede on our behalf. The Father crushed Jesus, so that we may have the Father. He took upon our sins, so that we may have his righteousness. He took upon the wrath, so that we may have the glory. He took what we deserved and we got what Christ deserved. Now isn’t that Good News.

This is Good News, but only to the believer because it is the believer who believes it and has put his faith in it. This means nothing to the one who does not believe it, as it is only non-sense and foolishness. So if you don’t believe it, then I pray that you may see it clearly for what it is and believe.

This salvation that Jesus provides cannot be bought or earned. Nothing we do is good enough to merit it because all our good deeds are as filthy rags. The more we try to work our way to this salvation, the more we move away from it. The apostle Paul says that we are saved by grace, through faith, it is not of our own doing, but that it is a gift of God. So if you want it, don’t try to work your way to it, but earnestly pray for God to work in your life. Pray that God will transform your heart and grant you the gift of regeneration (to be born again) because if you are not born again (or born in the Spirit), then you cannot and will not believe. Pray that God will reveal the sin in your life and how unworthy you are compared to Him. Pray that you may be filled with the fullness of God. And this is not a one-time prayer or a two second salvation prayer, but prayer that is fully submitting your whole self to the grace of God. And know that if you do desire this and earnestly pray for it, then God has begun to draw you because if He weren’t working in you, then you wouldn’t desire Him because no one seeks after God unless He begins to draw him or her.

So I pray that whoever reads this may take a look at their life and God may reveal himself to them. If you need prayer, let me know and I would love to pray for you. If you would like to discuss more about this topic, feel free to call or message me and we can meet up.

What should I be thankful for? Why should I be thankful?

2009-11-26T16:20:00.001-08:00

What should I be thankful for? Why should I be thankful?

It is thanksgiving, but why do we even celebrate it? Who are we to thank for what we have? From what I remember from history in school, I remember pilgrims and Indians and not much else. I don’t know why it is a major celebration. I do know that I have school off and eat a lot of food and that I have to work the next day, which is the biggest shopping day in the year. It is just another American holiday that becomes a yearly thing to gather with family.

So here is what I am thankful for:

· Family

· Health

· School

· Education

· A job

· Food

· Shelter

· Clothing

· Life

· Etc.

I could list a lot more, but I would like to get to the point of what is on my mind and heart. The list I compiled is a good list and everything on it is good, but they are nothing compared to what is ultimate. Thanksgiving has become such a trivial holiday (as most if not all American holidays) that it is known for turkey, football, and a lot of people saying a little something of what they are thankful for, even if they are just words. I am not going to try to answer or figure out why we celebrate thanksgiving as a holiday when it should be part of our daily lives, but I do hope to look to the One who I am utmost grateful for.

So, the first and foremost thing that I am thankful for is Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I am thankful that He endured His Father’s wrath and punishment for my sins. I am thankful that He was also raised from the grave and ascended to the right hand of the Father. I am thankful for His obedience to the Father. I am thankful for His perfect life. I am thankful for His love that He pours out on us. I am thankful that He is the One who pursued me even when I did not want Him and was not seeking after Him. I am thankful that the Father did not spare Jesus’ life, but crushed Him for me. I am thankful for the Spirit that transforms those who are in Christ to be more like Christ. I am thankful that the salvation that Jesus offers is by grace and that I cannot do anything to earn it because I know that I would always fail to earn it.

I am thankful for the grace and mercy that is extended to me everyday just to sustain my life and all that I am. This includes the list from above. I do not deserve my life, but by God’s grace and mercy, He has given it to me for His glory. I do not deserve food, family, shelter, clothing, schooling, and health. I do not deserve anything. It is only by God’s grace and mercy that I have what I have and I am what I am, so I need to use what I have and who I am for His glory and His purposes. So today, on thanksgiving, I should be the most grateful person; we should be the most grateful people. And not just today, but everyday, we should all be thankful for God’s grace and mercy shown to us because we don’t deserve anything, but He still continues to give.

That is what I am thankful for and why I am thankful. How about you? May our hearts be so captivated by God that Thanksgiving is not only once a year, but a part of our daily lives.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 - 18

Showoff

2009-11-15T15:28:00.000-08:00

DJ Official's first single ft/ Lecrae and Flame

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G54D-uERDhc

Go Hard

2009-10-19T19:28:00.001-07:00

Lecrae - Go Hard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGJOvYHw_RE

My Roommate

2009-10-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist putting this up here. My roommate dancing to Lecrae - Don't Waste Your Life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCSKz5RFoy8

I need prayer

2009-10-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

I am normally not an angry or hateful person. Don't usually get upset at many things and a lot of things are able to just slide right off my back, but there has been one thing that just really bothers me. One thing that can stress me out and have hate grow within me for. And it is math. Not all math because some of it is enjoyable, but this upper division stuff that is beyond calculus is just kicking my butt. I really want to just give up and stop going, but that won't be good.

I have no idea what God is doing in me with this math class in my life, but I know that giving up on it would be a very bad idea. And God calls me to give my all in everything that I do and do it all for Him, so please pray that my focus may be continually on him and even when I am super stressed and hate math so much, that my focus may be on Him and He is the only reason that I want to continue.

2009-09-30T13:28:00.001-07:00

Saw this on the Pure Church blog and had a good laugh

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2009/09/fun-poke-at-almost-everybody.html

The Giants

2009-09-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

I'm reading this Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones book Preaching and Preachers and found this paragraph to be hysterical. Not sure if you will, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

At the same time let him, of course, during this training become familiar with the stories of the great men of the past, the great saints and preachers. It will not only act as a wonderful tonic to him in times of depression, it will keep him humble when tempted to pride and spirit of elation. That is equally necessary. When a man starts preaching, and has just one or two sermons, he really thinks he is a preacher! The best treatment for that is to make him read about Whitefield or Jonathan Edwards, or Spurgeon, or some such mighty man of God. That will soon bring him to earth.

Another Crazy Love Quote

2009-09-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

God doesn't want religious duty. He doesn't want a distracted, half-hearted "Fine, I'll read a chapter... now are You happy?" attitude. God wants His Word to be a delight to us, so much so that we meditate on it day and night.

- Crazy Love pg 145

Crazy Love

2009-09-11T21:35:00.001-07:00

Right now, I am reading this book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan and as I read these paragraphs, they really resonated within me and what I have been thinking of the past week or so.

If eternity doesn't come and God does not exist, then, as Paul says, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men" (1 Corinthians 15: 19). If there is no God, then Paul and all the martyrs throughout history lived short lives full of needless suffering (2 Corinthians 6: 4-10).

But since God is real, Paul and the martyrs should be envied more than all people; their suffering was worth it. If we allow ourselves to live recklessly for Him, then we, too, will see His glory. We will see Him do the impossible.

Christians today like to play it safe. We want to put ourselves in situations where we are safe "even if there is no God." But if we truly desire to please God, we cannot live that way. We have to do things that cost us during our life on earth but will be more than worth it in eternity.

Father, may your radical and crazy love for us transform us to have the same radical and crazy love for you and your children. May we long to look foolish to the world and live by faith solely in you. Thank you for your Son and your grace. Amen.

Love

2009-09-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

Jaeson Ma - Love

The Beloved

2009-09-01T18:46:00.001-07:00

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3: 17b

What a wonderful thing it is to see God say these words to His Son, and an even greater thing for us. Being the beloved Son, who pleased the Father very well, the Father still crushed Him for us. The Father did not withhold any wrath on Him and will not withhold any blessing to the adopted children through Jesus’ blood. We will be clothed with His righteousness and be seen as His beloved. Thank you Father for not withholding your Son from us. Thank you Jesus for your obedience to your Father. Thank you Holy Spirit for revealing these glorious truths to our hearts, that we may be filled with awe and wonder.

Oh, How Foolish Am I

2009-08-25T18:25:00.000-07:00

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Exodus 3: 11 - 12

A couple days ago, I was going through Exodus 3 and was going to blog on it, but haven’t had the time to type it up. I wrote some thoughts down from the passage and a couple of points that I made were from verse 12, when God says to Moses “But I will be with you.” There were two points that I noted in my journal about that verse: 1) there needs to be a focus on God and not ourselves and 2) God does what man cannot do.

1) God had told Moses that He would use him to go to Pharaoh and bring God’s children out of the oppression of Egypt. Moses first reaction was, I can’t do that. Who am I to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? How am I to do that? The first thing that Moses does is look at himself. Then, God rightfully responds and puts the focus in the right spot, on Himself. God says I will be with you. Focus on me and not on yourself.

2) Moses knew that he couldn’t bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. But God affirms him that God will be with him and that God can make it work. Throughout the books of the Law, we see God endure with Moses and the children of Israel and bring them to the Promised Land. We see God do what man can’t.

So this is just a little bit of my reflection time on that verse. So moving on to Chapter 4 of Exodus. God tells Moses that they will not believe him and that He will do a couple signs, so that they will believe him.

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Exodus 4: 10 – 12

Verse 10 is what I want to highlight right now because when I read it, I was just thinking of the excuse that Moses gave God. I don’t speak well, you should use someone else. Last night, we started NSO and went into the dorms. We were told to visit the people who signed up and when you are done, just hang out around the lounges and try to meet people. Well I visited the two people on my list and neither of them was there. So I decided to hang around a little bit, but didn’t really feel anything towards talking with strangers. I eventually went home and said to myself, well it’s just not my style. What did I just say? It’s not just my style to talk to strangers, or is that my excuse to go home and be comfortable and be in my bubble where I know people.

Even after God affirmed Moses that He will be with him, Moses made the excuse of saying that His speech was not the best, and I made my excuse of it’s just not my style. Oh how foolish am I to look to myself and not to the true, living God?

This may sound like a lot of jumbled thoughts everywhere and really poorly written, but please pray that my heart will be broken for these people and that God gives me a consuming desire for the people at San Jose State to know the true and living God. Pray for boldness for us.

And Jesus cam and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28: 18 – 20

Go HARD or Go HOME!!!

Trip Lee - Eyes Opened

2009-08-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

Verse 1:
Good evening brethren, let's go a special direction
Look back, let's meet a young'n that was born in 87
His parents was so happy, rejoicing at they new blessing
He breathes life, at the same time death without a question
His parents gazed in his eyes, adoring him as he hollers
He got his eyes from his mama, he got his nose from his father
Its crazy how this baby, is so precious but I'm saddened
He got his name from grandfather, his depravity from Adam
That's how it goes and hey look as he grows
You can see he's so blind, his eyes seem as they closed
He's so weak and it shows, he can't keep from what He knows
Is wrong, he knows it's bad but dag he wants it though
And all throughout his years, he looks good to his peers
And his parents, and his self but if we could only peer
On the inside, we'd see that from the start it was dark
Until a Savior stepped in and gave Him a new heart, eyes opened!

Hook:
I know I once was blind, Oh Lord but now I see
You sent your Son from above to come and rescue me
He's the light of the world, maker of you and me
His Spirit shines so bright for all of us to see
Now that my vision's clear, Oh Lord we sing your praise
And pray that those in the world would turn and seek your face
Father we thank you for eyes to see so we can know you and love you forever
So that we can love you forever (2X)

Verse 2:
Yeah I was blinded in the past, like my mind was in the trash
Incapable of doing good or even finding him the task
Was beyond what I could grasp, my righteousness is rags
So He had to do all the work, by His design you do the math
The math, who get's the glory, hey who get's the praise?
Predestined, I was elected, resurrected from the grave
Plus His loved was never based on my past or present state
On anything that I obtained I was a mess but blessed with grace
By grace, I'm in love with Him
He gave me something within
He doesn't love me cause of me nope He loves me because of Him
No He didn't have to save and raise me when I was dead
But He dragged me out the morgue, now the praise of His name is spread
He died for all He would save, it's crazy the Savior bled
Erasing taking my dread, and gave me some grace instead
The kind I wouldn't resist, I came praise be to Him
And I'm confident if I'm in Him Ima make it to the end with eyes open

Hook

Now that my eyes is open, gotta keep that Bible open
Not just so that I can quote Him, I'm hopin that I'll behold Him
Until I lay in the grave, I'm praying I'll stay in motion
Gazing with eyes of faith He gave me baby, I'm focused
I'm praying all through my 20's I'll see Him in 20/20
Looking at Him till I look like Him almost like His twin He's
So merciful, His Word is so packed I'm telling many
About the glory of Christ, tryna rep Him with all that's in me

Hook

See More Him

2009-07-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

Jus a clip from the Don't Waste Your Life tour from browsing on YouTube. Flame is tight

Make War

2009-06-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Tedashii ft/ Flame

Intro (John Piper):
I hear so many Christians, murmuring about their imperfections, and their failures, and their addiction, and their shortcomings. And I see so little war! Murmur, murmur, murmur. Why am I this way? Make War!

Verse 1 (Tedashii):
Bang with me/ba-bang bang, ba-bang with me/
No more playing games mane/cause this thang can get risky/
So mane if you in Christ/TAKE UP!!/your cross quickly/
Stand fearless on the frontline/time to come with it/
Do the right thing/WAKE UP!!/and lets get it/
I ain't even in the ring/they throwing bows like Riddick/
Persistently attacking me/they're even in the back of me/
It's either fight or loose my life and I can't take this passively/
So what you think I'm bout to do/I'm bout to do what I can do/
Trust the ONE who got me through/and fight like it was after school/
Never giving up/steady, standing on the battle field/
Feet firm to the ground like I stepped on Chappel Hill/
Flesh feeling frisky, sin persuades and tempts me/
Satan cheers me on/guilt followed by conviction/
It's the same ol' trap/and we fall like we defenseless/
Work your senses/grow in wisdom/stand firm and be relentless/

Hook:
I MAKE WAR!/Cause sin never sleeps/
It's got me in a trance/you can see it in my dreams/
I MAKE WAR!/Man I beat my flesh/
to the death/every breath/like I beat my chest/
I MAKE WAR/sun up/
I MAKE WAR/sun down/
I MAKE WAR/time in/
I MAKE WAR/time out/
I MAKE WAR/against lust/
against pride/against me/until I die/

Verse 2 (Flame):
Do you even have a clue
What happened to you when He died
When that tomb got rolled when He rose in the sky
I think we emphasis sin so much
That it makes us paralyzed
And glorify struggle so much
That it makes us terrified
And deemphasize the fact that we have been sterilized from our own lives and thus
We gotta snap out of it
We aint in no straight-jacket
We free
When Jesus died in our lives something strange happened
He gave us power
Yeah I know that we sinners but since He rose He's renewing the image of God in us
Now, we gotta start making war
Now we can start saying no
To them fleshy impulses that Jesus Christ is paying for
Now we can start taking the lead
Just like the Dalai Lama and start going all out like a suicide bomber
Whatever the sin is we gotta go go go harder
By His grace no time to waste and just just just like there's no tomorrow

Hook

Verse 3 (Tedashii):
I'm a Christ representer, fin to stand and deliver/
cause a lot of my believers struggle with their agenda/
so I dropped this on an ADAT/just so you could come play back/
a hit to be encouraged that rocks you with truth from, way back/
so listen up to it ASAP/like you do a Lecrae track/
I'm spittin' written visions to put on heads like a wave cap/
sinning, nawl we don't play that/cause that's the way that a slave acts/
I'm filled with the Spirit so tell them dog this is pay back/
as you begin to copy the carbon copies of Christ/
and conform to His written image you should be shinning a light/
if you not, why is that?/
is it fear that's been grippin' you/cause you scared they'll be dissin' you/
flipping birds while that spit at you/
if you not, why is that?/
it don't matter so bump it/perfect love cast out fear and He ain't save us for nothing/
this is a privilege (privilege)/your life to give to Him (give to Him)/
so stand firm for Him dawg and lets get it in/

Hook

Don't Waste Your Life Tour to the BAY BABY

2009-05-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.reachrecords.com/dwyl/

Lecrae

Trip Lee

Tedashii

Sho Baraka

featuring

Flame

Muslim-Christian Dialogue

2009-05-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

Thabiti Anyabwile in Dubai in a dialogue with Bassam Zawadi.

Part 1

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2009/04/muslim-christian-dialogue-video.html

Part 2

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/2009/04/muslim-christian-dialogue-part-2.html

Resolved 2009

2009-03-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

I always seem to like these trailers

The Greatest Story Ever Told

2009-02-25T22:07:00.000-08:00

Shai Linne - The Greatest Story Ever Told

Verse 1

Alright check it: let’s go back in time, brethren

Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing

The glory of the Triune God’s what I’m stressing

The origin of humankind was fine- blessings

Were plenteous- God is amazingly generous

Crazy benefits in a state of innocence

God told the man what he could taste was limited

Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis

He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell

The whole human race- he represented it

Fooled by the serpent, man through his work

Woman through birth- even the earth ruled by the curses

But instead of a wake immediately

God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake

Yo, wait what’s this? Whoa, a gracious gift!

In Jehovah’s faithfulness He clothed their nakedness

This was so they would know their Savior’s kiss

And bliss- but first, many growing pains exist

Suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds

Eve’s firstborn seed made his brother bleed

Indeed things got progressively worse

Every section of the earth's been affected by the curse

And though God’s judgments against sin were gory

Praise the Lord! It’s not the end of the story

Hook

It's the greatest story ever told

A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold

The greatest story ever told

Restoring all that the enemy stole

The greatest story ever told

The glory of Christ is the goal, behold

The greatest story ever told

It's the greatest...

Verse 2

Next scene: man’s sin was extreme

God gets steamed, man gets creamed

The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water

Fire in the valley of slaughter- Sodom and Gomorrah

But at the same time, He’s so gracious and patient

That from one man He created a whole nation

Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved

They cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save

He brought them out with signs and wonders- satisfied their hunger

Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder

Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government

Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant

Sin’s imputed- so for man to know he’s unrighteous

God instituted animal sacrifices

This was to show our constant need for atonement

And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it

And when His people disobeyed and went astray

He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way

But they would get foul with their idolatry- wet and wild

Prophecy- send them into exile

To take their punishment like a grown man

Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland

And while in their forefather’s land they dwelt

They awaited the arrival of Emmanuel

Hook

Verse 3

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears

In Bethlehem the Messiah appears

God in the flesh- Second Person of the Trinity

At thirty begins His earthly ministry

Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts

And back to back miraculous acts

A stumbling block to the self righteous

But the humbled- His flock, said “There’s no one else like this”

He came from heaven to awake the numb

Demonstrated His power over nature, son

A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come

But the reason He came was to pay the sum

For the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness

Bless His magnificence- He’s perfect and innocent

Yet He was wrecked and His death- He predicted it

Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite

He said that He finished it- resurrected so the elect

would be the recipients of its benefits

Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate

His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes

Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence

for heaven's future residents who truly represent

Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director and

Star of a story that will never, ever end!

Hook

See More Him

2009-01-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

Flame – Our World Redeemed

See More Him

[HOOK:]

I wanna see more of Him

Cause I'm sick of more of me

I'm a be like Zacchae

In that Sycamore tree

I wanna see more of Him

Cause I'm sick of more of me

Lord I promise (I promise) I promise

[Repeat]

[VERSE:]

Prior to Jesus' life death and re-re-Resurrection

Having any affect on me left me in deception

Because the God of this world Satan blinded my mind

From seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of God

But then a miracle happened

We-we call it conversion

He opened the eyes of my blind heart and led me to worship

Gotta a peek at His beauty as He opened the crack

That captivated my nature and kept me coming back

He gave me taste buds to taste of freedom to love

And to delight in His loving kindness through Jesus' blood

And every since repentance I done been on this chase

To drink from this freedom fountain through His infinite grace

Namely seeking His face

Cause He removed the veil

Knocked me off my high horse and removed the scales

Now I've been exposed to His glorious light

That shines into the darkness in my heart and I'm like...

[HOOK:]

[VERSE:]

Listen...

Though I'm a Christian my vision sometimes even get blurred

When I'm resisting His visits and not reading His Word

Desperate need to be purged

Easy to lose the wonder

Through these daily distractions banging louder than thunder

When I devalue my Savior and start treasuring trash

And longing for mud patches thinking it's greener grass

Exchanging eternal pleasures for the ones that's going to pass

Looking for 'em to satisfy but they lie never last

When captivated and activated by my deceitful lust

Is a lack of faith in my Father's grace and I need to place my trust

In everything that my Father is and everything that He supplied

Through the perfect life of His Son

Death and resurrection of Christ

And I know I got to trust Him

All this sin I got to trust Him

World that we in I got to trust Him

How I'm going to live if I just brush Him

Knowing that my heart is mad disgusting

Knowing that the Father had to crush

Yes just so we can be free

Please give me eyes to see

[HOOK:]

[VERSE:]

Lord

See I'm reminded in my mind in my brother Zacchaeus

Who took some desperate measures just so that He could see Jesus

As joy accompanied the faith that He felt in his soul

That made me question myself, how far am I willing to go?

What am I willing to get rid of so I can get close?

And closer and closer Lord, fill me with Your Holy Ghost

Pour out Your Spirit empower me in increasing measures

To see Your uniqueness instead of these fleet-fleeting pleasures

Give me greater capacities to suffer and to carry

This cross on my back as I walk to my personal Calvary

And climb on the cross oh Lord as I stretch out my arms

Quoting the Psalms as they banging them nails in my palms

Until I die cause I was crucified with my Savior

And resurrected now I can reflect it in my behavior

A new nature to taste and savor Jesus the Christ

Who brought me out of the darkness to His marvelous light

[HOOK:]

Home

2008-11-26T21:18:00.000-08:00

Man it is so weird being home. I haven't been home since I left for school in August, so it has been about 3 months. Wow, how time passes. I just set up my desktop in my room and it is so weird listening to some of the older songs that aren't on my laptop. Bringing back memories of high school and the first couple years of college. Everything just feels like they pass by so fast and soon I'll be looking back at my years of college and think that they went by so fast and how I miss them. I feel sorta emotional so I am going to go and read and pray.

The Cross of Christ

2008-11-03T15:58:00.000-08:00

These two paragraphs are from the book, Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper, that I am currently reading and wanted to share with others.

Christ is the glory of God. His blood-soaked cross is the blazing center of that glory. By it he bought for us every blessing – temporal and eternal. And we don’t deserve any. He bought them all. Because of Christ’s cross, God’s elect are destined to be sons of God. Because of his cross, the wrath of God is taken away. Because of his cross all guilt is removed, and sins are forgiven, and perfect righteousness is imputed to us, and the love of God is poured out in our hearts by the Spirit, and we are being conformed to the image of Christ.

Therefore every enjoyment in this life and the next that is not idolatry is a tribute to the infinite value of the cross of Christ – the burning center of the glory of God. And thus a cross-centered, cross-exalting, cross-saturated life is a God-glorifying life – the only God-glorifying life. All others are wasted.

May the only thing that we boast about in our life is in the cross of Christ, as it is the source of everything. May we be granted the eyes and hearts to see the glories of the cross at the center of everything in our lives.

“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6: 14

How do we win the entire world for Christ?

2008-10-28T02:07:00.000-07:00

As I was finishing up my first James Montgomery Boice book, Christ's Call to Discipleship, I was struck by this paragraph about the church:

Today's church needs to recapture the entire counsels of God. On the surface, where many operate, this seems the most foolish of pursuits. If we were to hold a meeting of many so-called Christians today and ask them what should be done in our time to win the entire world for Christ, it is likely that most of the discussion would center on literature campaigns, use of the media, recruitment of workers, and raising funds. Significantly, Jesus spoke of none of these things. He spoke of teaching all His commandments, implying that His blessing would be upon this effort as it would not fully be upon many lesser things.

We are to be faithful and teach all that Jesus has commanded us. We aren't here to come up with catchy slogans or try different methods to get the crowds to pay attention to us. We are here to make disciples of ALL nations and proclaim Christ as Lord and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. Paul tells us to follow his example as he follows Christ so,

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2: 1-2

So let's go and proclaim Jesus Christ and him crucified trusting in the Spirit to work in the hearts of the people we proclaim to.

Blessed are ...

2008-10-24T02:24:00.000-07:00

1Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5: 1-12

In this chapter, from Christ’s Call to Discipleship, James Montgomery Boice talks about the happy Christian. He talks about how Jesus describes the way to true happiness. I just want to leave this one quote from the end of the chapter:

I end with this question. Where in this great world in which we live can there be found a place for those who imitate the Lord Jesus Christ and thus in their own persons live out the Beatitudes? This is not an easy world. It is a tough, hard, grasping, evil, covetous world. Where can there possibly be a place for whose who are poor in spirit, who mourn for sin, who are meek, who hunger and thirst for righteousness (of all things), who are merciful, who are pure in heart, who are peacemakers, who are persecuted for Jesus’ sake? There is only one place. It is the place the great of this world assigned Christ. It is the cross. That is where the imitation of Christ is practiced, and it is why that imitation of Christ is the fellowship of the cross. The world cries to us, as it cried to Jesus, “Away with them; they are not fit to live.” But as we are driven away, we are driven to Him whose very glance is precious above rubies and the knowledge of whom is life eternal.

We are driven to the fellowship of God. It is only at the cross that the gulf between a holy God and sinful man is bridged, sin is removed, and a wide channel for the fullness of God’s blessing is unclogged. As we draw near to Jesus we hear the world’s shrill cries: “Crucify him; crucify them.” We hear Jesus as He speaks words of blessing and know ourselves blessed. “Blessed are you,” says Jesus. “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. In the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

At the cross all tears are wiped away.

At the cross we find Jesus who is the fountain of all happiness.

Amazing Grace or Random Grace

2008-10-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

This is some good stuff by Tim Challies.

http://www.challies.com/archives/articles/amazing-grace-or-random-grace.php#comments

Sacrifice our People-Pleasing Nature for The Truth

2008-10-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Boice wrote about the cost of discipleship and one cost he talks about is that we must be willing to pay is the loss of the world’s good opinion. Boice quotes Bishop J.C Ryle of an exposition of Luke 14: 28:

A man… must be content to be thought ill of by man if he pleases God. He must count it no strange thing to be mocked, ridiculed, slandered, persecuted and even hated. He must not be surprised to find his opinions and practices in religion despised and held up to scorn. He must submit to be thought by many a fool, an enthusiast and a fanatic – to have his words perverted and his actions misrepresented. In fact, he must not marvel if some call him mad. The Master says – “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20)….It is always unpleasant to be spoken against and forsaken and lied about and to stand alone. But there is no help for it. The cup which our Master drank must be drank by his disciples. They must be “despised and rejected of men” (Isaiah 53:3). Let us set down that item in our account. To be a Christian will cost a man the favor of the world.

There is no way that we can genuinely follow Jesus and seek the favor of the world at the same time. Jesus says that we are to be hated, just as He was hated. This weeks bible study passage was similar as it talked about the cost of discipleship in Luke 9: 18-26, but I will only quote a couple of the verses:

“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9: 22-23, with emphasis)

We must live like Christ and endure what he endured. We must follow Him to Calvary with our cross on our shoulders.

Father, help us in following Jesus the way we should be. Take away any fear and grant us boldness in the course of our everyday lives.

Down and Out

2008-10-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Our new video for campus moviefest

Only Jesus

2008-09-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago, I came across this song, Only Jesus:

Father of grace, You’ve sacrificed
Your only Son for us, the crucified Jesus
Enlarge our hearts to love Your Son
O grant to us the grace to walk with Him always
To make Him our great delight
Bringing worship with our lives

Only Jesus! Only Jesus!
Give us Jesus, we cry
Only Jesus! Only Jesus!
The Pearl of greatest price

Spirit of grace, You’ve shed Your light
Upon our darkened eyes, unveiling Jesus Christ
Come change our hearts, conform our ways
To honor Jesus’ Name, His glory our refrain
Let His love compel our own
As we worship at His throne

Jesus, our great Savior,
Lord of heaven, Son of God

I don't know what else to say, but GIVE ME JESUS! ONLY JESUS!

May this be the desire and cry of my heart for eternity.

Singleness for Christ

2008-08-29T13:21:00.001-07:00

What does it mean for us to be single? Do we embrace the gift of singleness that is of the Lord? John Piper gives a little exhortation for how Christians should embrace being single.

The following is an edited transcript of the audio.

How should singleness be different for Christians?

I don't think that a lot of the singleness that we see happening today is designed to increase devotedness to the Lord. That's what Paul said it should be. He said that the problem with marriage in crisis situations that he found himself in was that it would distract a person from full devotion to the Lord.

Well, when I look around at the kind of secular singleness we see today, that's the last thing on many singles' minds. "I'm keeping myself free from the entanglements of marriage in order that there might be a more radical focus on and devotion to Jesus Christ"—that kind of thinking is not what is dictating the change of statistics in our culture.

No, it's probably almost the reverse. Many people are afraid of commitments and relationships, and many people are eager to stretch their wings and do their own thing. And then maybe later, when they've traveled the world and done lots of things that satisfied them, then maybe they will lock in to somebody...maybe.

So there's a lot of the independence and a lot of desire to satisfy their own immediate desires, which has nothing to do with what Paul was talking about, namely, increased devotion to the Lord.

How would you challenge a Christian who has these selfish desires?

I would say that singleness is a gift for as long as you have it. Some people God means to have it for a lifetime, and some people God means to have it for a season. But while you have it, consult the Scriptures to see how you can maximize the freedoms of singleness for the glory of Christ, because there are advantages to being married, and there are advantages to singleness when it comes to serving Jesus.

And I would just encourage Christian single people to ask, "For this chapter in my life, while I am single, what is it about my singleness that could make me especially fruitful for Christ?" And then I would encourage them to give themselves to that.

You can download and listen to the audio from the website below or at DesiringGod.org. I would recommend you to listen to it.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/AskPastorJohn/ByTopic/45/3165_How_should_singleness_be_different_for_Christians/

Glory Now and Forever

2008-04-29T22:12:00.001-07:00

"To Him be the glory both NOW and FOREVER. Amen." 2 Peter 3: 18b(emphasis added)

These are Peter's final words in his second letter and they are just so powerful. All the glory on earth and in heaven, in this present time and forever, all belong to Jesus. So, as I look upon this verse, I ask myself, am I glorifying Him now in all that I do? As I play basketball, play soccer, work, hang out with friends, eat, sleep, in my education, or anything, am I bringing glory to Jesus? This is one reason why Jesus is so important to us because he alone can fulfill the verse in 2 Corinthians 10:31 "so, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Jesus alone lived a sinless life and everything he did, he did it for His father in heaven. We cannot do a single thing for God apart from Jesus. This is why we need to continually seek after Jesus day and night and meditate on His law day and night. We need to ask God to help us to glorify Himself. We need Him to enable us to glorify Him with our words, our actions, our thoughts, and with what He gives us. I love what Spurgeon says,

"I am all Yours. Take me, and enable me to glorify You now in all that I say, in all
that I do, and with all that I have."

That is the cry of my heart, to have Jesus take me and live through me to glorify Himself in every aspect of my life.

Lord Jesus, I thank you for you being perfect and one that the father finds pleasure in. I thank you for what you did on the cross for me. I thank you for your love that you lavish me with. I thank you for always being with me. I pray that you help me deny myself and I pray that you will live through me. I pray that I take the passenger seat as the driver seat is yours. I pray that my life will be full of praise to you and whatever I do, it will be for your glory alone. And I pray that you continue to humble me and keep on teaching me in your ways. May your name be praised all the days of my life. Amen.

Temptaions vs. the Sword of the Spirit

2008-04-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

We will be tempted everyday, whether by the devil, or by our own flesh. In Matthew 4: 1-11, Jesus is being tempted by the king of deceivers, the devil.

The Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came

Matthew 4: 1-3a

So Jesus was fasting for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness before the devil came. As we see the three different trials that the devil puts Jesus through, we see a perfect image of how Jesus uses his “sword of the Spirit,” which is described in Ephesians 6 by Paul, as the word of God. With each of the temptations, Jesus stands firm and fights back with scripture.

And the came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But He answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4: 3-4

The devil knows our weaknesses and tries to use them against us. Since the devil knows that Jesus is hungry as stated in verse 2, the devil tries to use the hunger against Jesus. But Jesus knows better and fights back with Scripture against Satan.

In the second temptation, the devil even quotes scripture to have Jesus fold.

If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down for it is written, “’He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Matthew 4: 6-7

The devil uses what is said in the Scriptures and will try to use them against us. This is why we need to study the word of God. It is not just the devil that will quote scripture in the wrong context to have us believe in a false doctrine, but other people will also. People may not even try to deceive us, but since we are human, we are all prone to error when we interpret Scripture. This is why it is so important to know the word of God because when we receive the word, we need to examine it with Scripture to see if what we receive is so, hopefully like the Bereans in Acts 17.

And [the devil] said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Matthew 4: 9-11

In this last final test, the devil wants Jesus to worship him and Jesus does not. The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and tried to have Jesus worship him by telling him that he can have them all. But Jesus finds God to be much more precious and valuable than anything that the devil could offer. With this last test, we see how valuable God is when Jesus turns down all the glory that the world can offer. Just by the act of saying no to all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, we can see that the Kingdom of God is much better because that is what Jesus chose over this whole world and all the glory.

As we study Jesus in the gospels, we get to see Jesus and learn from Him. We learn to fight against temptation in our life by watching Jesus fight off all the temptations with Scripture alone. Each time Jesus was tempted, he quoted Scripture and fought back as a soldier would with a sword. So to be able to mobilize ourselves for battle, we need to be rooted in the word of God and examine the Scriptures daily, and try our best to imitate Christ in all that He is.

Plastic Bags Only

2008-04-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

So, these are some pictures of different views of Target's plastic bag recycle bin that is in every Target. I don't remember how long it has been there, but ever since it has been there, there has been some burning anger building up in me because most people use it as a garbage can. There are numerous times a day that people try to shove an empty soda bottle or trash inside of the recycle bin and I have to tell them that it is not a garbage. I get some responses, for example "Oh I didn't know," or "Ooops, my bad." It's funny because right on top it says "Plastic Bags Only" and that does not include garbage that you want to throw away. For kids, it can be understandable because we were all once kids, but when there are grown men and grown women who don't even bother to read the sign that says "PLASTIC BAGS ONLY," there is just no excuse in the world for why they should make that mistake.
As I was thinking about it last night coming home from work, I just wonder if anyone cares. Are they too busy with their lives or shopping to care to read what the recycling bin says? Or do they just not care what the sign says and just throw trash in the recycling and when someone says something, just make an excuse of "Oooops I didn't know" and then walk off like nothing happened?
This has been going on for a long time, but this anger hadn't really came to the fullest until yesterday when this dude was eating some nuts and put the leftover shells that were in his mouth into the plastic bag recycling and I had to tell him that it wasn't a garbage and he goes "Ooops I didn't know," then walks away without even being courteous enough to try to take out the slobbered on leftover shells of the seeds that were in his mouth.
So I need to repent for this anger and have God work more love into my heart for these people. Whatever reason it may be for them to throw their garbage into a marked plastic bag only recycle bin, I should not have the anger that I had yesterday for something so insignificant. May God work more love into us and take away the anger for these little things.

Final Schedule

2008-04-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

So I just found out today that I have my two hardest finals on the SAME day!!! They are both math and they are in a row. The good news is that I will be done with those early, but I need to figure out how I want to study and which one gets more of the study time. I'm sorta glad though because I have another one the next day and the English final is the Saturday so I'll have four out of five done before the weekend and the last one is on is on that following Wednesday. So pray for me for those first two finals, then the rest should be a breeze.

Out in the Wilderness

2008-04-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

As Saul is seeking to kill David, so David flees into the wilderness. He is running from persecution into a physical wilderness. But ultimately, this is not the wilderness that we want to focus on because continually in our life we will be faced with trials and tribulations that will force us into a wilderness. We want to focus on what goes on inside of our hearts and souls as we are in this wilderness. Spiritually where does the wilderness lead us to? For David, he was led to God:

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by”

Psalm 57:1

This psalm was written by David as he fled from Saul, in the cave. So David found refuge for his soul in God. He knew that it is God alone ordaining everything to happen, so he cries out to God to be merciful and seeks Him as his refuge.

And as David sought out God in the strongholds of Engedi, God delivered Saul into the hands of David.

¹When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” ²Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. ³And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. ⁴And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁵And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁶He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” ⁷So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. ⁸Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. ⁹And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? ¹⁰Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ ¹¹See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it. ¹²May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. ¹³As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. ¹⁴After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! ¹⁵May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”

1 Samuel 24:1-15

“And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you’ ” (v. 4b)”. This is what David’s soldiers told him and David could have done anything he wanted. Saul was at the hands of David because he didn’t know David was there. The soldiers wanted to attack, but David thought differently. Since his soul is taking refuge in the Lord, he is reminded that Saul was anointed by God, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed” (v. 6). This came after David cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. David was feeling conviction just by cutting a piece of Saul’s robe as his heart struck him.

After all the persecution that led David to flee, David had mercy on Saul and spared his life. He didn’t have mercy on Saul for Saul’s sake, but he wanted to have mercy on Saul for God’s sake. David has killed many people in the line of battle and Saul is just another enemy that God had delivered to him, but Saul was anointed by God, and an attack on Saul would be like an attack on God. He didn’t rise up against Saul because he didn’t want to rise up against God.

So David does what is right and does not become the judge and take vengeance against Saul, but he leaves that for God. He says “may the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you” (v. 12). David obeys God command in Deuteronomy 32:35 when God says through Moses “Vengeance is mine, and recompense.” This is the same command that God gives to the Romans by Paul in the New Testament “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19), so God has not changed at all.

I just pray that as we are forced into the wilderness that we will take the approach that David does and seek God as our refuge. It is God who ordains everything to happen and it is Him who draws us out into the wilderness. So seek the Lord and pray that he will bring remembrance of what He has taught us through His Word and to remember all the times that He has been good and faithful to us. And all we have to do is trust in the Lord, let God be God, and follow in His ways. And God will be our deliverer from what he has ordained and lead us out to green pastures and fellowship with Him.

Father, may you grant us a heart for you that will continually seek you in all trials, tribulations, and persecutions and to know that these lead to endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. May we learn from the ways that you used David for your glory and continue to teach us more about you so that we may also obey ALL of your commands, even in times of tribulation. May all we do be for your everlasting glory alone and continue to humble us as we live on undeserved grace all of our days. And it is through Christ I pray. Amen.

math

2008-04-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

So just 6 or so more weeks of school and then summer. I wish school would just fast forward and that I can be done with this semester. It's not because I hate all my classes, but it's because I just cannot stand my math class. It's Vector Calculus and whenever I try to study or do homework, I look at it and I want to cry because my mind just goes blank. It is like I forgot how to do everything from my previous semesters of calculus and I understand what he does in class, but when I get home, I don't understand a single thing. I have homework due today and it is blank because I can't do it. I look at the homework and my mind goes uhhhhh, I don't know. My mind feels so blocked and that it doesn't want to understand it. Oh man I really need to pray.

???

2008-04-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

So today I got 2 papers back: 1 from Asian American Studies and the other from English. The AAS paper, I threw together last minute because I had the hardest time focusing and couldn't write it over the weekend. But I eventually received a 29 out of 30 for it and the teacher added the comment "Good." Then on the English in class essay, I got a C+, which I thought that I didn't do too bad on. I just don't understand because the past couple semesters I have received an A on every paper in all my classes unless it is an English class. I cannot seem to get above a C+ on a paper for English. This is just so frustrating.

Resolved Trailer

2008-03-06T07:56:00.000-08:00

WOW That is all I have to say

Evangelism Conference in San Diego

2008-02-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

Last week, Alex and I went to an evangelism conference at UCSD. Afterwards, he asked me to write a couple paragraphs about my experience. So here it is:

As a student who was able to attend the evangelism conference at UCSD, it was a great opportunity to learn and grow. As I was processing everything, I saw that I really need to take more initiative in seeking non-Christians in my dorms and classes or to speak up and seek answers from the staff if I have any questions. To take more initiative in the dorms and my classes, I need to put myself out where Jesus can come in and breakdown the barriers and paradigms that are set up.

Some barriers that I saw were mainly fears: looking stupid, making mistakes, losing friends, and failing. One thing that really sticks in my mind about what Ryan had said was that “we need to be trouble makers.” For me, I want to be a trouble maker. These fears that are in me are like human laws. In a subconscious way, no one ever wants to look stupid, fail, or do anything to get them to be a fool. So these are like laws that are subconsciously set within our hearts that we don’t want to cross, so that we won’t be humiliated. It will take an insane person to do this and I want to be that insane person. I want to put myself out there so that Jesus can break me down and tear down these barriers that are set up before me. I need him to violate my whole self and break all the worldly laws that are set in my heart.

With these boundaries set up, they lead to different paradigms in my life that need to be broken. The community paradigm is a problem for me. I always like to hang out with my IV folks and other Christian friends from other fellowships. They are my comfort zone. So a question that I ask myself, how am I leading people to Jesus that don’t know him if I surround myself so often with Christian friends? This question is full of conviction without even needing an answer. From this community paradigm, I’m led to the relational paradigm. I have my Christian friends in one area in my life and my non-Christian friends in another area. I have a problem, I need to be able to try to integrate these two areas into one, otherwise my life would look like a double life. Linking back to the fears, I need to be able to take initiative in my relationships with non-Christians to have more spiritual conversations and be open with my beliefs. I cannot let my fears get in the way of obeying Jesus and following what he commanded as the Great Commission. And I cannot let the greatest thing for our souls pass my friends because I am too scared and am only looking out for myself.

School Books

2008-01-17T10:35:00.001-08:00

So I was just looking at my class schedule online and it had a link to order books. I clicked on it and it showed all the books that I am scheduled to have for all the classes that I'm enrolled in and that total comes out to about 500 dollars. WHOA. Now this is just getting ridiculous because books are 500 dollars. Why are books 500 dollars... well I have no clue?

Sleep

2008-01-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

So this winter break has been going quite well at home. I have been able to get to sleep early and get up early almost everyday so far. My alarm is set at 7:30 in the morning and I have been getting up by 8ish everyday, so I think that it is great, compared compared to school when I could barely get up by 10 every morning. I just pray that when I get back to school, I can keep up this sleep early wake early mentality. It is a lot easier to get my quiet time in earlier with the habit of getting up early.

God I thank you for the grace to allow me to stick to a sleep schedule that I needed for this winter break. I pray that as I will be going back to school in a little more than a week that I will be able to stay with this schedule of getting up early. I thank you and praise your holy name. Amen

prayer

2008-01-11T11:45:00.001-08:00

" All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers." Acts 1:14

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers." Acts 2:42

"And day by day, attending the temple together..." Acts 2:46a

"Now Peter and John were going to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour" Acts 3:1

As I have been going through Acts, I have noticed a trend with the beginning of the early church. They are very prayerful. And these are only what I have gone through so far and I bet that there will be a lot more as I make my way through this book.

This was a really amazing time for the church because this happened after Jesus ascended into heaven and Peter's sermon at Pentecost where "there were added that day about three thousand souls" Acts 2:41. God was really moving within the church. And it wasn't only the apostle's that were devoted to prayer, but the believer's were also "devoted to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers"Acts 2:42. They were devoted to prayer everyday as said in verse 46 "and day by day, attending the temple together..." So day by day, they would go to the temple to hear the teaching of the apostle's, to prayer, and fellowship. It is amazing to see God at work in the lives of the early church.

So now as I look at my life, I wonder what am I doing with it. How devoted am I to the kingdom of God? Simply looking at my prayer life is a good indication. I can be a whole lot more dedicated. And what about IV. Looking at Acts, it is not just individuals who are praying, but it is the group of elect apostles and the church itself. The leader's of the church and the church praying as a whole daily. At IV, I don't necessarily see all of us this motivated to prayer for the campus as the early church. They didn't have only a few people and it wasn't just the leaders, but the was the church that was dedicated to God. I can barely say the same for us. At prayer times we had last year, there were a few people at most times who would regularly come out to prayer if a few people made it out. I have to admit that I myself didn't make the time to attend very regularly either, which is all on me.

But for us to really want a change on this campus, we need to be more dedicated to it. And one way is through prayer for the campus. How can we expect God to move if we aren't willing to be used by him? With things said, I feel a deep need to have time dedicated to prayer and not to just pray when we have time. We can make time for class, food, meetings, bible study, offline and the list can continue, but we cannot dedicate ourselves to spend time in prayer as a fellowship. We all need to be in one mind as the apostles were and devote ourselves to prayer.

Lord I pray that you can grant us the grace to come to you in prayer and be dedicated to you. That we can be dedicated to your plans here at San Jose State and not just to our own needs. Lord I pray you rise us all up as one, with one mind and one accord, and use us to accomplish your purposes here at San Jose State. Draw us all into our own prayer times and also to prayer times as a fellowship. May all the praise, honor and glory be yours forever and ever. Amen

sjfoienoa;ie

2008-01-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

Wow i was so surprised when I checked my grades. I have been waiting a couple weeks for my last grade to be posted and it was for music appreciation. I ended up getting an A+ in that class. :0 I am so shocked at how well of a grade I received. God really did work in me to get that A+. I'm in awe still because I was sorta expecting a B+ or A- if lucky, but with the total shock I received a much better grade. All I can say is praise God for his work and what he did. I must shout out praises to God for all the miracles he does in my life every second of everyday of my life.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T00:38:00.000-08:00

I pray that everyone will have a Merry Christmas. The day to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. May we lift up endless praises to him and continue to remember why he came down from heaven and dwelt among us. May we continue to follow in his teachings and the examples that he left for us. May we continue to grow with him in our lives each and every day. And may we live our lives for him and give thanks in all circumstances. I pray the statement be true in our lives, "to live is Christ, and to die is gain" Phillipians 1:21. I pray that our hearts will be transformed day by day as we continue to seek him through prayer and His word. Oh Lord, may your grace wrap us in your arms for as long as we are here. Thank you Jesus for your leadership and the life you led before us. We praise you and lift you up and exalt your name above all names.

Fragile bodies

2007-12-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

Oh how temporal and fragile our bodies are. Not even 21 yet and my body is breaking down. In high school, my arm was hurt playing baseball and I still don't know exactly what happened and it still hurts to this day. I have to get my wisdom teeth pulled next month and that won't be too pleasant. And my biggest issue is that I will be needing glasses. I went to the eye doctor today and they tested my eyes because I have had some problems seeing in class the past couple semesters. So I finally made it in to see the doctor and get my eyes tested. And it turns out that I have 20/60 vision. The doctor told me that what a normal person can see clearly at 60 feet, I can see clearly at 20 feet. WOW. I knew that my eyes were getting bad, but this just seems horrible. When I had my eyes tested in high school, I had 20/20 vision. So a couple years to this body can be huge. Oh how fragile these bodies are on earth. What will breakdown next? Haha I pray that the Lord will do whatever he pleases with my body and that he will be glorified in whatever he does. For all the glory and honor and praise be to thee.

Dublin

2007-12-20T21:20:00.000-08:00

While I was filling up my gas at Arco today, I saw that every pump had a TV attached to the top. I had never seen this before and I was awed by it. The TV's had advertisements for the company, the weather, and I saw some news on it. It was talking a little about Nicole Ritchie. Part of me wondered how much all that cost and felt like it was a total waste. Pardon my negativity towards it, but it just makes me wonder what they were thinking. Does having those TV's get them more business or is there any upside to them. That money spent on the TV's could have been put to a lot better use by lowering the price of gas or used in a more effective way, instead of TV's that have no need to be on the pumps for people to watch for those couple minutes pumping up gas. arghh you people

Winter Break

2007-12-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

This is the first night of several nights of living in Dublin again. I wonder how I will stay sane for so long. Only by God's grace is it possible. It is only a month long, but it is a month longer than a usual stay, so this should be super fun. I just pray that God will keep abiding in me and me in him so that I may keep getting closer to him, even though it has been really hard in the past trips to Dublin. I pray that this time will be different and that great things may happen this time around. Oh Lord have mercy on your servant. Please keep me humble and to look towards you with whatever I do. By your grace alone, this can happen.

Biblical Women

2007-11-25T11:58:00.000-08:00

I got this set of sermons from a friend and they are awesome

Sermon about women:
Part 1 - http://hardinbaptist.org/sermons/20071103vb1.mp3
Part 2 - http://hardinbaptist.org/sermons/20071103vb2.mp3
Part 3 - http://hardinbaptist.org/sermons/20071103vb3.mp3

This one set is just about the woman aspect in being a biblical woman of God. It also addresses a man and what he should look for in a woman biblically. These are great sermons because everything preached is straight from the word. There is no human philosophy, no worldly implication but straight truth. He does mention what the world believes and what the world would say about what a woman is, but he counters it with the truth and it is so unbelievable how even us who claim to be Christians follow the world and what they believe when it contradicts the word. This is so why we need to be and stick in the word.

Food

2007-11-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

Why is it that every time I go to the DC and I complain about the food? I know that it is bad, but it is better than starving. Food is a luxury to us in the America. We have different types of food and even food critics to judge the food. We have a choice of where we want to eat and a preference of price. And through all this, we forget about the rest of the world. I don't know about you, but I do all the time. When I'm at the DC, I complain how they have the same items everyday with little variety and yet I still can stuff myself. I never take a second to think about how other countries don't have enough food to go around. I get so into myself and want more and is never satisfied for what God provides. It is by God's grace that he feeds me the food that I eat and I am so ungrateful. This quote by John MacArthur hits the spot:

"God had provided manna to eat and water to drink, but the people were not satisfied. They wanted more variety and more spice. They complained and complained, questioning God's goodness and trying His patience. They had no concern for pleasing God, only for His pleasing themselves."

Wow. John MacArthur was describing the people of Israel under Moses as they were on their forty year journey. And I sound just like them in how I want more variety, better food, or more food. I criticize the Israelites at the time because how God provides for them and yet they still have unbelief. It's a shame how I am just the same. I am so selfish. Oh God how could I doubt your Goodness and your blessings with the food that you provide for me. Lord have mercy on my sinfulness.

papers

2007-10-16T05:13:00.000-07:00

Man, this paper that took me all day and all night to write just whooped on me. It was taking me down and almost defeated me, but thanks to the grace of God, I was able to finish it. It was hard for me to focus and I really just didn't like the topic and how I had to write it. But I was able to get it done and now I just need to do my works cited page. I just hope that this is what my teacher wanted. This was the only down part of my day. A good part was in an email from Chris. There's this website that has Sermon Jamz. These are a mixture of excerpts of sermons with a musical background that matches the talk. They have different topics by a couple different preachers.

http://www.1031sermonjams.com/index.html

This is the website for it. They are tight with great stuff to offer us.

Yeaaaaaaaa

2007-10-05T23:16:00.000-07:00

I love this song.
Highest by Hillsong

Verse 1:
Your love O Lord is like the oceans
Deeper than endless seas
Your faithfulness is like the mountains
And Your Word never fails

Chorus:
Glory to God
Let every heart sing
Glory to God
In the highest

Verse 1
Chorus (2x)

Verse 2
Let us adore
Wonderful Saviour
Crown Him
Forever our King (2x)

Chorus (3x)

And oh how we should praise him. Praise God for everything. Glory to God. And tonight our video was shown in the Campus MovieFest and we was in the top 16 boyyyyyyyy. Even though I wasn't there because I was at work, when I heard about it, I was so happy. I had the phattttest smile on my face. And the only way we were able to plan it, film it, edit it, turn it in, and everything that had to do with the film, it was all by the grace of God. So all the glory to God. It was God who wrote it, directed it, acted it, filmed it, edited it, submitted it, put it in the top 16 to be shown, and it was God, it was God. So praise him, Oh praise him. I have nothing else to say, but GLORY TO GOD. So PRAISE HIM.

Soccer

2007-10-04T00:52:00.000-07:00

So, today Bush convinced me to play with his team in the intramurals for soccer. And now I realized why I don't really ever play soccer. It is because I am horrible. I can barely dribble the ball without tripping and as goalie today, I gave up 10 goals. 10!!! The people that we played today were really good too. I bet they practice a decent amount and we should not have even played a team of that calibur. It would be like a high school soccer team playing against a professional team. They totally dominated us the whole game. One bright spot was that we did score a goal, compliments to Double O. And through all this, I had some fun. I could only do this with close people that I can trust won't bite my head off if I do something wrong or stupid. So I might go out again and play in hopes for redemption, but against another team who isn't as good. Then as we get better, we can take that other team on and put up atleast a decent match against them and not get blown out. Well that was soccer today and it's sort of fun with friends and good exercise. I'm ready for some more.

I Need You Back

2007-10-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

ayooooooooooooooooooo
the video is all done and uploaded to youtube

Certainties that Drive Enduring Ministry

2007-09-29T00:22:00.000-07:00

Stand- Session 1 with MacArthur
Desiring God National Conference

To listen to audio
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/2409_Certainties_that_Drive_Enduring_Ministry_Part_1/

September 28, 2007

2 Corinthians 3-4

Message Summary

What can ensure an enduring ministry? Consider Paul.

Throughout the book of 2 Corinthians we see that Paul was a sufferer--overwhelmingly--both from outside and inside troubles. Yet at the end of his ministry he said that he had fought the fight, finished the course, and kept the faith.

How did Paul endure?

1) He embraced with all his heart the superiority of the new covenant. 2 Corinthians 3. Paul never lost his sense of the glory of God's grace to forgive, sanctify and save his people.

2) He embraced the reality that ministry is a mercy. 2 Corinthians 4:1. Paul acknowledged that he was the chief of sinners. His own salvation was an undeserved gift, as well as the grace given him to proclaim the gospel. Burnout in ministry is a misnomer. The real issue is that ministers have unrealistic (and unmet) expectations of deserving better treatment. It is a mercy that pastors don't stumble, that their wives and children don't desert them, and that their congregations don't abandon them.

3) He embraced the essential necessity of a pure heart. 2 Corinthians 4:2a. Paul had no secret sinful life. A hidden life of sin will be made known. Those who don't battle against sin on the inside will ultimately disappoint all whom they hope to minister to. You must study the Scriptures so that when sin is near, your conscience will not let you down.

4) He was certain of his responsibility to accurately handle the Scriptures. 2 Corinthians 4:2b. He determined to never handle Scripture in an adulterated way. He had a relentless commitment to biblical fidelity. Those who manipulate the Scriptures and, therefore, the people of God, will not endure in effective ministry.

Should we use the Bible when we pray?

2007-09-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

Oftentimes we view prayer and reading the Bible as distinct disciplines in the Christian life. Is there a way in which we should be using the Bible in our prayers?

For me it is inevitable and absolutely necessary. For example, if I try to pray for people or events without having the word in front of me guiding my prayers, then several negative things happen. One is that I tend to be very repetitive from day to day and hour to hour, and I just pray the same things all the time. Another negative thing is that my mind tends to wander, and I think instead about what I'm wearing, or that there is a Venetian blind that is halfway open, or that there is a siren out on the street and I'm wondering what is happening. I'm jerked all over the place by my inattentiveness.

But the Bible holds my attention because I'm looking at it and reading it. And it gives me biblical things to pray for so that I'm not praying with empty and vague requests like "God bless them" and "God bless that." Rather, I'm asking for specific things that the Bible commends.

For me it is absolutely essential that my prayers be guided by, saturated by, and sustained and controlled by the word of God. I've said to people, "You can pray all day if you pray the Bible." Some people wonder how you can pray longer than five minutes, because they would lose things to pray for. But I say that if you open the Bible, start reading it, and pause at every verse and turn it into a prayer, then you can pray all day that way.

wow

2007-09-28T00:55:00.000-07:00

Man, making a movie is a lot of hard work and a lot of patience. Well atleast we done filming and now just have to wait for Dillon to edit it. He has the bulk of the work with all that editing. Now I sorta got a feel of what movie makers and actors go through from both point of views at once. It was fun being apart of the whole process of making a music video and it would be real cool to write a movie and make one that is like 20+ mins, but it would take much much more work and patience. Well with that and school, those were my last two days haha, super fun.

Argghhh

2007-09-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Oh man. I really don't feel like doing any homework. I was supposed to do my music appreciation homework, but thanks to procrastination, I haven't done any of it this whole weekend. All I did was get the homework assignment set up and ready to be worked on. Too bad it won't be good enough so now I need to do it in the morning before class. Oh joy. Well time to read and then sleep.

Yesterday Dillon showed me this video. It's hecka funny.