Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Feeling Of Relativity.
So where do we go from here? I'm feeling it's most essential to live
like life has never been lived in past days. To grab hold of what you
love and love it so ferociously that your grip could not be weakened
by the blow of a sledge hammer. Sachs said it well, "Death is more
universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives." It is time
to live like there's no tomorrow! I'm truly motivated by my past, and
also by the present of those around me who trudge along begotten tortuous
paths towards some imaginary reconciliation of the last minute with the
next. When did we become so gun shy?
"The pain of discipline weighs ounces, but regret weighs tons." Such a
beautifully true statement; o to learn the discipline to live.
The sharpest of words can't change a man, or can they? Holy Spirit like
you have never moved before, we need you, we are desperate for you!
Can we not bring the heavenly to the hurting? If it be a song, if it be
a word, if it be a text all I ask is that you move. That you set these
steps before us for hearts to hear what we have to say.
Let us labor in prayer for you, seeking you with all that we have, and
on their behalf preparing the way before us.
We cry out to you Abba Father, I cry out to you.
Nothing is impossible for you, you hold my world in your hands.
like life has never been lived in past days. To grab hold of what you
love and love it so ferociously that your grip could not be weakened
by the blow of a sledge hammer. Sachs said it well, "Death is more
universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives." It is time
to live like there's no tomorrow! I'm truly motivated by my past, and
also by the present of those around me who trudge along begotten tortuous
paths towards some imaginary reconciliation of the last minute with the
next. When did we become so gun shy?
"The pain of discipline weighs ounces, but regret weighs tons." Such a
beautifully true statement; o to learn the discipline to live.
The sharpest of words can't change a man, or can they? Holy Spirit like
you have never moved before, we need you, we are desperate for you!
Can we not bring the heavenly to the hurting? If it be a song, if it be
a word, if it be a text all I ask is that you move. That you set these
steps before us for hearts to hear what we have to say.
Let us labor in prayer for you, seeking you with all that we have, and
on their behalf preparing the way before us.
We cry out to you Abba Father, I cry out to you.
Nothing is impossible for you, you hold my world in your hands.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
My Enemies Are Men Like Me
Derek Webb
I have come to give you life
And to show you how to live it
I have come to make things right
To heal their ears and show you how to forgive them
Because I would rather die
I would rather die
I would rather die
Than to take your life
How can I kill the ones I'm supposed to love
My enemies are men like me
I will protest the sword if it's not wielded well
My enemies are men like me
Peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication
It's like telling someone murder is wrong
And then showing them by way of execution
When justice is bought and sold just like weapons of war
The ones who always pay are the poorest of the poor
I have come to give you life
And to show you how to live it
I have come to make things right
To heal their ears and show you how to forgive them
Because I would rather die
I would rather die
I would rather die
Than to take your life
How can I kill the ones I'm supposed to love
My enemies are men like me
I will protest the sword if it's not wielded well
My enemies are men like me
Peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication
It's like telling someone murder is wrong
And then showing them by way of execution
When justice is bought and sold just like weapons of war
The ones who always pay are the poorest of the poor
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Devotion.
The weight of separation from God is unbearable to me.
What separates me from him? Sin. For almost all my life
I've second guessed myself, only to wake up today realizing
that that's exactly why God is using me! He uses the weak
to shame the strong! I am just that, I am not perfect.
I never will be, but what I will be is sanctified by Christ
day in and day out as I seek him.
So let us stop doubting ourselves, because what our hearts
are crying is, "God, I do not trust you. I can only do this
if I'm better, or if I could just be a better christian."
There is no such thing as a "better christian," but there
is such a thing as devotion. Trust him, in John 14:13 Jesus
says, "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that
the Father may be glorified in the Son." He is using us to
make him glorious, as if he needs us but he has chosen us.
Just like the gift of grace is a gift that we cannot earn,
so is this beautiful life he's chosen to use us in. Our
Creator chose us, and he knows that we are not perfect. The
big but here is, SEEK HIM. Be strengthened in the grace that
is in Jesus Christ, as Paul says. So this is it, today let's
begin to trust God the way were intended, with everything.
What separates me from him? Sin. For almost all my life
I've second guessed myself, only to wake up today realizing
that that's exactly why God is using me! He uses the weak
to shame the strong! I am just that, I am not perfect.
I never will be, but what I will be is sanctified by Christ
day in and day out as I seek him.
So let us stop doubting ourselves, because what our hearts
are crying is, "God, I do not trust you. I can only do this
if I'm better, or if I could just be a better christian."
There is no such thing as a "better christian," but there
is such a thing as devotion. Trust him, in John 14:13 Jesus
says, "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that
the Father may be glorified in the Son." He is using us to
make him glorious, as if he needs us but he has chosen us.
Just like the gift of grace is a gift that we cannot earn,
so is this beautiful life he's chosen to use us in. Our
Creator chose us, and he knows that we are not perfect. The
big but here is, SEEK HIM. Be strengthened in the grace that
is in Jesus Christ, as Paul says. So this is it, today let's
begin to trust God the way were intended, with everything.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
"I Am Living Vol. 1"
Whether you’ve been following our steps over the last few months or you just happened upon this site, welcome! This web launch marks our somewhat official/unofficial launch, as we are finally able to begin doing one of the things that we’ve felt God place on our hearts: offering music as a 100% free, no-strings-attached, GIFT. It’s one of the smaller ways we can spell “LOVE”.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Burden.
I am the wolf
That's out for my prey
As sure as I'm cunning
A lamb will be slain
My fixture is men, I intend to devour them all
They are weak and they are small
And they answer when I call
Through all I have
In the palm of mine
The yeast will rise
In the bread of life
It's every little thing
It's a life of suffering
The burden of all
Is I was made to fall
I am the burden
of all the world
But their ignorant hearts just don't know
I am the master
They are the givers
I am the captor of souls
Burn them, down to the ground
Take no prisoners
If I can't win then I'll call them to sin
Surely I will own their hearts
That's out for my prey
As sure as I'm cunning
A lamb will be slain
My fixture is men, I intend to devour them all
They are weak and they are small
And they answer when I call
Through all I have
In the palm of mine
The yeast will rise
In the bread of life
It's every little thing
It's a life of suffering
The burden of all
Is I was made to fall
I am the burden
of all the world
But their ignorant hearts just don't know
I am the master
They are the givers
I am the captor of souls
Burn them, down to the ground
Take no prisoners
If I can't win then I'll call them to sin
Surely I will own their hearts
Thursday, August 13, 2009
A Call To Anguish.
This stirred me to say the very least. The conviction of my wasted
hours now has feet and I will walk on them. What are we doing to
serve? Who are we rescuing, reaching, and loving? I ask myself
these things everyday, and I cannot picture myself doing enough.
I am not innocent, this is a matter of anguish of its own.
Let this excerpt speak to you, I pray it does as it did me.
hours now has feet and I will walk on them. What are we doing to
serve? Who are we rescuing, reaching, and loving? I ask myself
these things everyday, and I cannot picture myself doing enough.
I am not innocent, this is a matter of anguish of its own.
Let this excerpt speak to you, I pray it does as it did me.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Maintenance.
It is a pursuit beyond maintaining that I desire to have, to truly know my Jesus than to know of him. I am hard on myself with this, and I think that is because in my heart I almost always hold back; be it fear, apathy, or just being ashamed. This is certainly not a benchmark to which I wish to remain, Id prefer it disappear. It has been my prayer that the holy spirit manifest a heart of faith, trust and pure belief that our God can truly do anything and he has given us the power to do so as well. I pray judgement would fall from our lips and replaced with christ's embrace. As I delve deeper into "Celebration of Discipline" Ive started to realize that all these years Ive relied on my self and not God's grace. This has created a sense of unhealthy control that Id felt obligated to have, but to have his grace and understand it frees me of this burden. This is the pursuit, and at the very least I know it's there. The maintenance of a relationship should never overshadow the pursuit of the one you love. To maintain is to expire, but to pursue is true desire.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
I'm not here at the moment.
It's been quite a while. I've not only not been home in over a month, but I rarely have internet access on the road which makes for sparce updating. The tours have been great, recording for Sons in North Carolina with Drew was great, the festivals have been incredible, and I am on the eve of my 23rd birthday. Its crazy where life takes us, a year ago the last thing I'd expect for myself is to be on the road yet here I am. Im grateful for God providing in a way where I am able to connect with people and I pray that it would continue through with Sons far beyond what I can imagine. I wanted to update from the road, hopefully I'll have some time while home to expand on the last few weeks. Until then... seek Jesus relentlessly.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Not My Will But Yours.
John Piper has a way about bringing the truth in a way
that hurts but helps at times. It hurts to know that we
embrace this lifestyle, but it helps to be
reminded of how terrible it is.
To clarify, I mean "terrible" that it is true that we live
just as Piper describes.
Not to Be Served But to Serve (Mark 10:45)
that hurts but helps at times. It hurts to know that we
embrace this lifestyle, but it helps to be
reminded of how terrible it is.
To clarify, I mean "terrible" that it is true that we live
just as Piper describes.
Not to Be Served But to Serve (Mark 10:45)
Monday, May 25, 2009
I Would Give My Life If It Would Shake The Youth of This Nation
Every time I watch this video, I'm sincerely moved and blanketed
by the Holy Spirit. Thank you to Kyle for introducing me, and thank
you to Tony Chavez for the link to this.
John Mark McMillan, I cannot get enough of what God is doing
through you.
by the Holy Spirit. Thank you to Kyle for introducing me, and thank
you to Tony Chavez for the link to this.
John Mark McMillan, I cannot get enough of what God is doing
through you.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Ready and Willing.
I just typed a beginning sentence what seemed to be a half dozen
times before deciding it was pointless. I know it is easy for me
to sit here behind all these 1's and 0's and write exactly what I
may think or feel on a subject and precede about my day or night
without a bother or thought of how it may have affected the reader.
I say this because, I've been thinking about you a lot lately.
You as in, anyone who may read this, know me, have met me, etc.
I think about you because I ask myself, "how do they perceive me?"
Not in a pretentious tone, but one of concern to me that you know
I truly care so it would only be logical to examine myself.
This question comes due to a great personal growth in my life in
the last half year, and truly this is an opportunity to boast in
my weakness just as Paul communicated to the Corinthians. It is my
weakness revealed, the revelation as Christ as my savior, and
the restoration in my life that he's done as to know that not only
have I been saved FROM sin but TO grace.
I realize many of my past mistakes and think of how trivial some of
those things were. Rolling my eyes when someone precious to me was
talking to me or telling me something, how condescending!? How could
I be so selfish and cold? This is not the heart I desire; I don't
know why I'm telling you this but I feel it is a good opportunity
to be transparent. Lately I take joy in listening, in getting the
milk, in mowing the lawn, in turning off the T.V. and taking out the
trash, in cleaning up messes I didn't make... in the little trivial
things that we sometimes don't think about but I know it means so
much to someone else.
Before I lacked initiative, but now I have less words on the matter
and my actions are obvious; again, this is simply to give Glory to
what God has done. I don't wait anymore, I move and do. I see the
sun and sleep at night, I accomplish more in one day than I used to
in a single week just months ago.
I am proud, yet I am humbled as my Savior and my Holy Spirit continue
to grow me. My sincerest regret remains for those whom I swore I
loved with words, but did not reflect with action. Just like the
gospels, we can have the information but it is the renewal of our
minds that makes the true difference. I can know about love, but to
functionally love, and I can know grace and the gospels but to
functionally live it out? It is the function that makes it real, words
are simply air unless we are living them out! And as I share my
heart with you, I ask simply that you pray for me and that if you
need prayer to let me know how I can pray for you. The prayer of the
righteous is powerful and effective, let us join together in this.
Pride, continue to fall.
Let us remember, it is better to serve than to be served.
And Father keep it in our hearts, less of me and more of you.
Go out and seek Jesus.
times before deciding it was pointless. I know it is easy for me
to sit here behind all these 1's and 0's and write exactly what I
may think or feel on a subject and precede about my day or night
without a bother or thought of how it may have affected the reader.
I say this because, I've been thinking about you a lot lately.
You as in, anyone who may read this, know me, have met me, etc.
I think about you because I ask myself, "how do they perceive me?"
Not in a pretentious tone, but one of concern to me that you know
I truly care so it would only be logical to examine myself.
This question comes due to a great personal growth in my life in
the last half year, and truly this is an opportunity to boast in
my weakness just as Paul communicated to the Corinthians. It is my
weakness revealed, the revelation as Christ as my savior, and
the restoration in my life that he's done as to know that not only
have I been saved FROM sin but TO grace.
I realize many of my past mistakes and think of how trivial some of
those things were. Rolling my eyes when someone precious to me was
talking to me or telling me something, how condescending!? How could
I be so selfish and cold? This is not the heart I desire; I don't
know why I'm telling you this but I feel it is a good opportunity
to be transparent. Lately I take joy in listening, in getting the
milk, in mowing the lawn, in turning off the T.V. and taking out the
trash, in cleaning up messes I didn't make... in the little trivial
things that we sometimes don't think about but I know it means so
much to someone else.
Before I lacked initiative, but now I have less words on the matter
and my actions are obvious; again, this is simply to give Glory to
what God has done. I don't wait anymore, I move and do. I see the
sun and sleep at night, I accomplish more in one day than I used to
in a single week just months ago.
I am proud, yet I am humbled as my Savior and my Holy Spirit continue
to grow me. My sincerest regret remains for those whom I swore I
loved with words, but did not reflect with action. Just like the
gospels, we can have the information but it is the renewal of our
minds that makes the true difference. I can know about love, but to
functionally love, and I can know grace and the gospels but to
functionally live it out? It is the function that makes it real, words
are simply air unless we are living them out! And as I share my
heart with you, I ask simply that you pray for me and that if you
need prayer to let me know how I can pray for you. The prayer of the
righteous is powerful and effective, let us join together in this.
Pride, continue to fall.
Let us remember, it is better to serve than to be served.
And Father keep it in our hearts, less of me and more of you.
Go out and seek Jesus.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
I Get It, But Do I Get It?
I've been blank in seeking after Christ, blank outwardly
to greater take in the gospel. Listening to The Village
podcast archives, "The Gospel Recognition" and "Gospel
Contextualization" have been pounding me with biblical
insight I've been missing for years as a christian. They
brought about some of those, "wow, that's me" moments.
I have to admit, as distasteful as "nominal christianity"
seems, which Chandler mentions quite a bit along with the
rest of the teaching staff, I think all too often I fall
in that category myself.
Upon realizing this, it was evident in my heart that a
change was necessary and one that I greatly desired. I
say this to boast in my weakness. My pride has caught the
best of me, and ruined the best of me since I was young;
I even went through a couple of years of counseling dealing
with anger, which turned into bitterness, then healed over
into shame.
What this short series of sermons brought to the surface
was remarkably accurate of who I see in the mirror. Someone
that fundamentally gets the gospel, but does not functionally
get the gospel. I have been learning to think WITH the bible
rather than about it. I know we are always learning and being
made holy as seeking christians, but sometimes I feel so far
behind the curve that I've got so much catching up to do.
I'm blessed to be surrounded and united with great people of
faith and wisdom that disciple me and direct me to prayer and
the word often; if it were not for them I think more often
than not I would be left to make decisions I simply cannot
make alone sometimes.
My love for his goodness, his holiness, his redemptive work on
the cross, continues to beat greater each day. It's my prayer
that we would grasp the gospel, functionally, that we would not
be caught up in spiritual superiority but humble servant-hood.
Mark 10: 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." That
we would get our feet dirty as Jesus did, that we would live with
Reckless Abandon and go where he sends us no matter the cost.
Philippians 1: 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
I'm loving where God has placed my friend Tony Chavez, and what
God has laid upon he and his family's hearts and also how he is
allowing us to encourage each other. I believe big things are
on the near horizon, the Holy Spirit is moving monsterously, I
pray we proudly accept the call.
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says.
to greater take in the gospel. Listening to The Village
podcast archives, "The Gospel Recognition" and "Gospel
Contextualization" have been pounding me with biblical
insight I've been missing for years as a christian. They
brought about some of those, "wow, that's me" moments.
I have to admit, as distasteful as "nominal christianity"
seems, which Chandler mentions quite a bit along with the
rest of the teaching staff, I think all too often I fall
in that category myself.
Upon realizing this, it was evident in my heart that a
change was necessary and one that I greatly desired. I
say this to boast in my weakness. My pride has caught the
best of me, and ruined the best of me since I was young;
I even went through a couple of years of counseling dealing
with anger, which turned into bitterness, then healed over
into shame.
What this short series of sermons brought to the surface
was remarkably accurate of who I see in the mirror. Someone
that fundamentally gets the gospel, but does not functionally
get the gospel. I have been learning to think WITH the bible
rather than about it. I know we are always learning and being
made holy as seeking christians, but sometimes I feel so far
behind the curve that I've got so much catching up to do.
I'm blessed to be surrounded and united with great people of
faith and wisdom that disciple me and direct me to prayer and
the word often; if it were not for them I think more often
than not I would be left to make decisions I simply cannot
make alone sometimes.
My love for his goodness, his holiness, his redemptive work on
the cross, continues to beat greater each day. It's my prayer
that we would grasp the gospel, functionally, that we would not
be caught up in spiritual superiority but humble servant-hood.
Mark 10: 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." That
we would get our feet dirty as Jesus did, that we would live with
Reckless Abandon and go where he sends us no matter the cost.
Philippians 1: 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
I'm loving where God has placed my friend Tony Chavez, and what
God has laid upon he and his family's hearts and also how he is
allowing us to encourage each other. I believe big things are
on the near horizon, the Holy Spirit is moving monsterously, I
pray we proudly accept the call.
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Breakthrough.
As I immerse myself in this season of unknowing, faith
growing work Holy Spirit is doing in my life, I ask
myself the question, "how bad do you want this?" How bad
do you want people to know his name, his love, his grace,
his beauty, his mercy, his greatness. Lord it is your
Renown, and that is truly what I desire to exist in my
life and the others that I come into contact with.
A huge blessing in my life right now is a book by John
Piper entitled, "Don't Waste Your Life." How fitting for
a man who has felt the majority of his life was a selfish
charade of one false hope after another.
As I read this Piper heart, Chad's heart via blog, I am
again reminded that if it is the desire of my heart for
a breakthrough with Christ in my life it is imperative
that I seek him with all that I have. As I wake early in
the morning now, I wake to seek my savior, the lover of
my soul. As I go to sleep early it is to remind me that I
am disciplined to the work of his kingdom, which first
requires a great work in a broken man's heart like my own.
A season of "confinement and refinement" that I share with
Come and Live! is upon us, and acts as a reminder of how
we must rely on God for everything.
Teach our hearts to boast in the cross (2 Corinthians 12)
and to practice self-forgetfulness my Father! And as Matt
Chandler says, "Can we maybe run some of the plays, instead
of just studying them?" I have to ask myself this daily, is
it my joy, do I rejoice in the cross of Christ? And if I do,
I want to show people the all-satisfying God.
Though I am weak, "He has said to me, 'My Grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about
my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
growing work Holy Spirit is doing in my life, I ask
myself the question, "how bad do you want this?" How bad
do you want people to know his name, his love, his grace,
his beauty, his mercy, his greatness. Lord it is your
Renown, and that is truly what I desire to exist in my
life and the others that I come into contact with.
A huge blessing in my life right now is a book by John
Piper entitled, "Don't Waste Your Life." How fitting for
a man who has felt the majority of his life was a selfish
charade of one false hope after another.
As I read this Piper heart, Chad's heart via blog, I am
again reminded that if it is the desire of my heart for
a breakthrough with Christ in my life it is imperative
that I seek him with all that I have. As I wake early in
the morning now, I wake to seek my savior, the lover of
my soul. As I go to sleep early it is to remind me that I
am disciplined to the work of his kingdom, which first
requires a great work in a broken man's heart like my own.
A season of "confinement and refinement" that I share with
Come and Live! is upon us, and acts as a reminder of how
we must rely on God for everything.
Teach our hearts to boast in the cross (2 Corinthians 12)
and to practice self-forgetfulness my Father! And as Matt
Chandler says, "Can we maybe run some of the plays, instead
of just studying them?" I have to ask myself this daily, is
it my joy, do I rejoice in the cross of Christ? And if I do,
I want to show people the all-satisfying God.
Though I am weak, "He has said to me, 'My Grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about
my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
Monday, April 20, 2009
Love Vs. Lust
I enjoyed this so much I couldn't help but post it.
It has occurred to me how little I knew about love, or rather,
how miserably I fail at showing love to others. Many of those
things I learned most recently after losing someone extremely
special to me. When I came to grips that it was my doing, my
lack of motivation, my apathy, my selfishness, the list goes on,
it was a turning point for me. That horrible experience, not
the relationship, I'm talking post relationship realization, taught
me some of the most important lessons I've ever learned.
There was so much good in it all, coupled with an equal
amount of bad, mostly that I feel responsible for but either way
I am a better man for today. I am thankful to God for putting
us through the difficult times, I may have never learned otherwise;
and she may never have had a chance to be cared for and loved
like she deserves.
My prayer is the we would learn to love as christ loved others. In
our friendships, relationships, and towards even the strangest
of strangers. Let us learn to sacrifice, let us learn to serve, let us
learn to truly love. The beauty of it all, is I feel that none of it was
ever in vein; she is happy, and I am happy that she is happy. Though
I'm missing out, I am content knowing that she is not. It was a
difficult lump to swallow initially, but now I know what it means
to truly love someone. To love someone is to do what's in their best
interest, no matter what it means for you or for them. This clip
has a great perspective on how I believe the world perceives love,
and what love really is.
It's been a while since I've posted and this seemed fitting based
upon how God has been working in my life as of late. Let's go
out and love, selflessly.
Go be His hands and His feet.
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