Thank Goodness

You're probably asking yourself what's up with the picture for today's post. Well not only does it touch on today's topic, but I think it's pretty hilarious: when I think of reggae, I don't immediately think of reggae from Finland...but to each their own, I guess.

I was telling my wife the other day that the topics of Kindness, Goodness, and Gentleness are probably the three most difficult for me to separate out of the Fruits of the Spirit because they seem to blend into one another and sometimes seem interchangeable; but here's my best crack at it. Growing up, I was a big comic book fan: I could read Captain America, The Punisher, and SpiderMan all day long, and anyone who's even thought about comic books knows the common theme in those stories: the battle between good and evil. And yes, doing the opposite of evil is the simplest definite of goodness. In fact, Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary says, "Goodness in man is not a mere passive quality, but the deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, and the choosing and following of all moral good." What's interesting about that definition is its observation that goodness is a deliberate, persistent choice. Not only do we have to choose to do good, but we have to do it constantly. You only have to be alive for one day to know that we're constantly bombarded with the temptation to do evil, it's just our sinful nature at work.

In the book of Exodus, Moses asked the Lord to show him His Glory. "And the LORD said, 'I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.' " (Exodus 33:19). I just love how God refers to His Glory as His Goodness. In reference to this passage, the New JJohn Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible says, "the glory of the Lord lies in His goodness, and that appears in the works of his hands, in the methods of his providence, especially in the distribution of His sovereign grace and mercy, and particularly in His pardoning grace and mercy, through the blood of Christ." You see, God is the ultimate example of goodness, and we see it in the world He created, and even more so in His compassion for us through the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ, who came to die and offer forgiveness of our sins.

So what now? Psalm 116:12 says, "How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?" Let's look at Webster's definition of goodness, "The quality of being good in any of its various senses; excellence; virtue; kindness; benevolence; as, the goodness of timber, of a soil, of food; goodness of character, of disposition, of conduct, etc." So therefore, to repay the Lord for His goodness to us, we need to also be good. Goodness of character, disposition, and conduct will make us a well-rounded person that God can use for His glory as a witness to the lost: no one likes the crabby or rude Christian, or the Christian who is always getting into the wrong thing. We must also remember to be good to one another: be just, kind, and honest.

So you think I forgot to keep up the song titles theme, right? Wrong. "Thank Goodness" is actually a song from the Broadway show "Wicked" (which is a PHENOMINAL show, by the way). I chose it for this entry because this past Christmastime, Wicked was coming here to Charlotte and I reeeeally wanted to go. My wife tried to get me tickets when they went on sale, but all the shows sold out in a flash. So she, knowing we were travelling up to NY/CT for the holidays, bought me tickets for the actual Broadway version of the show. She really wanted to get me to see Wicked one way or another, so she did...and I had a blast...and I'll never forget it either. It was special to me that she went out of her way to do that. As mushy as it sounds, when I think of goodness I think of my wife: she's always displays goodness of character, disposition and conduct. She always thinks of others, and it's a trait I really admire in her: God has truly blessed me with an amazing wife. There are many people who practice goodness everyday deep down to their core for the glory of God: I'm sure we know at least one. Those are the types of people we should emulate. 2 Peter 1:3-5a says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness..."

Give Peace a Chance

Whooooa, man...we're gonna, like, continue on the topic of the Fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23. Today's totally far-out topic is Peace, man...

Ok, so I'm not going to talk like a hippie throughout this entire post (Thank God, right?)...but the funny thing is, whenever I think of peace, the first thing I think of is a hippie. When you look up peace, you get the typical definitions: freedom from war, mutual harmony between people or groups, public order and security, etc. All this is well and good, of course...peace among people should be a goal we should all strive for. Today we like to throw around the word peace, particularly in light of the war; I'm not going to take any political stance, but it's funny to see how some people want peace and are using such vitriolic speech to express it. Sorry, but that's not peace...it's anger under the guise of wanting peace. I hate to be a bummer here, but total peace (as in no wars, people being all lovey will not be coming any time soon, just read Matthew 24:3-14, particularly verse 6, which says, "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass.." Now don't get me wrong here: should we pray for our troops? Yes. Should we pray for our leaders? Yes. Should we pray our brave soldiers come home safe? Yes! Is it OK to be anti-war? Yes...who likes war anyway? Is it OK to have political views about wars and conflict? Absolutely. But the reality, as evidenced in the Bible, is that the world is just going to get worse...so we should focus on reaching the lost souls before Christ returns!

What I'm getting at the most, though, is characterized by this definition of peace, "Freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity." Ah....THAT peace! Remember that bumper sticker that said, "No Jesus, No Peace. Know Jesus, Know Peace"? Well...it's true! This is the kind of peace, I think, that is meant in the Word...an inner peace, even when everything around you is going nuts. That peace is a product of our faith and relationship with Christ. A great example is that great story in Mark 4:35-40: Jesus went out to sea with the disciples and he fell asleep in the boat. A great storm arose and the disciples feared for their lives and awoke Jesus, basically saying, "Don't you care that we're gonna die?!" Here's the awesome part, Matthew 4:39, "Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." Whoa. Jesus said "Peace" and the sea was tranquil...and He can do the same in our lives. We all know this truth: we will all see storms in our lives...that's a guarantee. But God send His Son to die for us so that we can have that peace...but we need to have faith in order to have peace. When Christ rebuked the storm, he turned to the disciples and asked "Have you no faith?" When Jesus walked on the water and Peter wanted to join Him, Peter succeeded for a bit...he HAD to have peace in order to do that...but when he became frightened of the choppy water, he began to sink...Jesus' reply: "Ye of little faith."

In John 14:27, Jesus says, " 'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.' " So there's the promise...Jesus has given us that peace, but picture it like a treasure chest that needs a key. The key is faith. It's hard to have faith sometimes when things start to pile up on you and get extremely difficult, but hold fast to God, because he's promised to get you through it all by Christ's sacrifice: John 16:33 says, " 'These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.' " I absolutely love this verse because it's so powerful and clear: Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has conquered sin, death, and all the troubles we can ever have in our lives! Praise the Lord! So when trouble comes, remember that Jesus loves you, Jesus died for you, and Jesus is WAY bigger than any of your problems. He will provide and you just have to believe in it! Always pray in times of trouble and ask for peace from the Lord...then you will be the person who is always calm when everything seems to be falling apart.

It Is Well With My Soul...

Today we have another entry about a popular hymn, "It is Well with my Soul."

Like I said before, I grew up in a church where we sang a lot of hymns and this was one of them. It was one of those songs where I'd sing it but never bothered to focus on what I was singing because, admittedly, it's a little difficult due to the wording. At their concert in February, Selah gave the background of this hymn and it immediately became one of those most powerful hymns to me once I learned the context by which it was written.

In 1873, Horatio Gates Spafford decided to go on a vacation to Europe with his wife and four daughters. In England he was to meet with his good friend, D.L. Moody, who was to be preaching there. Spafford was hung-up on business here in the States, so he sent his family ahead and in the mid-Atlantic, their ship collided with another and sank immediately. His wife was able to hold onto some debris (and was one of 47 survivors), but all four of his daughters perished in the accident. Upon hearing the news, Spafford received a two-word telegram from his wife with only two words, "Saved alone." He then took a ship across the Atlantic towards England, where he passed the place of his daughters' deaths, then sat down and penned the famous hymn while at sea:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

He lives--oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Oh my soul!

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trumpet shall sound, and the Lord shall descend;
Even so, it is well with my soul...

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

Wow. What a tremendous story and what a tremendous song. I'll tell you right now: I probably would not have handled the same situation the same way as Horatio Spafford did. In the midst of all this tragedy (he also lost his only son 2 years prior), he found peace in the Lord...because He is sovereign and His will is good and just. It's just so hard to understand sometimes. It makes me think of Job, who went through all those trials and tribulations and still loved and praised God, saying "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). I think one of the hardest parts of being a Christian is trying to make sense of the hard times. Sometimes we get angry, confused, hurt, sad...but God's will is good, and He knows all things. Where one thing may be bad, it could bring about something good in your life...those are the times where we should hold fast to the Lord. I love the Amplified Bible's translation of Jeremiah 29:11, and it's one we should remember always, " 'For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you,' says the Lord, 'thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. ' "

Fruit of the Spirit: And if the devil doesn't like it, he can sit on a tack...

Remember that old Sunday School song?

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.
Where? Down in my heart!
Where? Down in my heart!
I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart,
down in my heart down in my heart to stay.

Good stuff! Today's topic, continuing on the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is Joy. The dictionary defines joy as, "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation." While joy is pretty easy to define, joy is not something easy to obtain or hold on to, it seems. We live in a world that seemingly exists to crush and exhaust us: we run to and fro, getting this and that done...and we're tired, and we're worn out, and sometimes we're just plain unhappy. That, my friends, is where we forget what it's all about: God and His everlasting love and mercy!

Think about it: we serve a God who spoke the universe into existence. Spoke it...he said "Moon" and there the moon was. Whoa. And yet somehow, in the grand scheme of things, He decided to show mercy on us, his screwiest creation, and sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins so we can spend eternity with Him. Doesn't that make you smile when you think of it? This mighty and powerful God cares for me! That is the source of joy: the remembrance of what God has done for us. It should drive us and put a smile on our face and a spring in our step. Yes...it's hard, very hard, to keep it up in such a day and age...but think about how much God has done for you and continues to do: He lets us get up in the morning, He provides for us, He gives us breathable air, He gives some of us good health...the list can go on forever. There's always something to be joyful about because God always works, sometimes we just don't realize it. This joy will help us tackle even the toughest of times, because in it we realize that God is bigger than anything we'll face. Nehemiah 8:10 says, "Do not grieve. For the joy of the Lord is your strength." God is God and He loves us...when we can continually think on that and have joy in that, we can go through anything!

The dictionary also gives another definition of joy that I like, "to feel joy; be glad; rejoice." To me, this definition goes hand-in-hand with Psalm 28:7, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. " Not only do we have to have joy that God is there for us, but we need to give thanks and praise Him for all that He does. No matter how lousy you feel, getting into some good worship time with God feels great, doesn't it? You stop and ignore all the junk in life and focus on Him...and you rejoice in all that He's done and His goodness. It's joy, folks! A couple days ago I was getting ready for work and I was listening to some praise and worship on my MP3 player, particularly "Agnus Dei" by Donnie McClurkin...it's such a powerful version of that song and sometimes I feel like I'm overwhelmed by the love, power, and majesty of the Lord. It made me think of what praise in Heaven must be like: the angels all in chorus, crying out "Worthy is the Lamb!" And it made me think: because of Jesus, I'll join in that chorus one day! It made me feel GOOD, it made me smile, it brought me joy. It was exactly what I needed for that day...and it's true: the joy of the Lord is my strength. We have to continually think on that: it's easy to be happy about my Yankees winning, or getting out of work early, or finally making it to another weekend without losing my mind. But that joy is fleeting...the joy of the Lord is everlasting because His love endures forever!

The Fruit of the Spirit: L is for the way you look at me...

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. " ~ Galatians 5:22-23

After just chowing down on some chunky, unsalted organic peanut butter with raisins, I was thinking, "I would love to eat an orange right now." That stuff makes your mouth DRY! By anyhoo, it got me to thinking about what to post next...I don't normally do themes because half the time I can't remember what I'm doing, but this time I thought I'd give it a shot. I remember once sitting around with some friends at UNCC talking about what I'd teach if I was a small group leader for InterVarsity. I mentioned the fruit of the spirit as a cool topic. I like the Fruit of the Spirit because not only does it make you hungry, but it gives a very basic outline of how we're supposed to act: you know God doesn't want us actin' a fool here on earth! So here goes: each entry for the next while will be about one of the fruits of the spirit. Today? LOVE...

Love is a word that's thrown around a lot these days...I even do it myself: "I loooove chocolate!" See? I did it. Love has become a word that has lost a lot of meaning in society...so what does it mean? Dictionary.com defines loves as, "a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person"...another definition says, "affectionate concern for the well-being of others"...and ANOTHER one says, "the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God." So let's take a look at these definitions: the first one is pretty straightforward - we love our friends, family, etc. I love my fiance...that's love as it's most commonly known by everyone. Once we start to go deeper, though, we begin to see what God is getting at through the scriptures, and also where we all falter.

When you really sit down and think about it, do we have affectionate concern for the well-being of others? Nah. We live in a world full of hatred, prejudices, and fears. The story of the Jena 6 has been in the news a lot lately and I'm not going to take sides on the issue but rather say this: it's an obvious example of people from all walks of life being complete imbeciles. People fight with each other, politicians argue with each other, people walk on the other side of the street when someone who looks different is coming the other way. What in the world is wrong with us? In Matthew 22:39, Jesus Himself said, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." It's a commandment from on High...we should be more compassionate. It isn't easy, not in the least bit...it's too easy to ignore the homeless man on the corner or the lady pulled over with a flat tire...it's easy to get caught up in life and not pray for those who struggle. If God has blessed you abundantly, then bless others...it's that simple. It doesn't always have to be monetary: it could be time, it could be physical assistance, it could be something as simple as a hello and a smile. We're naturally wired to think only about ourselves...we need to ask God to help us see others first...to see them in His eyes.

Still having difficulty? Look at it this way: Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. " We sure didn't deserve God's love and forgiveness...yet He gives it freely because of his undying love for us. Wow. Simply put, God loves us, so in return we must love. That's it, end of story. We must love God, we must love others, because that's how we show God to others. You don't have to run around hugging everyone, saying "I love you man!" or doing it out of a sense of obligation. No, rather do it out of a sense of compassion for others and a sense of thanksgiving for the love God's shown you. I know I need to work on it...and I think if we all made a conscious effort to obey what God's commanded, then we can make a tremendous difference in the world, because we need love to make our faith effective. 1 Corinthians 13:1 says, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal." You see, if we don't love, then everything we've done is useless...just noise...because we can't reach souls, no matter how much of the Bible we've read or how many Christian songs we know. Faith, the Word, and prayer build the car...but love is the gas.

Jesus Paid it All...

I grew up in a church where we sang at least one hymn in every service...now I'm the first to admit that hymns can get a little dry from time to time or just plain weird (See: "God of Earth and Outer Space")...but now that I'm a little older and have some semblance of intelligence, I think about those old hymns and I realize that they were pretty awesome. Sometimes we sing hymns and immediately think "Man, this is boring" or what-have-you...but have you ever really sat down and read the words and reflected on them? A lot of them are beautifully well-written and capture the truth of God's word. Sure the language can be uncommon, but it's a good challenge and isn't THAT hard. From time to time, I'm going to try to pick a hymn and talk a little bit about it, because you can learn a lot about hymns from their history: my fiance and I went to a Selah concert in February and they do A LOT of hymns, but they also talked about the story behind those songs...and they took on a lot more meaning for me. A lot of churches today have gone away with hymns, and I've even witnessed worship leaders up on the pulpit saying they hate hymns...and I think that's kinda sad, because we'd have no Christian music today without those old hymns, in my opinion.

So here goes: in 1865 - Elvina Hall - a member of the Monument Street Methodist Church in Baltimore, MD was reflecting on her complete salvation through Jesus while her pastor was praying at a service. She felt compelled to write down her overwhelming thoughts and feelings and composed a poem entitled "Jesus Paid it All," which she wrote on the inside of their hymnal. She showed it to her pastor, who later met up with the church organist and found he had unknowingly written a tune that fit Elvina's poem. And there a hymn was born: through an overwhelming sense of thanksgiving for the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. To me this song says it all: through Jesus we can be healed, changed, energized, and protected....and when we finally meet Him face to face, we can say, "I couldn't do it by myself...but You did it for me!" So read the words, think about them, and thank God for the truths that are in those words:

I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small! Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all."

Lord, now indeed I find Thy pow'r, and Thine alone,Can change the leper's spots and melt the heart of stone.

For nothing good have I whereby Thy grace to claim-I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calv'rys Lamb.

And when before the throne I stand in Him complete,"Jesus died my soul to save," my lips shall still repeat.

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain-He washed it white as snow.

God Uses Cracked Pots

I remember some years ago, Patsy Clairmont came out with a book called "God Uses Cracked Pots," which apparently was full of funny quips about God and life (I don't know, I've never read it). I always liked the title of that book, because in a metaphorical sense, it's definitely true. When my fiance and I went on our first date, we went to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit here in town, which was VERY cool. That day was my 2nd time seeing the exhibit...the first time was a couple weeks before that and the place was PACKED. I remember at some point I was kinda wandering around, avoiding the crowds that seemed to be everywhere and I came to this display case that had a huge clay pot in it, it was probably about 3 feet tall and had thin hairline crack along the front...it was a pretty cool-looking pot...and I noticed I was the only person that seemed to be even remotely interested in it. Next to the display was a small sign that gave a little information on the artifact, and the part that really struck me was the last one, which said something like, "Vessels such as this one that were damaged were discarded by the people of Qumran as useless." Wow. It got me to thinking: isn't that a lot like life? I mean, we are all vessels in one shape or form...and no matter how hard we try, we're flawed and cracked. The beauty of it, though, is that through Jesus' sacrifice, God re-shapes us into a vessel that is pleasing to Him...to the common eye, we as cracked pots are useless...but to God, we are beautiful works of art!

A couple weeks ago in Sunday School, we were continuing our talk about Jeremiah, and we went over Jeremiah 18:1-6, "This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : 'Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message.' So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the LORD . 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. ' "

To me, this is the beauty of God's love: that despite our flaws, screw-ups, and hang-ups, God is willing to re-form us into a beautiful creation that is ready to do His work. A lot of times people get saved and remain so woe-is-me about the past and whatnot...but when we accept Christ, we're made new...and that old junk is gone and forgotten by God...so we should forget it too! The Bible as well as history is full of people who came from marred lives to become tremendous vessels for the Lord: some great examples are Paul, who persecuted Christians then went on to write a huge chunk of the Bible; and Nicky Cruz, who was a gang leader and drug addict in New York City, and went on to become a great minister and evangelist (you can read/see his story in "The Cross and the Switchblade"). So yes, God uses cracked pots, and he always will...cracked pots from every race, gender, background...He loves them all, and all can be used for His glory!

Do We Remember? Or Are We Slipping Away?

It's hard to believe that it's been six years since the terrorist events of 9/11. Six years! September 11, 2001 was a day that had a tremendous impact on my life and on the lives of millions: I remember going to New York to see ground zero a couple weeks after 9/11...I'll never forget that horrible, putrid smell, or how solemn the lively city of New York became. I remember how patriotic and faith-seeking people became after 9/11, which was truly awe-inspiring and impressive. But here we are - six years later - and are we the same...or has it become 9/10 for us all over again?

We now seem to live in a country where Britney Spears' VMA performance is big-time news, where celebrity and money are revered, where Christian kids who turn 18 abandon their faith at alarming rates. What happened to us? Did we once again become complacent like we did before 9/11? Everyday I get the police reports of what happened the day before...and a lot of times it saddens me to see what people will do to one another: we have come to harbor hatred, violence, and disrespect. Psalm 33:12 says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord"...we need to get to that level once again...and it starts with each of us. I know it's easy to get caught up in life and busyness...but everyone remembers where they were the morning of September 11, 2001. Let's not forget that day...but most of all, let's not forget the lesson it taught us: we are not promised tomorrow, so let's live our lives for today as God intended it! We need to turn to God daily, for everything...we need to pray earnestly that His light would shine in our lives, that we would be a conduit for His message of love, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. We all have hear 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Let's do what God is saying here...let's humble ourselves as a nation, let's seek God's face, let's turn from our wicked ways, and let's pray. Now more than ever, we need God to heal our land...

Another lesson learned, and let's not forget this, is sacrifice: we had many police, fire, and rescue workers who gave their time, and some their lives, to help pull people from the rubble. To them, I say thank you. God, may your hand of mercy and protection be upon police, fire, and military personnel around the country and around the globe...that you may be with them in times of danger as well as times of safety...give them the strength to protect us.

And to those who lost on that day: my prayers are with you, believe me. I hope that God strengthens you when the times become difficult and comforts you when you need rest. In the midst of tragedy, God can and does do mighty things - and I pray that the same would be done in your lives.

What'cha Gonna Do?!

Ah, Hulk Hogan...probably one of my favorite entertainmaint figures of all time (sad, I know). My fiance and I love watching Hogan Knows Best on VH-1; it cracks me up...so I decided to look up his entry on Wikipedia, which was interesting. I used to be a big wrestling fan growing up - yes, I knew it was fake - and Hulk Hogan was ALWAYS my favorite. I haven't watched wrestling in a few years now because it's gotten classless and perverted, but the good ol' days were awesome, and the Hulkster was always at the forefront.

Ok, so why am I blabbering about Hulk Hogan? Well looking up his Wikipedia entry reminded me about this talk I gave at Campus Crusade once based on Hulk Hogan's "demandments," and half the people there looked at me like I was completely bonkers. Come on, all you Hulkamaniacs remember them: training, saying your prayers, and taking your vitamins. How does all this come together, then? Well these demandments are a very simplistic way of outlining what we should be doing as Christians. Ok, now before some of you are ready to drag me out and stone me, hear me out and let me break things down:

1) Training: Christianity isn't a sprint, it's a marathon...up a big mountain. It's a tough journey, but it's well worth it...and practice makes perfect. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." You simply can't wake up one morning prepared to run a marathon, bench press 350 pounds, or win a Judo tournament...you need to train, to practice, to ready yourself for the task at hand. As Christians we have to constantly keep in mind the need to prepare ourselves daily to deal with the issues of life and the attacks of the enemy. We need to put on the full armor of God daily (Ephesians 6:13-18)! In order to properly train we need to go to church to hear the Word, live the Word, have friends who share the same faith so you can talk with them, and follow the next two "demandments"...

2) Say Your Prayers: This one is pretty self-explanatory, no? Yet it's amazing how hard it is to keep this one, myself included. We get so caught up in our daily lives that we forget to put aside some time and talk with God. Look at that little phrase right there: "Talk with God"...He created EVERYTHING...and yet we can talk with him! Whoa. And still, we don't do it...how stupid are we, huh? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "pray without ceasing"...three simple words, yet three profound words. But in order to pray without ceasing, we have to start somewhere, right? I really doubt God sits up there and keeps track of how long you pray or how eloquently you pray...rather, I think He weighs the heart behind those prayers. So take time to talk to God daily, you'll be surprised how things change.

3) Take your vitamins: A couple months back I started taking a multivitamin daily and the effects were great...I noticed I was more focused and attentive and overall more healthy. What I'm trying to say here is that we need nourishment in our spiritual lives, and that comes from reading the Word! Hebrews 5:12-14 says, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. " No one's a theologian once they're saved...that stuff takes time...but we should also take time daily to read the Word, remember it, study it, and apply it to our lives. Sometimes you have to start small, read a little bit and meditate on it before moving up.

So I'm sure people reading this by now think I'm a total dork or just plain crazy...or both. Or you may say that these 3 points are super-simple and you've heard them a bunch of times. We all have! Still, you need to learn to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. A lot of times we get caught up in everything else and forget about the basics of our faith...so take the time to think over these things and maybe recommit yourselves to these things: they'll allow you to run the race more effectively!

Turn Those Speakers Up!!!

In an effort to make this a fairly well-rounded blog (and since I love music) I decided to post my own mini reviews of some recent releases. I'm also definitely open to any suggestions readers might have about music I should check out too, so let me know!

* Todd Agnew - "Better Questions": I got the opportunity to see Todd Agnew in concert this summer and I was already a fan of his music. It's not the typical soccer-mom music that gets a lot of play on the radio, but it features a lot of blues and rock elements and I think it's a good mix...plus his voice is really cool. I think the best thing about Todd Agnew, though, is his songwriting: a lot of it is very well-done, challenging, and introspective...and at the concert I learned he doesn't really mince words either. I like that. His newest CD "Better Questions" and it deals with just that: a lot of questions about faith, life, and the Church in general...things like "If Jesus said to love everyone, then why do churches treat divorced people differently?" Wow. The album talks about issues with faith, reaching others, and leaning on God for everything. It starts out with a prelude that simply says, "I've got better questions than I have answers, better dreams than I have plans / I got better thoughts than I have actions, so I built my house on what I thought was solid ground, but I know it could be sand..." It sets the tone for the CD, which challenges us as Christians to look at ourselves as individuals and as the Church and what we sit back and simply accept. The opener "Still Has a Hold" speaks a volume of truth in a bluesy/country way with the chorus of "Sometimes I'm on the mountain, holding onto Your hand / sometimes I'm in the middle, holding the best I can / sometimes I'm in the valley, and I let go long ago / though my hand is weak and tired, Your Hand still has a hold." Other standout songs for me include "Our Great God", "On a Corner in Memphis", "War Inside", and "Martyr's Song". Give it a listen, pay attention to the words, and let God make you reeeally think.

* Casting Crowns - "The Altar and the Door": This past Friday, Bekah and I got the opportunity to see Casting Crowns play a free concert in Charlotte. Rock on! It was cool because I got to hear singer Mark Hall's testimony of battling dyslexia and ADD...it's amazing how God has worked to make Mark such a great songwriter! I love Casting Crowns because they make music that both worships God and challenges us as Christians, much like Todd Agnew. The new CD is much of the same, encouraging us not to change when we leave church....basically we have these awesome moments at church or at the altar, but once we leave the door, it's all gone. It happens to the best of us! Their new release challenges us to think harder and try harder to bring that victory, that breakthrough out into the world with us. Faithful listeners of Casting Crowns may notice that this CD is different from their past ones and isn't quite as good (in my opinion) as Lifesong...BUT it's still a very good album from the band. The opener "What This World Needs" tells listeners that a hurting world doesn't need glamor or another gimmick, but rather God's love...and it starts with us. It's not about what we look like, but how we do what God wants us to do! "East to West" is another great song reminding us that through Christ, we're forgiven and God has cast our sin SO far away. Praise the Lord! I really like the song "Somewhere in the Middle" because I think it captures a lot of us at some point in our Walk...sometimes we're lax, sometimes we're on fire...but a lot of times, we're stick there in the middle. When you think about it, it's amazing how wishy-washy we can be no matter how hard we try not to be. Overall, "The Altar and the Door" is a good listen and includes an interesting hidden track at the end called "White Dove Fly High".

* The Cross Movement - "History: Our Place in HIS Story": The Cross Movement has been a pioneer of Christian hip-hop for years now, always putting out great music that glorifies God 100%. I'm not a rap junkie or anything, but I can appreciate a good beat, and I remember when Christian rap was sooooo corny...but The Cross Movement came along and developed and discovered some more great rappers and now it's a growing, successful industry, in my opinion. Sadly though, their latest release is to be their last as a group. But I'll say this: if this is their last CD together, they're going out with a BANG. From start to finish, this is a GREAT CD with hot beats, good production, and most imporantly, lyrics that spread the Gospel and give God all the glory! On the opening track "Our God" the guys tell about the God we serve and why they love Him...it's my favorite song on the whole album and I could easily listen to it over and over (and I have...a lot). Another track that I love is called "9-10", which speaks about the complacency we've all slipped into after September 11. On that day, churches were full, people ran to God, everyone was a little bit kinder to one another, etc...but the song talks about how slowly we're forgetting about the meaning of that day and we're living life like it's 9/10. A theme among the CDs I've reviewed today is Challenging the Church...I didn't intend it to be the theme, I guess God intended it that way...but this song will really make you sit down and think about how blessed we are to life through each day, how short life is, and how hard we should be working to reach others. Other standout tracks are "Louder" and "The Last Cypha." Great great CD...if you like hip-hop or know someone who does, pick it up!

Jeremiah was a.......bullfrog?

Our Sunday School class recently started a new series on the prophet Jeremiah. Our teacher asked the group, "So what can you all tell me about Jeremiah?" The answer was a resounding, "Ummmmmm...." Yeah, I felt kinda bad...grew up in church, I've read a lot of the Bible, and yet I couldn't come up with a single thing about Jeremiah besides that dumb "Jeremiah was a bullfrog" song :-O

Fear not, though, because this is a good thing...it means I get to learn new stuff (Huzzah!). So from some quick research and things gleaned from our first lesson on Jeremiah, I've learned some interesting stuff: Jeremiah was chosen by God even before he was born! He wasn't married, his ministry lasted 40 years, and he never received gratitude or respect...in fact, the king burned the first book he wrote and it had to be written again by his secretary. Bummer! He was called the "Weeping Prophet" and his message was mostly about the fall of Israel to Babylon. Bummer...again! So what can we glean so far from the life of Jeremiah?

* God called Him: Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." What more can I say? God called Jeremiah and Jeremiah listened. So when God calls you, listen and do what He says. Check it out: Jeremiah's ministry wasn't exactly ideal...in fact, he was treated like dirt...but he still did what God wanted him to do. We must look at his example and do the same. I know it's often hard to do because it seems like God will ask us to do weird things sometimes...but He knows A LOT better than we do, so it's better to just do it and not fight it because God is in control, and all His plans for us are for our good and for His glory!

*Jeremiah was Steadfast: We live in a culture where hardship sure isn't worth it anymore. We're all guilty of it, especially me...if there's a shortcut, we take it. If things get difficult, we say "Forget it!" Sadly, our faith is a lot like this at times. We get real hardcore and gung-ho about God's work, but the minute something tough comes up, we crumble like saltines. Listen, being a Christian isn't easy, I say it all the time. If it were simple, we'd all be Christians...but we're not. You struggle, I struggle, we all struggle...BUT no matter how hard it gets, we have to stick with it. Jeremiah ministered to a nation for 40 years and EVERYONE hated him. That stinks big time...but he kept on and so should we. Christ said we should love our neighbors as ourselves...so what if they're rude, keep loving them anyway.

I'm sure I'll post more as I learn more about Jeremiah, but these two points stood out to me. I know they're pretty basic, but I could always use a refresher, I don't know about you.