There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
[x2]
[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise
A lot of kids would shut off all their listening ears to me if I mentioned the name Chris Tomlin in a positive light.
A lot of kids would do far less then appreciate his musical style, his voice, his chord progressions, his time signature, be what it may. A lot of times we get caught up in a first impression. One friend I had said that he didn't like Chris Tomlin because of his rendition of the familiar hymn Amazing Grace. That was his sole problem. But the excuse that permeated people's complaints the most was simply that it was "CCM" (christian contemporary music) and CCM stinks so therefore Chris Tomlin must follow suit.
I would like to challenge you to abandon all remnants you have picked up over the course of your life of the "problems" kids seem to have now with Christian Contemporary Music. There is a difference between shutting off bad music, and judging a book by it's cover. So next time you turn on WgTS or K-LOVE or whatever the Christian Music Station it is in your area, listen to the lyrics of every song. digest it and really think about what it means to you. And sometimes it means branching out of radio stations (actually a lot of the time it means branching out) to artists like Leeland and Mat Kearney. This is a challenge I give to you, to not judge a book by it's cover, but to take to heart the music about your precious Savior.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Keepin' It Real
Well here I am. I've proclaimed that I was a "Christian" for my entire life. Yet recently I have started to see the church as something superficial, something fake. All the worship we do, the pastor's sermons just don't seem to be what God wants, at least to me. Now, I'm not saying that worship and getting into the word isn't important. It's just that regular attendance at the Sunday morning services seem to be the only thing that makes one a "Christian". Yet, read through the book of James. Hey, even read through the gospels. You'll soon see that the things that impact people the greatest and brings more people into the Kingdom is getting out and SERVING. Sunday mornings are great preparation for serving, but it's just that, preparation. What good are we doing our Lord if we just sit passively everyday of the week? None. Now I believe that what God is telling you to do is extremely individual and I'm not saying you absolutely need to go out into the world and do things. He could be calling you to serve the people in the church, I don't know. The church seems to be leading me to doubt it's ability to do His will.
I guess it all started when I started noticing one of my friends who is very on fire for God seemed to be further insulating himself in the church and the Word. I know he absolutely loves God with all his heart but it is a bit unnerving to see him change so radically into something I've questioned. Maybe I don't listen to God enough, don't pray enough, don't study the Bible enough. Anyway, then I joined him and a few other friends in doing a little interpretive dance to Set Me Free by Casting Crowns. The entire thing sort of transformed everybody into a dysfunctional group. It changed people for the worse. My friend was so stressed out about reaching people and pointing them towards God even though we were doing it for a largely "Christian" audience. It scared me so bad. I could honestly feel a demonic presence surrounding the whole thing.
From that point onward, my beliefs were shaken down to their foundations. I've started questioning the true nature of worship, of service, of discipleship, of fellowship. I've started to look at myself and started to compare it to what the Bible tells us. I've started to see that if I continue to walk a regular "Christian" life I won't ever find the true nature of what God wants for my life. The traditions and theology have honestly blinded me because thats what I've been told by everyone. I need to listen to God and God alone in order to do that. I've thirsted so badly for something so tangible, so real that I can talk to someone and tell them that is what I love so much. That that is what fuels my passion. That that is what consumes my every thought and is the only thing deserving of my love. I'm sick of the "Christian" label because it blinds people to the true nature of God, non-believers and believers alike. Right now, I'm trying my hardest to let God show me his love in ways I have never imagined. I'm telling him to show me his love, his existence, his reality. I sit and wait and listen to his voice, although I often times ignore to listen to the world instead.
Again, church is good and it is of God but it can hinder us as well as help us. And church helps us a great deal and we should be proud to be Christians. Although I think a better way to describe ourselves is "Christ Followers". Plain and simple that's what God wants. He wants us to follow Him whole-heartedly. So, next time you read the Bible, go to church, worship, just try to pour your heart out and let it be filled with the divine goodness, divine love, divine wisdom, divine knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Let your mind wander
There are some times where I thank God that no one can read my thoughts.
There are sometimes where I think...man...I wish I could read their thoughts.
And there are sometimes where I think, I wish other people could read their thoughts.
Kind of a roundabout way of explaining what I'm trying to say.
This past Sunday, I just looked around our (fairly) large auditorium at everbody worshiping their amazing God, and all of a sudden, all I could say to myself was, 'I wish I knew what they were thinking.' Because they probably had reason to lift their hands, to jump so high and to sing so loud. Sometimes they are just doing it for show, I know, but most of the folks there that day were lifting their hands in pure worship to their Father. In that moment I was struggling to accept that my worship was good enough. Everyone else around me seemed so much more...into it.
A lot of times when I'm praying...reading the bible...singing...just thinking...etc...I keep wondering if I'm doing it right. I've heard all the pastors pray time and time again, and my prayers are not as 'glorious' as theirs. Magnificent words just roll off their tongue, and in comparison, my prayers are more like a little kids English project. It only takes me 30 minutes to read the bible/meditate/etc. in the morning. But Dad does it for 2 hours. I raise my hands when I sing, but that Mrs. Smith, she dances in the aisles.
Does that mean my worship isn't good enough?
The truth is, there are three answers to this:
People worship God differently.
Just because they look more expressive doesn't mean they are worshipping God anymore sincerely. I've seen people stand there like stone statues and yet I know that in their heart they are truely meditating and soaking up the words of the songs. But the truth is, there is importance in being expressive, and we shouldn't feel constrained by what other people will think about us if we shout louder, or bow lower, or dance harder. However, just because we don't do that doesn't mean we are somehow 'worse worshippers'.
When we do this, we shouldn't feel discouraged if someone is worshiping 'better' then you, because, the truth is, they aren't. The truth is, God cares about the sincerity of our worship.
However, this is no excuse to sit there with your arms crossed, to have 5 minute prayers (or better yet, 30 second prayers) and to only read 1 verse a day or whatever it is). God loves hearing from his children, we show our love to him by being expressive, and we cannot grow in our relationship with God without reading his Word. But we don't need to be discouraged. We need to worship with our whole hearts.
I would reccomend reading these, because it shows how important expressiveness is in worship:
Growing in Physical Expressiveness
Expressing Love to God in Worship
When God Comes to Church
There are sometimes where I think...man...I wish I could read their thoughts.
And there are sometimes where I think, I wish other people could read their thoughts.
Kind of a roundabout way of explaining what I'm trying to say.
This past Sunday, I just looked around our (fairly) large auditorium at everbody worshiping their amazing God, and all of a sudden, all I could say to myself was, 'I wish I knew what they were thinking.' Because they probably had reason to lift their hands, to jump so high and to sing so loud. Sometimes they are just doing it for show, I know, but most of the folks there that day were lifting their hands in pure worship to their Father. In that moment I was struggling to accept that my worship was good enough. Everyone else around me seemed so much more...into it.
A lot of times when I'm praying...reading the bible...singing...just thinking...etc...I keep wondering if I'm doing it right. I've heard all the pastors pray time and time again, and my prayers are not as 'glorious' as theirs. Magnificent words just roll off their tongue, and in comparison, my prayers are more like a little kids English project. It only takes me 30 minutes to read the bible/meditate/etc. in the morning. But Dad does it for 2 hours. I raise my hands when I sing, but that Mrs. Smith, she dances in the aisles.
Does that mean my worship isn't good enough?
The truth is, there are three answers to this:
People worship God differently.
Just because they look more expressive doesn't mean they are worshipping God anymore sincerely. I've seen people stand there like stone statues and yet I know that in their heart they are truely meditating and soaking up the words of the songs. But the truth is, there is importance in being expressive, and we shouldn't feel constrained by what other people will think about us if we shout louder, or bow lower, or dance harder. However, just because we don't do that doesn't mean we are somehow 'worse worshippers'.
When we do this, we shouldn't feel discouraged if someone is worshiping 'better' then you, because, the truth is, they aren't. The truth is, God cares about the sincerity of our worship.
However, this is no excuse to sit there with your arms crossed, to have 5 minute prayers (or better yet, 30 second prayers) and to only read 1 verse a day or whatever it is). God loves hearing from his children, we show our love to him by being expressive, and we cannot grow in our relationship with God without reading his Word. But we don't need to be discouraged. We need to worship with our whole hearts.
I would reccomend reading these, because it shows how important expressiveness is in worship:
Growing in Physical Expressiveness
Expressing Love to God in Worship
When God Comes to Church
Friday, January 2, 2009
Cope
I notice in life a person always tends to do one of three things when they face a problem.
1. The person blames others, their self, or God and continues to bring up the problem for awhile.
2. The person tries to be optimistic and bottles up inside until they blow up.
3. The person faces the problem head on and realizes their mistakes.
The third one I mentioned is close on how we should deal with problems that occur. We need to first realize we are a wretch without God and so we need to ask God for help with are struggles by asking Him in prayer. We need to read the Bible so we can learn from are struggles and help us grow closer to God so we don't keep making the same mistakes. We need to realize that being a Christian we are united with Christ and should realize are worth in Him is priceless. It is also good to have fellowship with other Christians and to go to them at times with your struggles. For thoughs of us who are teens or younger we should always talk to are parents even though it can be difficult it is well worth it it.
So thoughs are my thoughts on cope-ing.
1. The person blames others, their self, or God and continues to bring up the problem for awhile.
2. The person tries to be optimistic and bottles up inside until they blow up.
3. The person faces the problem head on and realizes their mistakes.
The third one I mentioned is close on how we should deal with problems that occur. We need to first realize we are a wretch without God and so we need to ask God for help with are struggles by asking Him in prayer. We need to read the Bible so we can learn from are struggles and help us grow closer to God so we don't keep making the same mistakes. We need to realize that being a Christian we are united with Christ and should realize are worth in Him is priceless. It is also good to have fellowship with other Christians and to go to them at times with your struggles. For thoughs of us who are teens or younger we should always talk to are parents even though it can be difficult it is well worth it it.
So thoughs are my thoughts on cope-ing.
The house is on fire!
Sorry I have not been on for a while, I've had some distractions lately. On December 16th 2008 my house burnt to the ground. It was 2 a.m. and providentially both my parents and all 10 children (of which I am the oldest) escaped unscathed. Nothing else did. We lost everything and coincidentally, our insurance premiums were defaulted a month before due to financial difficulty. Yet through it all we saw and still see God's hand all over the situation. We watched from the neighbors house as all that my father, my brothers and I had built go up in smoke. My mother had had my 9th sibling only a few days before and the ninth was her due date.
The people in our community and surrounding area immediately rose up to help us and we were quickly outfitted with clothes and other immediate necessary needs and help overwhelmed us. An account was set up at the local bank and it currently has $15,000 of $20 and $30 donations from caring people all over the state and country. This is a testimony to community and family and most of all... God.
The people in our community and surrounding area immediately rose up to help us and we were quickly outfitted with clothes and other immediate necessary needs and help overwhelmed us. An account was set up at the local bank and it currently has $15,000 of $20 and $30 donations from caring people all over the state and country. This is a testimony to community and family and most of all... God.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Worship Made Our Own.
Hey guys, Kassandra here =]
Happy New Year! I’ve been out of the loop for awhile. I got extremely sick, and that put me out of any social anything for weeks, which also meant no church. To be quite honest, I got to the point where I stopped going to church altogether for at least a month (maybe a month and a half).
I started feeling empty even when returned to church. The worship felt forced with me and everyone else in the room. I kept thinking a thought that’s been with me all my years of worship in a structured setting: Is worship meant to be in a structured setting, anyway?
Now, I know what you may be thinking, “There is NOTHING wrong with worshiping with fellow believers! That’s how it’s supposed to be! That’s how it’s going to be in heaven!”
Putting aside the deeper theological ideas that perhaps heaven isn’t anything like we expect it to be based off the Bible (for the Bible seems to most definitely be using metaphors to describe heaven, as it is something that we as humans cannot fully comprehend), you’ve got to realize that heaven is a perfect setting. We are able to worship as one in heaven because we won’t have the shackles that being human put upon us. We won’t be sinful, but rather “perfect” (and I use that word hesitantly) beings that will not have the usual distractions that we have on earth during worship.
How many times have you looked over while “worshiping” to see that no one is very into it? Do you become distraught?
If you were alone in your room, worshiping God Almighty, would you have anyone to look over at? Would you have anyone to cause you distress and, subsequently, distraction?
Now think again: How many times DO you just sit alone in your room and worship God Almighty? I think it would be safe to say that none of us do as often as we should, that’s certain.
While I’m not saying that worship in a church setting is bad, I think it is better to be a thing done alone, between us and God. I think a balance between the two is necessary to become as close to Christ our Lord as we can on this Earth.
With the New Year comes resolutions. I'm not a fan of them, because they end up being a list of rules that remind me of the Pharisees and empty promises/things to follow. Instead of giving yourself rules to go by, make your resolution something real. Try to spend adequate alone time with God not only praying, but worshiping, thanking, loving, praising…today.
Happy New Year! I’ve been out of the loop for awhile. I got extremely sick, and that put me out of any social anything for weeks, which also meant no church. To be quite honest, I got to the point where I stopped going to church altogether for at least a month (maybe a month and a half).
I started feeling empty even when returned to church. The worship felt forced with me and everyone else in the room. I kept thinking a thought that’s been with me all my years of worship in a structured setting: Is worship meant to be in a structured setting, anyway?
Now, I know what you may be thinking, “There is NOTHING wrong with worshiping with fellow believers! That’s how it’s supposed to be! That’s how it’s going to be in heaven!”
Putting aside the deeper theological ideas that perhaps heaven isn’t anything like we expect it to be based off the Bible (for the Bible seems to most definitely be using metaphors to describe heaven, as it is something that we as humans cannot fully comprehend), you’ve got to realize that heaven is a perfect setting. We are able to worship as one in heaven because we won’t have the shackles that being human put upon us. We won’t be sinful, but rather “perfect” (and I use that word hesitantly) beings that will not have the usual distractions that we have on earth during worship.
How many times have you looked over while “worshiping” to see that no one is very into it? Do you become distraught?
If you were alone in your room, worshiping God Almighty, would you have anyone to look over at? Would you have anyone to cause you distress and, subsequently, distraction?
Now think again: How many times DO you just sit alone in your room and worship God Almighty? I think it would be safe to say that none of us do as often as we should, that’s certain.
While I’m not saying that worship in a church setting is bad, I think it is better to be a thing done alone, between us and God. I think a balance between the two is necessary to become as close to Christ our Lord as we can on this Earth.
With the New Year comes resolutions. I'm not a fan of them, because they end up being a list of rules that remind me of the Pharisees and empty promises/things to follow. Instead of giving yourself rules to go by, make your resolution something real. Try to spend adequate alone time with God not only praying, but worshiping, thanking, loving, praising…today.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The Grip
Today I’m writing to you to pull at your heart strings a little. To help you get a grip. Everyone struggles with something in life and I would like to paint a picture in your mind by telling you a story and at the end you decide if it’s true.
So their is this person who has alot of problems. They live by this motto: Go with the flow. This person drinks, does drugs, is no longer abstinence till married, cuts, is bulimic , anorexic …etc. Everything that the world tells this person to be is what they are. They listen to secular music watch junk on tv and does what it says.
So my question is to you do think this is a true story?
Well it is in a way. See this is the effect of the world on people. It is sin. Are sinful nature makes sin look good but being a Christian changes that. Still we fall because we are not perfect.
To get at your heart strings this is real and these effects of sin are even effecting churches around the world.
So what do we do? Well we should continue to serve God in everything we do and should do are best to grow closer to God. Another thing we should do is learn to invest in people and not in material things.
People last and material things don’t!
I have met a guy who always tells me how great it be if I spent more time making money by investing in stocks and working longer. I realize though that money doesn’t last but people do and even if I only effect one person’s life I can say it is priceless for it last forever.
So I hope after you have finished reading this that you continue to grow closer to God.
So their is this person who has alot of problems. They live by this motto: Go with the flow. This person drinks, does drugs, is no longer abstinence till married, cuts, is bulimic , anorexic …etc. Everything that the world tells this person to be is what they are. They listen to secular music watch junk on tv and does what it says.
So my question is to you do think this is a true story?
Well it is in a way. See this is the effect of the world on people. It is sin. Are sinful nature makes sin look good but being a Christian changes that. Still we fall because we are not perfect.
To get at your heart strings this is real and these effects of sin are even effecting churches around the world.
So what do we do? Well we should continue to serve God in everything we do and should do are best to grow closer to God. Another thing we should do is learn to invest in people and not in material things.
People last and material things don’t!
I have met a guy who always tells me how great it be if I spent more time making money by investing in stocks and working longer. I realize though that money doesn’t last but people do and even if I only effect one person’s life I can say it is priceless for it last forever.
So I hope after you have finished reading this that you continue to grow closer to God.
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