When My Whole World Came Crashing Down

I had an opportunity to go to Mooers Camp this past week. I was able to help out with the Praise and Worship for the youth camp and work with some crazy cool Pastors - Karl and Joel.

I was inspired by that atmosphere and taken by what God was doing. I've written songs before, but the song Nicole and I worked on last Thursday was different. Maybe because it seems as if life is crashing down a bit... just when we think we have it all together and "our plan" is in place. While this isn't a hymn by any means, I can slightly relate to the stress and burdening of someone's heart and soul after tragic/life changing events occur. It is a reminder, even to me this day, to go to Jesus and lay down my burdens.

The lyrics are below.


When my whole world came crashing down
The ground was solid?
Now I’ve found I can’t really do this on my own

I could only walk so far alone
Bearing burdens, heavy loads
That are not mine to carry anymore

I look up from this broken place
And humbly reach for Your sweet grace
To lead me through this storm and give me strength

He Says....

Come to me all who are weary
And burdened, I will give you rest
Come to me lay down your burdens,
Come to me, I will give you peace

I will walk by faith not sight
Pressing on, for faith I fight
Surrendered to my Savior I will live

See God, Not Self - Beware Libertarianism

Beware Of Libertarianism

I have recently discovered a political party called the Libertarian Party.

"Libertarians believe the answer to America's political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy and the abundance and prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties and personal freedom that marks this country above all others; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade as prescribed by America's founders."

It seems innocent at first glance - however I would like to point out a few of its ideologies. If you are a Christian and interested in this party, you must realize that this party is about letting an individual do whatever they would like to do (granted it doesn't hurt anyone, yet I don't believe displaying immoral behavior or supporting it is beneficial to anyone)

This party supports that which a TRUE Christian would never support.

1) The Issue: Politicians use popular fears and taboos to legally impose a particular code of moral and social values. Government regularly denies rights and privileges on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Transitional Action Suggested by Lib. Party: Repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act and state laws and amendments defining marriage. Oppose any new laws or Constitutional amendments defining terms for personal, private relationships. Repeal any state or federal law assigning special benefits to people based on marital status, family structure, sexual orientation or gender identification. Repeal any state or federal laws denying same-sex partners rights enjoyed by others, such as adoption of children and spousal immigration.

THIS DIRECTLY VIOLATES WHAT WE STAND FOR - MORALITY, FAMILY, AND PROTECTION OF MARRIAGE!


2) The Issue: The tragedies caused by unplanned, unwanted pregnancies are aggravated and sometimes created by government policies of censorship, restriction, regulation and prohibition. Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on both sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.

Solutions: We oppose government actions that either compel or prohibit abortion, sterilization or any other form of birth control. Specifically we condemn the practice of forced sterilization of welfare recipients, or of mentally retarded or "geneticaly, reproduction, birth control or related medical or biological technologies. We oppose government laws and policies that restrict the opportunity to choose alternatives to abortion.

THERE ARE NO "GOOD FAITH" VIEWS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE. THERE IS ONLY ONE GOOD FAITH SIDE, AND THAT IS TO NOT SLAUGHTER THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH THIS IMMORAL ACT OF SELFISHNESS AND MURDER - AND WE MUST MAKE THIS IMMORAL ACT OF MURDER ILLEGAL.

~These are just a few examples - It promotes the rights of everyone, and while it has some good ideas, there are some major points of concern for those who call themselves Christians. This way of thought is selfish in nature and promotes selfishness and the love of pleasure.~

Beware!

1 Tim. 3:1-7 "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanders, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. and from such people turn away. For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, lead away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

The Lord Speaks and Confirms

The craziest thing just happened to me tonight.

I was standing in a restaurant tonight getting ready to settle into some work that I needed to get done for school tomorrow. There was a man eating some food from the restaurant who clearly had a physical disability (that didn’t allow him to have full motor control over his body). As I looked over at him I noticed that the bottom of his sneakers were falling apart. I felt like the Lord was telling me to bless him by getting him a pair of shoes.

I sat down and started to set up my gadgets and get to work as I kept feeling urged to talk to this guy. In a moment I decided to pick up my stuff and said to myself, “I can’t let this moment pass me by, I need to do this or at least ask.” So I immediately brought all of my stuff out to the car, came back in and waited for the opportunity.

Within minutes the guy was up and asked to use the phone. I thought perfect… maybe he needs a ride somewhere. I walked over to the counter and as he was dialing asked him if he needed a ride somewhere. He asked which way I was going and said he needed to go downtown… so I let him know that I could take him wherever he needed. To my car we went.

A little bit scared we got in the car and I got ready to leave the restaurant. He shared some "between you and me information" that started to really freak me out.

I composed myself and proceeded to drive to the stop sign, stopped and paused for a few moments. I told him I couldn’t help noticing his shoes were falling apart and asked if he’d like some new kicks. He said he would that his were falling apart. So I said alright, let’s go get some new kicks for you before I drop you off. Off to Wal – Mart we went. By this time I’m thinking “Ok…, this is going to be an interesting trip.

As I started off around the corner, I looked at him and he said: “God sent you didn’t He, you are a Christian” I asked him how he knew that and he moaned and said that God wants him to go back to Church. I let him know that God wanted more than for him to go back to church, but wanted his heart.
In the short, less than 5-minute trip to Wal-Mart I found out that he was in a wheelchair until he was 8 years old. When he was 8 he said he would give his soul to be able to walk. That night he had a dream that a huge red hand came up from hell and took his soul. The next morning he woke up… and he could walk.

(Major goose bumps were happening, hair standing on end, and my body shaking so much that I was trying not to let it show each time I pressed in the clutch…)

He then proceeded to passionately pray that God would take his heart, that even if it meant him having to be in a wheel chair again he wanted to be with God, that he didn’t want to go in hell, he wanted to be with God. I prayed quietly along side of him, whispering Jesus’ name, wondering what was going to happen next…. He asked me if I would pray for him and I said that I would when we found a parking spot.

We got to Wal-Mart and I put my hand on his shoulder and began praying for him. I prayed for his heart, and that he would choose to live for Christ, etc. As I was praying he suddenly started talking very clearly in a strong voice declaring “He’s mine, you can’t have him, he’s mine…” As this demonic force was speaking through him I had to physically restrain him (Good thing I had my hand on his shoulder) and keep him from flailing around in my car. I kept praying in Jesus name for this thing to leave, and that it was through the authority and power of Christ that I was asking it to leave. He began to simmer down as I spoke this guys name and he slowly came too. I looked at him and said “____, let’s go into Wal-Mart now and get you some kicks.”

I went to his side of the car and opened the door for him. He got out, staggered out and leaned up against the car, asking me what just happened. I told him that God was getting a hold of him. He responded with; “That wasn’t God, it didn’t feel like God, that was bad.” He mentioned that sometimes that happened and took over, that he didn’t have any control and asked me what to do about it when it happened. So as we went into Wal-Mart I shared with him that he needed to keep asking Jesus into his heart, that he had to make the choice to follow and live for Him.

We got some cool kicks that weren’t going to fall apart so easily this time. We talked some more on the way to the register. While I was paying for the shoes he finished tearing the bottom of his shoes off as he talked to the clerk about the new shoes hopefully not falling apart so easily. When we got outside he put on the new shoes and we threw those stinky shoes away.

Walking out to the car he asked if I believed in angels. I said that I do and asked if he saw them. He said no, but he could sometimes feel them. As we were driving out of the parking lot he said “Hey man, you are like an angel to me tonight. I’ve been wearing these shoes broken for over a month.” (Someone stole his other shoes).

We talked some more, I prayed with him (outside the car this time) before I left and gave him a hug.
He went on his way. I hope and pray that God finishes a work in him.

I write this as a testimony to God’s love and grace. It was confirmation to me that He really does speak to me (us). He asks us to do things that we wouldn’t normally do, to extend ourselves to those in need. I write this tonight not to put me on a spotlight or pedestal to say “look what I did for someone,” but to glorify my God who is in heaven. To encourage believers to listen and obey the voice of the Lord… don’t let it pass you by….

He has called us to love the unlovable… this is true religion my friends.

Give It All Away

I give up....

Search my heart, search my mind, search my soul.
Make me clean, make me new, make me whole.

All of my plans, all of my dreams, I lay them down before Your feet…
All of my time, all that was mine, I now submit to your design.
Cause you are the one, the only one that gave it all away for me… that gave it all away for me.

You are my strength, You are my God, You are my King.
You make me laugh, You make me dance, You make me sing.

All of my plans, all of my dreams, I lay them down before your feet…
All of my time, all that was mine, I now submit to Your design.
Cause You are the one, the only one that gave it all away for me… dared to give it all away for me.

~Aaron Shust~
“You Give It All Away”

Our Self Righteous Sin

How often do we look at others - scorning, condemning, and looking down on them because they "aren't like us."

Why, after all, we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we're all the sudden "worthy," "righteous," and apparently better than others - maybe because we don't swear, don't watch tv or certain movies...maybe it's because we don't go out to parties and drink - whatever it is that we do or don't do as Christians. Ummm...Garbage!

Don't get me wrong - Let us stand for righteousness as Christians.
But DO let us live as the man (or woman) who does not sit in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1)

I don't agree with your actions: you smoke, drink, swear, steal, sleep with your bf/gf.
It doesn't change that I love you.

It is God who convicts. He's much better at convicting. We as humans turn our convictions into condemnation.


Try this on for size. Why is it that Christians have a hard time admitting they sin. It's embarassing, right? I'm ashamed sometimes - I don't like sin, I don't like that I sin, but I do. Bottom line.

If you can't admit and confess your sin, then don't call yourself a Christian. That is after all what defines us as Christians - we recognize that we are but sinners and when we confess our sins - HE is faithful and rightous to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

When people confess their sins to us, they recognize it. We don't have to make it worse by saying, "you should have done this or this, next time do this." Let's stand with them, pray with them, and walk it out with them. ( I believe it's called loving on them).

In other words - let's stop trying to convert and make people our projects - and love them to Christ or to walk deeper into Christ.

Faith - Obedience - And Scattered Thoughts

Hebrews 11: 1 says that "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (NKJV) In Verse 3, it says that "By Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. "

We are guided first by Faith(the substance of things hoped for), through His Word, and then by His peace (You have to know His word before you know it's peace that surpasses all understanding;) )

I could probably stop here. Seems like what's already written is confounding enough for one day.

My Little Addition
The longer I walk with Jesus Christ, it seems I understand less and less everyday. While I learn and gain knowledge, that knowlege has made me realize the overwhelming vastness of His design. I strive for control of the present and the future - to somehow grasp onto what the Lord has put before me. Haha! I make me laugh, that I have the pride to think I would understand His ways.

Lately I've been going through a phase of learning to trust His voice and His direction. When we listen with a pure heart, He will speak to us - When we think God speaks, we must be obedient to what He says, in Hope that each decision made with our purest heart is guided by His eyes. It's a risk we have to take if we want to know His direction and His voice.

Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and I will teach you the way you should go. I will guide you with My eye"

Victory Is The Gift of God

From "Lover of My Soul"

"I've always thought of victory as an accomplishment. If an athlete strives, trains hard, and performs well on game day, he wins. If he is out of shaped or chokes when the pressure is on, he loses. championships are won through hard work, athletic prowess, and a few good breaks. But victories are not gifts.

Similarly, most Christians think of spiritual victory as a sort of accomplishment. run hard, keep one step in front of the devil, pray an hour each day, and memorize scripture every week; we call it living the victorious Christian life. But if you get down in the dumps one day, choke on your own prayers, and cry in your pillow, we call it living a defeated life."

It goes on to say that our victory - is a gift. "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "It's not so much about how strong I am - it's about how strong God is."

It's also know that it's not enough just to "know" something. When it comes to God - it's a matter of accepting. Accepting Christ, accepting His victory on the cross, and accepting that He is in control of our future. The tough part is living it.

So I feel better about crying in my pillow some nights.

Our worship is embracing victory in Christ even during our times of trouble - when we feel the most defeated. It's when our victory becomes less about how we feel, and more about simply knowing He is God - We are victorious through Christ even during our deepest hurting and most defeated feeling moments.

Again, we don't have to win or earn our victory -
It truly is a gift from God through our Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ