I Refuse

Here is a video that perfectly summarizes my post from last night…

God of this City

The God of Hope is also the God of this City.

Enjoy this video from Chris Tomlin:

Slow Fade...

Are you tired of seeing families crumble around you? Are you tired of seeing lives crumble...I am! With every life that crumbles, there are compromises along the way. They may not be cheating on a spouse, as this song is talking about, but they are cheating on themselves. Slowly cheating with time, money, people, power, cheating on people, cheating on God, cheating on self. Helping to protect ourselves from from stupid decisions, stupid mistakes, this is why we need a group of accountability partners. Friends who have the right to ask the tough questions, a fellowship to help sharpen our life...and only if we could turn back the clock when we do find we have drifted too far.

Casting Crowns has written and sings one of the most powerful songs on this topic. You can find this song and others on their most recent release The Altar and the Door. Here are the lyrics...followed by the music video.

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

Ever feel like a lost sheep wandering...

Paul Alan - To Bring You Back
From the album Drive It Home

Are you thirsty
Standing in the rain?
Not sure where you are
Or how you lost your way?
Are you drowning
In some bar outside of town?
Searching for something given not found?
A crowd of people
But totally alone?
At the front door
But worlds away from home?

Light up the nights last regret and
Burn your only safety net
Step to the edge
It's such a long way down

Chorus:
I left the ninety-nine to find the one
And you're the one
I walked a thousand miles
In this desert sun
Only to bring you back
Only to bring you back

Are you tired
Of chasing the wind under water?
Do you aspire to breath again?
Are you dying?
Is that the best that you can do?
Cause you can't find your place
In a world that wasn't meant for you?

I left the ninety-nine to find the one
And you're the one
I walked a thousand miles
In this desert sun
Only to bring you back
Only to bring you back

Hello it's Me
I couldn't sleep
I was just counting sheep
And I'm missing you,
Hello it's Me
I couldn't sleep
I was just counting sheep.

I left the ninety-nine to find the one
And you're the one
I walked a thousand miles
In this desert sun
Only to bring you back
Only to bring you back

An Experience with God...

I heard this song last week and the lyrics grabbed hold of my heart. I am sure I have heard the song a number of times before...but never really "heard" the words. These are pretty strong…and bring back thoughts of experiences which many of us have gone through with God. For others its an experience which we long for, a true "one on one" experience with God. One that we cannot walk away from without being changed.

My prayer is that He will once again prepare us for a God Experience with Him.

Lyrics from Sanctus Real…Whatever You’re Doing

From the We Need Each Other release

It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender
(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly
Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...
(Chorus)
Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly
It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

Evangelism...yes! Conditional Salvation...No!

Yesterday I saw an interesting site which I wish I could have taken a picture of.

As I was driving on Highway 20 headed home, I passed a van pulled off the side of the road. The van was in the driveway of a business and was angled so the side of the van was facing traffic. There was a banner hanging on the side of the van...which I don't know what it said. There was a man sitting in a chair next to the van holding a sign. The sign said "Christ Acceptance Center" and had an arrow pointing to an abandoned business building.  (I passed this guy during rush hour on a Friday evening and the road was packed.)

My first thoughts were "I didn't just see that...and I must have read that sign wrong". My next thought was "quick...where is the camera?" which I realized was out of reach in the truck. As I sat in traffic pondering that site many thoughts ran through my head. I am all for evangelism, but I am against conditional salvation like this scene implied. The Bible tells us that God expects us to share our faith in a way that makes a positive difference in the lives of others. He tells us to go out into all the world and make disciples. Making disciples is a process and requires a relationship. Its modeling a life that earns the right to share. What I saw this Friday was an image that said a person needed to go to this little building to accept Christ. How far from the truth that is.

We all have tremendous opportunities to share the life changing truth of Christ with others. The most powerful message is through our life...some may call this lifestyle evangelism. The testimony of our life lived out should clearly shout "I was once...______, but now I'm _______". You fill in the blanks. You know who you were without Christ and you know who you are today if you have an authentic relationship with Christ...and the two should be different!

We also worship and proclaim Christ through giving our best in all we do. I  have to stop and ask myself if I am worshiping and proclaiming Christ in:

• my family life...the way I encourage, support and lead my family
• my work life...the way I conduct business with my customers, vendors, co-workers and employees
• my social life...the way I act, talk and live everyday...even when I think nobody is watching
• my church life...the way I serve and share

Through all these things...let them be done with excellence.

Let me close with one of my favorite songs which sum it all up...All Because of Jesus by Steve Fee.