Not Just a Baby

Christmas.  It's about presents.  Traffic.  Stress.  Lights.  Red and green.  Trees.  And the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Until ten days ago, I never thought about all that goes along with this holiday.

I have never thought to connect the birth of the Savior to the death and resurrection.  That's the whole reason he was born.  I finally have had the opportunity to think about just what this season means.

A baby was born.  Not just a baby.  God became man.  He came to live a perfect life.  The one we were supposed to live and failed to do.  He was hung on a cross, becoming sin.  He defied death and conquered sin, raising back to life three days later.  This baby came to die.  Kinda takes the cheer out of the holy day, but death was not the end.  That brings the greatest hope.

My Style of Worship

Today I was involved in a discussion on the style of music that should be used in worship.  Being a worship leader for a junior high youth group, this was a very interesting discussion to me.  Here's what I walked away with in a nutshell:

1.  EVERY style of music has its baggage - so forget about trying to find a style that has no baggage.

2.  The music should accommodate the poor of the community.  In other words, the common person should be able to pick up on the melodies fairly easily, and also be able to understand what the lyrics are saying.  This does not mean the language has to be used everyday, but it should be understandable.  Sometimes this means explaining the text some.

3.  Folk music has generally tended to be simpler and easier to learn.  Therefore, many worship tunes are based on folk melodies and traditions.  This is no surprise in the south, but this goes for other places as well.

I have learned so much from this weekly small group, but today's discussion seemed especially relevant to what I am trying to figure out with my particular congregation of 11-14 year olds.

Hosea

Yesterday in the Sunday morning sermon, Roley encouraged the congregation to reread the book of Hosea.  I'm looking forward to refreshing my memory of how I am like the bride who keeps running away from a groom who gives me everything I need.

Passion Week

Indeed, it is passion week. I must admit that I have been a bit (actually, a lot) preoccupied with travelling home and planning a weekend of showing a friend around Nashville to be able to concentrate on His Passion enough. However, I found some of my passions re-ignited this week as well.

I got to see a friend play a concert on Saturday night, and even though he was exhausted from a long leg of touring, I got excited about music. I love music. I know that I probably will never be good enough to play on the road either by myself or as a member of a backup band, but it is still my dream and passion. I ask for you prayers in deciding where I need to be (geographically) and how to live out my passions. I do not want to be another dead person going through the motions but be alive, to paraphrase John Eldredge.

Quotes from King's Meadow

I read these quotes on one of my pastor's blogs and thought I would share them. I have heard most, if not all, of them before, but now I have a copy of them.

“A church will either multiply or divide.” Thomas Chalmers

“Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“Regardless of how large, your vision is too small.” Thomas Chalmers

“The whole tendency of modern thought, one might say its whole moral impulse, is to keep the individual busy with endless induction—leaving little room for genuine change.” Richard Weaver

“With visions of redemption I walk against the crowd.” Arthur Quiller-Couch

“Knowledge is knowing; understanding is knowing what to do; wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is actually doing it. The three together are what we call repentance.” Tristan Gylberd

“Gargantuanism and the care of souls cannot coexist.” Thomas Chalmers

“Religion hath brought forth prosperity, and the daughter destroyed the mother—there is a danger, lest the enchantments of this world make them forget their errand into the wilderness: to build a city on a hill, an illumination for all the world.” Cotton Mather

“Now, in our large towns, we have the ministerial service without the pastoral; and we all know what a loose and precarious connection between ministers and people this has given rise to.” Thomas Chalmers

“Mercy has converted more souls than zeal, or eloquence, or learning, or all of them together.” Soren Kierkegaard

Giving It Up

Giving up our gifts to God - this has come to my attention several times in the last year or so. Many people seem worried when they hear this phrase, but I see no reason to be scared. The topic came to mind when I had the chance this afternoon, when other plans were cancelled, to do something I have not had much time for as of late. That is to play my guitar.

I got to play for hours upon hours today, and I felt...refreshed. Sure my fingers hurt from having not played for more than 30 minutes in a long time, and I was a little rusty at remembering a few chord progressions, but I feel at worship when I play. No matter what I am playing, as long as I am playing to the best of my ability, I am worshipping Him.

So now onto the real topic. God gives us special gifts. One of mine just so happens to be music. God also calls us to give up our gifts to Him, but I think too many people take this the wrong way. First, we give them back by using them to glorify His name. We don't take the credit for our abilities, but return all the thanks to above. Secondly, we need not worry that once we give our gifts back, that He is not going to let us keep using them. Our Father gave us these gifts specifically so we could use them. That means He's not going to take it away and make you do something at which you are not very good. For the most part, He will continue to work through those gifts He's already given you.

So don't worry, your abilities are in good hands, so long as they are in His.

Trusting in the Future

I have no doubt that God is taking care of things. However, I still feel overjoyed when i think of praying for my future. In an email I got yesterday, I was reminded to pray for my future wife.

I have prayed the simple prayer before, asking for protection over her, Godly men to escort her down the path, and for forgiveness for either of us if we have done something wrong. I am loving her already, even if I don't know who she is, because I am praying for her. Prayer is something I hold very dear to me, and it is one of the most intimate actions I can share with someone.

I feel like a kid at Christmas here, overjoyed, because I'm praying for...us.

I'm Loved...I Want to Love

This is diverging from the kingdom musings a bit, but this is my spot, so I'll do as I please. In my humble opinion, Valentine's day was created by girls, for girls. It's just an excuse for boys to buy flowers and candy and cards. In some ways, I'm glad I don't have a valentine. In other ways, I wish I had one to love. I have been shown love, but my earthly parents as well as my Father in heaven, and I enjoy loving others. Sure I can do that in a non-romantic way, but I am loved romantically as well.

Praise

I just wanted to thank anyone who reads this for their prayers. I was prayed over last night for these nightmares, and God gave me not one, but three good dreams last night. I don't even remember the last time I had multiple good dreams in one night. Praise the Lord! He is mighty to save.

The Devil Made Me Do It

I was reading (something, I don't remember what) that said we don't give enough credit to the devil. We try to reason things out to where we have a tangible cause for our problems. However, Satan is very real, so why can't he be the one that's trying to trip us up and run away from God? I don't know for sure, but that may be the cause for some, or all my nightmares. They have returned again, and they are picking up in severity. It's quite a scary thing, but prayer is getting me to God, and He's getting me through.

Once again, my Abba is taking care of me.

Child at Heart

Those who really know me will agree that I am a child. I don't think of it as completely bad, but rather a good thing. Most everyone wants not to grow up when they are a child. I was the same way (and I still am). Why is that? No responsibilities? Ignorance?

For guys, I must go back to Wild at Heart - we long for adventure, danger, and the unknown. Girls, I'm not so sure about, but maybe to be a princess, won over by a valiant hero, and to take part in the man's adventure. I have a desire for adventure of fantastic proportions. I'm not sure what kind of adventures I seek, but I know there are some out there for me.

Also, there is having faith like a child. Not needing long explinations or reason and logic. Believing simply for the sake of believing. In that faith is a trust that the One watching over us knows what He is doing. A child asks questions, for sure, but mostly out of curiosity and wonder, rather than hesitation, doubt, and anger.

I don't want to grow up. I want my Abba to take care of me for the rest of my days.

Someday I'll Find My Princess

I just started reading John Eldredge's "Wild at Heart" the other day. It may bring down my grades this semester, seeing as reading for class takes up most of my time. But so is my destiny.

Early in the book (I am only in the third chapter), Eldredge speaks about the want of every young man to find, and fight for, his princess. It lies deep within a man's heart to fight for his bride, to slay the dragon, and carry her home. He also says that women want a man to do this. I found it interesting because I am truly a child at heart - I love pirates and fairy tales and Christmas and knights in shining armour. The idea that I will get to take on the role of a knight fighting for the damsel in distress excites me more than most. Then He mentioned how God fights for His bride.

However, Eldredge did not mention this: that when Jesus was crucified, He fought THE dragon in hell and slayed him. What a knight. That is the greatest fairy tale ever written, only it's not a fairy tale. It's truth.

Just Thinking

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I've thought about if I will transfer to Belmont for my junior year on; I've thought about how neat it would be to fly with Peter Pan in Neverland; I've thought about how awesome our universe is.

I always have thought about the chance that I will only be at Baylor for my freshman and sophomore years, but I started thinking about it long and hard after having a reunion dinner with friends who graduated from the youth group at church with me and the year ahead of me. For some reason, when they all mentioned that it was different living away from home, "but not as far as Baylor", I started thinking about how much I miss Nashville, as a whole. Not just the people, but the atmosphere and the spirit that surrounds it. I wanted to get away so as to realize all I have, and I have discovered just that.

I picked up J. M. Barrie's book on adventures in the Neverland soon after I got back to campus and had finished A Christmas Carol. Both are so much better than the movies portray, as is the case with most movies based on books. Something inside me loves to revisit those childhood fantasies; I guess it's just the kid in me.

Finally, I am very pumped about my astronomy class that I am taking this semester. At the Passion Conference, we were shown pictures from the Hubble telescope of the wonderful colors and shapes of this known universe, and I sat in awe at what was before me. I was again in awe when I looked up in the sky last night, on a rare break from my studies, and saw the moon straight above me, and Saturn in the eastern sky. I look forward to what this astronomy class is going to reveal to me about my wonderful Creator and Savior, Yahweh.

My Holiday Tree

While spending late last night relaxing with friends, watching movies on tv and channel surfing, we came across a discussion about the Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas controversy. Here's my take on the whole subject: call it a Holiday Tree if you really want. Holiday is no different from Christmas - it means Holy Days, the Holy Days of Christmas. So it all means the same to me. It's a lot like people changing from B.C. and A.D. to B.C.E. and C.E. Both sets revolve around the same exact point in history - the birth of Christ (or close to it). So I really don't see why you would change to B.C.E./C.E. I also don't see why you would change Merry Christmas, because Merry Christmas is more nostalgic and has a more cheerful sound.

Not So Good

I've been reading some really good books lately. Mainly, C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. But I have been reading Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper and don't like it so much. I have been told that I am "turning Baptist" but I think I've always been a little Baptist since I was first introduced to Christianity through a Baptist church. I'm not sure what I don't like about Piper's book, but I guess I thought it was this amazing work, and I was let down. It is not completely bad, but it's just not something I am planning on reading again soon. Just my thoughts.

Idols

So we say we don't have idols, that we don't worship anything other than God. But, what if Jesus came back today? How many of us would be upset that we wouldn't get to watch the next episode of our favorite TV show or listen to music on our iPod? Just recently I thought I would have been very upset if I no longer could listen to my iPod or CDs, but now my perspective has changed.

However, I probably do put too much stock in my guitar. I love playing, and I can feel God working through me whether I'm playing "worship" songs or not. So I try to justify that, and maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't. But what would you be upset about not getting to do if Jesus came back...right now?

Love Sermon

Not long before I left the senior high group at Christ Community, I gave a sermon on I Corinthians 13. What follows is a sort of abbreviated version of my notes and thoughts.

(read I Cor. 13)

This summer (of 2004) I was encouraged by the unity in our youth group. I am even more encouraged to see us moving back towards that state. But what creates unity?

I speak today in love because I want only what is best for our youth group, church, and community. I am using my talents as a leader and public speaker to get my thoughts and feelings across to my brothers and sisters.

I am not perfect, and neither is anyone else, but that does not mean we cannot strive to be perfect. We should aim for perfection as individuals and as a group. Matthew 5:48 says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Love is not easily angered. This is something I struggle with every day. I don't like that I get angered so easily, but I can control the way I handle it. If I blow up in my friend P.Diddy's face, I am not being very loving. If I let something slide until I can talk to him about it in private, I am loving him and the others around us.

Forgive and forget is what we are called to do. I have been working at forgiving others and then forgetting what they have done. I am still getting better. I see people like me friend Josh, who can't hold a grudge to save his life, and I am amazed at the power given to him by the Holy Spirit.

Hope for the future. That is what I have to do on a daily basis because it has been rough the last couple of months here in this room [due to administrative personnel changes]. But I have a hope that we will pull each other through this and be unified in walking through a new stretch towards heaven. I want there to be something for the freshmen and sophomores in a few years, and something for my little brother to look forward to when he enters high school. I strongly believe that the other seniors are behind me when I say that we are going to persevere through to the end for, and with, this youth group until we are no longer here. This is about more than any one person or small collective group; this is about a group of kids, teenagers, you adults, who get together to worship our God. Isn't that the whole reason this place was created?

Finally, we know that hope never fails. Some of you might say this would never work and that there are things that you just can't change or deal with. Let me say this, that I have been working on this for several months now, and I see a difference already in how I feel towards others, and hopefully that leads to how I treat them. Many of you have seen "Love Her" written on my hand and asked what that means. Well, here it is: take anyone's name and replace "her " with that name. Strive to love that person more. I wrote her only because I need to work on loving my sisters in Christ better. But it applies to the way I love guys, too, as brothers. How can you love someone better this week?

Leap of Faith

While home for Thanksgiving, which was quite wonderful, I came across something I had thought about before, but had never put into words. It had to do with trusting God when you don't know what to do. I made the analogy that it is like cliff-jumping. We make a decision, sometimes not sure if it is the right one, and that is when we jump. God is there, and He will either catch us immediately, or He will let us hit the side of the cliff and get brusied and bloodied a bit on the way down. However, He still catches us. It may not be as soon as we want to be caught, but we are caught. God promises to catch us, but He never promises we won't get hurt. He sometimes lets us hit the rock wall that slopes out, but what doesn't kill us only makes us strong. Or so I've heard.

Note: I just had to come up with this analogy for someone else, and I'm not being beat against the rocks, at least not now. Thanks for your concerns and prayers.

Feasting

I enjoy eating. Maybe a little too much here my freshman year. But my eating habits have changed since I moved out of a house where the food was always plentiful.

I was sitting out in the cold for college group Wednesday night, feeling very well fed from my dining hall dinner, when my ears perked up a bit. Kyle Dunn was speaking on God's grace and mercy. We don't have a limit to the number of times we can approach the throne. I began thinking about it in the sense of a feast.

Traditionally, we eat three meals a day. That is all the dining hall serves here, and once you've been there, there is no going back. However, God's throne is open more like my Thanksgiving Day buffet. Once it starts, there is no limit to how many times I can return - only when supply runs out if the buffet over. But God's grace and mercy have no beginning and no end, and the supply is infinite. So let's feast upon grace and mercy, but let us not be gluttons.

My Lullaby

I have recently been having a hard time sleeping. This stems from two things: physical uneasiness and pain from my back, and several nights of nightmares. The back pain I have grown used to, and only occasionally keeps me awake at night. However, the dreams I have no control over. I have to turn these over to my Father, and allow Him to hold me and carry me through. What follows is something that has come out of this time, and it brings me comfort to think that I have no control. The world would say differently, but we are not of this world, are we?


My Lullaby

As I lay me down to sleep
The night is creeping in
The darkness is too deep
I just want this day to end
I close my eyes and say a prayer
Fight off the night for me
I can feel you coming nearer
I can feel you setting me free

When I sleep, I feel your arms around me
Because I know I’m in the palm of Your hand
I feel safe when You’re by my side
Here is where I can be only Yours

When I dream, it’s up to You
There’s nothing more I can do
I can’t be in control
I want You in whole
Every waking hour
I want to give to You
But that’s never easy
Never the easy thing to do

When I sleep, I feel Your arms around me
Because I know I’m in the palm of Your hand
I feel safe when You’re by my side
Here is where I can be only Yours

Though the darkness comes
Though the light is not seen
It’s more than sight
I have seen the unseen

When I sleep, I feel Your arms around me
Because I know I’m in the palm of Your hand
I feel safe when You’re by my side
Here is where I can be only Yours