hey everybody.
wow.
that's really all that i can say.
sunday night, i finally got to preach a sermon that's been on my heart for quite some time. it was titled "Jesus said NO". while it didn't go quite the way that i had imagined it, it went exactly how God needed it to. and i am very thankful for that.
after the sermon, i was happy to see both my nephew and my dad at the alter, among several others who had responded to the word of God. also there were teens from Evangel that made recommitments to Christ. and much to my joy, there were broken people that were set free. and one certain person in particular.
you see, while i didn't know who it was, i new that God was sending me to minister there, on that night, for a specific reason. for a specific person. and i am thankful that they were open to the word of God.
i struggled during my sermon with whether or not to share a personal battle that i had faced several years ago. but God kept pressing me that it was something that would touch someone. finally, i told of a time when i had "lost" myself in my christian life. and the cause of it, and the pain and hopelessness that i had felt at that time. and i told of how God brought me through it.
during alter service, a woman came to the front, in tears, and told me that she was going through the exact same battle, and that i had described her feelings of despair like i had read her mind. i knew where she was. because i had been there and survived to tell of it. i was able to pray with her. and pray over her. and offer her hope. peace. joy. and the heart of Christ.
one of my favorite poems is the "footprints" poem. the one where, at the end, Jesus says "my precious child. i love you, and would never leave you. in the times when you saw only one set of prints, it was then that i carried you."
i can offer no better offer of hope than that. if you are tired. if you are broken. if you are lost. if you feel forgotten. if you feel hopeless. if you don't know how to stand anymore. you are not alone. it is in those moments that we realize the truth of the scripture that says "My strength is made perfect in weakness." because it is then. at that moment, that He can show us how much He loves us. by picking us up. cradling us in his arms. and carrying us home.
so if you are there. look up to heaven, and say Lord, i'm tired. i'm hurting. i'm sad. please, i have no strength left to stand. will you carry me home? and see if He doesn't cradle you, and carry you home.
much love.
theoldmusicbox
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool.........
one of my favorite quotes ever is the abraham lincoln qoute "it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt." i don't think that it's ever been said better than that.
let me give you 2 great examples of this. i saw two cars on the road and was amazed by how dumb people can make themselves look.
example #1: this car had a bumper sticker that said "UNITED WE STAND" and on the other side of the bumper it had a second bumber sticker that said "HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT". so, apparently this person wants to contribute to our fallen position, or they are an idiot.
example #2: this car had a total of 4 bumper stickers #1-the only difference between obama and osama is bs. #2- 10 out of 10 terrorists approve of obama. #3- obama bin lyin. and my personal favorite, #4-positive and encouraging K-LOVE. ok, how do you have 'POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING' on the same bumper as 3 derogatory stickers? why not instead, put some positive promo's of the candidate that you endorse. once again, i believe this person to be an idiot.
ok, i'm really not trying to be so harsh. i just get annoyed when people don't notice how important it is to know what you believe and be able to express it without attacking others.
let me give you an example. last week, i spent about 5 hours talking to someone that i don't agree with about our religious beliefs. at no point did we raise our voices, yell, call each other names or any other things like that. you see, the moment that you start doing those things is the moment that you lose your credibility. when people can't defend what they believe, they resort to attacking. trying to shut the other person up.
i like to debate/discuss. however, i refuse to argue. too many christians today, simply can not do this though. they really don't know why they believe the things that they believe. they can't tell you what the bible says, so they get angry at their own lack of knowledge, and start attacking what the other person stands for. do you really think your going to win anyone like that? at the moment you quit trying to explain your belief and start trying to tear down what they believe, they will no longer care what you have to say.
i'm not saying that i convinced him, nor he convinced me. however, we both entered the discussion with respect that the other person had strong beliefs and we both gave our points and listened, even if we disagreed. who knows, maybe one day, a life could be changed because we actually know why we believe what we believe.
so next time that you get angry when someone disagrees with you, ask yourself before you speak, "will this response draw them in, or push them away" and try your best not to REMOVE ALL DOUBT.
much love
theoldmusicbox
let me give you 2 great examples of this. i saw two cars on the road and was amazed by how dumb people can make themselves look.
example #1: this car had a bumper sticker that said "UNITED WE STAND" and on the other side of the bumper it had a second bumber sticker that said "HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT". so, apparently this person wants to contribute to our fallen position, or they are an idiot.
example #2: this car had a total of 4 bumper stickers #1-the only difference between obama and osama is bs. #2- 10 out of 10 terrorists approve of obama. #3- obama bin lyin. and my personal favorite, #4-positive and encouraging K-LOVE. ok, how do you have 'POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING' on the same bumper as 3 derogatory stickers? why not instead, put some positive promo's of the candidate that you endorse. once again, i believe this person to be an idiot.
ok, i'm really not trying to be so harsh. i just get annoyed when people don't notice how important it is to know what you believe and be able to express it without attacking others.
let me give you an example. last week, i spent about 5 hours talking to someone that i don't agree with about our religious beliefs. at no point did we raise our voices, yell, call each other names or any other things like that. you see, the moment that you start doing those things is the moment that you lose your credibility. when people can't defend what they believe, they resort to attacking. trying to shut the other person up.
i like to debate/discuss. however, i refuse to argue. too many christians today, simply can not do this though. they really don't know why they believe the things that they believe. they can't tell you what the bible says, so they get angry at their own lack of knowledge, and start attacking what the other person stands for. do you really think your going to win anyone like that? at the moment you quit trying to explain your belief and start trying to tear down what they believe, they will no longer care what you have to say.
i'm not saying that i convinced him, nor he convinced me. however, we both entered the discussion with respect that the other person had strong beliefs and we both gave our points and listened, even if we disagreed. who knows, maybe one day, a life could be changed because we actually know why we believe what we believe.
so next time that you get angry when someone disagrees with you, ask yourself before you speak, "will this response draw them in, or push them away" and try your best not to REMOVE ALL DOUBT.
much love
theoldmusicbox
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
so, in this hour, live like you're alive!!!!
this is taken from the song "so, in this hour" by the christian artist called the rocket summer.
"So in this hour
Everything I do
Will be all for this moment
Everything's for you
My heart is open
And willing
So take it"
this is taken from the song "live like you're alive" by the christian group called nevertheless.
"So here, I stand,
I'm ready for anything
i'm Just, a man,
but I'm giving everything
We're here
only for a second and then
We're gone
when we least expect it
So do more than survive
Let's live like we're alive"
as most of you know, i love music. but mostly, i really love it when i find a new group, or a new song, or something that i've never heard of, and it just totally blows my mind either lyrically, or musically, or both. until recently i had never heard of the rocket summer, or nevertheless. but i have to say, i have become a fan.
i love the line where it says "my heart is open, and willing, so take it". so often, as christians, we want God to give us everything that we need, everything that we want, and sometimes everything that we see. and what do we offer Him in return? we offer him advice on how He should be God!! seriously. how many times have you complained to Him that if He would just grant you what you've prayed for that your life would just be great and you could finally be happy? think about it.
when was the last time that you honestly said, my heart is open and willing Lord, please just take it. without adding some kind of stipulation to the request.
and then, the other song, we're here only for a second and then we're gone when we least expect it so do more than survive. live like we're alive. when i first heard that line, it literally took my breath away. i felt like i had been hit in the gut with a brick made of truth.
for the last couple of months, i've been going on remote control. kinda like the guy from the old mcdonald's commercial. remember? get up, go to work, go home, go to bed. get up go to work go home go to bed get up go to work go home go to bed. get up go to work GO TO MCDONALD'S go to bed. caught in the same rut, day after day after day with something special every now and then, and then back to the rut.
i'm sorry, but i believe that i was put on this earth for more than that!! how about you? are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? (sorry, couldn't help using that old cliche) are you tired of same old same old? are you ready for a revolution? are you prepared for a life changing moment in your life. well so am i.
i don't consider myself a prophet. just a man who hears from God from time to time. but i believe that we can do more than just survive. we can do it simply by saying "Lord, in this hour, everything's for You. my heart is open and willing. take it". i love David's prayer that says "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
if you notice, David gave no "here's how to be God" advice. or any other request but that God would know his heart and lead his actions. next time i pray, i think i'll try that. how about you?
much love
theoldmusicbox
"So in this hour
Everything I do
Will be all for this moment
Everything's for you
My heart is open
And willing
So take it"
this is taken from the song "live like you're alive" by the christian group called nevertheless.
"So here, I stand,
I'm ready for anything
i'm Just, a man,
but I'm giving everything
We're here
only for a second and then
We're gone
when we least expect it
So do more than survive
Let's live like we're alive"
as most of you know, i love music. but mostly, i really love it when i find a new group, or a new song, or something that i've never heard of, and it just totally blows my mind either lyrically, or musically, or both. until recently i had never heard of the rocket summer, or nevertheless. but i have to say, i have become a fan.
i love the line where it says "my heart is open, and willing, so take it". so often, as christians, we want God to give us everything that we need, everything that we want, and sometimes everything that we see. and what do we offer Him in return? we offer him advice on how He should be God!! seriously. how many times have you complained to Him that if He would just grant you what you've prayed for that your life would just be great and you could finally be happy? think about it.
when was the last time that you honestly said, my heart is open and willing Lord, please just take it. without adding some kind of stipulation to the request.
and then, the other song, we're here only for a second and then we're gone when we least expect it so do more than survive. live like we're alive. when i first heard that line, it literally took my breath away. i felt like i had been hit in the gut with a brick made of truth.
for the last couple of months, i've been going on remote control. kinda like the guy from the old mcdonald's commercial. remember? get up, go to work, go home, go to bed. get up go to work go home go to bed get up go to work go home go to bed. get up go to work GO TO MCDONALD'S go to bed. caught in the same rut, day after day after day with something special every now and then, and then back to the rut.
i'm sorry, but i believe that i was put on this earth for more than that!! how about you? are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? (sorry, couldn't help using that old cliche) are you tired of same old same old? are you ready for a revolution? are you prepared for a life changing moment in your life. well so am i.
i don't consider myself a prophet. just a man who hears from God from time to time. but i believe that we can do more than just survive. we can do it simply by saying "Lord, in this hour, everything's for You. my heart is open and willing. take it". i love David's prayer that says "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
if you notice, David gave no "here's how to be God" advice. or any other request but that God would know his heart and lead his actions. next time i pray, i think i'll try that. how about you?
much love
theoldmusicbox
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