got MiLK?

Part of me says that it doesn't matter. My input has no absolute effect on the output. It says that although I can make change, the change would have happened regardless of what I did so sit back and enjoy the ride. Another part of me agrees, but wants so eagerly to see and experience the change itself. Though in secret, it only agrees because it does not want to waste time solving paradoxes and it does not like being ridiculed by the other. And little by little the smile hatches and life is undeniable. Unquenchable. Truth is, I don't fight fire with fire. I fight fire with oil... what?

The milk becomes meat, and meat becomes flesh.
Flesh becomes words and words become life.

Victory is already here. The dream is in motion. It's time to see the world change.

Carry On

Enthusiasm vs. Anointing

In the blue corner, we have Enthusiasm. He can get people pumped up and excited for anything - a prayer meeting, praise night, retreat, EVing, listening to a speaker, fasting, the next big revival. In the red corner, we have Anointing - Quiet and reserved yet dominant and powerful. He might not always look cool or ever draw a crowd, but he pierces through flesh and bones and infiltrates the critical points - heart issues, love, relationships, sacrifice, humility, life. Thing is, we're not in a boxing ring, we're on a battlefield. And whoever you side with determines whether you win or lose.

Are you living off the passion of other people, or do you have an undying, unquenchable passion that wells out of you? Or do you not have passion at all? By passion I mean the 'suffering' that leads to hope that makes way for Love. We know the true source of passion is Jesus Christ. So now what? At the end of the day, when you are on your own, what do you have left? The ministry you served at? The book of theology you explicated? The number of Christian books that you read or the number of verses you memorized? The number of people you've led to Jesus? The amount of sermons in your ipod? The times you shared your faith and struggles with brothers and sisters? Or maybe the guilt of not having done anything "Christian."

"When the music fades and all is stripped away..."

I am in no way ruling out or denying these things because I am a product of all of that and I continue to learn and grow through them. What I'm saying is if I believe that Jesus is the ultimate mediator, the Great High Priest, between me and God, why do I find myself in such deep reliance on these secondary sources of God, and rarely find the need (and the time) to spend time with God Himself - in His Word and in prayer? This is not a discussion of accountability or an undermining of community, but simply a focus on the personal relationship I have with God. This is not about new age spirituality or do-it-yourself meditation to 'get' God. This is also not a plea for single player Christianity for that would be an oxymoron. The more I count my blessings and the myriad of godly, biblical resources at my fingertips (internet/books/etc.), the more I realize that I've become complacent and calloused to what matters most. Everything is fed to me with a golden baby bottle and I never leave the stroller in the pretense of being 'protected' and 'provided.'

Let me go back to the First Love.

Every generation changes with time, but only God and His Word is everlasting. No matter how timely and timeless a book, sermon, or quote is - that's still them - what about you? What are you going to do with Jesus today?

Remix #9: Remixed to spend more all my time with Dad.

Lift up

I got a Moleskine yesterday, thanks to bbq. I am ecstatically excited.

After sister K shared about journaling every single day I took it to heart and wanted to begin. So I have.

What is written is better than what is remembered.
-yeoman-

I learn a lot, but I forget even more. Writing/journaling helps me remember and recall my thoughts from specific times - events, conversations, dreams, sermons, and especially (96% of the time) what I've learned from the Word. This is not just an exposition of the Bible, but more of a combined picture of my life at those certain stages. While this is true, the said quote actually refers to making [spiritual] footprints for others, not necessarily to follow, but to learn from and to build up. What's so great about having such a great memory if I never share my memories with anyone all the way to my grave? What if Moses kept everything to himself and never wrote anything down? What if Matthew, Mark, and all my homies thought it was enough to remember their experience with Jesus and never wrote it down? After all, at least they got the Gospel, right? Good for them, but not good for anyone else. Put another way, if my thoughts are physically laid out before me I'm not the only one with the access.

As the Word of God grips me more and more to lift up a new generation of Jesus lovers, I begin to see less of me and more of God, and by extension, more of others. From my immediate perspective, yes, I do write to remember the walk, but ultimately my mind is set on the walk of my brothers and sisters. And mind you, I'm not some selfless monk who's got the whole world in his hands - far from it. I'm a child of God who knows he is deeply loved and forgiven. It just makes more sense in light of what Jesus did for me.

When all is said and done, there should be a man so stayed on Jesus that not even the incoming tidal waves of life's circumstances can deter his heart or dampen his feet from following through on his convictions. The question then is quite simple: Is the walk of faith for the audience in the boat or is it only for Jesus?

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Luke 6:26

Let the fear of man be removed from me. Let me choose what is right over what is popular. Let me only care about what Jesus would think of me. Let me set a fire in my prayer closet. Let the Word be as sweet as honey. Let me love love.

Remix #8: Remixed, to read, pray, and journal every single freakin day.

Go!

Retreat.

Agape retreat. Keeping it real. Almost too real that even the blind eye will open, see the reality, and then want to be blind again not because it sees ugly, but because it sees a long and difficult road ahead. I'm awake, but I'm not ready. I have little strength, but that's the requirement. So I begin.

Forget one time resolutions that last for a minute. Confirmation this, confirmation that. Unlike before, I'm on a timetable. I'm on the fast track and won't go back. I'm talking about power and anointing. It doesn't matter how silly I sound anymore. I'm not going to stunt the growth just so that I don't trample on your pride, and that includes my brothers and sisters. "Give me the enemy in my hands. Make them a footstool for your feet."

I can't wait around for you to come around and start living out your calling. It's too urgent. Even still, that doesn't mean I'll stop saying "hurry up!"

I'll straighten out these thoughts soon.