Lift Your Name on High

Lord I Lift Your Name on High was the first praise song I ever learned on guitar and piano. I always thought it was such a simple song to play (chords = G, C, D).

This guy takes it to a whole 'nother scale.

Too legit.

The lyrics, all the more:

Lord I lift Your name on high

Lord I love to sing Your praises

I'm so glad You're in my life

I'm so glad You came to save us

You came from heaven to earth, to show the way

From the earth to the cross, my sins to pay

From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky

Lord I lift Your name on high

Life In 3D, pt. 2

"Jesus is risen!"

In my freshman year of college I visited the Rock church in San Diego on Easter. I remember as soon as I got out of the car, a man in a highlighted traffic vest greeted me saying, "Jesus is risen!" He pumped his fists, gave a huge smile, and shook my hand. My response was, "Hi-... He-.... You-... We-... Ame-.........." and unable to find a proper reply in my ESL database, I simply smiled and nodded enthusiastically like a tourist who wanted to desperately prove that he understood. Then he went right back to directing traffic and greeting people in the parking lot. For some reason, that made such a lasting impression on me. He is risen indeed.

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Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

It begins with the mind. Certainly, we aim for the heart to give birth to godly action which then matures into a God-pleasing life style. If we were to look back to what the early Christians might have had on their minds, perhaps these reminders are not too far from reality:

Live as if Jesus died yesterday. Last year at children's camp, a kid asked, "If Jesus died a long time ago, why do we have to believe in him now?" It's easy to lose the significance of an event that happened 2000 years ago, especially if it is supposed to affect our lives today. When we truly remember that Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died, the godly sorrow will produce a life of repentance. By God's unconditional Love and Grace, the price for our sins has been paid and we have been bought with His blood. We wouldn't think twice about doing something Jesus had to die for. Conviction would be word. He died for you so live for Him.

Live as if Jesus rose again today. Imagine that you were one of the first people to come back from Jesus' empty tomb just this morning. omG. When we realize that Jesus has conquered all our sins, risen above death, and has made us holy and righteous before God, the godly joy will surely lead to a life of thanksgiving and praise. We wouldn't wait a day, a second, to tell the closest person about Jesus coming back to life! The Good News will be so real in our lives that we would share it with everyone we knew. He is risen so be His witness.

Live as if Jesus is coming back tomorrow. Many of us have read and heard about Jesus' return so many times, even encouraging us at times, but again, our lives seem to say, "What are the chances that it's tomorrow, or this year, or maybe even my lifetime?" A friend of mine once told me that the first thing he prays and thinks about when he wakes up is, "If tomorrow was my last day on earth, what would I do differently today?" (similar to my homie Eddie's resolution #7. crazy). Lifestyle. When we live our lives in expectancy for Jesus to return and take us Home, the godly hope will bear a life of perseverance. No amount of suffering will compare to the glory yet to be seen. No matter how tough it gets, no matter how heavy our cross may seem to be, we will be able to follow Him, "forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what lies ahead." He is coming back so press on.

"And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."

If this sounds impossible, it's because it is - on our own, that is. But praise be to God who has made us alive with Jesus Christ and has given us His Holy Spirit to live out life like it was meant to be lived.

"Check the History book, He's the One to do it.

Lived, died, rose, got the holes to prove it."

And that's Life in 3 days.

Life In 3D, pt. 1

Last night during dinner, dad told me about a sermon he heard recently. I stayed at the table after dinner and 2 whole sets of desserts (first strawberries, then Veggie Straws) because he was so inspired by it that he was pretty much "passionately speaking" (coughpreachingcough) in between mouthfuls - not uncommon at the table. So here is the same inspiration chewed and digested and processed in my system. Hopefully it's not shhhhhhhhheer nonsense:

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There's a difference between words and actions. We might say we believe one thing, but many times our actions reveal true unbelief. The in-yo-face way of putting it is, "inaction is unbelief." The kumbaya way of saying it is "It's a process so chin up and keep trying. It takes time to believe." Pick your weapon(s). I'm the last person to talk about a Christian's tendency to become complacent and comfortable especially in a Goldilocks environment that is just right - one foot in the Word and the other in the world. It has been hammered out by fiery men like John Piper, and Christians have all at one point been called out to "pick up the cross and follow." Unfortunately, the chasm between words (where I should be) and actions (where I am), or "sanctification gap" as some in academia call it, is embedded into the psyche of all who desire to obey, but find themselves pulling out the same list of resolutions at the end of the year, or worse, find themselves with new lists, ambitions, and priorities that fit their lifestyles perfectly, or rather, too conveniently.

What will it take for Christians in the 21st century to fully and radically (compared to their peers) live for God alone just as the followers of Jesus Christ did spreading the Gospel like wildfire in the 1st century? Ultimately, the Holy Spirit must stir, shape, and send the living sacrifices set apart for Him to submit to God's plan and purpose in this life and in all of creation. It will take many biblical truths, much obedience in them, and complete reliance on the HS to break, soften, and mold the calloused hearts of the "disciples" in a generation that has 21 more things that try to steal the heart away. It will take more than mere words, aspirations, or inspirations. It will take life in its entirety.

To be continued...

Tick Tock

The sun is out like summer time. I got my long sleeves on but my feet are still cold. So I sit with my legs folded with my feet near the heaters - made in thigh-land. I want to be outside, but I keep dodging the beams that attack through the defenseless window. Beam no more, Scotty. You win.

Lazy Saturdays are too costly these days. Back then, it was much needed; I had all the time in the world. Nowadays, it's still needed, but I find myself catching up to all the responsibilities that were pushed aside during the week. Somebody get me a crane. Must know kung fu.

It's true. I hold priorities with butterfingers and finish them like Easter candy, slow and never. Time management is an unsolvable mystery even by the standards of Scooby and the gang. Studying is like crossing a freeway; just wait for it. Don't worry though, I'm just getting ready for my counseling session at school, which by the way I'm looking forward to. Oh, wait, what was that? You're more worried about my strangely awesome analogies? Well, here's one to worry about:

The difference between quality and quantity time is like the difference between an ant-sized piece of filet mignon and a whole plate of filet mignon. One cannot be satisfied with little no matter how big the taste is.

If I'm not spending time with God all day, I can't help but think I'm using him as a means to my end even for godly things.

Bring it on Lazy Saturday. I'll beat you up when I get around to it.

And in light of the previous entry:

Happy Day

Classic.

Tune

[So this week is Missions Week at Biola. In light of that, I will [not] post a Mission Monday this week. In fact, I have three more episodes left, but they are mad fire - passion oozes out of the pages like honey from a dead bear. I've decided to pull the plug on the series until our sponsors give us the green light. This, however, does not mean the end of all mission talks. yadda yadda. roll the credits*]

.

Today after lunch, I heard a conversation between two men of God:

MoG 1: "So what are your plans after you graduate?"

MoG 2: "I just wanna get outta here!"

His response resonated with me like a rusty piano string waking up to a tuning fork. It was a familiar feeling that had been tossed in the basement of forgotten ambitions. He had the mission field in mind. He had the passion for the Gospel in his heart. He had the immovable calling that thrust him toward a vision that was more grand than he could ever imagine. He not only had far away places, but also people near to him. It was only a brief moment for all the colors to fill in the picture, but that moment was long enough to shake off the heaviness of spiritual complacency.

Right when I thought that I missed the train, right when I was getting all comfortable with my spiritual "stand", I was startled awake, comforted, and reminded of God's calling for ALL, EVERY SINGLE ONE of His children.

"disciples"

"witness"

"'Not called!’ did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their fathers’ houses and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look at Christ in the face - whose mercy you have professed to obey - and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world.”

William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army

And yet, I'm prone to go out of tune.

So let it sink deep in my heart.

Fighting Dreamer

In Field Education, my professor told us to write down our lifelong dreams/goals, then dreams within the next 5 years, and finally our goals if we had just 6 months to live - all these with no regard to practical boundaries.

The class shared together. There were a handful who spoke of marriage and family, some mentioned planting and settling at churches, and still one said he wanted another kid and to eat all he ever desired (surely, he was on the 6 month plan). It was a good exercise for me. What I had written for myself in 5 minutes was eye opening, heart gripping, and mind blowing. Are you serious? Impossible.

The professor asked the class, "If what you want to accomplish in your last 6 months is that important, why aren't you doing it now?"

Ouch.

He mentioned how most of us have an enthusiasm, passion, and initial dream when we start something new. "Then as the program moves along and we get into the motion of things this vision fades, and we easily become lost and discouraged in the journey." And so we rekindle the fire by visiting and revisiting our First Love.

Even so, one with a vision without a mission is just a dreamer. It feels like up until now I've only been filling up the melting pot with knowledge and personal experience. Seeing all the pretty ingredients is pretty exciting, but as they begin to churn and turn, my paradigms are being shattered left and right. Fool's gold melts away as pure gold remains. I awake from my daydream and realize real life is happening. A rekindled passion is one thing, but a passion with no action goes nowhere. I hate to admit it, but I am not liking what I'm seeing as I come to grips with myself. Burning away all that dross and being refined in the fire is... how do I say it... aht ddeuguh! (ow, it's hot!). And yet, His name be praised for He is infinitely more precious than any gold.

In his heart a man plans his course,

but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Dream the unseen.

Do the extreme.

God provides the way

and everything in between.