Dig, and keep on digging!

So Josh,

"I will tell about your justice, and all day long proclaim your salvation, though I cannot fathom its full extent" (Psalm 71:15 NET)

What an amazing verse! We can praise God ALL day long, telling about who He is, while never quite getting all that He is. We can worship Him for ALL he is, whilst never truly understanding all He is. That means we can dig and keep on digging deeper and deeper into Him, constantly going "Wow! So THAT'S who you are!!". Then tomorrow we dive deeper and go "So THAT'S who you are!" as we discover something new about Him. And this carries on. Forever.

God is an ocean of mystery.
God is a mountain of beauty.
God is a sandpit of never-ending treasure

Let's dive, and keep on diving.
Let's climb, and keep on climbing.
Let's dig, and keep on digging.

Flutter: the new twitter

So Josh, first check out this FUNNY video on Youtube

This is a pretty amusing video! I love the idea: "Tweets" take too long, so instead let's "flap". As Zak Ryman (so-called CEO of Flutter says): "I think a lot of people don't have time to Twitter. It just takes too long to compose a message with 140 characters". It's funny because it's so sad, and it's so sad because it's so true. This may be a spoof video today, but who knows when it will become real.

God is inviting us (you and me) to a lifelong relationship of walking with Him everyday, spending time in His presence, hanging out with him every minute of every day. After all, He's got all the time in the world, right? And He wants to spend it with us.

We read in Genesis, "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9)

God has the time, and He wants to spend it with you!

Jesus even invites us to sit down to a meal with Him:
Jesus: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)

He's saying this to you. He's saying this to me. He wants to spend time with us. But it's as if we're running round, from thing to thing, firing off tweets to God:

"Gotta run. We'll talk l8r". Or "C U Sunday".

We have an instant message relationship with Him, firing off spiritual MSNs to Him.

"I need U rite now" or "Pls help me"

without taking time to listen to His response, and then we get angry / disappointed / frustrated because He didn't answer our prayer RIGHT AWAY in the way we wanted.

I just want to encourage you to start slowing down; start spending time with God. Read your Bible on the bus, read your Bible in your lunch hour - find a quiet space and just BE with God.

Love you!
Dan

Forever Fame

So Josh

We all have decisions in life to make. Sometimes it's us making them, sometimes they seem to be made for us. I think it's true that everyone desires their fifteen minutes in the spotlight, where everyone sees, recognizes and loves them...the thing is (and the entertainment magazines seem to back this up) that the higher you climb, the farther you have to fall. Is there an alternative?

FIRST WATCH THIS VIDEO

Fame
I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly
High

I feel it coming together Fame
People will see me and cry

I'm gonna make it to heaven
Light up the sky like a flame
Fame

I'm gonna live forever
Baby remember my name

I was a teenager when I first heard this song from the movie Fame and I still remember how it connected with what seemed like every student’s dream at the time - to do something, be something, or leave something behind that would be remembered forever.

Fast forward 30 years, and we have the remixed, rebooted movie that looked promising in the previews, but still is not a flick that I think will live forever.

Except maybe in the bargain bin of misfit movies at Blockbuster.

That being said, there’s something in the song and movie that I believe still connects with the soul of a teenager. In fact, not only the soul of a teen, but of all human beings. We want people to remember our names, don’t we? I know I’ve never met anyone who said, “Gee…I hope my life turns out to be a meaningless, purposeless collage of failed attempts to be remembered for something.”

But how does one go about lighting up the sky like a flame? Do we have to have mad music and dancing skills? Do we have to attend a special school and look like Abercrombie and Fitch models?

Well, that would definitely rule me out…but no big deal, because I’m looking for a very different kind of fame - the kind that actually will live forever because it’s attached to something that lasts forever.

You get this, right? You understand that even the highest level of recognition and celebrity status will eventually fade away, so that all the attempts to live forever will eventually be thrown into the bargain bin of eternity.

It’s too bad that so many people believe the lie that fame equals happiness and take their God-given desire to leave a mark on the world and use it for themselves.

You want fame? Take this advice:

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever (1 John 2:16-17, NLT).

Did you catch the formula for “fame” here? No special talents, looks, or connections…simply an unquenchable desire and unflinching direction to do “what pleases God.”

In other words, when you take fame off your agenda and instead live to make Jesus Christ famous, you attach yourself to something that will never fade away. And if you do have special abilities, you can use the applause of the crowd as a platform to bring praise to God.

Of course, the best way to make Jesus Christ famous is to spread the word about who He is and what He has done for all of humanity. My song and dance in life is telling everyone I know about the High King of heaven who humbled Himself and died a horrible death in our place in payment of our sin, then came back from the dead to show His power and plan to raise us from the grave as well.

And my fame? No, it won’t be in this life and frankly, I couldn’t care less about that because my sights are set on a day that is painted beautifully in this song:

I dreamed I went to heaven
And you were there with me;
We walked upon the streets of gold
Beside the crystal sea.
We heard the angels singing
Then someone called your name.
We turned and saw a young man running
And he was smiling as he came.

And he said, "Friend you may not know me now."
And then he said, "But wait,
You used to teach my Sunday School
When I was only eight.
And every week you would say a prayer
Before the class would start.
And one day when you said that prayer,
I asked Jesus in my heart."

Thank you for giving to the Lord.
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord.
I am so glad you gave.

Then another man stood before you
And said, "Remember the time
A missionary came to your church
And his pictures made you cry.
You didn't have much money,
But you gave it anyway.
Jesus took the gift you gave
And that's why I'm here today."

Thank you for giving to the Lord.
I am a life that was changed.
Thank you for giving to the Lord.
I am so glad you gave.

One by one they came
Far as the eye could see.
Each life somehow touched
By your generosity.
Little things that you had done,
Sacrifices made,
Unnoticed on the earth
In heaven, now proclaimed.

And I know up in heaven
You're not supposed to cry
But I am almost sure
There were tears in your eyes.
As Jesus took your hand
And you stood before the Lord.
He said, "My child, look around you.
Great is your reward."*

*Music and Lyrics by Ray Boltz

That’s fame. That’s forever fame.

Do you want in? Then make this poem your life motto:

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”
—Unknown Author

Original post taken from "Soul Fuel: Fuel for the Mission" 09.28.09

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A Message (from Coldplay)

So Josh,

I was listening to this song on Youtube today. It's called "A Message" by Coldplay. I know you know it, you being the Coldplay freak you are :-)!! The link to the video is here. It's pretty powerful. Check it out. Part of the lyrics are as follows:

A Message
My song is love
Love to the loveless shown
And it goes on
You don't have to be alone

Your heavy heart
Is made of stone
And it's so hard to see you, clearly
You don't have to be on your own
You don't have to be on your own

And I'm not gonna take it back
And I'm not gonna say I don't mean that
You're the target that I'm aiming at
Can I get that message home?

My song is love
My song is love unknown,
But I'm on fire for you, clearly
You don't have to be alone
You don't have to be on your own.

It makes me smile, because today I'm not feeling too close to the Lord. Today, I'm more aware of my humanness and sin than God's holy Presence living inside of me. Today, I'm asking the question: "Why even bother with me, Lord?"

It makes me smile, because even though this song may be, on the surface about human relationships, it's actually a hymn of worship! Don't believe me? Then check out these lyrics to a hymn, written by Samuel Crossman, in 1664:

My song is love unknown,
My Saviour’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?

You can read the full lyrics here.

Hmmm...interesting similarity, eh? Coldplay...inspired by a hymn? Why not!
In fact, Chris Martin, in an interview with Rolling Stone talks about this song. He said:

"A Message" and "Til Kingdom Come" both come from having quite a religious upbringing. "A Message" is taken from a hymn we used to sing called "My Song Is Love Unknown," and we'd say "kingdom come" every week in the Lord's Prayer. One of the great things about being forced to go to church services is that we'd sing all these big songs. That's partly why I'm obsessed with getting everyone to sing along at our shows. It makes me feel like I'm a part of something.

To read the full interview, click here.

I just need to hear that right now - Christ's love was (and is) shown to the loveless (me). So that I might become lovely. He took my robe of sin so I might wear his robe of cleanness, wholeness, holiness. Why did Christ die for me? I don't know. Except to say it was for love. This is the greatest love song ever - Jesus' life, death and resurrection. This song I can keep repeating over and over in my head, and it NEVER grows old. And the chorus to this song?

Even while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me (Romans 5:8)

That can be your life chorus too.

God: "My song is love unknown.
Love to the loveless shown.
And it goes on: You don't have to be alone"

God: "You're the target that I'm aiming at..."

God: "Can I get that message home? But I'm on fire for you, clearly..."

Me: I'm beginning to get it again. Thank you, Lord.

Imprisoned for 18 years...

So Josh, this is a little different - it's a prayer request from a girl in my youth group, Becky, who is writing about something God has brought to her attention. In bringing this to our attention, she's being obedient to God.

Hey Everyone. It's Becky.

Maybe you've not heard
Now, I'm not sure if any of you have heard about this, and maybe if you have you've been affected by it, just like me. I'll fill you in just in case you haven't heard it, and if you have, well I encourage you to keep reading.

What happened
18 years ago, there was an 11 year old girl named Jaycee Lee Duggard who was abducted in 1991 from her California street. She was held captive in a backyard, by a registered sex offender who was on federal parole for rape and kidnapping convictions. She fathered his two children while she was stuck inside a camp in his backyard, and his wife even knew he was doing this, but didn't object! I'm going to enclose a URL link to a website, so you can read more if you like. You can read more about the story here.

The same age as us
So, that's basically the gist of what happened. But what really stood out to me when I heard about this, is that she had 2 kids, when she was a kid herself. Her children are now 11 and 15. Those are ages of some of the teens/pre-teens that attend our Youth.

They need our love and support
I felt like God was asking me to pray for these people, and to spread the word about them too. These are kids that have practically never seen the light of day, a church, a friend's house, and even school. When my dad told me about it, I sat crying in the back of our car, because I thought, How can we be dreading back to school time so much, when there's kids around the world who haven't even picked up a pencil? SO. What I am asking you to do, is to pray for these kids that are so close in age to us. They need our love and support and prayers more than ever now. I'm just going to write down some quick prayer points, and of course, you can add your own.

How to pray

• Pray that God will allow them to see everything he has to offer in a new light, and that any anger or frustration they are having to be wiped clean because Jesus loves them.
• Pray that any guilt that surrounds their thoughts is overcome by a realization of the fact that none of this was their fault.
• Pray that at this point, they can start off fresh, and can experience the world through Jesus's eyes.
• And, please pray for LOVE. That love will surround them and keep them together through everything that is to come.

Thanks so much guys. :) I know we can do this.
Becky

Why not forward this to your friends to encourage them to pray too?

Come, follow me

So Josh,

"Come, follow me". Three simple words. There's not much to them. They were said to two guys, Peter and Andrew, two brothers, ages and ages ago. Just three words. "Come follow me".

You see, three simple words are transformed into a daily invitation of adventure, power, meaning and transformation when we find out who says them. Let's read the passage:

"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:18-20)

• Jesus gives them this invitation when they were in the middle of their humdrum, day to day life. Jesus invites us to follow him when we're serving up fries at McDonalds, or working on the farm, or going to a friends party, or swimming in the pool. In the middle of our day to day life - Jesus is constantly whispering to us "Come, follow me"
• Jesus invites them while they were doing what was needed for them to survive. If they didn't fish, they wouldn't eat. If the catch wasn't big enough, they wouldn't eat. If they didn't put in the hours on the boat (at the office, in school etc) they wouldn't move on in life. In the middle of living in survival mode, Christ gives us a different option: "Come follow me".
  
• Jesus invites to leave what they find comfortable. Fishing made sense to them. They'd done it all their lives. They understood the ins and outs of handling a boat, mending a net, what fish to keep and which to throw away, how to gut a fish, how to preserve, what was a good price for the fish. This life made sense. But Jesus invited them out of what made sense, he invited them to leave their comfort zone...to do what? Follow him.
• Jesus is sometimes vague about the details. He didn't give them a 3 year plan, or tell them to get a degree first in healing or preaching or demon casting out. They passed or failed on one thing - would they follow him? To where? They didn't know. For how long? They didn't know. What would the accommodation be like? They had no idea. Did they know at this point that they would be laughed at, persecuted, tired, hungry, angry, hard done by? No. Did they know that they would be responsible for building the church, spreading the gospel, seeing thousands of people come to know Christ through them? No. All they knew what that Jesus said "Come follow me". And they did.

Sometimes we need to know all the details, sometimes we want God's plan to fit into our plan, sometimes we want to have it all figured out, make sure our health insurance is up to date, ensure we have a contingency plan..a plan B. We want God to give us a HUGE sign before we'll even take one tiny step. Have we packed our bug spray, our sun screen, our travel sickness pills?

Sometimes we think "I don't know enough...I'm not good enough...I'm not smart / funny / witty / good-looking / together enough". Still Jesus looks you in the eye and says "Come follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men". He will make you into the person He wants you to be. He knows you better than you know yourself. And He wants to use you. Right here. Right now.

Jesus always takes the first step in inviting us.
We just have to respond by taking one step, and then another, and then another. You see, when you put together a lifetime of taking one step at a time with Jesus - you have an entire lifetime of following Jesus. But all he's asking you for, right now, is the next step. Will you take it? Will you come and follow Him?

Remember the kids song:

"I will make you fishers of men if you follow me"

Perhaps there's more truth to this than we think...

Love you mate

Dan

Transformers or Transformation?

So Josh,
I was checking out a video blog by this guy called Brett Ullman (you can check out his website here). He was reviewing the movie Transformers 2. I've not seen it personally, but have had every intention of doing so. This video blog has given me pause for thought. I'd love to know, Josh, what your thoughts are on this video blog (and I'd love to know the thoughts of anyone else who reads my blog). To view the video, just click here. It's only 7 minutes long, and should get you thinking!
A couple of questions for you to think about and reply to (by hitting the comment button under this blog post).
1) Have you watched Transformers 2? Was Brett's insight the impression you got from the movie?
2) Do you agree with what Brett is saying? Why or why not?
3) Is he making a big deal out of nothing?
4) How far should we take this issue of holiness?
5) Are you and I influencing the world with love and purity, or is the world influencing us?

Let's get this discussion started...

Love you,
Dan