Jesus Wept.
The shortest verse in the Bible, but I’m only beginning to understand the breadth of it.
It was after the death of his friend Lazarus; he waited to return to help him until the man had been dead for four days. When he arrived Mary was crying, everyone was distraught, everyone was mad at Jesus, because they knew he could have helped. Jesus asked to see the body, then breaks down.
The Savior of the universe, Son of GOD, breaks down and cries.
Why?
He was about to heal Lazarus, why would he cry, why not laugh, berate them for their doubt, and then call the man up out of his grave. It would have been a big glorious show of the power of God, but Jesus contrasted with all those possibilities by breaking down into tears. I’m so hung up on this… why?
Oh the… humanity?
The humanity of Jesus is something that is most widely discussed in something like the DaVinci Code where he is portrayed as impregnating Mary etc. etc. excuse me while I puke.
Jesus was fully man and fully God. Ok, that makes no sense so don’t preach to me that crap without explaining what it means. (Can you tell I’m in Church all the time?)
Jesus was human, like you and I. He had the same weaknesses, the same mind, and the same heart, just like us. He was tempted, he was hurt, he laughed, he cried, he bled, he got hungry and he even had to pee. He had to control his thoughts and emotions just like we are… supposed to. What made Jesus capable of that?
He had the same promise we do, he was just more aware of it, because he was the Son of God.
He was the embodiment of the conscience that drives you and I toward the truth.
He was (is) a man, but he was the walking example of how scripture was supposed to be lived.
That’s why Jesus is so amazing; he was just like us, but without the willingness to compromise that messes us up every time.
And so he wept, he could carry the weight of his calling anymore without cracking just a little. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for him to stay away those extra days. It must have torn him apart, then he gets there to see Mary so broken, his friend gone, his alleged friends berating him for not doing what he “should have done.” He couldn’t carry that burden, that… cross… anymore.
This changes my entire perspective on the man Jesus; he isn’t just the example of perfection that I’ll never reach. He was a broken man who went by each day giving his best with a determination unrivaled, because he loved those broken souls around him that much.
All for love.
He wept because he loved his people so much that their despair broke him, even though he could fix it, he knew the cost.
Even then, he knew the cost.
This blog is so incomplete that I did not want to post it, but here are my thoughts so far. :-)
Psalm 27:8
-Israel
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Contradictions, The Soul, and Reason Versus Emotion
Lately God has laid on my heart my non-existent understanding of the human psyche in relation to making decision based on emotions or reason. To simplify this, to make a decision based on reason is done with the mind through logic and reason by fact; even if you’re going on faith you can make a decision by reason. But then again, faith is partially an emotion. And there’s the conundrum, you cannot make a decision solely by reason, but if you make a decision solely by emotion you will be lead astray. “The heart is deceitful above all things,” says the prophet Jeremiah. So there must be a median ground that we can all rely on to make decision that will hold up to the mind’s God has given us while still not ignoring the emotions that God has given us as well. I understanding that understanding will come with age and wisdom but I am a logical person so it helps to write it out.
I am also a very passionate person; do you see my world of contradictions?
That’s really as far as I’ve gotten in my understanding of this, I find myself contradicting myself at every turn and I feel… I feel, so am I writing this blog with emotion or with reason or with a strange combination of both that I cannot identify nor understand?
Can you tell I’m enjoying this? ☺
The way I see it, a persons soul is their most valuable possession. You can understand why, our bodies and our things pass away, but our soul is us forever. I believe the heart is the greatest part of the soul. The soul is composed of our passions, the things that mean the most to us. Wouldn’t you agree that a person is not passionate is… empty?
You cannot make a decision solely on reason; you have to use an emotion to block out your other emotions. You are designed to use both.
Jesus prayed in the garden for God not to make him die on the cross, that was emotion.
But he also prayed “not my will but yours” that was reason. Emotion played it’s part in both, but if reason had not played a part then Jesus would not have done it, because he was as much a human as you or I.
He knocked over tables. That was emotion, but it was done with the intention to make a point and it did not cross a line.
Emotion caused the fall of humanity. The woman let her heart control her and the man just stood there with no control at all. That sounds familiar doesn’t it?
So as you can see Biblically that both play a part, and the test I will use on myself is very simple and I’m disappointed in myself that I did not get to this point earlier.
If you are making a decision that feels like emotion and you are not sure your mind is getting through, ask yourself if this decision glorifies God.
Will it bring you closer to him?
Will it bring others closer to him?
Guard your heart; be aware of the thoughts of your mind and the meditations of your heart.
God gave you both for a reason, use both of them, be aware of where God is calling you to be and you will not make the mistake of Adam and Eve.
Psalm 19:11
Psalm 86:11
-Jason
P.S Thanks to Daniel Chandler for helping me write this blog. He's the man. And he needs a girlfriend.
I am also a very passionate person; do you see my world of contradictions?
That’s really as far as I’ve gotten in my understanding of this, I find myself contradicting myself at every turn and I feel… I feel, so am I writing this blog with emotion or with reason or with a strange combination of both that I cannot identify nor understand?
Can you tell I’m enjoying this? ☺
The way I see it, a persons soul is their most valuable possession. You can understand why, our bodies and our things pass away, but our soul is us forever. I believe the heart is the greatest part of the soul. The soul is composed of our passions, the things that mean the most to us. Wouldn’t you agree that a person is not passionate is… empty?
You cannot make a decision solely on reason; you have to use an emotion to block out your other emotions. You are designed to use both.
Jesus prayed in the garden for God not to make him die on the cross, that was emotion.
But he also prayed “not my will but yours” that was reason. Emotion played it’s part in both, but if reason had not played a part then Jesus would not have done it, because he was as much a human as you or I.
He knocked over tables. That was emotion, but it was done with the intention to make a point and it did not cross a line.
Emotion caused the fall of humanity. The woman let her heart control her and the man just stood there with no control at all. That sounds familiar doesn’t it?
So as you can see Biblically that both play a part, and the test I will use on myself is very simple and I’m disappointed in myself that I did not get to this point earlier.
If you are making a decision that feels like emotion and you are not sure your mind is getting through, ask yourself if this decision glorifies God.
Will it bring you closer to him?
Will it bring others closer to him?
Guard your heart; be aware of the thoughts of your mind and the meditations of your heart.
God gave you both for a reason, use both of them, be aware of where God is calling you to be and you will not make the mistake of Adam and Eve.
Psalm 19:11
Psalm 86:11
-Jason
P.S Thanks to Daniel Chandler for helping me write this blog. He's the man. And he needs a girlfriend.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Sleep, a little warfare and what God wants for Christmas...
I’ll sleep when I’m dead.
But seriously, give me five more minutes.
After two hours of sleep for the second day in a row I was seriously considering re-considering my sleep when I’m dead philosophy. I spent the weekend doing mission work in New Orleans and I don’t have anything to say in this blog, but my heart is heavy for what I’ve seen this weekend; so I write.
I first noticed the spiritual warfare during the drive down on Friday. I started praying not only for myself but also for the entire one hundred and thirty-four of us headed into the valley of darkness. (I’m allowed a little creative explanation aren’t I?)
Spiritual warfare is an interesting thing. It is a battle that I look forward to fighting when I am prepared (suited up in the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6.) The battle means that I am making a difference, so it’s a comfort. When I’m not prepared I get ripped to shreds.
I was getting used to living in the bubble of the University of Mobile, my home for the next 3 years is for lack of a better term “anointed real estate.” This is an institution founded on the principles of Christianity and I believe that God blesses it as such, spiritual warfare is a piece of cake on this campus compared to a city so overcome by powers beyond what we see.
There is a war going on, and a place like New Orleans is an intense place to be.
God did not use me on the trip as much as I hoped he would, I am unafraid to go talk to people, I don’t care if they have a gun, they need the message just as much as any other sinner like those of us who were going to help. So… I had hoped God would use me to do such a thing as that and see someone radically saved through me et cetera et cetera….
I missed the point, and God used me, but I did (and still) do not understand why he would hold me back from talking to certain people or saying certain things that I know would make a difference.
His plan is bigger… and I work for him.
I was talking to a friend the first night and a thought came to me as we discussed the group of students on this mission.
“What would happen if we had 134 students with an Isaiah 26:8 passionate desire for the glory of Christ on earth?
What would happen if these few walked in to the French quarter with boldness and talked to every single person they met on the street without fear, and with such boldness that people could not help but notice. There is something different….
What would happen if we forgot about ourselves and walked in union with the Holy Spirit and could take captive our thoughts to the detail of saying exactly what God told us to do?”
We did not try to answer.
And now I apply this to you.
What would happen if you took captive every thought and walked close enough with the Lord to know exactly what he was saying?
What would happen if you forgot yourself, your desires, your love for anything but Christ and lived for that alone?
I leave the answer to you.
Remember I am always here for commentary on these blogs, or if you need someone to talk to, realize that as a reader of these thoughts you know me more intimately than many people who see me everyday. I guess that makes us good friends, I’d love to hear what you think of these, or what you want to hear a blog about.
Psalm 86:11
-Israel
But seriously, give me five more minutes.
After two hours of sleep for the second day in a row I was seriously considering re-considering my sleep when I’m dead philosophy. I spent the weekend doing mission work in New Orleans and I don’t have anything to say in this blog, but my heart is heavy for what I’ve seen this weekend; so I write.
I first noticed the spiritual warfare during the drive down on Friday. I started praying not only for myself but also for the entire one hundred and thirty-four of us headed into the valley of darkness. (I’m allowed a little creative explanation aren’t I?)
Spiritual warfare is an interesting thing. It is a battle that I look forward to fighting when I am prepared (suited up in the armor of God as described in Ephesians 6.) The battle means that I am making a difference, so it’s a comfort. When I’m not prepared I get ripped to shreds.
I was getting used to living in the bubble of the University of Mobile, my home for the next 3 years is for lack of a better term “anointed real estate.” This is an institution founded on the principles of Christianity and I believe that God blesses it as such, spiritual warfare is a piece of cake on this campus compared to a city so overcome by powers beyond what we see.
There is a war going on, and a place like New Orleans is an intense place to be.
God did not use me on the trip as much as I hoped he would, I am unafraid to go talk to people, I don’t care if they have a gun, they need the message just as much as any other sinner like those of us who were going to help. So… I had hoped God would use me to do such a thing as that and see someone radically saved through me et cetera et cetera….
I missed the point, and God used me, but I did (and still) do not understand why he would hold me back from talking to certain people or saying certain things that I know would make a difference.
His plan is bigger… and I work for him.
I was talking to a friend the first night and a thought came to me as we discussed the group of students on this mission.
“What would happen if we had 134 students with an Isaiah 26:8 passionate desire for the glory of Christ on earth?
What would happen if these few walked in to the French quarter with boldness and talked to every single person they met on the street without fear, and with such boldness that people could not help but notice. There is something different….
What would happen if we forgot about ourselves and walked in union with the Holy Spirit and could take captive our thoughts to the detail of saying exactly what God told us to do?”
We did not try to answer.
And now I apply this to you.
What would happen if you took captive every thought and walked close enough with the Lord to know exactly what he was saying?
What would happen if you forgot yourself, your desires, your love for anything but Christ and lived for that alone?
I leave the answer to you.
Remember I am always here for commentary on these blogs, or if you need someone to talk to, realize that as a reader of these thoughts you know me more intimately than many people who see me everyday. I guess that makes us good friends, I’d love to hear what you think of these, or what you want to hear a blog about.
Psalm 86:11
-Israel
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Great Romance, Choices and An Open Book in a Foreign Language
I could try to describe to you the feelings of my heart, yet it would fall magnificently short of my goal of making my soul an open book. Of course, our souls were not designed to be open books with anyone but our creator. That is part of the great romance. To you, I'm just an open book in a foreign language.
I’m really starting to despise romance, not the great romance, but the elementary concept of it that people (children in a grown up shell) perceive as “romance.” Romance is a much deeper concept than our feeble pursuits can do justice to. To romance is a choice; we often make that choice without fully understanding the consequences and implications.
If I were to give my heart to someone then decide that was a mistake I can never go back on that. When you give your heart to someone the only way to get back what you’ve given is to tear it off.
You get a scar that will never go away.
You want to romance. Ok, but be ready to break your heart in two.
God is so easily mis-understood in this area, just because you are at peace around a person doesn’t mean God is saying “go out with them” you make the choice.
Not God.
Yea I said it.
You make the choice.
Choose wisely.
My dearest friend sees my problems before I do pretty much every time, I really have no methods for seeking out said imperfections. I throw my heart into everything I do; I refuse to hold back anything. If I hold back I can miss an opportunity or simply hold back what I can give. This has a key downfall. When people continue to make the same foolish mistake over and over and over again I start to get bitter. How can people be so stupid?
Blah, I wonder if Jesus asked the same question, or if he was so fully God that he always loved them, and it never crossed his mind.
It crosses my mind in some form or another every time I look in their eyes. Even when I think in love, it always crosses my mind, why don’t they just fix it?
I can handle this. There is something else that renders me weaker in the situations God puts me in.
Pride? Maybe.
The farther I go the more I realize that I have so much farther to go.
I’m tired.
I have much to do.
I love every minute of it.
I feel I should explain the “Great Romance.”
Some of you already understand just by the reference I have made, but it is a very deep subject so it makes me feel better to write it out, so I myself understand it as much as you.
The romance is the relationship between God and us. It is the relationship that makes the universe turn. That gives us joy and purpose and makes us love in a way we never could under our own greatest desire.
How does he love?
He chooses
He pursues
He rescues
He woos
He protects
He lavishes
Those of you that have read the circle trilogy by Ted Dekker know what I am talking about now, no, I am not copying him, he just gave me an easier way to explain something bigger than the words I could write for you here.
He pursues, do you understand what this means to us? This is the basis of a Christian life. The God who created the universe, who counts the stars and knows them all by name, who hangs the earth on nothing, who knows the number of hairs on your head, he desires a relationship with you! Even as I sit here in physical science class God desires a relationship with me, and that romance continues.
I feel I should edit this a little for guys, because if you’re a guy and you are not gay then this doesn’t make as much sense to you.
God created you, so he loves you.
Because he loves you he wants to know you
He already knows you because he made you
But isn’t a relationship better if it works both ways?
So right now what we have is just a really intimate manly relationship. So why call it romance? Romance is defined as treating someone differently then others because of your relationship. Well that makes sense.
So because God knows you uniquely he desires an equally unique relationship with you.
An equally unique relationship with the one who created you, with the one whom the thunder and lightning are but an illustration of a fraction of his glory, a romance in the greatest sense of the word.
Cool.
In a good romantic relationship both people are more concerned about the other than themselves. It’s the same way with God. He is concerned with every minute aspect of your life.
He protects and he lavishes, because he loves you, and when you love someone you love to lavish them, to protect them, when your heart is tied to someone completely you would give anything for them.
Anything.
Like your only son
I’m not talking about an ordinary romance, God loves YOU so much that he gave his only son. Yet we still live for ourselves like it’s about us. It’s not! That’s not how a romance works! It is about him! It is about worship and what God has in mind.
Jesus said, “if you love me you will obey my commandments.”
There are no ifs ands or buts there.
If you love him you will obey his commandments.
Period.
He loves you.
Do you love him?
I’m really starting to despise romance, not the great romance, but the elementary concept of it that people (children in a grown up shell) perceive as “romance.” Romance is a much deeper concept than our feeble pursuits can do justice to. To romance is a choice; we often make that choice without fully understanding the consequences and implications.
If I were to give my heart to someone then decide that was a mistake I can never go back on that. When you give your heart to someone the only way to get back what you’ve given is to tear it off.
You get a scar that will never go away.
You want to romance. Ok, but be ready to break your heart in two.
God is so easily mis-understood in this area, just because you are at peace around a person doesn’t mean God is saying “go out with them” you make the choice.
Not God.
Yea I said it.
You make the choice.
Choose wisely.
My dearest friend sees my problems before I do pretty much every time, I really have no methods for seeking out said imperfections. I throw my heart into everything I do; I refuse to hold back anything. If I hold back I can miss an opportunity or simply hold back what I can give. This has a key downfall. When people continue to make the same foolish mistake over and over and over again I start to get bitter. How can people be so stupid?
Blah, I wonder if Jesus asked the same question, or if he was so fully God that he always loved them, and it never crossed his mind.
It crosses my mind in some form or another every time I look in their eyes. Even when I think in love, it always crosses my mind, why don’t they just fix it?
I can handle this. There is something else that renders me weaker in the situations God puts me in.
Pride? Maybe.
The farther I go the more I realize that I have so much farther to go.
I’m tired.
I have much to do.
I love every minute of it.
I feel I should explain the “Great Romance.”
Some of you already understand just by the reference I have made, but it is a very deep subject so it makes me feel better to write it out, so I myself understand it as much as you.
The romance is the relationship between God and us. It is the relationship that makes the universe turn. That gives us joy and purpose and makes us love in a way we never could under our own greatest desire.
How does he love?
He chooses
He pursues
He rescues
He woos
He protects
He lavishes
Those of you that have read the circle trilogy by Ted Dekker know what I am talking about now, no, I am not copying him, he just gave me an easier way to explain something bigger than the words I could write for you here.
He pursues, do you understand what this means to us? This is the basis of a Christian life. The God who created the universe, who counts the stars and knows them all by name, who hangs the earth on nothing, who knows the number of hairs on your head, he desires a relationship with you! Even as I sit here in physical science class God desires a relationship with me, and that romance continues.
I feel I should edit this a little for guys, because if you’re a guy and you are not gay then this doesn’t make as much sense to you.
God created you, so he loves you.
Because he loves you he wants to know you
He already knows you because he made you
But isn’t a relationship better if it works both ways?
So right now what we have is just a really intimate manly relationship. So why call it romance? Romance is defined as treating someone differently then others because of your relationship. Well that makes sense.
So because God knows you uniquely he desires an equally unique relationship with you.
An equally unique relationship with the one who created you, with the one whom the thunder and lightning are but an illustration of a fraction of his glory, a romance in the greatest sense of the word.
Cool.
In a good romantic relationship both people are more concerned about the other than themselves. It’s the same way with God. He is concerned with every minute aspect of your life.
He protects and he lavishes, because he loves you, and when you love someone you love to lavish them, to protect them, when your heart is tied to someone completely you would give anything for them.
Anything.
Like your only son
I’m not talking about an ordinary romance, God loves YOU so much that he gave his only son. Yet we still live for ourselves like it’s about us. It’s not! That’s not how a romance works! It is about him! It is about worship and what God has in mind.
Jesus said, “if you love me you will obey my commandments.”
There are no ifs ands or buts there.
If you love him you will obey his commandments.
Period.
He loves you.
Do you love him?
Monday, August 13, 2007
College, William Wallace, and A Whole New World!
I just worked a Pocahantas Song into a blog. Wow....
College starts in 3 weeks.
To quote Scott Bakula
"Oh boy."
It's not that I'm scared. Or particularly nervous. I'm more... cautious.
Which I guess makes me an odd combination of scared, nervous, bold, confused, overwhelmed, underwhelmed, brave, stupid, wise, courageous and hungry.
(I'm thinkin' Arby's)
Ok, ok, but seriously.
A new chapter of life begins on August the eleventh.
This is a thought that intrigues like no other.
That little voice in your head that giggles and says "freedom!" In a way only vaguely reminiscent of William Wallace.
The yearning for freedom is something embedded in your DNA from day one. A yearning some control better than others. (You ever see those kids with a leash? I understand them completely.)
I've been writing this blog for two weeks, I can never get it how I want it, to portray what's on my heart in words. But of course, that is the problem of every blog.
It's nearly midnight friday night, I'm getting up soon to move. I couldn't sleep if I wanted to.
The way we face this new step will effect the rest of our lives.
Boldly.
Hesitantly.
Regretfully.
How do you define yourself?
How do you want to begin?
I'm walking boldly, no hesitation, no regret.
I could easily slip into that, just like anyone could.
But, greater is he who is in me than he who in the world.
Forgive the christianese but I love the poetry in the verse.
I wrote a goodbye note to my best and closest friend today, it started as this blog as I organized the thought, but there were so many inside jokes and stuff it doesn't make for a public thing.
Anyway, I closed the letter with this statement:
I am not perfect.
But I will stand.
I will stand as the man that I am becoming, not as who I am.
I will stand not without fear, but with courage to accomplish anything.
I will stand.
-So I get a new start. I will screw up, many people will not see me as who I am, and it will take so long to get friends at the level of what I have had.
Bring it on.
Move in Day.
I got on campus about 8 A.M, my roommate Brantley wasn't going to be here for nearly an hour so I got a few helpers (Ram Rush people, a couple of which I knew, now I know most of them.) :-)
They liked my flat screen tv and my rootbeer keg. Thanks to those things I was known around campus by lunchtime. A notable reputation? I don't think so, I'm just the rich kid and not the one who worked for his stuff. And I'm not here just for the party, I'm here for school. And Jesus. I admit... mostly Jesus. If Jesus says skip class I will. hehe
The barbecue on the lawn was fun, met my "Ram Fam" Which is about 15 other freshmen and we get to know each other in closer environment where it's easier to make friends. I've made friends with almost the entire cross country thanks to one guy in my Ram Fam. So I figure it is a pretty good system. :-)
Day 2 (Sunday)
First thing this morning is Rush Hour, which you spend with your Ram Fam.
It sounds like they brainwashed me.
Ram Rush
Ram Fam
Rush Hour (I still think of Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker)
I practically have a new vocabulary, but this is college... so cool. I think.
Worship is flippin amazazing.
Gah, the band that played was awesome.
Period.
Exclamation Point.
Yup. Then the Direct of Campus Ministries Neal Ledbetter and the Director of Campus fun stuff (there's a more official title)
Anyway his name is Buff, and they had a conversing kind of message from Psalm 139.
It was awesome.
That is all.
I just hung out all afternoon and made more friends and stuff.
Then last night the drive-in movie.
More new friends.
You get the idea.
My facebook has lit up like a Christmas tree. lol
So College is definitely a fantastic new experience.
New opportunities.
New friends.
It's amazing.
It's not perfect, frankly (who made up that word anyway)
it's going to be difficult, no one really knows me yet.
Anonymity is fun in it's own way. But I miss sitting across from a friend who will start smiling because they can see a joke cross my mind. I don't even need to say it.
Well, if you'll excuse me. Leave me comments, if you have questions, I'll answer them.
I have much to do. :-)
Go in peace.
-Jason
College starts in 3 weeks.
To quote Scott Bakula
"Oh boy."
It's not that I'm scared. Or particularly nervous. I'm more... cautious.
Which I guess makes me an odd combination of scared, nervous, bold, confused, overwhelmed, underwhelmed, brave, stupid, wise, courageous and hungry.
(I'm thinkin' Arby's)
Ok, ok, but seriously.
A new chapter of life begins on August the eleventh.
This is a thought that intrigues like no other.
That little voice in your head that giggles and says "freedom!" In a way only vaguely reminiscent of William Wallace.
The yearning for freedom is something embedded in your DNA from day one. A yearning some control better than others. (You ever see those kids with a leash? I understand them completely.)
I've been writing this blog for two weeks, I can never get it how I want it, to portray what's on my heart in words. But of course, that is the problem of every blog.
It's nearly midnight friday night, I'm getting up soon to move. I couldn't sleep if I wanted to.
The way we face this new step will effect the rest of our lives.
Boldly.
Hesitantly.
Regretfully.
How do you define yourself?
How do you want to begin?
I'm walking boldly, no hesitation, no regret.
I could easily slip into that, just like anyone could.
But, greater is he who is in me than he who in the world.
Forgive the christianese but I love the poetry in the verse.
I wrote a goodbye note to my best and closest friend today, it started as this blog as I organized the thought, but there were so many inside jokes and stuff it doesn't make for a public thing.
Anyway, I closed the letter with this statement:
I am not perfect.
But I will stand.
I will stand as the man that I am becoming, not as who I am.
I will stand not without fear, but with courage to accomplish anything.
I will stand.
-So I get a new start. I will screw up, many people will not see me as who I am, and it will take so long to get friends at the level of what I have had.
Bring it on.
Move in Day.
I got on campus about 8 A.M, my roommate Brantley wasn't going to be here for nearly an hour so I got a few helpers (Ram Rush people, a couple of which I knew, now I know most of them.) :-)
They liked my flat screen tv and my rootbeer keg. Thanks to those things I was known around campus by lunchtime. A notable reputation? I don't think so, I'm just the rich kid and not the one who worked for his stuff. And I'm not here just for the party, I'm here for school. And Jesus. I admit... mostly Jesus. If Jesus says skip class I will. hehe
The barbecue on the lawn was fun, met my "Ram Fam" Which is about 15 other freshmen and we get to know each other in closer environment where it's easier to make friends. I've made friends with almost the entire cross country thanks to one guy in my Ram Fam. So I figure it is a pretty good system. :-)
Day 2 (Sunday)
First thing this morning is Rush Hour, which you spend with your Ram Fam.
It sounds like they brainwashed me.
Ram Rush
Ram Fam
Rush Hour (I still think of Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker)
I practically have a new vocabulary, but this is college... so cool. I think.
Worship is flippin amazazing.
Gah, the band that played was awesome.
Period.
Exclamation Point.
Yup. Then the Direct of Campus Ministries Neal Ledbetter and the Director of Campus fun stuff (there's a more official title)
Anyway his name is Buff, and they had a conversing kind of message from Psalm 139.
It was awesome.
That is all.
I just hung out all afternoon and made more friends and stuff.
Then last night the drive-in movie.
More new friends.
You get the idea.
My facebook has lit up like a Christmas tree. lol
So College is definitely a fantastic new experience.
New opportunities.
New friends.
It's amazing.
It's not perfect, frankly (who made up that word anyway)
it's going to be difficult, no one really knows me yet.
Anonymity is fun in it's own way. But I miss sitting across from a friend who will start smiling because they can see a joke cross my mind. I don't even need to say it.
Well, if you'll excuse me. Leave me comments, if you have questions, I'll answer them.
I have much to do. :-)
Go in peace.
-Jason
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Thought, Hillsong, and the Motorcycle Squirrel Guy
So another blog.
This one has no deep spiritual motive, it is more to spurn thought within myself.
It's a shame how few people encourage thought these days. There are... 3 people who have ever encouraged me to think.
God Bless them.
Oh wait, he already has.
God rock their face off.
:-)
I got back from Houston yesterday, saw Hillsong United, and to pre-emptively answer your question.
Yea. It was awesome.
Got to meet the band beforehand backstage with about 15 other people, it was pretty cool. I have alot more respect for the band now. They are so humble, they are there for worship, not for anything else.
Phil Dooley spoke. He's my new favorite Australian.
He talked about Harley Davidsons and squirrels.
In the same sentence.
Can you ask for more?
The major point of his message was the complacency of the church-he just used smaller words. Forgive my big-wordage.
(Wordage is in my computers dictionary. Sweet.)
"It seems that the Rock-stars are the ones making a difference in this world instead of the church."
Very true.
I mean, at this point we have heard all this before, but maybe that's God's way of making his point?
Seriously, we hear about it and amen and nod and wait for someone to start some new way to make a difference, we drop a couple extra bucks in a bucket to give some depressed kid a new pair of socks.
We are still missing the point.
The depressed homeless kids in Africa are just a fraction of the mission field.
The mission field starts where you are sitting, and stretches to everywhere you go, to everywhere your influence reaches.
You are called to missions.
Missions is not money in a bucket.
It is you shining your light all around you.
So your reputation precedes not as your reputation, but as one who follows Christ and thus shines his renown wherever you go.
I will get comments on this blog commenting on how good it is and how right I am but if you do that then you've still missed the point. If you post a comment, tell me what you did in your mission field. Tell me what you did to shine.
"AS you are GOING, make DISCIPLES in all nations"
Psalm 78:7
-Jason
This one has no deep spiritual motive, it is more to spurn thought within myself.
It's a shame how few people encourage thought these days. There are... 3 people who have ever encouraged me to think.
God Bless them.
Oh wait, he already has.
God rock their face off.
:-)
I got back from Houston yesterday, saw Hillsong United, and to pre-emptively answer your question.
Yea. It was awesome.
Got to meet the band beforehand backstage with about 15 other people, it was pretty cool. I have alot more respect for the band now. They are so humble, they are there for worship, not for anything else.
Phil Dooley spoke. He's my new favorite Australian.
He talked about Harley Davidsons and squirrels.
In the same sentence.
Can you ask for more?
The major point of his message was the complacency of the church-he just used smaller words. Forgive my big-wordage.
(Wordage is in my computers dictionary. Sweet.)
"It seems that the Rock-stars are the ones making a difference in this world instead of the church."
Very true.
I mean, at this point we have heard all this before, but maybe that's God's way of making his point?
Seriously, we hear about it and amen and nod and wait for someone to start some new way to make a difference, we drop a couple extra bucks in a bucket to give some depressed kid a new pair of socks.
We are still missing the point.
The depressed homeless kids in Africa are just a fraction of the mission field.
The mission field starts where you are sitting, and stretches to everywhere you go, to everywhere your influence reaches.
You are called to missions.
Missions is not money in a bucket.
It is you shining your light all around you.
So your reputation precedes not as your reputation, but as one who follows Christ and thus shines his renown wherever you go.
I will get comments on this blog commenting on how good it is and how right I am but if you do that then you've still missed the point. If you post a comment, tell me what you did in your mission field. Tell me what you did to shine.
"AS you are GOING, make DISCIPLES in all nations"
Psalm 78:7
-Jason
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Trip, The Experience, and If This Were an Overdue Library Book....
So... I went to Israel.
Didn't write a blog about it.
Haven't written anything in a while.
Sorry.
Sooo, here's my grasp of the trip, it's short, but this sort of trip is something that effects your soul. That cannot be put into words.
Elie Wiesel said "No one can go to Israel and leave the same way they came."
Truth.
We started in Egypt, saw the pyramids, spent a ridiculous amount of time staring at 5000 year old statues that look like stuff I can get at garage sales for a dollar. Evidently they're a big deal. Okay.
Can I shoot a mummy or something?
Next up was Petra in Jordan, there is a picture on my myspace. www.myspace.com/sirjason
It is a city carved into the rock cliffs. It's pretty cool. It's over a mile down a narrow canyon, very defensible (thus the Left Behind books saying Christians will hide out there in the end times. That is where I would be.)
I loved it, I ran around the cliffs high above the ground. Running as fast as I can-with the risk of falling including much pain, there I am very much at home. I loved it.
Then Israel.
We went to Ein gedi, where David hid from Absalom, there are pictures.
This was one of my favorite places.
It's an Oasis in the middle of the desert. There is a spring at the end of this canyon and the stream flows all the way down with waterfalls and lush greenery and all that kinda stuff.
It is beautiful.
Its a good hike to the top. The rest of my family turned back about halfway up, so I ran up the rest of the way so I could see it. I didn't bring a camera or anything. But that was fine with me.
The trail had been crowded the whole way up, but when I reached the top it was empty.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Much like it was 3000 years ago when David wrote many of the Psalms. I sat down on a rock at the foot of the largest waterfall. Probably the rock David sat on.
Took a drink from the water.
Same water David drank.
Excuse me while I giggle.
It was a beautiful moment with just me and God in that fantastic little Oasis he created in the middle of the desert.
We drove through where Sodom and Gomorrah were. Look at the no drowning picture. The rock around that is all volcanic.
There is nothing vaguely reminiscent of volcano's for thousands of miles.
Volcanic rock covers nearly 100 miles.
God didn't just destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
He tore up everything in between.
"Don't make me come down there."
We went on to Jerusalem.
Our Happy Home.
It's an interesting place to say the least. The old city is older than our country, and it's just neat to walk around and experience it.
It changes your perspective of the Bible when you see it for yourself. I haven't just read it.
I was there.
One of the most memorable moments was when we went across the border into Palestine. Which is only a country because they have guns and they say so.
So Israel built a wall in between the two, but it's more of a political thing, only the main roads have checkpoints, the back roads you can get in and out freely.
So we went to where Jesus was born.
There is a big church on top of every single place where something happened save one. We'll get to that place. So we go through the church, into the cave (the manger) where Jesus was born. As we wait in line to go in. (There is always a line.)
We are almost in and we hear singing.
Singing.
Away in a manger no crib for a bed....
Singing to Jesus about his birth.
Where it happened.
One lady kept trying to shush it.
Pharisee.
It was the only time I ever saw a priest smile the whole trip.
I was singing, and crying a little bit.
It was something I will never forget.
We went to all three places where they say he was buried. MY favorite is what the picture is of. It was so perfect.... And it didn't have a big church on top of it. It was how I'd imagined it, except better.
I came home a different person then how I went.
I can't put it into words. But now you've heard my favorite parts. If you want more stories just ask me.
And if you want me to write a blog about something ask, I love input.
Peace
-Jason
Didn't write a blog about it.
Haven't written anything in a while.
Sorry.
Sooo, here's my grasp of the trip, it's short, but this sort of trip is something that effects your soul. That cannot be put into words.
Elie Wiesel said "No one can go to Israel and leave the same way they came."
Truth.
We started in Egypt, saw the pyramids, spent a ridiculous amount of time staring at 5000 year old statues that look like stuff I can get at garage sales for a dollar. Evidently they're a big deal. Okay.
Can I shoot a mummy or something?
Next up was Petra in Jordan, there is a picture on my myspace. www.myspace.com/sirjason
It is a city carved into the rock cliffs. It's pretty cool. It's over a mile down a narrow canyon, very defensible (thus the Left Behind books saying Christians will hide out there in the end times. That is where I would be.)
I loved it, I ran around the cliffs high above the ground. Running as fast as I can-with the risk of falling including much pain, there I am very much at home. I loved it.
Then Israel.
We went to Ein gedi, where David hid from Absalom, there are pictures.
This was one of my favorite places.
It's an Oasis in the middle of the desert. There is a spring at the end of this canyon and the stream flows all the way down with waterfalls and lush greenery and all that kinda stuff.
It is beautiful.
Its a good hike to the top. The rest of my family turned back about halfway up, so I ran up the rest of the way so I could see it. I didn't bring a camera or anything. But that was fine with me.
The trail had been crowded the whole way up, but when I reached the top it was empty.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Much like it was 3000 years ago when David wrote many of the Psalms. I sat down on a rock at the foot of the largest waterfall. Probably the rock David sat on.
Took a drink from the water.
Same water David drank.
Excuse me while I giggle.
It was a beautiful moment with just me and God in that fantastic little Oasis he created in the middle of the desert.
We drove through where Sodom and Gomorrah were. Look at the no drowning picture. The rock around that is all volcanic.
There is nothing vaguely reminiscent of volcano's for thousands of miles.
Volcanic rock covers nearly 100 miles.
God didn't just destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
He tore up everything in between.
"Don't make me come down there."
We went on to Jerusalem.
Our Happy Home.
It's an interesting place to say the least. The old city is older than our country, and it's just neat to walk around and experience it.
It changes your perspective of the Bible when you see it for yourself. I haven't just read it.
I was there.
One of the most memorable moments was when we went across the border into Palestine. Which is only a country because they have guns and they say so.
So Israel built a wall in between the two, but it's more of a political thing, only the main roads have checkpoints, the back roads you can get in and out freely.
So we went to where Jesus was born.
There is a big church on top of every single place where something happened save one. We'll get to that place. So we go through the church, into the cave (the manger) where Jesus was born. As we wait in line to go in. (There is always a line.)
We are almost in and we hear singing.
Singing.
Away in a manger no crib for a bed....
Singing to Jesus about his birth.
Where it happened.
One lady kept trying to shush it.
Pharisee.
It was the only time I ever saw a priest smile the whole trip.
I was singing, and crying a little bit.
It was something I will never forget.
We went to all three places where they say he was buried. MY favorite is what the picture is of. It was so perfect.... And it didn't have a big church on top of it. It was how I'd imagined it, except better.
I came home a different person then how I went.
I can't put it into words. But now you've heard my favorite parts. If you want more stories just ask me.
And if you want me to write a blog about something ask, I love input.
Peace
-Jason
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunburn, Sunsets, And The Difference Between Heaven and Hell
His feet were cold.
When you drag someone out of bed to martyr them, at least give them the justice of wearing their slippers. The Roman soldiers were not so kind.
He sang as they escorted him.
Psalm 113, something he had sung for years on Good Friday.
It bothered the hell out of the Romans.
This was good, he sang louder.
He was aware and had already fully accept what was about to happen. He had never met Jesus, those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, he'd waited, he was ready.
And he was about to meet Jesus.
The Roman soldiers agreed.
He was still singing when the flames lit.
His feet weren't cold anymore.
It didn't really hurt so much. More like.... sunburn.
When he was a child he had gone to the beach, he remembered the sound of the waves, the glorious, majestic sunsets.
And the sunburn.
It was always worth it.
That sunburn, that pain reminded him of freedom.
He smiled.
The Romans were having a bad day.
He was there for nearly 6 hours.
He sang alot, enjoyed the sunburn.
Freedom.
Haha! Glorious freedom!
He was getting bored.
He looked around at the impatient Romans and smiled again.
"Turn me over I'm done on this side"
They looked around at each other, the commanding officer shrugged, and they obliged the request.
His face was down now, his vision clouded by smoke.
He saw the beach again, the sunset, God's majesty screaming across the heavens.
Somewhere his memory and reality got mixed together.
He was a little child running on the beach, the sudden smoke made him cough and stumble, he fell to the ground, unable to breath.
He looked at the sunset, felt the sunburn, inhaled a deep breath, in the back of his mind he knew it was his last. He had no regrets of his life. His vision clouded again, he couldn't breath.
Couldn't Sing.
But he didn't need to sing anymore, the Angels sang for him
He looked at the sunset, and with his last earthly thought he realized... the sun was the other way.
Glorious.
Freedom.
"Hey Jesus."
-The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence in Rome in 258 A.D, at the age of 33.
Hell is not just a place where you go when you die, it is anywhere that God is not.
But God is everywhere. But what about when people shove him out.
The internment camps in WWII.
War. (With the exception of when your army is led by God)
Just 2 examples for you...
Some people would say St. Lawrence went through Hell to get to Heaven.
No, God was always with him, with the absence of God it would have been Hell for him.
But instead, all he got was a sunburn, and a new appreciation for slippers and sunsets.
In the darkest time of your life, when you go through Hell.
Look around you
God is there.
What I have found...
Is sometimes the difference between Heaven and Hell,
is just a little sunburn.
Peace... be with you
John 20:15
-Jason
When you drag someone out of bed to martyr them, at least give them the justice of wearing their slippers. The Roman soldiers were not so kind.
He sang as they escorted him.
Psalm 113, something he had sung for years on Good Friday.
It bothered the hell out of the Romans.
This was good, he sang louder.
He was aware and had already fully accept what was about to happen. He had never met Jesus, those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, he'd waited, he was ready.
And he was about to meet Jesus.
The Roman soldiers agreed.
He was still singing when the flames lit.
His feet weren't cold anymore.
It didn't really hurt so much. More like.... sunburn.
When he was a child he had gone to the beach, he remembered the sound of the waves, the glorious, majestic sunsets.
And the sunburn.
It was always worth it.
That sunburn, that pain reminded him of freedom.
He smiled.
The Romans were having a bad day.
He was there for nearly 6 hours.
He sang alot, enjoyed the sunburn.
Freedom.
Haha! Glorious freedom!
He was getting bored.
He looked around at the impatient Romans and smiled again.
"Turn me over I'm done on this side"
They looked around at each other, the commanding officer shrugged, and they obliged the request.
His face was down now, his vision clouded by smoke.
He saw the beach again, the sunset, God's majesty screaming across the heavens.
Somewhere his memory and reality got mixed together.
He was a little child running on the beach, the sudden smoke made him cough and stumble, he fell to the ground, unable to breath.
He looked at the sunset, felt the sunburn, inhaled a deep breath, in the back of his mind he knew it was his last. He had no regrets of his life. His vision clouded again, he couldn't breath.
Couldn't Sing.
But he didn't need to sing anymore, the Angels sang for him
He looked at the sunset, and with his last earthly thought he realized... the sun was the other way.
Glorious.
Freedom.
"Hey Jesus."
-The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence in Rome in 258 A.D, at the age of 33.
Hell is not just a place where you go when you die, it is anywhere that God is not.
But God is everywhere. But what about when people shove him out.
The internment camps in WWII.
War. (With the exception of when your army is led by God)
Just 2 examples for you...
Some people would say St. Lawrence went through Hell to get to Heaven.
No, God was always with him, with the absence of God it would have been Hell for him.
But instead, all he got was a sunburn, and a new appreciation for slippers and sunsets.
In the darkest time of your life, when you go through Hell.
Look around you
God is there.
What I have found...
Is sometimes the difference between Heaven and Hell,
is just a little sunburn.
Peace... be with you
John 20:15
-Jason
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Deathbeds, Revolution, and The Final Concerto
Hi.
So at this point the new name has been up for 2 hours and i've already received messages and comments with people delicately asking "What are you smoking and what can I do to help?" Or something related thereof.
I assure I am not literally dying, I'm quite well, in fact God wont let me die. lol Not that I've tried it, but I have too much left to do. And it's cool cause I think Jesus will come back before I die anyway....
So yea... my blog name. I'll get there, I promise.
In a walk with Christ we are called to die to ourselves daily. To give up everything we have. (Mt 10:37-39) What I've discovered is that it takes a while to die the first time. It takes a while to be honest without ourselves and dig things out to put them at our Saviors feet.
There comes a point where you not only say "God here I am"
But you say "God here is my heart, here are my weaknesses and my strengths, take it, make it yours, no matter how much it hurts."
You can see the change....
This is my deathbed
I lie here alone
When I close my eyes tonight
I know I'll be home
This is my deathbed.
The death of fear.
The death of pride
The death of jealousy
The death of complacency
You are not alone.
You are never alone. (John 16:32)
So the moral of this story is simple.
Get on your deathbed.
Quit crawling off the altar.
Stop running from your fears and face them.
This is news to some. But God loves you.
Alot.
Seriously.
Alot.
There are no words for it,
just trust me, and embrace it. :-)
Life is too short to waste time being afraid
Life is too short to waste time living for yourself.
That road is easy, but it is also empty.
But you already knew that.
So go.
Fix it.
Take whatevers dragging you down and kill it.
Take it out behind the woodshed and show it who's boss.
The rest of this blog will be here when you get back.
.
..
...
....
.....
....
...
..
.
All better?
Seriously. Get off the computer and go talk to yo Daddy. Not that Daddy.
Your Abba.
The straight narrow is sometimes difficult to find I know. But you have a guide.
(2 Samuel 22:29)
Ok now that we got that over with. Here's where I get all prophetic.
We (as in my target audience within my generation) are a broken generation.
At least 90% of my friends come from broken homes.
All of us have faced trials, faced the whole world tearing itself apart because it comes down to affecting each and every person in a way that breaks their hearts. But also fills them with a determination.
What happens when you get an ENTIRE GENERATION that is broken and wants nothing more than to FIX EVERYTHING that they have had to face?
REVOLUTION.
A revolution without music is a revolution not worth having.
God, the conductor, is tapping his baton on the music stand, the music has not even begun, he is just getting our attention, setting the rhythm for the Orchestra of Eternity.
The next generation will be the last, this generation is the leaders of the last gneration. Some of you who read this will not see death before you see the Son of God come across the sky.
Some of you will be great leaders.
Great teachers.
Pillars of the faith in your families and workplaces.
Some of you will be missionaries.
Some of you will be martyrs.
The Final Concerto is starting. God is moving, he is getting our attention, and soon.
The music starts.
You are in that orchestra, are you ready to play your part?
Isaiah 6
Philippians 3:14
Revelation 7:9-17
-Jason
P.S. Use your imaginations, and enjoy the V for Vendetta video. lol
Revelation 22:21
So at this point the new name has been up for 2 hours and i've already received messages and comments with people delicately asking "What are you smoking and what can I do to help?" Or something related thereof.
I assure I am not literally dying, I'm quite well, in fact God wont let me die. lol Not that I've tried it, but I have too much left to do. And it's cool cause I think Jesus will come back before I die anyway....
So yea... my blog name. I'll get there, I promise.
In a walk with Christ we are called to die to ourselves daily. To give up everything we have. (Mt 10:37-39) What I've discovered is that it takes a while to die the first time. It takes a while to be honest without ourselves and dig things out to put them at our Saviors feet.
There comes a point where you not only say "God here I am"
But you say "God here is my heart, here are my weaknesses and my strengths, take it, make it yours, no matter how much it hurts."
You can see the change....
This is my deathbed
I lie here alone
When I close my eyes tonight
I know I'll be home
This is my deathbed.
The death of fear.
The death of pride
The death of jealousy
The death of complacency
You are not alone.
You are never alone. (John 16:32)
So the moral of this story is simple.
Get on your deathbed.
Quit crawling off the altar.
Stop running from your fears and face them.
This is news to some. But God loves you.
Alot.
Seriously.
Alot.
There are no words for it,
just trust me, and embrace it. :-)
Life is too short to waste time being afraid
Life is too short to waste time living for yourself.
That road is easy, but it is also empty.
But you already knew that.
So go.
Fix it.
Take whatevers dragging you down and kill it.
Take it out behind the woodshed and show it who's boss.
The rest of this blog will be here when you get back.
.
..
...
....
.....
....
...
..
.
All better?
Seriously. Get off the computer and go talk to yo Daddy. Not that Daddy.
Your Abba.
The straight narrow is sometimes difficult to find I know. But you have a guide.
(2 Samuel 22:29)
Ok now that we got that over with. Here's where I get all prophetic.
We (as in my target audience within my generation) are a broken generation.
At least 90% of my friends come from broken homes.
All of us have faced trials, faced the whole world tearing itself apart because it comes down to affecting each and every person in a way that breaks their hearts. But also fills them with a determination.
What happens when you get an ENTIRE GENERATION that is broken and wants nothing more than to FIX EVERYTHING that they have had to face?
REVOLUTION.
A revolution without music is a revolution not worth having.
God, the conductor, is tapping his baton on the music stand, the music has not even begun, he is just getting our attention, setting the rhythm for the Orchestra of Eternity.
The next generation will be the last, this generation is the leaders of the last gneration. Some of you who read this will not see death before you see the Son of God come across the sky.
Some of you will be great leaders.
Great teachers.
Pillars of the faith in your families and workplaces.
Some of you will be missionaries.
Some of you will be martyrs.
The Final Concerto is starting. God is moving, he is getting our attention, and soon.
The music starts.
You are in that orchestra, are you ready to play your part?
Isaiah 6
Philippians 3:14
Revelation 7:9-17
-Jason
P.S. Use your imaginations, and enjoy the V for Vendetta video. lol
Revelation 22:21
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Pancake, Vulnerability, And The Men Who Wrestle with God
So... this has been almost the worst week ever for me. Spiritually that is. I picked up something that I had given up, and it of course... ran me straight into a brick wall. My walk is not going anywhere. I had lots of knees and face to the ground time. Alot Alot. I read just about the whole book of Psalms too. Didn't do me any good. At least, not how I wanted it to.
I wanted that attitude gone. But that doesn't mean God just takes it away just like that. He can, sure, but that's not how it works more often than not. You have to give it up, you have to really desire it, or as God has shown me, I have to beat it on my own, then he will take the rest.
I got almost an hour of sleep tuesday night, I spent it with God, I know he spoke to me, but I didn't hear, my mind was too distracted and my heart was too hard. The next I was running on no sleep, which gives God more leeway into my heart because without sleep it's alot harder to to hold up defenses. So I start hearing God more. Did I mention the Chris Tomlin/Matt Redman/Louie Giglio thing was amazing. God talked alot then. He was there oh my gosh was he there. Louie Giglio was speaking prophecies and didn't even know it. Haha
Fast forward to thursday, I spend the whole day with God again, haven't heard him all morning. A dear friend whom I love dearly, and knows wha'ts going on with me texted me. "How are you"
I reply, "I just need a word, I need God to tell me something, even if God says pancake I'm good."
I send it and close the phone, guess what I hear from the still small voice.
"Pancake"
God just said pancake.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I love God.
God speaks when you listen.
You might not like what he says, but he does speak.
This thought has been swirling in my head all day, here is my best attempt at putting it to words:
The worlds concept of a man says to be cold, unapologetic, never to cry, never to feel or show weakness. This is a lie from hell. A real man is one who can stand up for his actions, to put his heart out to one who would break it. A real man will wrestle with God himself over what he knows is right, because the love God has given him demands no less. A real man will get down on his knees and weep simply because his heart is broken for those he loves who have not felt the greater love that changes his life every single day.
In Genesis 32 Jacob is camping out, he sends his family away so he can be by himself. That night he wrestles with God. He wrestles until daybreak, the man fighting Jacob says "let me go." Jacob's reply is fantastic, "Not until you bless me!" So God blesses him, and changes his name. "Israel, because you have fought with God and won.
I had a dream. The first dream in as long as I can remember, and that was it, except Jacob is me. I woke up with my heart beating hard and fast like I had been wrestling. I look up at the ceiling and smile and my first words of the day "I win."
And he blessed me.
Genesis 32:28
-Jason
I wanted that attitude gone. But that doesn't mean God just takes it away just like that. He can, sure, but that's not how it works more often than not. You have to give it up, you have to really desire it, or as God has shown me, I have to beat it on my own, then he will take the rest.
I got almost an hour of sleep tuesday night, I spent it with God, I know he spoke to me, but I didn't hear, my mind was too distracted and my heart was too hard. The next I was running on no sleep, which gives God more leeway into my heart because without sleep it's alot harder to to hold up defenses. So I start hearing God more. Did I mention the Chris Tomlin/Matt Redman/Louie Giglio thing was amazing. God talked alot then. He was there oh my gosh was he there. Louie Giglio was speaking prophecies and didn't even know it. Haha
Fast forward to thursday, I spend the whole day with God again, haven't heard him all morning. A dear friend whom I love dearly, and knows wha'ts going on with me texted me. "How are you"
I reply, "I just need a word, I need God to tell me something, even if God says pancake I'm good."
I send it and close the phone, guess what I hear from the still small voice.
"Pancake"
God just said pancake.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I love God.
God speaks when you listen.
You might not like what he says, but he does speak.
This thought has been swirling in my head all day, here is my best attempt at putting it to words:
The worlds concept of a man says to be cold, unapologetic, never to cry, never to feel or show weakness. This is a lie from hell. A real man is one who can stand up for his actions, to put his heart out to one who would break it. A real man will wrestle with God himself over what he knows is right, because the love God has given him demands no less. A real man will get down on his knees and weep simply because his heart is broken for those he loves who have not felt the greater love that changes his life every single day.
In Genesis 32 Jacob is camping out, he sends his family away so he can be by himself. That night he wrestles with God. He wrestles until daybreak, the man fighting Jacob says "let me go." Jacob's reply is fantastic, "Not until you bless me!" So God blesses him, and changes his name. "Israel, because you have fought with God and won.
I had a dream. The first dream in as long as I can remember, and that was it, except Jacob is me. I woke up with my heart beating hard and fast like I had been wrestling. I look up at the ceiling and smile and my first words of the day "I win."
And he blessed me.
Genesis 32:28
-Jason
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Inebriated, Standing Ovations, and Kill the Devil!
"Intoxicated" By the great and amazing David Crowder
Intoxicating You are to me
Illuminating You are to see
Truly breathtaking You are to breathe
Sending my head spinning You are, You see
And I've lost my mind, I'm sure to find
Need to apologize for my
Lack of inhibition, for my belligerent condition
But with You this near I'm dizzy
Inebriating You are to me
Completely captivating You are yo see
Sending my world spinning You are, You see
And now I find a blurry line
Here between You and I
Raise the cup, drink 'til I'm full
Sing 'til I can't, 'til my voice is gone
And my head is spinning
CHORUS:
La, la dee da
La dee da, dee da
Dee da da da
Hey la, la dee da
La dee da, dee da
Dee da da da
Illuminating You are to see
Truly breathtaking You are to breathe
Sending my head spinning You are, You see
And now I find a blurry line
Here between you and I
Raise the cup, drink 'til I'm full
Sing 'til I can't, 'til my voice is gone
And my head is spinning dizzy
If I'm out of my mind it's You, You
'Cause I'm crazy in love with You, You
Inebriated by You, You
'Cause I'm head over heels with You, You
I love that song.
It so describes where I am. My Savior--My Father brings me such joy.
It is overwhelming, head over heels, makes me crazy.
I love it. I love him. haha
He is my joy.
Whenever you wonder why Im crazy, it is because God made me that way, and the joy that he gives me makes me.... special. :-D
A scripture that has been on my heart lately is Acts 7.
Stephen is preaching in Jerusalem, the first part of sermons attracted a crowd, it was truth, but comfortable truth that the religious leaders could agree with. Then he gets to the good part and in my translation uses the term "Stiff-necked people."
Stephen was still speaking truth, but now it was uncomfortable.
He ticked off the same people that killed Jesus. The process was about to repeat itself with Stephen. Stephen knew it.
He looked up at the heavens and saw something glorious. Literally.
Acts 7:55
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand.
This question I pose to you. Why was Jesus standing?
In every other reference Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father.
So why here... is Jesus standing?
I'm thinking... Standing ovation.
Well done my good and faithful servant!
Stephen is about to die for what he believe is... for the Lord he loves so dearly. And there he is, with a standing ovation welcoming him into eternity.
At the end of my life I can think of nothing greater than to have a standing ovation welcoming me into heaven. Either that or I leave like Elijah.
God can pick. :-)
After all the spiritual warfare surrounding myself and my friends lately, it has been a fight every single day. I keep thinking though... standing ovation. And then, there's that part where you get to sit on the throne, with God! haha, I can't wait for heaven.
I want to live the kind of love that is deserving of that standing ovation. Deserving of the Savior rising to his feet off his throne of grace and bestowing an honor that brings a glorious close to a life well lived.
It is not an easy life to be sure, as I said, Satans been fighting every step of the way.
8 of my friends are about jump out of their cheers and shout when I say this, you know who you are.
Kill the Devil!
You know the Devils got it in for you. He has a plan to destroy your life, and he actively does everything he can to make you fall, to pull you out of Gods plan.
I hate him.
I really do.
Kill the Devil.
Becomes a battlecry, Kill the Devil!
In Christ, we have authority over anything he can do, and he has no business messing in the lives of those we love. He has no business interfering with our hearts trying to focus on the will of God.
It's time we step up, live lives worthy of a standing ovation, live lives everyday for Christ, even if we go to Hell at the end of the day, because its worth it.
Kill the Devil.
Rev 22:21
-Jason
P.S
Hey la, la dee da, la dee da, dee da, dee da da da
Intoxicating You are to me
Illuminating You are to see
Truly breathtaking You are to breathe
Sending my head spinning You are, You see
And I've lost my mind, I'm sure to find
Need to apologize for my
Lack of inhibition, for my belligerent condition
But with You this near I'm dizzy
Inebriating You are to me
Completely captivating You are yo see
Sending my world spinning You are, You see
And now I find a blurry line
Here between You and I
Raise the cup, drink 'til I'm full
Sing 'til I can't, 'til my voice is gone
And my head is spinning
CHORUS:
La, la dee da
La dee da, dee da
Dee da da da
Hey la, la dee da
La dee da, dee da
Dee da da da
Illuminating You are to see
Truly breathtaking You are to breathe
Sending my head spinning You are, You see
And now I find a blurry line
Here between you and I
Raise the cup, drink 'til I'm full
Sing 'til I can't, 'til my voice is gone
And my head is spinning dizzy
If I'm out of my mind it's You, You
'Cause I'm crazy in love with You, You
Inebriated by You, You
'Cause I'm head over heels with You, You
I love that song.
It so describes where I am. My Savior--My Father brings me such joy.
It is overwhelming, head over heels, makes me crazy.
I love it. I love him. haha
He is my joy.
Whenever you wonder why Im crazy, it is because God made me that way, and the joy that he gives me makes me.... special. :-D
A scripture that has been on my heart lately is Acts 7.
Stephen is preaching in Jerusalem, the first part of sermons attracted a crowd, it was truth, but comfortable truth that the religious leaders could agree with. Then he gets to the good part and in my translation uses the term "Stiff-necked people."
Stephen was still speaking truth, but now it was uncomfortable.
He ticked off the same people that killed Jesus. The process was about to repeat itself with Stephen. Stephen knew it.
He looked up at the heavens and saw something glorious. Literally.
Acts 7:55
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand.
This question I pose to you. Why was Jesus standing?
In every other reference Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father.
So why here... is Jesus standing?
I'm thinking... Standing ovation.
Well done my good and faithful servant!
Stephen is about to die for what he believe is... for the Lord he loves so dearly. And there he is, with a standing ovation welcoming him into eternity.
At the end of my life I can think of nothing greater than to have a standing ovation welcoming me into heaven. Either that or I leave like Elijah.
God can pick. :-)
After all the spiritual warfare surrounding myself and my friends lately, it has been a fight every single day. I keep thinking though... standing ovation. And then, there's that part where you get to sit on the throne, with God! haha, I can't wait for heaven.
I want to live the kind of love that is deserving of that standing ovation. Deserving of the Savior rising to his feet off his throne of grace and bestowing an honor that brings a glorious close to a life well lived.
It is not an easy life to be sure, as I said, Satans been fighting every step of the way.
8 of my friends are about jump out of their cheers and shout when I say this, you know who you are.
Kill the Devil!
You know the Devils got it in for you. He has a plan to destroy your life, and he actively does everything he can to make you fall, to pull you out of Gods plan.
I hate him.
I really do.
Kill the Devil.
Becomes a battlecry, Kill the Devil!
In Christ, we have authority over anything he can do, and he has no business messing in the lives of those we love. He has no business interfering with our hearts trying to focus on the will of God.
It's time we step up, live lives worthy of a standing ovation, live lives everyday for Christ, even if we go to Hell at the end of the day, because its worth it.
Kill the Devil.
Rev 22:21
-Jason
P.S
Hey la, la dee da, la dee da, dee da, dee da da da
Authority, White Flags, And All the Pretty Flowers,
I went to Mardi Gras today.
Me and Mardi Gras do not get along.
All that sin, emptiness.
It is the devils playground, his dominion. It's not hell, but you can see it from there.
So Satan rules that place.
God rules Satan.
I was there for outreach, went with the church and I handed out tracks.
It was depressing to see all those broken and empty hearts.
But it was amazing to see God move in the middle of the Devils space.
Haha, God made such a glorious appearance today, there was one point where I just had to go sit down because of what he did.
I could not stand.
Just a dose of Gods glory is enough to push back the devil has to offer.
All of the saved have that authority. We have authority over all in this world. It rocks.
Do not be afraid to do something crazy for God, you have all the power and authority. In John 14 Jesus says we can do the same things he did on earth, in fact, we can do greater things.
WE CAN DO GREATER THINGS THAN JESUS.
Go.
God has been dealing with me alot lately, molding me, I've been telling him that I don't care if it hurts, whatever he has to do to make me grow in him. Do it.
So he says. "You asked for it"
It is painful, it is glorious. He has called me to take some time out of things and put it into others things. Read: (Get off the internet and talk to me.)
Yea. Good enough for me.
He's called me to stop.
Stop doing everything and just stop... smell the flowers, living life without a pause ruins the rest. I am slowing down, I am stopping to enjoy the simple things in life. Smelling all the pretty flowers.
"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
True that. I've used the title "I. Am... A Dead Man Walking" before, this is true of me. But I keep trying to resurrect myself. Things of this world, not even sins, just distractions, and they want my attention over God. Bad idea. Must stay focused.
God tries to show me everytime, before it even happens. But I'm not the brightest light you'll ever see. So it takes me a while. But then I get it.
I get it.
I'm waving my white flag to the heavens and saying
"Ok you have me, Can we go move mountains today Abba?"
You have the Authority to do greater things than Christ.
Once you surrender.
Have no fear, Salvation is here.
Rev 22:21
-Jason
Me and Mardi Gras do not get along.
All that sin, emptiness.
It is the devils playground, his dominion. It's not hell, but you can see it from there.
So Satan rules that place.
God rules Satan.
I was there for outreach, went with the church and I handed out tracks.
It was depressing to see all those broken and empty hearts.
But it was amazing to see God move in the middle of the Devils space.
Haha, God made such a glorious appearance today, there was one point where I just had to go sit down because of what he did.
I could not stand.
Just a dose of Gods glory is enough to push back the devil has to offer.
All of the saved have that authority. We have authority over all in this world. It rocks.
Do not be afraid to do something crazy for God, you have all the power and authority. In John 14 Jesus says we can do the same things he did on earth, in fact, we can do greater things.
WE CAN DO GREATER THINGS THAN JESUS.
Go.
God has been dealing with me alot lately, molding me, I've been telling him that I don't care if it hurts, whatever he has to do to make me grow in him. Do it.
So he says. "You asked for it"
It is painful, it is glorious. He has called me to take some time out of things and put it into others things. Read: (Get off the internet and talk to me.)
Yea. Good enough for me.
He's called me to stop.
Stop doing everything and just stop... smell the flowers, living life without a pause ruins the rest. I am slowing down, I am stopping to enjoy the simple things in life. Smelling all the pretty flowers.
"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
True that. I've used the title "I. Am... A Dead Man Walking" before, this is true of me. But I keep trying to resurrect myself. Things of this world, not even sins, just distractions, and they want my attention over God. Bad idea. Must stay focused.
God tries to show me everytime, before it even happens. But I'm not the brightest light you'll ever see. So it takes me a while. But then I get it.
I get it.
I'm waving my white flag to the heavens and saying
"Ok you have me, Can we go move mountains today Abba?"
You have the Authority to do greater things than Christ.
Once you surrender.
Have no fear, Salvation is here.
Rev 22:21
-Jason
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Emotions, The still small voice, and You TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!
Ok so I have something on my heart and me being the obsessive compulsive I am, I blog.
So emotions pretty much make the world turn around. Emotions can motivate (or un-motivate) a person like all but one other power in the universe. (Guess.)
Dare I say emotion can override even that power if u let it.
I apologize but Im going to get preachy.
Satan knows exactly the effect and power emotions have over you. He uses that like no other.
There is no temptation greater than that which you feel is justified.
"I can't help that Im angry with him after what he did to me."
YES YOU CAN!
The Bible says "Do not let the sun set upon your anger"
It also says "They will know we are Christians by our love."
Those two compliment each other don't they.
The Wright paraphrase (hehe) says "Fix your problems, get over it because the Creator of the universe will fix what you can't and the sun will rise tomorrow and he will bless you for your faith, though you may not see it for some time."
"They will know we are Christians by our love." (Not really a paraphrase needed here)
1st Corinthians 13 gives the traits of love, anger is not in there, I actually double checked for reasons that make up a whole nother blog. lol
Everyone sins, it is not the sin the shows the character of a person, it is how they conduct themselves afterwards that shows their true colors.
Don't you dare judge someone on their mistakes. You are to love them unconditionally, as Jesus did. Their crime is of no consequences, or even how they conduct themselves afterwards, the greatest commandment is to love.
So by all means, do one of the great things God designed you to do,
Love.
Love without expectation, Love without ever expecting get anything back, you are loved by God, and he will give you friends who unconditionally love you, but do not expect, because this world will only fall short of what your looking for.
God will always give you the strength to love, no matter how angry you get, or hard it becomes, if you ask you will receive.
I found this awesome translation of the Bibles that refers to love in the context of a woman, this is 1st Corinthians 13:5-7
And never is she rude,
Never does she think of self
Or ever get annoyed.
She never is resentful,
6 Is never glad with sin,
But always glad to side with truth,
Whene’er the truth should win.
7 She bears up under everything,
Believes the best in all,
There is no limit to her hope,
And never will she fall.
I just wanna say the Bible is a really good book.
You can control your emotions, your desires, liking someone is a choice as well as making them your enemy. You can take the view of complacency with your emotions, or you can take responsibility with what you think and feel. It's a terrifying thing to take control of the dark places of your mind. But then again, if the creator of the universe is with you, then is there anything to be afraid of?
There are defenses in everyones minds. Emotions are such powerful things that we just grow into protecting ourselves. Keeping some things secret from others, even ourselves. These walls need to come down. I've had walls, trust me as terrifying as it may be to let down your defenses, it is worth it, because then and only then can you experience Gods love in its purest form, and radiate it to those around you.
You say you can't, or that there is nothing wrong with the walls you do have.
Well your right, you probably can't get them down by yourself, it takes help.
So there's nothing wrong with the walls you have, well then, tell me something.
Has anyone ever asked you what your keeping inside? Maybe the fact that they can see it means it needs to come out? It's already coming out anyway, stop fighting it, or it will kill you slowly until you finally break down and all those walls go up stronger than ever before, after of course, the worst pain of your entire life from everything coming down at once.
You can't help yourself alone.
She bears up under everything,
Believes the best in all,
There is no limit to her hope,
And never will she fall.
Rev. 22:21
-Jason
So emotions pretty much make the world turn around. Emotions can motivate (or un-motivate) a person like all but one other power in the universe. (Guess.)
Dare I say emotion can override even that power if u let it.
I apologize but Im going to get preachy.
Satan knows exactly the effect and power emotions have over you. He uses that like no other.
There is no temptation greater than that which you feel is justified.
"I can't help that Im angry with him after what he did to me."
YES YOU CAN!
The Bible says "Do not let the sun set upon your anger"
It also says "They will know we are Christians by our love."
Those two compliment each other don't they.
The Wright paraphrase (hehe) says "Fix your problems, get over it because the Creator of the universe will fix what you can't and the sun will rise tomorrow and he will bless you for your faith, though you may not see it for some time."
"They will know we are Christians by our love." (Not really a paraphrase needed here)
1st Corinthians 13 gives the traits of love, anger is not in there, I actually double checked for reasons that make up a whole nother blog. lol
Everyone sins, it is not the sin the shows the character of a person, it is how they conduct themselves afterwards that shows their true colors.
Don't you dare judge someone on their mistakes. You are to love them unconditionally, as Jesus did. Their crime is of no consequences, or even how they conduct themselves afterwards, the greatest commandment is to love.
So by all means, do one of the great things God designed you to do,
Love.
Love without expectation, Love without ever expecting get anything back, you are loved by God, and he will give you friends who unconditionally love you, but do not expect, because this world will only fall short of what your looking for.
God will always give you the strength to love, no matter how angry you get, or hard it becomes, if you ask you will receive.
I found this awesome translation of the Bibles that refers to love in the context of a woman, this is 1st Corinthians 13:5-7
And never is she rude,
Never does she think of self
Or ever get annoyed.
She never is resentful,
6 Is never glad with sin,
But always glad to side with truth,
Whene’er the truth should win.
7 She bears up under everything,
Believes the best in all,
There is no limit to her hope,
And never will she fall.
I just wanna say the Bible is a really good book.
You can control your emotions, your desires, liking someone is a choice as well as making them your enemy. You can take the view of complacency with your emotions, or you can take responsibility with what you think and feel. It's a terrifying thing to take control of the dark places of your mind. But then again, if the creator of the universe is with you, then is there anything to be afraid of?
There are defenses in everyones minds. Emotions are such powerful things that we just grow into protecting ourselves. Keeping some things secret from others, even ourselves. These walls need to come down. I've had walls, trust me as terrifying as it may be to let down your defenses, it is worth it, because then and only then can you experience Gods love in its purest form, and radiate it to those around you.
You say you can't, or that there is nothing wrong with the walls you do have.
Well your right, you probably can't get them down by yourself, it takes help.
So there's nothing wrong with the walls you have, well then, tell me something.
Has anyone ever asked you what your keeping inside? Maybe the fact that they can see it means it needs to come out? It's already coming out anyway, stop fighting it, or it will kill you slowly until you finally break down and all those walls go up stronger than ever before, after of course, the worst pain of your entire life from everything coming down at once.
You can't help yourself alone.
She bears up under everything,
Believes the best in all,
There is no limit to her hope,
And never will she fall.
Rev. 22:21
-Jason
Friday, January 5, 2007
25,000 Jesus Freaks, old new friends, and the walking anti-depressant
25,000 Jesus Freaks, old new friends, and the walking anti-depressant
Here again is the list of people that are here:
David Crowder* Band, John Piper, Louie Giglio, Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, Tim Hughes, Christy Nockels, Beth Moore, Leeland, Shane and Shane, Matt Redman, Francis Chan, Steve Fee, Shawn Mcdonald, Aaron Shust.
It begins Sunday with a 6 hour drive accompanied by C.S Lewis and a little David Crowder.
I must get myself properly krunk.
Mac spellcheck is incomplete and does not include my creative wordage. Blah.
Anyway, I spent the night at my old friend Sams house with the company of Rob Bell videos and some lovely guitars.
Passion 2007 Day One 2:early A.M
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, i file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again.
"I'm up, the sun is not up, this is unnatural."
We go to Sams church and meet his friends, Which are awesome, we all load up to head to passion. ROAD TRIP!
Yeehaa!
So we get the party started at registration, where the term for myself is first used by someone besides myself. "The walking anti-depressant."
Sweet!
Wow. So tonight as I write this it is one 3 A.M on day 3. A few hours ago Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, and Louie Giglio kicked off this 4 day party. Now, at this point I imagine your disappointed at my lack of excitement over what I've just experienced. Well, im exhausted, but for the sake of you my readers....
*clears throat*
YYYYYEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!
AAAAWWWWWEEEEESSSSOOOOMMMMEEEE!!!!!!!!
Anyway.....
2007 Day Two 2:freaking early A.M
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, I file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again.
Beth moore speaks that morning, Amazing message, even though shes a little nutty. (I'm sorry but my guy-ness does not allow accurate communication between myself and her.)
But I digress, Chris Tomlin is one of the best worship leaders in the world.
David Crowder had a session where he and Mike Hogan talked about their book, "Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die, or the Eschatology of Bluegrass." Yay Marty Freakin Stuart! (inside joke dont worry about it)
It's amazing, go buy it.
So I've decided David Crowder is the coolest man on this earth, I'd already decided that, but it is now reaffirmed. He has an orange macbook, and has a hair style named after him.
My hero.
He told some stories that were just hilarious and kinda weird. Yay weird people with hair that adds feet to their height!
Francis Chan preached what was arguably the best message of the week on this night. His illustrations included Pez Dispensers and Jack Bauer, so you know it was amazing.
Community Groups happened every night and was the time we had to talk about what God was doing in each of us, there was always something. This group is in my photos, just that group of 8 or so, we got so close over the week, oh I miss them so....
Day 3: I didn't even know a clock could show time this early in the morning.
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, I file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again. Caleb White and myself get up 2 hours after we go to bed to go to the Kneel Center. This is Passions prayer center, you can go 24/7 during the concert and pray. It sits at the bottom of a 5 story waterfall in the Atlanta World Congress Center. I had a nice talk with God in the peace of that place, it was pretty much awesome.
John Piper speaks and does his thing, in his breakout session later that day he cusses, which made me laugh. Call me a sinner but it was funny. :-)
That night Louie spoke on missions, and it was probably the second best message for the week. I'll probably write a blog on it later....
I went to a Leeland concert too, Leeland is flippin awesome. Its like Mae meets red jumpsuit apparatus x2+Jesus=Go buy their CD.
I cannot forget the candlelight service, they marched all 25,000 of us into a field where there was a stage set up and gave all of u candles. They do some awesome music and we light our candles and they set up a cross in a field right in the middle of downtown Atlanta. It was amazing. This was followed by the most amazing concert ever.
I get to the room on day four and stay up having deep conversations till 4 a.m
Day 4 7:00 A.M
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, I file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again. I somehow turn it off without registering a conscious thought that this means "GET YO LAZY SELF OUT OF BED"
8:40 A.M
I wake up.
I feel like doing a John Piper but my first word of the day is restrained to "crap."
I do two hours of getting ready and packing and showering in 20 minutes. I'm pretty sure God stopped time for me, but its Passion so I imagine that happens regularly to most everybody.
Louie talked about how we basically blew away all estimates for giving and missions volunteers and stuff. There will be no Passion 2008. There will be smaller regional events that will only last a weekend. Passion itself is going international. Its kinda awesome.
So thats the general extraordinarily abbreviated version of my week at Passion 2007. I will be blogging about the specifics for months. lol
God did so much in everyone in so many ways, there are no words for much of it, but I will bring you what I can. Stay tuned.
Rev. 22:21
-Jason
Here again is the list of people that are here:
David Crowder* Band, John Piper, Louie Giglio, Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, Tim Hughes, Christy Nockels, Beth Moore, Leeland, Shane and Shane, Matt Redman, Francis Chan, Steve Fee, Shawn Mcdonald, Aaron Shust.
It begins Sunday with a 6 hour drive accompanied by C.S Lewis and a little David Crowder.
I must get myself properly krunk.
Mac spellcheck is incomplete and does not include my creative wordage. Blah.
Anyway, I spent the night at my old friend Sams house with the company of Rob Bell videos and some lovely guitars.
Passion 2007 Day One 2:early A.M
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, i file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again.
"I'm up, the sun is not up, this is unnatural."
We go to Sams church and meet his friends, Which are awesome, we all load up to head to passion. ROAD TRIP!
Yeehaa!
So we get the party started at registration, where the term for myself is first used by someone besides myself. "The walking anti-depressant."
Sweet!
Wow. So tonight as I write this it is one 3 A.M on day 3. A few hours ago Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, and Louie Giglio kicked off this 4 day party. Now, at this point I imagine your disappointed at my lack of excitement over what I've just experienced. Well, im exhausted, but for the sake of you my readers....
*clears throat*
YYYYYEEEEESSSSS!!!!!!
AAAAWWWWWEEEEESSSSOOOOMMMMEEEE!!!!!!!!
Anyway.....
2007 Day Two 2:freaking early A.M
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, I file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again.
Beth moore speaks that morning, Amazing message, even though shes a little nutty. (I'm sorry but my guy-ness does not allow accurate communication between myself and her.)
But I digress, Chris Tomlin is one of the best worship leaders in the world.
David Crowder had a session where he and Mike Hogan talked about their book, "Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die, or the Eschatology of Bluegrass." Yay Marty Freakin Stuart! (inside joke dont worry about it)
It's amazing, go buy it.
So I've decided David Crowder is the coolest man on this earth, I'd already decided that, but it is now reaffirmed. He has an orange macbook, and has a hair style named after him.
My hero.
He told some stories that were just hilarious and kinda weird. Yay weird people with hair that adds feet to their height!
Francis Chan preached what was arguably the best message of the week on this night. His illustrations included Pez Dispensers and Jack Bauer, so you know it was amazing.
Community Groups happened every night and was the time we had to talk about what God was doing in each of us, there was always something. This group is in my photos, just that group of 8 or so, we got so close over the week, oh I miss them so....
Day 3: I didn't even know a clock could show time this early in the morning.
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, I file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again. Caleb White and myself get up 2 hours after we go to bed to go to the Kneel Center. This is Passions prayer center, you can go 24/7 during the concert and pray. It sits at the bottom of a 5 story waterfall in the Atlanta World Congress Center. I had a nice talk with God in the peace of that place, it was pretty much awesome.
John Piper speaks and does his thing, in his breakout session later that day he cusses, which made me laugh. Call me a sinner but it was funny. :-)
That night Louie spoke on missions, and it was probably the second best message for the week. I'll probably write a blog on it later....
I went to a Leeland concert too, Leeland is flippin awesome. Its like Mae meets red jumpsuit apparatus x2+Jesus=Go buy their CD.
I cannot forget the candlelight service, they marched all 25,000 of us into a field where there was a stage set up and gave all of u candles. They do some awesome music and we light our candles and they set up a cross in a field right in the middle of downtown Atlanta. It was amazing. This was followed by the most amazing concert ever.
I get to the room on day four and stay up having deep conversations till 4 a.m
Day 4 7:00 A.M
My cell phone needs a nicer more considerate alarm, I file this away in my mind to remember in a time when I can change it, even though I wont remember it until it bothers me again. I somehow turn it off without registering a conscious thought that this means "GET YO LAZY SELF OUT OF BED"
8:40 A.M
I wake up.
I feel like doing a John Piper but my first word of the day is restrained to "crap."
I do two hours of getting ready and packing and showering in 20 minutes. I'm pretty sure God stopped time for me, but its Passion so I imagine that happens regularly to most everybody.
Louie talked about how we basically blew away all estimates for giving and missions volunteers and stuff. There will be no Passion 2008. There will be smaller regional events that will only last a weekend. Passion itself is going international. Its kinda awesome.
So thats the general extraordinarily abbreviated version of my week at Passion 2007. I will be blogging about the specifics for months. lol
God did so much in everyone in so many ways, there are no words for much of it, but I will bring you what I can. Stay tuned.
Rev. 22:21
-Jason
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