Freiday Devotional

1 Peter 1:22-25
Scripture: You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. 23 You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you. (NET)

Exposition: Peter starts off by talking about the believer's purification, which occurred at conversion when the convert obeyed "the truth." The "truth" most likely is a reference to the gospel. They were purified when they accepted the truth of the gospel and put their faith/trust in Christ. In so doing this, they exhibit "sincere mutual love." The term "sincere" has the force of being "unhypocritical." Our love is to be like a two way street. There should be none of this "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours." It should flow freely among God's people. Peter urges believers to exhibit this love from a "pure heart" -- a heart that is clean, undefiled, and has the best of intentions for its brothers and sisters in Christ.

Peter affirms the regeneration of the believers: "You have been born anew" (cf. John 3:3). Again, this new birth is due to the person trusting in Jesus. Peter draws on the theme of perishable and imperishable again when he talks about the seed. He uses the seed as a metaphor for the "word of God." We see this metaphor of the seed else where in the NT, as in Matthew 13:20 and Luke 8:11. The word of God is like a seed in that when it is planted it grows. When a person takes hold of God's word, he is changed from the inside out. He grows more and more into the image of Christ. However, unlike a seed that perishes, the word of God will continue to grow.

Peter uses a quote from Isaiah 40:6-8. "All flesh" refers to humanity. So, all humanity is like grass in that we are numerous. And the flower is our "glory," basically what we've accomplished as a race. And like grass, humans are frail and eventually die (whither) and in death humanity's glory fades. However, that is not the case for the word of God. Nope, God's word will "endure forever." It never goes out of fashion and is always relevant. This word of God that never ends is the same that was preached to Peter's audience and to us!

Application: How are you treating your family and neighbors? Are you showing love or being hypocritical in what you say and do? What do you need to do differently to show love to them? Have you responded to God's word? How has His word changed your life? Or has it? If not, what do you think the problem is?

Prayer: Holy God, we thank you for Your word that is able to change lives. Your word is a spring of life giving water if only we would drink from it. Make us thirsty for Your word, so that we may know You more. We thank you that we are able to freely read of Your word without fear of persecution. But we ask that You be with our brothers and sisters throughout the world that are not as privileged as we are. Father, grant peace and strength to those in persecuted countries. May Your word sustain them. May Your Spirit comfort them. And ultimately, may Your Son save them. In Jesus name and by Your Spirit we pray. Amen.

Charge My Carbon Credit

With all the people that are in debt because of credit cards, I don't think we need another "credit" to intice spending by Americans. Granted, this "carbon credit" is a different type of credit, but still, you're spending money on something that does not exist in hopes of countering global warming. Instead of buying more credit, why not take that money and get out of debt.

Now, I'm all for saving the planet. Well, at least being good stewards of what God has set us in charge of. I don't think we can actually save the planet, because there are too many forces bigger than us to contend with. And given our track record of trying to fix things, I think we'd only make it worse. I think "carbon credits" are right up that alley of making things worse.

How in the world is purchasing "carbon credits" going to save the planet? Let's see, a company purchases carbon credits to "offset" their carbon emission. This money then goes to "evironmental education (indoctrination)" or planting more trees. However, nothing is actually done about the output of CO2 by the company. So, even though more trees are being planted the amount of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere remains the same, if not more. It seems best to me that the money spent on carbon credits could have been spent to upgrade the machinery at the company in order to produce less emissions.

Why not put the money into something that is actually going to benefit the company and the world? So, save your money and spend it wisely, which is not in carbon credits.

Freiday Devotional

1 Peter 1:17-21

Scripture: If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (NASB)

Exposition: Peter begins this section with an "if" clause. Now, if I may get a little technical on you, this is a first class conditional clause, which basically means that the premise (You address as Father...) is assumed to be true for the sake of argument. So, he's basically stating that his audience does address "as Father the One who impartially judges...." Here we get a glimpse of God's character as one who judges. And unlike human judges, who may be influenced by prejudices, bribes, religion, politics, etc, God is not influenced by such things. Instead, He is impartial in his judgments. This means that our works will be judged on their merit alone. We are unable to persuade in any fashion the judgment that God will bestow. It is up to His own judgment what the reward/punishment of our work will be.

The reasonable conclusion of this "if" clause is that we will conduct ourselves in "fear during the time of your stay on earth." Peter is basically saying, "If you believe the premise (which you do!), then do the following." The "fear" that Peter speaks of is not just an emotion of being afraid, but a holy reverence and trembling that comes from being in the presence of God. Our conduct should be such that we are ever concious of God's coming judgment, and with regard to that, our behaviour should be of the utmost quality (see v. 16). Our stay on earth is only temporary, so we must make the best of the time that God has given us.

The fact that God judges should not be the only factor influencing our conduct, but our knowledge of redemption should be a factor as well. Our conduct should also be based on our "knowing" that redemption was paid, not by gold and silver, but by the blood of Christ. The term "redemeemed" has the force of "ransom" or "paying a ransom to someone." In this sense, our redemption was paid for by Christ. Christ's blood is by far more precious than the metals of silver and gold. Just like today, these precious metals had monetary value in the biblical times, but Peter reminds us that the blood of Christ far suprasses the value of these metals. These metals will perish over time, but the blood of Christ never loses its value. The redemption paid for by Christ's blood bought us out of our "futile way of life." We were powerless living in a state of sin, but Christ's blood bought us out of a state of sin that was inherited from previous generations (all the way back to Adam).

Peter ends this section with a statement concerning the theology of Christ (Christology). He affirms the eternality of Christ in that He was before the world began. Christ has always existed as part of the Trinity. There never was a time when He was not. But, He made Himself physically known to the world at His incarnation and following ministry. This manifestation of Christ was for our sake, and the disciples', and all believers' every where. We are able to "trust in God" because of what Christ did for us. He died on a tree and shed is own blood in order that we may have eternal life. In return for such obedience, God raised Christ "from the dead and gave Him glory." Because of what Christ did for us (redeeming us), and what God did for Christ (resurrecting him), we can put our hope and trust in God. God was faithful to Christ, therefore, our hope and trust are not futile since He will be faithful to us as well.

Application: Salvation is secure in God because of what Christ did for us. However, our conduct should reflect the price that was paid for our redemption. Does your behaviour show your appreciation for Christ's payment? Do you take seriously the blood of Christ? Or do you use it as an excuse to sin all the more?

Prayer: Most holy Father, you deserve our reverence, worship, and praise because You have redeemed us by the blood of Your Son, who is far more precious than gold or silver. Help us in our faith, that we may look up on Jesus' blood as being more precious than these metals. Help us in our unbelief and insecurity. God, we desire to do good and live in righteousness, but we need Your help and grace and doing so. Our conduct is so unbecoming at times it is a disgrace to even be considered part of Your family. But, we have faith that you will judge us according to Your good will, and that our salvation is secured in Christ who redeemed us from sin. God help us to love You and one another. It is in Jesus name and by the Spirit we pray. Amen.

Freiday Devotional

1 Peter 1:13-16
Scripture: 13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." (NASB)

Exposition: In the previous section, Peter was concerned with Christians having a right perspective. In the proceeding section, Peter's focus is on right living. "Therefore" connects this current section (vv. 13-25) with the previous one (vv. 3-12). Peter is basically saying, because we now have a right perspective of salvation, especially concerning hope, we are now to walk (live) in holiness, love, and reverence.
His readers are to "gird up their loins," which basically means "roll up your sleeves" in our culture, and take hold of these following attitudes as a means of Christian living. To have a sober spirit, describes a Christian who is in full control of themselves. This includes their speech, actions, and thoughts. They are not to let the lusts of the flesh (sin nature) rule their lives. Christians are to live with an unwavering hope. This hope is grounded in the return of Christ. Peter is basically saying to his readers at that time to endure the persecution with sound judgment, in full control of yourself, and in the hope of Christ's return.

As part of Christian living, we are to be obedient to God as children are (should be) to their parents, only better. Peter exhorts his readers to stay clear of their "former lusts," for that is not in accordance with obedience. It is not stated, but Peter assumes that these readers have been transformed by Christ, for he states the reversal of such an action when he says, "do not be conformed." To be conformed to their former lusts, would imply that they have already been transformed from such lusts. These "former lusts" were part of their habits before they came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, which replaces their previous ignorance.

To emphasize his call to holy living, Peter focuses on God's holiness. Holy means that something/someone is set apart from sin to God. Our behavior should reflect our standing with God. If one claims to be Christian, their behavior should reflect such a claim. In their behavior, they should strive for holiness and not sin. Peter backs up his call to holy living with Scripture when he quotes Leviticus 11:44: " YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." What other imperative does Peter need to give for his readers to live holy lives? God has blatantly stated it right there.

Application: What areas of your life are not holy? How are you still living in ignorance? Are you in control of yourself (i.e. speech, thoughts, actions)? Are you being obedient to God's call on your life? What do you need to do to live a holy life? What does God need to do for/through you so that you are able to live a holy life?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are such a holy God that we will never be able to accomplish what You ask of us. And for that reason, we are grateful that You have provided a means of holiness for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Help us in our endeavors to walk according to Your desires. Help us to be obedient to Your will and not live in ignorance of Your grace. You have called us to be holy, and only by You can we be as You desire. May Your desires be the desires of our hearts as well. Grant us the strength, wisdom, and grace to live according to Your Word. In the name of Jesus, and by the Spirit we pray. Amen.

Freiday Devotional

1 Peter 1:10-12
Scripture: 10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-- things into which angels long to look. (NASB)

Exposition: This salvation that Peter has been discussing was prophesied by the prophets in the Old Testament. These prophets prophesied that Christ would suffer and be glorified ( e.g. Isa 61:1-3). However, they were not sure how to put the suffering and glorification together. That is why many of the Jews during Jesus' time (and today) missed the mark. They expected Messiah to be glorified, but not to suffer. That was beyond their understanding. This is evident when Peter says that the prophets "made careful searches and inquiries." The prophets searched the scriptures to understand this paradox, but were unable to obtain any understanding. Only after the resurrection of Jesus is one able to comprehend the suffering and glorification of Christ, and then not completely.

Just like many Christians today try to understand the timing of Christ's return, the Old Testament prophets sought to know the timing of Messiah's arrival. Even though the prophets had the Spirit of Christ in them, which is a reference to the Holy Spirit, they still were not privy to the exact times and events, only that these things were going to happen. Take notice, too, that here we have a distinction between the Divine author and his human writers. The Holy Spirit was doing the indicating and predicting; the prophets were writing these revelations down. This is known as "inspiration." The prophets were penning what was being revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. The prophets did not fully comprehend what they were writing, and thus sought to know the "person or time" and "sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow."

The prophets knew that what they were seeing and writing down was not only for them. The revelations they were receiving would be partly fulfilled in their time, but more importantly in the future. The same is for Peter; not all of the revelations had been fulfilled in his day. The suffering of Christ happend, but the glorification was not and is not complete. That is still a future event, one that we await with anticipation. We, however, are not the only ones awaiting the fulfillment of revelation, for we are joined by angels. They, too, are mystified by the grace of God and are waiting to see how it all plays out in the end.

Application: The grace of God is a deep mystery. The prophets of old prophesied about it, yet did not understand it. The angels, who have direct access to God, are completely mystified by His grace. How much more should we be in awe? Let us search the Scriptures to gain a better understanding of grace, but more importantly a deeper love for the One who provides that grace. Let us praise God for his grace. Let us join with the angels declaring: "Holy, holy, holy, is The Lord God, the Almighty, Who Was and Who Is and Who Is To Come" (Rev 4:8).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are abounding with grace. We don't always understand grace, but are thankful that You grant it to us through our faith in Jesus Christ. May You help us in understanding Your revelations, not that we may predict upcoming events, but so that we may fall ever more in love with You. You inspired men of old to write down Your word, and we thank you that we are able to access Your word still today. May You continue to lift us up in order that we may praise, glorify, and honor You. In the name of Jesus Christ and by the Spirit we pray. Amen.

The Plunge

Well, I am no longer a "husband-to-be," but am now just a husband. Yep, Amy and I were married on August 12th, at 2:00pm. It was a great ceremony with family and friends there to witness the union. Our pastor did a great job leading the ceremony, and the Cappella Court staff did a great job setting things up and serving. We could not have asked for a better place to have the wedding and people to attend the service.

For the honeymoon, Amy and I headed south of the border to Rivieria Maya. It is just south of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula. The weather was great. It rained almost every day, but just for a couple of minutes and then the sky would clear. The resort was great. We stayed at the Secrets Capri all-inclusive resort. I found the all-inclusive resort to be a great way to vacation. I would totally recommend the resort and the Rivieria Maya to anyone looking to do a vacation.

We did get away from the resort for a little while. We took an excursion to Chichen Itza (above picture), which is one of the several Mayan ruins that you can visit. It was a scorching hot day with little wind, but the ruins were well worth the heat and the 2.5 hour drive from the resort. After walking around the ruins with our guide, as part of our tour package, we were able to take a dip in an underground spring. The water was refreshing after a hot afternoon, but it did take some getting used to --it was cold!

All in all, it was a great vacation. We could have stayed longer, but alas, duty calls and we had to come back to Dallas. Now, we are just looking forward to getting the apartment in order, which has been a grueling endeavor. But, we'll manage to find a place for everything. We're looking forward to a lifetime together. And I could not have asked for a better wife than Amy. :)

Freiday Devotional

1 Peter 1:3-9
Scripture: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. (NASB)

Exposition: "Blessed" can also be understood as "praise" to our God and Father. It is right for us to praise God, for as Peter illuminates, it is by His mercy that we have been born again. Our rebirth comes with a certain hope that is only made possible by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. As Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 15, our faith is futile if Christ was not raised from the dead. In a similar way, our hope is in vain if Christ was not raised from the dead.

God's great mercy has not only given us hope and rebirth, but also an inheritance. Just like the Jews of the Old Testament waited on the Lord to fulfill their inheritance of the Promised Land, we Christians are awaiting our inheritance, namely Christ himself. But unlike the Promised Land, which is subject to loss and decay, our inheritance is "imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away." This is because our inheritance is not subject to the atrocities of this world, but is stored safely in the realms of heaven.
Peter tells us, not only is our inheritance protected but we Christians are as well, by God's power. It is our initial faith that grants us salvation and eventually an inheritance. It is God's power that keeps us saved, not our own. In essence, it is through His faithfulness that we can have assurance of salvation, not our faithfulness. For, we know how unfaithful we can be, but this has no effect on God's faithfulness towards us. Our salvation that is "revealed in the last time" refers to our glorification. This is the finalization of our salvation. We will be glorified at our death or the Rapture, which ever comes first.

Before this glorification can take place, we will go through many trials. This is nothing new, just the truth of the matter. We live in a world that is plagued by sin, hardship, and evil. And as such, we will endure such things until Christ returns. However, inspite of such trials we are able to rejoice, for we know that our salvation is in Christ and not of this world. We rejoice for our inheritance is sercured in heaven. We rejoice for we know the future will be a bright place, beyond the darkness of this world. Persecution may/will come and Peter encourages us to remember the hope that he has just talked about.

These trials that Peter is concerned with are means of testing our faith. The testing is a means of purification. Just like fire purifies gold, so trials purify our faith. The trials display the measure of faith and where it truly lies. Peter goes on to illustrate that our faith is more important than gold, for it (faith) leads to eternal life. Our faith is proved genuine when we are able to give praise, glory, and honor to God, and especially when Christ returns.

We are able to rejoice because we have hope, faith, and love. However, our rejoicing will be magnified when we come into the presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Through these trials, along with faith, hope, and love, we will obtain salvation. The term for "souls" literally refers to the whole person, not just the spiritual aspect. Peter tells us that at the end of the trials our salvation will be complete; that our faith will be purified; and the whole person will be glorified. All of this accomplished through the grace of God as stated in v. 3.

Application: In what specific ways has God been merciful to you recently? How have you thanked God for his mercies? What are you holding on to in this life that you can't take with you when you die? Or what perishable items have taken the place of God in your life? Do you praise God when you're facing a trial, temptation, or persecution? In what ways can you express joy through your trials?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, your mercies are great and wonderful. We thank you for your provision and protection in our lives. Without you evil would run wild through the world, but you have restrained it for a little while, and have placed your children under your protection. Although, we may not always understand the trials in our lives, we have faith that you will see us through. And we will praise your Name forever. For our inheritance is with you and not of this world. We thank you for the forgiveness of our sins through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is in His name and by the Spirit we pray. Amen.

Freiday Devotional

I have decided to try something new. I have decided to send out a devotional on Fridays. Ideally, this will take place every week, however, as the new semester approaches this may not be feasible every week. In that case, I will try to send something out as consistently as possible as time, marriage, and assignments allow. This idea came about as my desire to read God's word has increased, and my realization that my desire was not being met (mostly because of apathy). So, I figured if I were to share my studies with family and friends, then that would force me to get into God's Word and create an excitement within me to share my findings with others. I hope and pray that through this my faith, love, and knowledge of God would increase and your's too.

I will start this experiment off in 1 Peter. I have picked this letter mainly because we will be going through it in our Sunday School class. I figured I could kill two birds with one stone this way, since I will be teaching portions of this letter during our Sunday hour over the next couple of months. Without further ado, lets dive in!

1 Peter

Background: As many of us know, Peter was an apostle of Jesus. He was among one of the twelve disciples, and within that group was one of the three in the inner-group. In the Gospels we get a picture of Peter as one that was hot tempered and a little on the slow side (but most of the disciples are portrayed that way). However, in this letter and in 2 Peter we see a different side of him. Here we get a glimpse of a more thoughtful and caring Peter. One that is concnered with Christians throughout the world (at that time the Roman Empire). We get to see that the crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus have made a mark on Peter. This letter reflects his theological contemplation, which undoubtedly came from a sincere love and appreciation for his Saviour. The letter is eschatologically focused, that is, it looks towards the end times. It is not necessarily stating what will happen, but calling on Christians to persevere and remain in the faith until the Day of the Lord comes.
This letter was most likely written in the A.D. 60's. There is dispute concerning the timing of Peter's death, but most scholars place it around A.D. 64. Peter was in Rome at this time awaiting martyrdom under the reign of Nero. As tradition tells us, Peter was crucified upside down because he was not worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.

Scripture
1 Peter 1:1-2: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

Exposition: Peter establishes his authority right from the beginning by claiming to be "an apostle of Jesus Christ." It is under this authority that he writes the letter to the aliens residing in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (these states comprise what is known as Asia Minor). The term "aliens" refers to their sojourning status. They are not originally residents of those areas as most of them are diaspora Jewish Christians. They were forced out of Jersusalem, and Israel at large, by the Romans. Despite their current position in foreign lands, these aliens can take solace in knowing that they are "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father." They are now part of God's community. They may be aliens in the world, but as we will see later, they have a place of their own in God's Kingdom.

"Sanctifying" refers to setting something or someone apart. These Christians were being set apart by the Spirit. They were distinct from the surrounding pagans due to the Spirits work in their lives. As the chosen ones, these Christians were to obey Jesus Christ and his teachings. The phrase, "sprinkled with His blood," most likely alludes to the Jewish ritual of sprinkling blood on people and objects in order to consecrate them for God's use. The sprinkling language, also, ties into the New Coventant which has come about by the blood of Christ. One who is figuratively sprinkled with the blood of Jesus receives cleansing and the same benefits that the priests and royal families receieved under the Old Covenant.

*Note that verse 2 points to the doctrine of the Trinity. All three persons of the Trinity( Father, Son, and Spirit) are present and each one appears to be equal in God-ness and yet distinct in function. *

Due to his recipients' condition (persecution), Peter prays that God would pour out His grace and especially His peace upon these Christians. They needed the "fullest measure" possible, which we will see why in the proceeding verses.

Application: In what ways do you feel like an alien in a foreign land? How can you show God that you are thankful for His choosing you to be apart of His family? In what areas of your life are you not obeying Christ? How can we as fellow believers help you in that area? How are you working against the sanctifying work of the Spirit?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your saving grace. Thank you that we are able to approach you through the work of your Son and by your Spirit. God look on us with favor and give us peace. We ask these things in the name of Jesus and by the Spirit. Amen.

Free Healthcare...Ha!

Piggy-backing off of the last article, here are two articles concerning national health care which would be worth your time reading. One is by John Stossel about an interview he did with Michael Moore in preparation for a 20/20 segment. The other article is about Wisconsin's democratic plan for a state version of national health care. Take a read and be informed:

"Where Michael Moore is Wrong"

"Cheese Headcases"

Two Bad Ideas

I saw an article the other day that said Hillary, Obama, and Edwards are pushing for national healthcare that would cover abortion procedures. I can't say that I'm surprised, but this does upset me for two reasons. One, I'm not for national healthcare. Yes, I think we do need to make changes to our health system, but I don't think higher taxes is the route to take. And second, with a system like they are proposing that would cover abortions, I can only see the number of abortions rising. That would not be a good thing.

I also don't think teaching kindergartners sex-ed is a benificial idea either, as Obama has claimed to be in favor of. I may be long removed from my days in kindergarten, but I do remember not having a clue about sex, and I was o.k. with that. What happened to the days that girls had coodies? And boys were gross? I personally think we need less government in the family, and allow families to do the education, especially when it comes to the "birds and the bees." Plus, I don't think kindergartners are mentally ready for their first dose of sex talk. There was a reason why Jewish families did not allow their sons and/or daughters to read the book Song of Solomon (also known as Song of Songs) until they were a certain age, and it's in the Bible! Now, I don't want our kids to be naive when it comes to sex, but lets leave that at least until they start hitting puberty.

Amazed by what?

"AMAZED" by Lincoln Brewster

You dance over me while I am unaware
You sing all around but I never hear the sound

Lord I'm amazed by You
Lord I'm amazed by You
Lord I'm amazed by You
And how You love me

You paint the morning sky with miracles in mind
My hope will always stand
For You hold me in Your hand

How deep, how wide
How great is Your love for me

This song was sung today during our church service. It is a catchy tune, but I find it quite contradictory, at least in the first verse: how can one be amazed if they can't see one dancing or hear one singing? I don't mean any disrespect to Mr. Brewster, but seriously it makes no sense. It seems to me that our "evangelical" worship music has become too watered down. We are too focused on bringing people into the church with our upbeat tempos and guitars that we've forgotten the deep meaningful lyrics. It reminds me of the old commercial with the geriatric lady when she says, "Where's the beef?" There is none!

I don't think we're loving God with our music as He has commanded us: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matt 22:37). Where's the mind in today's contemporary worship music? Has it gone out to pasture? The point is we need to start focusing on what we say and less on how we say it. The heart and soul are present, so let's bring back the mind and actually think about who we're praising, worshipping, discribing, loving, lifting up, blessing, etc.

The Beginning

Nothing of substance yet, but hopefully in the future something will come about.