Newsboys ~ Born Again

I haven't always been a Newsboys fan but back a few years ago they hooked me with a couple albums, particularly Love Liberty Disco (1999) and Thrive (2002). After many line-up changes throughout their 25 year history and after Peter Furler (24 years with the band) left in 2009 they landed Michael Tait (of dc Talk fame) for a lead vocalist. It took my brother a few weeks to keep on me to buy this album to actually...buy it. But man I'm so glad I did. What a great record. This song in particular is just plain awesome. 


The first thought that popped in my head when I heard the title, Born Again, was the story of the Pharisee named Nicodemus and his secret meeting with Jesus. The story can be found in John 3. You can also view the lyrics to the song here. 


John 3 ~ Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
 ¹Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. ²He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
 ³In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
 ⁴"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
 ⁵Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' ⁸The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
 ⁹"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
 ¹⁰"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? ¹¹I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹²I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,¹⁵that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
 ¹⁶"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.


NEWSBOYS ~ BORN AGAIN (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Grace Amazing

According to Webster, grace is unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. I love a good definition from Webster but I also asked my students what they thought grace was.

According to my students grace is...

...like love for others when they fall short of the standard. Grace is an undeserved favor and it comes from God.
...providing someone a way out like a warning or get-out-of-jail free card.
...being given something you don't earn and don't deserve.
...having so much love that you forgive something.
...mercy, and God's love for us.
...where Jesus forgives us even when we sin even when we don't deserve it.
...forgiving people when they make mistakes.
...having mercy on those who need it.
...what we need to get to heaven. 
...salvation, love, and what Jesus offers us. We just need to accept it. 

One of my favorite lines in this song by Jimmy Needham w/Trip Lee:

You found my heart in the tomb

Wrapped up all lifeless and bruised

I was the living dead

Couldn't even lift my head

To see You enter the room

That's how it is with us all

We weren't just damaged

We fell dead at the fall

Only the innocent

Can breathe the air again 

Shake Heaven - Montell Jordan

When I first heard that Montell Jordan starting writing Christian songs I immediately had to look up his 1995 hit 'This Is How We Do It' on Spotify. It's just like I remembered. One afternoon when I got home from school, my wife shared this new song with me from a friend on Facebook. Loved it right away. 
So last week one of my 6th graders asked if she could lead a devotional in class (on block day of course). I loved it and she came back to me not too much longer after that with this song. I knew I had to share it with my other classes. I think you're gonna love it too.


So, what is it all about? Well Heaven of course. And with all the debate between Bible believing scholars out there about what Heaven will be like I thought I'd just share a scripture that I think of when I hear the lyrics of Montell's song. Revelation 4 (a scene of the Throne Room of God) says, 

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

   In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

   “‘Holy, holy, holy

   is the Lord God Almighty,’

   who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, 

for you created all things, 

and by your will they were created and have their being.”

   to receive glory and honor and power, 

Enjoy!

Casting Crowns - Courageous

By far, one of the best films I've seen in a long time. What a blessing to go to a movie theater and support a faith-based film. I hope you get a chance in the next few weeks to see Courageous.

When I think of being courageous Joshua comes to my mind first. Not necessarily because he HAD great courage but he was TOLD to have courage by God.

Joshua was one of the two spies that came back to Moses, then the leader of Israel, and reported that with God they could take the land of Canaan and defeat it's people (Numbers 14:6-9). The other ten spies told Moses a different story. Joshua was a warrior as well as a spy (Exodus 17:8-16). Joshua was also Moses' successor (Numbers 27:12-23). But in Joshua 1, God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous because HE is with him. Joshua 1:5-9 says,

"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

 'Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.'"

Just as Joshua was told to be strong and courageous God is telling us the same thing right now. Not to be strong in our own strength but knowing God is with us we can stand firm. Whether that be as Dads and Moms. As Husbands and Wives. Or as Teens standing firm for what's right. Fighting temptation and turning to God to find your strength. We all need to remember what God says to Joshua because he's saying it to us in 2011 just the same, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous..."

Josh Wilson - I Refuse

I don't know about you but most of the time I am pretty self-centered. I think about me. I think about my needs and desires. I think about food...for me. I think about clothes...for me. I think about new tires for...my car. I think about fixing up...my house. Me, me, me. Sometimes I think about someone else...my family. My wife. My 3 kids. My parents. My brother or sister. Again, me, me, me.

When do I step out and help someone else? Someone who can't repay me. Someone who is really in need. I believe that the Gospel should compel us to step out on faith and serve our fellow man. We should feel a strong desire to put our faith into action. To show the love of Christ.
James 2 instructs us in this way,

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

   Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds."

As our small group at my church is working through the ideas in David Platt's 'Radical Together' I found that this video fits our study very well indeed and wanted to share it with them as well as all my students in class. I hope it also blesses you today.

Alive - Da' T.R.U.T.H.

The story of the lost son or prodigal is very well known in the Christian community and as the years fly by I understand it better and better. Da' T.R.U.T.H. took a detour several years back but found his way back and was once again embraced by our Heavenly Father just like the father in the parable of the lost son. I told my classes that I don't need to focus on the poor decisions of the younger son but to focus on the reaction of the father when he saw his son coming home. Sometimes it takes folks hitting the bottom like the younger son before they realize the only place to go is back to the family. Again, I love the reaction of the father in the following scripture. I know that Jesus told this parable to open up our eyes to how the Father feels about his children no matter how far away from our faith we go. No matter what sort of sins we get into or how long we've been gone. He can't wait for our return. What an awesome God we serve!

Luke 15:20ff says, "So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Jeremy Camp - The Way

I love the picture that John 14 shows us of Jesus and his disciples. Sometimes I wonder if I'd be any better at recognizing who Jesus really was. First of all, Thomas asks a key question. Where do we go? It's honest and deserves an answer. Jesus gives an amazing answer. I'm the way. It's me. Follow me and you'll always be on the right path. Then further down, I almost laugh out loud when I read what Philip says. Show us the Father. Philip, where have you been? Wake up. You're with God. The Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in the Father. If you have seen Jesus you have seen the Father. This is a great passage followed by a new video from one of the most talented songwriters of our time: Jeremy Camp with 'The Way' from We Cry Out.

John 14:5-9a
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where we are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
Philip answered, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."

Sunday Morning Favorites

One of my all-time favorite songs by Rich Mullins. I was inspired by Donald Miller's Sunday Morning Music. Not a lot of comments. Just a great man singing a truly inspired song.

Do Everything

Christmas 1993 (or sometime during my HS career but I'm quite sure about the specific year) my parents bought me my first CD. Yes, the first CD that I ever, ever received, bought or swapped for was the Steven Curtis Chapman Live Adventure album of 1993. Only problem was that I didn't like his music. To be fair, I didn't like very many Christian artists at all. My choices were Michael W. Smith, SCC, Amy Grant, Petra, a very young Christian Hip-Hop group named dc Talk and Sandi Patti. None of these, save dc Talk, are appealing to a 16 or 17 yr old male. Well, it's been just a couple years and two things have happened. SCC has had a lot of time in the studio, won lots of Dove Awards and had many #1 singles, and I have matured. I even have a top 5 favorites list of SCC I'd love to share.

5. Do Everything
4. Speechless
3. All Things New
2. Much of You
1. Heaven is the Face

When I think of this song, and heard it for the very first time, I guarantee I thought of Col 3.
Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."


I love this song and I absolutely love this video. I hope you do too.

How He Loves

This is absolutely one of my favorite songs over the last couple years performed by one of my all-time favorite Christian bands (David Crowder* Band) and it's near the top of my list of videos I wanted to share with my classes this year. Well, after coming back from the high school spiritual retreat on Tuesday, I was consumed by God's love for me and His people. I got on Spotify and made a playlist of my favorite songs that I learned (or knew already) from the retreat and listened to them over and over and over again. This is not new to me but it was one that we song that brings tears to my eyes and goose bumps to my skin.


So as I was thinking about God's love, this passage popped out to me and it's one we covered at the retreat at some point. Again, it's simply about God's lavish love for you and me. And so I connected these two right away (the scripture and the video).


Ephesians 3:14ff says, "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

LEAD ME

Each school year we have a theme which ties in with a scripture here at GACS. Past themes have been 'God at Work', 'Serve', and things like that. To be honest, I sometimes have a hard time connecting the theme with my classroom. I predict that this year will be no problem for me. It's, in my opinion, one of the best theme's since I started teaching back in 1999.

Our theme comes from Psalm 139:23-24,

"Search me, God, and know my heart; 
test me and know my anxious thoughts. 
See if there is any offensive way in me, 
and LEAD ME in the way everlasting." 


Immediately, this song from Sanctus Real comes to mind. I don't know whether this song had any influence on those that chose our theme for the year but it's been pretty popular on Christian Radio for the last year or so. I absolutely love this song and video and I hope you do as well. 


Being a father of three beautiful children and husband to one fantastic wife I get it. I get the meaning of this song maybe more than anyone that I share this video with in class. To be a father who is there for his children and a husband who is strong for his wife. That's what I'm called to be. I know I can't do it on my own so I have to lean on the perfect Father. He knows how to treat every situation and how to always love. I hope you enjoy these two videos. 


Make sure you watch the story behind the song before the music video. It will mean so much more to you.

SANCTUS REAL: LEAD ME - THE STORY

SANCTUS REAL: LEAD ME - MUSIC VIDEO

Downhere's "Let Me Rediscover You"

It's been a few years but I was once a fan of the Canadian Christian band Downhere. They have a sound that is just a bit different than most Christian bands but they never seemed to catch on very big. I like the video but I really like the idea of someone rediscovering their faith after years and years of being away. Isn't that the way it happens sometimes? Thinking about using this video for a devotional this year in class. Wondering how effective it would be for junior high students. We'll just have to see.

All My Fountains

Whether the translation in Psalm 87 says "fountains" or "source of my life springs" or "springs" the truth is that the Lord, and only the Lord, is where we should draw water from. So many times in life we draw our water from a different source. We believe that we are satisfying our thirst with money, power, fame, etc. We fool ourselves into thinking we're filling ourselves up. We're just as empty if not more empty than when we started. May we turn to Jesus and lean into him and may He fill us up.

Aaron Gillespie - We Were Made For You

This one's for my oldest daughter, Macy.

One of the things I adore about her is her love of Christian music. She can listen to part of a song and pick it up so quick that half way through it she's singing along. That's bit me more than once with our local classic rock station and some of the songs they play. Steve Miller Band's 'The Joker' is not something a 10 year old girl needs to be singing. Anyways, she loves Christian music and she loves to pray for Haiti. Seems like everytime she prays, whether at dinner time or bed time she prays for the people of Haiti. So when I saw this video the other day I had to share it. If you don't know much about Aaron Gillespie, you should. Check him out.

Creed

The goal in most of my class devotionals, otherwise known as "Coach Harsh plays a music video from a Christian band and then reads a scripture or tells a story or shares about his faith", is to open up the eyes of my students to good Christian music. Many times I pick something new. A brand new band. A brand new album. A brand new band with a brand new album. You know, things like that.

And other times I find something, in my search, that might be new but is one of my favorites. Today's devo is like that. One of my favorite songwriters of all time. One of the first Christian bands I ever actually... well, liked. And a new artist that I have just started to listen to. Rich Mullins' 'Creed' performed by Third Day with Brandon Heath. Pretty much a trifecta in my book. In fact, I've blogged about this song multiple times over the past 6 years including this one.

My hope and prayer is that you develop your faith and see God for who he really is. That you would be able to agree with this statement of faith and make it your passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ and as Louie Giglio + Chris Tomlin always say, "Make his name famous."

There Will Be a Day

Sometimes we get so caught up in this life that we forget about the one to come. May this never be the case again. Growing up, my church sang songs like, This World is Not My Home and Mansion, Robe & Crown, and I'll Fly Away. Not sure those are the proper titles but that's how I remember those songs. Songs about the life to come, Heaven. We get so caught up in finding pleasure in this life that we forget that it won't compare with the next one.

This also reminds me of one of my eldest daughter's favorite songs right now, I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe. What a great feeling I get when I think about "no more suffering" or "no more tears." I haven't lived a life of suffering at all in comparison to some but still I have suffered and went through pain in my own life. Jeremy has been through a lot in his life. I just love hearing Jeremy's story and hearing some of the songs he wrote through and after that time in his life. If you haven't heard what he went through please do so now by clicking here. You will find much encouragement in his story.

Anthem Lights' "Can't Shut Up" Music Video

This is a new band to me. Just found this video on Hear it First (which is an awesome place to find new artists and new stuff from artists you already love.) The title causes some, especially 6th graders, to giggle and others, like your grandparents, to shutter. Shut up? What?

Well, take a listen. When something is so good, so exciting, so unbelievable you just have to share it. A great deal at a local store. An incredible new band or album. A new book that just came out that you can't put down even to cook dinner for your kids. You just have to tell people about it. You can't stop yourself. It's not that you are getting a cut from the local grocer or the new band, you just love whatever it is so much you have to spread the word.

Is that how your faith started out? You just couldn't stop sharing what Jesus/God/The Holy Spirit had done in your life and how He saved you from a hopeless life and brought you to a life full of love and goodness. You had to spread the word. It was so compelling that you couldn't keep it to yourself.

What about today? As a 20+ year old Christian, I've had good days and bad days. Days that I've shared my faith and experienced incredible growth and other days I'd rather not talk about. This song is all about igniting that fire once more and sharing how He is able to do more than you can imagine. Be blessed.

Anthem Lights' "Can't Shut Up" Music Video

City Harmonic - Manifesto

We believe in the one true God
We believe in Father Spirit Son
We believe that good has won

And all of the people of God sing along

Amen
Amen

We are free He died and lives again
We will be a people free from sin
We'll be free a kingdom with no end

And all of the people of God sing along

Amen (X4)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, power and the glory. for ever and ever.

We're singing

Amen (X4)

Don't Waste Your Life

With a Lecrae and Sho Baraka benefit concert coming to our campus in less than a month, I wanted to share another favorite Lecrae hit: Don't Waste Your Life. Absolutely powerful, Holy Spirit inspired lyrics and a great beat. Seriously, one of Lecrae's best songs.

Verse 1:
(LeCrae)
I know a lot of people out there scared they gone die/ couple of em thinking they'll be livin' in the sky/ but while I'm here livin' man I gotta ask why, what am here fo I gotta figure out/ waste my life/ no I gotta make it count /if Christ is real then what am I gone do about/ everything in Luke 12:15 down to 21/ you really oughta go and check it out/Paul said if Christ ain't resurrect then we wasted our lives/ well that implies that our life's built around Jesus being alive/ everyday I'm living tryin' show the world why/ Christ is more than everything you'll ever try/ better than pretty women and sinning and living to get a minute of any women and men that you admire/ ain't no lie/
We created for Him/ outta the dust he made us for Him/ Elects us and he saves us for Him/ Jesus comes and raises for Him/ Magnify the Father why bother with something lesser/ he made us so we could bless Him and to the world we confess him/ resurrects him/ so I know I got life/ matter fact better man I know I got Christ/ if you don't' see His ways in my days and nights/ you can hit my brakes you can stop my lights/ man I lost my rights/ I lost my life/ forget the money cars and toss that ice/ the cost is Christ/ and they could never offer me anything on the planet that'll cost that price.

Verse 2:
(Dwayne Tryumph)
Armed and dangerous
So the devil jus can't handle us
Christian youth them a stand wid us
Livin' n driven/ given a vision/ fullfillin the commission he handed us
London to Los Angeles
Da rap evangelist
Ma daddy wouldn't abandon us
"I gotta back pack fulla tracts plus I keep a Johnny Mac"

So are you ready to jam with us
So lets go, gimme the word an lets go
Persecution lets go
Tribulation lets go
Across the nation lets go
Procrastination bes go
Hung on the cross in the cold
Died for da young and the old
Can't say you never know
Heaven knows
How many souls are going to hell or to heaven so we gotta go in and get em
Whaaaaat!

Verse 3:
(LeCrae)
Suffer/ Yeah do it for Christ if you trying to figure what to do with your life/ if you making a lot money hope you doing it right because the money is Gods you better steward it right/ stay focused if you ain't got no ride/ your life ain't wrapped up in what you drive/ the clothes you wear the job you work/ the color your skin naw you Christian first/ people living life for a job/ make a lil money start living for a car/ get em a house a wife kids and a dog/ when they retire they living high on the hog/ but guess what they didn't ever really live at all/ to live is Christ yeah that's Paul I recall/ to die is gain so for Christ we give it all/ he's the treasure you'll never find in the mall/ Your money your singleness marriage talent and time/ they were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine/ that's why it's Christ in my rhymes/ That's why it's Christ all the time/see my whole world is built around him He's the life in my lines/ I refused to waste my life/ he's too true ta chase that ice/ here's my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ/ If he's truly raised to life/ then this news should change your life/ and by his grace you can put your faith in place that rules your days and nights.

Kutless - What Faith Can Do

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it's more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

chorus
I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

chorus

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can!

chorus