Everlasting

Have you ever thought about the word, Everlasting? Everlasting is a word that should not be taken lightly. To last forever, pretty strong words. I have found that this word is more comforting and helpful when everything falls. Nothing has fallen in my life recently, but when thing have, the word everlasting is there standing strong to describe my Lord Jesus.

The song that I posted along with this blog is called "From The Inside Out" When the chorus hits the words are "EVERLASTING, your light will shine when all else fades. Neverending, your glory goes beyond all fame." Have you ever come to the realization that God's glory is neverending? It is really easy as a musician to have your name spread around. But my God's glory will outshine me all day long. His glory is so big that it goes beyond any worship leader, any child, any parent, any friend, any leader, any president, any movement, and any belief. It consumes everything.

I often find that I am easily discouraged when I find that things change. I really hate a lot of change. It makes my life feel that there is no structure...nothing is the same. I believe that everyone can come to the conclusion that nothing is ever the same. As much as I love my family, their character changes...they are not always the same. Jesus found the key to create structure. Something in the lives of these people has to be .... everlasting. Something has to be constant that will never change. His death on the cross created his everlasting glory. Just being God makes him everlasting. He would not be God if he was not everlasting. He will never end.

So God has reached down into a world that has no peace or prosperity and gave it...the word everlasting. When everything fades...His Glory stays as strong as it has ever been. When Friends fail...He is everlasting, his friendship remains. When frustration covers your life...his everlasting grace pushes everything aside. When love fails...Everlasting love has never let go.

I have found that I have resisted God's everlasting grace. There was a time in my life that I did not want Christ to show me what he had for me. I thought his everlasting plan was not good enough. Then when my plans failed, and failed, and failed his plan stood EVERLASTING. It outlasted my plan and Jesus welcomed me with everlasting arms. I realized that his arms never had left the welcoming position that he was waiting on me. God is slowly revealing to me his plan. After seeing how my plans failed recently (like in the last 2 years) I see that I would rather have an everlasting light guiding my path.

Many times I have heard the words, "It's just not enough". The girl who moves from Boy to Boy looking for love seems to say, "That guys love just isn't enough". The man who is a work-a-holic says, "60 hours in a week just isn't enough" The athlete says "breaking state records just aren't enough". Why is it that the things of this world aren't enough. When we try to create the paradise Satan has put in our minds, we find that it is never enough and we are stuck in this endless cycle of failure.

But when we decide to follow Christ's EVERLASTING plan, the plan that will always outlast and satisfy the heart, we find that things start falling into place. The girl finds the love of God through a guy who loves the same God, she finds that this kind of love is enough because it comes from an EVERLASTING source. The work-a-holic finds that when they work for the Glory of Christ that they are finally satisfied with who they are working for. The athlete starts to tap into the fact that they realize that an EVERLASTING God gave them a talent, that talent is meant to glorify Him who gave it to the athlete. So they find that when they glorify Christ, they don't need records to be complete. They need the satisfaction of knowing that their God is Everlasting, he is neverending, and the cry of that person's heart is to bring Him praise from the inside out.

Attack of the Prom Dates

So today was great! I went out with my dad to go look for somethings for my house that I will be moving into in a couple of weeks. Then we just did "man" things and went and looked at cars and drove around for a while. Today was so peaceful and good for me. I finally relaxed a little. So after all of the riding around Greenville, I came home and of course, got bored. So I decided there isn't much to do so I will go downtown and do my quiet time because I have not done it today. I was stoked about going to my spot at falls park. I have a two seater bench that I always sit on. That is spot #1. Spot #2 is a swing that is located on the back side of the park. Spot #3 and the final spot is a place on top of a drain entering the park that is almost toward the end of the falls.

I get to downtown and I forgot that there was the greek festival this weekend but no biggie. I can share my space with everyone. It's fine. But I started noticing Limos coming out of the wood work. THEY WERE EVERYWHERE!!!! Stretch Lincoln Navigators, Stretch Hummers, Stretch Town Cars. Then I remembered that the BMW Pro-Am was this weekend. So those have to be celebrities. Once again I'm cool. Everything is fine. So I go and park my car at the Fall's Park Parking Deck and for the first time ever, I have to drive the very top of the parking deck where I take the LAST spot. Ok something has to be up.

As I make my way toward falls park, I hear what sounds like hundreds maybe even thousands of people. As I turn the corner what do I find... Tuxedos and Prom Dresses as far as the eye can see. I'm glad I wasn't epileptic because the amount of florescent color could have sent me into a convulsion! These people were EVERYWHERE. There was no where to go. Spot #1 was long gone with a line of people waiting to have there picture made in front of or on the bench. Spot #2 had grandmas and grandpas waiting on the grandkids to "hurry up and get it over with already". So I went to my last resort, and God showed me great mercy....no one was sitting on my drain pipe!

It is funny how God can use your surroundings when he wants you to learn something. I was in a very impatient mood tonight. I did not want to be around all of these people. But I knew God had something to share with me. I opened my bible to psalms... I can't remember the exact verse but it said "Give thanks to the Lord, Our God and King. His Love endures forever". He was teaching me that I should be thankful, even when things are not exactly the way I wanted them. I was hoping for some eye opening experience with God tonight that was peaceful. That is why I always go to Fall's Park to do my quiet time.

God showed me that he can work through any circumstance to glorify himself...even the hectic ones. He always wants us to be thankful for everything we do. Even be thankful when things don't exactly go our way because he has set everything into motion.

So, next time you are attacked by the prom dates (unexpected turn of events), be thankful that the God of the Universe has set things into motion, then sit back and watch him work.

Monday's in Margaritaville....

So the title of this definitely sounds interesting. So it's Monday in Myrtle Beach. For some of you that are already questioning my Southern Baptist ethic...no, I don't drink. I have just seen Margaritaville signs everywhere down here. So the title seemed to fit. My Monday has started off great! I woke up at 8:30, got up did my quiet time, and am sitting in my friend Robert's brand new stilt house. Life is good. This Monday seems to be so much more different than most Mondays. I guess it's because I am on vacation. I guess it could also be because I am done with school at North Greenville and this is my week of Celebration with some of my best friends on the planet. I guess it could also be that today is better because I woke up at 4:00 A.M. yesterday to drive back home to see my Mother on Mother's Day. That was pretty intense and it caused me to be exhausted yesterday afternoon. So what did I do...I drove back to the beach, last night. But, I did take a nap so it wasn't that bad. I got on the road about 8:00 p.m. last night after hanging out with someone (I will let your minds wonder, who is this "someone".....hmmm). She and I talked about how Monday's are the worst. Except this Monday is an exception because well, I am on vacation. Anyway, back to the subject

Most Mondays are, well lets face it...hard. You go to bed Sunday night knowing, "well, it's time to start all over again." There are usually 52 Mondays in a year. 52 new starts to a new week. Before I go any further read this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

-Paul (Hebrews 12:1-2)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

-Paul (2nd Letter to Timothy 4:7-8)

Why is it that on Monday's, it is so hard for us to want to keep the race going? When Monday rolls around, I feel as if the race just starts all over again. Because of these natural thoughts, I am so glad God is a definite God. He is not a God of "What if". He clearly states to Moses that He is "I AM" which is an absolute truth.

Our world has taught us to believe that every week is the same, Monday being the worst and Friday Night - Sunday is the best because of no work. This causes us to take our eyes off of an endurance race. Each week is the same, mundane. Paul never talked about how long or short the race was. But he did say run the race with perseverance. Keep pushing. Our world sets us up for failure when it has teaches us to think that Monday is the start of another mundane week, because it causes us to take our eyes off of the end of the race.

Have you ever thought about the fact that perseverance isn't boring. In fact, it makes life kinda interesting. I remember the first camp that I ever did with the band, I was 14. The band I was involved with was no little thing. We had about 140-150 members, and worked hard. Here is the scenario:
It was 94 degrees outside, and we had only been outside for 45 minutes. I was ready to say, "Forget this crap." The director was a tyrant, and if we got a break from working hard for a minimum of 3 hours, it included about 30 - 40 seconds of drinking semi-warm gatorade. Then one of my friends said, "Morton, I can already see it on your face man." I new exactly what he was talking about. I was ready to quit. Now granted I wasn't a quitter, so I WAS NOT going to quit. But I wanted to. So that same friend said, "Let's see how long we can go without passing out." Of course being the tank of a 14 year old that I was, I lasted. But I had a goal,a prize, something to go after. Perseverance made it interesting. I wanted to see if I could outlast the other guy. If someone else was going to lose it before I did. It was a rough day, kids were puking, others passed out, but no one sat down. If you passed out, you got some water and sucked it up. Perseverance that day was very interesting.

So here is my final thought:

Because something may seem mundane, may be boring, may hurt, may be hard...never give up. It's not what we are called to do. Push through those Mundane Monday.

Independence vs. Isolation

Preface:

As I was walking downtown today, I saw a lot more people than I expected. People were talking and mingling and well...chillin. That is the only way to put it. I went and sat down on a swing at Falls Park to do my quiet time. There were people everywhere doing everything from playing with dogs, painting, to reuniting with old friends. But I had my purpose at falls park today so I put my iPod in and went off into Mortonville. I was reading a book called "Soul Cravings" by Erwin McManus. Interesting book. This is by far the hardest book I have ever read from a "dealing with reality" standpoint. McManus in his first entry makes this statement about love: "How is it that the same thing that can make your life a rhapsody can also leave you gutted, like a dead fish wrapped in day-old newspaper." (He is speaking about any kind of love I believe not just between two people, or just between you and God.) I wanted to put the book down and not read another word.

Why is even Agape (God's Love) such a hard thing to deal with? It is so simple yet so complex. I believe it is because this kind of love is one that gives life, and life is well complex. The giver of life is much more complex. He is something that the greatest Christian minds like Luther and Calvin could not wrap their minds around. Luther struggled with how to appropriately fear God, but taught the church that God is one who desires salvation through all men, through faith. Calvin (more or less his followers) tried to reduce God to an acrostic (T.U.L.I.P.) but at the same time tried to explain to everyone that God's love is good for salvation once and for all. There has always been this struggle because some of humanity realized along the way this fact:

Love = Life.

"To give up on love is to choose a life that is less than human. To give up on love is to up on life.", Erwin McManus

Who is the author of love? Jesus Christ/Holy Spirit/Father God. So I guess to say "Giving up on God is giving up on Life" and the other way around.

Independence vs. Isolation.

One of the most dangerous questions in all of humanity is " I wonder if anyone..." McManus addresses this in his book but specifically addresses "I wonder if anyone cares?" Why is this question so dangerous? because when asked in isolation or by yourself with no one else's say so, the answer is a resounding NO! It is dangerous to think alone. Thinking alone gets people in trouble. When you answer NO to the previous question you are leaving yourself wide open for attacks from Satan. Isolation is not good. This is why Jesus grants us the church body. This is why he created it. He wants us to have loving fellowship with each other.

Often times people confuse Independence with Isolation. I am a very independent person. I do stuff on my own. I am an only child, I like being able to do stuff by myself. For instance like today, it was really good for me to get downtown and walk around by myself with my iPod in Falls Park. But there is still that desire that God has given me to have family relationships, friendships, to have a girlfriend, to meet new people, and to "enlarge my circle of influence" so to speak. Just because you are independent does not give you the excuse to be alone. If there is one thing that I have learned from being a music major in college, it is that you cannot be forced to be in a practice room 24/7 with no contact with anyone. Now granted I probably used that a little to much as an excuse to go hang out with the guys, or just get in the car and go downtown. But people are not people anymore if they have no contact with others. Contact with the real world is not something that is optional, it is a must have.

So what does this have to do with love? Love is an interaction or a feeling between two individuals. So for love to exist there has to be two parties (the action of love that is, we know that God is the definition or noun of love) Isolation says that no 2 parties are needed. This is wrong. Where there is no love, there is no value for life. That is scary, so being in isolation could cause someone to not have a value for life. Very much so.

Live, Laugh, and Love seems to be a much more profound statement now.

A Whack In The Head.......With A Skillet

I think I am going to start writing these "notes" or what have you, every Saturday night. Somewhat like a Blog I guess. but anyway:

I was told by someone I used to work with about a situation that he was in. He is a teacher and he has a student whom he truly cares about. This student is very rebellious! Let's say his name is Tommy. Tommy does everything in his power to do the exact opposite of everything that this teacher, whom we will call James, says ( so for you slow folk out there Tommy = Rebellious Student and James = Teacher) As I listened to James talk the other day about Tommy, he kept on getting more and more angry about this young guy. "Tommy just does not get it," he would say. "Everything I do Tommy has to do the opposite just to get under me," James would say. "Tommy says he understands me, and that he wants to be the best, but acts after the fact, like he does not care at all," James ended. I said,"James so what is going on with Tommy then?" He said,"I don't know I tell him and show him how to act, how to behave, and how to perform..I punish him..and he still does not act right, even though he knows that it is best for him."

So I said, "James what are you going to do?" James said, "I will change nothing!" I started to ponder, this guy is a moron! He is complaining about a student who obviously has a huge issue with listening and obeying authority and he is going to do nothing! What the heck! "What do you mean you are going to change nothing?!?! This kid is making your life AWEFUL!!! Why don't you just give up....find another teacher to deal with him. Then you can really focus on the students that care," I said to James.

Then it hit me in the forehead like a five pound metal skillet! (been there don't ask). The more I thought about the next thought, the more my head began to throb. I felt as if I were literally getting a headache on my forehead from thinking about it.

"Love." James said boldly. James proceeded to say, "What if that guy has no one in his life that says I care about you with there actions? What if I am the only person in that student's life that cares about him to keep structure in his life? Even though he may not act on it, does not mean that I don't have an obligation as a person to be that stability in his life." James said," I am talking about a type of love that says, 'no matter what; no matter what you do, I won't give up on you' ".

From this point Christ took over the conversation. James kept complaining about Tommy and I kind of ignored him because I was so enthrawled with the concept that had been thrown in my face!

I do so much in my life. But if there is one thing that I find each day, it is that I am becoming (in my spiritual life) just like Tommy. Christ says to me, " Josh, this is how you are to live!", I respond with a chuckle and, " Okay God, what ever you say" and I don't act on what he told me to act on. I don't want to say anything much about me from here on out because obviously, Christ wants me to live the way he wants me to live, because it is best for me.

What does this say about the love of Christ? A lot....Adam had a beautiful relationship with God. Adam walked with Him and loved him...Then the unthinkable happened...Adam and his wife disobeyed. From the second that Adam and Eve sinned for the first time, God said, " I will do whatever it takes, no matter what you do I will not give up on you." From that point He walked with humanity, hand in hand all the way to the death of His own Son. Even Christ when He was being beaten by a whip, he took each hit saying "I won't give up, I will do whatever it takes!" When Jesus was on the Cross and He felt as if His Father had turned away from Him, He still remembered his promise, "I won't give up, I will do whatever it takes." During his final breath on this earth, He completed what He said He would complete.

"I have completed it, I did not give up, I have not given up, and I will not give up on you, no matter what it takes." Christ set the standard for Love. When He saw something that was His, and saw that something might threaten it....He made the statement by His actions that nothing would stop Him. What threatened His creation, was not just some outside adversary. They threatened themselves. We threatened ourselves. When we mess ourselves up and disobey His directions, He does not give up on us. Every action that He has made to help us, cries out....I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON YOU, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO TO ME, I WILL GIVE YOU ALL I HAVE GOT!!!

6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:6-8


What a standard.



How do you live up to that standard? Do you hold yourself to that standard, with the way that you care about others? I think it is very cliche, but does Christian not mean "little Christ"? Should we not reinact His love in our life everyday?

Are you willingly telling your family that you love them in this way?

Are you reaching out to someone around you that may not have this kind of love, and telling them by your actions, that you will do whatever it takes to show them you care?

In retrospect to the question above, if you are in a relationship are you being careful how you say the three word phrase, " I love you"? Because that statement is packed with a lot of thought when you compare it to the standard that Christ sets for what love is truly.

To some of my engaged friends....and married friends......Are you willing to say to Your future wife or husband (or your wife or husband) that no matter what, you will stick it out with them. Whether God brings storms or sunshine, Whatever it takes, I will not give up on you. That is the example of love He has set for you.

If you are a Christian, are your actions saying to the lost world, "My Jesus did not give up on you, I will not give up on you. Because he loved you, I also will love you."


I know a long note..........but you will live. Hopefully I was able to get that brain ticking. Leave your thoughts if you would like.

Where The Whole Realm of Nature Mine...

October 11,2008! It seems as if I just moved into my dorm room a week or so ago for my first semester as a freshmen. I have come in contact with thousands of people that I have never met before over the last three and a half years. So of all people, why did I tag you in this note? Some of you, I go to school with. Some of you I went to school with. Some of you I go to church with. Some of you are just acquaintances. Some of you are friends that I have not seen in more than 5 years. Some of you I chose to tag you in this note, merely for the fact you are a person of influence. Or maybe you had no idea, but when I was younger I looked up to you in some way. Everyone that I wanted to see this note is a person of influence, at his or her respectable school (with the exception of Clemson....just kidding its a great school).

This note is for everyone, but I wanted those who are mentioned in this note to see it specifically. Enough of that.....

Enlightenment.

That is a bold statement. Our generation strives to be enlightened. We want to know and understand everything. We have the choice to what we are allowing ourselves to be enlightened to. Some of us have chosen to explore our world, like myself. I know I want to understand everyone’s actions, the reason for doing what they do. I want facts or thoughts to be revealed to me that I have never seen or experienced before. There are many great things in this world to enlighten us. I am a music education major. I have learned things and experienced things in the education world that I never would have learned. And when I learn these things it is like a revelation, or a missing puzzle piece that has been put in place to complete the picture.
Where am I going with this...what are you allowing your heart to be enlightened to? What are you allowing to enter your mind? What are accepting as right and wrong? After being in education, and hopefully pursuing a Master’s in education from Univ. So. Car., I have come to the conclusion that every idea and thought that is given to me is not one totality. Meaning, these people that are choosing to help enlighten you are not giving you the entire picture. Much like Adam and Eve; the serpent told Eve that she would be enlightened, and know things of God if she ate the fruit. She was then enlightened after taking a single bite. Everyone knows the story from there.
We as a generation, need to look at the big picture. Yes, carpe diem (to seize the day) is a great thing, but only when put into perspective. So I want to create a challenge for you.

Christ

This man understood and still understands proper enlightenment more than anyone. I am concerned with our Generation, because we don’t understand him enough. Christ is wanting to reveal things to you. He is concerned with you. He wants to teach you how react, how to believe, and how to decipher. Our generation, does not know how to do these three things that I mentioned before. (how to react, how to believe, and how to decipher) We choose to react off instinct rather than knowledge of the Father. There are many of you that I have not seen in years, I hope that if you have been drawn away that this will be a beacon for you. Come back to where true enlightenment exists, with Christ. I believe that it is our job as people of influence to teach our Generation these things, in love. That is what Christ did. He got down and dirty with the people of His generation. He ate supper with them, drank water and wine with them, invited them to be with Him in public places.
So the Question is truly this, are you willing to take your place? Christ has blessed you with the ability to be a person of influence, are you willing to take the place that he has created for you? Are you willing to be his vessel. He has prepared something for you, that you can not fathom. It is time that you immerse yourself in the words of Christ. It is time for you to take your place. If God has revealed to you an opportunity for His glory, take it. Step out in faith. It is time for you to take your place.

I end with this...
There is Black and White
There is Right and Wrong
There is Truth
There is Love
There is Happiness
There is Peace

You can show the world you are involved in, all of these. You have an opportunity, take your place. Immerse yourself in the Creator of enlightenment, that is Jesus Christ. God Speed and God Bless!

Preparing The Fields For Rain

Life is hard. No questions about it, life is hard. Things happen that you don't expect, that may make a person's life hard. Other times, life just seems average. Nothing changes. Day to day seems the same. You wake up, do your work, run errands, work- out, and just do average things. It's not necessarily a bad life, but average can be hard. Why is that? When a person does not see change, they see it as failure. When a person sees failure they automatically assume that the activity or anything that they are participating in is well..... hard.

I talked to a friend just recently who had this problem. I myself have seen the average life as, hard. I have longed for a change. I have also been on the other side of the fence when life is made just....hard with problems or "giants" so to speak. Day after day something goes wrong. Then after a while, a person feels as if they fail at everything because they incapable of meeting the task at hand head on, and succeeding.

Life is Hard.

At the beginning of this semester, I felt as if I was not capable of defeating the giant that was taunting me. I felt as if fear and failure were going to win. I had so much on me. I planned out the semester and between school, planning for my recital, practicing for my recital, work at the church, work at the school, friends and family; I felt as if I was set up for failure. I knew in the back of my mind I was going to fail. I would not win this fight.

Life is Hard.

A friend of mine said... pray. Sounds simple. Too simple. What do I ask for? I prayed that God would suffice the voids in my life, that he would be my strength, that he might give me an unnatural ability to push myself to my limit to make this semester happen. A few days later i went back to my friend. I told him that I prayed. He told me to prepare my fields for rain.

What does that mean? He said that a farmer whose farm was in a drought, prayed for rain. That farmer was faithful to God and he began to prepare his fields so that his fields could retain the most water possible. Guess what, he got rain. He would have missed out on the blessing if had not prepared because the field would have lost the water.

After hearing this story I decide to prepare my fields for rain. I decided that I was going to chase what I prayed for. I decided to work against the giant. Fight back.

So the battle began.

When I showed effort, God showed me his answer to my prayer. I pushed, he gave me more strength. I worked hard, practiced hard, and continued to pray hard. God responded with giving me that unnatural ability to push through hard work. I would stay up late practicing, and get up early and study. My days consisted of working, studying, practicing, ans sleeping. That is it. I put all of me into my goal. I pushed and pushed and pushed. I gave my all, so did God.

I performed my recital, I won my fifth state championship, I had my highest GPA ever, and my relationships with family and friends have been better than ever.

If I had not prepared my fields, would this semester have been what it turned out being. The answer is.........no.

Never, Never, Never give up. Plan for the unthinkable. Pray for the unreachable. Never, Never, Never give up.