Yahweh.

Malachi 1:11-12
11 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.'

From the 9/11 terrorist attacks to the Oklahoma bombings to the Columbine and V Tech shootings, these violent outbreaks all meant for a chaotic country. These days were forever marked in the history books. Now for the last several months another tragedy has affected the country: the oil spill in the Gulf.

The truth of the matter is we're bound to always have tragic events unveil in our country. It's hard to accept the reality, but it is what it is. Too often we become complacent about such events.

The sad thing that is becoming all too real is that we're forgetting the God of our nation. Our church visits become all too ritualistic. Don't make it a necessity; go because you want to go! Did I mention our prayers? They're too routine. It's so hard to understand why we function the way we do.

National and world crises evolve everyday. It's a bit frightening. If we get to know the Lord, he can be there to answer our questions, comfort, and guide us through the rocky times.

These times were much anticipated by God. The awesome thing is that no matter how many times we turn our backs to God, he is always pleading for us. He wants to forgive us and to heal us.

Now onto Yahweh. Yahweh is a Hebrew word that means "he is" or "he exists." God is here for you and me...and all of the nation from the ends of the earth. God wants to be your best friend. Do you believe that he's your God?

Remember last week when I was talking about our Abba, Father? I also mentioned a mysterious song...well here it is: "Yahweh" by Tal and Acacia.

Lyrics are not on the video because I haven't found a video with the lyrics online, but they can be found on the following site: http://www.onlylyrics.com/hits.php?grid=11&id=1040004
The chorus is posted below...

Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
Do I believe that you're my God
That You're all I need That you're all I need
Do I believe that you'll sit down
and be crowned my king for eternity
So Let time Pass Away
My Daddy, My Abba, My Best Friend
YAHWEH



P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.

HAPPY 500TH POST! MAY THE LORD BE AN ACTIVE PART OF MANY LIVES. MAY MY DADDY, ABBA, BEST FRIEND, YAHWEH, CONTINUE TO GIVE ME THE RIGHT WORDS TO SAY EACH DAY. LET GOD SHOW "YA THE WAY" (as yahweh suggests).
Chances are my posts won't be all too regular for the next couple weeks as family will be in town. Keep checking in!

Sin is Here.

Romans 6:11-12
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

Sin surrounds us like the plague. It's so hard to get rid of and ignore; it's something that will always be there. It can be such a nuisance toward our spirituality in simplest terms.

...And when you sin, you sin. Isn't that the truth? Some days are just really bad and you may even be afraid that the sin police will come after you because of your behavior. Obviously, if this happens, then rain is dampening your spiritual intimacy with God.

The good news is that God provides us with his gift of grace. I think we owe him a lot. If we can be cleansed and purified by the Holy Spirit, then I believe the least that we can do is live for God as Christ.

How can we live for God? Limit any temptations of sin. Sure, nobody is going to be perfect, but you must try with all your heart to avoid sin. Realize that during this time the Holy Spirit's job is to give us the ability to live in such a way that no one's offer could even come close.

Make yourself aware that your sinful past is dead. God forgives! Your objective today is to match the holy awesomeness and righteousness of God. May each and every one of you conform to the grace of God.

He is Real.

I John 2:27
27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

I'm back from FSU orientation and I definitely learned so much about campus (life) and I'm excited to start classes on June 28. Nonetheless, it's been a long few days.

Have you ever experienced something moving and at least a little part of what you learned is left within you? That happens to me so much. Most recently, on Tuesday night at FSU there was an incredible presentation during orientation by Curtis Zimmerman. He is a speaker, comedian, and author. He does fire eating, miming, juggling, and can make everyone look foolish in the classic game of "Simon Says."

There are several things that I learned from Curtis while being entertained:
- You become successful from all of your failures.
- If you say you CAN do something, it's that much easier to actually succeed.
- Be the director of your life.
- Write a new script. That is, take risks. Focus on new scripts, don't just reminisce on the old ones (example: switch things up instead of saying "good" every time someone asks "How are you?"
- Cast your show wisely and eliminate those who drag you and bring you down in life.
- Be a responsible leader and be open for change.
- How to juggle!
- That it is possible to feel nauseated from laughing so much!
There is no doubt in my mind that Curtis inspired many students to "live the dream."

Meantime, as we transform into ever-growing Christians, we are always cleansed and purified by something that stays within us: the Holy Spirit. As I mentioned last week, we are filled with the Holy Spirit many times. It's a feeling that we sometimes ignore or sometimes seek.

The book of John refers to the Holy Spirit experience as "anointing." The Holy Spirit helps us to decipher, better comprehend, and hear God's will for our lives. It also helps us to live in the midst of the truth. We can be seen as Jesus when we live out the truth of life and realize that God is with us.

Curtis Zimmerman, said something like: "Even though a resumé got you to where you are today, it's not about the resume, but rather the real-sumé. The real-sumé is who you are on the inside, not the outside."

God's House.

Ephesians 2:19-20
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

EDIT -- I will be busy this weekend and out of town Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for college orientation. I won't have time to write any posts. Devotions will be back Thursday; Saturday and will be my 500th post :)

I'm sure you've done some people watching before and noticed some very different people. They may look a little different, talk differently, or act differently. It's natural for us to all notice these things. There are no excuses, however, for not telling them about God and his family. You can't use their distinctiveness as a scapegoat. The apostle Paul wants us to know that we belong! We need to be a part of one, big community.

Why are we not foreigners, aliens, or outsiders? Because of God's grace! We belong to God's family no matter what. After all, we all have roles and no two people are going to have the same exact roles. God needs all of us. It should also be mentioned that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, or the foundation, for God's house. Second to Jesus, we are all a part of God's house. We'll never be kicked out. We'll always be together in his house.

Abba, Father, time and time again you bless others no matter their generation or race. You stay strong to your promises while I fail. Thank you for providing me with grace through Jesus or else I wouldn't know the people who I know today. I'm glad you continue to openly accept me into your house even though I sometimes doubt I am worthy to live up to your standards. Remind me that I belong to you.

Abba, Father.

Romans 8:15-16
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

This is Abba as it is referenced once out of three times in the New Testament. Abba means father and in context, this reading is talking about how the Holy Spirit of God is the one that in fact cries in us and validates God's existence.

Have you ever heard a baby cry for their "da-da?" Don't they usually learn how to say "daddy" first? I think of God when I hear that now because we have the privilege to be able to call him our "Abba, Father." In much of the same way, I find it a blessing when someone calls out to God as "Abba" in prayer.

Just like the early baby sounds, we can cry out to the Lord. We have the opportunity to cry out to him with a longing heart, great intimacy, and trustworthiness. We're vulnerable and God always hears our cry.

As today's Bible reading suggests: the Holy Spirit is one way in which we can grow in familiarity with God. We don't have to be fearful because we can always go to our Father with great love and tenderness. The Abba, Father, is always looking for ways to bless us.

Abba, Father, you are so glorious. Your power is ceaseless. Your forgiveness is much needed. Thank you for being fair and ever present in our hearts. Help me know that you are near, today.

P.S. So there's this song that I can't seem to find online but it popped into my head as I read today's scritpure...I remember hearing it on the radio in the past. It goes "Abba, Father..." then I think still it goes "...you're all I need into eternity." At least, I think that's the same song. Anyone know the name of that song?

Children of God.

Romans 8:14
14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Yesterday I talked to you about your identity. As Christians, we all have one common identity: children of God. Nothing can take that fact of life away. Christ died for us!

Today, Romans tells us that if we are led by the Spirit, then we are sons of God. The problem is that so many of us don't understand the Spirit because it's not discussed enough in the Sunday sermons or during Bible study. I like to think of the Holy Spirit as an extra thick layer of God's love that surrounds us. As the spirit lives in us, it protects us and lets us feel God's presence first hand.

Because we have God's Holy Spirit within us, our body is a holy temple. Much as a church is not just a building, but it's the people who work to empower the community with Christ, the Holy Spirit is the same way. The Holy Spirit works in us to help us to be more Christ-like. Therefore, we have the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as Galatians 5:22-23 states.

The Spirit is God's way of talking to us during prayer. When we don't have the power to express our thoughts or don't understand something, the Holy Spirit takes over. Oh, and that amazing sensation when you worship is the spirit as well. I mentioned that it communicates to us. It never fails to make sure that we recognize that we're children of God either!

A rejuvenating song for the day is "We Shine" by Fee. There are a couple other artists like Unhindered and Stellar Kart who sing this song as well.



P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.

My Identity.

John 1:12
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Friday night, I went to a concert with some youth from church. We had an incredible time down in West Palm Beach as we saw Tenth Avenue North. I really love that, even though it was a short concert (it was free), the words and messages that they bestowed upon us were just a blessing and simply priceless.

Tenth Avenue North is becoming more and more mainstream Christian. You hear their songs "By Your Side" and "Love is Here" on the radio a lot. They released a new album this month called "The Light Meets the Dark." The thing I love about this band is that they're so open and honest about what you not only have to do to grow in your Christian faith, but more importantly what you have to do to grow closer to God.

The lead singer, Mike Donehey, had some really powerful things to say with regard to our personal appearance and especially our identity. God has really been talking to me about that over the last couple weeks as it's been coming up at youth group. I believe it's part of preparing me for college.

You see, the problem is our peers and others try to convince us that what we've done in the past is who we are. When really, God doesn't think in those terms. None of us deserve to have God's grace, but we are all recipients of it.

We're all children of God and no one can take that away. We're a child of God who just happens to be the leader singer of a band, cheer lead, or write a blog in my case. Use your cheer-leading skills, for example, to bless other children of God. Don't look at it as your whole identity because that can quickly change: What if your voice is gone tomorrow and you can't sing? What if you break a leg and you can't cheer? What if the Internet is gone next week and I can't post any more blogs?

Never let your mistakes get the better part of who you are either. God gives us a clean slate every time, we just have to promise to come back stronger than ever for his glory. Chris said, "the choices you make don't make you who you are. What Christ has done for you, makes you who you are."

Lord help us remember that our identity is not what we like to do, for that may be temporary. Help us realize that we are a child of God who can use our interests for the betterment of your kingdom.

Listen to the words of "You Are More" by Tenth Avenue North. May you realize that you are more! Finally, I leave you with some more of Chris' words: "We're not struggling to be free, if we're in Christ, we're free to struggle.

Thank You, Pastor.

2 Corinthians 9:11
11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Staying on the grateful track, today I want to appreciate my pastor. Pastor Renee has seen me grow up over the last 11 years. She offered me her wisdom and all sorts of advice that I can't even begin to throw on paper so to speak.

This past Sunday was Pastor Renee's last sermon at church. She is going into retirement and really just needs to relax because of her health and spend time with her family. I can't tell you how much I learned from her. She was so honest and had such a way with words. I remember her kind heart as she offered my parents and I a place to stay at her house when we had no power for more than ten days after one of the hurricanes.

Perhaps one of the most important items that I gained from Pastor Renee was that we can learn so much from God if we just keep our eyes open. There are so many ways that we can see God in others and he can teach us through others. I know before every Sunday morning message she would say something like "Lord, sweep me aside if my words aren't right and replace them with yours." Sometimes our words and actions are blocked by earthly emotions and it interferes with the Lord's message. She didn't want that to keep anyone from experiencing God each Sunday.

I also learned from her that prayer is important. You have to trust the Lord with everything. It's all about faith. I know whenever she had health problems or concerns within the family she would bring them up to the congregation because she knew she could use the comfort and trusted the will of God.

Finally, the small things are just as influential as the bigger things. I know that just the little compliments and the little prayers helped me grow so much in my faith. Pastor Renee was nevertheless (her favorite word) a wonderful role model, one who I could always depend on, and one who always had a lot of confidence toward me. There's no doubt in my mind that she is in large part the reason I am who I am today: she's a leader in Christ and so am I.

So, Pastor Renee, "thank you for giving to the Lord. I am a life that was changed." Listen to the song "Thank You" by Ray Boltz. It was played Sunday by the praise team in honor of her service to our church.



P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.

I'm Grateful for You.

Ephesians 1:15-16
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

I want to take time today and remember "Aunt" Eleanor who passed away on Thursday. She was like an aunt to us all in the family, but really she was a step mom to my dad and his brothers and sister. Eleanor always asked how everyone was doing even though she may not have remembered people's names very well; she still knew of them in her heart.

Her heart was so warm and fuzzy. She never failed to give money to charitable organizations, church, and family members as she saw fit. I was always very grateful when she always supported the mission trips that were always a part of my summers. There were various other occasions where she supported me as well, such as, most recently, graduation. One of the last things she ever did was write a nice note and give me a check. She also talked about the family with my dad immediately before the end of her time.

Even though you couldn't do too much with her, you could still visit her or go out to dinner with her. We could keep her company and catch up on everything. All in all, because of her giving nature and faithfulness, you can tell she listens to God's calling and puts him first.

So now Aunt Eleanor, I say thank for being generous to the family. You can finally see Grandpop again! "Into the darkness you shine, out of the ashes we rise...And if our God is for us then who could ever stop us, and if our God is with us, then what could stand against?"

Those words are from the song "Our God is Greater" by Chris Tomlin. No matter what you're going through remember that God is with you. He has the awesome power to shine against through the negative light.



P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.

Tony Dungy.

Matthew 16:26
26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Tony Dungy is a former professional American football player and coach in the NFL. He announced his retirement from the Colts more than a year ago. He believed that it was more than just winning. His job was to share the good news of Christ with others.

When Dungy was in Tampa, he was a public speaker and worked for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action. He even supported charitable organizations such as Family First, a foster parenting organization.

Dungy is an evangelical Christian who at one point speculated about going into the prison ministry. He admits that he has been a devout Christian and it's a good thing because he has been through a lot; his faith has let him get by in life. His son died a couple of years ago. There's one thing that's for sure: God kept him on his toes through the highs and lows. God can do the same for you.

From what I see, Dungy believes that the first will be the last, and the last will be the first. You can't just surrender your life to God, but you have to live for God and serve others as well.

Today's scripture reading calls us to lay our lives before the Lord. We have to honor God and redeem others. The cross is open to anyone. God, may your faith guide us to surrender to your will. May we have the power to know the truth that Christ died for us.

"If people didn’t know me and only knew my public persona, what I’d want them to know is everything that I do, I do for the Glory of Lord," Dungy says. "Because of my Christian faith, that’s who I am. I wasn’t always that way, but I’m very proud that I am. I would tell people that I’m the same person. I have ups and downs. I have negative thoughts, negative actions. I don’t win every game. I have the same issues that everybody else has. What I’ve tried to do is use my faith in my job and let my faith direct me.

I hope you learned a little something about these celebrities this week. Remember to keep positive role models in your life who hold you accountable to your Christian faith and relationship with Christ.

Please keep my family in your prayers over the weekend and on Monday for funeral services and travel mercies. My dad lost his step mom this week.

Kirk Cameron.

Philippians 3:8
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ


Kirk Cameron was a man who experienced tremendous change. He converted from atheism to Christianity when he was just 17 years old. This happened because when he met a girl, he realized that she had something that he didn't: faith. That involved going to church, getting some questions answered, and he eventually asked the Lord to be a part of his life. Since then, his Hollywood role has never interfered with hindering his faith. Cameron will be 40 this year and has six children, four were adopted. He got married 17 years ago. He has a camp called Firefly that is especially for terminally ill children.

He often stars in Christian films. The latest being Fireproof. It is a highly recommended movie, by the way (maybe I'll do a series on this over the summer...so you better watch it if you haven't already). The thing that inspires me the most is that Cameron doesn't do anything to compromise his faith. He refuses to kiss another actress because he is faithful to one person: his wife.

Kirk Cameron has gained the Lord in dedicating his life to him. It's not easy for anyone, but he is living proof that it is possible to let Christ help you make decisions.

As we begin to wrap up the week of Christian role models, realize that there are good people in the world who you can look up to. Christ needs to be your main focus. You also have to shoot to be like Christ in everything you do. Don't accept him into your heart and then no nothing. May God help you make wise decisions so that you gain Christ instead of the world!

Kurt Warner.

Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

It's inspiring to see those who get all the media attention or are big in Christian ministry spread the Word. Just to see what makes them tick is also awesome. I'll be continuing the series for the rest of the week...now, for the guys.

Kurt Warner is a formal NFL football player who most recently played quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Whenever you're the star of the game, many people look up to you and I think Warner realized that...he had to share his faith.

He said, "This(verse) encourages me to set aside everything I ever thought was important and focus on what He is telling me is important. From the day I became a Christian, until the day I see Jesus face to face, my goal in life is to align my thoughts, my actions and my life with the perfect plan of my Heavenly Father. This, to me, is what being a Christian is all about and the reason Matthew 6:33 has changed my life."

You see, even though he was raised in a church all of his life, it took him most of his life to get his faith act together. He finally came to know the Lord at about the age of 25, over 13 years ago. Warner is a believer that Christianity isn't just a religion, it's relationship and lifestyle.

Kurt Warner gives blessings back to the community by using what God has given him. He and his wife set up the "First things first" foundation. It helps single parents and those with debilitating diseases. Warner was awarded the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2008.

I love how the foundation is called "first things first." It originates from a superbowl interview in 1999:

Mike Tirico from ABC: "Kurt, first things first — tell me about the final touchdown pass to Isaac."
Kurt Warner: "Well, first things first, I've got to thank my Lord and Savior up above — thank you, Jesus!"

Kurt Warner seeks the Kingdom values and I hope and pray that you do as well.
We influence so many people. May we glorify the King in all ways by bringing others to Christ.

Here's an interview with Kurt Warner:



P.S. If you have trouble with the video stopping and starting, keep the video paused, and let it "buffer" (load) as it's called for a while. You will see the red bar along the bottom advance (speed depends on your Internet connection). Wait until that bar gets pretty far along (I'd say more than halfway) before you play the video and it shouldn't pause.