Show Me How to Do the Impossible- Forgiveness!

It’s been a very long time since I wrote a blog, more than a few months. But this break has given me some time to relax, and just reflect upon life and how I am blessed to be living in a world where I know that whatever happens is nothing compared to the everlasting glory waiting before me- the Kingdom the Lord is preparing for us to inhabit when He comes again. Recently, I have been thinking about the generation of today- the technological one that spends almost 24/7 online; and how they interact with people from the other side of the globe. Then there’s the one who watches TV, listens to music, and watches almost every movie under the sun. There’s some that watch news most nights compared to others who just simply would be content if they just read a book. Today, there are a million different ways to be kept entertained, and more often than not, people are choosing the option where a screen of some sort is involved.

Because of our interconnectedness through the internet (and in recent times, facebook and twitter); we need to closely analyse whatever we do, because the music that we listen to, the TV shows that we watch and the games that we play go far beyond entertainment, compared to years ago when that was all it was. Now, information is being passed by this medium of blogging, posting articles, even watching videos are a good way to learn something new. Which brings me to the question- can you learn something new and interesting, or better still, can God, the maker of the universe and Father to you and me, speak to us through this medium of technology? A song or a movie, or even a TV series, can in fact speak to our very souls, and show us something about ourselves and others that God may want us to delve more into, to look inside our hearts and discover what He has for us, both now and into the future. Songs, movies, TV and the like are more than entertainment, certainly for the Y and Z generations. Believe it or not, these forms of ‘entertainment’ now have the power to motivate, encourage, help- even change someone’s life as they ponder things about their own lives that only God can reveal. God can, and is able, and does use these mediums to speak to His creation, and as we continue to navigate this technological culture, we will come across a movie, a TV show, even a song or a book, that will speak to our hearts and show us something about our hearts, or even the Father’s heart, as we understand more of who He is, and where we fit in the long and never-ending story of God.

2012 has been a very good year in Christian music, and there have been a few standouts. A few blogs ago, I wrote about a MercyMe song ‘The Hurt and the Healer’, that had impacted my life and had risen to be one of my favourite songs of 2012. Lately it’s been a song by singer-songwriter, Matthew West, ‘Forgiveness’; that has been influential in lives around the world and in mine as well. Speaking about the topic we all feel like is an impossible choice, we are reminded of how hard it is to forgive, and how Christ in us is the way we ought to make the choice as we lay down our burdens before the Lord and live without the bitterness hanging over our hearts. This chart-topping song is one of the most transparent, heartfelt and encouraging melodies I’ve heard this year. With the story behind this song already a viral hit on Godtube.com, the story presents a very real scenario, in which I may struggle to forgive if I was suddenly placed within it. As we are always told to ‘forgive and forget’, it can be ‘easier said than done’ as we try with our own strength to look past the indiscretions of others, even when we truly realise that what we’re trying to do is an impossible feat to accomplish. Nevertheless, as we give forgiveness a chance through the complete help and work of Christ within us, we will be free from the chains (though not physical, they still have a great stronghold on many people) that some of us may be under for as long as we try with the strength that we have, rather than surrendering to Christ and letting Him work through us, healing the wounds and urging us to practice some of the most endearing, yet equally confronting and faith-challenging decisions of our lives. Matthew wrote this song based on how a mother forgave her daughter’s killer, and advocated on behalf of him for his release from prison- rallying alongside him as he began to transform during his time served inside the gaol cell. To be honest, this feat; can only be done through a miracle of God- nothing else can be the driving factor in such a compelling, humble and heartfelt act of grace, mercy and compassion. There is freedom when we leave our bitterness by the wayside to embrace the surrender to Christ as we face our daily issues and as we come to terms with the things that will eat us up physically, emotionally and spiritually otherwise; with this 4:27 melody giving many people healing since it’s release on radio a few months ago, aiming to promote awareness of something that ought to be pursued if we should live life to the fullest.

With heartfelt words and a great story of redemption and hope to go along with it, ‘Forgiveness’ is just one of many songs that are touching many listeners around the world, as we understand that a song can even change a person’s life, just as much as a long sermon. There is such power in songs, as well as TV, movies and books, that our entertainment that we immerse ourselves in almost every day has the ultimate power to shape our beliefs and ideals, understanding that next time we watch our favourite show, or listen to our favourite song, there may be moments where God may speak, longing for us to listen to the things He wants us to say. Let us not be dismissive when God starts to speak through methods that we may sometimes see as unconventional- like through a movie or a book. God can use whatever means He wants to grab our attention and show us the things that He knows will impact us, and who are we to question that? As we open our minds and heart to proactively seek the Lord and say, ‘God, speak to me in whatever way!’, we will hear Him speak, and realise the value of the song, or the book, or the TV show, or the movie that has impacted someone so much that they decide to change paths, or they decide to turn their life around. Something so life-changing that they start to encounter the Lord’s presence and understand His unending, unequivocal and unending Love, not only for all creation, but also for them too!

Before I finish this blog, let me ask you a question. What is your favourite song, or movie, or TV show? Has God ever spoken through these mediums to You? If not, do you think that He might? Will you listen whenever that occurs?

Here below is the story behind Matthew West’s hit 2012 song, ‘Forgiveness’. Hope you can watch it and be inspired at the work Christ can do in lives if we only just place down our barriers and surrender to Him!

Til next time,

Jon.

When Life Doesn't Go The Way I Thought It Should

It’s been a while since I published a blog, and looking back on it, the break was just what I needed. You know the feeling when you just need to step back and review life, stop and take a break and just appreciate a day for what it is, rather than to delve into the microdetails and just worry about this or that? It isn’t something that comes naturally to me. Usually (this is just me speaking out of experience), I tend to be a natural worrier. Looking back at my familial history and how it has been a trend for anxiety to creep into normal life, I understand that as I start to worry, I know that even if it is ‘hereditary’, it doesn’t have to be.

It may be a lot of things why society worries. Acceptance, approval, lack of sleep or exercise; whatever the case may be, as we worry about our lives, we become susceptible to what the devil tries to say about us- we’re no good if we do this or that, your parents will only accept you if you perform to the best of your ability, and on and on the lies keep coming. We are bombarded with the media and those around us that give us what they want us to hear about how we ought to live our lives and what is expected of us. If we don’t truly know or understand our own identity as sons and daughters of God, we will be swayed by popular opinion when we are shown that our lives are only enhanced if we perform. But this is not what Jesus says about the situation. What we are anxious about all stems back to an issue we all have with the identity that we have been given, compared to what God sees about us. God has shown us time and time again through His Word that worrying and anxiousness doesn’t come from Him. We are met with comfort and assurances that when we do feel worried, all we have to do is call on Jesus, understanding that our identity isn’t based upon what popular opinion says, or the media, or even parents. God has not given us a fearful spirit, but one of power, strength and good discipline (paraphrased from 2 Timothy 1:7). As we immerse ourselves in the knowledge that Christ within us is more powerful than the anxiousness and worrying we submerse ourselves in everyday, we can rise with full confidence that God will deliver us out of the situations that continuously hold us back.

Recently I’ve been planning for the future ahead (6 months-1 year), and it is very scary indeed. Going out into the big world where performance matters, as well as how you look, how you act and how you talk; I have come to realise that it may be even harder than I even initially assumed. Applying for jobs, wondering where you really want to head, analysing strengths, weaknesses; even trying to find the things that are both hidden to myself and the people around me, so that God can shape me to become the child of God He has made me to become; worries me a little. Because once you submit Yourself to the Lord and ask Him to do whatever He will do make me a better person (in a spiritual sense); God will hold you to it, even show you some things that may cause you discomfort, so that you can understand the issues in your life that you need to work through so that you can grow and become the godly men and women the Lord has wired us to be from the beginning of time.

Worrying isn’t from God, nor is anxiousness. As we feel these emotions when we become apprehensive to big changes (like planning ahead for the future, seeking out what we really want our lives to reflect in 10 or 20 years!); these are just judgemental condemnations the devil wants to whisper into our ears as we start to question even if the task we need to undertake will make a great impact in our lives. For every circumstance and event that happens isn’t necessarily caused by God (no bad thing ever is!) but events are all used by Him for our good as we carve out our paths to walk side by side to where Christ points us to go. As we carry on with this life, and ask ‘why did this happen’, maybe we need to stop and really ask the question, ‘am I really trusting God in this area of my life?’ Because anxious and worry is a lack of trust in the plans God has for us. For all you know, sometimes when things don’t go how we plan it to, it may be because God has something better in store for us. Yes, the devil may cause you to do some things that will shut a door that you so badly want to walk through, but there is nothing that is impossible for Christ, and if He has shaped you to become a baker, He will present people in your path to lead you to that. If He has wired to be a mechanical engineer, no matter how many obstacles you need to jump through, your skills will be utilised as you move on your journey to be one. The talent that God has given to you will certainly be used for His glory as you press in and understand the passion placed in your heart.

As I finish this blog, let me ask you a few questions. Have you ever been in a position of anxiousness or worry as you question your future and your role in it? What has the Bible said about your identity and where you are placed in the never-ending story of God? Are there any growth opportunities you need to journey through that will be certain to stretch you physically and emotionally? What have you learnt about trust in God, and how has it been applied in your life so far? There is a song recently; that has widened my understanding about what happens and whether God really has my best interests at heart. John Waller’s ‘Because God is Good’ speaks about how when life doesn’t go to script, when things just pop out of left field, and how we respond. Listen to the song, and see the revelation that I obtained, that ‘…when life doesn’t go the way I thought it should, sometimes it’s because God is good…’

Til next blog, reflect on how to decrease anxiousness and worry in your everyday life!

Jon.

When the Hurt and the Healer Collide

MercyMe have long been one of my favourite Christian bands. With such honesty and hopefulness from songs such as ‘I Can Only Imagine’, ‘Word of God Speak’ and ‘Here With Me’; I was eagerly anticipating their May 22^nd release, ‘The Hurt and the Healer’ (which released on iTunes and Amazonmp3 last week). As you are probably aware from an earlier post, in early April my family and I went to a MercyMe concert in Baulkham Hills (about 2 hours drive from Sydney City) and what met us there was a night of worship and praise, as worship artist Michael W. Smith and gospel quartet Ernie Haase and the Signature Sound joined MercyMe for one of the most memorable concerts that I have ever been to in years. Promoting their new CD, lead singer Bart Millard shared with the audience as he introduced the band’s first radio single and title track.

‘The Hurt and the Healer’ is one of my favourite songs from MercyMe, and as Bart explained during the concert, the song is about the point in our lives during the midst of our hurt when we discover the healer, knowing full well that what He offers is not necessarily the answer that will make everything feel better, but rather, what is offered is solace, hope in the midst of calamity, reassurance in the middle of the storms that surround us. Throughout the build up to this May 22^nd release, MercyMe have been going through some personal issues, starting with keyboardist Jim Bryson taking a leave of absence from the band, as well as Bart’s fire-fighter cousin (who felt to him more like a brother) dying in the line of duty. Through all these tragedies, Bart, Mike, Barry, Robbie and Nathan are standing strong, understanding that despite all of our problems here on Earth, God is still on His throne, still reigning over all of creation. What Bart said on the night struck me as poignant, imparting that even if God told us why, why this happened or this didn’t happen; the things that are hurtful to us still won’t hurt less. What a remarkable observation, that even if we truly understand the reasons why, we’ll still be mad, we’ll still be sad, we’ll still be angry and upset. So God just promises one simple thing, for Him to be the healer to our hurts. As we continue to read and delve into His Word, we will find the remedy to our pain, in the Author and Perfector of our lives. God is with us in the valleys, showing us that He that has fashioned us in the very palm of His hands will be ‘…with you always, even until the end of this age…’ (Matthew 28:20- NCV).

‘The Hurt and the Healer’ has really shown me how much to trust God, even during the times when I don’t really know what is going on. As Bart sings out in the chorus ‘…I'm alive even though a part of me has died, You take my heart and breathe it back to life, I fall into Your arms open wide where the hurt and the healer collide…’ I am amazed at how they have it the nail on the hammer. When something happens to you that is traumatic as someone dying, or finding out you have a terminal illness, or when someone betrays you beyond you can ever imagine; something is taken from you, and like the chorus suggests, sometimes you can recover, but you’ll never fully be like how you were before, there’ll always be a part of you that has ‘died’ when you heard the unfortunate news about something or someone that you have cared about. Regardless of your circumstance, we can all agree that when something tragic happens to you or someone else, nothing is the same. But the Lord gives us a promise that we can take: ‘…Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint…’ This verse above, Isaiah 40:28-31; has given me great comfort through many years, knowing and understanding that the Lord is for us, not against us; loving us through the times when we need Him the most, and reassuring us during the difficult seasons, that even if we may often feel like some part of us has ‘died’ during our season of despair and desolateness; God is promising us that He is making all things new; taking our soft and fragile hearts and breathing new life into them; thereby giving us the resolve and courage to move on, knowing that every situation brings glory to Him.

Sometimes it can be just a song that can change someone’s life, and reading through all of the positive reinforcement that MercyMe have been receiving about their single; the same can be said about their song. ‘The Hurt and the Healer’ has touched lives because it is a real, honest song about the struggles we all face, the pain that we all feel, and the reconciliation between creator and created, God and man, the hurting and the healer. When our limited understanding about how our pain should feel and how the healing should be; collides with the sovereign Almighty who’s showing us to steady our hearts and trust in His ability to give us the healing that we need in the right timing that we need it; we are able to appreciate and trust in the fact that God always keeps His promises, and always hears our cries for help, sometimes choosing to help us during the times of despair, yet other times, choosing to weave and use the circumstances that we face as lessons for us to rely more and more on the healer and maker of our lives; rather than on our own abilities. The beauty of the healer is that God knows that we are wanting, but He will certainly give us when we are all inherently needing.

There are days in our lives when all we can do is just make it through the day. Things are going on at work, our bosses are telling us that these deadlines need to be accomplished, and we are given work from every angle. We are swamped, and together with the hurt that we may sometimes feel, life can sometimes be a little stagnant. But I am certain that as we surrender our lives fully to the One who made it; we will let go of all our worries and fears, doubts and insecurities. God is speaking to us, longing for us to open our hearts to Him as He invades our hearts, breaking our fears and awakening our hearts to His love. ‘The Hurt and the Healer’ is certainly doing it’s part to free lives from the pain that they feel; and I’m sure after you hear the song, it could impact you as well.

Before I end this blog, let me pose a question. What things are you holding onto today, that you’re afraid to give over to God? Why so? Sometimes all we have to do is to come as we are to the Father, without any preconceived ideas as we are transformed by the Father’s love for each of us. When everything has fallen, Jesus Christ remains, and that is the hope that we have; that even during the darkest of our days; He will always pull us through! Think about it, and below is the live video for ‘The Hurt and the Healer’. Listen to it, comment, and just soak in the knowledge that Jesus wants to be the healer if we let Him.

Til next time,

Jon.

Living the Time that is so ever Valuable

Just the other week, I saw the recent film, ‘In Time’. Starring singer-turned-actor Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried, I was impressed with how this film portrayed an image of the future, and definitely made me think about my own life and how I want to spend it. The film portrayed the future like this; that time is the new currency. Everyone lives til they are twenty-five; and then they are given one more year left, unless they can bargain their way for more years, by working or stealing. Items cost ‘time’, and are taken from the clock that’s ticking down on your arm. The rich are able to live as long as they want, thousands or even millions of years. But for this to happen, the poor are to suffer for it. Places are cordoned off into ‘time zones’, the rich living in seclusion and isolation in ‘New Greenwich’ to what is going on in the ‘Ghettos of Dayton’, where murder, theft, and other desperate crimes are committed every day. Time-keepers rule the city and allocate time, giving them to people that are willing and can afford the price that they ultimately pay. Time is the new way of living, and begs the question; if you had enough time (or money in the 21^st century… or maybe even enough time), how would you use it? If you could do anything, spend the money to buy anything or go anywhere, how would you live your life? This got me thinking about what I would do if I had a million dollars, or if I could live to more than 100 years old. If these things in the future are remotely possible, then I really need to start thinking about how I would want to live my life before I am forced into living a certain way.

In the movie, the character that Justin Timberlake plays, Will Salas; comes from the ghettos as he manoeuvres and survives life, one day at a time. When he is given more than 100 years one night by a rich man willing to just die (that he saved at a bar from a time-robbery assault), he is accused of his murder and hunted down by both the time keepers and the local crime mobster. As his mother is ‘timed out’ after failing to have the allotted hours for a bus ride, Will remembers what the rich man told him, about the corruption of the system, and decides to revolt against it, the same system that has been put into place that allows the rich to live forever, yet at the same time raise the costs of living in the poorer ‘time zones’, thus increasing the allotted hours that one needs for daily living at a faster rate than wages. Running from the law, Will Salas crosses paths with Sylvia Weis, a rich daughter of time-loaning businessman Phillip Weis, and together they are able to challenge the system that has never been questioned since its existence. As the film carries on, ethical questions are certainly raised about the issues of the time that we all have, knowing that we have one life that we live, no more. How we use this life is of utter importance. But then there’s always the thought; if you had unlimited resources (including time and money), how would you live your life? What would you do? We certainly need to figure out what our purpose and calling is in our lives, what we enjoy doing; whether other people have spoken encouragements into our lives, telling us, ‘I really see you as this’, or ‘I think you’ve got such a real talent for that’. Because once we discover our passion, and realise that our passion isn’t our purpose (our purpose on this Earth is to further the kingdom of God!), we can be able to live our lives with no regrets, acknowledging that even when things crumble around us, that we can count on God to always stick by us, never leaving us and encouraging us in the moments when we need Him the most.

How I live my life will certainly have ramifications about where I end up. What I choose today will have consequences for tomorrow. But there is a notion in society that speaks about how we should all make good choices because of the time that we have; but also because the choices that we make will define who we are for the rest of our lives. We are fed this thought that if we do screw-up, then it’ll be ‘written on our headstone’ for all eternity, ‘not wiped from the hard drive’, not forgotten by our parents. But then Jesus comes along and turns everything and every thought on their heads. We are told not to screw up, because what we do, we’ll carry for the rest of our lives. Sure that is the case, but God shows us that what we do doesn’t define us. It has consequences to where we end up, but what defines us is Christ’s unending love for us, that while we were still in the sinning mood, Christ came down from Heaven and lived a human life. He suffered and died the death that we knew we deserved, thus empathising with our very pain. It is because of what He did on the cross that we can be called sons and daughters of the Living God and that is who we are. We are heirs of the throne of heaven, part of the never-ending story of God. As we realise our identity in Him, we are filled with overwhelming joy as we live our lives with a Christ-centred focus. How we certainly live today will have consequences for tomorrow. But we must also get this clear; that irregardless of what happens in our lives, whether we screw up today or tomorrow (we’re still gonna make mistakes- it’s part of the learning process as we become more and more grounded in Christ and what He’s encouraging us to undertake), God still loves us and will continue to love us.

What ‘In Time’ has taught me is that all life is valuable. We do not know when we’re going to die. It may be today, tomorrow, next year, or even in 50 years time. Regardless of the date, we’ll know that when it comes, we must have this attitude where we say ‘I know that I’ve done everything that I can to live a fulfilled life! I’ve told my family that I love them, I was able to do the things that really matter!’ We must get our priorities right, because if we cannot say with full confidence that once we go to the grave, we’ll be happy with the life that we’ve lived (if we continue the path that we are on right now), then something inside of us needs to change. We need to see our lives like how God sees them, beautiful and with purpose.

As I finish this blog, let me leave you with Sidewalk Prophet’s song, ‘Live Like That’. As you reflect upon the lyrics, let me remind you, that God treasures us and died for us, that even if we were the only people on the planet, He’d still come and die for us anyway. That is love at its best. Once we appreciate this, we must go and live like Christ, as our time on Earth is only a whisper in the wind, a stone in a quarry of rocks, a sand grain along a shore of beach. Let us make this live count for the only thing that matters!

Til next blog,

Jon.

Blogging: What's Your Motivation?

It’s been a long time since I wrote a blog that I don’t even know where to start. Every time I try to start a blog I procrastinate, or I worry about finding the ‘perfect’ topic to write about. I get so caught up with the appearances of how this elusive blog should look like, that I forget that I can just write, and let God’s Holy Spirit just flow through me, knowing that what I write may help someone else in the future. It has always been a focus of mine that I write about topics that I’m interested in, that I’d like to share to the world, but never have I started a blog with an uncertainty about what to talk about, or how it would flow or how it would even end. A daunting task that even is convincing me now at this very moment to just stop, pack it in, and wait another day (what I have been doing for the past few weeks), I know that it is in these moments when you know you can’t do it on your own, that the Lord comes in and makes the impossible possible.

Not writing has been the hardest. If you know me, and how I’ve written periodically on this blog, going without for a few weeks is bound to raise a few questions. Where is he; and why isn’t he active? There is that unseen pressure, maybe by myself or by other people; that updates need to be given on a regular basis. And if that doesn’t happen, then judgements are passed. By others or by myself, there is that pressure to do more, be seen, because of the notion of ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’. During my hiatus from my blog, I’ve recently taken up an unpaid position writing Christian music reviews at a website indievisionmusic.com. It has been fun posting the reviews that I love, but trying to introduce CCM into a website flooded with hard rock and metal music is difficult to say the least. Sometimes people read my reviews, and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes I receive comments, both negative and positive, and sometimes it feels like my reviews are bypassed completely. But I know that even though I shouldn’t get affected by all these things, I am; more than I should be. There have been thoughts in my mind like ‘well, if no one reads this, then why bother doing it in the first place?’ Well, I know who will read it. I will. Sometimes, and more often than not, I have read through my past blogs, and thought, ‘gee, did I even write this, or that?’ And looking back on it, I know I wrote it as in I typed all the words on a word document, but I can’t really remember writing something so rich and full of encouragement. That is certainly the power of Christ, and as He works through each one of us, we can continually be encouraged and spurred on our Christian walk, even if it is by our own words.

I know that these blogs that I write will later on help me through some tough times, and as I continually read through my reviews, I am encouraged to know how much God loves to speak through the music that we listen to. Music brings power along with it; and as we soak in the Lord’s presence, we may even find that the Lord can speak through the typical CCM song, just as much as a hard rock tune, or even a mainstream melody. Music is so powerful that one phrase, stanza or line can change someone’s life forever. It can seep deep down into someone’s soul, and affect their very being, motivating them to love, or to hate. This is particularly crucial to choose what types of music to listen to. Something with a positive message can place someone on the path the Lord has destined for them to go along. But we must remember that these words spoken through song can also hinder as well. Ephesians 4:29 has really struck out to me as something to look at, ‘…Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…’ This is a very powerful verse. Whatever we say will have consequences, and even through music, as people listen to songs, the lyrics tend to affect someone more than the artist intends.

We all need to be careful and know that whatever we write, sing about, watch on TV or at the cinemas will have an affect on us more than we know. Just because no one comments on my blog or rates or comments on my reviews doesn’t mean that someone hasn’t read it, bought the album, and been blessed by it. I know it in my head, but I also know that we’re all human and we do get affected by these types of things. And so as I finish this blog (that I thought would never be finished), let me pose this question. Are there things that you do that you want people to notice? Why? To promote your fame, or God’s? What is the motivation behind what you do, to further your own kingdom, or to invite people into the never-ending story of God? We must keep our eyes on Christ, He is the reason we do anything at all. He is our mighty fortress, and He is our sacred refuge. As I leave you with a song from worship artist Christy Nockels, let this song soak into your heart, as we realise our purpose on this planet, to exalt the name of Christ, so that others can know the joy and hope we all have.

Til next blog,

Jon.

Worry Less; Live More!

Just during the week leading up to Easter, my family and I went to a Christian concert in Baulkham Hills, about 2 or so hours from university. As we drove out to the venue to see MercyMe, Michael W. Smith and Ernie Haase and the Signature Sound play their concert; I could tell that the experience was going to be like no other, knowing that prolific Christian artists MercyMe was coming to Australia for the first time, and that Michael W. Smith’s last time to Australia was during 2005. As the lights dimmed and the concert started, I was caught up in the whole atmosphere of it, and as the concert continued and finished at 11:15pm, I started to think about how the concert was, and its good and bad points. Michael W. Smith’s set was the best, singing his worship hits and older tunes as he managed to still energise the crowd, especially when he was jumping up and down during the dynamic and uplifting ‘The River is Rising’. Even though he is indeed turning 55 in October, I can definitely see him going on for the next ten years, provided that he keeps reinventing himself towards the younger generation, without compromising his sound that he has had his whole career.

There was a special moment that occurred towards the end of Michael’s set. As he finished his song ‘Take Me Over’, he went off stage as the music kept playing. Everyone started to spontaneously sing ‘Agnus Dei’, one of his most famous songs. It was a total God moment, and the Holy Spirit was definitely there in the room as everyone corporately worshipped the Lord. The song could’ve gone on for a while, and Michael could’ve come back for an encore performance, but during the song, the Compassion International ad started to play on the screen. Why did that happen? Surely the operator who was controlling that aspect should’ve thought, ‘Gee, there is a moment here that I don’t want to disturb…’ Perhaps it was on timer, perhaps not, but looking back on it, there was a moment there that was disturbed. But sometimes I can get a little upset about something that when I look back on hindsight, it is not worth it to. If I started to worry, there would be a very long list about what happened on that night. The sound throughout the whole night was scratchy and loud. There were blinding lights, almost like a concert and show rather than a worship experience. MercyMe came up on stage and played their set without keyboardist Jim Bryson without giving any explanation as to where he was or why he wasn’t there. And Ernie Haase’s set went, in my opinion, a tad too long, going for just as long as Michael’s and MercyMe’s set, even though it was my belief that Ernie Haase was support for the other two.

I can sit back and look at my long list of things wrong with the night of worship, and complain and say ‘Well, Michael didn’t sing This is Your Time’, or ‘the t-shirts and cds were too expensive’; but I know that the bible never tells us to live like that. We should look at the whole situation, and be thankful. It was a once in a lifetime chance to see Michael W. Smith and MercyMe in concert, and I am totally happy that I did go. Rather than finding fault, we should just enjoy the moment, and live like how Christ lived. So what if the music was loud on the night? So what if there was a glitch in the Compassion Video-worship moment issue? What is at the heart of the issue that is before us? That we expect everything to go off without a hitch? That we want everything to be in a certain way and when it isn’t we decide to criticise and question?

We need to worry less and live more. Worry has scientifically been linked to many ailments and diseases, from high anxiety, panic, to emotional stress. The flight or fight responses in our body are triggered by excessive worry; causing the nervous system to release certain stress-related hormones which can increase sugar levels. With excessive worry, physical effects and reactions could manifest through dizziness, headaches, nausea, even shortness of breath and an inability to concentrate. Worrying results in physical symptoms and reactions. But the bible also commanded us not to worry. We are met with Jesus in the beginning of Matthew, speaking to thousands of people about this very topic. As Jesus explained to these people, ‘…If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds…’ (Matthew 6:25-26).

We are worth more than anything to God. That is why He takes all the care that He does to looking after His children, giving gifts and showing signs to point us along the path that He is wanting for us. We need to believe how much we are worth to God so that we will stop worrying about our lives and start worshipping the God who has captured our hearts. Britt Nicole’s recent song ‘Gold’; speaks of how we shouldn’t be afraid to claim who we are in Christ, because we know that our identity isn’t tied up in worry, stress, achievements, whether a concert goes smoothly, but who we are and who we will be is based upon what Christ did for us. We’re worth more than gold, and we really should take this encouragement and run with it. As I reflect on the concert during Easter, I am amazed about how there were little reminders through both Michael and Bart (lead singer of MercyMe) and how they conveyed through mini-sermons’ that God is personable, and that He loves us, but not only that, He loves to hang out with us. He is God, and even if nothing happened for the rest of our lives, even if He stopped answering every prayer, He will still be God and He will still be worthy of our praise. He holds everything in His hands, and though there are moments in our life when we coming across hardship and calamity; God is still there in the midst of it, saying ‘I am here to be your way out!’.

But sometimes in these moments of hurt and despair, we may find it difficult to hear His voice. We may struggle with hurt; and question whether the healer even has a plan for us, coming out of this mess. But herein lies the notion that even though if God told us why; why this happened or that happened, things won’t hurt any less. It is a struggle, but God is always there to be with us, and during these moments when the Hurt and the Healer collide, God is standing there right with us saying, ‘you are precious to me, and I will use your situation to build you up, to strengthen your relationship with me, because I believe you are worth me coming down to earth to die for you!’. You are worth more than GOLD! Time to start believing it, and know that the Healer is always with us, ‘...to the very end of the age…’ (Matthew 28:20).

As I finish off this, let me ask you a question. Do you often worry, like me? Read through the promises of God and what He has spoken over your life. He is always faithful!

Til next blog;

Jon.

We are Not the Sum of Our Choices!

It has only recently that I’ve actually come to terms that society in the west is rich, in a material sense. We have a home to live in, parents that love us without any conditions, a great educational system that is dedicated to helping students reach their potential, we have food on the table and a bed to sleep in. We even have a gaming console or two, a flat screen TV, a few laptops around the house, as well as kitchen appliances that make cooking all the more easier. We have the option to go to a good university once we finish school. We can choose which career path to take, or whether we would like to take a gap year and travel. We also have the choice about whether to watch TV, see movies, listen to music, or whether to go to the shops during the day or at night time. We live in a society that has a smorgasbord of choices in front of us. We have that choice, but sometimes we can lose sight that many people do not have that. They are maybe born in a war torn country, or they could live in an unstable home environment; or they may have a limited choice range in terms of their education. Whatever the case may be, we need to take a step back from living on autopilot, doing our daily chores; and to ponder and realise that we cannot take the choices that we have for granted. We have to realise that the opportunities that we individually and socially have are not to be overlooked.

We should enjoy what we do have right now, because we never know when it is gone. It is one of the things that it certain about our lives is that when times are good, when we have the choices that make our lives better, we can’t just live the life expecting that the good times will last forever; because it doesn’t. Hard times will come. Jesus Himself said that, that ‘in this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world!’ (John 16:33). Isn’t that an awesome feeling? That even in the bad times, we can still celebrate knowing that God has overcome sin and death to bring us back to Himself? Sometimes it is hard to understand that there will be times in our lives when the choices that we have taken for granted will disappear, and all that is left that we can cling on is our knowledge that God is faithful and is with us always. But I truly know that when this day comes, I can say with full confidence that the Lord will bring us out, and though the hard times in our lives aren’t caused by God, it is used by God nonetheless in order for Him to shape us into the godly men and women that He wants us to be.

We have choices everyday in abundance. We may think that we don’t have everything that we want, and when we see adverts on television, we are told that if we purchase this sofa lounge, or this television, or that house or that car, then we’d be on the path to fulfilment and happiness. But we know that we don’t need all these things to be happy. We don’t need to be rich in order to feel rich. We have our family, our friends, those around us that truly understand how we feel; that gives us the option to always come to them when we feel like we have no one else to talk to. And once again we mustn’t believe into this lie that the choices that we make define us- because that’s what we’ve been told; by the media, by our friends, sometimes even by our family. ‘Oh, you better make good choices in life because whatever you make now will change your life forever, and this choice will define you in the years to come,’ they may say. We believe that because we’ve been around it so much in our lives then we start to think, ‘it must be true.’ But we all know that this shouldn’t be the case; that the choices we make shouldn’t define our character; our personality; or our values. God knows who we are. He made us, fashioned man in the image of Him; knew us even before we were an idea in our parents head. We don’t need to believe that the things we have or don’t have, or the choices that we make, determine our lives. This is our identity: we are the children of God; and God loves to give good gifts to His kids. He will never leave us, and always reassures us that the choices we make don’t matter and we are sons and daughters of the King of Kings; that when He stood there on the cross and died and rose again for all of humanity; everyone’s sin was paid. All we need to do is to just believe into that.

I am reminded by a Tenth Avenue North song, 'You are More', where the lyrics speak truth and proclaim that we are more than the sum of our past mistakes, because Jesus was ransomed and bought the punishment that should’ve been on us, and placed it upon Himself. But then there are some people around the world that have a hard time believing this truth that we are made holy and blameless in the sight of God when He died for their sins. They may feel like they have done unspeakable things, made choices; that led them to the way that they are right now, that maybe if they try harder, do better, and move their life on the right track, the acceptable track, then maybe God will accept them, then maybe God will love them. But the converse is instead true. God loves and accepts us the way we are, and we need to tell everyone about this. Once we understand that we are heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven, then we’ll feel rich, like a million dollars, even when we may not have much.

The choices we make don’t make us who we are as people. We have choices everyday, and the choices we make have consequences about what happens in the future. And people in less fortunate situations have fewer choices to make everyday, but same goes for them, those choices they make have consequences too. But for all of humanity, whether rich or poor, conformable or not; our future, our past, even our present don’t define us. We are loved by the King of the universe, enough so that ‘…he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross…’ (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus did this, and this is who we are.

We should enjoy what we have now, and know that even if hard times come, God will work everything that occurs to His glory, and though we may not understand the situations in our lives that we believe God has the ability to change but doesn’t, God is still working in our lives, putting people and circumstances in place so that as people we have our best shot at knowing and having a relationship with Him. It is our relationship with Jesus that makes us who we are. Not our choices or family expectations. So next time you are bombarded with choice, on the TV, or in the grocery shops or bookstores, clothes stores or digital media outlets, think to yourself ‘Will this ___ further my relationship with God?’ Because even though our choices don’t define us, generally not so clever or not thought out choices do have ramifications as to where we end up. It’s a tricky topic- choices. And it’s bound to create further discussion until the end of time. But what I know is that the choices I make shouldn’t affect how I perceive myself in relation to my communion with God. God loves me the way that I am, but also loves me enough to not let me stay the way that I am. We all should continually be growing, spiritually to become like Christ.

As I finish this, what choices do you make everyday that you think you need to reassess in your life? What steps would you need to take to hear what the Lord is trying to say to you about these choices?

Until next blog,

Jon.