"God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn't show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
"In the middle of the night someone yelled out, 'He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him!'
"The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, 'Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.'
"They answered, 'There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.'
"They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
"Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, 'Master, we're here. Let us in.'
"He answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think I know you.'
"So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive.
Matthew 25:1-13
There is a message in there fam, I pray that you caught it. Scripture tells us that Jesus return is going to be equal to that like a thief in the night...unexpected and quick. We have a lot of things going on these days...and there are plenty of things to keep us busy and distracted from being ready when Jesus returns. Make no mistake fam, there is no amount of religious duty that substitutes "Knowing Him"
I know we spend a lot of time debating over non-essentials, but the truth is that it all boils down to each of us individual establishing a "personal" relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ and being led and taught by The Holy Spirit. Our function is to be discipled and then disciple others...to Know Him and to make Him known to the rest of the World. Don't get caught unprepared. I'm sure some of you have seen the bumper sticker before it says; "Jesus is coming...Look Busy!" Well He is Coming, so don't just look busy, be busy about the business of cultivating your relationship with Jesus Christ, and helping lead others toward doing the same.
Today's Challenge: It's simple, BLINK! Really I want you to blink your eyes. How fast was that? Now BLINK again, only this time I want you to try and say Lord Forgive me before the BLINK is over. Can't do it can ya! That's how fast His return is gonna be, don't make the dummy move thinking that you are gonna wait until the last minute to get things right...Now is the appointed time. Make things right today and then get busy working on that relationship today.
If you need help with that Holla @me! Let's Get Ready To Go Fam!
J.A.Z. feat J. Johnson - Ready 2 Go
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!
-Deuteronomy 6:5
Love The Lord with everything you have in you! Modern Day Translation GO HARD!!!!!
Today's Challenge: It's All Out or Fall Out Time Homies and Homettes! No more trying to "love" God and still be cool with the things He hates! Either Love Him...or Leave Him Alone! Can You Dig It?!!
LECRAE:: GO HARD from Adamson.TV on Vimeo.
Music Video for Lecrae's track "Go Hard" with Tedashii. We shot this in Queens, NY during their show at Christ Tabernacle.
RANSOM.tv
Credits:
Produced by: RANSOM.tv
Director: Kevin Adamson
Director of Photography: Steve Saxon
Camera: Steve Saxon, Kevin Adamson
Editor(s): John Schroter, Joey Walston
Color Treatment: John Schroter, Joey Walston
Generous in love—God,
give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I've been;
my sins are staring me down.
You're the One I've violated, and you've seen
it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
whatever you decide about me is fair.
I've been out of step with you for a long time,
in the wrong since before I was born.
What you're after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,
scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don't look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don't throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I'll let loose with your praise.
Going through the motions doesn't please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don't for a moment escape God's notice.
Make Zion the place you delight in,
repair Jerusalem's broken-down walls.
Then you'll get real worship from us,
acts of worship small and large,
Including all the bulls
they can heave onto your altar!
Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I've been;
my sins are staring me down.
You're the One I've violated, and you've seen
it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
whatever you decide about me is fair.
I've been out of step with you for a long time,
in the wrong since before I was born.
What you're after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean,
scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don't look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don't throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God,
and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I'll let loose with your praise.
Going through the motions doesn't please you,
a flawless performance is nothing to you.
I learned God-worship
when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
don't for a moment escape God's notice.
Make Zion the place you delight in,
repair Jerusalem's broken-down walls.
Then you'll get real worship from us,
acts of worship small and large,
Including all the bulls
they can heave onto your altar!
-Psalm 51
At one point or another we find ourselves at a point where we need a serious make-over! I'm not talking about a cosmetic fix up. Nope, I'm talkin something more serious. There are some things that are so wrong with us that lipstick, fancy clothes or expensive Nip Tuck's won't even come close to fixing. We need a Spiritual makeover. We need to come to apoint where we do just like David did, admit that we are jacked up and then appeal to the God of Mercies to renew, deliver and restore us.
When He shows up to do so, we need to stay still and let Him do what He does best. I won't lie to ya...it's probably gonna be very uncomfortable. In fact I will go as far as to say it just might hurt...but don't be discouraged and don't give up, because after the makeover is done...even you won't recognize yourself!
Today's Challenge: It's time to check in for your makeover. Stop tryin to fix things yourself, all you do is make a bigger mess of things! Turn it over to the surgeon and let Him chisel all that old junk away. Ya Heard!
...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. -Psalm 30:5
We all cry sometimes (if we are honest) We all have moments in our lives that seem dark and stormy, but like the faithful sunrise, morning comes and the Joy of The Lord strengthens and picks us up, sometimes to the point that we even forget what we were weeping about. God is always faithful and His Joy is our strength. When the storms come, don't fret just hold on and look to the horizon cause joy is coming in the morning!
Today's Challenge: Don't be tricked into looking at the stormy circumstances, don't dwell on the things that cause you to weep. Put your trust in God and Hang in there! Joy isn't a feeling it's a choice! Choose The Joy of the Lord wherever you are today! Ya Heard!
*****************************
Shacah - Arise
Shachah :: "Arise (Stand Up)" :: Music Video (Cross Movement Records) from Cross Movement Records on Vimeo.
Shachah presents their Music Video for "Arise (Stand Up)" from the album ON THE MOVE (Cross Movement Records). In Stores Now. www.shachah.com | www.crossmovementrecords.com
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14
I read the testimony of a scientist once, he was at the top of his field and had made many discoveries. He admitted that he was on a quest to use science as a means to prove that God didn't exist, but a funny thing happened along the way. The more and more evidence he gathered the more and more proof he had that this world was far to complex to not have a creator...and it was a wrap when he discovered that the Bible's account of Creation was scientifically sound. These days he is a passionate Christian, sharing the gospel and using science as a means to prove that God not only exists, but that His accounts of how things came to be are not just true but that they can be proven scientifically.
You gotta love it! The same information, skills and ability that was once used incorrectly, has been flipped upside down and is now used correctly and the truth is clearly seen.
Upside Down from Pace Hartfield on Vimeo.
Today's Challenge: A two part challenge for you today; First, I want you to let today's devo serve as a reminder that there is hope for even thee most hardcore atheist, so I challenge you to not write people off even when they seem to be resistant to your words...pray for them and keep letting them see your Godly Lifestyle because you never know when things will flip upside down for them. Secondly I realize that most of the followers of this blog are "believers", but have you come to the point where you believe and trust God completely? If not what information is it that you are viewing incorrectly? What is in your life that needs to be flipped upside down so that you can see the Truth and begin Living the Life He has called you to live?
-Peace
Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea;
hear me and answer me.My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
at the voice of the enemy at the stares of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger.
My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.
Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest-
hear me and answer me.My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
at the voice of the enemy at the stares of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger.
My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.
Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest-
-Psalm 55:1-6
Ever felt like that? We all have. Sometimes the things we face in life overwhelm us. It gets hard to see the light because of all of the storm clouds. I like reading the Psalms because, the writer, David kept it real! He did what we are supposed to do, he spoke His heart to God, he admitted when he had messed up and was honest about the times he just felt like flying away from it all. Then after he had spoke his peace he would make an appeal to God and trust Him to handle the situation for Him.
The storms and people who rub you the wrong way are sure to show up in our lives, and yes they just might press us to the point that we just want to fly away from it all, but be encouraged because God is always there to help us, take a cue from Jesus' playbook, who in His darkest hour made the same type of appeal that David did, He admitted He wanted to fly away but placed his trust in God completely, placing God's will above His desire to flee.
Today's Challenge: I encourage you to follow David & Jesus' example. Be honest with God. Admit when you feel like running but then resolve to place God's Will for your Life above your own. Trust Him for He will never leave nor forsake you.
G.R.I.T.S. - Fly Away
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."
-Rev 4:8-11
Can you picture that? Being in the presence of one so pure, awesome and majestic that all you can do is bow down and cry "Holy Holy Holy!" In my minds eye I can see the elders as they bow down to give reverence and everytime they stand up and look upon Him they are overcome by the sight of His Glory and are forced to bow down yet again and again!
Nothing takes the place of Worship, and worship is more than a type of song you sing or an ugly face you make at church! It is a condition & position of the heart. When you take the time to see God for who and what He truly is...worship will be the natural response!
Today's Challenge! Take every opportunity you can to silence all other voices and spend some time in Worship! Show your God some Love, He deserves it!
Rawsrvnt - Holiness
Amalek came and fought Israel at Rephidim. Moses ordered Joshua: "Select some men for us and go out and fight Amalek. Tomorrow I will take my stand on top of the hill holding God's staff."
Joshua did what Moses ordered in order to fight Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning. But Moses' hands got tired. So they got a stone and set it under him. He sat on it and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. So his hands remained steady until the sun went down. Joshua defeated Amalek and its army in battle. -Exodus 17:8-13
I'm wondering if you caught that. Whenever Moses had his hands raised the people of God were winning, when he lowered his hands the people would begin losing. We tend to underestimate the power that comes from Holy hands raised in submission to an All Powerful God. Raising your hands is like saying "I trust you Lord!" The raised hands can be a sign of submission like "Lord I give up have your way!" Raising your hands can even be comparable to an infant who can't speak, but seems to know that his outstretched hands will soon find Him safe in the arms of his loving parent!
Today's Challenge: Make raising your hands toward God a regular practice! Even when things look bad, learn to trust Him and raise those hands in Praise & Submission! Pretty soon you will begin to see that just like Moses & the Israelites, when your hands are raised...You Win!
So if you are a Servant of The Most High...Get Yo Hands Up!! (now push the play button!)
Forget what ya heard...
Too many times we sit and let people spoon feed us ideas about everything, and without ever checking it or finding out for ourselves whether it is true or even good for us we just eat it up. When it comes to our Christian Walk, we need to be active participants in it, meaning we should be spending time with God through prayer, reading His word and fellowship/worship. Neglecting to do so makes for one weak Christian, suspect to being misled and misdirected by all of the many voices out there sharing their two cents. Today's devo comes from the 3rd Chapter of 2 Timothy, read it and then check out the video. As you go about your day today, be more observant and notice that just about everywhere you go someone is saying something to you, some of it true some not, the only defense is to fill yourself with The Word...What's your Word Tank looking like these days... Is it Full or are you running on fumes? Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people. These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself "truth." They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself. But nothing will come of these latest impostors. Everyone will see through them, just as people saw through that Egyptian hoax.
You've been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience, troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me! Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there's no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They're as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse. But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
Real Vision - Trip Lee Feat Tedashi
Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.1 Timothy 4:11-14 (The Message)
It's all about Representation. Jesus came to Represent the father and restore us back, and as His followers we are called or rather commissioned to Represent Him to the World. It's no longer about getting caught up in what you can or can't do (rules) but it's about being willing to do (or not do) whatever it takes to properly Represent the King! We are living breathing Representatives! Not just mere servants or those obligated or forced to follow...we are the beloved called to reflect and show the Love and the Goodness of God.
Today's Challenge: Do a self examination. Are there things you have been unwilling to part with that don't properly Represent...does your attitude, work ethic your relationships properly Represent? Have you accepted your role as one of His Representatives? Once you have the answer to those questions...act accordingly! It's time to Represent! Ya Heard!
“Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
If ya wanna be healthy and grow in your relationship with God...it's gonna be kind of hard if you don't spend some time reading and digesting His Word. We all seem to be busy most of the time and often it is our reading and study time that gets cut. Take the time and make the time to read and study...this is the technological age get your word on cd or in mp3 format and take it with you...there is no excuse! Get in ya Word...ya heard!
To help you get a jump start listen to the Book of John like you have never heard it before...it's from The Bible On Beat Section courtesy of the good people of Revelant Revolution...enjoy!