Haggard on Opera

Last night before I fell asleep I watched Opera. This is a rare occurrence not only because I am too manly to watch Opera but because her message that she puts out is sending an amazing amount of people out to indulge or partake in books and other material that the New Age movement is putting out. This cult is dangerous to everyone. If you want more proof I will write about it later, sorry though Opera, not everyone has their "own" Jesus that will get them to a better place...and you should stop saying that. What I wanted to bring into the light though was this... Ted was a very popular preacher/evangelist in Colorado that got caught not only buying drugs but meeting up and paying a male hooker. Haggard lied many times about the issues and did not want it to come out but obviously it came out. The male prostitute that had done the "business" transactions with Ted came forward and brought out the entire story and up until late Haggard has lived a life reaping what he had sewn. The life that Haggard had on the pedestal was obviously taken right from under him as he was forced to resign from the huge mega church he was at and then he was asked to move out of the state of Colorado by the church as well....He moved and tried to find life outside of ministry for what he said was the first time he had really done. Then the church took away some of those bans and he was aloud to come back and live in the house that he had when he was doing ministry. I explain all of that to get to this. What are we supposed to do as a church to a person in this situation. I actually think that in Haggard's situation that the right things were done by the church. The church today usually does not do much in form of church discipline. In this case they got it right. When you see Haggard and his explanations for his homosexual tendencies, you see someone that I believe has felt a huge remorse and felt like crap about what he did, but however he did not explain everything so well as to what God has done and the repentance part of it. He said how sorry he was to the church and to his family for the state of his actions but his defense or lack of for his tendencies and fighting Oprah on the "That's just who you are" comments showed that maybe he hasn't gotten the full picture. So back to the question...what do we do in circumstances like this? The church must discipline those especially leaders that are living in sin. However when you do that and repentance has come and they completely deny the life of sin they were in the church should take them back. In what form or fashion? I am not sure. It does not mean necessarily that they should be thrown back into the same position, but if God puts them into ministry again they should be held accountable. If someone would have held Haggard accountable and talked to him before hand would this even have happened? I don't know. Church discipline should however take place...but forgiveness after true repentance should be out there in the way that Christ did for us all.

Here is the first part of the Oprah show...



pt. 2


pt. 3


pt.4


pt. 5

computers

OK! Sometimes I hate computers. I have been having issues with mine lately. I tried to put up a blog earlier but my internet is slow. This problem is actually caused by something else. Does anyone know if low memory could have a play in it? Anyways, check back tomorrow for a post.

--Brad

Tis So Sweet...

Yes...Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus. Wow! Today's service was so amazing at church that I cried like a little girl. ok...so here is a link that is a must to listen to if able....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksdwKRVLiNw

Today that song was sung by the Rush Creek choir (back ground) and Crystal Evans took the solo part. AHHHHHmazing. Crystal sang it way better than any other version I have ever heard and it left me with nothing but the realization of how sweet Christ is and that no matter what has happened He has control. With the turmoil in my life the past half year or whatever I saw a little differently today. I had trust in Jesus to begin with but it was like a great letting go party for me today. It was awesome because I threw it out and said God I know you are able...I know that you can do it...you take hold of this ship and drive it. What else is sweeter? I do not know of anything. One thing about it...I thought about the lyrics in the part saying "My God will work it for my good again, I know that He will see me through it all, If I trust in God again." Here is the deal...He can work it for my good again, but I don't want my good. God take over and make it glorious in your sight....because what I want is never as good as what you have for me. Here are the full lyrics.


When life seems cruel
And so unfair
With each new day it seems a greater problem's waiting there
For each step forward I take
Seems I get pushed two steps behind
Don’t think I’m going to make it sometimes
Don’t think my nerves can take it this time
As I’m about to call it quits a solution comes to mind
Why not trust God again?
I know that He can do it
If I pray again, believe again
My God will work it for my good again
I know that He will see me through it all
If I trust in God again.

Is there a mountain standing in your way
Is there a loved one you’re worried about today
Is there a blessing you desire that seems intangible
Instead of giving up the fight
Cling to faith with all your might
The One who’s seen you through before is still able
(He's still able.)

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at his word
Why not trust

Chorus
Why not trust God again
I know that he can do it
If I pray again, believe again
My God will work it for my good again
I know that He will see me through it all
If I trust in God again.

I will, I will, I will trust in God again ( repeat )

Friend??? What???

I was thinking alot about the term friend and what it means. I think that sometimes it is a term that loses its shine because it is thrown around so easily like the words love and Christian. In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary the definition of friend is this...
1. one attached to another by affection or esteem
2. one that is of the same nation, party, or group
3. a favored companion

The other definitions do not ring to the definition matching this blog, however if you take a look at the 3 definitions given here....you will notice that a friend is someone that is favored, that you like, have affection for, or wanted to align yourself with. Now with that I say that those definitions are only part of the realization of what a true friend is. John 15 quotes a famous scripture that everyone (alot, sorry just being a little sarcastic) knows "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." However besides that one verse if you go to the rest of the chapter it is talking about the relationship between Jesus and His disciples and it paints the perfect picture of the way we should be. If we are friends with those things of the world we will never be friends with the things of Jesus. If you hate Jesus you hate God also. However if you find Jesus a favored companion, if you are attracted to Him with affection in which you want to follow Him, and if you are part of the same believing class as the disciples you will realize what true friendship is as well. Friendship is a bond between people or God or even other things in this world that is not easily broken. It is something you don't want to give up. Something that you would lay your life down for. You are not merely just an acquaintance of it or know about it/or them. You don't just hang out with it/or them. Friendship is in the end worth your own life for the sake of another person, God, or thing. So why are we so loose with the word? Why do we say we are friends with someone so quickly. We may be fond of someone or may be ok with being around them, but can we call them our friend? I don't know its your decision....I am just pondering. There are people that I would give my life for right now and for God I would find it worth losing my life.....so I can say that I am undecided but friendship is a huge thing. Don't be quick to call everyone a friend....

The 44th President

Wow. I don't know how many folks watched the inaugeration but it is amazing to see. It proves that in some ways the nation is moving forward and it is exciting to see that maybe something can come of this. I believe that though Obama represents things that I don't agree with God placed him in power for a reason. God is in control of this ship so we must pray for our new leader and for God's guidance. Pray for revival in America because at the rate we are going we are seperating from God at an alarming rate. Lord be with the US as a nation and move our eyes to your throne. Use whatever and whomever you may to show us your face....

So....

Here is something someone showed me at the school that is pretty insane and cool. I have yet to just jump out of a plane and parachute down much less jump off of a cliff and fly at 100 mph along the edge of mountains. Watch this and see if you like it. Anyone up for sky diving in the future??? Maybe we can get that going later...until then here is a clip of craziness...


wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

A Retreat for Jesus...Yay

I will not blog for the next 2 days most likely because I will be pitching a tent. Hopefully as a result of this I will gain a better relationship with Jesus.....If you make a point to look at anything in todays blog please look at the last video. The video has been posted a long time ago on my blog...but I watched it again tonight and God spoke to me. I hope you enjoy.

Pitching Tents


One more just random video....oh my gosh....this is amazingly funny to me for some reason....



and here is the most important.

Follow UP on "Jesus and Jazz"

On the Desiring God Blog you will find a short blog written by Jason Harms that is awesome. Please take a moment to read it... http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1587_Jesus_and_Jazz/ or you can click the Desiring God Blog link to the right. This blog explains how beautiful the Lord works in culture and how we must take individuals as well as people groups into account......not just Americanized form of the gospel. God can use so many different ways to show the same message and we should pray that he will reveal that to us as we witness. But here is the question, "Why do we only think cross cultural reach out is reaching out to other countries?" I don't know why so many focus like that. What I see as I think about my own situation is this... there is a married couple above me from somewhere in Latin America, just a few apartments over there are Asian families that live there and most of them can't speak english well, depending what mall we go to it shows the way we would talk to people (high vs. low class), one neighborhood can be predominately white, the next Asian, then the next African American. So how can we look at our own neighborhoods and town or city any different? We have barriers right here to break through. Study who you are going to reach out to...get to know them and don't be the American Christian that brought the gospel wrapped in an American package that is difficult to understand, but be the guy from a different place that understands the culture and the ways of living and knows how to share effectively.

http://www.thearda.com/

Check that site out. It will help you see the diversity in your own town and possibly help you know how to minister to the community around you.

For All the Idolers Out There!!

Ok so I dont really watch the show myself except for at the first because there are always great auditions that are funny to watch. I just wanted to share my favorite besides William Hung so please please please check this out.

Hmmm...

Maybe this is weird but for some reason I thought about the Columbine incident and started doing some research about Cassie Bernall and also Rachel Scott. They both were incredible people before they were shot to death in the school shooting incident. I found journal pages that you can read on http://www.racheljoyscott.com/rachelslegacy.htm# of Rachel Scott obviously and one struck my eye....and I will be back to check it out. If you click on the second journal link and scroll over a few pages is the one that floored me.

"Dear God,
Why do feel dry in your spirit?" is the start of it and it is the last entry in that journal. I found that profound. The journal 3 link is amazing all the way through. When I read those things it is weird...those journals are kinda what I feel at times. I too have a heart that at times screams out "I don't care what happens or if I am alone, I am going to live and preach for Jesus." Yet there are always times where you go back and say, "Lord I am dry and I need you." Two young girls in their teens knew what it was all about though as they stood for Christ in the end.
here is an almost 9 minute video that you should check out...if not now then later. It will absolutely blow your mind about the message of forgiveness by Darrell Scott, Rachel's dad.




One more thing...here is a song wrote about Cassie Bernall...which I didn't talk about as much here, but its great. Check it out.





Maybe we could live for God in the small situations so that when the real time comes to stand for God we will know how.

Sick as a Dog!

Ok so i just wanted to write and say sorry for no posts the last 2-3 days or whatever its been. I got sick! Here is a clip to entertain you with. Great message if you like Rap/Hip Hop music or just good stuff.

Lecrae: "Take Me As I Am"


or

Ambassador: "Gimme Dat"

Lets be real

Ok so this blog had to be written after the game because I was wanting to see how everything panned out. I, of course, was going for the Gators for one reason only, I am a Texas fan and will never go for OU unless somehow it helped Texas in standings. With that said I go to this. Tonight I was watching as Tebow gave glory to Christ for everything during part of his 30 seconds of interview after the game. Something hit me when He said that. For Tebow that is the way he was able to say and give glory to the Savior and show that God was the master designer that runs his life....but for those of us that don't have 20-30 seconds to broadcast something like that what do we do?

Our life is all about Christ if we are believers, so shouldn't we do more than the obligatory "God Bless You" or "I'll Pray For You?" Honestly those two phrases are used many times and for many hearing them so much has made them useless. Maybe it is because we say that we will pray for someone and don't. Or maybe we say God bless you to someone and then 5 minutes later we get overboard with the way we handle something and it completely messes up our witness. There are other things out there that are the norm for people to hear that aren't believers and they don't represent Jesus well at all (bad witness). Maybe some of us mean them to but honestly what if instead of going out of our way to send a chain email about Jesus, praying, or some inspirational poem or something we actually took action in the free righteous life that God has given to us as believers? What if we lived our life to the fullest because we realize that there is nothing more pleasing than waking up to Jesus presence and Holiness in our lives? What if before we fell asleep at night we spent time on our knees in tears because for once we went through the day with the Cross completely at the forefront of our minds instead of in our peripheral vision so that we could say that we "followed Jesus" but in realness we put ourselves first still? I have been thinking alot lately about one solemn question that is relentless in my mind. Let me describe this to you. I was thinking alot about how people say they live life to the fullest and they are doing everything under the sun. People are going out and partying, doing drugs, having sexual frenzies with who ever they feel they want to at the time. People are living in this life where they act as if they don't want to miss out. SEX, DRUGS, AND ROCK N ROLL! So with that being the way of the world and with that being the person or persons before saving knowledge of Jesus here is what I am thinking....Since we as believers know the truth and the freedom in Christ, why don't we live it up Jesus style? What keeps us from just living out the life of amazing obedience to God in the funnest life of all....the abundant Christ centered life described in John 10:10? Why don't we let loose and get out of our ridiculous lifestyles and go for the gusto? If we did live for Jesus like that I think I know what it would sound like as a song.

I will dance
I will sing
To be mad
For my King
Nothing Lord
Is hindering
This passion in my soul
I will dance
I will sing
To be mad
For my King
Nothing Lord
Is hindering
This passion in my soul
And I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Some may say
It's foolishness
But I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Leave my pride
By my side
And I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Some may say
It's foolishness
But I'll become
Even more undignified than this
Than this



I wonder...what are we missing out on in life if we aren't living that way? King David, that was a great man after God was undignified in how he praised and lived for God (Old Testament)...but he understood. He loved God mightily....I hope that my life will show that soon. I pray that I will be intimately involved with God in a relationship that transforms my life to no longer worry about things, but to keep after Him in absolute craziness of worship in my life.

DISCLAIMER...Though this is my hearts desire and what I have been struggling with lately my life is not like this. Jesus though provides the way to be like this and not many people I know can claim this lifestyle...but what if we quit asking what if........and just ran with Jesus. What else matters?

Something New BUT Something Old...

So recently I made a purchase that was awesome and here is what it was.....


I used to skate when I was a kid alot. Yeah I know it may be a little more than some of you can handle and some of you are sitting there laughing at my new hobby....but it is fun. There are a couple people that I know that got skates and I am not in this alone. It is a good form of exercise and I think it is fun. Eventually maybe I will be able to play hockey...we will see. Tune in tomorrow for a blog that is going to be awesome!!! ps....maybe you should do something that would help you get exercise as well...and keep fit. Do something out of the norm that you like!!!

Crazy Love\//\

Ok, so it has been a couple days since I posted...but I wanted to tell you the reason why and make a short blog today. First of all my electricity was out last night because of the storms that came through Dallas...which is crazy. I have never seen my apartment that black before and it was sorta freaky...but another reason is because I have been reading a book (I am a slow reader). The book is Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This book is great and I must say that I think it is something I would recommend anyone read. When you get to the part about lukewarm...where I am at it will mess you up. haha. Anyways... here is the pic of it so that you can see what it looks like to go get it at the bookstore!

Happy New Year

So it is the day of the year where everyone makes these resolutions to lose weight, be more careful with money and try to change something. It is also the day of the year where most people have taken one step closer to failure and just relive a cycle of the previous years resolutions that they did not do. So it makes me wonder...What in the world are resolutions for? Why do we need to do them? Doesn't it take more than a split second to decide we want to do something that changes our lives? As I look at the new year I need more time to prepare my heart and mind before I can go to God and say, "Lord I hate this crap change me!" Because honestly what else is there? Without going to God and giving Him everything we are not able to change, it is through Him everything is possible and through Him we have new life...so instead of just going with the weight loss stuff, saving money, or others....pray and completely give up what you need to. Then maybe at the end of '09 it'll be different.