Let It Rain

A good friend of mine shared these words with our congregation yesterday morning during the song, "Let It Rain" - in rap form. It was truly inspiring to hear these words flow out so punctually and authentically, as if my heart had grown lips and lungs and decided that it was going to spit out the words it has been praying for so long. But obviously these weren't my words, because they actually made sense. So...I just wanted to share these prayerful lyrics with you. Be blessed.

---thomas


"I wanna be like a tree but this world keeps on stopping me
Saying I cant be free cause I've got this sin in my life on top of me
And now I'm down to a knee, got dirt on my jeans, as I pray to my king
Let my roots run deep, all I wanna do is stand, I'm on two knees
Looking up to the sky don't know why I cannot stand tall
All I wanna do is praise his name, proclaim his name until I fall
I'm done with the things of this world, you know what, you can have it all
I think I'm ready to stand, I'm up, now LORD hear my call
And as I stood I looked up to the sky and the clouds were dark
It began to rain as I stood up to my feet ready to start
My sins washed off of me, the dirt's gone, I'm feeling lifted up
I can do what I dreamed but this time it's real, yes, I'm feeling up
This world ain't stopping me, Christ died on the cross, my chains are gone
I don't need what you've got for me, this time I'm changed, I'm moving on
My roots run deep in the ground, I'm not bound to a ditch I shine
Reflecting his light from above, LORD have this life of mine"
-Anthony Monteleone

Moving On

Today's devotional: January 5th, 2011
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"And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, 'I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.'" - Luke 4:42-43 ESV

"AS JESUS PREACHED in Judea's synagogues, the people were captivated because he taught "as one with authority," (Mark 1:22) like no one they had ever heard. He would preach to thousands, heal the sick, and engage the destitute. In fact, at one point, his renown had so grown that the people sought to make him king by force (John 6:15).

What did Jesus do with this seeming success; did he set up headquarters and signs, pass out flyers, and increase seating capacity? Did he remain with those who begged him to stay and enjoy the fame and their adoration? Absolutely not, Jesus was blameless even in his success and focused on his God-ordained purpose. Success is not merely defined by popularity or crowds, but by obedience. Find where you've remained too long in your achievements when you should have pressed on in pursuing the Father's purpose for your life, and then run after it."

(This devotion is adapted from shortdailydevotions.com and relevant.com.)
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God opened my ears to a message months ago; "Just because you have been here, walking through the same motions that yes, once was productive, does not mean that they continue to be relevant, productive, and just."

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." In Deuteronomy, Moses is petitioning the Israelites to follow God's laws that have been laid before them. He speaks of how God will bring prosperity and riches to His holy people. "The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season..." (Deut. 28:12) In season.

It blows my mind sprockets that Christ was consistently, devoutly in tune with God's current season. He wasn't ministering in the past with old songs, worn out Christian-jargon, and those overhead projectors that I was never able to master. Christ was on the edge, the beginning of God's great plan. People found his teachings captivating and authoritative because he was breathing in the season of God.

My prayer is that we allow God to move us to the storehouse of his bounty where his season is reality and we fight, like Christ for our hearts to be focused on the God-ordained purpose for our lives.

With love,
---thomas