By Guest Blogger Clara Kern
Consider the following scenario as if you are an evangelist or church planter in western China today. You have seen several hundred thousand first-generation Christians come to the Lord through your ministry and the work of your team over the last ten or fifteen years. However, to the west of you are regions that have yet to hear the gospel. Many people in these other areas have never heard the gospel even once. In fact, none of their ancestors as far back as anyone can remember has ever responded to the gospel. You know that given more time, more resources, and more workers, you could personally help perhaps a million more people come into the Kingdom of God during your lifetime. If you were this Chinese evangelist, what would you be requesting from the Lord in prayer? You would NOT be cryingo ut for His hasty return. You would be asking Him to WAIT and to thrust out MORE LABORERS AND OTHER RESOURCES INTO THE HARVEST. (God's Tsunami)
Father God, we need more time. They don't know. They can't see. Help us to show them your beauty. People are BOUND FOR HELL because they DO NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Jesus, please, I desperately beg for a WORLD REVIVAL before you come for your Bride. Save them, Lord. Save them from themselves. Save them from the grasps of eternal evil. Lord, turn the world's eyes to gaze upon Your face. Let your glory shine down on us. Send us. Send me. Give us MORE TIME FATHER, PLEASE, so that LIVES will be SAVED for ETERNITY to spend with YOU.
Amen.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Interview with John Torres
Hey this week on Free Encouragement Blog. I am interviewing up and coming Christian artist John Torres. Me and John have been corresponding for the past few weeks about our walks in God so I thought I would share some of what we have been talking about. You can check out his Youtube Video at the end of the blog.
MIKE:
Hey John, I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about your CD.You said a little bit in your comment on Free Encouragement Blog.
I was wondering if we could have a little bit of correspondence. Here is a couple of questions.
One of the things I want to know is: Why do you do the things in you do as far as music?
I want to know, what drives you? What inspires you as far as writing lyrics?
Hey M,Sure thing.I think half of the reason I write and perform music is totally self indulgent. There are moments when I'm playing where I literally feel like I disappear into a dream state, and the euphoria of that feeling is just sublime. The other side of it is that there is something great about inspiring people, and affecting them, and about hearing them get encouraged by what you're doing (Oh wait, I guess that side is selfish too!).
As far as what drives and inspires me, I'd have to say it's a mixture of things. The desire to be the person I feel I'm supposed to be; to live up to my maximum I guess. I got a lot of love in my life between friends family, God. I think those things give me the strength to fight the good fight.
Happy to answer any other questions you have. Honored that you'd take the time to ask.
Cheers,
J
It's an honor right back bro.
Lol, I like being called M. That's a first. Usually it's Mike or some thing way out there like Wazoski from Monster's Inc.
Sure thing J. Here is a few more questions..
Love is important to keep going on. I agree that it inspires us to live to our fullest.
How does your relationship with God and his love keep you going?
How does your relationship with God affect your music?
I have more but I'd like to see where you take these next questions.
M.
JOHN:I feel that God's love for me is always astounding me. I'm the type who always feels like he's not cutting it, and whose always beating himself up with his sins. Somehow God is always there at the end of it, picking me up, dusting me off and put me back in the game. His love is humbling, and wonderful.
The fact that this is how I feel in general, often affects my music. I think the transition into Christianity, has had a huge impact on the music. I think the songs have become clearer, and more positively charged in general. I also feel like they are more honest and vulnerable than ever.
Talk soon,
J
MIKE: Wow. I know what you mean we as Christians when we stand up for the truth. God does not leave us empty handed-- he equips us with the words to say.
I think the power of words is built through our relationships with him. He can take something so simple yet make it so powerful. I love that about God.
I know when I make it too much about me--that it does not seem to be what builds up people with the words we are given.
Here's another question John: Where do you think God is taking you as you transition your music into the Christian scene?
JOHN: It's a good question. I gotta say I think of myself as a secular artist who happens to be Christian. As my faith continues to affect and inform my life, my art is naturally affected. So songs have begun to take more of a purposeful direction. Messages have become more hopeful and personal and honest. As far as where God might be taking me, man I gotta say, I have no idea. I certainly have a zillion ideas about where I'd like Him to take me, but I really haven't heard Him say that He is planning this or that. It's more of a day to day relationship, that, when I'm living correctly, is rewarding in the present, but rarely has a promise about the future. That's just the way it's been for me. If He tells you anything, let me know!! haha
I will tell you John! If God tells me anything about your life bro. God is sooo mysterious. One time a friend of mine Richard told me this: that you got to sit on the couch with God before you go on a great adventure with God. It’s interesting what God has been sharing with me lately. Maybe this helps you and those reading this blog. Right now I've been writing for my book about God's promises the way he works them into our destiny. I'll give you all a sneak peak of some revelation God is sharing with me. Maybe it will help you bro. We are like the people Israel for at first we are in a foreign land like Egypt. It is a desert wasteland with very little water to grow. We are slaves that leave the land by the power of God we are free to follow him. Then God sends us to the desert. The desert is where we get prepared for the journey ahead. We are getting prepared for the promise. God in the desert stirs our passion for the God giving us the dream he has for us. He prepares us. He works in your inner being the things needed to receive the promise ahead. I think though sometimes we give up to easy and do not receive the things we need for the journey ahead so we spend another 40 years in the desert. People give up along the way from pursuing the dream. If we endure, then we enter the things received in the promise land. In getting to the promised land we get the needs of our heart met for greater promises.
Here is one last question: Could you tell us a short summary of how God brought you to himself?
Wow, the short summary eh? hahaSure. Well I was raised Catholic and come from a super loving family. At a young age I had loved ones around me who told me that God loved me. That i was so beautiful, "because God made me."It was really wonderful. I prayed at night, and believed that God could answer my prayers, that he was powerful and good. It wasn't a super personal relationship, but there was definitely a foundation of faith.
Around high school, I totally drifted away from that faith (which was pretty thinly grounded to tell the truth, in the first place).
I did the usual things a kid without God does (sex drugs rock & roll).
Then flash forward to around 22 years old. I was living with a girlfriend, was totally in love, thought I was going to marry her.
But the second she left out of town, I cheated on her, after a night of drinking and performing. Hadn't planned on it, but it happened.
Long story short, she somehow found out about it, and instantly broke up with me (over the phone, from out of the country).
It was the first time in my life where I couldn't weasel out of my mistakes and get what I wanted.
I was crushed. I had a Romans experience to say the least ("I do what I don't want to do...")
It was the first time that I came to realize that there is a person I want to be, that I'm not capable of being by myself.
Enter Jesus...
In the form of the community of peeps at Mosaic in L.A. the combination of my best bud Ramsey, Erwin McManus and my small group/bible study friends, did the trick.
MIKE: That is so wonderful what God does for us and through us. It is so great to see all the wonderful things God is doing through you bro. I pray everything goes well check out this song that John wrote for his third CD. If you want to check out more of John's music look at his myspace.
MIKE:
Hey John, I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about your CD.You said a little bit in your comment on Free Encouragement Blog.
I was wondering if we could have a little bit of correspondence. Here is a couple of questions.
One of the things I want to know is: Why do you do the things in you do as far as music?
I want to know, what drives you? What inspires you as far as writing lyrics?
Hey M,Sure thing.I think half of the reason I write and perform music is totally self indulgent. There are moments when I'm playing where I literally feel like I disappear into a dream state, and the euphoria of that feeling is just sublime. The other side of it is that there is something great about inspiring people, and affecting them, and about hearing them get encouraged by what you're doing (Oh wait, I guess that side is selfish too!).
As far as what drives and inspires me, I'd have to say it's a mixture of things. The desire to be the person I feel I'm supposed to be; to live up to my maximum I guess. I got a lot of love in my life between friends family, God. I think those things give me the strength to fight the good fight.
Happy to answer any other questions you have. Honored that you'd take the time to ask.
Cheers,
J
It's an honor right back bro.
Lol, I like being called M. That's a first. Usually it's Mike or some thing way out there like Wazoski from Monster's Inc.
Sure thing J. Here is a few more questions..
Love is important to keep going on. I agree that it inspires us to live to our fullest.
How does your relationship with God and his love keep you going?
How does your relationship with God affect your music?
I have more but I'd like to see where you take these next questions.
M.
JOHN:I feel that God's love for me is always astounding me. I'm the type who always feels like he's not cutting it, and whose always beating himself up with his sins. Somehow God is always there at the end of it, picking me up, dusting me off and put me back in the game. His love is humbling, and wonderful.
The fact that this is how I feel in general, often affects my music. I think the transition into Christianity, has had a huge impact on the music. I think the songs have become clearer, and more positively charged in general. I also feel like they are more honest and vulnerable than ever.
Talk soon,
J
MIKE: Wow. I know what you mean we as Christians when we stand up for the truth. God does not leave us empty handed-- he equips us with the words to say.
I think the power of words is built through our relationships with him. He can take something so simple yet make it so powerful. I love that about God.
I know when I make it too much about me--that it does not seem to be what builds up people with the words we are given.
Here's another question John: Where do you think God is taking you as you transition your music into the Christian scene?
JOHN: It's a good question. I gotta say I think of myself as a secular artist who happens to be Christian. As my faith continues to affect and inform my life, my art is naturally affected. So songs have begun to take more of a purposeful direction. Messages have become more hopeful and personal and honest. As far as where God might be taking me, man I gotta say, I have no idea. I certainly have a zillion ideas about where I'd like Him to take me, but I really haven't heard Him say that He is planning this or that. It's more of a day to day relationship, that, when I'm living correctly, is rewarding in the present, but rarely has a promise about the future. That's just the way it's been for me. If He tells you anything, let me know!! haha
I will tell you John! If God tells me anything about your life bro. God is sooo mysterious. One time a friend of mine Richard told me this: that you got to sit on the couch with God before you go on a great adventure with God. It’s interesting what God has been sharing with me lately. Maybe this helps you and those reading this blog. Right now I've been writing for my book about God's promises the way he works them into our destiny. I'll give you all a sneak peak of some revelation God is sharing with me. Maybe it will help you bro. We are like the people Israel for at first we are in a foreign land like Egypt. It is a desert wasteland with very little water to grow. We are slaves that leave the land by the power of God we are free to follow him. Then God sends us to the desert. The desert is where we get prepared for the journey ahead. We are getting prepared for the promise. God in the desert stirs our passion for the God giving us the dream he has for us. He prepares us. He works in your inner being the things needed to receive the promise ahead. I think though sometimes we give up to easy and do not receive the things we need for the journey ahead so we spend another 40 years in the desert. People give up along the way from pursuing the dream. If we endure, then we enter the things received in the promise land. In getting to the promised land we get the needs of our heart met for greater promises.
Here is one last question: Could you tell us a short summary of how God brought you to himself?
Wow, the short summary eh? hahaSure. Well I was raised Catholic and come from a super loving family. At a young age I had loved ones around me who told me that God loved me. That i was so beautiful, "because God made me."It was really wonderful. I prayed at night, and believed that God could answer my prayers, that he was powerful and good. It wasn't a super personal relationship, but there was definitely a foundation of faith.
Around high school, I totally drifted away from that faith (which was pretty thinly grounded to tell the truth, in the first place).
I did the usual things a kid without God does (sex drugs rock & roll).
Then flash forward to around 22 years old. I was living with a girlfriend, was totally in love, thought I was going to marry her.
But the second she left out of town, I cheated on her, after a night of drinking and performing. Hadn't planned on it, but it happened.
Long story short, she somehow found out about it, and instantly broke up with me (over the phone, from out of the country).
It was the first time in my life where I couldn't weasel out of my mistakes and get what I wanted.
I was crushed. I had a Romans experience to say the least ("I do what I don't want to do...")
It was the first time that I came to realize that there is a person I want to be, that I'm not capable of being by myself.
Enter Jesus...
In the form of the community of peeps at Mosaic in L.A. the combination of my best bud Ramsey, Erwin McManus and my small group/bible study friends, did the trick.
MIKE: That is so wonderful what God does for us and through us. It is so great to see all the wonderful things God is doing through you bro. I pray everything goes well check out this song that John wrote for his third CD. If you want to check out more of John's music look at his myspace.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wisdom and Wise Choices Part 2
We can not water down truth. One thing I see in corporate America is the end means of making a perfect world is to increase the economy to a point that some social problems are gone.
Let me explain this: many people see that the cause of what is wrong in the world such as crime is caused by poverty.
When people see the only evil as suffering: they try to get rid of symptoms which do not solve the actual problem of getting rid of an imperfect world which they are seeking.
You have two ways that are fought trust and mammon. Mammon is something that can be traded for monetary value.
See when we say there is no truth there is nothing to trust in. Other religions are the symptoms of not trusting in the absolute truth. In saying that something is true that is not true you are agreeing with a lie.
So the basis of lies and false religion is desecration of truth. The world wants to push mammon as far as possible for they think that it is the way to solve the problem of an imperfect world.
Corporate America pushes towards a no truth society so they can make more money in exploiting cultures to figure out their niche to get as much out of their economy to change thing towards’ their meaning of perfect.”
However an imperfect person can not figure out what is perfect without the interaction of the perfect.
Only through the perfect can the imperfect solve the problems of an imperfect world.
Interaction with a perfect God is the only way that people can come to grips with getting rid of what is bad in the world.
I need a perfect to call me perfect in order to know what my perfection looks like in true meaning.
When we say that nothing is true nothing stands.
If a society grabs a hold of believing in no absolutes then there is chaos and destruction.
You can look at Las Vegas as an example. A few weeks ago I met Marla Cartwright who worked for the National Resonances Organization. She gave me a much insider information about Las Vegas which embraced this no absolute truth ideal. “They have this famous saying: what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Now the city is a dump: greed led many of casinos to go bankrupt trying to please big spenders. Competition became so fierce in this that Casinos bankrupted each other to be the best.
I see a similar thing in Batman. ( It’s kind of cool because my upcoming book shows how we can be more like batman and less like the joker. ) I think the dark knight has a little bit to teach us about idealism and how to turn a Gotham into a great city on a hill that is not hidden by spiritual darkness. We have to watch out that we try to make a show with our fake lights. We must remember the real light that we have instead of the one that fills up the squares and street corners.
When the mob runs the government it is like Gotham without Batman.
Now when parents look at this they may want to shelter their kids from knowing anything about this. I think parents need to look at the difference between sheltering their kids and protecting their kids spiritually. It is good to give them counsel to know how to handle matters of a mature nature. However parents need to realize that they are learning about these things at a surprisingly younger age. Parent need to be real with their kids and not fake so to keep them from harm so their flesh does not lead them into temptation.
Nor will the flesh of others take advantage of their nativity. We must be very clear on why children can’t do things. We tell them not to look at certain things but do not show the path of the wise and wicked in these choices. We must tell them the result of bad choices and good choices. The result doesn’t mean spankings or cookies. It means certain choices lead us to do certain things and affect us in certain ways. We must lay out the path showing our children why one way leads to dead ends and heartache and the other way leads to better possibilities and a better life.
This next part that I am posting should help us with guarding the next generation and bringing them back towards a loving absolute culture. If they love what love really is then they will love God for he is love.
Let me explain this: many people see that the cause of what is wrong in the world such as crime is caused by poverty.
When people see the only evil as suffering: they try to get rid of symptoms which do not solve the actual problem of getting rid of an imperfect world which they are seeking.
You have two ways that are fought trust and mammon. Mammon is something that can be traded for monetary value.
See when we say there is no truth there is nothing to trust in. Other religions are the symptoms of not trusting in the absolute truth. In saying that something is true that is not true you are agreeing with a lie.
So the basis of lies and false religion is desecration of truth. The world wants to push mammon as far as possible for they think that it is the way to solve the problem of an imperfect world.
Corporate America pushes towards a no truth society so they can make more money in exploiting cultures to figure out their niche to get as much out of their economy to change thing towards’ their meaning of perfect.”
However an imperfect person can not figure out what is perfect without the interaction of the perfect.
Only through the perfect can the imperfect solve the problems of an imperfect world.
Interaction with a perfect God is the only way that people can come to grips with getting rid of what is bad in the world.
I need a perfect to call me perfect in order to know what my perfection looks like in true meaning.
When we say that nothing is true nothing stands.
If a society grabs a hold of believing in no absolutes then there is chaos and destruction.
You can look at Las Vegas as an example. A few weeks ago I met Marla Cartwright who worked for the National Resonances Organization. She gave me a much insider information about Las Vegas which embraced this no absolute truth ideal. “They have this famous saying: what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Now the city is a dump: greed led many of casinos to go bankrupt trying to please big spenders. Competition became so fierce in this that Casinos bankrupted each other to be the best.
I see a similar thing in Batman. ( It’s kind of cool because my upcoming book shows how we can be more like batman and less like the joker. ) I think the dark knight has a little bit to teach us about idealism and how to turn a Gotham into a great city on a hill that is not hidden by spiritual darkness. We have to watch out that we try to make a show with our fake lights. We must remember the real light that we have instead of the one that fills up the squares and street corners.
When the mob runs the government it is like Gotham without Batman.
Now when parents look at this they may want to shelter their kids from knowing anything about this. I think parents need to look at the difference between sheltering their kids and protecting their kids spiritually. It is good to give them counsel to know how to handle matters of a mature nature. However parents need to realize that they are learning about these things at a surprisingly younger age. Parent need to be real with their kids and not fake so to keep them from harm so their flesh does not lead them into temptation.
Nor will the flesh of others take advantage of their nativity. We must be very clear on why children can’t do things. We tell them not to look at certain things but do not show the path of the wise and wicked in these choices. We must tell them the result of bad choices and good choices. The result doesn’t mean spankings or cookies. It means certain choices lead us to do certain things and affect us in certain ways. We must lay out the path showing our children why one way leads to dead ends and heartache and the other way leads to better possibilities and a better life.
This next part that I am posting should help us with guarding the next generation and bringing them back towards a loving absolute culture. If they love what love really is then they will love God for he is love.
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