Soda sub Nashville

I am still wandering around in a post-Passion state. I have a plethora of thoughts, concerns, and prayers floating around in this knotty-head of mine. Some of it has to do with Jesus. Some has to do with the past. The rest has to do with Sobe Soda and a random back hair.

I hate back hairs, about as much as I hate nose hairs (see post from 12/23/05 entitled "On Nose Hairs..."). I had this random back hair that has bothered me for about a week. Today it was resolved with a snip of a pair of sharp sizzors. There it fell.

After I cut the rogue hair, I started to think about sin. I thought about how sin arrives when I least want it to and stays longer than it is welcome. You can cut sin hairs all you want, but it you don't take out the root it is only a matter of time before the sin is back, longer than ever. I thought about how Jesus stands ready, with a pair of tweezers or hot wax, to remove the hair far more efficiently than we can with our dull sizzors. He wants to free us from the hostage hairs, but sometimes we don't want to let Him get close with the tweezers or wax. Sure sin/hairs hurt when they are removed, but in the end we praise the Savior/hair-remover-person for doing what we could not.

I also realized that Sobe Soda is the bomb today. Good stuff.

I am struggling. I have a vision that I received at Passion that has rested deep within my heart form some time. I don't know if I am merely a Spiritual junkie on a Jesus high right now, or if what I feel/desire truely is His motion in my heart. I am in a place right now.

I have been involved in several ministries up to this point, and if I follow the inspiration obtained at passion, one of these ministries must be sacrificed. Don't misunderstand me, Passion merely confirmed (to my understanding) the desire that has been in my heart for some time..

I bounced some of these thoughts off Kieran today after a random meeting at signs. He provided some thoughts that I don't normally encounter. I bounced some thoughts off my dad tonight, he provided some answers that I normally encounter. I have been bouncing thoughts off Jesus today. What a friend He is.

So, I don't know. I pray that who David is will change. I pray that authenticy will be forefront in my heart. I hope that I do the right thing and go where I need to go. Slowly I evolve as a believer, I am catching glimpses of grace that scare me to death.

Oh God let us be,
A generation that seeks,
That seeks Your face,
Oh God of Jacob.

Revival Friends, I pray for revival fires to fall. I think the Evil One has been firing at me since I returned home, which is incredibly exciting. I have learned that when I encounter Spiritual opposition / oppression after a season with God that I am on the brink of something larger. When you face trials and temptations, as James 1:2 says, count it all Joy.

Just as Dr. John Piper rejoices in his news of Prostrate Cancer, I rejoice in the news of struggle, pain, and suffering. This is something that I have learned, that through suffering in the Spirit, we can draw closer to God.

Francis Chan, in a breakout session at Passion'06, described pain the best that I have heard it put. He noted that the word "testing" in James 1:3 is the same word that is used in describing the purifying process of silver. When a silversmith purifies silver, he heats it up to an extremely hot temperature. At the high temperature, the dross in the silver rises to the top where the silversmith skims it off. This process continues again and again until the siler is pure. The silversmith can tell that it is pure when he can see his reflection in the cleansed metal.

This is the same way with suffering. When we go through trials and temptations, we are called to rejoice. Why? Because it is through the pain that Jesus purifies us and brings all of our junk and impurities to the top to "skim them off."

We will see. Trials? I am ready in a different way than I was before. I think a soda sounds good tomorrow...

D <><

My Friends,

Wow. What can I say? What can I tell you about the past couple of days? I could try to tell you about how I traveled with 8 other people down to Nashville, TN for Passion '06. I could try to tell you about how we arrived Monday afternoon and were ready when the Conference started Monday night. I could try to tell you about how we spent time worshiping Jesus, praying with each other, fellowshiping with other college students across the nation, hearing the teachings of a very theological man, weeping, laughing, rejoicing, and standing in awesome silence. I could try to lay out the way the Conference was structured, and who all was there that you would recognize. I could tell you that I talked briefly with Beth Moore or worshiped with Charlie Hall, Matt Redman, David Crowder, and Chris Tomlin.

As much as I could tell you about all the details, there is only one main detail that I want to give you: JESUS! He was there, just as He is here, and just as he is looking over your shoulder right now. He has woven a story of grace to all people. He has paid the price of sin for all of us. He has been given the name that is above every name. He walked this earth totally God and totally man 2000 years ago. He died for you. If you were the only one to respond to His gift of grace, He would have died anyways.

I love Art. The great art, the powerful art. I love looking at the art of one that I love. I love Jesus. He is an artist. Check this out:

Yep, that is His! So is this:

Oh, another...

His art hangs out in the heavens, screaming, "LOOK AT HIM! LOOK AT JESUS! LOOK AT WHAT HE HAS CREATED!! LOOK AT HOW BIG, MIGHTY, AND AWESOME HE IS!! PRAISE HIM! SING PRAISE TO HIS NAME!!!!"

Job 38:4-11:

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who enclosed the sea with doors when, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; when I made a cloud its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and I placed boundaries on it and set a bolt and doors, and I said, 'Thus far you shall come, but no farther; and here shall your proud waves stop'?"

More Later, but for now, know that God is a Mighty God. Know that He loves you severly. Know that you have sinned horribly against Him. Know that His grace is enough. Know. Passion.

D <><