IT'S TIME TO GET BACK ON TRACK

So, it's been a while. But is that a reason not to start again? It's been a while since you've done that thing you meant to do... what thing you ask? You know, that thing! That habit, that practice schedule, that exercise or gym program, that thing, that idea that you should spend regular time with a family member... What ever that thing was for you, there's always a time to get back on track, and that time is now!

“But it's too late...”

It's never too late to pick up where you left off. A new habit can and will change your life! Never “despise the day of small beginnings”.

“I've tried it, but I just don't have the discipline...”

Discipline, like many characteristics, can be cultivated/developed. Sure we've all had our weak moments, but look ahead, don't get discouraged about what is behind you. Start somewhere right now.

“But I don't want to”

You do want to. You're the one that decided to do it back then. If there's even an inkling of a desire to do that thing, then water that desire right now. Fan the flame by acting on it. Why not close facebook on your computer, go and take a step to pick up that habit again...

As I write this, it's the start of a new “financial year”. What better excuse to get back into it? To train, to learn, to practise, to pray... what was the habit YOU were wanting to develop at the start of the year? Do it. :)

What inspired this as a topic? I'm glad you asked.

Yesterday, which happened to be Sunday, the 30^th June, I was driving from Toowoomba back to Brisbane. Before I left, I created a playlist on my phone, which included some podcasts and one of them really struck me. Out of all the podcasts I could have listened to, I chose one called “10 Ways to Generate More Blog-Traffic”. In hindsight, to me it seems weird that I picked that one.

As you will notice, I've had this blog site for several years now, and, (as you will also notice) my blog posts have not always been consistent. I haven't published one of my “monthly” blogs for over 2 years. I love writing, but I've never been that keen on the idea of trying to “generate” more blog-traffic, mainly because I don't like the idea of “self-promotion”, and have often thought that “the people that need to find me will find me”. Still, I listened through the entire podcast about how to "generate more blog-traffic", and one of the messages that came through loud and clear, was the importance of blogging CONSISTENTLY. (Just like that thing you need to do will need to be done consistently in the future.) You need good content (says Michael Hyatt), but it needs to be delivered regularly.

This made sense to me... and while driving, I began to plan to write a blog the next morning!

“BACK ON TRACK” were the first words that came to mind...

AS YOU get back on track... DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED.

I have had an S3 phone for a while now, which makes me an Android user. One thing I love about Android,  is the 'widgets' that you can use, and my FAVOURITE, hands-down, is the “verse of the day” display I have on my home-screen.

In the midst of all of my brains activity, my busyness, my lack of ability to sleep right now, and my discouragement at my lack of progress on so many fronts, the Bible app speaks right to me.

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

God bless, see you next month.

You want to read this post...

Email # 8 (May)

I've been reading Exodus lately, and it got me thinking about some things.

We're gonna jump to Exodus chapter one in a moment. It's such a great book. If you haven't read it, I'd recommend reading it some time. And if you have read it, why not read it again? It's such an amazing book!

The book of Exodus tells the story of Moses and His journey leading the Israelites through the wilderness, towards Canaan, the promised “land”. They did some great things, but they also failed at a lot of things too. Later on in the New Testament, Paul makes it clear to us that the story is there for a reason, and it's for our benefit! (1 Corinthians 10:11.) There are many things you can learn from their story, that you can apply to your own personal life. Primarily though, we can apply the lessons to the church as a whole. After all, the Israelites were a group of people journeying together! But I digress...

Let's look at the start of the book: The Israelites, (because of Joseph), are now occupying Egypt.

Exodus 1:7-13:

...the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.
So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labour, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly.

The reason Pharaoh and the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites is because they were scared of them! He knew what they could become if they began to discover who they were and what they were called to do. (The Israelites were (and still are) a special group of people with a great calling on them as a nation.)

That's a lot like Christians today! The enemy has oppressed Christians in a number of ways, ultimately because he's scared of what they can achieve if they knew who they are and what they're called to do.

Obviously, in some ways, the church (corporate) has made heaps of ground. If you're a Christian, you're on the winning team. But we still have a long way to go! There are a quite a few ways that Christians are like the Israelites in the verses above!

He has oppressed Christians today through sin, boredom, religion, apathy, wrong mindsets, just to name a few. But when we get free... look out!! Look out devil, God's people are on the rise!!!

All it took for the Israelites, was for Moses to come along. Guess what? Jesus has come along!!! He has set us free! We have everything we need (and truly desire) in Him!!! But the devil's tricked us into going back in to believing a lie... and by believing him, we've gone back to living in oppression. We've gone back in to sin, harmful-habits, routines that are not going anywhere, a life void of the Spirit of God, and this leads to narrow/small thinking, it often leads to negative/critical thinking.. No wonder we're so bored in church!

But let's not be discouraged by what's lacking! Focus on what God is doing... He's raising you up. He's preparing you for something. He's testing and developing you're character. And one of the ultimate tests is this: what are you going to do, with things the way they are? Are you going to stay connected with the body? Continue to gather? (That's one important thing.) Keep serving? (As God's called you to...) Submit to human authority? Let's keep doing all of those things and more. And if you've found yourself out of fellowship, for whatever reason... you need to go back! Church is where you belong! If you want to be a part of what God is going to do in the future, you need to join in with what God is doing now. That's crucial! But I digress...

Ok, with that in mind... let's look back to the story of Exodus, and what it could mean to us today:

Once again, Pharaoh, and the Egyptians, knew what the Israelites could become. That's why they oppressed them so much. In the same way, Satan is quaking in his boots about what the church can become. Sure, he's going to be up to a few things himself in the future (have you read the book of Revelation?), but the bottom line is, God is at work. He's bringing the kingdom, and He's doing it through His body, you and me. God had called the Israelites to conquer, and then occupy a place called Canaan, a land “flowing with milk and honey”. This can mean many things to us today. It could apply to you personally in a specific way right now, and it could also apply to the church (corporate), seeing multitudes of people saved and discipled (that's a fantastic example). For now though, let's say that our “promised land”, is to see Christians occupying the positions of influence that they are specifically called to... including major positions of influence in the media and the arts.

So to start with, let's make a few things clear:

1. This is going to happen.

The devil doesn't like it, but what God has spoken, is going to come to pass. Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18) and in the same way, God is raising up people to occupy these positions, and the enemy is not going to be able to stop it. Once again, the devils raising up things as well. (Revelation 13 for example - I'm not unaware of what the bible says about the end-time activity of the devil, written about here and other places in the bible.) Right now though, I'm highlighting the fact that God is up to something much greater. What God is building, no demon can stop.

2. It is going to take a lot of hard work on our part

Whatever you are called to do, “do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Col 3:23). Diligence is not a dirty word in the bible. It says:

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage...” (Prov 21:5)

“The hand of the diligent will rule” (Prov 12:24)

“He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb 11:6)

We need to be careful not to get caught up in thinking “if God wants it to happen, it'll happen...” God said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand...” (Josh 6:2) – that's God the Calvinist talking. But the Israelites still had to do something to get it done! They still had to follow God's plan (see Josh 6:3-5), and then be diligent to finish off the job (Josh 6:21).

We need to be Holy Spirit filled, Jesus following Armenian’s. (I'm deliberately using words to provoke thought...) Basically, let's follow God's leading and go for it!!!

If you are, a) Seeking God b) under covering (leadership @ church), staying connected to “the body”/”the church” and c) seeking God, you almost can't go wrong. Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us comfort that we can indeed trust God to guide our paths, we just need to take some steps.

3. We do need to be strategic.

Every so often, we need to stop, and take a look at where we are currently at, and where we're heading. If we look at the example of the Israelites again, they didn't just waltz in to the promised land without any prior planning or thinking things through. They were required to trust God for the victory. But we also see that God told Moses to send out men to scout out the land, find out what it was like in there, and bring back some of the fruit. (Numbers 13:17-18)

(On this note - I believe that there are men and women of God today, that have gone in to the film industry, and found some success, but in a sense they have just been “spying out the land” so to speak. There is one man in particular whom I believe this specifically applies to. These people are coming back with a good report, and some fruit (like verse 27). We need to be like Joshua and Caleb, who know that it's not up to us and our strength. They were the ones that said: “...He will bring us into this land.” (Num 14:7-8).)

Even so, we need to listen to these people, and find out about the culture we are in, or want to be in. When it comes to the media, and “the arts”, there are many different sub-cultures and things that are worth knowing about. Allow God to prepare you for that “culture” as such. If someone gives you a cool hat, wear it!

All of this is not going to come easy, but you can guarantee it will happen. If my eschatology is correct, (and I believe it is), we are going to see lot's of crazy stuff go down in the future, but the stuff that God is doing in the media/arts etc is going to be infinitely more compelling, fun, interesting, and exciting than anything that comes from the enemies camp. Whether you believe the beast and the dragon in Revelation are partially fullfilled prophecies or not, they suck compared to what God's going to do in the days ahead!

What's your role to play? Where do you fit in with what God's doing?

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

“...With God on our side like this, how can we lose?”

Creative Arts & Media - Email #7 (March)

Where is God calling you?

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

For some reason, this is a verse I keep coming back to constantly. Years ago, I still remember hearing some speaker mention this verse, and all they said were the words, "Jesus had a quiet time." I don't remember much else about what she said, because at that point, suddenly, the light bulbs went on for me!

There are so many principles contained in this verse, and the context you find it in. Basically, Jesus was in the middle of one of his busiest seasons ever in His life/ministry, and he did what he had to do, to get away from everything, to spend time with His Father. Boy there's a lot in that verse... and I constantly have to find a way back to what this verse is saying to me. God has used this verse so much with me to draw me back to one thing... It's all about relationship with God.

Yes, you do need time with Him, but really, it's what you want! There is NOTHING like the sheer thrill and joy of knowing Him, and being with Him in His presence! There is nothing like having a relationship... with... GOD!!!!!

Yet how easy do I drift from that simple truth? How easy does my heart go astray? I might not even necessarily get led astray by things that are sinful, but just by normal aspects of life itself!

I need time with God. It refuels me. It re-centers me. It sustains me.

But more than that, I want it. Even when I don't sense that "longing", or I'm not aware of the desire to spend time with God, it's there, it's just not fully tapped into yet.

But it will be.

"Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." (Song of Solomon 8:6)

This is a verse written in Song of Solomon, which talking about waiting. The daughters are told not to "arouse" sexual desires until the right time. There's a time and a place for everything...

Whether you're married or not though, you can have a close and personal relationship with God, right now! All you need to do is:


"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

It's a sure promise of Scripture! He will not impose Himself relationally on you, if you do not want Him! The truth is, He wants to draw near to you all the time, and if you will allow your heart to take a step towards Him, He will take a step towards you!

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
   but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." (Prov 13:12)

"Seek and you will find" (Matthew 7:7)

As you seek God, and find His presence, the desire is tapped into, fulfilled, and becomes a "tree of life" to you. If you long for God, and you meet with Him constantly, then it adds an incredible element of "life" to you. It changes your posture, your countenance, it puts a "swing in your step!"

It changes your perception, and your outlook on life! Instead of seeing the negative in everything, you'll be looking for the good that can come out of it! Instead of seeing the way things have gone wrong in the past, and the ways things could go wrong in the future, you'll be looking for the potential in every situation to learn something from it, and to grow through it.

Walking with God will do all of these things to you, and more. It will set you up for the future, but more than that, it will allow you to trust Him for the future. If you simply seek Him for who He is, rewards will follow (Genisis 15:1), but He is the ultimate reward.

Walking with God is for you. But where do you start? Let's just follow in the footsteps of Jesus...

"Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)

Creative Arts & Media - Email #6 (Dec)

When The Righteous Thrive...

Last month we talked about the kingdom, and we began to imagine what it's like when the kingdom of God comes to the media and the creative arts. That led into a section entitled “Dominion Part 1”, which was basically a discussion about what some theologians call “dominion theology”. In this months 'teaching', I want to expand on this a little bit. Soon, we'll get into "Dominion Part 2"! Before we get into this, I want to share some other thoughts...

This morning, I was reading Proverbs 29, and I found several verses that mention the righteous:

Prov 29:2 - “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;

when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

Who says the righteous can't thrive and succeed? The above verse says that we can. It does acknowledge that there are times when wicked people will be in charge, but it says that it's a lot better when the people of God are the ones prospering.

“Prov 28:28 – “When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;

but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.”

Let's apply this to the media & the arts. When the righteous find themselves in places of influence, and stature, society will be far better off. When the “wicked rule”, and find themselves in positions of authority, then we are in trouble!!!

Again, who said the righteous can't thrive? Who said that God's people can't do well in society? Who says that we can't succeed? Sell records? Make box-office hits? Write songs that change the world and the way people think? Sell out stadiums?

(Also have a look at... Proverbs 29:16)

I think it's helpful for us to remember to be righteous. We are absolutely righteous because of what Jesus did at Calvary. We are washed clean because of what Jesus did for us. But the paradox is that we also need to be righteous. Basically, that means we must do what is right in the sight of the Lord. Let's have a heart and an attitude to do the right thing in His eyes! It doesn't mean we won't make mistakes, and stumble from time to time. I'd be the first to go, if we had to be perfect. If we are to make a difference though, we've got to want to do the right things in God's eyes. Let's not cheat in our taxes. Let's not flirt with people we shouldn't be flirting with. Let's not mess around with things we shouldn't be messing around with. Let's not be like the church in Laodicia that was called “lukewarm”. I reckon some of those guys were flirting with the things of the world in order to “fit in” just so they could get somewhere, but Jesus said that their success meant nothing. If we keep one foot in the world, sure God could use us, just like He spoke through Balaam, but in the end, our success will be meaningless. (And by the way, you don't want your story to end the way Balaam's did...)

If we want to pursue influence, and to succeed in our endevours, let's do it God's way. Cool?

With this in mind...

Let's look at Dominion Part 2!

So, let's continue our discussion about what some theologians call “Dominion Theology”. This is a concept that is becoming more readily accepted in the church. Certainly, it's an important concept for us to get a grasp of today!

Basically, it's the idea that we, as Christians, are called to influence various areas of society. The focus of “Christian Ministry” is not just converting people, and building churches. Of course we want to see people saved, and believers being added to the church, but this shouldn't be the SOLE focus of believers today.

Loren Cunningham is a great missionary, man of God, and leader in the body of Christ who teaches that there are 7 basic “spheres”, or “mountains” of society. These are: Family, Church, Education, Media, Arts and Entertainment, Business, and Government. Click here for a great interview with Loren about this concept.

This paradigm gives us a very helpful way of viewing things. Of course, we don't want to “box” people in, but it does help to have a grid or framework, firstly to help us understand things, and secondly to bring greater focus.

If you feel called to the media, or to the “arts and entertainment” sphere, then you are in the right place.

Let's look in the bible, way back in the beginning, to when God was first planning to create mankind, He said:
“Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen 1:26-28, NKJV, Italics added)

So in the beginning, God gave authority to man, to have “dominion” over the earth, to “rule and reign” with God.

As we all know, two chapters later, satan came along and led Adam and Eve astray, and in essence, he ussurped the authority from them!

In the New Testament, Paul described satan, our enemy, as the “god of this age” (2 Cor 4:4), and Jesus Himself called him the “ruler of this world” (John 14:30). Since stealing the authority from mankind, he has been working hard to try to maintain control of his kingdom, which is ultimately one that brings death, bondage, and destruction to man-kind. He has “blinded the minds of unbelievers...” and is working hard to keep it that way. (Also see Ephesians 2:1-3.)

He has set up strongholds, not only in the Media, but in governments, in Businesses, Education systemes and so on, although, right now, these systems are being infiltrated by people who are “not of this world”.

This is where dominion theology comes in. As the church, we aren't called to sit back and watch things get worse. In our own way, we are called to help “take dominion” in society.

“On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matt 16:18)

The church is perfectly poised to take serious ground for the kingdom of God this year. Step by step, we are moving forward.

I hope this makes at least some sense, and encourages you in some way. Feel free to leave comments/feedback!!! This email has been a bit more "theological"... My goal is to be as "practical" as possible, but at the same time, we all need a bit of "theology" now and then, which is basically a our attempts to explain God's words and works systematically.

To finish off for today, I want to encourage you with four things, to apply to your own calling in your own way:

1. Have fun doing what you're doing. Some people have no problem remembering to do this, but some of us (like me) need to be reminded! :) Life needs to be enjoyed! Enjoy the journey!!! Remember to live it up a little bit!
2. Stay connected with “the church” - His body. I know you can have fellowship with other Christians anywhere, I do it all the time. But God is growing great local churches everywhere. It's really important to find a local church that you can call home. If you guard your heart from offense, and let the Holy Spirit lead you, you should have no problem finding a great church home! And if life takes you places, why not connect with a church there to receive some fresh input before you get on your way!?
3. Stay focused on YOUR calling. Don't try to live out some one elses calling... These words have been echoing in my head lately... “Be Yourself”.
4. Have fun:)
   
   
   Peace and love, and happy new year!

Creative Arts & Media - Email #5 (Nov)

So I listened to the radio... 

The other day I went to the gym for my semi-regular work-out session... I went there on a Thursday morning, and for some reason, I was the only one that was there! I didn't mind this, in fact I was happy to have the gym to myself. The radio was blaring, so as I sometimes do, I reached into my pocket, grabbed my mp3 player/phone, and put my head-phones in place. At that moment though, I changed my mind and decided to listen to the radio for a while, just to see what's being played these days. (I try to do that every so often.) I put my headphones back in my pocket, and walked towards the big stereo at the side of the gym, wondering which radio station I'd like to tune in to. Then my ears started to tune in and listen in to the song that was playing, and was more than a little put-off... It was a pop-punk style song, and several times in a row, these were the words that were blaring out:

"She sounds like sex on the radio".

So I switched the radio off.

I was angry, but also suprised and saddened. I wasn't so much angry at the singer for singing it (although in my view, it's a bit immature...) More the fact that this song had made it to the radio, where a lot of people, including young people, would hear it. (It definitely wasn't a far-out indie station!) And still today, I don't care who sings the song, I don't care what he means by it, or which context he's singing that line. For a record company to market a song like that, and for a radio station to broadcast it, is irresponsible.

Now I know that 10 years ago, a song became popular on the radio that went: "We started making out, and she took off my pants, and then I turned on the tv..." And that was around 10 years ago. (If you're shocked by me writing out these lyrics, I apoligize. These songs have been on public radio stations, so please forgive me for quoting them here to try to make a point.) But the line I heard the other day in the gym... even shocked me.

My point is, that little by little, things seem to be getting worse. The standard for what's generally accepted isn't exactly being raised. And by the way, in case your wondering, I didn't bother turning the radio in the gym back on when I'd finished! I had several music options on my mp3 player: I didn't feel like listening to Kings of Leon, their new album is a bit flat anyway. I decided to put put one of Henry's songs on. He's much cooler than anyone else on the radio... (Right now, I have to mention that there are a lot of people who are doing a fantastic job getting their music out there, that are doing it the right way. Brook Fraser is a good example.)

You might ask, what's the point of the above story? Isn't this just the way it is? Doesn't the bible say that lawlessness will increase, and that things are going to get worse and worse before Jesus finally comes back? Well, it does, but that's only a part of the truth. The bible does say that things will get bad. If the bible is true, then we can expect some pretty crazy things to happen in the future! (Eg: Matt 24:5-15, Daniel 11:30-33, 2 Tim 3:13,4:3-4, Revelation) However, at the same time though, the bible is packed full of things describing what God's people should be doing during those times! Daniel 11:32 sums it up really well. Even if we are surrounded by evil, Daniel 11:32 says: "the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." (NKJV, Italics mine.)

Dominion Part 1

I still love this Scripture:

Isaiah 60:1-3:

“Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness will cover the earth
And deep darkness the peoples;
But the Lord will rise upon you
And His glory will appear upon you.

Nations will come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.” (NASB)

This verse basically says that even though "deep darkness" covers the peoples, with God's help, HIS people will be a great influence in the world today.

As we pursue the presence of God, as we seek to become more like Him, as we follow Christ, and work hard using what we have in our hands, we will see this come to pass.

There are plenty of examples in the bible of men and women of God who were placed in positions of great influence, even thought the world around them was far from following God. Esther is just one example of someone who was given great influence “for such a time as this”. Joseph became 2 I.C in Egypt, and Daniel became 2 I.C in Babylon. What do Egypt and Babylon represent in Scripture? Sin/the world/the devil's kingdom... you get the idea.

There are heaps more Scriptures that talk about the church (us believers) gaining a place of influence in society. Jesus put it simply though. He says: “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the earth”.

He also taught us to pray: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

What would happen if the kingdom of God came to the media? Would all the forms of media that we have today disapear? I don't believe that! I believe that the way the media is used would change! I believe that the music and the message that is conveyed would be changed! I believe that the Spirit behind the media would change!!!

If God's kingdom were to come to the media, basically, people would be running it the way Jesus would. We've been hearing for years now that God wants to use us where ever we are, in our daily lives. He wants to use us as we talk with our neighbours, as we go shopping, and in our work places. This means that where ever you are, God wants to use you:

-to bless those around you. To be a "witness" through your deeds and words

-to do the right thing, to make wise, ethical decisions that benefit society in general

-to make righteous decisions, where ever you are.

So why couldn't this happen in the media?

I've known of people that have gone and worked for MTV. They made it there because God called them! While they were there, their work and their decision making benifited the kingdom of God!!! 

We are called to action! We are called to take "dominion" of different areas of society, and I believe that the media is definitely one of them. (If you want to slowly shape peoples mindsets and opinions, the media is one of the best ways to do it! No, it's not the only way, but that's what I'm choosing to focus on at the moment.)

We should never forget the principles of John 15, but it is up to us to take action, and take dominion. Stay connected to believers, stay connected to your leaders, stay “submitted” (not a dirty word) and stay accountable to people around you. Then go for it!!!

“So shall they fear
The name of the LORD from the west,
And His glory from the rising of the sun;
When the enemy comes in like a flood,

The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.” (Isaiah 59:11, NKJV)

Creative Arts & Media - Email #4 (October)

“Streams of tears flow from my eyes,

for your law is not obeyed.”

(Psalm 119:136)

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkess is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you

and his glory appears over you.”

(Isaiah 60:1-2)

These days, it's beyond a cliché to talk about the “moral decay” that we're seeing. Obviously, it's not a new thing. “There is nothing new under the sun” the bible says. But there are some things that do seem to be a bit more prominent than they used to be. For the first time the other day, I watched “The X-Factor”, (an Aussie TV show that is kind of like “Britain's got talent”), on prime-time TV. They had a guest performance by a female pop duo, they had a whole crew of people on stage with them, not wearing a whole lot, and some of the main lyrics to their song was “I can do you like that”.

If I had kids, I wouldn't want them seeing any of it (especially if I had girls).

MySpace sent me an update email last month, I didn't have to scroll far down to see a picture of Katy Perry naked covered by a cloud. It made me concerned again about what young people are seeing and listening to, especially after hearing that her latest album and accompanying single is called “Teenage Dream.”

Just over a month ago, I came across this Scripture, and it's come to me a few times since then:

“Streams of tears flow from my eyes,

for your law is not obeyed.”

(Psalm 119:136)

I can imagine the writer of this Psalm seeing what's going around him, and he's crying because he's seeing people hurting themselves, their families, and others around them.

A lot of the images that many music and television producers choose to put out these days is not exactly – let's say “family friendly”. It's nothing new, but it's certainly getting more blatant. When I read the above verse in Psalm 119, it made me think of the Christians out there working in the world of media. I believe that Ezra (possibly the writer of the verse) would sympathize with us today. Let's be encouraged by some of the other things he wrote in the same chapter though:

“Oh, how I love your law!

I meditate on it all day long.” (verse 97)

“Your commands make me wiser than my enemies...” (verse 98)

“You are my refuge and my shield;

I have put my hope in your word” (verse 114)

“Because I love your commands more than gold...

and because I consider all your precepts right,

I hate every wrong path.

Your statutes are wonderful;

therefore I obey them.” (verses 127-129)

“Make your face shine upon your servant

and teach me your decrees.” (verse 135)

Then thinking of those around him, he says:

“Streams of tears flow from my eyes,

for your law is not obeyed.” (verse 136)

But goes on to say things like...

“Your promises have been thoroughly tested,

and your servant loves them...” (verse 140)

“...your commands are my delight.” (verse 143)

Even in the midst of all the sin and stuff that's going on, this guys meditates on God's word, and seeks God's help. He loves God's promises, and delights in what He says. Even with all that's happening around him, he says that God's word is a lamp to his feet and a light for his path (verse 105).

Basically, this message is a call to purity. It's a call to stick with what you believe. It's a call to cling to biblical truth. It's a call to not compromise.

Hold on to your integrity, and you won't live to regret it. Don't get drunk. Don't lie or gossip. Don't cheat or steal, or put yourself in potentially compromising situations. Jesus said “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?” (Matthew 5:13)

Don't stress or worry about the people out there that are Christians (or say that they're Christians) that you believe are compromising, or living a bad example. God's got their number, and he can take care of them. The best that we can do is take care of ourselves.*

And I want to talk about something else...

The bible says “do not be unequally yoked”*. A lot of people believe this means don't go out with a non-Christian. That is true, but it means a lot of other things too. I believe you can apply this to all relationships.

The picture that this Scripture paints is of two oxen that are ploughing a field. They are “yoked" together, which means that if one ox decides to pull in a different direction, then either the yoke will break, or the other one has to give in and follow. Let's put it this way: Think of someone that you have a relationship with. If they're going off-track, how will it affect take you? The obvious example is a husband/wife/boyfriend or girlfriend. The obvious application is if you shouldn't marry or date a non-believer, because if they're heading in a different direction, then it will either jeopordise your relationship with them, or your ability to follow God's leading. Now think of your close friends and partners. If they decide to move in a different direction, how will it affect you? Obviously we shouldn't cut all ties with non-believers, but think about the fact that the bible says...

“Do not be unequally yoked.”*

If the partnerships and close friendships in your life are leading you away from Christ and away from the church, then you need to re-consider those relationships. You need to hang out with Christians regularly. God will lead you in this. He will connect you in. All you need to do is overcome your pride. He will do the rest. The church needs to become your “re-fueling station” for doing whatever you are called. Sure the church is changing, but you need to choose to plug in. It's worth it, I promise.

I believe that the church has really begun to step up as a light to the world. Jesus words in Matthew 5:14 are truer now than ever. This passage in Isaiah speaks about it:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkess is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you

and his glory appears over you.”

(Isaiah 60:1-2)

Let's stand strong in our beliefs and convictions. Let's not become like the world, let's model to the world what they long to become.

*If however you have a good relationship with someone, and you see them going off-track,  then that's a different story. You are then able to speak to them about what's going on. What I'm saying though, is if you see someone out there doing something that you don't believe is right, don't worry or stress about them. Pray for them, and let God take care of them.

** 2 Cor 6:14 (NKJV) Read the whole verse for maximum effect.

Creative Arts & Media - Email #3: Influence & The House Of God

The other day, I was doing a bible college assignment on the book of Ephesians - (it's a fantastic book, you should read it some time.) I ended up reading a story in Acts that talks about the Ephesian church (chap 19), and as I read it, a few things really stuck out to me. I want to share some thoughts with you, and I pray that this speaks to you in some way. This is a bit rough, but I'm sure this will make at least some sense to you:).

Have you ever been to a rock concert where it seemed like the lead singer had the audience “in the palm of his hand”? You might have seen this influence used for good, or maybe you've seen it used for not so good! In Acts chapter 19, a whole crowd of people was influenced in a direction that wasn't so good...

Let's look at the story in Acts 19, picking it up in verse 29.

“Soon the whole city was in an uproar... The people rushed as one man into the theater” (Acts 19:29)

That's a pretty big riot. Imagine a whole city, all moving in the same direction (yet still in chaos – see v32). Sounds crazy!!

Let's look at the context of this verse: At this time, God was on the move in the region. People were getting baptized in the Holy Spirit, “exraordinary miracles” were happening, people were repenting, the church was growing... Things were going well. Have you ever had a little bit of opposition come your way when things things are going well?

It's not really a suprise then that in verse 23 it says that “About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way [the Christian faith].”

And how did this great disturbance take place? It was started by an artist named Demetrius.

Demetrius was a craftsman. He was a silver-smith who made shrines (small statues) of one of their gods/idols called “Artemis”. He was a very influential person, as we soon find out. He held a meeting, gathered the other craftsmen together, and told them of the “danger” to their business, that Paul's message was presenting.

Verse 28: “When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians”.”

So Demetrius managed to get a small group of people – let's say, an artistic community – to join his side.

Then the very next verse says:

“Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.”

This small group of artists had such an influence, that they sent the whole city into an uproar, and they all rushed “as one man” into the theater. (The rest of the story is very interesting. Again, it's Acts 19. Have a read some time...)

I believe the time is coming when artists in the church will have that kind of influence, and you and I are called to be a part of it. (Let's be a part of the revival part of the story though – not the working against God part!)

This week, I started thinking about the little artistic community in this story. I began wondering where the other “artistic communities” are in the bible – that were doing their art for God.

The first example I thought of was Bezalel and his crew in the Old Testament. It's a classic Scripture:

“Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you”

Bezalel was filled with the Holy Spirit – the most incredible, powerful, creative being in the universe today. He had “skill, ability and knowledge” that came from God. It also says that God gave “skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you” (v6)

In this passage, and the chapters that follow, we see that the craftsmen aligned themselves with anointed leadership (in this case, Moses). Moses helped them find their God-given role... And from there, they employed their skills to build something that God was building. The work continued in Ex 31 and 35-40. As a result of this, God came in power!!! (Exodus 40:34)

We would do well to learn from these guys. Align yourself with an anointed, apostolic leader (or leaders), and get serving. Bring your gifts to the family table, and see what happens. In the kingdom, submission is an incredible blessing! Like the men in the above story, we would do well to use our gifts and talents to build whatever God is building. It's another classic Scripture, but Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church”. So guess where the best place is to go?

I believe, deep down inside of me, that God is taking back the arts and the media for His kingdom, and His purposes and that the church will once again be a leader in those areas. People will be drawn from far off to hear and to see the incredible songs that are sung in His house, and it will all be for His glory.

The bottom line is, join a church. It's better to join a bad church than none at all. Of course, I'm not saying that we shouldn't get out into the marketplace as God calls... but God's kingdom comes first. And what's the primary way that God is bringing the kingdom to earth? It's through His church!

“...God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15)

Pastors and church leaders: We need to continue to make a place for creative types... We need to accept them love them, and disciple them. We need to help them find a way home – to the church.

Artists: The church is where it's at! Go where God places you, and no matter what you see at the moment, remember that God has a plan, and He will see it come to pass. Just continue to be faithful in the little things, walk in integrity, and let Him prepare you for what's ahead.

- - - - - - - -

Psalm 1:3

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”