Flag on the Play!

While watching the A&M vs. Nebraska football game last night, I was reminded of the sermon Matt Chandler preached at the Village last weekend in Denton. The game was very low scoring, but the thing that stuck out was the amount of penalties that were called against Nebraska. Matt Chandler's sermon was talking about the Church, and how so often it is full of referees. Referees do not play the game (live their Christian walk) themselves, but sit back and point out, blow whistles, and throw flags on other peoples mistakes (sin). No one remembers the name of a referee, or even cares when they retire. Another will step right in place, and take over the role. Although Matt was focusing on the Church, referees are everywhere. They may be at school, work, home, or anywhere. I know many times I have worn the stripes and couldn't throw my flag fast enough at other peoples actions when the flag should have been thrown on me. It goes along with human nature, and how easy it is to judge other people. I want to play the game. I want to have an impact that doesn't hold a negative connotation. I want people to remember me when I am gone and retired. Remember the plays that I made...

Matthew 7:1-5

Armor Up Lyrics

Here are the lyrics to the song (or poem since rap without music is poetry) Armor Up that I wrote. Hope you can relate, and get something out of it.

"If I Was The Devil" Video

They showed this at the Unashamed The Movement Concert in Ft. Worth...does any of this hit home? Spiritual Warfare is real... The devil is the smartest enemy we will ever face. He knows our weakness, or how to use our strengths against us. Better armor up.

Passion

So today was career day at the middle school I am student teaching at in Frisco. It was a great day, full of fun activities for the students. Each student got to hear 9 different adults present about their careers. I had two different speakers during my day that I worked with. The first one was an orthodontist, and the second was a student at UNT that is also a music producer. He is graduating in Dec., and has owned his own music recording business since he was 19 (currently 24). He had amazing passion, charisma, and humor that the kids loved and fed off of. The kids were raving all day about hearing him speak, and were even running between sessions to make sure they got to sit in the front row to hear him. All this is the preface for something awesome that happened at school. This music producer (Trey) would also initially ask the students what was something they were passionate about, and further explained how they should find a way to turn that passion into something they can do for the rest of their lives. Every session the answers were the same: "acting, football, soccer, music, etc. " All these are great answers,  and ones that you would predict from people. The last session, one of my athletes really shocked me with there answer. When Trey asked them what they were passionate about this one male student raised his hand and said God! When I heard that I was so touched inside. I was not shocked because of who said it, but because of the timing and the sincerity that he said it with. So often students, adults, and Christians in general are so embarrassed to proclaim their love for Christ. This guy was not ashamed, and did not care if others new that he was PASSIONATE about the Lord. It really made me realize that no matter how much people try and remove God out of public schools, they can never remove God out of the students. Even in FCA, teachers and coaches are not allowed to lead "on campus" activities. Students must lead them, which is great, but sad adults may not be involved except for supervision from a distance. It was awesome and encouraging to see this boy stand up in front of tons of classmates and say that when everyone else is describing how they are passionate about worldly short term things. We often forget that although those things are great, and no matter how good our life is, this life cannot touch our next life. Just wanted to share this story with you. Stay Blessed,
Reid

Trip Lee Gotta Grow w/Lyrics

So I was listening to this song while I was doing homework, and it really made me start thinking. I am currently babysitting my nephew Bentley (pictured below), and I just cannot believe how fast he has grown up over two years. I remember when my roommate got him, and how small he was. Before we knew it he was a 50 pound ball of muscle, slobber, and more love than you could ask for! Obviously I love him how he is now, but I wish I could go back to the days when he was so small and needed us for everything. It is in a way, the exact opposite of how most of us, including myself develop as Christians. I wish that I could say that God sees me and thinks, "Reid has just grown up way too fast..., but that is not the case. I know He does not want me to revert to the "little" (pre- salvation) Reid of the past. I really want to truly grow up quicker in my relationship and take my Christian walk to the next level. I challenge any and all of you to do the same. When was the last time we read our Bible and really studied the words, or for some of us even read it at all. Just like we cannot grow without the proper nutrition and food, we cannot grow without feeding our minds and spirits with God's word. I would be embarrassed to have to face my maker today and admit that although I am 22 years old, I am still a spiritual baby. WE GOTTA GROW!!!! Stay Blessed.

Armor Up

So this is probably my all time favorite instrumental. This beat gets me so pumped up, and when my friend told me about it the other day I instantly started writing a rap for it... Eventually when I find time I will record it, but for now I will share with you the lyrics to the first verse. Just do your best to read along with the beat. The song is called "armor up"

Verse 1:Yea there’s an enemy man and they aint ever slackin up

Doin all they can tryin to make sure my mind corrupt

Cuz they know my heart so well, no me better than myself

And they fa sho love my Bible just sittin on the shelf

Ya they know my my flesh is weak and they all comin full force

Like their ready for a meal and ya boy is the main course

The stuff I feed my mind is just trash for their cause

And my sin tastes so sweet like sugar upon their jaws

Yuh I’m talkin bout the devil and all his sinister ways

Its like he’s my coordinator bro and im just running all of his plays

He doesn’t care if I’m ignorant or arrogant it's all the same

Cuz both will bring the pleasure and fame to his name

So I gotta change somethin man, Im in need of a defense

Otherwise before long my name’s go’n be in the past tense

And eternity’s too long time to be separated from the lamb

So its time to armor up and join that army of I AM

Obviously the rap is geared toward the everyday struggle of spiritual warfare. I am a strong believer and a first hand advocate that spiritual warfare is real. The devil comes at all of us in many different ways whether it be family, work, school, health, etc. Just like right now I feel horrible, and feeling bad made it hard for me to read my bible this morning. That's all i am going to share tonight, but I will probably talk more about my thoughts on spiritual warfare at a later time. Hope ya'll like the lyrics and maybe I will give ya'll the second verse next time. Stay Blessed!

Step Back to Step Up

 (My new shirt... sorry its backwards. It says "On My 11six") Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes..."

The link I posted below is to my favorite song by Lecrae called "background." It goes well with the lesson that we talked about today during our life group at church. We were discussing how prominent materialism is in our world/ country today. The main verses we focused on were out of Mark 1:16-20. Check it out, but it is the story of Jesus gathering his first of the 12 disciples. Basically, He is walking by the Sea of Galilee and calls unto Simon (Peter), James, Andrew, and John. He tells them to put down their fishing nets and follow Him. It says IMMEDIATELY they dropped their nets and followed Him. To read this is awesome to me. At that particular point in time, they did not know Jesus personally, but probably had only heard of him and his teachings. Even though they had heard of Him, it amazes me that they were willing to leave their livelihood, their source of  income, and immediately without doubt or question follow Jesus. They were not worried about gathering belongings, money, or food to take with them. This ties into materialism for me because it shows the heart and openness we are supposed to have to God's calling. So often I get tied into the things that I have, or that I want, and put those before Christ. God frequently calls on me to "follow" him or listen to his words and even puts all these signs in front of me, but often I am tied up by other things that seem more important to me at the time. Too many times I allow school, technology, or other worldly pleasures lead my mind and schedule. I now listen to this song every morning, because it is so refreshing. If we would just let God take the lead role, and for once take a step back, He would make it possible for us to step up. Playing the background requires us to put everything in our life stage right, so God can shine in the spotlight. If items distract our minds from putting God first, then materialism has taken over.  I now have this amplified realization that if I just follow God, He will always provide. "Why gain the whole wide world, if I'm just gonna lose my soul?" Stay Blessed!!!!

Lecrae-Background Ft. C-Lite Video

Don't Waste Your Life

So, with this being my first post I am going to go ahead and apologize ahead of time for my journalism skills (or lack there of.) We were all give different gifts right?!? I wanted to share first and foremost something that has been instrumental in my Christian walk in the last couple of years. This may come as a shock to you, but it is rap music. Christian rap that is. I will admit when I was younger I got caught up in the secular rap music, but never really paid attention to the true trash and shameless messages that these songs send to people. I was for some reason always a sucker for awesome beats and being able to say words at 120 b.p.m. Thankfully, I was introduced to the amazing and uplifting rap music of the 116 Clique. These guys are a group of Christian rappers (signed to reach records), many of whom are from the Dallas area. The 116 in their name stands for Romans 1:16. Their main witness is to not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. I will warn you ahead of time that you will probably get tired of hearing me talk about these guys or posting their videos, but they are that talented and that strong of influences for Christ.
The title of my blog today is influenced by one of Lecrae's (the most popular Christian rapper out there) hit songs. This song sums up pretty much everything about what we need to do while here on earth. Here are the lyrics
"I know a lot of people out there scared they gone die
Couple of em thinking they'll be livin in the sky
But while I'm here livin man I gotta ask why, what am here fo I gotta figure out
Waste my life
No I gotta make it count
If Christ is real then what am I gone do about
All of the things in Luke 12:15 down to 21
You really oughta go and check it out
Paul said if Christ ain't resurrect then we wasted our lives
Well that implies that our life's built around Jesus being alive
Everyday I'm living tryin show the world why
Christ is more than everything you'll ever try
Better than pretty women and sinning and living to get a minute of any women and men that you admire
Ain't no lie
We created for Him
Outta the dust he made us for Him
Elects us and he saves us for Him
Jesus comes and raises for Him
Magnify the Father why bother with something lesser
He made us so we could bless Him and to the world we confess him
Resurrects him
So I know I got life
Matter fact better man I know I got Christ
If you don't' see His ways in my days and nights
You can hit my brakes you can stop my lights
Man I lost my rights
I lost my life
Forget the money cars and toss that ice
The cost is Christ
And they could never offer me anything on the planet that'll cost that price.
Armed and dangerous
So the devil jus can't handle us
Christian youth them a stand wid us
Livin' n driven
Given a vision
Fullfillin the commission he handed us
London to Los Angeles
Da rap evangelist
Ma daddy wouldn't abandon us
"I gotta back pack fulla tracts plus I keep a Johnny Mac"
So are you ready to jam with us
So let's go, gimme the word an let's go
Persecution let's go
Tribulation let's go
Across the nation let's go
Procrastination bes go
Hung on the cross in the cold
Died for da young and the old
Can't say you never know
Heaven knows
How many souls are going to hell or to heaven so we gotta go in and get em
Whaaaaat!
Suffer
Yeah do it for Christ if you trying to figure what to do with your life
If you making money hope you doing it right because the money is Gods you better steward it right
Stay focused if you ain't got no ride
Your life ain't wrapped up in what you drive
The clothes you wear the job you work
The color your skin naw we Christian first
People living life for a job
Make a lil money start living for a car
Get em a house a wife kids and a dog
When they retire they living high on the hog
But guess what they didn't ever really live at all
To live is Christ yeah that's Paul I recall
To die is gain so for Christ we give it all
He's the treasure you'll find in the mall
Your money your singleness marriage talent and time
They were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine
That's why it's Christ in my rhymes
That's why it's Christ all the time
My whole world is built around him He's the life in my lines
I refused to waste my life
He's too true ta chase
That ice
Heres my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ
If he's truly raised to life
Then this news should change your life
And by his grace you can put your faith in place that rules your days and nights."

Wow! If that doesn't get you excited, then I don't know what will. My favorite part of this whole song, is in the third verse when Lecrae says, "your money, your singleness, marriage, talent, and time, they were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine." I get the chills every time I hear this, while simultaneously feeling guilty most times. I am so lucky to be LOANED anything that I have from Christ, and yet I more often then not somehow think that I did something to earn these things on my own. The things listed in these lines hit on so many different levels of the spectrum of gifts from God. If nothing else, he has given us time to use to honor and expand his kingdom. So many times I wish that there were more hours in the day, but I find that I am never wishing for those extra hours because I ran out of time to share Christ with multiple people. I am not looking for extra time because I wasn't able to make peace with someone I was arguing with in time. I am not looking for extra time because I ran out of time telling my family and friends how blessed I am God has put them in my life. And I am definitely not wishing for more hours because I was just in his Word too much that day.  That is why I am trying to change my priorities. God is using rap, awesome beats, and still words at 120 b.p.m. to pull at my heart. I do not want to waste my life, I know that. I want to live each day knowing that I am not wasting Christ's time by not utilizing the gifts he has given to me, not matter how big or small I think they are. Anyways, I guess this is enough rambling for my first post. God Bless and have a great rest of your week!!!!

                                                                    Reid