Change and Transition

Hey all!

Okay, so it has been more time than usual since I last posted.  Plus, if you have visited, I am sure you have seen some simple verbal changes.

Basically, the jist is this:

After a year of posting three times a week with Memory Monday’s, Tuneology and Life Lessons I have decided it is time to move to a more informal approach.  I will blog as time allows and on various topics and I see the desire, passion and need to do so.

I don’t want to leave the blogging world, but my time has changed with the move and the new ministry position.

I am very excited about what is happening and where I am at this time.  This new church family has been amazing and so welcoming.  I am now passionately connected to an area of ministry that fills my heart to overflowing…RELATIONSHIPS!

Being an Associate Pastor of Community and Discipleship here is allowing me the chance to really connect in with people, build relationships and be used to draw people closer to the heart of God.  In doing so, I too have personally found an even deeper level connection in my walk with Christ and continue to seek out what His will and His plan is for the future of this ministry that He has now called me to lead.

Right now, I am living by verses in Philippians:

Philippians 4:6-8

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Andthe peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

As God speaks and as He teaches, I will share on the blog.  I may from time to time still post songs and poems as well.  I also will let the freedom of my words, the Hope that I have in Jesus and the Truth of his word to continue to guide me on this yellow brick road as I battle any topics that may come to fruition through this writing.

I am so thankful for all those who read and follow and I hope through it all that I can inspire and lead you to a stronger and better place in your creativity and relationship with friends, family, church and Jesus.

From my road and onto yours,

Luke David

MM – Surrender

This song is very near and dear to my heart.  This was written at one of the darkest times in my life and was a light of truth from my Heavenly Father to guide me past it and allow me to surrender it all to Him, knowing He was in control and taking me to a new place and a new beginning.  I am ever so thankful always for this reminder when I hear the song or read the lyrics.

SURRENDER

Lyrics and Music by Luke David and Bobby S.

©2009 ASCAP\All Rights Reserved

Verse 1

Another day has come to and end

But my mind races circles in my head, round and round again

Is there something more that I can do

Tomorrow can I begin anew, will I be able to pull through

Verse 2

My heart is a million miles away

And the price that I will have to pay, I’ve sacrificed another day

So weighed down by this burden that I bear

Tomorrow when I wake I still won’t care, I wish these feelings were not there

Pre-Chorus 1

I’m weak and I’m afraid, I need you to light my way

Chorus

Life’s too short to wonder why

To feel sorry for myself and try to go back and change a past I want to hide

So with a heavy heart I come to you

Seeking wisdom seeking total truth

And the only thing I can do is completely surrender, I surrender

Verse 3

Try to decipher voices in my head

Where’s the truth in what is being said, can I find another way instead

Should I accept how this is gonna be

Believe with faith the things that I can’t see, know that He’ll take care of me

Pre-Chorus 2

I fall to my knees, I relinquish everything

Tag

Is this the time that you will carry me

Is this how you intend to set me free

The Complete Package

I remember the first time I knew I was in love with my wife.  Those emotions and feelings that just well up inside and you feel like you are going to explode if you don’t find a way to let it out.

The way I let it out was to blurt out those three little words so she could hear what was taking my heart by storm – ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!  She might joke that I did fall in love with her when I found out merely three days into our communication that she was a Jayhawk basketball fan.

Truthfully, I was the first one to say I LOVE YOU in our relationship.  And yes, I was going to explode – and yes – I said it two weeks into our relationship.  But you know what – she said it right back!

The catch to this whole point is that we don’t necessarily keep those candied feelings and emotions – after a while, you start to learn that love is really a choice that you make regarding your relationships and not a feeling.

You start to learn that it becomes a process of growth in HOW to love them.  You must make a conscious decision each day to do what you have to do to acknowledge that love in the ways that will make your relationship grow and become stronger.  We have to make a choice to be willing to mold and change things in order to show our love.

This is just an example to help you understand this whole process of how Grace continues to work in our lives based on the choices that we have made.

We had a starting point: 

BEING DISCOVERED 

This is where we learned of the Prevenient Grace, the grace that exists and goes before our salvation – the love that God already has for us and His pursuit of us. Then we learned about what occurs in our life based on the choice to accept that love and relationship with God: 

PRODUCT & PROCESS

By making the choice to accept the Prevenient Grace as truth we are then able to move into receiving the Saving Grace of God.  This Saving or Justifying Grace is the product of the process that involves our repentance from our sin and a faith grounded in the acceptance of the truth that Jesus gave His life to save us.

Now, many Christians believe that it stops there – either that or they just don’t realize that there is more to this incredible gift of Grace.  See, the Prevenient has led us to the Saving and Justifying and that then leads us to: 

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE

Before we get directly into what this looks like, I need to know that you all understand what I mean.  What comes to your mind when you think about a COMPLETE PACKAGE?  I think a good illustration here are the amazing college basketball freshman that play each year.  We have a top 100 list and the top 10 of those are always talked about as having the complete package!  They have worked hard to apply themselves so they are strong in every area of their game. 

Honestly, there is really only one point to be made here regarding the complete package when it comes to the Grace that we are given from God – the complete package is first and foremost this: 

SANCTIFYING GRACE

But what does that mean?  What is the way we define this point?

DEFINING SANCTIFYING GRACE:

“The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives moving us toward perfection in love, truth and holiness.”

God’s Sanctifying Grace is what moves us from the discovery, product and process that we have found and chosen, a.k.a. the “Imputed Righteousness,” (what Christ did for us) to the completing package, a.k.a. “Imparted Righteousness,” (what Christ does IN us).

This is where the work of the Holy Spirit begins to mold us and shape us into a likeness of Christ.  This is where our hearts are to be cleansed from the CONTROL that sin had over us and that control being given over the Jesus in order that we are being set free from that bondage that we had in sin.

Look at Romans with me – this is where the truth of scripture speaks and reveals a great understanding of the Sanctifying Grace…

Romans 6:5-14

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to
sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin,
once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are
not under law but under grace.”

Now, we have read it, but walk through that with me here…

       5:  If we are united with Him in one way, we can be united with Him in the other

            6:  When we chose Grace, our old self died – remember – old has gone and new has come

            7:  That spiritual death we died brought FREEDOM

            8:  Again – one choice involves the other

            9:  Christ has conquered death

            10:  That death conquered sin and the life serves new purpose

            11:  Reiteration: if we chose the grace then we share in sins death and Jesus’ life

            12:  Thus, we give control to Jesus rather than to sin

            13:  All that we have, all that we are, everything should serve the grace we chose

            14:  We have become conquerors with Jesus – we can live in the GRACE we chose!

This Sanctifying Grace is not a destination that we are trying to reach – it is a direction that God is trying to take us!

We can know from God’s word that He promises that what He starts He will complete!  But the truth is it will not be complete until He returns to establish His Kingdom!  Thus the Sanctifying Grace that gives us direction in order that when He returns we will own the COMPLETE PACKAGE!

This is the continuation that occurs in order to make us whole in Christ.  As you can see, the choices must continue to be made.  Paul is speaking out for us to understand the purpose of those choices.  He continues a little later in chapter six:

Romans 6:19-22

“I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when
you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the
fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”

This “Imparted Righteousness” a.k.a. the Sanctifying Grace that we have been speaking of is God delivering us from the control and power of sin so we are enabled to live in the victory of the sacrifice of God and in the Grace that results from it!  We are no longer under any law but set free from sin by GRACE!  If we have made the choice, the gift has been received and now God is giving us the power to USE IT!  

It may seem corny, but this I see this in where we began.  In my marriage, I am constantly moving forward from the choices I have made to learn and grow in my relationship with my wife.  My choice to love her no matter what and through everything is never going to come to full completion – but will always be a learning curve that I have to work on.

That is exactly the way our relationship with Christ through His grace is meant to exist.  We have human limitations, but through the choice we make to acknowledge, receive and pursue the Grace we can become slaves to Christ and not to sin.  We can allow God to make us holy as He is holy.

Like I have said before – this is not just fire insurance.

Don’t just sit back and become lazy.  The moral decay of the world around us and the affect it is having on the church is so disheartening.

This world needs to see the REAL DEAL – the REAL JESUS!  We need to take up the power that has been given us by the Holy Spirit through the process of sanctifying grace and allow the image of God to pour forth from us into all those we come in contact with in our lives.

I challenge you – don’t let sin be your master any more – let God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit begin to make you the complete package today!

MM – Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Though tears have fallen

and more may come,

happiness can be found

because of the love.

A lesson is learned

through hardship and pain,

a new trust is born

and you`ll still call my name.

Nothing will seperate

forgiven hearts that care,

as long as they lean on each other

and the love of God they share

MM – Like the Free and True

Like the Free and True

Like the dust in the sunlight

like the birds in the air

I long to be

inside this heart of mine

something may I find

far away from here

Oh can I know

oh can I see

the truth somewhere within me

free

out there

free

somewhere

MM – Poem

I find this particular poem to be fitting for the beginning to a new year.

I spent about 6 years composing a set of eight poems.  The first just simply being “Poem” and each of the following 7 being 2-8 with a subtitle.  Today, I share the first of this set of 8.  In the weeks to come, I will be sharing the whole lot of them.

Each of them exhibit specific emotion and paint a specific word picture that captures a continuing theme.

I hope you enjoy the first installment of the “Poetic Octet” by Luke David.

Poem

The dawn is breaking

to another day

twenty-four hours

then start again

I stare blankly

into the rising sun

I feel the soft

springtime wind

I see the smile

on your face

I hear the sound

of your voice

as my heart sings

a melody within

I wait for the

time to wake up

and find it`s all

but a dream

A New Year & the Procrastinating Christian

            New Year’s traditions range from the simple to the crazy.  Whether it’s a New Year’s Eve party or family gatherings on New Year’s Day, everyone usually has something – even if the tradition is doing nothing.  I grew up going to my grandparents on New Year’s Day to watch football and eat so much junk food it was ridiculous.  I always liked the taco dip the best.  And then dinner was always the same, enchiladas.

One thing that seems to be the most common tradition shared by those worldwide is the wonderful idea of a New Year’s Resolution!  How many of us have made resolutions in the past?  How many of us made them this year?  How many of you have actually kept a resolution that you made?

            Today, I want to encourage you NOT to make a resolution, but instead to stop procrastinating.  See, I truly believe that when we make resolutions, just the thought of it is to make us feel better about something.  In some ways, it may even come across as selfish.

We let so many other things get in the way of what really matters.  We let so many other things we think are important become our focus.  I don’t really have any specific points for you today, just a direct message from throughout the scripture.  Look with me first at the story of a man who let other things get in the way.

Luke 9:59-60

“To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.””

            How many times have we said, “I will, but first…”  Now, how often do we say that in our walk with Christ?  How many of us still have things that we hang on to, that we think we want that hold us back from a chance to truly follow the King of kings?

The procrastinating Christian can truly know no bounds.  Kyle Idleman, author of the book “Not a Fan” addresses this issue in what he calls the “as now, so then” principle.

The “as now, so then” principle

Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman, pg. 195

“Simply stated, the “as now, so then” principle is the idea that current habits are overwhelmingly the most likely predictor of future practices.  The vast majority of the time, the decision you make today will be the decision you make tomorrow.  If you don’t do it now, there is no reason to think you will then.”

            Here is the bigger issue at hand – today becomes tomorrow and tomorrow is a dangerous addiction because being addicted to tomorrow can make tomorrow become NEVER!  Even more scary is that in this land of tomorrow you will find divorce, addictions, unmanageable debt, unfaithful relationships and prodigal children.  The procrastinating Christian is not released from the possibility of tomorrow…in fact, he or she may be targeted tenfold.

Hebrews 3:15 says,

“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

            We don’t know what tomorrow holds – therefore we must choose TODAY!  One of the most ironic situations occurs in this choice.  It is almost even a spiritual catch22.

We are so worried about everything else in our life – making sure everything is taken care of, that we forget that most important fact – that the God who provides what we need – all those things that we are worried about – we forget where they come from!

A quick reminder for you in those tight situations – hear what scripture speaks…

Philippians 4:6-7

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

            The peace that surpasses ALL understanding – in other words, if we acknowledge what we know we need to today and we don’t procrastinate God will do in our lives things that we cannot even understand or comprehend to take care of those things that we always seem to worry about.

This is the focus, this is the message – don’t be a procrastinating Christian!  Don’t continue to say, “but first…”  Choose TODAY whom you will serve.  Learn TODAY where it all comes from.  Realize TODAY what the promise of God means…

Matthew 6:25-33

“”Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

v. 33 – “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Jesus knows what tomorrow holds.  As my cousin said during her battle with cancer which she eventually lost – “GOD’S GOT THIS!”

Our power is nothing.  Our worry is for what?  We procrastinate because we think we are in control and we don’t want to let go of the things that keep us from going 110% sold out following.  Peter, James, John – they AT ONCE left what they were doing and followed Jesus.

What is it that is keeping you from an AT ONCE with Jesus?  What is it in your life that you are procrastinating with that is your “but first…”?

This year, if you must make a resolution, heed the words of one of my dear friends, Lesleigh who so greatly convicted me with her thoughts on “transformed resolutions”:

“As you make your resolutions this year, please consider if the resolutions you place on yourself will affect eternity because really that is the only resolution that holds value.”

Stop procrastinating.  Stop living in the tomorrow addiction.  Make 2015 the year of TODAY!

A Special Post for Christmas Part Two

In this season, when Jesus came, He didn’t just make a splash in this world, HE CHANGED EVERYTHING!!!

Please take the time to watch and listen to this AMAZING testimony from Heather on how prayer, faith, hope and healing come in the most incredible ways under the power of Christ Jesus!  I promise you will not be disappointed!  This is the true power of faith and prayer!  To God be the glory!

This Christmas, remember that Jesus changed everything…and did it for the good of ALL!

Tune-ology: God is God

The first CD I ever owned was given to me by my mother.  It was Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Heaven in the Real World.” I listened to that thing so much I started to wear it out.  At that moment in my life, I found my favorite Christian singer\songwriter.  His very evident humility and love for God was a light that shone very bright in the music industry and his writing inspired me with every new song I heard.  I had the privilege of meeting Steven back when he was doing the All Things New Tour.  It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.  He was completely focused on the conversation and showed that he truly cared about the people who listened to his music.  It was amazing to get to share with him what his music had done in my life and then we prayed together.

I have a signed Gold Album of Steven’s that I won at an auction that is among my favorite music collectibles.  I have been taught many lessons listening to his music and I thank God for the power of ministry through his music and what it has done for my life.

On that particular Gold Album – DECLARATION – there is a song entitled “God is God.”  This song represents a battle that each and every one of us faces ALL THE TIME!  We love to be in control.  We love to always be on the inside loop of what is going on.  We always want to have the information at hand.  But I would say that 90% of the time – we are outside that loop with nothing to hold on to but our faith.

This song captures that human desire and the reality of the struggle that we have with our faith in knowing that God will always have everything in hand whether we choose to admit it or not.  I mean, we really aren’t in control even when we think we are!  That is really worth a laugh or two.

At the same time – it is those difficult times when we want the answer to the question of why that can make or break the faith we claim to have.  Chapman starts the song by saying,

And the pain falls like a curtain, on all the things I once called certain

And I have to say the words I fear the most, I just don’t know

Does that sound familiar?  To me it does.  It scares us to not know in life what may be around the corner.  Some people refer to it as going on “blind faith.”  I disagree – the point Chapman continues to make through this song is that we are NOT blind, but have the eyes of Jesus watching out for us around each of those corners.  Accepting that we are not He is God and we are not is the ultimate need for our heart to truly embrace the faith that we want to claim.

Steven always has a way of hitting scripture on the head.  His lyrical content is always supplied via the word of God and that is an amazing tool – THE TOOL – that Christian songwriters should turn to in order to make the message of truth known.  This song is no exception to that rule. (Romans 11:33-36, Psalm 8:3-4; 95:3-6; 103:13-22)

Honestly, there are a million lessons to be learned from this song – but the best one you can take away from it is choosing to acknowledge that FAITH is the best foundation to rest on and choosing to accept that God is God and I am NOT!

“God Is God”

And the pain falls like a curtain
On the things I once called certain
And I have to say the words I fear the most
I just don’t know

And the questions without answers
Come and paralyze the dancer
So I stand here on the stage afraid to move
Afraid to fall, oh, but fall I must
On this truth that my life has been formed from the dust

[Chorus]
God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God

And the sky begins to thunder
And I’m filled with awe and wonder
‘Til the only burning question that remains
Is who am I

Can I form a single mountain
Take the stars in hand and count them
Can I even take a breath without God giving it to me
He is first and last before all that has been
Beyond all that will pass

Oh, how great are the riches of His wisdom and knowledge
How unsearchable for to Him and through Him and from Him are all things

So let us worship before the throne
Of the One who is worthy of worship alone

MM – Patience is a Virtue

One of the strongest areas of my life and personality is my passion.  A lot of that passion is translated through worship and music.  But what if I did not have that ability because I lacked something else?  What if my strength did not work properly because my weakness held it at bay?  One of my greatest weaknesses is patience.  And when it comes to dealing with everything worship and everything music – patience is a MUST!

The following poem examines my inner thoughts and emotions on if I was willing to sacrifice one of my greatest strengths in order to make one of my greatest weaknesses become a strength!

Patience is a Virtue

Overwhelming emotion,

                thoughts inside my head

apothecary with a potion

                and poison; two of a kind

 

Sacrificing with a kiss,

                to find this wonderous woe;

the art of strengthened musical bliss

                that this one man can know.

 

Tears would fall upon that day,

                though happiness found too;

the day the music died away

                and found was peace in you.

 

Selflessness is what I seek,

                to make you smile at me;

humbleness and very meek

                and temper sail away to sea.

 

Understand the sacrifice,

                to it I could be true;

for You paid the ultimate price

                and patience is a virtue.