When I heard this song in 2005, it spoke truth to me on so many levels. Flame has always been one of my favorite artist due to his lyrical style, but the most impressive trait is how biblically sound he is. For this reason, I believe Rewind, the album from which this song came, is one of the greatest Christian Hip Hop records ever. When I think of this song, I think of Acts 17:28a which says "In Him we live and move and have our being" (ESV). Flame does a good job in this song describing the human condition and life in a Godless world. He uses it to drive home the point that we need the Lord. Maybe if you are reading this you can relate to some of these situations and hopefully you will realize you need the Lord. Even when things are good, we still need him.
Psalm 42:1-5 says: As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God,for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember,as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down, O my soul,and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation. (ESV)
No matter how bad it gets, if we trust in the Lord, He can turn it around. We all need Him, the key is admitting it and accepting His love and grace. Enjoy the video.
"We Need You"
[Verse 1:]
I watch cats go from playin' kickball to carryin' clips and slugs
and girls who played hopscotch to now strippin' in clubs
man it all started just sippin' some bud man
until she got tricked and then she tripped with the drug man
see you remember old girl she was so pretty
I guess smokin' that dope makes you look old quickly
dude was so smart in school now he's gettin' high
he had plans for the league now he's just gettin' by
I guess the older you get
it's like the more you forget
that Jesus Christ that granny molded you with
yeah that must be the thing before you see the King
Jesus must awaken you from your street dream
Lord my prayer is this
thank you that prayer exist so you can take us away the worst terrorist
which is ourselves our sin in which I must admit
there was peace in the garden Lord and now there is this
[Hook:]
We need [3x] oh yes we do
We need you [3x] Lord everyday
[Verse 2:]
Young dood only thirteen
but he think like he thirty cause the stuff he seen
ain't no food in the house plus the mustards green
and mom nem pound they things man they must be fiends
she was lying that TV ain't have no busted screen man
sometimes I cry sometimes I scream man
It's our sin that we living in dying in
we need Him just to live again we blind men
how real is that God wanna save us from wrath
but don't know equals like equations from maththat equals restoration reconciliation
new heart new start peace and plus some patients basically man the fruit of the Spirit
happy to plant seeds ain't gotta see the fruit of my lyrics
let the seeds see the increase that God has made
I'm just pleased knowing Jesus is the God that saves
and that's why
[Hook]
[Verse 3:]
I never seen a tree live dawg out of the ground
that's like man with out God tell me how does it sound
like a Gomorrah and Sodom men sound
He still owns you even if you out of town man
He's tracking you now like music with sound scan
especially you doods that be usually down playing Him
and never realizing it's Him that's keeping us breathing
recognize that we heathens
recognize that we need Him
yeah He know we suffer but His son suffered worse
imagine Him coming to earth and becoming a curse
well it happed don't waist your time rapping about
wakness that really deserve a smack in the mouth
especially taken on flesh is an immaculate rout
lived perfect died rose said that I'll be back and I'm out
plus the bible says blessed is the poor in spirit
so he who has an ear let him hear it
I' out fam
[Hook]
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Tim Tebow's NFL Career A Success?
No I am not being sarcastic with this question. It's a legitimate question in that his career can be measured by something other than what happened on the football field. His influence is matchless among any other athlete. After two preseason games with the New England Patriots, he has looked awful so far. He was held out of the third preseason game. His roster spot appears to be very much in jeopardy unless he contributes at some other position. If he doesn't make the roster, his NFL career will be in jeopardy as well as it is not likely that he will be given another shot. Stranger things have happened with Tebow so I could be wrong. Despite his recent lack of success as an NFL QB, I still say his overall football career has been a success thus far and here is why:
1) His college career was outstanding. He is considered one of the greatest college football players of all time. He has a Heisman trophy and 2 national championships and numerous records. Unfortunately his game has not translated to the NFL besides the one great run he had in Denver.
2) He was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Despite the fact that most QBs with his playing style have struggled to even get drafted as a QB (see Eric Crouch), Tebow getting drafted in the first round was a miracle. What it did was force Denver to play him.
3) His awesome 2011 run with the Denver Broncos was one for the ages. Despite his critics and lack of traditional QB skills, he led the Broncos to a playoff spot and a first round victory against the Steelers. Who could forget the fact that in that game he passed for 316 yards averaging 31.6 yards per completion. Also the Neilson ratings for the game was 31.6. This of course invoked references to John 3:16. Also the receiver that caught the winning touchdown, Demarius Thomas, was born on Christmas Day.
Since that playoff victory, Tebow's career on the field has been dismal at best. Some his doing the rest due to the incompetence of the NY Jets staff but that is another story. I'll admit that many Tebow supporters can be over the top which leads to a lot of resentment toward him from others. However his success on the football field has led to a much greater success.
Before it was banned by the NCAA, Tebow wore patches under his eyes with the verse John 3:16 during the 2009 National Championship game. The verse became the most highly searched term on google within the next 24 hours with over 90 million searches. He once wore the same patches with the verse Proverbs 3:5-6 which generated another 3.43 million searches. I already referenced the Steeler playoff game above and the references to John 3:16. That verse once again became the top google search term after that game. I remember watching his next playoff game against the Patriots and I saw John 3:16 commercials during the game. Tebow's games were always among the highest rated games drawing millions upon millions of viewers. It was clear that Tebow understood his influence and used it to promote Christ as Lord.
So why was he successful? Jesus tells us in Matthew 28: 19-20 to go and make disciples of all nations. Well Tebow definitely has tried to do his part in that area. However, there is greater significance in the platform he was given. With the advancement in technology, it has become much easier to reach people with the gospel in different parts of the world. The NFL is a global phenomenon, seen all over the world weekly. With Tebow's games drawing such high ratings more people were impacted with the gospel. Matthew 24:14 states that the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. In other words the return of our Savior for His people will not occur until everyone has heard the gospel. God clearly intended to reach people who probably have not heard the gospel through Tebow's success despite his lack of traditional NFL QB skills. it is that trait that made his run so mesmerizing. In other words God chose the weak to put the strong to shame (1 Corinthians 1:27) in the NFL and in the process created a true underdog story which reached millions for the gospel. God also thrust into the spotlight around this time an NBA player by the name of Jeremy Lin whose story, although not as celebrated and scrutinized, was very similar. Lastly, I hope people will stop with the God doesn't care about sports thing. God can care about whatever He wants, He made everything anyway (John 1:3), so who are we to say what He can and cannot care about.
The success of Tebow's career was not all in what he did on the field, but in being obedient in God's call on his life. I am sure his work for The Lord will not be done once his playing days are over. Regardless of the outcome, he had been a success I believe in God's eyes. He may never see his name in the NFL Hall of Fame, but it may very well be in the Hall of Faith.
The perfect soundtrack to this story is Sho Baraka's "Famous." Click on the link and enjoy and God bless!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU2zdxRjKPA
1) His college career was outstanding. He is considered one of the greatest college football players of all time. He has a Heisman trophy and 2 national championships and numerous records. Unfortunately his game has not translated to the NFL besides the one great run he had in Denver.
2) He was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Despite the fact that most QBs with his playing style have struggled to even get drafted as a QB (see Eric Crouch), Tebow getting drafted in the first round was a miracle. What it did was force Denver to play him.
3) His awesome 2011 run with the Denver Broncos was one for the ages. Despite his critics and lack of traditional QB skills, he led the Broncos to a playoff spot and a first round victory against the Steelers. Who could forget the fact that in that game he passed for 316 yards averaging 31.6 yards per completion. Also the Neilson ratings for the game was 31.6. This of course invoked references to John 3:16. Also the receiver that caught the winning touchdown, Demarius Thomas, was born on Christmas Day.
Since that playoff victory, Tebow's career on the field has been dismal at best. Some his doing the rest due to the incompetence of the NY Jets staff but that is another story. I'll admit that many Tebow supporters can be over the top which leads to a lot of resentment toward him from others. However his success on the football field has led to a much greater success.
Before it was banned by the NCAA, Tebow wore patches under his eyes with the verse John 3:16 during the 2009 National Championship game. The verse became the most highly searched term on google within the next 24 hours with over 90 million searches. He once wore the same patches with the verse Proverbs 3:5-6 which generated another 3.43 million searches. I already referenced the Steeler playoff game above and the references to John 3:16. That verse once again became the top google search term after that game. I remember watching his next playoff game against the Patriots and I saw John 3:16 commercials during the game. Tebow's games were always among the highest rated games drawing millions upon millions of viewers. It was clear that Tebow understood his influence and used it to promote Christ as Lord.
So why was he successful? Jesus tells us in Matthew 28: 19-20 to go and make disciples of all nations. Well Tebow definitely has tried to do his part in that area. However, there is greater significance in the platform he was given. With the advancement in technology, it has become much easier to reach people with the gospel in different parts of the world. The NFL is a global phenomenon, seen all over the world weekly. With Tebow's games drawing such high ratings more people were impacted with the gospel. Matthew 24:14 states that the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. In other words the return of our Savior for His people will not occur until everyone has heard the gospel. God clearly intended to reach people who probably have not heard the gospel through Tebow's success despite his lack of traditional NFL QB skills. it is that trait that made his run so mesmerizing. In other words God chose the weak to put the strong to shame (1 Corinthians 1:27) in the NFL and in the process created a true underdog story which reached millions for the gospel. God also thrust into the spotlight around this time an NBA player by the name of Jeremy Lin whose story, although not as celebrated and scrutinized, was very similar. Lastly, I hope people will stop with the God doesn't care about sports thing. God can care about whatever He wants, He made everything anyway (John 1:3), so who are we to say what He can and cannot care about.
The success of Tebow's career was not all in what he did on the field, but in being obedient in God's call on his life. I am sure his work for The Lord will not be done once his playing days are over. Regardless of the outcome, he had been a success I believe in God's eyes. He may never see his name in the NFL Hall of Fame, but it may very well be in the Hall of Faith.
The perfect soundtrack to this story is Sho Baraka's "Famous." Click on the link and enjoy and God bless!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU2zdxRjKPA
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Peace
At my new job, whenever I bring up internet explorer the home page is msn.com. MSN always has article on the top of the page that interest me. However, daily there is an article related to race, religion, and sexual orientation. I am always compelled to read the the comments on the articles and what I quickly realize is how divided we are as a nation. Many of those comments probably come from people we know personally but would never know they felt that way. Some comments are thought provoking even if I don't agree others are hateful and mean (keyboard courage). Reading them gives me a lot of mixed emotions and many times I feel compelled to comment. However the internet filter here at the office won't allow me. It's a good thing probably as it gives me time to really chew on what I read instead of making impulsive comments. This article shares my thoughts on the articles in a broad sense after having time to chew on them. In relation to the topics of the articles, I am a Christian black male who is straight and married with two kids. Based on that you (the reader) can probably surmise my opinions on the topics of race, religion and sexual orientation. Your conclusions would probably be right as well. Of those attributes that I have the most important to me is Christian and those that know me know that I am unashamed and always willing to share my faith. The key word there is share, not force it, not point fingers, but discuss it in love. To me the bible is absolute truth and anything that contradicts it is a lie. Some would say that makes me dogmatic or brainwashed. My belief in the bible doesn't mean I don't question it, but that I trust it as the inspired word of the living God. So I draw my opinions on race and sexual orientation from the bible (others may have different interpretations of those subjects from the bible as well). My prayer is that my thoughts always align with the bible and if I am wrong, I don't mind being corrected.
The issue I have with our nation now is that we cannot agree to disagree anymore. If you don't believe what the other believes, it's a fight. Some things are worth fighting for others are not. I fear for our nation after reading these articles because people are being persecuted for their beliefs (Christian and non-Christian). We as Christians are even participating in the persecutions in some instances. As much as I would like to choose my side and fight, I decided to be the peace maker. Matthew 5:9 states blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. I don't know what that looks like yet, but that's my stance. Although emotionally I want to do differently, that's what I believe the spirit wants me to do. How else can you be a peacemaker than to present the Prince of Peace? So the same bible that I said I trust above, I will trust to help me be the peace maker. This song by Da' Truth featuring Swoope I believe captures the spirit of what I am trying to say. In the mean time pray for our nation.
2 Chronicles 7:14 - if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
The issue I have with our nation now is that we cannot agree to disagree anymore. If you don't believe what the other believes, it's a fight. Some things are worth fighting for others are not. I fear for our nation after reading these articles because people are being persecuted for their beliefs (Christian and non-Christian). We as Christians are even participating in the persecutions in some instances. As much as I would like to choose my side and fight, I decided to be the peace maker. Matthew 5:9 states blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. I don't know what that looks like yet, but that's my stance. Although emotionally I want to do differently, that's what I believe the spirit wants me to do. How else can you be a peacemaker than to present the Prince of Peace? So the same bible that I said I trust above, I will trust to help me be the peace maker. This song by Da' Truth featuring Swoope I believe captures the spirit of what I am trying to say. In the mean time pray for our nation.
2 Chronicles 7:14 - if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
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