Escape Artists

blend into the crowd
but there's pain in the masses
you cannot escape
from compassionate glances
more reminders that you failed
to control the pain yourself

get away get away
and watch me fall apart
get away get away
and watch me fall apart
get away get away
and watch me fall apart
get away (get away) get away (get away)

you're an escape artist
running from your hurt
you've tried your hardest
to hide what just won't work
but God will not turn back
from pursuing you
but your pride will never ask
Him to fix what you can't do

pull into the dark
there is comfort in your mind
but all the numbness
has been killing you inside
more reminders that you failed
to control the pain yourself

get away get away
and watch me fall apart
get away get away
and watch me fall apart
get away get away
and watch me fall apart
get away (get away) get away (get away)

you're an escape artist
running from your hurt
you've tried your hardest
to hide what just won't work
but God will not turn back
from pursuing you
but your pride will never ask
Him to fix what you can't do

just let it go...
(from the outside to inside
it breaks in or it caves in)
you can't escape...
(it will follow you there
wherever you run or hide)
just let it go...
(from the outside to inside
it breaks in or it caves in)
you can't escape...
(it will follow you there
wherever you run or hide)

you're an escape artist
running from your hurt
you've tried your hardest
to hide what just won't work
but God will not turn back
from pursuing you
but your pride will never ask
Him to fix what you can't do

stop being an escape artist

~Curtis~

Unexpected concert and assorted thoughts.

Friday night was an incredible time of renewal for me. Normally on Friday nights I go to a Chinese Bible study in which my dad teaches a Bible class in English. But just before I went, I heard from a friend that one of my favorite local bands, Casting Pearls, would be playing at the Church building upstairs during the same time. So I pulled one of my friends from the study along with me and went to it. Turns out, it was an event for a new phenomena, Pulse, which has been sweeping college campuses recently. They had an opener for the show play some worship songs and then a guest speaker came and talked about his vision for evangelism and Christians at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

He started his presentation by telling everyone to put their hand over their heart. Next, he told us how he always stops and just feels his pulse when he gets discouraged about life. It reminds him that God still has plans and purposes for him. And then he talked about how Christians have a lack of spirituality not because they didn't have information about what they needed to do, but because they didn't have affection on Who has called them to love and to service. I knew that was true, but it was refreshing to hear it again. Truth was being re-affirmed for me, I guess you could say. And I was very encouraged by that.

An example he used, was about love. When you love someone else, you'd do everything to preserve the relationship no matter what that meant. If it means buying flowers, you'd buy those flowers (presuming you're the guy, or it could be vice-versa too, I suppose, lol) and it wouldn't be a duty or an obligation because you love them. It brings you joy to be a part of the smile that spreads across their face. That's how it should be with our relationship with God.

It was an amazing evening and time of worship! I really pray that the friend I took with me felt a fire for God, as they were a new believer. Overall, I was reminded how God can and does pull everything together for His children. I had no idea that this concert would be playing at the exact same time I would be at the Church anyway with my dad. God is so incredible!

On a side note, one thing I thought about, was why when we pray do we have to verbally invite Jesus into our presence? Jesus is present everywhere we are because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us. God said that wherever two are gathered in His name, He will be there too, so it isn't as though every time we throw a party God has to be added to the guest list and sent an invitation. I think it's more an issue of preparing our hearts for worship and obedience rather than telling God He should be in the mood to hang out. He's with us whether we're worshiping or not.

God bless,
~Curtis~

Creeds

What's your take on creeds? Will you make one (if you do) and how will you stick to it?

U.S. Soldier's Creed:
http://www.army.mil/soldierscreed/fla...

Ba rong ba chi (Chinese Eight Honors and Eight Shames):
http://news3.xinhuanet.com/english/20...

Medieval Knights Code of Chivalry:
http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/knights...

A little bit of humor

So I promised some of y'all that I'd post something funny. Well here it is. :-) I broke it up into paragraphs so that it'd be easier to read.

I was taking a walk the other day and I couldn’t help but notice this lady, walking her dogs. I don’t think that people realize how smart dogs have to be. The lady had to keep pulling the leash up and she kept saying, “No, no, no,” over and over again. It’s like, are you sure about that command? You sound a little uncertain. Your voice keeps going up at the end like you may be trying to ask a question, but your vocabulary is too limited.

I’ll bet if the dogs could talk, they’d say, “What? Ohh, haha. I bet you actually thought that I had forgotten what I wasn’t supposed to do, ahahaha!” After I passed them, I felt like just stopping and watching them as they progressed down the sidewalk. Excuse me; do you mind if I stand and stare in wonderment at the training you invested in those animals? I wonder what kind of growing up those dogs had. Did you play Puppy Einstein to them when they were having their tummy time in the kennel? Maybe I could just take some notes while this dog show is in the neighborhood?

It actually reminded me of a little kid holding a couple balloons while walking into a stiff wind. The lady looked like she certainly couldn't suffer any from a good walk every day. The rest of her sort of rippled as she moved. It was like watching a cube of ballistic gel hit the floor after you've dropped it.

I must say, the whole experience was fascinating and definitely made my day.

God bless!
~Curtis~

Thoughts and a Challenge

The world stands in judgment of us Christians. Like it or not, Christianity is on trial before a jury containing every unsaved person. Every Christian has a responsibility to accurately represent who Christ is within their respective spheres of influence. Paul reminds us of this responsibility in Hebrews 12.1, 2:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

If you don’t believe that people are watching you, just listen to this. I have a friend who I’ve witnessed to ever since I met her a year ago. She told me that she looks at all the Christians she knows to see if their life actually reflects Christ. Their obedience to the Bible witnesses to her more than any words they’ve spoken to her. Their words are either verified or disproved by their life. I’ve almost found out the most about how to practically live as a Christian from her than any other Christian because of her scrutiny and outward perspective. Here’s just a few things that I learned from her.

First, treat the source, not the symptoms. The world accuses us of being judgmental for a reason. This judgmental-ism is not from God, but from our selfish piety. We’re not here to preach a social Gospel, which makes people moral without changing their hearts. Christians today are sending more clean, moral and self-righteous sinners on their way to hell than broken, repentant and humble sinners saved by Grace to heaven. Jesus came to die for our justification first and secondly, our sanctification, which comes only through the work of the Holy Spirit. The unsaved will have darkness in their lives, just as we used to. It’s the natural fruit of their condition.

Second, be honest. I’ve noticed that Christians have a tendency to assume a piety just to accentuate and ‘dress-up’ the Christian life. Sanctification isn’t completed in our life-time and we need to admit that there are still struggles in our lives. If we can, we should use our unsaved background as a tool for evangelism, always pointing out the source of our sin instead of dancing on symptoms. God brought us through a specific road to salvation that He had ordained before time. Proverbs 20.24 reminds us that ‘a man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?’ Sanctification is a process and it is only possible after the justification of the Cross and victory of Christ’s resurrection.

Thirdly, live it and then talk. Hypocrisy is one of the biggest charges against believers. This is especially vital if we’re responsible for representing Christ to someone who’s been prejudiced because of irresponsible and judgmental Christians. All God needs is the pure and undefined Gospel to convict an unsaved sinner. One strong Christian testimony may be the pivotal factor in salvation. This is also a time when it’s essential to be honest and open about your past and current struggles. Unsaved people need to see real people, not ’suit and tie’ Christians. It should also be a given that we can recognize their true need for salvation without judging their sins. Remember, they are only living out what they know. They can only be washed completely clean through justification before their lives can start being cleansed through sanctification.

Whether it’s only in casual settings, or serious, intense conversations, people are watching to see how you live. We shouldn’t become reclusive because of these ‘great clouds of witnesses,’ or treat our faith as something to keep personal because we are called to share the Gospel with others. We’ve been told to expect the scrutiny. We’ve also been told to expect the persecution. By nature, the darkness hates the light because it’s works are evil. In John 15.18, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” And in 1 Peter 3.14-17, it also says:

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

I hope that this blog has been a challenge to you. It is my prayer that God will awaken every Christian to live out the Gospel before the world and to preach the Word as it has been taught us through the Bible. Remember, they still seek the living among the dead, even 2000-some years after the wondering disciples stumbled into the empty tomb.

God bless,
~Curtis~