Hold Me Down?

This is the message for the song "Hold Me Down" on my album Intimately Consumed.. Hope it encourages you!

I am devoted into following the will of God for the rest of my life. I want to do the Father's will! As Jesus put it - "not my will be done, but Your's (Jn. 18:11, Matt. 26:42)." I want to live a life of walking by faith, abiding in Jesus (Jn. 15:4). That is my desire.

However, in wanting to live a life like this - there is much opposition. Not only from non-believers, but also from believers. I made a decision after graduating from college to go into ministry and pursue the will of God for my own life - to pursue the dreams He has put on my heart. I had spent much time in prayer asking the Lord before this decision was made. I also sought after wise council from pastors and mentors, talked to my parents about it..etc! I won't go deep into detail, however, once the will of God was very clear that I was to go into ministry, their was immediately doubt, and persecution from others.

The enemy immediately wanted to get me de-railed and question God even though He had made things extremely clear. I continued seeking the Lord and He encouraged me and gave me the strength and grace to stand on the decision and follow His will.

It did not make sense in the natural! This is why I want to live a life of faith and... oh how exciting it is! God is so faithful to the things He calls us to. If God has called us to something or given us a vision to do something - my advice is go after it! I have seen time and time again the Lord's faithfulness. If it is truly a call from the Lord - nothing will stop it or stand in it's way for He who called you is faithful! He cannot be anything else for that is who He is! "The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one (2 Thes. 3:3)." Do you not know that, "The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it (2 Thes. 5:24)?" Notice it says - He will do it. This leads me to my next point...

God does not call us to things we can do in our own strength. He calls us to the impossible. The reason is this: He wants us to depend upon Him and fellowship with Him because His desire is for us. He will accomplish the work in you which He has called you to in His timing (Phil. 1:6). My prayer is that this song would encourage people to take a leap of faith and go after the dreams that He has placed on His people's heart. His creativity knows no end. His power is limitless. Nothing is too hard for Him. The question is this - will we walk in dependence upon Him? For surely, if we try in our own strength to accomplish the will of God, it will crumble. So even though people try to hold me down, through Christ I will stay off the ground. There will be people who say go this way, or that way, but by grace I will stay fixed on the face of Jesus and His will (Prov 4:25-27). Go after what He has called you to! He is faithful and will provide. Praise the Lord!

It'll Be Okay

This is the message for the song "It'll Be Okay" off my album Intimately Consumed. Hope it encourages you to keep pushin' through no matter what!

Let me start this message off with this. I have failed over and over again. I have messed up countless times. I have sinned and turned back to the same sinful ways again and again. I have battled and wrestled against the flesh. I have cried out for freedom in certain areas of my life literally for years without seeing true break through (although He was faithful and He brought it to pass!).

I am a human being just like you! I have felt like quitting and giving up countless number of times. I have cried, weeped, mourned, yelled, etc... All through this... I have come to know several things. He is faithful even when were not. He is love and His love knows no end. He has blotted out our transgressions. He will remember them no more (Hebrews 8:12). He will not condemn us (Romans 8:1). He has nothing but goodness for His children.

Through our shortcomings, He just wants us to come back to Him (Matt 11:28-30). This song was dedicated to the body of Christ. I wrote this song to all those in the midst of struggles with sin. Whether it is lust, pornography, addictions, friends who pull you down, etc - it doesn't matter. I wrote this song for those that truly love the Lord with all their hearts. I wrote this for those that want nothing but to live their lives sold out and abandon to Jesus, but still struggle with sin (all believers haha - and if you don't... you might want to repent of pride!). I wrote this for the one's that burn to see His fire in their lives. The message is this - it's by the grace and mercy of God that you will be free from anything, not by our works or effort. Even if you could free yourself or abstain from sin for a while through strong will, you would end up being dependent on your own strength which is limited, weak and frail while God's is limitless. It's not by our own strength, but by the power of His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).

Hebrews put's it plainly in chapter 12 when it says to lay aside or throw off the thing which so easily entangles you, fix your eyes back on Jesus, and keep running the race! What you focus on, you empower. The enemy wants you de-railed and focused on the thing which has you captive. Don't fix your eyes on that - for do you not know that it looks so small if you would re-adjust and focus your eyes elsewhere? You must keep your eyes fixed on Jesus or you will grow weary very quickly.

I have seen several Christians give their lives to Christ, get excited about living for Him, realize there is still a battle with sin, fall back into sin, and run away from God because of condemnation, guilt, and feeling like a straight up hypocrite. How tragic this is! How it grieves my heart as well as the Father's. Do you not know that you are forgiven? Do you not know that the Father looks into the thoughts and intent of your heart - not at how you perform (1 Sam 16:7)? There is a huge difference between immaturity and blatant rebellion. This message is for those in the struggle. You have to keep a heart that says "YES" to God no matter how many times you fall or turn away. Do you not know that the Father's arms are wide open to you and He is waiting for you to come back home like the prodigal son(Lk 15)?

As His children - we have to understand what justification means. It's completely by His mercy and grace that we are saved. Justification is a finished worked. He has accredited all the righteousness of Christ to our "account" through the death and resurrection of His Son (2 Cor 5:21). We never have to sit around wondering what God thinks of us. When you turn your heart back to Jesus - you are forgiven completely and wholly - no questions asked (1 Jn 1:9). As Jesus said, "It is finished." Praise the Lord Jesus Christ! Don't flatter yourself into thinking that you can out-sin the grace and love of God. Jump back into His arms and keep running the race the Lord has set before you. Don't focus on sin - focus on Jesus and move forward!

Intimately Consumed

This is the message behind the song "Intimately Consumed" and my entire latest album...

intimate 1 |ˈintəmit|
adjective
1 closely acquainted; familiar, close : intimate friends
• involving very close connection
2 private and personal .
3 (of knowledge) detailed; thorough : an intimate knowledge

consume |kənˈsoōm|
• (usu. be consumed) (of a feeling) absorb all of the attention and energy of (someone):
(consuming) a consuming passion.

I have cried out for a while now, that the Father would permit me to be intimately consumed in my personal relationship with Him. That by His grace, I would be able to walk out the greatest commandments (Matt. 22:37-40). As being apart of the church, or bride of Christ, I want to be in love with Jesus, the Bridegroom King. This is only possibly today because of the cross of Jesus Christ that stands over history.
It's the greatest love story of all time. We as humans, chose to walk apart from God and disobey His commands (Gen; Rom 3:23). The Father loved us so much, that He sent His only Son to die for us and redeem us from our sin (Jn 3:16). He did nothing wrong. He was guiltless and lived a perfect life.
I do not serve a dead God, I serve a living God. Jesus Christ rose from the grave and visited people - people saw His scars, they talked with Him, they touched Him - it's a historical fact. He lives today, and even better, He lives inside me (Gal 2). I am in love with Jesus Christ and desire to go deeper in love with Him. I want to learn to recognize His voice more clearly (Jn 10:27). I desire to be completely intimately consumed with passion for Jesus. I desire to know the heart of the Father that formed me intricately in my mothers womb and I pray that the Father would stir your heart and put the same desires in you (Ps 139). He is good, and if we can see Him for who He is, we will realize that nothing else matters except being intimate with Him. Nothing matters but knowing a personal, alive God, whom is Jesus Christ. Nothing matters apart from fellowshiping with the God who created us for Himself (Jn 15; Jn 17:3). For surely, that is how He designed and fashioned you - to be in a relationship with Himself where you reflect His glory back to Himself.
When you look at the definition of the word "intimate" and "consume" the title of my album makes much more sense. The dictionary definition of the word "intimate" means to be closely acquainted, familiar, involving a very close connection, or simply put to be close with. In other words you are intimate friends. It also means to be private and personal or to have detailed, thorough knowledge of something or someone. If you take a look at the definition of the word "passion" this means to absorb all the attention and energy or someone or to have a consuming passion. Now, take those two words, combine them and their definitions together, and relate them to your relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what this album is about!
I want to be closely acquainted, familiar and have a close connection with Jesus! I want to be intimate friends with Him, even as He Himself called those who are His own (Jn 15:15). I want to be absorbed and have a consuming passion to know my Heavenly Father. The more I seek the Lord, the more I find Him. The more I find Him, the more I simply love Him. Out of loving Him, comes this consuming passion. Once you begin to see Him as He is, you will never again be the same. Once you encounter His unconditional love, you can't help but share Him with others. Once you behold His beauty, you can't help but have a passion for living abandoned to Him. For, there is none but Him, none like Him, and nothing that could be better for you were made for Him. This is my cry - Abba, I wanna be intimately consumed! You were called to live and be intimately consumed by God. Get you some of that!

Prayer:

Father of glory, this is my prayer - that I would truly be intimately consumed and in love with You. But, to limit this prayer to myself is selfishness. So I ask, Father, Abba, Daddy, that you would raise up a whole generation across the nations of a people that would be intimately consumed - in passionate love with Your Son Jesus. I pray that you would raise up a generation who truly walks out the greatest commandant of all which Jesus spoke about - to love You with our whole hearts, souls, minds, and all of our strength. Father, release the grace and anointing over your church to walk in the two greatest commands - loving you and loving others. Raise up a generation that knows the love of the Father for themselves, and for others. Raise up a generation that knows Your heart - not just facts. People who have sat at Your feet and been intimate with you. People who have rejected the simple ways of this world and been abandoned to you. I want to be intimately consumed with love for you Abba. I want to know the width, the height, the depth, the vastness of love that You have for me and for others. In Jesus Name, amen!

The Cries

This is the message behind the song "The Cries" off my album Intimately Consumed. ...

These are real life stories. Real people actually came up to me after a show, at church, or different places and expressed these things to me. My purpose in this song is not to expose them, but to encourage and give them hope.

I realize that there is much pain, confusion, hurt, etc, across the globe. I realize that things can really be messed up in life! I realize that crazy things happen to good people. We, as but mere humans, tend to look up and point the finger at God. We tend to blame God in our own pride, harden our hearts, and come to the conclusion that God doesn't care about us or that He is not real. For if there was a God, "then how could He do this," or, "how could He have let this happen to me or the world." I know, because I have heard these things over and over again by others. I also have said them personally myself. There can be a number of reasons for this, but I believe one of the main reasons is our lack of revelation and understanding on who God REALLY IS.

I believe that there is a great revelation coming to the church and globe at large and that is this - the revelation of who the Father is. I bring this up simply because if we have a revelation of who the Father is - then when crazy things happen, nothing will be able to move us from His character. He is GOOD...and He remains GOOD... because He doesn't change (Heb 13:8).

He is good if my father dies. He is good if my mother dies. He is good if terrorists attack. He is good if disease and sickness strike a friend or family member. He is good if I get struck by these things. He is good no matter what happens. That is who He is. He can't be anything else.

We should not be looking and pointing the finger at Him. We should be running towards Him and His goodness (Matt 11:28-30). We should be casting all that we are upon Him to help us through our circumstances, for He cares (1 Peter 5:6-7). It's a very ugly mistake to make - to turn from the One who can truly help you in what you are facing. Why would you run from the only One that truly understands what's going on? Why would you run from Him, who can give you peace and joy in the midst of what you are facing? Why would you run from the One who loves you deeply and desires you?

I told other people's stories because I am positive that their are other people out there facing similar or the same circumstances and situations. I want to bring hope to you. It's not about me. It's about my friend, Jesus. He is the One who can help you! No matter how deep of a pit you are in - whether it's addiction, depression, hopelessness, sins, etc - He is the One who can reach in and pull you out!

I pray that you would put your faith wholly in Jesus! That you would ask for a revelation of the Father's heart for you and what you are facing. And finally that you would take courage in the boldness that is in Christ to face the giant that's in front of you! The Father loves you and cares for you deeply! He is saying this - "Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened - and I will give you rest." Turn your life over to Jesus, commit to His ways, and watch what happens! For surely He is faithful to His Word (2 Tim. 2:13, Prov 3). Surely He works all things together for good (Rom 8:28)! "God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good (Numbers 23:19 - amp)?"

Trust whatever you are facing completely to Jesus and let go! I promise you this - He is faithful! Don't commit for a day, or a week, or a month, and then come to the conclusion that He isn't real or doesn't care about you. That is foolish! Commit your life and commit for a LIFETIME to follow Him - just watch! He is faithful and will be there for you every step of the way even if you don't feel Him! Don't try to figure out everything or know all the answers - just, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understand, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Be encouraged... your going to make it! You can do all things through Him (Phil 4:13). Nothing is impossible with God (Jer. 32:17, Matt 17:20, Lk 1:37)!

Jesus - The Human Face of God

This is the message from the song entitled "The Face of Jesus" off my album Intimately Consumed.

Psalm 27:4 - "One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and meditate in His temple."

Jacob saw God face to face (Genesis 32:20). The Lord spoke to Moses plainly, not in dark sayings, as a man speaks to his friend - He spoke with him, "mouth to mouth, even open, not in dark sayings (Numbers 12:7-8)." Enoch walked faithfully with God (Gen. 5:22). Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:9). As a child of the most high God, I desire strongly to do the same.

I want to have the same heart that Moses had when he cried out, Lord, "Show me Your glory." I want all His goodness to past before me. I want to live all of my days gazing upon the beauty of the Lord. Living and walking in Him. Abiding in Jesus - I in Him, and He in me. I want to walk in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, not in my own ways or in the flesh. The flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit brings life and peace (John 6:63). I am deeply moved, and in love with a loving, graceful, glorious God. I want to see the Face of Jesus which is the very glory of God (2 Cor. 4:6) I want to hear His voice and learn to recognize it from the voice of the enemy or the accuser of the brethren. I seek His face because I desperately want to know the Father's heart.

The times where I choose to remain in Him and keep my heart in the position to receive His love, I realize that I need nothing else but Him. I realize that all I need is met in Him. All my soul cries out for and longs for is found in Him - in His presence. The third verse of this song goes through a list of different sayings which have been cries of my heart. I want my heart to be completely pure and open before the Lord; for the pure in heart shall see God (Matt. 5:8). I want to see Jesus. I want to gaze upon His beauty. I want my heart to be completely and wholly submitted. I want to honestly be able to say, "Lord, all that I am is Yours - do whatever you will to do with my life."

I end the song by asking for grace to be released over me to walk this out. It's a lifestyle of learning to abide in the love of the Father. I'm in a race, and by His grace, I will finish strongly! I pray that you would also cry out for these things. Not because I want them or they are my desires, but that your heart would be after God in such a way that you would see Jesus clearly. If we can see Him, we will never be the same. For whatever you behold, that is what you become like. He promises not to hide His face from us any longer (Ez. 39:29). We will be transformed the more and more we see the Father clearly. What are your eyes gazing upon? Are you longing for the beauty of Jesus, or for the world and it's simple ways? You and I were created to gaze upon the face of Jesus - let's stop looking elsewhere and gaze into His never ending beauty!

I pray that the Father's love would pierce you in the deepest parts of your heart. That you would see how amazing it is to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. I pray that, if you are searching for more in life, that you would be willing to lay down your life at the feet of Jesus. When you choose to "lose your life," Jesus said that it's in that place where you will truly find it. I pray that you would find the abundance of life that can only be found in the name of Jesus Christ. I pray that your heart would be flooded with the depths of His unconditional love and that your heart would be in the posture to receive Him. I pray that your heart would cry out like Moses did - "Lord, show me your glory." I pray that you would see Him more clearly. I pray that you would seek and see His face. in Jesus Name, Amen

Pleasure

This is the message behind my song "These Pleasures" off my album Intimately Consumed.

Throughout middle-school and high-school, I chose to close my heart and live for myself. In doing this, naturally, I wanted to do what felt good to my body. I have experienced many of the vain pleasures that this world has to offer. By pleasures - I mean the "high's" in life. For example, getting drunk or high or experiencing sex outside of marriage, can bring about a "high" or pleasurable feeling to us. It looks and feels satisfying, but underneath that is complete death. After years of chasing the pleasures this world has to offer (success, sex, drugs, alcohol, popularity, etc), I have realized that they are temporary and do not truly satisfy us. I jumped off the never ending treadmill of meaninglessness.

The Author of Life has created us to live and be in fellowship with Himself. When this is missing in your life- there will ALWAYS be an empty void inside you. You can try to turn to the next thing, and the next, and the next, but eventually that will get old as well. You were made to experience a love that's unconditional which is what our souls long for deep down inside. This is why Jesus says to the women at the well in John chapter seven that if you knew who He was, you would have asked Him for Living Waters and you never would thirst. When you have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, you will never thirst for more and more in life because it brings about true satisfaction. To be accepted, loved, cared for and to have a purpose and experience pleasures that are superior to those of this world. This is found, and only found, in Jesus Christ.

True pleasures and satisfaction is found in the place of intimacy with Christ. Where you are in a relationship with Abba, the Father. There are pleasures in His right hand waiting for you to search out and discover. There is fullness of joy in His presence (Ps 16:11). There is life, joy, hope, peace, patience, goodness, etc in the relationship between the Spirit of God and you. What pleasures are you seeking after? What are you trying to fill that "emptiness" inside with? If it is not fully Christ, I promise you that it will fail you everytime.

You don't have to look any further - submit to Jesus (James 4). He is all we need and the one that can truly satisfy us (2 Peter 1:3). He said, "I will give you living water, and you will never thirst." Ask Him to fill you with His streams of living water. Ask Him for the pleasures in His right hand. Open your heart and submit to Him completely. He is someone you can trust with your everything. Get off the treadmill and start living for something that lasts. Start living for Someone who is eternal, Jesus Christ. Don't waste your life building your own fame and glory, for it will soon pass and fade away. Don't waste your life seeking after the next pleasurable experience. Come to Him whose pleasures know no end. He is who you were made for and He awaits you! Come to Him and enjoy Him. I pray that you would be like Moses, "choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin (Heb 11:25-26)..."

Psalm 21:6 - "For You make Him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence."

Psalm 16:11 - In my presence is fullness of joy, and in My right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Get you some!!

I'm Sorry (But Not Really...)

This is the message behind the song that feature k-Drama and Nue Breed entitled "Sorry."

This is a sarcastic apology saying I'm sorry for following Jesus, living for His glory, and not being of this world any longer. There is no need to apologize, but I am sarcastic and hope that there is humor brought to the body of Christ through this song.

The Name of Jesus Christ is a stumbling block to those who don't believe (1 Cor. 1:22-24, Gal. 5:10-12, 1 Pet. 2:6-8, Rom. 9:33). His name can be and is offensive to non-believers. You can mention allah, or buddah, and it would not have the same effect. The reason is this - Jesus is the real deal! He is the actual Son of God who claims the deity of the great "I AM" (Jn 8:58). He said Himself that He is, "The way, the truth, and the life" - the only way to Heaven or to the Father. I could go on for days, but I don't want to get off track! This track features two brothers in Christ, Benjamin Farr (Nue Breed) and Regis Jones (k-Drama). We are no longer of this earth, although we live here for a short time. Our citizenship is in heaven for we have been bought with a price (1 Peter 2:9). The price was Jesus Christ and His blood which was shed on a cross (1 Cor. 6:20;2 Cor. 5:21)). We have been chosen, and set apart for His purposes and ways (Eph. 1:4-12; Eph 2:10). We now live for Him and His glory. No longer will we conform to the simple ways of this world. No longer will we live trying to leave our own self-glorified legacy. No longer will we will for the next pleasurable experience or temporary high. No longer we will live for ourselves! We, as sons of the Most High, live to reflect His glory. We live for a higher calling, and that is to make His Name famous and known amongst the nations. That's what this song is about! We are young, but unashamed to carry our cross's on our back (Matt 16:24). Could we possibly leave out the Name of Jesus and make millions, become famous, get awards, etc? Yes... It's possible... but what's the point if you gain the whole world and loose your very soul (Matt. 16:26)? Life is but a glimpse, don't waste your life chasing after things that can't hold it self together. Chase after the One thing which will be forever, Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:24-25)! You are like grass, and all it's glory like the flower of grass, will soon wither and fall off. You can have the money, cars, house, diamonds, etc - but when it comes down to it - you have NOTHING if you don't have a relationship with God. Without Christ in your life, your life is worthless - it's pointless. For surely you were made to reflect His image! Surely you were made for Someone who is greater than You. Surely you were made for Your Creator. Surely you were made for Him, and He is the One who desires you. Quit wasting your life and turn to Jesus! That's when real purpose begins. So... if this message offends anyone... "We're very sorry." Talk to Abba about it and He will make things very clear for you. He has spoken in His Word...humble yourself and come to Him!