Write Every Day Down

Just LIVE... and tell the rest of us what you've learned. :)

(Thanks to Chandre; she heartily recommends Jason Upton as a worshipper after His own heart. Next on the "To Listen" list: "In the Silence".)

This Fire Grows Higher

I just watched the Grand Finale of American Idol Season 10. It was simply awesome to see such diverse talent packed in one show. Kudos to the judges (Randy, Jennifer and Steven are more constructive, but also more helpful, than past batches) and to the resident mentor/musical director Jimmy. 

One of the ads for this season featured the past nine winners of AI:

Unfortunately I couldn't see the version of this that I see on TV, which features the song "You are a Tourist". It fits perfectly with AI's history of making dreams come true.

Ang galing :)

Congratulations to Scotty... But I just realized that my favorites for this season are Casey and Haley - the two most eclectic and artistic of the bunch. They live out of the box. Like a tourist  ^_^  (literally and figuratively).

You are a Tourist

by Deathcab for Cutie
http://www.youareatourist.com

This fire grows higher
This fire grows higher
This fire grows higher
This fire grows higher

When there's a burning in your heart
An endless yearning in your heart
Build it bigger than the sun
Let it grow, let it grow
When there's a burning in your heart
Don't be alarmed

This fire grows higher

When there's a doubt within your mind
Because you're thinking all the time
Framing rights into wrongs
Move along, move along
When there's a doubt within your mind

When there's a burning in your heart
And you think it'll burst apart
Or there's nothing to feel
Save the tears, save the tears
When there's a burning in your heart

And if you feel just like a tourist in the city you were born
Then it's time to go
And define your destination
There's so many different places to call home
Because when you find yourself the villain in the story you have written
It's plain to see
That sometimes the best intentions are in need of redemptions
Would you agree?
If so please show me

This fire grows higher
When there's a burning in your heart

I will not keep silent. (Isaiah 62)

Amazing. God is guiding me to ignore petty useless gossip, because He wants me to focus on what is important: HIS Story, what HE's doing. In these matters, I will not keep silent. What about you?

Zion’s Coming Salvation

Isaiah 62 (English Standard Version)

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.

The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will give.

You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the LORD delights in you,
and your land shall be married.

For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.

On your walls, O Jerusalem,
I have set watchmen;
all the day and all the night
they shall never be silent.

You who put the LORD in remembrance,
take no rest,
and give him no rest
until he establishes Jerusalem
and makes it a praise in the earth.

The LORD has sworn by his right hand
and by his mighty arm:
"I will not again give your grain
to be food for your enemies,
and foreigners shall not drink your wine
for which you have labored;

but those who garner it shall eat it
and praise the LORD,
and those who gather it shall drink it
in the courts of my sanctuary."

Go through, go through the gates;
prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway;
clear it of stones;
lift up a signal over the peoples.

Behold, the LORD has proclaimed
to the end of the earth:
Say to the daughter of Zion,
"Behold, your salvation comes;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him."

And they shall be called The Holy People,
The Redeemed of the LORD;
and you shall be called Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.

Time for silence. :)

There is a time to speak,
and there is a time to be silent.
(See Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Devil tactics

Do you find yourself doing too much? ... too little?

If Satan can't scare you,

he'll try to distract you.

Be wise. :) And, eyes on the prize. :)

"I know your works.
Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.
I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name...
Because you have kept My word about patient endurance,
I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world,
to try those who dwell on the earth.
I am coming soon.
Hold fast to what you have,
so that no one may seize your crown.
The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God."
- Revelation 3:8,10-12a


"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial
because, having stood the test,
that person will receive the crown of life
that the Lord has promised to those who love him."
- James 1:12


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
- Hebrews 12:1-2

Are you a Forerunner?

I got this from the poweful book "Forerunners: The Emerging Messengers in the Last Days" by Haavard and Carina Sand (only PhP250 at Philippine Christian Bookstore). God bless you more!

============================================

As you read this, you may ask, what about me? How would I know if I am called to this? As I studied the life of John the Baptist, one thing that stood out for me was the statement that the angel said to Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist). The angel said, "...for he will be great in the sight of the Lord..." (Luke 1:15a). One thing is sure: forerunners are not individuals who will receive recognition from men and are given the credit for what they do. Most of the time, they will not be remembered for the contributions they worked for. They will be hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). The constant wilderness of forerunners is their hidden life because their greatness is not intended for man to see, but only for God. Many times, their flesh will cry out for appreciation but they will find comfort in the fact that Jesus is increasing while they are decreasing.

You may also have a passion for justice and strong compassion for the poor and the oppressed. Within you resides a burden for them that leads you to make intercession on their behalf and to minister to them. It is so, because this is one of the main agendas of God in the last days: to make wrong things right. Thus, pure religion is based on taking care of the orphans and the widows. However, this is not merely humanitarian work, but a burden born out of intimacy with God to bear His burdens and passions for the less fortunate majority.

You may also have within you a strong sense of the urgency of the hour with the perspective of the Lord's Coming; a heart of intercession for the Church and the nations of the world. God specifically would place in us a desire to see His Church mature and be a catalyst for change to prepare Her for the Lord's return as His spotless and blameless Bride. God may have given you a prophetic gift to become the voice for the voiceless and to call people to repentance.

Perhaps, a strong passion for change resides in you. You are able to discern not in a judgmental way the things that are not right, and you earnestly desire to usher that change to correct people's understanding and mindset. Furthermore, your spirit despises passivity because there is a knowing in you that something must happen in the Church to impact and influence the world. To pioneer or to start new things has mostly been the pattern in your ministry. Either you yourself initiated it, or you are involved with it.

You could also be someone whose life's journey has been fashioned by God with surrender in a very special way. You have this feeling that God often takes away from you everything that is precious to you --- your loved ones, your ambitions, your comforts, and that He deals more "strictly" with you than with others. Consequently, you feel like you are alone in your battle like Elijah (1 Kings 19:10).

Certainly, there are other passions in your heart that God uniquely put in your heart to partner with Him as He unfolds all the events relating to His return. Needless to say, the forerunner calling is not limited to some elite group of people. It is a call available for everyone who is willing to announce His return and embrace the lifestyle uniquely attached to it, like insatiable hunger for God's presence, death to self, prayer and fasting, humility, love for God, and the radical pursuit of the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle.

The call is going forth to anyone who is called as an evangelist, pastor, prophet, intercessor, singer, writer, musician, artist, missionary, and even to those called to the marketplace. It is a call to announce the Second Coming of Christ. Will you heed the call?

All for God is merely reasonable

Giving God your all is not radical. It is merely reasonable.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters,

in view of God’s mercy,

to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,

holy and pleasing to God —

this is your true and proper worship.

- Romans 12:1

(Thanks to Ptr. Dan for sharing :) )

Champion!

Champion
by Q-York

Imma champion
Nothin' less then number one
iz neva done
I do what it takes to make what I love
Imma champion
I give it up all to the one
I'll neva run
I will fight n overcome

Kind of like 300 Spartans
fighting against an army of thousands
odds against me who's countin'?
my fire u could see
through my eyes when you look at me
discipline, determination tears my blood my perspiration
I put it all in but iz not enuff, it's never enuff
satisfaction leads to stagnance
make it happen don't yap about it
leap of faith jump around
shake it baby, train hard
prepare yourself
success will follow, tommorow's made
by what you do today, so what you doin' today?
everything you need is in front of you
what u gonna do?
get up and move
pick your battles
strategize
speak your mind, advertise

let the world know

your purpose

some misinterpret by the surface

I'm bout my business, bout my lyrics, Bout my peoples
Pilipino!

Time to rise

we don't die dot com we multiply

manifest, your infinite potential that's a champion 

contenders forgotten to be remembered to be a legend

Without a question win the battles that can't be won

That's what it takes to be a champion

Imma champion

Nothin' less then number one

iz neva done

I do what it takes to make what I love

Imma champion

I give it up all to the one

I'll neva run

I will fight n overcome

cuz imma champion

we champions

Are you a champion?

You are a champion
I am a champion

we champions

Are you a champion?
You are a champion

Mindinao, Philippines born in poverty

Dropped out of elementary

Forced to be a man as a child

No work got to make ya own job

Selling bread in the streets
Do what it takes to make ends meet

No quit was his attitude

Place ya bets had aptitude

With his fists get your paper up

but it still wasn't sufficient

Nothin' to eat
Pops even ate

The family pet, Hot dog on plate

That's the last straw

Run away stow away

Only fourteen but had a dream

Off to manila, time to train and take this whole thing serious

Donut sellin' for a nickel on the concrete is where he slept

in the boxing gym everyday
still everynight to the Lord he'd pray

give me the strength,
give me the will

keep it movin' can't be still

speed and power, hit the bag

jab jab cross faint and block

opponents like "yo make him stop"

so began his rise to the top

fight after fight, relentless grit

Pound for pound yo the best in world

Pacman aka the Destroyer
fightin' for his people's pride

when the bell rings raise ya hands high

Why?

Imma champion

Nothin' less then number one

iz neva done

I do what it takes to make what I love

Imma champion

I give it up all to the one

I'll neva run
I will fight n overcome

cuz imma champion

we champions

Are you a champion?

You are a champion
I am champion

we champions

Are you a champion?
You are a champion