The Banner

"Here come those backpacking, fanatical, card-carrying radicals
 Down-for-the-cause acolytes who never take a sabbatical..."

 Everyday's a Sabbath Day
 Battling for a better way
 Ready to lay it down
 On any opposition that comes our way

 So much to say
 About Yahweh and His Redeemer
 And Spirit He uses to save men
 Even though we're the chiefest of sinners
 Winners over death
 Through the conquering Christ, we're champions
 Never clamoring for the limelight
 'Cause he furnished us with a lampstand

So in our darkest hours
When the enemy seeks to devour
Any and everything all around us
We stay connected to the power
Alpha and Omega -
The power source for the ages
For tearing down any strongholds
And empty wisdom of sages

I'm a phrase turner, burning
From a Life-altering encounter
On a collision course with the World
Living to uplift the Messiah

We never tire; Engaging the culture
Dying daily to ourselves
Waging war on giants and vultures
As we're murdering our flesh
Covered in blood, armed to the teeth
With swift feet and a sharp Sword
Raising our Banner over everything
'Cause in the beginning was the Word...


(cf. Exodus 17:15; Psalm 20:5; Song 2:4; John 1:1-5; 2 Cor. 10:4; Hebrews 4:12)

Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Joyride

 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”  - Luke 12:13-21 ESV


The act of self-humiliation
Is better than
Defecating on yourself
After you've denied the realities
Of your true nature
And realize that the standard
Isn't found in your wealth
It's been all but forgotten
'Til the Grim Reaper comes knockin'
And you trade
Your thousand count thread sheets
For one of those silk-lined coffins

A life of burnt offerings...
Instead of being a living sacrifice
You settled for living big and suffering
And your passion for pleasures
Measures up to a disaster
When you live that empty life to the fullest
And say never mind
To what comes after

The crucial part to figuring out
You've got a problem
Is to know you're at the bottom
When your toes scratch the surface
You know you've run out of options
Thinking you can just keep digging
In hopes of seeing the other side
Would be an exercise in futility -
You'll end up buried alive

All your strivin' and your strugglin'
It'll all be for nothin'
It's love in an elevator
With no working buttons
Live it up while you're goin' down
There's no stoppin' 'til you hit the ground
Your joyride reached its capacity
The silver cable's been severed;
No mercy to be found

Working for the weekend
Only brings about a weak end
And your accumulation of stuff
Took you deep six
In the deep end
But it was all but forgotten
Until the Grim Reaper came knockin'
And you traded
Your thousand count thread sheets
For one of those silk-lined coffins...

cf. Ecclesiastes 5:8-19


Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Zeros and Ones: Content In Christ

We bring our discipleship series to a close by looking at one of the most misconstrued and misunderstood passages in all of scripture (Philippians 4:13). As we study and cross reference - allowing the scripture to interpret itself - we discover that this verse is more that just a catch all for positive actions. In its proper context, we are being offered so much more. This truth flies in the face of what is known in present day as the "Prosperity/Word of Faith" movement...

Did Jesus come to make you happy? Make you rich? Did he die to make your life "abundant" and easy?!

Yes. But probably not in the way that you think...



Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Zeros & Ones: Rejoicing In Christ

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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. 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. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." - Philippians 4:8-9 ESV
  Soli Deo Gloria,
 Shon