TGIF

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,

and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

Days go by and turn into weeks
They take a toll on my soul
And the nights become beastly
Awakened in the early hours
By thunderstorms and cold showers
Of sweat soaking in bed sheets
Body fatigued from the lack of sleep
And since I'm being honest
I'm never really honest
I've made up my mind and my bed
And they're way too close to the furnace
This heat on my face
Has got me wondering where the grace is
Now, I'm contemplating a way out
(The kinds of thoughts I haven't had in years)

My work seems fruitless
The Adversary is ruthless
He may very well be a barking dog
But he's far from being toothless
Breathing in, breathing out
But this ain't what I'd call living
I can't find the words of gratitude
For the gifts I've been given
Money can't save me
Because my bills ain't gettin paid either
"The Lord is my Shepherd... "
But sometimes I find it hard to believe Him

My girl is still trippin'
So I think I wanna leave her
It's ignorance on fire
And the whole world's got the fever
Stuck in the middle
Between silver or salvation
I'll be thirty pieces richer
Dying on a reservation
Or I'll be living in paradise
On a permanent vacation
When I hear it that way
Why's there so much hesitation?

We only have one life to live
And time never likes wait
Lord, I'm too weak to do this on my own...

Thank God it's Friday.


Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Zeros and Ones: Why Did Jesus Come?

In this discussion, we take a look at the reason that Jesus Christ had to come to us...
To bring us to God.

We discuss the radical nature of sin and how it effects all of us. Putting us in dire need of a savior from the wrath of God for our inherent evilness, Jesus comes not only to call us to repentance, but to satisfy the wrath of God by becoming sin for us.

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." - Mark 2:17

Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)

Heaven Underground

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water." - 1 Peter 3:18-20 ESV

"For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does." - 1 Peter 4:6 ESV

 

Heaven didn’t just come down… 

It went underground 

We couldn’t go and get it 

It had to come and get us 

Because we were held hostage 

In the darkness…slaves to the dust 

A bunch of guilty as charged 

Criminals at large 

Conspiring since the beginning 

To assassinate God 

And if you find that statement offensive 

It’s understandable 

But you still have no defense against it  

And you know it –  

Your fingerprints are showin’ 

And herein lies the biggest problem 

Because even if you’re Robin Hood
You’re still a thief –
Because you’re robbin’
No sob story is good enough
To regain that trust
Our red-handed antics
Have left us stone cold busted

And in case you couldn’t tell
We’re disgusted with the outcome
But too prideful and bitter to ask for help
So we put our roots down firm
And build ziggurats wherever we dwell

But how we gonna reach the Kingdom
When we don’t even speak the same language amongst ourselves?
And when our stairway to Heaven was vanquished
It all came crashing down in an epic fail…

The most frightening attribute of God’s character
Is that He is good and a Just Judge
So He will always rule in favor of righteousness
Not based on what I think I am
Or who I thought I was

Truth is…
I’m a lying, cheating
Backsliding heathen
Full of murderous intent
And I’m stealing by just breathing
With no plan to give up the lifestyle
Anytime soon
So the mercy of the Court
Will have to be way more than prevenient
Because I’m already doomed…

Therefore grace has to intrude
As the Kingdom manifests the expanse
Of its territorial boundary
To dig us up out of our whitewashed tombs
And shut down all of the foundries
‘Cause the Devil’s melting down the metal
Turning plows and pruning hooks into swords

But the Kingdom of Heaven came among us
To suffer the violence
So Death can never have the Final Word


"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force."  - Matthew 11:12 ESV

Soli Deo Gloria,
Shon

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)

Rose

She dreams of being treated like a queen

She wants to be known

Wants to be seen…as a human being

She longs to be treasured

Not measured on her features and appearance

She knows she’s meant to be more

Than an object of lust

For men who leer

It makes her flesh crawl

Every time they get near her

But the reality is

That it’s all she’s ever known

Papa was a rolling stone

And when he was home

He was a boulder of destruction

Tearin’ up the house in a drunken rage

And hittin’ her and mama in the face

For missing a simple instruction –

While he’s still cussin’, still fussin’

It was disgusting…

She had to get away

But in her haste to find safety

She started looking for love

In all of the wrong places

Many a days wasted

On suitors that shouldn’t suit her

Because all they wanted to do

Was use her up, then lose her

Sugar, spice and everything nice

Is replaced by sex, deceit, and deadly vices

To those who know her

She’s a rose of a different kind

Not altogether lovely

But fine enough for a good time

And her new man don’t mind sharin’

“‘Cause I bet those dudes will pay top dollar

As hard as they be starin’”

Now she’s out there as eye candy

As her reality sours

The breath of strange men heat up her neck

And she’s getting paid by the hour

She’s been rejected so long

That she resolves to accept it

Believing that it’s better

To play by her own rules

Than to go through life dejected

She says, “The situation is screwed up

And since no one else seems to give a f---

I’m gonna make the most

Out of my station in life;

Make some money and get high – bottoms up”

Truth is she’s feeling stuck

And her identity is in shambles

A rose that’s lost her petals

Instead of a lily among the brambles

Built for love and dominion

But worn down by others’ opinions

She fails to receive the mantle

For which she was attentively intended

New day, new city

While the nights all look the same

And she cries herself to sleep

Because the showers can’t remove the shame

My sister, you are more than the sum of your deeds

Don’t listen to the deceivers

You’re more than just a perverted history

Of a long line of leavers

You were created with dignity and purpose

For a lover who sticks closer than a brother

He wants nothin’ but the rose

And gave it all to show that you’re worth it

(cf. John 8:1-11)

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Beef

“What’s beef?”

That’s the question everybody wants to know

In other words:

“Do we have a problem and how do we settle the score?”

Well, what it’s not is what happens

When MC’s battle with songs

It’s when all you’ve got left

Is nothin’ but wrong…

 

Beef is when the creature

Takes the created order

Only to use it as a weapon

And lead the Maker to a slaughter

It’s when you look your Creator

Right in the eye

Seal your love for him with a kiss

While you’re piercing his side

 

Beef is what happens

When the Devil asks a question

And we forget what God said –

Even start to second guess him

Next thing you know

We’re runnin’ –

Lookin’ for clothes

Duckin’ behind trees

Every time the wind blows

 

It’s when even after all of that

He still pursues you with love and grace

And to show your appreciation

You throw it back in his face…

 

Yeah, that’s beef –

Sometime it’s your own people

Not the lions in the wilderness

But the wolves under the steeples

They’re runnin’ with the numbered

Talkin’ about peace

(A very beautiful notion

Covered with a steel-toed cleat)

 

Now some beefs are big

And some beefs are small

But the one I’m talkin’ about

Is a result of the fall

 

Beef is when it’s over two thousand years later

After he showed us true love

And dudes still call him a “hater”

It’s when he finally comes back

He’ll be clearin’ his name –

Stoppin’ the world on its axis

And puttin’ death in the grave

Then the Judge will be handin’ down

That long prison sentence;

An eternity in Hell

In a few short minutes

 

Beef is when you hear

That he’s the King of the World

But it doesn’t even matter

Because you’d rather be screwin’ your girl

 

Beef is when your sin debt

Is gettin’ bigger and bigger

While hold you hands out for that handout

Like, “Pay me, Nigga!”

 

Now some beefs are big

And some beefs are little

But when it comes to his Word

You can’t change one dot or tittle

 

Beef is self-righteous man

Comin’ up lame

Failin’ to see that they lack the capacity

To bring about a soul change

Thank God for the God-Man

Because he took the blame

On Calvary Hill

Where beef and redemption

Come from one and the same

 

So…What’s Beef?

 

(cf. John 3:36; Romans 1:18; 2:5,8; 5:9; 8:1; Ephesians 2:3; Colossians 3:6; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9)

 

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)

Zeros and Ones: Importance of the Resurrection (Week 3)

We continue our study and discussion on the implications of the resurrection of Christ...
This week as we go further up and in, we cover the significance of the Last Supper leading up to the resurrection and the validity of the eyewitness accounts. Also, how the resurrection serves as hope for us in our current lives when faced with trials and suffering and how this translates into the hope that we articulate in our evangelism.

 

 

Soli Deo Gloria,

Shon

Posted via email from THE CENTER (ROOM 116)