Hip hop Devotions

Hanging out in the blogosphere so much, there are those great times that you stumble upon an unforgettable blog. This blog is called Hip hop devotions , intrigued by the title – I pounced on the blog, expecting a blog that glorifies and edifies hip hop as a music genre. Surprisingly it uses hip hop as a medium to glorify Christ — which I think is nothing short of revolutionary. Check out this hip hop snippet which entertained and (more importantly) inspired me. Art is not an end in itself, but god gives it as a gift so that we can fulfill our purpose – to glorify Him in everything we do. Check out this video I found on the blog:

The blog republishes a scripture, posts a short reaction and a related hip hop video. Christian artists, get inspired and learn! Here is a scripture that I saw on this blog post:

Love Love Love Love So Lovely…

There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin.

Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact.

As written in Scripture, “The two become one.”

Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master,

we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment

and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—

the kind of sex that can never “become one.”

There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others.

In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies,

these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love,

for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body

is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit?

Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please,

squandering what God paid such a high price for?

The physical part of you is not some piece of property

belonging to the spiritual part of you.

God owns the whole works.

So let people see God in

and through your body.

1 Cor 6:16

Wanna see the scripture the hip hop way?

Praise God for the wonderful works he does through creative people.

I’m on a leash

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

This verse is so common to most Christians, that sometimes we lose touch of what it means. Never means never. As in not a single time. But sometimes we think if we’re not good enough, if we don’t pray enough, if there’s way too much going on…sometimes we think that he will leave. We’ve been stained by the way of the world — the an eye for an eye system, the i’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine system. The different thing about God is that he loved us first, and nothing we can do can ever change that. He gave his life for the forgiveness of our sins, and all he asks in return is for us to believe.

Sometimes, like a dog on a stretchable leash, I wander far from the Father, wrongfully thinking that I can do it on my own, my own way. But, no one can snatch me from his hand. God is pretty territorial about his property. If you let him, you can be his. We can be indian givers at times — taking back what we Christians have already reliniquished to God — our lives. We unwittingly kick him out the thrones of our lives and try to govern our own lives. Since we are by nature imperfect, this is bound to fail. The good news is you can’t go very far before God pokes you and tugs at your leash softly. Come back, he beckons. You’re going the wrong way. A great Sunday sermon bring us back. A friend gives us a call to check up. Out of the blue, someone offers prayer. If you open your eyes and ears, he is trying to get your attention.

A statement from the pastor at Angelus Temple last Thursday stuck with me.

“Loneliness is just a call from God for greater intimacy with Him.”

Let us seek him with all our heart in times of doubt and not stray away. He never left. He is softly prodding is to go back.

There’s another one coming

God revealed to me a spiritual snippet this morning, what I will call these things from now on, those little pieces of revelation that insert themselves into your head while you’re walking along this crazy thing called life.

I was waiting for the bus this morning, glad I was early, and caught it on time. I thought about all those times that I missed it, those times that I had rushed to catch it, but it slipped through my fingers.

God’s message: There’s another one coming.

God’s love and salvation is like an endless stream of buses. We may not be looking or, at the right place and at the right time, or we may not be alert to it when it comes. Anticipate the next one with a ready and repentant heart, and God will give you the chance to catch it again.  Don’t let too many buses go by. The sooner the journey begins, the faster you’ll get to your destination.