New Video

Here is a new video about the Abraham Project, located in Costa Rica! Enjoy!

The Abraham Project from Lauren Schroeder on Vimeo.

Thanks to Lauren Schroeder who made the video for us.

American Fried

Now for those of you who don't know, I have actually taken a liking to country music. The overall tune and the instruments used, are enjoyable. It seems that these songs are usually more patriotic and country lovin' than other types of music (and if you haven't noticed yet, I love my country!) Anywho, I was listening to Zac Brown's "Chicken Fried," and the following verse caught my attention (Minute 3:36-3:50):

"Salute the ones who died

The ones who give their lives

So we don't have to sacrifice

All the things we love..."

I have utmost respect for the service men and women who have given their lives for us. It is a courageous act that makes people lay down their lives for a cause or an ideal. In this case for the freedom and the ideals that the United States of America represent. For centuries the USA has been known for the "American Dream." It is one of comfort and luxury. It is the dream to make anything you want to come true, you are in control of your life and your destiny. It is a land in which, if you work hard enough (or smart enough), you can open yourself up to a world of possibilities.

This is great! However, I fear that too many Christians have taken the American Dream as the dream that God has for their lives. Now hear me out. I'm not saying that prosperity and wealth is a bad thing. Au contrair, I believe that God can bless people with wealth and that it can be used for furthering the spread of the word.

What I'm trying to point to lies in the third and fourth verse of the song that I pointed out, "So we don't have to sacrifice all the things we love." Isn't this opposite of God's plan? I'm pretty sure that when Christ died for us, He meant for us to sacrifice everything in return for His gift.

Matthew 16:24- Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Furthermore, while the American Dream promotes freedom and an ability to do whatever we want, we as Christians have given up such luxuries. We are now under the rule, not of sin, but of God. Notice how I said, we are under the rule. 1 Corinthians 7:21- "...he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave." This isn't a verse commonly preached from the pulpits of America. Like it or not, when you accepted Christ, you accepted His yoke and His burden (while it is lighter than the world's, you still have a yoke to carry. Matthew 11:30) We are His slaves. He is our master, and He didn't die so we could live passively on earth in total comfort. Sorry, but God's dream totally rules out an American Dream (as we know it) for us.

Yet in my generation (and in our parent's generation) there are people living as if God meant for us to live Heaven on earth. This type of thinking has created monsters that are constantly preoccupied with how they look or what others think of them. These are Christians that live for themselves year round. Then in an effort to make themselves look more holy, they take a week long vacation/humanitarian run (aka mission trip). All the while they sleep with different people (before marriage), get drunk on the weekends, smoke socially so that they can "blend in with the world" (sadly I've encountered people that believe that this will somehow be a testimony to others.) Not only that, but they are full of gossip and hate people!

Our generation has been reduced to insignificant arguments on theology. Instead of following the Jesus in the Bible, they try to make Jesus follow them. We try to justify our actions by saying, "I'm working on it," or my all time favorite, "No one is perfect." Yes no one is perfect, but come on, do not put excuses up to try to justify living in sin!

It is time for our generation to man up and take responsibility for our own actions. The American Dream has dulled our senses and made us so lazy that Christ isn't even recognized through us anymore. Again I'm not saying that if your wealthy you are sinning. However the desire for wealth and comfort has desensitized us so much, that we now try to convert the reality of the Cross to a mere idea that some nameless face has to experience in another nameless part of the world.

We are so caught up in the American Dream and freedom, that the thought of becoming a slave is foreign to most of us. While our worship songs are filled with verses of freedom, little is it mentioned in those same songs that we are slaves to Him...freedom, therefore, is all about perspective. Yes, while we are free from sin and death, we are now captive to God.

Our generation has had a bad start, however its not too late. What if we really turned to Christ, imagine what he could do through us. We wouldn't feel the need to market the gospel, trying to disguise light as darkness, as if it would attract people to its true power. Its time for men and women in our generation, that are sick of what we have let Christianity become, to stand for change. Will you be one that will no longer offer excuses for your lifestyle? Will you no longer replace God's dream for the American Dream and dare to see what happens?

Be slaves.

The Breastplate

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with his Baptism, through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension, through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels, in hope of resurrection to meet with reward, in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets, in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors, in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven; light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendor of Fire, speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea, stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me: God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me, God's host to secure me: against snares of devils, against temptations of vices, against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils): against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul, against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of heathenry, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of witches, smiths and wizards, against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul. Christ to protect me today against poisoning, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so that there may come abundance in reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. Amen.

This reflection comes from St. Patrick. I want to draw your attention to the second to last paragraph. I love it because it shows just how much we should desire to be saturated with Christ.

When people think of you, who do they think of, you or Christ?

Do you do whatever you want or do you follow the One who gave you life? (Instead of dis-respecting authority and "sticking it to the man," honor your parents every once in a while and seek wise council...it never killed anyone.)

When people talk about you, who do they talk about, you or

Christ?

Are your actions like those of Christ? (Do you stand up for whats right, or do your all your different partners talk about how good you were in bed last night?)

When people see you, who do they see, you or Christ?

Do you hang out with your friends get drunk and party or do you try to represent Christ in a way that is different from this world. (Society already has its fair share of drunks, it doesn't need more.)

When people hear you, who do they hear, you or Christ?

Is every word that you speak a representation of Christ? (Think about it, whether you criticize, joke, or in everyday conversation.)

Christ's life was saturated with God. Everything He did was for the glory of the Father....it was the Honor of His name that drove Jesus to the cross.

What in your life have you not given to God? Are you driven entirely by the motivation of the cross? Its not enough to claim Christ but then continue living our lives as hell raisers. We have to begin taking action to change those areas in our life that are not pleasing to God. We have to become more saturated with Him. Die to yourself and to the desires of this world.

Become Christ Incarnate.