Deep Fry

Not long ago, I went on what I thought would be just another   lunch break, which at the time, involved a ride down Charlotte Avenue or a walk to the Farmer's Market. After starting my car to an empty gas tank, I decided to drive to the nearest Shell and  grab a parking spot to check my e-mails before fueling, as per my usual routine.  But on this day, something felt different...something I couldn't quite put my finger on but sensed just as much. Perhaps it was the fact this day, of all days, was literally  the hottest day in Middle Tennessee history...complete with  sizzling sidewalks and the h erky-jerky  mirages that make your head spin.  Seriously, n ot  even the best AC unit in the world could've provided adequate alleviation. Granted, it's hard to combat 109 freakin' degrees of Sahara heat, not to mention an Amazon's worth of humidity.  At any rate, like any normal human being would do in a similar situation, I rolled...

On Wednesday, May 9, we asked LEGACYouth what questions they had about purity, dating, friendships & relationships. Two weeks later, Lyssah and I return with the *"juicy" answers in our evolving group repartee... *  From the May 9 word picture given to Cameron about how in order to cultivate good fruit, sometimes, you just gotta get a little juicy... ;)                                                                                                                                                                                 ...

Since the release of “The Hunger Games”last March, much buzz has surrounded both film and book. As views and revenues have increased, blogs seeking to crack the mystery of the franchise’s popularity have spiked. Like Katniss with respect to Capitol officials, the series has caught unprecedented fire, leaving an upbeat impression on most, including myself; however, as a disclaimer, my reactionary process will be honed, several cuts above par in comparison to that of teenage weenies everywhere. Unlike the virtual norm, this note will compare the heart of "The Hunger Games" to something other than politics and contemporary society. And as much as I would love to elaborate on my notion that "The Hunger Games" is a three-way cross being ancient Rome, "The Truman Show" and "Lord of the Flies", I will instead turn direction to a place seldom referenced to when discussing all things "Hunger Games". After all, it is Passion Week, and the greates...

To be featured on March/April's ASK Network International newsletter and on http://www.asknetwork.net / The spiritual landscape among 21st century youth is undergoing a radical transformation, which is something I realized first-hand a few weeks ago at the 2012 Acquire the Fire Conference in Nashville. During the closing session, the atmosphere of the auditorium became thick with the splendor of God’s love. As the worship progressed, God directed my attention to the ceiling, where I could see salvation streaming down upon thousands of exuberant youth. With His presence raining down like confetti, a widespread sense began to resonate: God was not only being celebrated, but was celebrating with us. Soaking in the richness of God’s presence, I could feel a breakthrough. For decades, younger generations have been yearning for a true move of God – for revival stories of old to be realized today. In a building supercharged with holy energy, God was turning desperation and dis...

Here’s a news flash best fit for mainstream awareness: the end-all, be-all mark of a good life is not limited to an accrual of virtues and values. Beliefs that suggest such an accumulation is sufficient enough to constitute saving grace, especially when mixed with tailored standards, contradict the Gospel. The mere scent of this misleading dogma lights my fuse to the point of blazoning out. But it is out of pure respect for the final fruit of the Spirit that I shut up and write instead. There is a virtue/value combo seldom mentioned due to a pervasive twist in its perception. The word, “change”, is one of the most relative terms in the human language. We commonly associate “change” as a subjective idea, based on past experiences and future forecasts, for better or for worse (in more ways than one). In other words, change can be good or it can be bad (Note: the only word used twice in that last sentence is “can” and "be"). Accepting this perspective on change is to consent, ...

A few nights ago, I received a practical picture from the Lord concerning how the church is to cope with fear. Let me say, before I continue, that I strongly believe God-given illustrations aid in the remembrance and application of devoted execution. So I hope and pray this word bears fruit among the body of Christ. In the case of this word, filter is the object and fear is the subject. If we combine subject and object into one, then, clearly, we derive what will be our primary term for this particular blog: fear filter. The parameters are quite wide is defining fear’s framework here: fear of man, fear of the times, fear of failure and rejection, fear of death, etc. Many fears, on a day by day basis, inevitably hit our fear filter. So if heart is the filter, then God is the repairman. However, a filter isn’t cleaned without physical intervention. Before a repairman can work, he must be called first. We, as one church, must open ourselves up for holy purification. We cannot cont...

Before church this morning, I asked the Lord to help me understand what it means to "decrease", while allowing him to "increase". Although the broad definitions haven't been difficult in recognizing (see Acts 17 and Mark 8), the current crux has come in applying the inherent details (i.e. What does the art of losing myself specifically look like today? Are the core AND surrounding mantles of each spiritual blockade in my relationship with Christ being identified?) Recent conviction has taught me within discipleship and freedom prayer arenas, Christians are perhaps overfocusing on the root of sin, and missing the bigger picture (a.k.a. the root-taproot-stem combination, to speak in plant anatomy terms). What this means is we're not thoroughly connecting the dots to the factors that strengthen the root of each sin. I believe many of us can determine the home base of our own personal iniquities, but there's that challenge of going taking the extra step (thi...