It is day 3 (4th by the time this post goes up) of the trip (including the travel day) and today it sank in for the first time.  I’m walking where Jesus walked.  These places are real and here today.  So far we have been to Caesarea, Meggido & The Jezreel Valley, Nazareth, Neim, Korazim, Kursi, Capernaum, and out into the Sea of Galilee.  I know, that’s a lot, but it’s been great.  Some of these places are important and impressive to what they say and add to the Biblical story, places that held chariot races, gladiator fights, or just simple Jewish towns. Out of the above locations, today we went to Korazim (where Jesus taught), Kursi (where demon possesed man was across the Galilee), and Capernaum (where Jesus lived in Simon’s mom’s house).

When I was in Kursi and and Capernaum, it hit me.  ”Jesus was here.” People that lived in this town that I am standing on met the Word in flesh.  The demon possessed man experience complete freedom from bondage by Jesus Christ, and so did the whole region thanks to one event.  Also, in Capernaum, I was able to stand over the house where the paralytic was lowered through the roof in order to be healed by Jesus when he was teaching.  Right below where I was standing.  For some reason that connects me more to Christ because of how that important that event is and how I can relate to the paralytic.  Just imagine the commotion, the way this man’s life was transformed, the drama involved, meeting Jesus Christ and being physically touched and seen by him!  I was there in that spot today!  It hit me, it just kind of did.  Thank You God.

Here are some pictures

All the Right Moves (One Republic)

This song is so simple yet so catchy.  No dirty lyrics, but not mindless lyrics either.  One Republic really does do a good job of incorporating its strengths which are their piano skills and their cellist.  This song is definitely one of those pop chart toppers that is actually really good and enjoyable.  Not to mention, the CDs really good.  With 15 songs One Republic definitely explores different things within their music while staying true to themselves.  Some songs remind me of Maroon 5 and Mutemath.  Exploratory effects on instruments and long instrumentals add a uniqueness to these MTV regulars that is refreshing.  This song just makes me wanna sing along.  Still heavily produced and such, but it’s just really good.  If you get the CD, the previous track actually has a cool intro to the song that meshes the first song a children’s choir and then the second song together.  One Republic is expanding creatively and I really like it.

You Are Able (Christy Nockels)

I had only heard of Christy Nockels through the Passion CD.  She was the lady that sang Hosanna instead of Brooke Fraser.  Then, I was able to see her live at a Chris Tomlin concert and thought to myself: “She’s cool, good voice,  she should sing more often with other artists.”  I was shown You Are Able by Amy, one of our worship leaders at PAC at a worship leaders meeting.  At the beginning of the songs, I stereotyped the happy guitar with another christomliny song, but as soon as the verse melody started I was pleasantly surprised.  The song somehow, in my opinion, is original with it’s melody and arrangement and also remains worshipful, serving as a good Sunday morning worship song.  The lyrics are great.  The lyrics worship God for his sovereignty, power, and love for us.  Not to mention the album also contains other really good songs such as “A Mighty Fortress.”

The First and the Last (Hillsong)

I’m not gonna lie, even though Hillsong has released some of my favorite all time worship songs, the first time I came across this album I was disappointed.  I’m not sure why, because it is a good album.  I think it was because This is Our God is one of my favorite albums period so by comparison I didn’t like it.  Anyways, this song took a couple of months to sink in.  Wow, what a good song!  First of all singing “You are the First and the Last” to God  is already such a powerful worship statement, so this song definitely does not lack in lyrics at all.  Musically, there’s something about the beginning guitar riff and the rhythm of the verses that just makes you happy.  I know how fruity that sounds, but there is a good marriage between the music and the lyrics, which is great.  The song still has the classic Hillsong congregation acapellas backed up by a kick drum only to go into the chorus full blast again.  This is probably done in every single Hillsong song, but hey, it works.

I Worship You (Generation Unleashed)

If you have never heard of Generation Unleashed and like Hillsong, get them.  I believe they are part of a church in Oregon which has developed a very talented worship team and has started to produce their own worship albums from concerts.  It is definitely a fun album, but “I Worship You” in its simplicity, has caught my attention and has been an inspiration for worship lately.  Music and lyrics aren’t very complex, but for some reason it’s one of those songs that says what I want to say to God in a personal way.  It’s true, for the most part I will tend to like songs that within their lyrics express worship to God in a way that I could not have come up with but agree (like Brooke Fraser songs), but also, sometimes it’s great to sing “I will live to give you praise and to lift your name” period.  This song also has the classic aforementioned Hillsong buildup, which doesn’t hurt.  All in all, it’s a great song, and one that I will be looking to do at church sometime in the future.

The Hospital (And Then There Were None)

This was the band that introduced me to Techmo, at least that’s how I call it.  A perfect combination of what I call Emo with techno effects and bass rhythms.  I really don’t know how or why, but it works.  You can just listen to the entire album really and not mind it.  Vocals sound like (Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard, Jonezetta) but the music is like Cascada.  Again, I don’t know why, but it works.  Got this album a while back, but it’s made it up to my most played list these last couple of weeks. No dirty lyrics that I could detect, just good entertaining music.  Hospital is just the best example from the album.  Traditional techno chord progressions add to the catchiness.  It’s crazy to think that an emoish band can be played at a rave and not suck.  Honestly, this is the type of band that you just have to listen to understand what I mean.  Just go on itunes and preview hospital and you’ll probably know what I’m talking about.  I really enjoy this song.  The song is great to play while driving around with your windows down or while doing house chores or whatever.

Hymn (Brooke Fraser)

This is another album that I’ve had for quite a while.  However, I think I always get stuck on C.S. Lewis song and forget that there are other songs.  Hymn is the last track on the album, and I think I had never heard it before until a couple of weeks ago.  Brooke Fraser just has this ability of writing lyrics that is so well rounded and great.  Her songs definitely reflect what I think is her and probably her life.  (I can only speculate, I don’t know her personally).  However, in Hymn, she wrote well, a hymn.  Super simple, super short yet piercing and very worshipful.  The Song is only a little over 3min, and with a half of it being instrumental, however she is able to put into words a desire to be with Christ at the same time Chirst’s love for His children and His sacrifice for us.  Musically, it sounds like a really well arranged hymn.  Piano, strings, what else do you need?  This is a great song to just reflect on my relationship with Jesus, to think about how much He loves me, and really my desire to love Him.

With that being said here’s what just pumped me up enough to write again.

This year, I get the huge privilege to lead worship on Good Friday at church.  We are starting our Easter series called “I am: ________”.  Anyways, I try to seek God in the picking of songs for the night and I talked to Pastor Boyd to know what he’s envisioning for the Good Friday service as the pastor and teacher.  As I’m reasoning through the choices I have made for songs, based on what I talked with Boyd and what I’ve been learning lately, my heart just experienced the biggest “Heartbreaking Celebration”.  Here’s what I mean…

Title of the sermon is I am: Paid For . Immediately my head started spinning.  Usually, at least in my experience, Good Friday services in the US have a solemn tone to them, a very important tone at that.  Jesus, the Son of God, was betrayed, ridiculed, mocked, spit, beaten, whipped, denied, crucified and killed!  All because of my sin, in essence, I spat on him, I ridiculed him.  Jesus I am so sorry!  Please God, may I never take this lightly!  I deserve that cross.  Worse, I deserve separation from my creator because I do not measure up to his greatness yet Jesus yells “eloi eloi lama sabachthani, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!”  In order for Jesus to bear our sin he had to go through separation.  I’m not sure how this works theologically, but all I think Jesus felt the separation I deserve.  In Christ’s loneliest moment, the Father had to turn his face away!  WHAT THE…  Man, talk about solemn, talk about grieving.

Jesus, with his last breath says “It is Finished”.  The veil is torn, no more separation.  Unto this realization my heart can’t help but cry out to God, like Brennan Manning said.  ”God are you Crazy!?” I ask God.  ”Why did you do this?! Why me?!” My heart immediately has a Heartbreaking Celebration. I don’t deserve this. Yet, I am the “apple of his eye” (Zech 2:8 + Psalm 17:8).  Jesus is jealous for me!  Ephesians 1 says that God chose me before anyone could say the word “before” in accordance to his pleasure.  He wanted me, which makes me again just yell, “Are you crazy? Me?”  I am lustful, I am prideful, I lie, I cheat, I take advantage of people, I put a million things before God including myself when I hate myself, I have self-image, self-worth issues, but yet I am worth Jesus dying?!  I am His portion and that just makes me want to leap out and say “Thank you father for letting me drown in your enormous grace, as if a tsunami of grace engulfed me completely!  He tore the veil, he made a way, when he said “It is Finished”

I am:__Paid For

Why did he pick me?  Because he is glorified in saving me.  Man, all glory be to God because Jesus took my place on that Cross.  Even though I am dirt, now I am set apart as He is set apart.  There is Love that came for us and was humbled.  So let the name of Jesus be lifted higher and higher!  To God the Father and Jesus the Lamb of God be blessing, honor, glory and power forever!

This Good Friday, lets mourn the death of Jesus, but let’s honor and reverently celebrate the tearing of the veil, the meaning behind his death, and in the end give all glory, praise, and adoration to him.

So this Good Friday, I want to send that message.  I want my friends and family to celebrate with their hearts broken.  Oh and by the way, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

Btw, within my post I think I put all the songs that we’re doing on Good Friday, don’t wanna give the set list away, but lets just say that I hope I reflect this blog in the set list and vice versa.

So my trip is over and I sucked at blogging.  However, right now, as I wait at EWR to get picked up and now back at school, I reflect on what happened and what I was.  Let me describe to you.

Taiwan:

Some of you have been to Taiwan and might be even more familiar with Taipei than me.  I’ve been there twice to Ximen Ding square.  The best way to describe Ximen to me is to picture Times Square with shorter buildings and a fourth of the tourists.  It is the place to go if you are looking for entertainment.  With mostly a young crowd Ximen is full of restaurants and brand stores.  There are novelty restaurants and there is also your hole in the wall Taiwanese food place, even street vendors, bars, clubs, and movie theaters.  It was awesome to see what God is doing there.  The high level of “worldliness” has deemed the area “unreachable” to several religious institutions in Taiwan; however, right now CMA workers, missionaries, and interns are working hard to establish a church in this area.  In the last five years awesome people have decided to invest on the average Ximen regular with hopes of speaking and showing people God’s love.  Hopefully this year there will be enough funds to rent out or buy a place in Ximen so that “The Church” can meet and more can experience community in Christ.  The work in Ximen is truly the epitome of intentional relationships and showing God’s love and care through the building of legitimate relationships for the expansion of the kingdom.

I forgot my camera this trip.  (Don’t remind me).  But, if you are wondering what Ximen Ding Square looks like I these online pictures depict the vibe really well.

Thailand

Since the airport I knew that Thailand was going to have a different vibe than Taiwan.  The massive airport and immigration line showed tourists from literally all parts of the world: India, UK, Germany, Denmark, China, Japan, and U.S.A., Spain… everywhere.  When we hopped into our “drive on the right” van and started looking at the developed infrastructure of highway systems. I was impressed.  45 minutes later we arrived at the CMA guesthouse, which was on Pradhipaht Soy Sim Sam (probably spelled that wrong phonetically).  Basically it was the Pradhipaht Street and Soy is the smaller street.  Sim Sam means 13.  So 13^th street off of Pradhipat.  Amazingly, that was enough for the driver to know where to go.  Tall buildings, big financial districts were what met us in Bangkok.  Of course, there were your typical street vendors and souvenir and trinket vendors on the side of the street.  We went to Siam square which was the area in which we were planning on starting a ministry similar to that in Taiwan.  And boy, is this the perfect place to start such a ministry.  The missionaries there were super kind, we got to hang out with them: Steve Strong and Jim Sapia.  They gave us a tour of the area and we saw that this was the place to be.  When we returned later at night we were reassured.  There were young kids everywhere it is the place to shop and hang out after school until you catch a bus home.  Surrounded by tons of Thai stores, Hard Rock Café, Outback and other restaurants the place is hopping’.  What is incredible is that every single person in that square the same as in Taiwan, the same in NYC for that matter, needs Christ.  They need to know Christ.  In front of almost every building there is a spirit house were the Thai Buddhists pray and offer incense and other offerings to the spirits as they walk by.  This truly breaks my heart.  I love to be in places where there are tons of people, but to know that everyone is lost truly is like someone is squeezing the blood out of my heart.

Later in the week we went to one of the slums in Thailand and if nothing impacts you, the dichotomy of only a few train stations’ difference will blow you away.  I have had the opportunity to travel a little bit and I have seen slums in different countries and I would have to say that these were possibly the worst living conditions that I had ever seen.  Steve Strong walk us through while saying “Swahdee Cup” which means hello from a male to the people in the slums.  We were able to stop a couple of times and just have conversations with the inhabitants.  These are not adequate living conditions.  Man o man, there is poverty and despair in these slums.  It blew my mind.  Also, meeting a mother who could not have been more than 22 or 23 years old with four beautiful daughters one recently born makes you wonder about their situation.  I mean, these were the cutest girls we had seen and all the statistics of prostitution and poverty are against them.  Something needs to be done.

In our time there I realized that there is a crucial marriage between ministries in Siam Square and ministries in the slums.  First of all, people from the slums do hang out at Siam Square as well.  Reaching the people in the square might be more strategic and might make more sense as to the impact done.  I mean, the slums were indeed overwhelming.  The one that we went to were over 5 square Km. However, there is something to learn and to do in spending time there.  In other words, I think Jesus was on to something when he hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors.  He did hang out with upper class people as well, but he cared deeply about those in need and gave a voice to those who didn’t have one.

All in all, we were able to get a feel for what to do in Thailand for the next couple of years.  If you are interested in going, let me know.  I would love to hook you up.  Also, it was great to talk to the missionaries currently there and talking about the possibility of finding people willing to start the work there for a new church and to be a light in the middle of the darkness that surrounds Bangkok.

Below I will post pictures, not mine but from online.  (Remember, no camera L)

Ximen Ding

Siam Square

I also talked to Richard Herring for a little bit today.  He is the field director out here who got tossed by an elephant a couple of weeks ago, which is crazy.  He’s back on his feet though and the power of God through such a situation is awesome! Finally, we are going to hang out with the Sapias today which are the missionaries that PAC are partnering with.  It’s great because we are going to go to Siam square.  It’s an awesome area for young people.  Check out pictures online.  I really have a heart for people in areas like this, I’m excited to go see what’s up there and to talk about it.

Well, I will try and update a little on what happened tonight.  I g2g.

Doug’s (the pastor) message was incredible.  It was the gospel straight up from two perspective.  The perspective of Jesus the forgiver at first, but mainly focused on Jesus, the warrior, as the church is in the middle of a spiritual battle series with the focus on Ephesians 6 and using Screwtape Letters as an illustration.  The main point was that helmet of salvation is the knowledge and protection that we have through Jesus.  When we have thoughts of unworthiness, thoughts of pain, thoughts of hopelessness, thoughts of failure we are not drawn away from Jesus but rather cling to him, because in the most humble way possible I can say (because God says it, he calls me friend) that I am worth fighting for.  That is, not only did Jesus take the imaginable weight of sin in my life.  Not only did he suffer physical pain in my stead but he also BECAME sin so that we might become his righteousness.  That is, I can’t imagine the amount of spiritual pain and agony that Jesus had to bear at the cross and after.  This really gives light to Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane.

Christ FOUGHT for our lives.  Christ went to the depths of hell and back and NOTHING, I mean NOTHING could stand against him. Not even death itself could contain his glory.  Think about the words now.  You are stronger, You are stronger, sin is broken you have saved me.  Christ truly is stronger.  Why?  So that through his Love, God would be glorified.  Why because he loves us.  So let his name be lifted higher and higher and higher and higher.  We sometimes don’t understand that amount of WORSHIP that God deserves.

By the way, when Doug was preaching these truths it was AMAZING.  You could feel the entire congregation reacting to what He was saying.  Now MHCC is a church in Mendham, NJ.  One of the richest towns in the nation.  The congregation is white, quiet, and reserved.  And it was one of the few times if not the first time that I heard people (besides my mom ) affirming and praising God throughout the sermon.  Nothing too crazy or weird, it was just people reacting to being cut to the heart by the double edge sword that is God’s word.

After the sermon we got to play one of my all time favorite worship songs.  It’s such an under the radar song, but it rocks.  The song was “He is Lord” by Hillsong (no, not the old hymn).  It was the first time we had ever done that song and it was mashed with the old hymn “Soldiers of Christ Arise.”  WOW!  I could not contain my tears.  First of all I was leading, but not head leader.  I sat at the grand piano and sang from there while Tara and Mark lead in front.  That way I did not had to focus on anything, (especially my tuning, I just SANG and it’s crazy how when I JUST sing… it sounds right).  The first verse just pierces immediately:

Oh blessed lamb once slain, will reign forevermore.  His hands once bound now save.  Our God will never fail.

And ladies and gentlemen open the waterworks.  Here, let me put all the lyrics up.

Oh blessed lamb once slain
Will reign forever more
His hands once bound now save
Our God will never fail

He is Lord
He is Lord
Sings my soul
He is Lord
And He lives
Yes He lives
I’m alive ’cause Jesus lives

‘Tis at the cross of Christ
Where earth and heaven meet
Where sin is overcome
To God the victory

And now
Let the earth resound with praise
For our Saviour God He reigns
He is high and lifted up
Arise
For the King of glory waits
He is coming back again

Honestly, I just have to let the song speak for itself.  I know most of the people who actually read this probably know the song already, but I want to encourage you to think about it.  REALLY think about it.  The song ends in the perfect way.  It ends with a resounding “He is Coming Back Again, He is Coming Back Again, He is Coming Back AGAIN”.  Dang!  I don’t know about you, but I get so pumped.  He is COMING BACK AGAIN.  The same Jesus who FORGAVE and FOUGHT for you is coming back.  Can’t wait!

With all my life I’ll say, I’ll be living for your name.  With all to give you praise, I’ll be living for Your glory Lord

Came across the song “Evermore” by Hillsong, classic.  We did it at church a couple of weeks ago.  As I listened to it and we are going to do it at school tonight.  I think of the ad-lib beginning sang in the regular Hillsong version and am totally refocused and encouraged for some reason.  Let’s shout out together WE’LL BE LIVING FOR YOUR NAME!  That is my one desire and passion.  I think I’ve said this before, but it’s so freaking true.  The chorus there goes on to say.  ”Even if my world falls I will say, ABOVE ALL, I LIVE FOR YOUR GLORY!”  Sometimes we have conditions for God.  ”God I’ll give you everything in my life as long as I get good grades.”  ”God, I’ll give you everything in my life as long as I get the girl” ”God, I’ll give you everything in my life as long as you make me leader at church.”  ”…as long as you help me break from this sin” “…as long as you tell me your will, once I know your will then I can say above all, I live for your glory.”  Wrong!  First of all, what happened to faith!  What happened to knowing that God is enough for us in our life and knowing that he will provide?  What happened to knowing that Jesus died for me so I am now a new person in him?  I guess what Im trying to say is that first of all the God of the universe can’t be put under “conditions”, He is God!  Second of all, those “conditions” are covered by Grace.  So who do we think we are telling God what to do and our needs are covered!  I guess this translates to my life in that I don’t know.  So many things around me are asking “what’s in it for me!”  Even around bros and sis in Christ are either expecting something in return or so protective of ministry that they forget that above all we live for His glory.  Every freaking step I take we live for the expansion of the kingdom and we should get pumped about that.  We should get freaking so excited we could not contain ourselves.  That’s where I am at.  I guess, my prayer is that I’m constantly focused on the vision and the creator of the mission and that is Christ

Lost for words, with all to say.  Lord you you take my breath away still my soul my soul cries out YOU ARE HOLY!

As I look upon your name, circumstances fade away.  Now your glory steals my heart.  YOU ARE HOLY!

Evermore my heart, my heart will say.  Above all, I live for your glory.

Even if my world falls I will say.  ABOVE ALL, I LIVE FOR YOUR GLORY.

I’m taking a break from bombarding myself with x-rays at work (the sample’s running) and I decided to take another crack at this.  Two more weeks, and I’m done.  I’m really excited!  This has been a great experience (economically and practically) but honestly, it needs to finish.  People here are great and excited about chemistry.  That’s awesome.  Me, not so much.  It’s ok though.  This work finally got me my mac. 

I’ve been thinking lately though many times we cant wait till “the next step” in life.  “Where God, wants us to be” “The moment we fulfill our purpose.”  Well… um… keep waiting, but I dont think that’s ever gonna happen (aside from heaven, and even then, who knows?).  What I’m trying to say is, lets not live in the future.  I learned this a while ago, when I moved to a different country litterally over night.  However, I applied it to my life as the idea that God is in control of everything, he could change our world over night and we just had to trust him, and we will be in the right place.  That’s true, but lately I’ve been thinking there’s something missing in my trust. “ok so, I don’t know what God has in store for me, and I can’t wait till that moment happens when he moves me and does with me his magnum opus. Man, how exciting!”  See, what’s missing there?  How about the here and now.  How about where God has put me right this moment!  Right this summer.  That’s just as big as his plans for me in the future, if not bigger.  Not only will this time prepare me for the future but God put me HERE, NOW.  Therefore, I’m trying to make the here and now count.  I am trying to focus on the here an now.  Therefore my prayer is to glorify God in the here and now.  Not only when I am in seminary, not only when I am a pastor or a missionary or a chemist.  I don’t want to miss what God is showing me right now just because I keep looking at the horizon.  My horizon is closer than ever, and if I get there, then what.  I stop?  I achieved my purpose?  Then what?  I’d probably make up another horizon and keep staring at it saying “when I get there things are going to be great.” But things are great in the here a now, not just because it is preparation, but because it’s also where God wants me to be.  I am sure of that, because my desire is to seek him every day.

Anyways, I don’t know if you can relate, frankly, I don’t know if anyone reads this, but I encourage you to walk with God today, not wait ’till you reach your destination to start walking.

Peace, off to run more x-rays. ; )

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.  I do not see the road ahead of me.  I cannot know for certain where it will end.  Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.  But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.  And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.  I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.  And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.  Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.  I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.  

- Thomas Merton, “Thoughts in Solitude”

It spoke to me and so I made it my prayer today.  Hope you can pray this as well with me.