Center

My friend showed me this song that I've been listening to all day at work for that last week and a half or so. The song is called Center by Charlie Hall, and is his prayer for Christ to be the center of his existence. Though the words are simple, this song has become my greatest prayer this last week and a half:

You’re the center of the universe
Everything was made in You Jesus
Breath of every living thing
Everyone was made for You

You hold everything together
You hold everything together

Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You


~Justin

Kissin' The Sky

I'm a little bored at work, so I've decided to jot down some notable things that have happened this week.

Sunday night, I hung out at Jon's house. He's been bugging me for a month to watch Gatticus, which I'd never heard of, but apparently needed to see. I fell asleep though, so I guess I still need to see it.

Monday a government agent named Ron came to my job looking for me, sat me down and asked me some questions. He was from the NSA, or some other acronym, and couldn't disclose any other information. He asked me about some people I know. I just I hope I didn't get anyone in trouble. Anywho, that night we hung out on the roof to watch the meteor shower until 2 AM. Unfortunately, we didn't see anything past the clouds, which begs the question why we hung out up there until 2 in the morning. But whatever, we had a blast and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Tuesday night, we had cell group at my house and the Holy Spirit came and did something real in us. Pentacost is how I roll, dawg.

Yesterday, I received an endorsement from Fiddlebax, an instrument company that my friend Brian started. It's kinda cool to be able to say I'm an endorsed artist now, even though they've never heard me play anything. But hey, I'll take it; sign me up! Later last night I went to the lake and hung out on the docks for a bit. On my way back home, I ran into some stray cows and decided to play with them for a while. I don't know what I was thinking.

As for tonight, we'll see what adventures await. ..

-Justin

Everything is grace

I have a new favorite phrase that I have been saying for the past few weeks: "Keep on keepin' on!" I believe with all my heart that God is going to restore every broken heart in San Luis Obispo and heal every sickness. I also believe that God is going to use his people to bring the healing about.

At times, it can be hard to hold on to this promise. It's easy to get depressed when you try and bring Jesus to someone, and in turn they hate you for it. It's easy to get discouraged from this promise when you turn on the TV or radio and hear the voice of godless liberalism louder than the voice of God's people. It's easy to quit when you're oppressed by people around you who you hold close to your heart.

I find myself often in a place of questioning the Lord as to why I am doing what I do for Him, and how "realistic" the promise is. When I find myself in this position, I've come to realize that I am missing the heart of what it truly means to live for Christ and to bring Jesus to people.

I've found that the very essence and nature of God's heart is love. That's it. Jesus wasn't about philosophies or religion; He was about people. He healed the sick and the brokenhearted, restored families, and blessed people. He gave hope to the hopeless and comforted those who had no one else to fight for them. He loved people so much they killed Him for it.

And here is where I come back to the question: why am I doing what I do for Jesus, especially when I'm not seeing any lives changed, when it seems the world is against me?

The answer: love.

I love people because Jesus loves people. I gotta love people so much that it hurts. It's gotta hurt bad. When I see that my friends are living in death, depression, and sickness, it has to hurt from the depths of my soul. It must hurt because it hurts God.

It is my duty as a son and as an ambassador of the living God to speak life where there is death and light where there is darkness, even if my words aren't received. Because I love. Because I know that God's word over a person never ever fails. Because I know that when God speaks to a person through me, that the works of hell are completely broken off their life. Love endures all, hopes for all, and never fails.

Keep on keepin on, in faith and love.

~Justin