What's The Least I Can Do?

That's the question we all tend to roll out of bed asking. What's the least I can do here? What's the minimum requirement? What bar do I have to meet, after which I can do what I want to do?

It's the question Peter asked with respect to forgiveness--what's the least number of times I can forgive before finally having the right to stop forgiving? (Matthew 18:21-35)

It's the question the Pharisees asked with respect to marriage--what's the least excuse I can have for divorcing my wife? (Matthew 19:1-12)

It's the question the rich young man asked with respect to morality--what's the least I can do to have eternal life? (Matthew 19:16-22)

Read the rest of this short (you're already halfway done), excellent post to learn the alternative.

I love this blog: how biblical, prophetic, challenging, direct, and to the point it is. Here are two of my other favorite posts:

2 Samuel 10:12

How Do We Make the Huge Decisions in Life?

No irony that two of my favorite blogs are authored by father and son.

Only Two Options: Religion or Jesus

Religion:

...having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law...
Philippians 3:9

Jesus:

...that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Philippians 3:9

Come Close!

Tell me, what do you see?! It's God! And that's something to see!

(I don't know about you, but I'm ready to dance!)

Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
Psalm 66:5

Come Close
by Trip Lee, featuring Flame and Sho Baraka

Set the scene, in the beginning was God
He was holy, glorious and He was wise
If anyone tries, to question His power
Tell them cowards, you really don't buy it
He's really so fly, He don't need no assistance
He made everything spoke it into existence
Creation listened, with no resistance
What kinda powerful God is this?
I'm tripping sometimes I stop and just gaze
I'm so amazed that He made this in 6 days
Made land, made man, but man made a mistake
Men ate fruit now we all in a sin state
But don't think He's no match for the serpent He
Smashes His adversaries, laughs at adversity
They plan, they scam, but they ain't got a good fate
The seed of the woman will smash on the serpent's seed
Time goes, guys grow mo and mo sin filled
God grows, tired though, He's hatred for their sin builds
Because they lacked great faith and love
God showed that He reigned with a flood
He showed His hatred for sin that sits in mens hearts
And the grace He extends to men on His ark
He's amazing man, His great works are a testimony to His person
And I'm so blessed He knows me

Hook:
Come close, tell me what do you see?
It's God and that's something to see
You wanna know who the boss is?
Flip through His narrative, switch through His character
Come close, tell me what do you see?
It's God and that's something to see
You wanna know who the boss is?
Take a look at His works you can see ID

Verse 2 - Flame:
Aye Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph in the hands of Yahweh how they showed us
How raw our God is never say no
ask Pharaoh let go my people like ego
they know who so parted the Red Seas
plans to redeem through Abraham's seed
Here comes another parting through the Jordan waters
God is such an artist should be askin' for His auto-graph
this ain't the half my brother
that God reveals like pealing the covers
back His attributes and acts
that we will see when we go in OT
but-what I aint talkin' bout overtime
the Old Testament see the plagues and pestilence
that reveals how holy God is
so much so that even armies had to bow down
look at Jericho the walls had to let em go
who can tell Him no dawg betta let em know
who can stay afloat when God got the levees broke
see for His glory
it will get gory
yet at the same time the same God of Jacob
the same God of Joseph and Caleb
Can take a sinner man and make em a nation
make laws just to show off His power and patience

Hook

Verse 3 - Sho Baraka:
Let the Gospels introduce you to the Lamb and the light
In Revelation He returns as the Lion with the might
He runs the urban jungle crushed my burden to the law
Took a bite out of sin/ Got death in His claw
He demonstrates his power over death, sickness
Over Nature, over evil over time and distance
All power is in his hand, when they thought he was ruined
But he rose from the grave like "How you doing"
He established the church and working hard like adrenaline
But Satan and the world they want to pump us with Ritalin
Gotta keep running whether in your bapes or timberland
Perseverance of the saints, baby there is no giving in
Now the Holy Spirit provides gifts for the church
So we can build one another and complete his works
What does this say about Jehovah, He so consistent
Man falls man repents man is freed from his prison
All by His power, through His mercy and His grace
So man will stop worshiping self and seek his face
We live the great commandment then do the great commission
So we see 20/20, continue the family business

Give Us The Truth!

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
John 17:17

Give Us the Truth (Part 2)
by Flame

INTRO
Give us the truth...part 2 (part 2, part 2, part2)
Give us the truth
For every email, for every phone call
For everybody that came up to me at a show, Here's part 2...listen yo

VERSE 1
After the platinum show the two I did with cross movement
I said my goodbyes 'cause I had to fly back to St. Louis
I left there to early for my first semester in school
I was exposed to so much truth that I had to choose
between what I had learned and what I was taught to do
at my church on my zone I was so confused
the first sunday morning back it was a culture shock
watching the sheppard and sheep explode like a soda pop
they're heads was shaking, they shaking over these chintzy sermons
people spitting and shouting but nobody's discerning
I left the building
my feeling were crushed I felt forsakin'
the one place I was supposed to come for restoration.
and worship of a Holy God and exalt Him in praises
spent the whole prayer time rubuking the satan
spent the whole sermon time just talking 'bout money
while I was dieing inside and spiritually hungry.

CHORUS
Give us the truth
That's what we need if we're gon' properly teach
If we gon' seek and we gon' properly reach.
Give us the truth
That's what we need if we gon' carry our cross
and if we gon' affectively disciple tha law.
Give us the truth
That's what we need if we gon' walk up in holiness and boldness and meek and lowliness.
Give us the truth
That's what we need in this race we running
proper lessons as we wait for his second coming (for real)
Give us the truth

VERSE 2
I left tha crib
moved into the dorms
so depressed that I ventured in porn (it was a crazy thing)
I felt the disconnect from Jesus' arms
so I ceased to write these rhythms in palms to disobey the King
I told my teachers that I was living in sin
and my bible I'll never read it again and threw it in the closet
and anything that had to do with God
Marcus T. he was going the opposite into lifestyle
I called phanatic and turn to the cell
ad said for ministry I would go to jail 'cause I was in no position
to minister to anybody at all
cause I wasnt sure if I was a christian at that moment dog
I was skipping classes
hanging with the masses
and my days were black and grey like cigareete ashes
all I know is that I wanted to die
but suicide met me into God
then I felt Him shook me.

REPEAT CHORUS

VERSE 3
But it was obvious
God in his providence
put me with people to guide me and got me outta this
during the chapel service
a cat named Paul Wausher
preached the gospel and drove me up to the Lord's alter
and I confessed my sin
and he presed reset again
I started ova and felt like a solider for Jehovah
I called my old pastor and apologized for how I behaved
as of that day we agreed to go our seperate ways.
I met this girl named beth who told me about a church home
first I visit, became a member, and then it was on
then the pastor gave me a stack of books
now Im back with raps and hooks
took a summer and spent three hundred dollars on tapes and books and learned from these biblical scholars
now Im back and Im walking in light
living my life
Glorifying Jesus Christ

I'm Singing

And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
Revelation 5:9-10

I'm Singing
by Kari Jobe

Only one name lasts forever
Only one fame stands alone
Only one King has an anthem
That goes on and on and on

And I'm singing to the God
Who brings redemption to the nations
Kings and oceans bow to Him in praise
And I'm singing to the God
Who wrote the book on our salvation
To the One Who covers me in grace
I'm singing

Only one Word in the beginning
Only one Truth will prevail
Only one Love brings a freedom
Only one Man took the nails

Praise praise to the Savior
Praise to the Lamb of God
Praise in all of His splendor
Praise for saving my life

Singing now. Looking forward to singing with the saints tomorrow morning. And looking forward to singing with every tribe, language, people, and nation one day.

Center

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
Colossians 1:15-20

Ezekiel 15 and John 15: Jerusalem and Jesus

And the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? [Answer: no] Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel...
Ezekiel 15:1-4

What's the point of Ezekiel 15? Answer: John 15.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit...Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:1-5

Though it appeared as though Israel was the vine in the Old Testament, the point all along was that the coming Messiah was the true vine. Though that vine withered and faded, Jesus never will. And it's only by abiding in His person and work that we will avoid experiencing the same decay that Jerusalem did. Because--quite literally--apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.

Why I Need The Righteousness Of Christ Today

And the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the LORD GOD.
Ezekiel 14:12-14

1) I'm not as righteous as Noah, Daniel, or Job. Not even close. So I can't deliver myself.
2) Noah, Daniel, and Job aren't as righteous as God. So they can't deliver me (and they can't really deliver themselves either).
3) Only the righteousness of God can deliver me from the wrath of God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

I'm so glad that, when no other man could do it, God provided the one man whose righteousness could deliver my life.

And yours.

And whoever calls upon His name.

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
1 Timothy 2:5-6

The Essence Of All Sin

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
Psalm 36:7-9

Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:12-13

Think slowly about this exchange (trading God for whatever substitute). It's appalling. And it's downright foolish. Don't do it.

Jesus Is Our Rehabilitation

Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance [= rehab].
Luke 5:31-32

Humanity has searched long and hard for answers to our ills, pains, and unsatisfying lives. While we were created emotionally, spiritually, and physically healthy, sin has caused us turn away from God and separated us from Him and His goodness. We need restoration, healing, and rehabilitation back to that original state of unity with God. Jesus is our rehabilitation. The Christian life is an entrance into Rehab.

Last verse:

I was created by God but I ain't wanna be like Him,
I wanna be Him
The Jack Sparrow of my Caribbean
I remember the first created being,
And how he shifted the blame of this thing
For fruit he shouldn't have eaten
And now look at us all that are eating,
Wearing designer fig leaves by Louis Vuitton
Make believe it
But God sees through my foolish pride,
And I'm weak life Adam another victim of Lucifer's foolish lies
But then in steps Jesus,
All men were created to lead but we need somebody to lead us
More than a teacher,
But somebody who buy us back from the darkness,
Say He redeemed us,
Taught us that real leaders follow God,
Finish the work 'cuz we on our job
Taught us not to rob
But give life like He loved the Church,
Not seeing how many hearts we can break first
I wanna be like you in every way,
So if I gotta die everyday
Unworthy sacrifice
But the least I can do is give the most to me
Because being just like you is what I'm 'spose to be
You said you came for the lame,
I'm the lamest
I made a mess you say you'll erase it,
I'll take it
You said you came for the lame,
I'm the lamest
I broke my life, but you say you'll replace it,
I'll take it.

Amen. I'll take it.

Honor Such Men...For The Fame Of God's Name

So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ...
Philippians 2:29-30

Wish I could have been there for this...

Theological Famine Relief for the Global Church