Gungor

I've been listening to this band Gungor recently and it's been growing on me. Not only is their music pretty awesome but their lyrics are meaningful. Then I decided to look them up online and I went to their site. The following piece is from their website and I'll just highlight a few bits 'bout worship that I believe to be true.

“The story of God has gotten bigger to me,” relates Gungor, who is perhaps best known for co-writing distinguished songs like “Friend of God” and the Dove Award-winning
“Say So.” “We had become ‘professional’ Christians. We got to the point where we needed to figure out how to be the church in a more honest way for us.”

This bigger story of God shows up onBeautiful Things in songs born of an honest journey of faith and a struggle with what should result from worship.

“If leading worship is just about bringing a group of people into a room so we can get goosebumps and sing songs together, there’s not much value in that. But if leading worship is a means to an end, that we leave this place as a different kind of people, as part of a new humanity that God wants to create – the people that are caring for the widows and orphans, that aren’t bound by the systems of this world but becoming free, becoming fully engaged in our world – then that matters.”

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Ironically, most of the music is not directly about caring for the poor and ministering to widows and orphans. Instead, much of the album addresses the spiritual journey and the understanding of God that happens when we do these acts. Like many before him, Gungor has had to fight off feelings of disillusionment when he’s tried to love the unlovable and gotten no love in return.
“Sometimes it feels like the love just turns to dust,” Gungor admits. “This album is an expression of hope that God will make beautiful things out of the dust in our lives, that God will somehow use us, use our obedience and love, our feeble human effort, and build Himself a kingdom.” Gungor has captured this hope with sparse, poetic words.

“Please Be My Strength” likens the struggle to water on the sand, or grasping at the wind, and confesses doubt before concluding, “I cannot create it / I cannot sustain it / You are my strength.” The title track starts from a voice of pain and ends with a confident declaration of God’s ability to make us new.

Other songs emerge from an awareness of the unimaginable scope of God and our compulsion to praise. “The Earth is Yours” uses layer upon layer of instrument and voice to liken a tumultuous earthquake to creation’s praise of its Creator. The simple, almost delicate first minute of “Dry Bones” becomes a much deeper and desperate cry to God, punctuated by a pounding drum and Gungor’s transition from pleading to praising to wailing. By the fourth minute, the minor-keyed wall of sound somehow becomes triumphant as Gungor declares that life and love are breaking out.

If you want to read the full article, it's at http://www.gungormusic.com/pages/whoweare.html

GOD bless!

If we could see the future, why would we need to have faith in GOD? That's why it's impossible to go ahead in time and travel into the future.

A Prayer From a Son to a Father

Father,

You know what's running through my mind right now. You know where I'm feeling the pain, you know where I'm feeling the sadness and desperation in others' lives. GOD, I can't just handle this all on my own. I try to tell others to give it up to you but then it seems like I'M not doing anything. As a friend, shouldn't I be there for them? As a brother in Christ, should I not support them? But Father, you tell me not to worry 'cause YOU'LL take care of them just like you take care of the sparrows of the skies. I know that you have greater plans in store and I really need to work on my things like my earth/space summative and study for my exams. Why can't I just let go when there are seemingly important things that are to be done?

GOD, I just need to let go. It's not my will but yours be done, on earth as it is in heaven. I've been praying hard but you know your plans so much more than I do 'cause it's your plans. You hold them in your hands and you know the days of my life, the number of hairs on my head and the number of times I've failed and will fail. Father, as I head into exams, I pray that you bless me and give me a logical mind. I'll be needing it from you as you are the GOD of creation and all maths, sciences and history are just a small piece of what you are. Math is your logic, O GOD. You give us a little something to TRY to comprehend who you are. Science is the study of you. By studying what you have created, we see your awesome power and might! History is the path on which humans have walked looking for something that is meaningful. Some have found it and others haven't. ...still many others won't. Father, bless their souls. They really do need you. I need you.

Why do I kneel before you in awe? Why are the creatures you made called 'thunder lizards'? Why can cells take rays of light and create glucose? Why can we see colours? Why did you send your only son to die on the cross for our sins? Why does the earth revolve around the sun? Why does the sun fuse hydrogen? Why does my printer work?

,,,BECAUSE YOU ARE GOD.

Father, I just pray for all the souls out there seeking for more. SO MUCH MORE. I pray that they would find the truth and see the light I have seen, GOD I just want them to know your love as I have known it. GOD, there's nothing outside of you. Life just isn't worth living if we don't have you. Move their hearts, use those seeds planted, Father! I beg you... Just please... Open their hearts. Can't you just make them believe? Please Father, there are only so many people I can reach out to...

YOUR WILL BE DONE,

AMEN.

Who am I?

I am human

...that you care for me

I am a failure

...that you make me new

I am unwise

...that you enlighten me

I am so minute

...that you reach out and touch me

I am a sinner

...that you sent your Son to die for me

I am tired

...that you lift me up

I am of a sinful nature

...that you have shown me the light

I am powerless

...that you give me strength

I am incapable of loving first

...that you showed me unconditional love

I am Justin Lam

...that you love me so much

Tired.

Father, I'm tired. I'm just so exhausted and tired. My eyes are sore, my limbs feel like they're made of lead and I still have so much to do! Tomorrow is going to be the last time that my mother is going to drive me to school. EVER. My "to do list" seems like it keeps on growing and replenishing items. I have to sign up for this, apply for that, practise for this, go to that...

GOD, I just don't know where I'm going to find the time and energy to do this all AND STILL keep on living a radical life. I go to pray and I'm struggling to pray with power 'cause I'm so tired. It's getting kinda dry here and my relationship with you is just fine. I do so love you with all my heart, I talk to you but I'm just really tired.

BUT you give me strength, you give me wings as eagles! Oh Father, how I praise you! You revive my spirit, you revive my soul! My heart cries out for you, oh GOD! I want to draw near to you, open my eyes, open my ears! Oh GOD, just fill me with you Spirit 'cause I know this is what I thirst for. Father, you are great. Your greatness overflows and everything is derived from you. Just speak and breathe into me.

I Can't Explain This Kind Of LOVE..

Father, I'm so in love right now. I don't know why and I don't know what caused it but I just know I'm SO IN LOVE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. I'm just gushing and I can't stop thinking of how great you are and I can't stop thinking of how amazing you are. You make things just SO beautiful and everything in your world is beautiful. The heavens declare your glory and your thoughts are that much higher above ours! Nature proclaims your majesty and just leaves me in awe. The sun, that giant ball of fire, was created by you and for us. Oh Father, you're just so beautiful!

I was losing my touch a few days ago but my fire is now ignited and I'm burning passionately, wanting to strive for more. I know there is more, Father. I can't but help live out my life to glorify your name! I want to live for everything you want and love! It's so amazing what prayer can do as just spilling your thoughts out to GOD puts you in such a large safety net that there's nothing left to worry about.

Oh Father, I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. You prepared me to be a prophet among the nations and in doing so will I edify the church. Father, you are good and your love endures forever! I will sing of your praises forever and ever!

Amen.

Faith.

If only faith were as simple as just one 5 lettered word. If only faith didn't require me to trust with all my heart that everything's going to be alright. If only faith meant that I knew what was going on.

...then it wouldn't be faith.

As I'm sitting here blogging right now, I have a bio test to study for but that can wait. I have tyndale open on a tab and a scott mission job application open in another. I haven't gotten any university acceptances but I have this feeling that GOD just wants me to have some faith and apply for tyndale. When I do profess that I believe in His plans for me and to take this step of faith and openly declare that I am ready for service, only then will He give me other acceptances.

"Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained" - 1 Samuel 2:30

I kinda feel like Abraham standing with a knife above Isaac, about to offer his only son because GOD said so. Just as he's about to stab, GOD tells Him to stop and provides with a ram. It's totally unbiblical but I just have a feeling that once I put GOD first, He'll give me what I've wanted for so long. BUT it's not what I will but what GOD wills.

As for a summer job, I know that it's partial punishment for my failure to give the first fruits of my crop to GOD. I don't remember who I was talking to, but they reminded me that the first fruits should ALWAYS go to GOD and not to my family or myself. For my first job, I failed miserably. I know I've been forgiven, but I still have to accept the punishment. I do pray for a job and one that is meaningful, something that I can help others with. I know working with scott mission (provided that it's GOD's will that they hire me) will take away from my time with friends and softball practices, but I do know that GOD can definitely use me there. I've applied for a couple of jobs already and in my desperation, I've forgotten to ask GOD what He wants.

It's not what I want, but what HE wants. It's not my will be done, but HIS. I don't know where I'm going, but I know you have plans to prosper me and not to harm me. I just need a little...

,,,FAITH.