February Mixtape

Here are my jams from February. I am behind and just discovered the amazing voice of Adele, the chillness of the Civil Wars, and the dance party that is Rihanna. Pretty diverse mix.

Enjoy.

February Mixtape

If you have Spotify just click here and listen to this month’s mixtape. If you don’t have Spotify, get it! It is free and they will give you like a month of premium listening for free if you smile at them. It is great! Best way to listen to anything you want by any artist whenever you want!

(January’s Mixtape)

The Middle-Aged White Guy’s Guide to Christian Rap by Tim Challies

Tim Challies explains Christian Rap for everyone who doesn’t!

You can click on the graphic below to see the full chart and zoom in!

If you would like the high res PDF go to his blog here.

The Real Super Hero

I wrote a poem back in ’06, I was going through MySpace and found this poem. I can’t believe Baby Christian Frank wrote this:

Im convicted to tell the truth

Superman will always use a phone booth

To turn in to a super hero

But Jesus Christ can turn my sins in to zero

see, he doesnt need a letter on his chest

to proclaim he is the best

Would you believe me

when I say a man died at the age of Thirty-Three

On Calvary

To die for the sins of you and me

Sit back and listen to this story

A boy was born in a stable

THe mom was a virgin, how could this be able

Something divine must have happened

Papa Joseph wasn’t clappin’

untill and angel told him it was ok

Then he was fine doing things God’s way

Miracles happened and he changed lives

But people still denied him,

even after seeing it with their own eyes

He died on a cross, The worst way to die

As he hung there, he watched his mother cry

A Man

A Son

Holy and Sinless

But Jesus knew he had to do this

He rose again on the third day

So we can be in heaven someday

The Divinchi Code is a bunch of crap

to say Christ wasn’t Devine

Dan Brown should be slapped

the ultimate sacrifice, God sent his son

The battle is over, He has won

I can’t make you choose

you must do that on your own

No email, no instant message, No need for a phone

Just ask for forgiveness and let him come in to your heart

Whats amazing is that’s only the start

Grace will always redeem you and this is so true

as it says in Hebrews, “He will never leave you!”

A prayer I wrote on my myspace

I wrote this when I was 19 years old. July 26, 2006. Sanctification is awesome. I can be honest a say the Lord has grown me and wrecked me many times since I wrote this.

Dear Lord,

Why am I such an Idiot? Why is it when I can see what is right I purposely do the opposite? Lord I am not worthy for the name of being called a “christian”. I am so easily pleased with worldly things when what you offer is worth so much more! Lord I give it all up….I give it all up to you…Please forgive me for being such a fool….I take your Grace and Mercy for granted…..Yes I know you will forgive me…..Yes i know you sent your son to shed his blood on the cross for me……But i shouldnt take for granted what you gave me…..I need to live for you….with out you im nothing….Im desprite for you lord……I want to be on fire….and not the temporary fire that you get for like a week after missions trips….i want people to say….I see Christ in him….I want people to say…he is different….I want people to say….He loves the Lord with all his heart….Lord consume me…..Im done living for my flesh….I want to live for you….today is the first day of the rest of my life…..Im ready to start anew!!!!

Your son, Frank

Modern Evangelical Version of the Nicene Creed

My good friend Eric Ayala posted this on his facebook and I felt that this was too good not to share.

I sort of believe in one God. the father, powerful over all the good things,

Who stood by and allowed the heaven and earth to take its natural course

And our friend Jesus Christ, the Son

Who is really just the same thing as the Father,

By whom some things were made, but the Father really did all that.

Who for ALL men and for every single person who ever existed or will exists salvation came down,

Who didn’t rely on the Holy Ghost, born of some woman only Catholics talk about.

And looked like a man but was really just God.

Was crucified and did that thing we only talk about on Easter.

He didn’t really suffer because he was God and was buried,

He rose again in accordance with only the New Testament

He lives in our hearts,

And He became an ethereal spirit in heaven,

He shall come again and only judge unbelievers.

Whose kingdom doesn’t really matter right now.

People might think I’m Charismatic so I never talk about the Holy Ghost,

Who is just some general feeling,

I don’t know where he comes from,

Who we don’t ever worship or glorify.

Who completely overcame the mind of the writers of scripture. (Especially the New Testament)

I believe in my, understandably flawed, local, and culturally relevant church.

I know we do baptism but it doesn’t really mean anything.

I look for God to make me happy and give me the job I want.

And a happy life now.

But we don’t really believe in “creeds” anyway so it doesn’t matter… err Amen (which I guess means “I’m done” in Greek or something)

Give Him Glory V

Buy tickets here.

Graduation Speech

I don’t think anyone would want me to speak at his or her graduation. I wouldn’t say I am the most motivational. It seems like every graduation speech is the same.

“Congratulations! You did it! You graduated! Now change the world! Reach for the stars! You can be anything you want to be! Be all that you dream!”

And that is cool, just not realistic. I think sometimes these graduation speeches feed into our pride and self-centeredness.

This is the second class of seniors I have personally seen graduate from my youth group since I took over the reigns a couple years ago. I think about what I have taught them and how I have seen them grown. I also have to try to reassure myself that I have taught them the one thing I want to make sure they know before they go to college, The Gospel!

So if I were given a chance to speak at a graduation, it might go something like this:

Dear Class of 2011,

Congratulations! You finished school. It took hard work for some and for others it took even harder work. Regardless of the journey of how you got into that cap and gown you are here and I am proud of you!

Typically I am supposed to say stuff to make you believe you can be an astronaut or the President of the United States. Say things like, “stay focused in college” or “set goals and make plans”. Granted, that is great and I hope you do that. If you plan on going to college, you better stay focused and work hard because it is way harder than high school. But there is something way more important that you may leave behind once you leave High School. There is something far more detrimental to your future than remembering to get to bed on time or showing up early on the first day of school.

That is Christ. You see, we value education in this country because it should normally lead to a more successful life. However, who defines success? What are we comparing this success to? What is a failed life?

Christ was not dumb. He was a really smart guy and went to school and could have been one of the biggest deal Rabbis ever (and in a way he was). But he went the route of becoming a big deal Jewish teacher and lived radically and counter culturally because he did not want to compromise on what was most important. He was homeless and to the world’s standards was not successful. He was mocked and ridiculed and eventually beaten and killed. He did not have the popular vote. All the other popular and famous and “successful” people mocked him and yelled out “crucify him!” when he was before Pilate.

We know that because of his selflessness and humble heart, he left the luxury of heaven and took on the form of man. He lived a perfect life! A life we could not live because we are sinful. We were born into this depravity. We were by nature enemies of God but now that Christ came down and took on the cross to be the payment for sin, we now can be reconciled and forgiven and have a relationship with God. Christ did this willingly for us. So that, even though we deserve the wrath of God and eternity in Hell forever, we receive Christ’s righteousness and fellowship with him forever. He is our substitute and we are the beneficiaries of his love and sacrifice.

I bring this all up because a life marked by Christ is radically different than a life marked by the world. We want to hear the “you can do it” speech because we believe if we get a good education from a good school then we will get a good job and that will end up with a good life. And that all makes sense if this is the only life we had. But for us who are marked by Christ, we live with the end in mind. This life is fleeting and the hope we have in Christ is what we look forward too!

I am not saying, drop out of college, sell all your possessions and be homeless. What I am saying is heed the words of Paul in Philippians chapter 1 “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ”. However that looks like for you, do it. For some, that means a life that is successful to the world’s standards. The Lord may bless you with a great education from a great school and to get a great job and get married and have great kids! If that is how your story unfolds, live that for the glory of God because it is only by His grace that you have received all that. Never get in the mindset that your status or your wealth was by the power of your own hands. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 says: “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

For others, suffering might mark your life. A life of integrity may show that you won’t compromise your values to achieve superficial success. When Paul came to Christ, he lost everything—status, wealth, authority, and some scholars say, even his family. But he reflects on that in Philippians chapter 3 by saying: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” A life that follows Christ won’t be easy. Christ guarantees it by pretty much saying if you follow me you will suffer.

But here is my point, regardless if you live a life of success to the world standards or a life of suffering, here is one thing you can be thankful for no matter what: Christ! If you go on to have that great job and life, count your blessings and in the abundance of your success, give back to him what is his to begin with. And if you experience much suffering, if you never get that promotion or that new car you still can have that resounding joy that can only be found in Christ because you have been purchased and redeemed by the God of the universe. Ultimately, our hope is in him and not in this world. Worst-case scenario in life is that you die. According to Paul, that is not a bad hand either. Because if you die, you are immediately with Christ for all eternity and that is awesome!

Let me close by saying this, if you don’t know Christ, please work hard in college and get that great job because this is the only life worth living for to you. After this life is over, the fun stops and eternity separated from the love and mercy of God begins. That is a terrible place to be and I do not wish that on anyone. So please, turn to Christ, repent of your sins and believe in him!

Thank you!

JESUS IS ALIVE

This is my theme song for the entire day!