MMM - Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture

So today's MMM post is really simple. My hope is that you will just feel like God is with you this week. The song Your Love Never Fails speaks to our deepest need and desire to feel loved at all times. The bridge is the best part though to really dwell on..."You make all things work together for my good." I hope this week you can just remember that no matter what happens, when we trust God everything will work out good in the end...even when we don't understand.

MMM - Your Favorite Music, Movies, and Videos

Alright so I know its not Monday but yesterday was a holiday and I decided to take the day off from pretty much everything. I was also quite tired from a retreat I was at this past weekend (I learned to ski but that's a different story.)

So today's MMM post is a little different then most. In fact this may be the only post like this in this series but I have no actual video or song or book picked out. In fact, there isn't even a particular form of media I have in mind. See recently there have been several videos about what a true Christian is, numerous discussions about what is right, and countless thoughts about media choices and it has gotten me thinking about the Christian walk. Do we really walk as Jesus would with our media choices or do we watch what we feel like? I've heard the excuses (used them myself even):

"I need to be able to understand what a non christian is talking about" 

"As long as it doesn't influence my behavior then its ok" 

"I mix in Christian media so no worries" 

"Its just a song...I like the music and don't really listen to the lyrics"

 "I close my eyes during the bad parts..."

"Christian media choices just aren't as good (or are really cheesy)"

Do any of us really believe that it makes it right? We are called to be different than this world but when it comes to media choices how different are you? Have you ever spoken out against a particular movie or song  because of the content? Did you stand your ground? I've been there and know I haven't before... After you see the movie, hear the music, or read the story do you feel ok or is there that twinge of guilt? Do you do something about it or just sweep it aside with and excuse? 

Now you're probably thinking..."Ok Jeremy so should we only listen to Christian music and watch movies about Jesus?" That isn't what I want or think. I just think that we should be more careful about what media we take in. So where is the line? I really don't know. I wish I could give a firm answer but there isn't one and honestly I think its somewhat different for every person. Here are some ideas to use as guidelines for your choices.

1. Determine if there is anything out right sinful about your media choices - Most of us do fairly well with this one but none the less it is important to think about. 

2. Figure out what message or messages the media is trying to get across - Media often has hidden messages in it. For example a song such as Katy Perry's Last Friday Night would seem to be all about partying but one line lets you know it has a message of not caring about consequences. She says "pictures of last night ended up online oh well" Watch for those hidden messages.

3. Am I sure that I won't be influenced or am being influenced by my media choices - Often we think that we can't be swayed and that we stand our ground quite well but usually it isn't near that simple. Over the course of time we can easily be swayed and not even realize it. So check yourself occasionally.

4. Set boundaries the fit with what you know about yourself and what the Bible says - Each of us has certain temptations. So are drawn to drugs, others to giving into peer pressure, others to sex...the list could go on. Set boundaries that keep you away from the things that cause you problems and STICK TO THEM. Don't give in to the need to find excuses.

5. Don't use excuses to make things right - Eliminate excuses from your thoughts when it comes to media and you should have no problem determining if the media is ok or you just want it to be ok. We find so much hard to determine but often its cause we are trying to convince ourselves of its rightness or that it will be ok.

God Bless and may your week be filled with Godly media choices

MMM - Life Is Good by Stellar Kart

For today's MMM we are gonna go back a few years to a song released by Stellar Kart in 2005. With a catchy tune and repetitive lyrics the song was an instant hit and also appeared on the best of Stellar Kart album in 2009. Even today more than 6 years after its release you can still find it being played on Christian radio.

Have you ever found your self thinking that you have it good here? That life has treated you well and things just seem to be going you way? For some of you I know the answer is yes but for others I know that the answer would be a loud and resounding NO. Either way this song speaks a truth that we often forget. No matter how good our life in this world may be or how bad it might get, eternal life is better and it is out there. Check out these lyrics from the song...

"All around me your creation

Brings me to my knees in adoration

Beauty here cannot compare to

What I see when I first see you"

Did you catch that last line? They are basically saying that nothing compares to God. So doesn't it make sense that eternal life with a God like that is going to be better than anything here. The best part is that we don't have to earn eternal life. John 3:36 tells us "And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” Its that simple believe and we can get something better than this life. 

My prayer for you this week is that we remember that no matter how good (or how bad) life might be...eternal life is better and that you will chose to live your life in such a way that shows that off. 

God Bless

MMM - Passion Conference Live

Sorry this one is a little late but I was having trouble coming up with something this week. However, I have come up with one and it may be the biggest media source yet.

We live in a day and age where everything is digital. In the old days you either were there or you missed it. Then slowly over the years you could hear it over the radio and then you could watch it on TV. The problem with these methods was only the biggest and most important (or at least what the majority found important) were on radio and TV. In recent times though we can now get access to all kinds of things with a few keystrokes. Seems like everything can be found on the Internet. This includes conferences and seminars even.


Today (Monday) was the start of a conference called Passion. Held in Atlanta, the Passion conference (led by Louie Giglio) "exists to glorify God-uniting students in worship and prayer for spiritual awakening in this generation." "Passion has been around since 1997 with a desire to see spiritual awakening come to the college campuses of the nation and the world." Check out more at their website.


That said, I have good news for everyone that isn't at the conference (which is probably anyone reading this blog). It is being streamed live and not only that but the previous sessions are recorded so you can watch them. Now it isn't the same as being there live but you can be a part of a conference meant to glorify God in worship.
Check out the main sessions live right here and be uplifted this week and hopefully in the new year.

The previous recorded ones won't be available long. The first session is only available through tomorrow (Tuesday). So be sure to check it out soon.

MMM - The Bible

So I was thinking about today's post and decided that I would use the Bible as this weeks meaningful media. This time of year (ending Christmas and begining a new year) we hear a lot about the Bible. The Christmas story is told many times and we make plans to read the Bible more in the coming year.

The ultimate source of encouragement though is the Bible so I want to encourage you to really commit to reading it more often this coming year. Most people make open commitments that they never really fulfill. They start with good intentions but end up leaving it behind before really getting into it. Here are few ideas/tips to get you going:

1. Pick a schedule that works for you and stick to it. It doesn't have to be every day or even a scheduled time. Whatever works for you the best but still gets reading done. It doesn't have to be daily, especially to start with, but the more often the better. If you haven't do it much or have had trouble in the past I would suggest start with a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.

2. Pick a plan that fits your likes. There have been so many plans on Bible reading that it can be hard to choose one. If you like reading, pick one that is of the whole bible. If you like history, find one that puts the Bible in Chronological order. If you have trouble following the way the Bible reads you can try to out a new Bible style that takes out all the verse and chapter numbers and makes it more like a book. If you have trouble understanding what you are reading then it might be the version of the Bible you have. Try picking up a New Living Translation (NLT) of the Bible. It is easy to read but still an accurate translation.

3. Pray. Prayer should be a major part of life and reading the Bible is no exception. Pray that you will learn what you need to and what God wants you to while you are doing your Bible study.

May God Bless the rest of your holiday season and may you dive into His word in the coming year.

MMM - You Know Better Than I from Dreamworks' Joseph: King of Dreams

This time of year we spend a lot of time looking at the year past; more so during the upcoming New Year's celebrations, but even at Christmas we look back. I mean we all have received the family newsletters in our credit cards telling us all the things we wanted to know (and some that we didn't) about the people in our lives. Hopefully when you look back good things come to mind. I hope that 2011 was a year filled with wonderful things, but for some I know it wasn't. So many things have happened over the past year to friends and family that I couldn't even name half probably. For some the good still out weighs the bad but there are those who could not say that. While today's MMM is for everyone, those who feel like 2011 was one of the worst years (or perhaps the worst year) ever, please take the time to think deeply about this blog.

Last night I watched a movie from the year 2000 (man it sounds really long ago when I say it that way). Joseph King of Dreams was a Dreamworks animated film that followed the blockbuster hit Prince of Egypt. The movie is a musical portrayal of the story of Joseph from the book of Genesis. Now it isn't biblically accurate but it is still a good movie and gets the message of the story of Joseph across to the audience. In the middle of the movie, when Joseph is in jail for a crime he didn't commit, there is a great song that is the focus of today's MMM. Check it out below or by clicking here.

Often when things go bad or things just plain go with neither an up nor down, we can feel abandoned by God wondering where he is. Like Joseph in the clip, we find ourselves challenging God that we don't belong where we are, that the things that have happened to us should have happened to someone else, or even that He doesn't really care. Yet if we take time to realize God is in control we also realize that He knows what he is doing better than we do. The chorus has a line in it that goes "I've let go the need to know why" that's what we have to do. Maybe 2011 wasn't great for you and you question God but if you let go the need to know why it happened you will have and easier time finding peace.

My favorite line from the song is the start of the second verse which goes "If this has been a test I cannot see the reason But maybe knowing I don't know is part of getting through." When things go bad or don't go anywhere we feel like God is testing us but like a kid in school, if we don't understand the reason for the test we get upset at the person giving us the test and look for meaning everywhere else. Sometimes though a test is just a test and the reason wouldn't even make sense if we knew why. This isn't to say that we should make light of anyone's tests, they deserve support but to push deeper than just through the test is to question God. The second part of that verse looks at that "I tried to do what's best But faith has made it easy To see the best thing i can do Is to put my trust in You." We try to do what we think is best based on what we think the test is for but if we would just put our faith in God, he would get us through. First Corinthians 10:13 tells us that no temptation (or trial) is too hard for us cause God has given us a way to get through it.

As we look back at the year and forward to the next, I hope you will remember that no matter what has happened or what you think the next year looks like; God will be with us. He know what lies in front of us and the best way around it. Trust Him to lead you where you need to go, knowing that where you've been is only part of the journey. Whether you trusted Him then or not, look to Him for way to get through whatever is to come.

God Bless and Happy Holidays

MMM - Don't Waste Your Life by Lecrae

I recently started listening to Christian Rap. I got turned on to the genre when I got invited to a rap concert by some friends. The main artist was a rapper named Lecrae. Such honest out of an artist is what keeps me listening to the genre. This is one of my favorites by him.

Everyday we wake up and have choices to make. These choices determine where we go and who we become. Our lives are lived out based on the choices we make (obviously) and as Christians its important that we make the choices that will make the most of our lives.

 However, it seems that we make so many choices that aren't necessarily the wrong ones but they don't help us out. Now I'm not talking about the foods we eat or what type of clothes we buy or where we get our milk from. I am talking about the people we hang out with, what we say when someone wants to talk to us. The things that in themselves aren't wrong but are they really what we should be doing with our lives. Two parts of this song really stand out to me when I listen. The first is when he says

"Paul said if Christ ain't resurrected we've wasted our lives

Well that implies that our life's built around Jesus being alive

Everyday I'm living tryin' to show the world why

Christ is more than everything you'll ever try"

This just reminds me so much of what we are actually called to do. Matthew 28:18-20 tells us that our lives should be focused on telling people who we are and why. Letting them know that nothing in this world can ever take the place of Jesus. That he lives so that we don't have to feel lost and empty. 

The second part that I really like goes

"Your money your singleness marriage talent your time

They were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine

That's why it's Christ in my rhymes

That's why it's Christ all the time

See my whole world is built around Him He's the life in my lines

I refused to waste my life"

Everything we are and have belongs to God. It should be our daily goal to use what we have been given to bring glory to him. Yet so often we chose to waste our talents, our gifts, our lives on the meaningless things in this world. 

My prayer this Monday is that you will join me in saying that "it's Christ all the time." We will mess up and choose to waste parts of our lives, but shouldn't we strive to use as much of it as we can to glorify God?

May God bless your week