Ben's Brain Dump: May 2009

Fist Pumpin Greatness

Posted by Ben | Hillsong United, Music, Summer, YouVersion | 11:45 AM

alright so today iam totally pumped about a few things so yeah cause it's my blog iam gonna talk about emmm

the first is the HILLSONG UNTED ALBUM THAT RELEASES TOMORROW!!!

last night i got to listen to the new album thanks to Carlos Wittaker (@loswhit)(www.ragamuffinsoul.com) who broadcasted a live listening party where we listened to the album then rated the songs and gave him and intergrity some feedback on the album!!
u can check out the webcast right here

well now back to the album
it was the catz pajamas!!!!! and i don't use that term lightely!!
there was tons of fist pumpin and head bopin @ mi casa!!

the albums combined typical hillsong w/ some crazy new stuff
including sick drum solos
guitar licks and
some out of this world harmonization via brooke frasier!!
it made me wanna mosh... worship.. jump... sing... shout... spin... pray.. stand still... and just scream my guts out!!!

thats how i know it was a redonculous CD!!!!!!!!

u can preorder the album from iTunes NOW for $$$$$9.99
it's flying out over the iTunes and the US TOMOROWW (tuesday)!!

the second thing iam pumped about it that school is almost out!!
summer is so close that i can almost taste it i got like a little preview this week w/ memorial break which was like a 5 day weekend it was nice to have a break
but now iam even more craving summer!!

the third and final thing that iam super duper excited to the max about is todays YouVersion!! heres a bit that totally rocked my life!!

7 God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.8 So don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God,9 who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it.10 But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.11 This is the Message I’ve been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher.12 It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end.13 So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me.14 Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us. 2 Tim 1:7-14

have an amazing memorial day and show some respect to those who served in the Army
cause they like put their neck on the line for ur sorry butt

Tearin the the Walls
Ben,

Ghetto Rebel

Posted by Ben | Music, rap | 2:36 PM

So today iam feeling a little ghetto here in my suburban hood

Rebel Intro - Lecrae

heres the lyrics to some redonculous songs i've been rockin today

Reble Intro by Lecrae
Yeah, I got a question, after the show, after the set, after the music stops, what's next? Are we just writing songs or are we concerned with uniting a people to follow the great commission of Christ.
Yeah let's get it, let's go...

Back in the day I was a lunch line rapper, after that I guess I was a punch line rapper, then I got saved and sometime after, ya boy came back as a frontline rapper, and when I say the frontlines, that's not a front line, I'm out here preachin' Christ on the frontlines, and no it ain't about rockin' stages 'cause some of my engagements are out on the pavement yeah.
I'm out to take the bible, create disciples, who make disciples, disciple-cycles, that's why I want the beats to knock so after the music stops you can meet the Rock I pray, that you would know him well, this is like show and tell, it's more than a show, I'm showing you Emmanuel,
So yeah I'm hopin' that you're likin' the flow but it's only so you could know that God I'm writing it for... let's go...

After the show, after the set, after the music stops what's next?
Will there be fellowship, prayer, disciples, will you open your Bibles after the music stops.
After it's over, after it ends, after the music stops, what then?
Will you understand that Christ is King? Or will you just like the words we sing after the music stops.

I recorded a couple songs some fast some slow, so the listeners would know the importance of the show, the importance of the show not to excite these folks but make God's truth relevant, ignite these folks.
Discipleship is our call but we make disciples, this is not a suggestion, create disciples. The teachin' is a process, it's not overnight and it's not a stage and a mic nah, it's life on life Christ -
Walked with twelve, ate with twelve, talked with twelve, shaped the twelve, invested in 'em well you could say that he made the twelve. Who made many more, who made plenty more, now it's on you and me if there's anymore.
1 teach, 2 teach, 3 teach, 4 teach, 5 teach, 6 teach, 7 teach more, this is what we've been commissioned, it's the reason why I write, so that you could hear the truth, not so you can say I'm tight whoa...

After the show, after the set, after the music stops what's next?
Will there be fellowship, prayer, disciples, will you open your Bibles after the music stops.
After it's over, after it ends, after the music stops, what then?
Will you understand that Christ is King? Or will you just like the words we sing after the music stops.

So, we write this for the right the speak of was righteous, and then we mic check for a culture who likes the hypeness. Some say we keep it crunk, some say we hype man; we just wanna pump the resurrection of the Christ man.
We in the -burbs and the hoods that's hostile, we share a common view like synoptic Gospels and you know we keep a couple young dudes around us and teach 'em the same truth God used to ground us.
This is a lifestyle so, when the mic's down I pray people follow Christ when they turn the lights down. I pray that everybody playin' this song will be challenged by everything I had to say in this song.
I don't do this for the money, I don't do this for fame, I don't do this so the industry can know my name, I do this in hopes to glorify Yeshua the King, if you're feelin' me you know you should be doin' the same let's go...

After the show, after the set, after the music stops what's next?
Will there be fellowship, prayer, disciples, will you open your Bibles after the music stops.
After it's over, after it ends, after the music stops, what then?
Will you understand that Christ is King? Or will you just like the words we sing after the music stops.

u can listen to this song and the whole cd free from lala here
or u can buy it from iTunes

iam not a huge rap fan
but dudes like lecrae and trip lee don't just talk fast to a computer created beat
they bring a powerful "Rawkfist" kinda punch to the gut!!
w/ tracks like this one and many more!!

so as i continue to rock some ghetto funk here in the D
have a great day
rock your hood for HIM

livin the Rebel life
Ben,

YOU are the Resistance

Posted by Ben | | 7:03 PM

"If YOU are hearing this YOU are the RESISTANCE"

today i saw Terminator Salvation... it was a good film w/ good story line special FX and it was well directed and produced...

in several different scenes John Connor (christian bale) says this line

"If you are hearing this you are the resistance"
every time i heard this line it made me want to get up and do something

i wonder if maybe this is what God's saying that whenever we read his word he's screaming at us saying
"if your reading this YOU are the resistance"

are U part of the Resistance

1Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of faith, grabbing hold of the life that continues forever.

Fighting the Good Fight
Ben,

Painting the sky Blue

Posted by Ben | | 9:41 PM

So last night we had our youth service outside... it was pretty awesome...
we had BBQ (GFS dogs)... People... Jesus... three of my favorite things!!

I was standing with the heat from the fire on my back the sound of an acoustic in my ears and the open sky above

I just stood in awe of who HE was
how iam so freakin small and he's so HUGE!!

i just had to say thanks

thanks for painting the sky blue
thanks for letting the sun shine
thanks for letting the birds sing
thanks for letting fire burn
thanks for being YOU God!!

Thanking HIM for being HIM
Ben,

Walk off the Cross

Posted by Ben | cross, crucified w/ christ, Jesus | 6:47 PM

Lately i've been thinking about this text a lot

Galatians 2:19-21

^19-21What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.

Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

I think that we have started as crucified with Christ but then things got difficult... Life wasn't so easy to live... so we gave up the life of crucifixion... we got off the cross b/c it was a little difficult... while Jesus waits with YOUR Cross in his hands saying "If YOU will pick this up I will take u to places you've never been before" "You will see things you've never seen before" "Do things you've never done before" all because you gave it ALL to ME!! and held nothing back

"People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks:

They are facing only one direction,
They can never turn back, and
They no longer have plans of their own."

A.W. Tozer

Are U really crucified w/ Christ????

Or have u walked off the cross b/c it got to hard??

getting back on the cross

Ben,

Red Lights

Posted by Ben | Listening, Moving, Running, SToping | 5:35 PM

This morning on my way to school i got stuck at a Red light... as soon as my light turned Red cars from the other side of the road rolled by me...
all going somewhere... all going nowhere...

moving in different directions... moving to.. from.. past.. something.. or nothing..

we are all moving the question is where are we moving??
are we simply moving for the sake of motion?
or do we have direction?

did we start out w/ direction but sometime later we veered off course???
are we running to somebody?
are we running for somebody?
are we running from somebody?

are we running into love?
or hate?

are we running in the direction of everybody else?
are we headed the opposite way?

are we rushing down the highway? or rolling down the back roads?

have we gotten lost and missed are exit?
are we just going around and around?

I think sometimes we need to hit a Red light and "Be Still and Know that HE is God" we need to stop and think about where were running.. why were running.. and for whom are we running?

are we chasing after the wind?

who controls ur GPS?
u? HIM? HER? IT?

lets STOP
LISTEN
and LIVE in the direction that HE wants us to go!!

"Iam running
Running after YOU
You've become my souls delight...
You've become my Joy and Song"-CFNI

STOPING... LISTENING... and RUNNING where HE wants me to GO!

Ben,

Tacos, Burritos, Nachos, Jesus, Joy,

Posted by Ben | Jesus, Joy, TAco Bell | 5:03 PM

So today i walked to Taco Bell after school... so i got there after walking a freakin mile in the rain.. and i ordered.. 3 soft tacos and a drink... it was only $3 i was like DANG!! thats redonculously cheep!!
so the lady handed me my cup and i proceeded to walk over to the drink maching and press the MTN. Dew thingamagigur and it sprayed out the MTN. Dew.. but there was a problem.. it was like freakishly clear lookin.. so i took a sip.. it tasted like CRAP!! b/c it was all carbonated water and no syrup..
then i started thinking... am i like that gross MTN. Dew???
all carbonated water and NO syrup??
the syrup makes the drink sweet and i think that we often times are lacking the stuff that makes us sweet!! its this stuff called JOY!! it's pretty much the coolest thing ever!!

so am gonna get me some JOY so i dont taste like crap!!

well after that i kindly asked the lady behing the counter to fill the machine w/ syrup and she yelled @ the manager.. who yelled @ somebody else... who came out and put syrup in the machine...
so i got my tacos and MTN. Dew and sat down

later on a little girl and her dad sat down @ the table next to mine... the girl was maybe 6 with her 2 front teeth showing... and a smile on her face.. and some cinoman twist in her hand!!
she and her dad sat down @ the table
but before she could eat her dad told her to Pray... so she began to pray
it was a simple "Thank You Jesus for my food and my daddy and my friends bless this meal Amen"
which got me thinking
Dang my prayers arnen't ususally near that simple
i started thinking that maybe this is why jesus told us that we need to think like little children.. they are simplistic and honest.. they are thankful and full of Joy and energy...
i think that we tend to over complicate prayer w/ all these deep theogical thoughts when all got wants is a thanks for being u God!!

well that was a few things i learned in my time @ taco bell w/ nachos... tacos... burritos.. and Jesus

Keeping it simple
and filled w/ Joy
Ben,

The Roar

Posted by Ben | Jason Upton, Lion of Judah, Music | 4:07 PM

Today i've been rockin Jason Uptons Song "Lion of Judah" it's really become my anthem today so heres the lyrics

Lion of Judah

No one knows the hour
No one knows the day.
Jesus is coming soon.
All creation trembles, longing for the day.
Jesus is coming soon
There will be judgment.
There will be mercy On that terrible day Leaders will bow down.
Kingdoms will fall down.
Have you felt your world begin to shake

Hear the sound of the Lion of Judah
See the fire and the fear in the enemy?s camp
From the sound of the lion of Judah roaring again
There's a new generation arising
A nameless, faceless, placeless tribe
All they fear is the fear of the Lord
All they hear is the Lion of Judah

All I saw were bones breaking in the darkness
Then I walked into the light
There I saw an army coming from the river With five stones ready to fight

U can listen to the Song on Jasons Myspace Here
or u can purchase the album and song on iTunes

Come on lets pick up our 5 stones and ROAR in the face of society!!
as "A nameless, faceless, placeless tribe All they fear is the fear of the Lord All they hear is the Lion of Judah"
where our heart is driven by the Lion of Judah!!

Can U feel your world begin to Shake!!

Roar with the Lion
Ben,

Changing Change

Posted by Ben | change | 5:33 PM

Change....

the slogan that won the election... the heart behind every revolution... the purpose of humans??
change is good.. change is Bad...

i think we need to change how we "Change"

I find that often times we say that were gonna change things... but nothing ever happens
no change takes place

i think that the problem is normally that we don't know how to change "Change"
we don't know how to march to the beat of a different drum

I know that i often think how can I make a difference
iam just one person in a world of billions how can i change anything??....

I've found in my search of changing change that we need to start with small things
you've gotta walk b4 u run
so lets start by some simple things

here 3 ways you can change the world today!

1. Buy shoes from Tom's Shoes for every pair of TOMS u buy they give a pair to somebody in need!! thats changing change

2. U can buy (RED).. every time u buy red u give towards saving lives in Africa

3. U can take part in things like 5DAYSINMAY which is drinking all water and taking that money that u would spend on Coffee... Soda.. and other junk and giving it to help give clean water to the world!! this has really wrecked my global perspective of change the past few days!! so come on and join the change!! u'd be suprised how much $$ u spend on soda and Coffee!!
Well thats 3 ways that u can change how u change!! these are not the only ways to change change these are just a few that i wanted to share with yall

well have a great monday

Changing Change
Ben,

Making Ministry NOT suck

Posted by Ben | God, Hamtramck, MINISTRY, Real Love | 9:40 PM

Wow Today was AWESOME!!
it was a day filled with LOVE, HOPE, JOY, FUN, and lots lots more!!
for a day it felt like we brought some hope to the D!!
we left with lots of smiling faces and new friends!

tonight i was doing my YouVersion Daily Read and this verse hit me like a redneck hitting a dear!!

⁴ Those who wait for perfect weather
will never plant seeds;
those who look at every cloud
will never harvest crops.
(Ecclesiastes 11:4)

I think that most of the time in the church we wait until the weather is perfect and the numbers are just right to do something
i think that is where ministry starts to suck!!
thats when ministry seases b/c we don't trust god with our finances!

We (that includes me) need to just go out and do it!!
just LOVE with EVERYTHING in US!! to EVERYBODY we meet!!
we often times complicate stuff... w/ budgets and proposals.. theres nothing wrong with planning but there has to be a point where we stop planning and start doing!!

So lets STOP wating and START LOVING, PLANTING, PREACHING, TEACHING, BELIEVING for the IMPOSSIBLE!!

Living the REAL love...
Ben,

RealChurch... The Remedy...

Posted by Ben | 5 days in may, Hamtramck, Real Church, water | 4:28 PM

Here's a Few things that are flying in my mind today

Iam extremely excited about heading to Hamtramck Michigan Tomorrow!! Me and a team from my youth group are heading down the Hamtramck Tomorrow to partner with REALChurch (an awesome local church in hamytown) and were gonna throw an awesome block party in the Projects of Hamtramck
Were gonna bring some hope to a city that has no hope... in the midst of poverty, depression, recession were gonna bring the hope that only comes through Jesus Christ
Were gonna hand out free food to anybody that wants it... were gonna have a bunch of games for the little ninos.... were gonna pray for anybody that wants it

Were gonna LOVE, GIVE, SERVE, PRAY, and much much more!!

I absolutely LOVE trips like this!! i love serving... Giving... this is what i wanna do for the rest of my life...
Iam in charge of our Street Prayer team!! were gonna get a sign that says "Free Prayer" and Pray for anybody and everybody that will let us!! iam so excited!!

Theres another things that iam excited about it's called "5 Days in May"
Drink Water To Give Water is basically what it's all about
it's all about drinking water for the first 5 days in may
and taking the money u would have spent on other stuff and giving it to missions
to help bring clean water to the world!!
Check out their website www.5daysinmay.com
and join the Cause!!

"You are the one
Who has saved us
You are the one
Who forgave us
You are the one who has come
And is coming again
To make it alright
Oh, to make it alright
You’re the remedy
Oh, in us
You’re the remedy

Let us be the remedy
Let us bring the remedy"
(David Crowder Band)

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

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