Ben's Brain Dump

Special Sauce

2010-01-09T22:04:00.001-05:00

If there's one thing i strive for its to be the only me
i constantly am trying to become different from the rest
on a constant search for my "Special Sauce"
the ingredient that makes me ME!
the thing that separates me from the rest????

for me its my crazy personality and brain that works like none other
i can walk into a room and see things that nobody else is thinking
in creative meetings i nvr think the same thing as the person nxt to me
some ppl think in a box
i create a new box and paint it a different color thats nvr been created

i strive to be different

theres another guy i know who did the same
his lifes goal was to be the difference
he lived his life like nobody has and will ever do
he never did anything wrong
he was the only him
he had his own special sauce
its called "Grace"
his name Jesus

i think u should get to know him better
cause his creativity will get all ova u

u created a painting
he created the milky way galaxy
i think he's a lil more creative ;)

creating with the creator
Ben,

2010 manifesto

2010-01-08T22:26:00.002-05:00

so this is my first post of a new decade.
iam feeling that this yr especially the beginning of this yr is all about
"a primal pursuit of authenticity and radical grace"

i think that so many times i can get caught up in just doing my thing
that i forget bout the special sauce that i was made to create

the second thing that's been wrecking me lately is this

"Faith is spelled R-I-S-K"-Mark Batterson

"Live life out on a limb b/c thats where the fruit is"-Stephen Gault

i think its time to take a risk
i dont know what that risk is yet
but i know this
that its time to take a risk

i gues u could call this post my 2010 manifesto

searching for authenticity
Ben,

God With You

2009-12-25T23:21:00.002-05:00

Check out the CHRISTmas story like u've never seen before

Imanuel: God With Us

Is God with you this CHIRSTmas season?

christmas is simply one thing
Mas Christ
More Christ

is God with u?

Celebrating the king who is near to me

Ben,

Christmas colored light

2009-12-03T16:25:00.002-05:00

Have u ever wondered why we put lights on our Christmas trees?
have u ever wondered what purpose those small multi colored lights served?

these were the questions i contemplated while putting up the tree
i came up w/ no real answer other than it looks cool
but i found a greater analogy hidden w/in the depths of the fake tree and multicolored lamps

iam a light on a tree!
u are a light on a tree!
were all lights on a tree!

were all different colors of creatively designed lamps that illuminate and give new perspective to the life we live!
we are simply the lights on the tree of life were all different and all together its looks amazing

so this Christmas season light up the tree of life

electrifying life
Ben,

Kids on Christmas

2009-11-28T22:07:00.003-05:00

Gues what???
ITS CHRISTMAS TIME!!
A time where we GIVE, and celebrate the most amazing gift ever given!

its also the time most ppl in America are full of Greed, pride, and envy!

don't let the hustle and bustle of the hollidays get u all up in a tisy!

let out ur inner kid

were all Big Kids!!
grab ur stocking
and crayons
and write a letter to santa
make a snow man
make sure to put some cookes out for santa
bake a cake for Jesus
sing lots of songs
drink lots of hot chocolate
make sure u show the Joy of Christmas!!

its not about how much crap u can get
its about showing CHRIST!
the whole point is celebrating the best gift ever given
lets follow suit by giving!
from the salvation army bell wringers
to maybe even supporting a child through compassion international

make this holiday season a time of Giving, loving, laughing, singing, and JOY!!

let out ur inner child and just have fun!

"the best way to spread christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear"
-Buddy the Elf

merry CHRISTmas
Ben,

A Picture's worth a thousand words

2009-11-02T21:53:00.003-05:00

a pictures worth a thousand words

here's a screenshot right out of the bible in a way u prob never saw it!

keep creating

photo by David Chapelle

creating the undiscovered
Ben,

Man in the Mirror

2009-10-30T21:57:00.004-04:00

i can't get this song out of my head so powerful so true

Man In The Mirror - Michael Ja...

Man in the Mirror

I'm Gonna Make A Change For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good
Gonna Make A Difference Gonna Make It Right...

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My Favorite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin'
My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See Their Needs
A Summer's Disregard
A Broken Bottle Top And A One Man's Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya' Know 'Cause They Got Nowhere To Go
That's Why I Want You To Know

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself,
And Then Make A Change

I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish Kind Of Love
It's Time That I Realize That
There Are Some With No Home Not A Nickel
To Loan Could It Be Really Me Pretending That They're Not Alone?
A Willow Deeply Scarred Somebody's Broken Heart
And A Washed-Out Dream
They Follow The Pattern Of The Wind,
Ya' See Cause They Got No Place To Be
That's Why I'm Starting With Me
I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself

And Then Make A Change

nuff said

making THAT CHANGE
Ben,

FREE HUGS!

2009-10-25T21:20:00.004-04:00

Hugs are a great thing!!
i personally am a big fan of hugs!!
theyre a sign of friendship

i think a hug a day will keep the doctor away!!
love is the best medicine!

i think the church has "side hug syndrome"
the ever so awkward side hug
when u attempt to embrace someone from the side
w/ one arm
always awkward
never enjoyable

side hugs show a lack of comitment
its a half hearted hug
i think the church has engaged in such activities
we're afraid of fully commiting
i church today feeling like i got a side hug
when i deserved full frontal!
it wasn't the message
or the music
it seemed like there was a lack of community
a lack of LOVE!

i think if every person gave one extra hug a day
the world would be a happier place!

do the world a favor and give an extra hug tomorow
giving out free hugs
Ben,

the screaming silence

2009-10-24T17:07:00.004-04:00

take a moment
turn of the music
close ur eyes
take a deep breath
and don't say a word

listen to the silence
let the place of no noise usher the warmth of serenity in silence

what is screaming out to u in this silence
what voice has been silence by all the noise in ur life?

simply
"Be still and know that HE is God"
stop stressing, worying, complaining,

remember that u are never really in complete control
Gods got u in his hands
he'll never let u Go

just listen to that voice that screams out to u in the silence

listening to the silence
Ben,

Wasted

2009-10-15T18:27:00.003-04:00

“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from that person’s heart" -Jesus

i've come to the conclusion that real christians live WASTED!!
theyre so drunk they don't look the same
their words change
their actions change
their emotions change
their love changes
everything changes!

i think most ppl who sit in a pew aren't living WASTED
b/c when ur wasted u have no control of ur actions
when ur wasted its not ur words
ur under the influence of something!!

christians who live wasted are fearless, loving, caring, daring,
they don't care about what everybody thinks

idon't know about u but i wanna do more than drive under the influence
i wanna live under the influence of living waters
i wanna spend my life drinking from a river that will never run dry

i think God diggs underage drinking!!
"if anyone is thirsty let him come and drink"

living under the influence
Ben,

Change in the Atmosphere

2009-10-10T20:46:00.005-04:00

Change is coming to BensBrainDump

sorry for this prolonged silence
life's been crazy busy

well lately i've been thinking alot about "Change"
especially as it pertains to this blog
its time for a new look
new feel
new content
new goals

iam changing my purpose for writing

making this more about creatting quality content
just for U! my reader

making this more "my journal on this road trip toward authenticity a search for the truth in the midst of a chaotic humanity"

more than just whatever is on my mind
making it more kingdom minded
w/ thoughts that will hopefully encourage and inspire you

here's a little screen shot of whats to come
so keep coming back
i'll keep writing u keep reading
and hopefully this rocks both our worlds!

"live out on a limb b/c thats where the fruit is"

learning to LOVE
searching for authenticity
Ben,

100% pure ME

2009-09-05T15:09:00.003-04:00

Striving for reality
In a constant battle for authenticity
all i wanna be is 100% pure ME

So many fakers and posers
to many posers preach from the pulpit
preaching the latest and greatest series from the TV preacher
in an attempt to "modernize" their church
instead of spending hours on their faces
seeking the face of the father

What happended to the authentic REAL relationship w/ God
we've filled it w/ religious crap
big church words
and five step programs
we want to cope w/ it instead of overcoming it
everytime w/ choose to "Cope w/ crisis" instead of overcoming it
we loose part of our authenticity

Everytime i back down from a challenge
we loose part of the real me
everytime i let fear run me
iam loosing part of me

Constantly working on my REAL relationship w/ God
Being open and ready to do whatever
isn't always fun, exciting, easy
its often boring, tiring, hard,
But if i wanna keep my authenticity i gotta live as the least

I wanna be the REAL me
w/o any thing extra
just 100% pure ME

striving toward authenticity
Ben,

stop living in black & white

2009-09-03T20:17:00.003-04:00

today i've been thinking a lot about vision
i think sometimes our visions resembles this photo above(taken by urs truely)
black and white
except through the glasses
often times we gaze into life w/o having our "Glasses" on
were staring @ a black & white world
missin out on all the details of color
the bright colors
the reds, greens, blues, yellow, purple, and so much more
were missin out on life
b/c we aren't seeing clearly

i know of a dude who had the same problem
and his situations were much worse than simply staring @ a flower
he was the Servant of Elisha (elisha is a prophet of God)

¹⁵ Early in the morning a servant of the Holy Man got up and went out. Surprise! Horses and chariots surrounding the city! The young man exclaimed, "Oh, master! What shall we do?"
¹⁶ He said, "Don't worry about it—there are more on our side than on their side."
¹⁷ Then Elisha prayed, "O God, open his eyes and let him see."
The eyes of the young man were opened and he saw. A wonder! The whole mountainside full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha!
2Kings 6:15-17

Elisha's servant wasn't seeing EVERYTHING around him

he was stuck in looking in the natural

he totally forgot about the supernatural

if he had gazed out the window w/ a spirit led mind i bet he wouldn't have just seen the enemy!

i think often times we are gazing into life w/o Gods Vision

were staring @ the enemy saying "iam screwed" when in all reality were NOT ALONE!!

"there are more on our side than on their side"!!!

lets start looking @ life w/ different eyes

looking @ life in full color

Ben,

What is LOVE??????????????????

2009-09-01T18:15:00.004-04:00

today iam gonna type about in my opinion the most used and overabused word in the english language
that word is LOVE!

what is love.....
songs have been written.. movies have been made.. sermons have been preached.. speaches have been given.. books have been written.. all about one question "What is love"

we've tried to explain and define this crazy emotion were always searching for a definition we try to find it in books and movies and songs

gues what i've found the answer

a dude named paul totally gave it to me

he's kinda old and in the ground

but he gave the anwer!!

u wanna hear it?????????
hmmmmmmmmm

i gues i'll give it to ya!!!!

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

if i was u i would read that again
and again and
every single day see if ur livin THAT love!!

one more thing that my bro Paul told me that i think u should know

Trust steadily in God,
hope unswervingly,
love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love.

trying to live THAT love
Ben,

Follow You

2009-08-28T12:04:00.002-04:00

so on tuesday leeland's new album "Love is on the move" dropped
i am in love w/ this album right now!!
i've yet to find a song that i don't like!!
1 song has really become my anthem!!

its called follow u

Follow You (with special guest...

to listen to it just click the play button

here's the powerful lyrics

You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.

All my needs you have supplied.
When I was dead you gave me life.
How could I not give it away so freely?

And I’ll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
Through the corners of the earth
Until your work is done
‘Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was shed
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I’ll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

I give all myself.
I give all myself
I give all myself….to you.

And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself….to you.

And I’ll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the World.

following HIM
Ben,

Run Hard

2009-08-26T11:43:00.003-04:00

You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.
I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.
Paul

idon't think theres anything left for me to say

running hard toward the finish line

Ben,

in the crapper

2009-08-25T10:42:00.003-04:00

10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are very wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You receive honor, but we are shamed.11 Even to this very hour we do not have enough to eat or drink or to wear. We are often beaten, and we have no homes in which to live.12 We work hard with our own hands for our food. When people curse us, we bless them. When they hurt us, we put up with it.13 When they tell evil lies about us, we speak nice words about them. Even today, we are treated as though we were the garbage of the world—the filth of the earth.
1 Corinthians 4:10-13

last night when my YouVersion reading plan lead me to this passage i read it... thought.. read it again.. and again!!
i was like "what the heck" "does paul not want us to become christians" "he just said if we follow christ well be treated like crap"
i think the principle of humility is one that has been long forgotten in the church of today
we no longer understand what it means to live humbly
to live as the least

i also think that many of us don't respond to the crap of life like paul says we should
idon't know about you
but this passage just rocked my world!!

humbly living as the least
Ben,

The Draft

2009-08-22T22:30:00.003-04:00

So today i immersed my self in the world of Fantasy Football for the first time!!

i have had a lot of fun today in the Draft!!
my team is on espn.com
i participated in espn's live draft which is pretty epic!!
real time feed from all the other players in the leauge
graphics and speed were incredible!!
iam finding out y ppl love fantasy football so much!!

all this drafting players got me thinking if Jesus was the player "on the block"(being drafted right now)
would u choose him to play for ur team????
don't just say yes for the sake of being "religious" or a "good person"

really think about it b/c if he's on ur team u have to lay down ur life u have to give him control of everything!!
let him be QB, Coach, Owner, and more!!

would u choose Jesus??????

drafting the KING
Ben,

Coach

2009-08-20T21:00:00.005-04:00

whats up ppl?????????
so i've spent the last week of my life @ mega sports camp
coaching lil kids in dif sports... baseball.. basketball.. its been fun
its always fun to coach lil kids
help them achieve their dreams
show them how to shoot a free throw
or hit the baseball over the fences
its a very rewarding!!
watching them going from crappy jumpshop & a non existant layup skillz to shooting 10 freethrows in a row & making the J!!

i wonder is that how God feels???
helping us go from hopeless & lost to joyful and happy
bringing from the pit to the palace
i can't imagine what is must feel like for God to sit there and watch as he changes lives every day!!
knowing that his whole purpose is to "Seek & save what was lost" leaves me speachless
i can't imagine the feeling of constant saving
that all the time every day the feeling of reward from changing lives!!
thats gotta be amazing

well gues what
coach put u in the game
its the 4th quarter
theres 60 seconds on the clock
u gotta win the game b4 time runs out!!

lets follow in the footsteps of Jesus and live to seek & save the lost & forgotten
cause the clock is running down!!

gettin my head in the Game
Ben,

BOOM!!

2009-08-15T17:22:00.003-04:00

WOW this summer is flying bye!!
i just had an incredible experience the last 2 days!!
MAN CAMP!!
a group of guys from my youth group went camping!!

it was awesome! we shot skeet.. went canoeing.. campin.. watched the A-Team.. farted.. burped.. ate lots of meat!! and lots of other man stuff!!
it was awesome!!

i got to do my morning devo's sittin on a dock by a river during sunrise!!
truly an amazing experience reading the word of God and standing in awe of his creation!!
gazed into the stars and dreamed BIG dreams!!
nothing like spending time w/ the creator & spending time enjoying all he has created!!

i discovered something while shootin a 12 gauge shotgun!!
it goes BOOM!!
a really big BOOM!!
kinda like when we say "Jesus"
all the devil hears is BOOM!!

after my first shot i stood there w/ a huge smile on my face and all i could say was "WHOAH"
i was in amazement!!
there was a whole lot of power coming from that gun!!
when i hit the skeet it exploded into a bunch of pieces

i had never seen a better picture of prayer in my life!!
when we pray it goes BOOM and demons explode!!!

pretty simple
very manly!!

making some big BOOMS
Ben,

Jesus love YOU... this I KNOW

2009-07-30T18:37:00.002-04:00

I was so given a free advanced copy of "Jesus loves YOU... this i know" by Craig Gross and Jason harper and this book has rocked my world!!

here's my review from the table of contents to the title this book is truely revolutionary!!
there's something extremely powerful in the title "jesus love YOU"
we so often times here jesus loves me but never really hear jesus loves YOU!!

with chapter titles like "Jesus love the Bitter and Betrayed", "Jesus loves the disconnected", "Jesus love the broken" Jesus love the forgotten.. skeptic... glutton... crook... outcast.. porn star.. religious..
The message is clear in this book Jesus love YOU... this I KNOW!!
it doesn't matter who you are or where ur coming from jesus loves you
jesus loves the broken and forgoten he cares about you

the real life stories makes thing jump off the pages and into real life
the heart renching stories that Jason and Craig tell are incredible life changing and revolutionary

this quote from craig summs up the entire book for me

"While fellow believers argue that to no avail, we want to reach out and love the unlovely this iknow"

the idea of loving the unlovely and broken.. forgotten and lonely is revolutionary in the least!!

the church has focussed on the interior ministries when christ came to seek and save what was lost!!

i see these men truely becoming the hands and feet of jesus
like jesus who went to the side of the woman who was about to be stoned for adultry he stood up for the unlovely craig and jason are making that the core of their ministry it's inspiring and revolutionary!!

this book has challenged me to really begin to love the unloved.. forgotten.. broken.. lonely..
that it doesn't matter who u are or where ur coming from JESUS LOVES YOU!

for more information on the book and a preview check out jesuslovesyou.net
always remember JESUS LOVE YOU THIS I KNOW

loving the lonely
Ben,

brand NEW!!!!!!!!

2009-07-28T19:44:00.003-04:00

i don't know about u but i like new stuff!!
like new cars... clothes... and other stuff
i also like brand new blogs!!
i am proud to present to U THE BRAND SPANKIN NEW www.bensbraindump.blogspot.com
iam very pleased with this new change
change is good
my site needed an upgrade so i gave it one

what do u think of my brand new site?????????????
do u like it?????

Worship Workout

2009-07-27T15:12:00.002-04:00

Here's another lesson from the little one's

Worship was something that totally suprised me!!
iam used to the typical united/desperation/dcb/how he loves.. setlist
and we get there and they crank this music that is like half pop half techno
i was like "what the crap is this????" but well the kids thought it was the bees knees!!
i also didn't get all the motions to every single song
i felt like i was doing a cardio set or something?????
maybe i should make a kids worship workout vid or something?????

i realized something
the motions did something more than just make all the kids pastors look fat/old and out of shape
it gave the songs more meaning
the kids started to get the lyrics
when they were shouting "HEY!!!! jesus love me" they really started to believe it
or "let ur light shine whoah let ur light shine whoa let ur light shine and let jesus shine through you" these kids really began to get the point of these lyrics
they went from words on a screen to a decleration from their hearts!!!
so i aint really a huge fan of the lil kids motions i do get the point and they do what they are inteneded to do!!

the kids had a song that was so simplistic yet profound in nature

it went something like this

"Your love is deep
your love is high
your love is long
your love is wide

Deeper than my view of grace
Higher than this worldly place
Longer than this road I travel
Wider than the gap You filled

Who shall separate us
Who shall separate us from Your love
Nothing can separate us
Nothing can separate us from Your love"

I love how kids worship is so pure and simple!!

kids don't care what they look like when they worship

its just them and jesus

learning from the little ones

Ben,

Lessons from the little ones

2009-07-24T21:49:00.003-04:00

I just spent the last 5 days @ kids camp!!! it was crazy!!
i got blobbed... my dad got broken... god made some big booms in some boys... the sky was blue... i became superman... and lots more stuff!!

lots of fun exciting games and activities.. from Go karts to low ropes to swimming.. and slip and slime!! i had an awesome time!!
i had a a great group of boys
they could be challenging @ times... but.. that's what little boys do!!

it was purely incredible to watch God change the lives of these kids

i watched some of these guys completely change over 5 days!! it was amazing!!
i got to pray with them in the altars... let them cry on my shoulder and hug them till the tears stop!!
their anthem became
"HEY!!!!! Jesus loves me"
they began to declare to all creation that they are loved by a real God!! who has HUGE dreams and plans for them!!
these little kids every day turned me into a tear soaked snot covered mess!!
putting my hand on their shoulders as they sang "This world has nothing for me i will follow you" "cause i need u jesus to come to my rescue where else can i go theres no other name by which iam saved capture me w/ grace i will follow you"
i watched as their little lives were changed for eternity!!
i got to do something this week that impacted their lives!!
words cant explain the feeling of watching these little guys lives completely change in 5 days!!

if there was one thing i learned this week it is simply the simplicity of the kingdom

One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: "Let the children alone, don't prevent them from coming to me. God's kingdom is made up of people like these." After laying hands on them, he left.
Mathew 19:13-15

One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it, and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed. - Leonard Ravenhill

simplicity is the key to the kingdom!!!!!

more lessons from the little ones to come

learning to LOVE
living under HIS waterfalls

when in rome speak spanish

2009-07-18T18:15:00.003-04:00

so i've been reading and rereading this passage over and over again over the past few days
in diffent versions and commentaries and this version seems to be the most simple and in yo face version
so here it is

^{Romans 12:1-2}
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

so when i think if this passage the whole idea of placing every freakin thing i do in front of god and then totally giving him ALL control of EVERYTHING iam like holy crap!! idunno if i can do this!!
"Dont become well adjusted to your culture" when i first read this i was like "huh???" isn't the church suppose to be "Culturally relevant"?????
then God was like the message should be presented in a culturally relevant fashion
u don't need to be culturally relevant!!
just because u move to rome doesn't mean u don't have to speak italion
it make be hard but u dont have to!!!!!!

living for God we should go to rome and speak spanish!!
"Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world but be renewed by the transformation of ur mind"

so next time when ppl are all like "Dude u don't act like everybody else" u can just smile and show some swagga!!!!!!! and be all like dats right foo!! i aint suppose to talk ur talk and walk ur walk!! u can moonwalk i'll do the running man!!!
u speak italian i'll speak spanish!!!

speaking espanol in italy

Ben,

Sing Sing Sing

2009-07-16T20:21:00.002-04:00

holy crap its been like forfreakinever since i've blogged!!
probably b/c my summer has been supper busy!!
hope ur summer has been as awesome as mine!!

well today this song has become my anthem... i can't stop singing it...

its called "Sing Sing Sing" by Chris Tomlin
its pretty amazing

Sing, Sing, Sing - Chris Tomli...

just click the play button to listen to it
(song VIA lala.com)

here are the amazing lyrics

We will sing, sing, sing
And make music with the heavens
We will sing, sing, sing
Grateful that You hear us
When we shout your praise
Lift high the name of Jesus

What's not to love about You?
Heaven and earth adore You
Kings and kingdoms bow down
Son of God, You are the One
You are the One we're living for

You are the love that frees us
You are the light that leads us
Like a fire burning
Son of God, You are the one
You are the one we're living for

well i hope ur having an amazing summer
keep singing HIS praises
i know i will!!

learning to LOVE
living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

dreaming big dreams

2009-06-29T23:53:00.002-04:00

wow i just read this passage in my YouVersion
i though u would like to read it

4 Don’t be afraid—you’re not going to be embarrassed. Don’t hold back—you’re not going to come up short. You’ll forget all about the humiliations of your youth, and the indignities of being a widow will fade from memory.

5 For your Maker is your bridegroom, his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel, known as God of the whole earth.

14 You’ll be built solid, grounded in righteousness, far from any trouble—nothing to fear! far from terror—it won’t even come close!
15 If anyone attacks you, don’t for a moment suppose that I sent them, And if any should attack, nothing will come of it

Isaiah 54:4-5,14-15

I hope that was just a short encouragement!!

i know it encouraged and challenged me!!

to dream big dreams

and never stop chasing

chasing after clouds that are full of rain

Ben,

Fish From Flesh

2009-06-27T00:43:00.002-04:00

tonight this passage came up in my YouVersion and it was so good i decided is shall write about it

1Samuel 5:1-5

1 Once the Philistines had seized the Chest of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,2 brought it into the shrine of Dagon, and placed it alongside the idol of Dagon.3 Next morning when the citizens of Ashdod got up, they were shocked to find Dagon toppled from his place, flat on his face before the Chest of God. They picked him up and put him back where he belonged.4 First thing the next morning they found him again, toppled and flat on his face before the Chest of God. Dagon’s head and arms were broken off, strewn across the entrance. Only his torso was in one piece.

most of u are like whats the big freakin deal??
its just like an idol thingy that broke

the big deal is not just that the pure power of god inside of the "Chest of God" or "Ark of the Covenant" completely abliterated Dagon
its what dagon was
Dagon was a half fish half human God

i have no idea why they made him that way
but they did

the cool thing that God did was seperate FISH FROM FLESH

bringing this into today
the fish was the symbol for the early church
flesh is symbolic of the "old self" our BC "before christ" life

and God comes in and tears the flesh off of u so u can be all fish

tears away all the old crap in ur life so u can be all God!!
pretty awesome stuff!!

do u need to seperate fish from flesh???

becoming more fish and less flesh

Ben,

late night rambelings

2009-06-22T01:13:00.002-04:00

As i sit here watching the clock fly between 11-12

iam just gonna write whats been on my heart lately

i read this passage in my YouVersion today and it totally wrecked me!!

“Can you compare me to anyone? No one is equal to me or like me." Isiah 46:5

wow how awesome is that!!

i think that sometimes we loose track of how big our daddy God really is!!

we sometimes end up thinking of him as just another thing in our live

when he is the BEGINING of everything in our lives!!

on this Dad's day i've found myself not only thinking about my earthly father

who rocks by the way

but a lot about my abba father

my daddy god

the one who created everything around me!!

i think that everyday should be ABBA FATHERS DAY!!

we don't really give him the appreciation that he deserves!!

another thing that has been flying through my mind

is "Lets stop just existing and start LIVING"

lets stop just going by in life doing the same things over in over again

today is now monday

a day that a lot of ppl hate

they are all tired

today do something to make ur a day not so typical

when ur monday sucks smile @ somebody's who's monday sucks and make both of ur days not suck!!

REAL LOVE and JOY is contagious!!

iam always amazed by the amazing power of a smile :)!!!!!!!!

its not always the huge things

its the small things that leed to big things

we all could use some more LOVE in our lives!!

well as the david crowder "sunset and sushi" album is pushing me deeper into insomnia iam gonna sign off for the night and hopefully get som zzz's!!

lets stop just existing and start really LIVING!!

and changing he world around us

living the real love...

Ben,

Laughing Out Loud

2009-06-18T18:03:00.003-04:00

continuing this video madness i decided today the vids are gonna make you laugh out loud!!

the first vid is my favorite ever it's all 4 of the Vintage 21 videos!!
it's kinda long but it's all hilarious!!
check it out

alright this next vid is a mr pres smashing a fly
but like this ones crazy asian w/ some voice over
made me feel like the karate kid!!

WOW that was freaking hilarious

the third and final vid is possibly the most amazing sword fight i've ever seen

i hoped u laughed out loud

laughing out loud

Ben,

music video madness

2009-06-17T21:44:00.002-04:00

so today iam gonna throw some music vids @ u!!

1st up is my favorite song in the whole freakin world
it's "How he loves" by John Mark McMillan
check out this vid

WOW this was epic
i totally just cried again!!
not only did this take place @ the most amazing event EVER the call nashville 7-7-07
but i came w/ a story that is incredable!!!!

next is Mute Math's Typical music vid which can only be described as amazing!!
check it out

The only way that i can describe that video is "Mute Math"
i hope u thought is was as epic as i did!!

the 3rd and final music video of one of my friends Lindsey doing a phenomal job singing "Before the Storm"
check it out

so i don't know about u but i think she totally rocked that song!!
u can check out those and even more amazing vids @ http://www.youtube.com/user/Lindsey3807

so tell me which is ur favorite vid??

whats ur song??

2009-06-15T19:12:00.003-04:00

What's up everybody??
so today i've been humming.. singing.. rockin.. head boppin.. jiving.. fist pumpin... to some John Mark McMillan
He's written some pretty AMAZING stuff!!
my favorite right now is "I dreamed there was a fountain"
check it out

I Dreamed There Was A Fountain...

what have U been listening to today??
what songs make u move??
what songs make u laugh? cry? happy? sad? jump? mosh? smile?
whats ur song today????
i wanna know

so just leave me a comment below and tell me what u song is!!

rockin ur face off

Ben,

the CiCi's experience

2009-06-13T21:11:00.003-04:00

so today i went to CiCi's w/ my granparents and as soon as we walked in the door the CiCi's experience began

as soon as you step in the door i was greeted with "Welcome to CiCi's" from the moment you walk in the door they surround you with a family friendly and community oriented society where everything is cheap and everybody cares about you

it's amazing how small things such as pizza made just for you or being greeted as you walk in and as you leave they make sure to respond w/ "CiCi you later" can make such a difference!

it's kinda like the cheers bar

a place where "Everybody knows your name" a place where your always welcome. theres alway a stool/seat waiting for you @ cheers!

this should be like the church

a place that welcomes everybody

a place where everybody is welcome and everyone who walks in the door is personally greeted and feels like ppl actually care about them

the churh should be a place where everyone is loved and cared for!

a church that is built around loving relationships

a place where ppl can just walk in and feel like family

a safe haven of joy

a place where everybody knows your name and ppl show that they care about you

making a CiCi's church

Ben,

a BIG BAM from PETER

2009-06-11T16:30:00.002-04:00

as i sit @ my messy desk typing on this computer with the melodic sound of phil whickham singing cannons in my ears iam reading todays YouVersion as i go from judges to isaih to 1 peter... then all of a sudden BAM!! it hits me like a truck!! this word that is hidden inside the small book of 1Peter a book that i've never really payed much attention to... an underpreciated book filled w/ some awesome stuff
so heres the BAM word i read from Peter

1 Peter 1

1 I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten.

2 God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!
A New Life3 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for,4 including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!5 God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.6 I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime.7 Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.8 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing.9 Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation.10 The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing.11 The Messiah’s Spirit let them in on some of it—that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when.

12 All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves—through the Holy Spirit—the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!
A Future in God13 So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives.14 Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now.15 As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness.16 God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

17 You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.
Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.18 It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in.19 He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb.20 And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you.21 It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.22 Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it.23 Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself!

24 That’s why the prophet said,
The old life is a grass life,
its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers;
Grass dries up, flowers droop,

25 God’s Word goes on and on forever.
This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.

couldn't have said it better myself

Livin the LOVE..

Ben,

Whats ur Melody Line??

2009-06-04T20:57:00.003-04:00

Music... Melodies... they are the thing that inspires us... the things that keeps us up with everything is falling away... we all have that favorite playlist of melodies that make us feel good.. make the sun shine brighter... those songs just make everything more enjoyable... mine includes... U2, Anberlin, The Afters, Brad Paisley (for when iam feeling a little country), MuteMath, Switchfoot, and most recently Dave Mathews Band... I've been listening to their new cd "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" it pretty amazing
here's my favorite song "Shake me like a monkey"

Shake Me Like A Monkey - Dave ...

alright as the dave mathews band send out sound waves fly through my mind in a whirlwind of inspiration... happiness.. joy.. amusment... and many other emotions iam brought back to the thought of melodies that inspire and sometimes control our life

whats the melody line of your life???
"Livin for love".... "iam broken and beaten sitting all alone crying my eyes out wishing the pain would go away"... "joy unspeakable that wont go away".... "it's not a fair fight... it's gonna be a rough night"... what is the melody that is running your life
is it gloomy or joyful??
does it make you smile??? or cry???

Does God have a say in your melody??? does his heart have anything to do with your life???

i know that my melody has an acoustic guitar... bass... drums (light brush roll on the snare)... and Jon Foreman singing "iam chasing after YOU... livin between YOUR bridge and chorus... when my manmade melodies end true worship will begin"

whats the melody of your life???
does it need to be rewritten????

singin a new song
Ben,

Names and Shakespeare

2009-06-01T16:21:00.005-04:00

So for the last couple of weeks in English i've been reading through William Shakespeare's most well known Elizabethan tragedy "Rome and Juliet"

and today i read a line that has kept me thinking all day

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself."

In this scene Juliet is angry because a simple name is keeping her from her true love Romeo
for he is a Montaque and she is a Capulet and their families are bitter Italian rivals who forbid theyre children to intermarry
Romeo and Juliet is possibly one of the most well written pieces of literature i've ever read
iam not a big love story fan but the imagery and other elements of literature in this book is incredible!!

anyways this quote really has kept me thinking about names
whats the point of a name????
Identification???
Seperation?
names can be both a good and bad thing??
can be a sign of respect of disgust
names are simply words given to identify a specific person object or emotion

So many times i dream of what it must have been like for adam to name all the animals in the garden!! how his mind comprehended everything and kept track of it

iam amazed at the complex system we have created for naming animals nowdays
and how silly and pointless some of ways we come up names for our children
see i've decided that my first son will be named "Maximus Zion" and my daugher "Zoe Grace"
i've come up w/ these names because i like them and they are different and exotic
but names are simply a title
they have nothing to do with the actual thing itself

a pig is called a pig but a the word "pig" doesnt describe any part of that pig

so why the heck is it called pig????????

i've found one thing that is can be harmful/helpful is a name
i've watched as names are hurled @ people and penetrate the heart like a dagger abliterating their self esteem and perception of other people and themselves

i've seen what happens when names seem to brighten up the day.. make the sun shine brighter.. and make life just more enjoyable

there is so much power in a simple name

whats ur name??
no iam not talking about "Johnny" "Susie" "Ben"
iam talking about names like
smart, beautiful, nerdy, looser, stoner, christian, perfect, whore, gentlmen, jerk?????
whats the name that society has defined u by???
does it describe you???

if it's negative how can u change that name????

i know there is a dude who can changer ur name
he changed a dudes name from jacob to isreal
but it came @ a cost
in order to get his name changed he was marked for the rest of his life

Do u need to change your name??

Gettin a name change
from the ONE who named the stars
Ben,

Fist Pumpin Greatness

2009-05-25T11:45:00.005-04:00

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

2009-05-23T14:36:00.003-04:00

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

2009-05-22T19:03:00.003-04:00

"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

2009-05-21T21:41:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-19T18:47:00.005-04:00

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

2009-05-12T17:35:00.006-04:00

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,

2009-05-07T17:03:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-06T16:07:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-04T17:33:00.003-04:00

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

2009-05-02T21:40:00.003-04:00

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...

2009-05-01T16:28:00.008-04:00

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,

Leeland and Links

2009-04-28T16:29:00.003-04:00

Today I've Been Rockin Leeland's Song "Enter This Temple" it's really become my anthem today heres the lyrics

We are saved in a world that’s lost
All our hope rests in Your Cross
God of strength, our weakness shows
We need You
We need You, Lord

Father, enter this temple
Come touch Your people
We need to be where You are
And children living as their Father
Washed in pure water
We need to be like You are

We are searching for Your presence
We are knocking on Your door
Let Your wings cover us with promise
For communion
For communion

To be like You are
To be where You are
Father, come touch Your people

To be where You are
To be like You are

U can listen to their album Oposite way FREE here!!
and purchase the album here

Here are a few links to check out
Best 404 page ever (if u like cpu's and internet u'll like it)
Got Soul? (awesome poste for the ny times from BONO)
All or Nothing (post from iChilly that really made me think about my prayer life)

Hope u enjoy the blog and the links

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

The Samuri Spirit

2009-04-27T16:14:00.002-04:00

A class built upon the idea of honor and the heart of a warrior
understanding of honor and vallor

The Men of the Japanese Warrior Class Called Samurai were an almost invincible force... Fearless.. highly trained... Brave... they understood the purpose of war..

they would storm enemy lines without looking back
they vallued dying in battle
they would rather kill themselves on the battle field than be captured by the enemy!!

These men understood what it meant to be FEARLESS and LIVE fearless!!

³¹While they were praying, the place where they were meeting trembled and shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God's Word with fearless confidence.
Acts 4:31

Let's Live Fearless and Spirit Filled Lives

Ben,

Do You See HIM???

2009-04-25T20:52:00.002-04:00

Hello
here's just a quick update of some things flying around my head

1) Do we are Christians have a "Target Demographic" for our ministry?? in our ministry are we focused on reaching a specific group of people??? or are we just very broad in our focus of ministry?? in the business world when you market a product you need to select a target market!! we as Christians have the best product in the history of man to market!! the Good News of The Gospel!! i think instead of this broad perspective we should take a more focused look @ our ministry and Marketing strategies!!

2) i was reading this on YouVersion today and it rocked my world

John 21:2-4
Simon Peter announced, "I'm going fishing."

^3-4The rest of them replied, "We're going with you." They went out and got in the boat. They caught nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the beach, but they didn't recognize him.

So Peter Decided that he was going fishing... and his bro's decided to go w/ him... they were fishing all night.. and came back to the shore and saw Jesus standing there

BUT they DIDN'T recodnize HIM!!

These dudes who had spent 3 freakin years w/ the dude didn't recodnize him!! i don't think this was b/c they were stupid or had bad eyesight!! i think it was b/c they decided to give up on there mission.. After Jesus died they tried to go back to how things used to be and when Jesus showed up they couln't see him no more!! b/c they had taken there eyes of the prize

They tried to do things Their way instead of YAHWEH!!

focusing on HIM and his kingdom

Ben,

ONE heart

2009-04-22T16:17:00.003-04:00

so today i was doing the YouVersion thing and i came across this passage right b4 Jesus was arrested he prayed this prayer

John 17:8-26
I pray for them.
I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world
But for those you gave me,
For they are yours by right.
Everything mine is yours, and yours mine,
And my life is on display in them.
For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world;
They'll continue in the world
While I return to you.
Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life
That you conferred as a gift through me,
So they can be one heart and mind
As we are one heart and mind.
As long as I was with them, I guarded them
In the pursuit of the life you gave through me;
I even posted a night watch.
And not one of them got away,
Except for the rebel bent on destruction
(the exception that proved the rule of Scripture).

^13-19Now I'm returning to you.
I'm saying these things in the world's hearing
So my people can experience
My joy completed in them.
I gave them your word;
The godless world hated them because of it,
Because they didn't join the world's ways,
Just as I didn't join the world's ways.
I'm not asking that you take them out of the world
But that you guard them from the Evil One.
They are no more defined by the world
Than I am defined by the world.
Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth;
Your word is consecrating truth.
In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world,
I give them a mission in the world.
I'm consecrating myself for their sakes
So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission.

^20-23I'm praying not only for them
But also for those who will believe in me
Because of them and their witness about me.
The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—
Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
So they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
The same glory you gave me, I gave them,
So they'll be as unified and together as we are—
I in them and you in me.
Then they'll be mature in this oneness,
And give the godless world evidence
That you've sent me and loved them
In the same way you've loved me.

^24-26Father, I want those you gave me To be with me, right where I am, So they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, Having loved me Long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, But I have known you, and these disciples know That you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them— Who you are and what you do— And continue to make it known, So that your love for me Might be in them Exactly as I am in them.

I read this and was like HOLY CRAP

this was a huge kick in my butt... i think that the church has gotten away from our original calling... we've become obsessed with numbers... we measure our ministry succeess by how many people read our blogs and how many friends we have on FB and Myspace!!... instead of defining our ministry by our Fruit

Jesus taught that you can tell a tree by it's fruit

instead of how many people read our blog we should be judging our ministry by how many people we are leading to Christ and disciplining!!

Jesus prayed that we would be of ONE heart and ONE mind!!

I think that the Church has gotten obsessed with personal gain!!

it's all about what's best for me and my church not what's best for HIS church!!

there needs to be unity in the church

too many pastors hate each other

too many churches split over stupid things

let's bring Unity back to the Body of Christ!!

With ONE heart and ONE mind

Ben,

Fangs, Fire, Spotlight,

2009-04-21T15:54:00.003-04:00

so today i've been rockin the Falling Up and Mutemath

i heard Falling Up's New CD Fangs! today for the 1st time
it was awesome
it's got a sweet tone to it
i love falling up
there so much different from all the other "Christian Rock Bands"
they have a sound that's totally their own
their sweet Melodies
and amazing harmonies are inspiring

U can listen to the whole Fangs! CD here

or u can buy it from iTunes or Amazon

and today i saw MuteMath's "Spotlight" Music Video
its prettty freaking awesome!!
so i decided to post it on here

MUTEMATH - Spotlight

on a more spiritual note
i was doing my YouVersion daily read an i came across this passage of scripture

God, your God, is not to be trifled with—he's a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24

I think that many times we as christians don't allow God to Consume us with his fire
He's an ALL CONSUMING FIRE
most of the time we want him to be a Partially consuming fire
we still want to keep some parts of our flesh just not all of it
but with as christians we have to be Hot or Cold
if we are lukewarm and are not set on fire by God
and Jesus said that God Spits out people who are lukewarm!!

Letting him be the ALL consuming fire
Ben,

lettting HIS voice Lead

2009-04-17T16:24:00.003-04:00

^1-5 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."

John 10:1-5 (MSG)

So My Boy JC told a story to some of his peeps about some sheeps

it's pretty simple

the sheep FOLLOW the voice of the Sheperd

i think that a bunch of us don't do that

we've ended up getting attacked by the wolves b/c we stopped listening to our sheperd

sometimes he's LOUD and others he's quiet
sometimes he speaks in a still small voice... sometimes in a shout others and a whisper
but no matter how he speaks we should always listen
i think that sometimes we end up in crap past our knees cause we tried to live life the way we wanted too instead of doing it the way he wanted us too!!

lets listen to the voice of our Shepperd and let him do the leading

Listening to HIS whispers
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

who is Jesus to YOU?

2009-04-15T15:58:00.003-04:00

during the time that my lord savior and king Jesus Christos walked the face of this earth many people had questions about who he really was.
they constantly argued about who he was

was he a prophet.
was he the Messiah.
or was he just some crazy man???

so i ask U my reader WHO IS HE TO U??????

is he ur lord??
Savior??
King?
Healer?
Deliverer?
Restorer?
Peace?
Hope?
Alpha and Omega?
Love?
Faith?
StrongTower?
Refuge?
Abba?
Yahweh????

who is he to u???

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Edible Jesus

2009-04-14T15:33:00.004-04:00

So today i was doing my YouVersion Daily Read and I came across this passage it really wrecked my perspective of Comunnion!!

⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give up so that the world may have life."

⁵² Then the evil people began to argue among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

⁵³ Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, you must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. Otherwise, you won't have real life in you. ⁵⁴ Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.⁵⁵ My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.⁵⁶ Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them.⁵⁷ The living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father. So whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ I am not like the bread your ancestors ate. They ate that bread and still died. I am the bread that came down from heaven, and whoever eats this bread will live forever." ⁵⁹

^{I don't know about u but after i read that i was pretty dang shocked!!}

^{it was a "Holy Crap" moment!!}

^{this pretty grotesque and weird picture of Jesus is something that we don't preach in the church much}

^{that we have to actually take a bite out of Jesus in order to fully receive his life}

^{at communion we sit down and say that the bread represents Jesus's Body}

^{we don't emphasize that were actually eating him!!}

^{i think that this creepy cannibalism is the test of true dedication!!}

^{"When Christ Calls a Man he Bids him to come and DIE" Dietrich Bonhoeffer"}

We essentially have to die to ourselves to the point that Eating the very flesh of our Savior doesn't stop us!!

We have to be able to eat the Edible Jesus in order to receive the true life that is found in him

we have to eat the Edible Jesus to unlock the unlimited power in his Blood!

Taking a bite out of Edible Jesus

Ben,

The Easter Experience

2009-04-11T21:02:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow Morning
churches will be filled the the brim
people will dress up... in bright dresses and freshly pressed suits....
for one day are year lots of people will act "Religious" by attending a church
Easter productions that show some guy with stage makeup hanging on a 2 by 4
half naked trying to show pain
and choirs will sing songs.... people will clap... pastors will put on a nice suit... and preach a nice message centered around "the old rugged cross" hyms will be sung...
people will dress up in bath robes and attempt to act like there from 2ooo years ago
maybe even gretting u by saying "shalom"....
people will recite lines...
some will shout "Crucify him"... others "Hosanna"
and the half naked guy on the 2by4 will scream
"It is finished"
the pastor will preach
some people will raise their hands
teens will text...
old people will fall asleep..
wives will elbow there husbands for falling asleep during service...
and everybody will leave service feeling "Religious"

Easter in America has become the big religious game
we have created this monster
called "Religion"
we have focused on numbers
done whatever it took to get people in the door
some have gone further than others

some churches take the traditional approach to Easter
with a half naked guy on a 2by4
others a more creative approach

but it's all part of the "american easter experience"

the litmus test for this test is the Word of God

here in John 2 jesus test a temple and Jerusalem

¹⁴ In the Temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves. He saw others sitting at tables, exchanging different kinds of money.¹⁵ Jesus made a whip out of cords and forced all of them, both the sheep and cattle, to leave the Temple. He turned over the tables and scattered the money of those who were exchanging it. ¹⁶ Then he said to those who were selling pigeons, "Take these things out of here! Don't make my Father's house a place for buying and selling!"

¹⁷ When this happened, the followers remembered what was written in the Scriptures: "My strong love for your Temple completely controls me."

¹⁸ Some of his people said to Jesus, "Show us a miracle to prove you have the right to do these things."

¹⁹ Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will build it again in three days."

²⁰ They answered, "It took forty-six years to build this Temple! Do you really believe you can build it again in three days?"

²¹ (But the temple Jesus meant was his own body.²² After Jesus was raised from the dead, his followers remembered that Jesus had said this. Then they believed the Scripture and the words Jesus had said.)

would Jesus approve of ur service
or would he be disappointing?????

Lifting up his name
"He is Risen"
letting his word by my litmus test

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

TaiChi and Rawkfist

2009-04-08T16:18:00.005-04:00

wow today has been pretty freakin awesome
i got to do some Tai Chi in my Chinese class today
Tai Chi is like some freaky karate meets yoga experience
filled with lots of bending.. squating.. reaching.. falling.. and eventually hurting..
it's suppose to be a way to relax... but i couln't relax with my calves burning after squating for like half an hour!!
in b/w karate kid flash backs i learned that old chinese people are pretty dang flexible if they can do this kinda stuff all the time!!

Today Phillipians Ch.2 was apart of my YouVersion daily read and these verses from Paul the "RAWKFIST" just wrecked me!! check em out...

Philippians 2

¹ Does your life in Christ give you strength? Does his love comfort you? Do we share together in the spirit? Do you have mercy and kindness?² If so, make me very happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and having one mind and purpose.³ When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves.⁴ Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.

⁵ In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.
⁶ Christ himself was like God in everything.
But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit.
⁷ But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.
He was born as a man
and became like a servant.
⁸ And when he was living as a man,
he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God,
even when that caused his death—death on a cross.
⁹ So God raised him to the highest place.
God made his name greater than every other name
¹⁰ so that every knee will bow to the name of Jesus—
everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
¹¹ And everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
and bring glory to God the Father.

Let's Throw up our RAWKFIST and LOVE people like God Loves Us!!

Hope u have an awesome Wensday
make it count for eternity

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Passover Coke and Servolution

2009-04-07T17:17:00.003-04:00

heres a few thoughts that are flying through my mind

Check out Coca-Cola's Passover Coke!! it's a special version of Coke made with sugar instead of High Fructose Corn syrup which makes it Kosher for the Jews!! check out the article here

Today is the week of Servolution check out their website for more info here
i encourage u too spend some time this week serving
help somebody.. doesn't have to be big...
just do something... to help somebody else besides urself..

Serving... Lovin... Livin.. Breathing... Hoping.. Dreaming..

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Green and White Horizon

2009-04-06T17:39:00.003-04:00

Wow.... i haven't been online since friday!!
b/c our new house didn't get internet till today...
the house is nice..

but it is SNOWING here in Detroit today!!

iam freakin tired of the snow!!
its April and we are still getting hammered with snow
but anyways...

There is a feel of Hope and Joy here in the Motorcity as we are hosting the NCAA Mens Final Four Tournament
and our Very own Michigan State Spartans are in the Championship against the University of North Carolina Tarheels... the odds are stacked up against the Spartans but they've been against them since the beginning of the Tournament
With MSU in the Finals there seems to be this sense of Joy here in the MotorCity
Everybody is smiling wearing there Spartan Gear
shirts.. jerseys.. sweatshirts... cars are painted.. i even saw a church sign with "Good Luck State" on it this morning!!

it seems as the Spartans are the Green and White horizon at the end of this dark tunnel in Detroit
for a moment people have forgotten about the crappy economy and have rallied around the Spartans
There is a light at the end of the tunnel for Detroit

Speaking of Sports iam also missing my Houston Astros Season Opener
a bunch of my friends in the Lone Star State are gonna be @ the Game
of course you have to stop @ papasitos before the game!! anybody in the b-town area knows what iam talking about

i am hoping to try and find a way to watch part of the opener here in the D

well i hope u have an awesome Monday... and an even more incredible Tuesday

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben

UNITY

2009-03-31T21:01:00.003-04:00

alrighty heres just a few things flying through my mind

Lately i've really been digging Perry Noble... he a no crap kinda preacher who brings the word... his church is all about reaching those who the church has neglected... it's about the church that is constantly "Thy" will not "My" will!! it's a church thats is constantly creative and always inovative... the church has a counter culture mentality and this mentality has left us with empty pews and bars packed.... Perry Noble is the kinda preacher who just says "Jesus Saves" and has built his church on that one truth... a church based off of creativity and inovation... always looking for a new way to do ministry... u can check out his blog here

i've been really thinking about the crucifixion of REAL LOVE... today in my YouVersion daily read i read through the story of the crucifixion and throughout all of it there is one reocurring theme... in the midst of pain.. fear... doubt... depresion.. there is a LOVE that caste out all fear... in the darknesst there is always HOPE... Jesus always lived life to LOVE.. even as he was beaten... he showed LOVE and humility... never being biast or pridefull... he lived a life of "thy" will not "My" will!!

Iam finding that the church has a lack of unity... we let little things in our personal theology keep us from fullfillling the Great Comission... we let small things keep us from BIG DREAMS... we don't reach out to the church down the road... b/c of some stupid little theology... just b/c they don't worship like we do or sing the songs we do we can't help them out... we can't pray for them... the church needs UNITY... we need to get back to the heart of worship.. we need to get back to the heart of ministry.. we've let our denomination keep us from seeing Signs wonders and Miracles.. we have let the harvest be dictated by the different types of fertilizer we put on it.. when push comes to shove its all chuch policital crap anyways!!

Lets get back to the heart of ministry... no crap.. all LOVE...

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls

Glaze of Glory

2009-03-30T15:58:00.002-04:00

I was watching Sportscenter this morning and a bit came on entitled "Glaze of Glory"
which is a mix between a running race and an eating race...
it's made for for a Usain Bold meets Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi kinda person!!
it's the ultimate college event...
"the greatest college charity race in the History of the World"
it's basically a 4 mile race with eating a dozen doughnuts smashed in the middle

u run 2 miles across campus
eat a dozen doughnuts
and run 2 miles back..... without puking....

yeah it's pretty amazing
check out ESPN's full article on it here

I hope you have an awesome monday
make it extraORDINARY

Become the Remedy

man now i want some krispy kreme doughnuts!!

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS wateralls

Ben

Becoming the Remedy

2009-03-29T21:10:00.002-04:00

Wow.... today has been an awesome and busy day of ministry here in the D...
heres just a few thoughts that have been turning in my mind....

I really want it to STOP SNOWING!! it's freakin march and its still snowing outside... even as i sit here and write this blog there is snow falling from the heavens!!

I've really been thinking this weekend about BECOMING THE REMEDY
i think that many times we give problems without giving the solution
i've been thinking a lot about being the answer to my own prayer
especially in the area of Adoption... no iam not going to adopt kids now... but when i do get married i've really been thinking about if i could BE the REMEDY for this huge problem...

If the church doesn't become the Remedy the Queers will!!
the gay community had no problem adopting children but for some reason the church does
Jesus said "Let the little Children come unto me"

what about u?
Are YOU ready to become the remedy?

has God being knocking on your heart about being the solution?
to this incredible problem here in America and Around the World

Being the Remedy... living the love... proclaimin HIS name...

-Ben

Blowing Trumpets and Crazy Change

2009-03-28T11:40:00.004-04:00

Today is a very very busy day of life and ministry here in the D
filled with many practices... setting up... taring down... preparing.. packing and much more..
so iam taking a short break from my extremely busy day to blog....
i read this awesome quote from iChilly's blog this morning its pretty awesome and inspiring

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Think Different
(Apple Computer)

Today i was doing my YouVersion daily read and this text really stood out to me

Numbers 10:9-10

9 When you are fighting an enemy who attacks you in your own land, blow the trumpets loudly. The Lord your God will take notice of you and will save you from your enemies.10 Also blow your trumpets at happy times and during your feasts and at New Moon festivals. Blow them over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, because they will help you remember your God. I am the Lord your God."

Blowing my trumpet and counting it all JOY

Ben,

Songs For an End Time Army

2009-03-27T16:12:00.004-04:00

Well Today Rick Pino's new Cd "Songs For an End Time Army" was released out on iTunes today!
i bought it as soon as i came home iam listening to it as it's downloading into my iTunes Library!!
it's pretty Freakin Awesome!!
with powerful live worship with songs like "Show Us Your Glory" lyrical melodies like "Raise up an army of laid down lovers"-Martyrs Song and
"Show Us Your Glory"-Show us your glory
"If We'll lay down with the lamb.. we will ROAR with the Lion of Judah"-Martyrs Song
"He's looking for the ones who don't care about the cost"- Iam a Voice

and even a little country flair in "Fire of the Holy Ghost"!! little harmonica and steel guitar!!
well iam gonna continue to rock out to some Pino u can get his CD from his store here or u can get it off of iTunes
"You've Got the Fire of the Holy Ghost"-Rick Pino

rockin out and living the real love

-Ben,

REAL or Relevant???

2009-03-25T16:52:00.004-04:00

Today i have been thinking about the "Relevant Church"
in the church the term relevant is thrown around a lot... were always trying to be more relevant....
relevant to the culture in which we live in
but in our search to become relevant have we lost our ability to be REAL????

in our search of a hollywood jesus have we lost sight of the Old Rugged Cross??

have we lost his blood in our search for a free love???

have we tried to be to relevant and lost sight of the Father

The Church Shouldn't be relevant to the culture the Culture should be relevant to the church

we should run the opposite way until society changes it's direction

Is there anything more relevant than the "Rock of Ages"????
is there anybook more modern than the "Living word of God"???

lets not loose sight of REAL Jesus
and his REAL LOVE and GRACE

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Fray,,, Falling up... Demon Hunter... and more...

2009-03-24T17:05:00.004-04:00

Today My day had been all about MUSIC!!
i love music
last night i bought a $50.00 itunes card and spent most of it in like 30 mins!!
i bout CD's from Falling Up, The Fray, Paramore, Demon Hunter, and Hillsong
yeah i know.... that's a lot of different music
but i like it all..
from the Heavy Metal Demon Hunter with the banging double kick drum to the Acoustic and Piano led Fray

I bought the Fray's new self titled album
it's pretty good

i also bought Demon Hunters LIVE IN NASHVILLE album
it's amazing... u can feel the energy in the concert...
it's one of the CD's that just makes u want to get in a mosh pit!!

Paramore's "Riot" CD is pretty Good too

iam really loving Hillsongs New CD "This is Our God" theres some awesome worship tracks in it
my favs. being "Stronger" "Desert Song" "This is our God" "With Everything"

well heres a few music videos
first Demon Hunters "Fading Away"

Demon Hunter - Fading Away

heres Falling Up's Hotel Aquarium Video
Falling Up-Hotel Aquarium

hope u enjoyed those music videos!!
have a great tuesday

rockin la musica en la casa!!

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Worlds First Blogger

2009-03-23T16:30:00.004-04:00

alright heres some stuff that flying through my mind

iam so glad that finearts is over for now!!! i had an awesome weekend of compettition filled with laughter... stress.. adreniline... lots of cheering... shock.... splendor.. and much much more

my short sermon made it to the National Level.... iam so proud of our Short Sermon team all 3 of us made it through to nationals!!!

i discovered today that there is a blog in the bible yep... it's called "PROVERBS".... solomen was the worlds first blogger... the entire book of proverbs is a great book filled with random wisdom.... it's like a blog... except it's not on the internet!

i can't wait for Rick Pino's new CD "Songs for an End Time Army" it comes out tomorrow

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfall
Ben,

Glyde, Beach, Stronger

2009-03-18T16:53:00.005-04:00

heres some of the random thoughts turning in my mind today
1. iam lovin my new phone!! monday night i got a Samsung Glyde!! it's pretty freakin awesome!!
2. i've been rockin the Trip Lee all day..... little change of musical scenery.... his songs are so biblical its redonculous!!
3. I can't wait for summer!! board shorts, v-necks, and flip flops!!! that's my kinda clothing
4. i can't wait to hit the beaches too... it's spring break down in b-town and some of my friends are hitting up destin!!!! iam so jelous!! the sand, surf, flip flops, getting tan, skimboard, boogieboard, vollyball, barbecue, boudan, hot dogs, sunscreen, seaguls, mud fight and much much more...
5. i can't wait for finearts to be over this weekend.... it's taken over my life!!
6. i love chinese... it's such a crazy random class... we can go from learning about noodles to houses to toilets in a matter of minutes!!
7. i've been lovin Hillsongs song "Stronger" of their new album
8. to add some spiritual content to this post heres a crazy challenging verse i read today on my YouVersion Daily Read

Luke 9:57-62

⁵⁷On the road someone asked if he could go along. "I'll go with you, wherever," he said.

⁵⁸Jesus was curt: "Are you ready to rough it? We're not staying in the best inns, you know."

Jesus said to another, "Follow me."

⁵⁹He said, "Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father's funeral."

⁶⁰Jesus refused. "First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God's kingdom!"

⁶¹Then another said, "I'm ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home."

⁶²Jesus said, "No procrastination. No backward looks. You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day."

Seizing the Day.... Livin the LOVE... Preaching the WORD... not looking back...

Ben,

Stiring the Dirt

2009-03-17T21:20:00.002-04:00

This Quote has been running through my mind all day

"We Have Stirred up the Dust and Applauded ourselves over the show"
-Unknown

I first heard this quote during a Ramp service. I've heard Damon Thompson say it several times

I think that we as the Church Body have just stirred up the dirt and called it a day

Why??? you may ask

Because we lack faith.....

Because we can stir up the dirt and stay in our comfort zones

Actually doing something will cause us to get out of our comfort zone

The Disciples had a test of faith in Luke 8:22-25

²² One day Jesus and his followers got into a boat, and he said to them, "Let's go across the lake." And so they started across. ²³ While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A very strong wind blew up on the lake, causing the boat to fill with water, and they were in danger.

²⁴ The followers went to Jesus and woke him, saying, "Master! Master! We will drown!"

Jesus got up and gave a command to the wind and the waves. They stopped, and it became calm. ²⁵ Jesus said to his followers, "Where is your faith?"

The Disciples were fine on the land

but as soon as they stepped on the boat they got out of their comfort zone and lost faith

when the waves began to pour in they got scared and freaked out!...They forgot who was in the boat with them... they had the Prince of Peace in their Boat

I think that most people in the church today forgot who is in the boat with them

Shaking the Earth and remembering who's in my boat

Learning to LOVE

Listening to HIS whispers

Ben,

Jack or Jesus?

2009-03-16T16:21:00.004-04:00

The Weather here in the D is incredible today!
nice cool 60 degrees with a slight breese!!!!!
while my friends will roast in Tejas i will enjoy the comfortably cool temps here in the D

Today While i was doing my YouVersion Daily Read this passage really jumped out @ me

Luke 6:41-42
⁴¹ "Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your friend, 'Friend, let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye' when you cannot see that big piece of wood in your own eye! You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend's eye.

This is a story that i've heard many times but today when i read it i began to think about it in a different way
heres my translation
"Stop Telling people what to fix in their lives when you've got a load of crap in your own face"
I think that often times we are quick to judge others without recognizing the crap in our own lives!

On a more melodic thought
today i've been rocking Hillsongs New CD "This is our God"
it's got some powerful songs like "Stronger" "Desert Song" "This is our God"!!
your can purchase it here @ amazon

I read an awesome post today from @loswhit (ragamuffinsoul.com)
heres a bit that really stood out to me

" Isaiah 40:8 - The grass withers, and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.
Let me paraphrase this in terms we can grasp.
Isaiah 40:8 - Your stats will shrink and your mom will be the only one reading your blog, but who cares if you are living out His Word."
Your can read the rest of this post here @ragamuffinsoul.com

Today is Monday Which means that it is the night of Jack Bauer and Heroes!!

one last religous/comical/random thought

Who is the Savior of your World?
Jack Bauer or Jesus Christ???
who gets more time Jack or Jesus?

Letting Jesus be king
livin the REAL love
getting the loads of crap out of my life

Learning to LOVE
Listening to HIS whispers
Ben,

Servolution, Arts of the Fine, The Unlimited Realm,

2009-03-15T21:18:00.003-04:00

WOW today has been an awesome, incredible, busy, and stressful day!!
I started my moring out early and tired after a long 5 hour long practice for finearts last night!

when i got to church i was tired and not really ready to experience Gods presence

God quickly fixed that with a quick slap in the face with some "Servolution"
our church is housing 60 Homeless people this week and i was asked to help set up
after a long few hours of setting up beds and organizing bags service was over so i had to hurry and get some Subway and get back to the church in 30 minutes or less

then started a long day of stressful and crazy practicing for finearts

the conclusion of the night was our performance tonight
I watched as we had some awesome group perform tonight
i saw a small group that brought the stories of revelation to life
and a large group that showed the persecution of the early church
it was awesome and powerful!

I also Got to perform my short sermon tonight
i had to put on a suit coat and tie!
i realized that there's a reason that i don't wear dress clothes!!

but i preached and just let Yawheh have his way
cause when push comes to shove it's his sermon not mine!

one last thought
this past weekend i've been watching "The Unlimited Realm Conference" @thechurchalive in conway arkansas
Damon thompson said something very profound that has kept me thinking all day
he said that
"John marched until Prophesy became Opportunity"
Which mad me stop and think
if i was marching until prophesy became opportunity or was i waiting for the prophesy to start marching?

What are u doing?
are you marching Before the prophesy
or after?

i hope that u have an awesome sunday night and an awesome Monday
make it a not so typical monday
make it count for eternity

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

iPhone Church, TheRamp, FineArts

2009-03-14T14:43:00.004-04:00

Wow its' been a while since my last post!! probably b/c finearts is running my life! only 1 week until compettion so everybody running like chickens with their heads cut off to get ready for our 1st performance tomorrow night!

i've been thinking lately about the "iPhone CHURCH".... You may say "that's not possible" but the technology is their to do it... their are many mulit-site churches who broadcast live do different campusses... and theirs also churches like LifeChurch.tv that have an online community... where you can talk to different people during the service... LifeChurch even has an internet campus pastor!.... some churches are already talking about making a mobile broadcast of their services!

i've been watching TheRamp LIVE in Conway Arkansas the past two days it's been awesome to watch god move there check it out @http://ow.ly/VlS

Iam nervous, stressed, excited about finearts... we are performing in fron of the church tomorrow night... and i haven't even started my large group drama yet!

Well i hope you have an awesome saturday and an even more amazing sunday

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Short Bus and The Rescue

2009-03-10T16:16:00.003-04:00

Today has been an interesting day here in the D
this morning i got to school to get on a bus to head to another school like everyday
but my bus wasn't there....
so i waited with my friends......
and we waited some more.....
and after 30 minutes of waiting we realized that the bus wasn't coming to get us....
so we told the people in the office.....
so they called in another bus to come and get us....
so we waited for that bus.......
for 20 more minutes
and finally that bus arrived
and it was a SHORT BUS!!

i was earger and joyful
i felt flying
because i got to ride the SHORT BUS to school!!!!!
it was an incredible experience that i will never forget!!

on a more serious note.....
i posted a blog yester day entitled "Will you be abducted"
it was about an even that the Invisible Children are holding
it's to raise awareness and help intervene in Northern Uganda where Joseph Kony has created an army of Child Soldiers
who he has abducted and forced into doing grotesque things
like killing their own brothers.. many watched as their family members were butchered by Kony's ruthless rebel force
Joseph Kony said that he wanted peace
so the Ugandan government made an efforts at a and Peace Treaty
but when the time came for kony to show up and sign the Treaty he made the Ugandan Gov. wait for 5 days in the bush and he didn't show up

on Christmas day he massacred over 600 people
and abducted over 200 more children

Every day more people are butchered by his rebel army
and children are abducted and turned into monsters

On April 25th We are being abducted on behalf of Joseph Kony's 3,000 child soldiers
Join Us as we Rescue Joseph Kony's Child Soldiers
for more info on The Rescue visit http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php

Will you be Abducted?

2009-03-09T19:51:00.002-04:00

War is raging in Northern Uganda
Joseph Kony and the LRA
People are dying everyday
Children are being Abducted
running scared in the night
streets covered in blood
on Christmas Day Kony Massacred Hundreds of Ugandans and he abducted over 200 children and is forcing them to become monsters!

On April 25 we are being Abducted to Rescue the 3,000 Ugandan Children who have been abducted by Joseph Kony Join us and BE ABDUCTED!!

monday debrief

2009-03-09T16:04:00.003-04:00

heres a few of the thoughts that have been racing through my inner brain lobe... whatever that is?...

1. FineArts is running my life!!! iam either @ a practice or working on something for FineArts
we are a little less than 2 weeks out from districs so everybody is scrambling to get things together for competition

2. Heres a few blogs that i've read today that rocked my world
TheRamp
Love to Lead/ Lead to Love
Slack(Seth Godin)

3. i've been rockin some Rick Pino Angel of Awakening this afternoon
i love how Rick Pino's melodic intimate worship lyrics like
"Your Love is Like the Ocean and Iam drowning in your presence"
"Getting Lost in the Gaze of Your Eyes... Getting Lost in the Warmth of Your Smile"

4. i've been lovin the YouVersion Daily Reading lately
although last weeks reading in Leviticus was a little TMI with topics like "Bodily Discharge", "Skin Diseas".... Gross....
but Psalms is always awesome
and 2 corinthians was great... it was awesome to see how humble Paul was... no matter how much crap the Church in Corinth Gave him he still showed them love and kindness!!

5. i am def. ready for the weather to warm up and stay warm!!

6. i wish i was in Kenya with Stephen and his team!!

7. i can't wait for spring break!!

8. the Trajic story of an Illinois Pastor who was shot to death during his morning Service is sickening but just another sad sick and depressing reminder of the horrific state that our Nation is in

Does your Church have a "lockdown procedure" or a procedure for "unwanted Persons"??

9. iam eagerly awaiting my sBux VIA i ordered it sometime ago.... sBux sent me an email last week saying that it had been shipped so iam in eager anticipation for it!!!

I hope that you have an awesome and blessed monday
make this week count for eternity!!!
make today a not so typical monday!!

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Beautiful Day and Bono

2009-03-06T16:19:00.005-05:00

It's a Beautiful day here in Detroit
it's a cool 60 degrees with a small breeze
It feels so good to be able to walk outside without a jacket or hoodie on
i am so ready for my board shorts, flip flops, and V-necks weather....
but it's got to get like 75 before i can do that...

as this bitter and ugly winter comes to a close there is HOPE on the Horizon...
with flowers ready to bloom and grass ready to grow....
HOPE is stirring in the Earth... mother nature is ready to awaken a new fresh season of new life

So as iam sitting in my house with all the windows open... iam awaiting the warmth of spring and the fun of summer....
i can't wait to hit the beaches... i could live on the Beach... sand... surf... sun... closest thing to HEAVEN on Earth!!!

i've also loving U2's new CD "No Line On The Horizon"
if u havent gotten it yet
head to the nearest Starbucks and pick up a coffee and "No line on the horizon"
b/c for every "No Line..." CD sBux is giving $1 to (RED)

For every dollar you give to (RED) they can buy two life saving vaccines to save lives in Africa!!

i hope you have a great friday

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Revolutionary BattleCry

2009-03-05T15:55:00.004-05:00

So today is my Birthday.... it's a day to rejoice for living through a year... a day to reflect... a day to smile... a day to scream and shout... a day of Hope...

Today i've been thinking about what should next year hold for me
what is my "Battlecry"
is it 'ME FIRST" or "WE NOT ME"
iam running to the beat of the battle drum of heaven or the beat of crowd?

am i running the race keeping the faith?...

looking back on this past year the theme that resounds in my head is a 4 letter word
a word that has been pounded into my head by spiritual fathers, mentors, friends, family....
that theme is "LOVE"
over the last year i've been digging deep into the subject of LOVE
learning how to LOVE... and not to HATE... learning to speak LIFE and not DEATH...
learning to "Live the Real Love from a Real God in a Real World"

the past year had been a year of Change.... good and bad...
moving cross-country has brought some serious change into my life
new friends... new house... new church... new city... new state.... new mentors... new seasons... new cold... new snow.................
the list of new goes on and on......
i've learned something through all of these new things is that ONE things will NEVER change and that is "Yahweh"
in the midst of moving cross-country God didn't change... the people he moved with changed.. the worship changed...the church changed... but the Rock of Ages didn't change
He's the one thing that new changes
from the beginning of Time through the end of Eternity he will never change!!
there are still 4 six winged creatures around the circle of the Earth singing "Holy" "Holy" "Holy"

This past year has also brought a new President...... i may not agree with everything he stands for but i've learned that i still need to respect him and pray for him...
learning to "Kill them with kindness"-Mrs. "G"
the regime change in the oval office didn't change anything in the heavens
God still sits on the throne! he still reigns over everything!! he's the one thing in this world that hasn't changed...

Today i've also been reflecting on my "BattleCry"
a quote that i've learned to live by is "History will speak kindly of me for i intend to write it"-Winston Churchill
this is something that i've tried to fashion my life after
to always live as a history maker
making a difference.....
This year i feel a different "BattleCry" maybe something like "We Not Me"...
i heard a battlecry from the Revolutionary Battle Cry "No King But King Jesus"
maybe thats is?.....

the truth is i won't really know what was my battlecry till the battles are fought and won?
all i know is that iam going to run the race with perserverence... longevity... love... hope... grace.. peace... faith...

Whats your "BattleCry"?

No Line in the Horizon, b-day, 24... and whatever else is in my head..

2009-03-03T17:13:00.002-05:00

here's a few of the thoughts that are zooming in and out of my metamorphic mind

1. Iam lovin U2's new album No Line in The Horizon

2. U2 rocked David Lettermans late night show last night with "Breath"

3. I need a job

4. I can't believe my B-Day is this thursday... time flies...

5. 24 is possibly the best show in the History of the World!!

6. i don't know what i want for my b-day?...?..

7. i want my drivers permit... Zoom.. Zoom...

8. i was doing my YouVersion Daily Reading and this passage rocked my world today

Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute, and love without stopping -Paul the "Rawkfist" Apostle
(1 Corinthians 15:13-14)

9. i cant imagine my life without music

10. i want to go to Kenya with my friends from B-town TX

well that was a small little peak into my crazy cranium

one last challenge for YOU my reader
Take some time today and be completely silent and listen for God's still small voice..
I call it SHUT UP AND LISTEN!!
Listen to the Whispers of Heaven... you would be suprissed how much u can hear when u shut up and let God do the talking

Learning to LOVE
Listening to HIS whispers
Ben,

MAN MEAT!!

2009-03-01T20:42:00.003-05:00

Tonight Iam enjoying a FREE Wild Game dinner.
There's nothing like a FREE Dinner
especially when it's wild Game
i got it free cause it's the left overs from our church mission possible Wild Game Dinner that was on thursday
but who care about the little details
the point is that it's FREE and it tastes Good!!

i bet some of u are wondering what's "Wild Game"?
so i'll tell u... it's Venison, pheasant, Salmon, and other wild animals!!
accompanied by Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli
But the main part is that it has to be wild and taste Good!!

As i was eating this wonderful meal i began to think about Man Meat
both natural and supernatural meat!
God is our Daily Bread... God sent the isrealites daily meat
falling from the sky
hunters dream come true
birds falling from the sky
and they didn't have shotguns back then!!
God made sure that his Men were taken care off by giving them some MEAT!!
everyday they got meat from heaven
Are u getting ur daily dose of heavenly meat?
Iam not talking about venison falling from heaven!
iam talking about reading the word of God daily..
are u getting ur daily dose of Jesus?

well as i sit here w/ my country music a full stomach and some stanky breath
i encourage u to get ur daily dose of Man Meat from Heaven!!

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

the melody of my mind

2009-02-28T18:21:00.004-05:00

Todays Blog is all about MUSIC!!!
I've been counting down the days U2's new album "No Line in the Horizon" for weeks now!!
I got the single "Get on your Boots" the day it was released!
and have been waiting in earger expectation for the full album
so heres the Music Video for Get on YOur BoOtS
U2 - Get On Your Boots

Music for me is everything
i can't live without it!
i always keep my ipod w/ me!
i love it
it's good for every kind of mood.. sad.. happy... depressed.. crunk. crazy... funny..
whatever whenever
i can always have music
music i listen to varies a lot!!
on my ipod i have Eddie James black gospel music and UnderOath's hardcore screamo!
i can go from 80's rock U2 to steel guitar driven Brad Paisley
everything from Taylor Swift Lovestory to Demon Hunter Undying!!
from "Don't Worry About a thang"-Bob Marley
to "STORM THE GATES OF HELL!!!"-Demon Hunter

Music can be used for Good... Bad... Ugly... and the in between...

Music can be used to Glorify God and it can be used to Curse God

Music can make u happy... sad... depressed... emo.. hippy... the list goes on and on...

Music can control your emotions

My youthgroup oneEIGHT youth ministries worship band is putting out some new music
actually i recorded editted and uploaded it
but anyways it's awesome worship music that glorifys abba father

so check it out!

1:8 Youth Ministries on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

I hope u have an awesome saturday and an even more awesome sunday

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Listen, Live, Die, LOVE,

2009-02-27T16:40:00.003-05:00

wow i haven't blogged in a while
so here just some thoughts that have been flying through my metamorphic cranium

1. I can't wait for U2's new album "No Line in the Horizon" to release on tuesday!!

2. I am loving YouVersion Lately.. i've been reading in corinthians and psalms it's been awesome to see how awesome real and relevant God's word is!

3. I've been rockin the Copeland all day!!

4. This Chapter in Pslams has been wreckin me all day!!

Psalm 103

A David Psalm

^1-2 O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
don't forget a single blessing!

^3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.
He heals your diseases—every one.
He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
He renews your youth—you're always young in his presence.

^6-18 God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he's rich in love.
He doesn't endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
keeps in mind that we're made of mud.
Men and women don't live very long;
like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God's love, though, is ever and always,
eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
as they follow his Covenant ways
and remember to do whatever he said.

5. I need a job.. i want stuff like coffee and iPhone and other stuff

6. iam thinking about moving my blog from Blogger to WordPress
the only problem w/ that is WordPress is pretty complicated!!

7. Iam enjoying an afternoon of nothing right now... this is the 1st time in a while where i've been able to sit @ mi casa and relax

8. Lately I've been taking some time to Shut Up and Listen w/ God and it's been aweome to hear him speak to me in that still small voice

9. this list is getting longer than i thought

10. We've been studying Joan of Arc in History and this quote comes to my mind everytime i talk about her
“One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.”

What are You Living For?
What Are you Dying For?

Listening to HIS wispers
Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Packzis, LOVE, Boudan,

2009-02-24T16:15:00.005-05:00

So today is Packzi day here in Detroit!!
Packzi (pronounced pun-shki) are wonderful polish pastries
they're basically just deep fried jelly donuts w/ all sorts of fillings
from custard to my favorite Apple!!
i've already had like 2 today!!

growing up in the south Mardi Gras was always a day of Beer, Boudan(iam craving some DJ's Boudan), and Beads,
but here in the D-troit area they eat Packzi's on Fat Tueday

Fat Tuesday itself is a stupid idea!
i know from experience that over indulging on food before fasting does way more harm than Good!!
i don't fully understand why catholics even celebrate lent... or why they get wasted before they take 40 days to fast before easter!
it makes no sense to defile their bodies then starve them!
but anyways

Today i realized how awesome God is!
i was chillin w/ my friends @ school when my teacher brought in 12 Dozen Packzi's!!
and being the dude that i am i ate like 2 of emm and am feeling the reprocutions now!
but anyways today as i was eating packzi's God opened up doors for me to witness to my friends

it's awesome to see how God uses simple things like packzi's to show his glory and honor and pure awesomeness!!

so today enjoy some packzi's or if ur in the south some Boudan and always look for ways to bring to real LOVE of God to everybody!!

verse of John Mark Mcmillan's song How he loves is still ringing in my head!

"We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way

He loves us,"

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Carpe Diem Debrief

2009-02-23T16:29:00.003-05:00

So yesterday I got back from my youth groups Carpe Diem Winter Retreat
it was awesome and cold!!
God really moved mightily in the services!
the band was incredible
and pastor Ryan Elie brought a great word every night!

We also had an awesome time sledding!!
but now iam sore all over!!

The Band played a song called "How He Loves" by Jon Mark McMillan
and it WRECKED me every time we sang it!
so here's the very powerful lyrics!!

How He Loves

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

Random Psalms

2009-02-18T15:49:00.002-05:00

Today i came across this chapter in psalms on YouVersion
so i thought i'd share it with yall

Psalm 86 (The Message)

^1-7 Bend an ear, God; answer me. I'm one miserable wretch!
Keep me safe—haven't I lived a good life?
Help your servant—I'm depending on you!
You're my God; have mercy on me.
I count on you from morning to night.
Give your servant a happy life;
I put myself in your hands!
You're well-known as good and forgiving,
bighearted to all who ask for help.
Pay attention, God, to my prayer;
bend down and listen to my cry for help.
Every time I'm in trouble I call on you,
confident that you'll answer.

^8-10 There's no one quite like you among the gods, O Lord,
and nothing to compare with your works.
All the nations you made are on their way,
ready to give honor to you, O Lord,
Ready to put your beauty on display,
parading your greatness,
And the great things you do—
God, you're the one, there's no one but you!

^11-17 Train me, God, to walk straight;
then I'll follow your true path.
Put me together, one heart and mind;
then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord;
I've never kept secret what you're up to.
You've always been great toward me—what love!
You snatched me from the brink of disaster!
God, these bullies have reared their heads!
A gang of thugs is after me—
and they don't care a thing about you.
But you, O God, are both tender and kind,
not easily angered, immense in love,
and you never, never quit.
So look me in the eye and show kindness,
give your servant the strength to go on,
save your dear, dear child!
Make a show of how much you love me
so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed,
As you, God, gently and powerfully
put me back on my feet.

Flying thoughts and FREE STARBUCKS

2009-02-17T22:20:00.005-05:00

i am just gonna throw out some random thoughts that have by flying through my cranium
1) iam lovin Pandora it's my own personal radio station of music that i like and it's FREE!! u should try it

2) Today I saw Taken and it was pretty good... it lacked some action... but had a good plot...

3) I can't wait for our Carpe Diem winter retreat this weekend!!

4) iam excited for worship tomorow night.. we had practice tonight and i could already feel the anointing in the house

5) iam teaching myself to speak more "4 Letter Words"(Love, Give, Pray, Serve,)

6) i've been taking time to shut up and listen to God's whispers and it's been awesome!! U should try it for urself

7) I love StarBucks Coffee... I went to sBux after the movie today and it was so good!

8) i really want an iPhone... i was playing w/ them this afternoon in the Apple store

9) I really need a job... so i can get an iPhone and buy more sBux coffee!!

10) i am thinking about moving my blog from blogger to wordpress... and maybe getting my own seperate website name

11) i saved the best for last!! i found a link for FREE STARBUCKS COFFEE!!
sBux has this new "instant" coffee... it's suppose to be good
click here to get some for urself!!

SHUT UP AND LISTEN

2009-02-16T20:54:00.004-05:00

Today I've been thinking about LISTENING
I think that often times when we come to God in prayer we give him a long list of problems and say fix them good bye
we don't give God any time to speak
we need to SHUT UP AND LISTEN
it's like we need God to send a pillar of Fire before we listen
we need to be like samuel and say "Speak LORD for your servant is listening"
we need to come before God humble and silent and just say SPEAK LORD IAM LISTENING
we gotta shut up and listen

Tonight find u a place in ur house.. maybe ur bed before you go to sleep and just shut up and listen. or maybe it's the Shower... Yeah ur shower God can speak there
God can speak anywhere as long as ur ready to listen!
Let's listen to God's still small voice!
Ellijah was on Mount. Horeb and he didn't hear God's voice in the earthquake or in the thunder or in the wind he heard God voice in a WHISPER!!
we gotta listen for his WHISPER

learning to shut up and listen

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

vintage church

2009-02-15T22:40:00.003-05:00

Tonight me and my youth group went on an outreach trip to Eastpoint
i think we doubled the size of the church w/ our group of 27!!
it was this small old church of maybe a max of 150
and we did some drama's for them
anyways we started service and we began to sing worship
at first i was distracted by the sound of an old keyboard that was out of tune and playing the song in the wrong key and the drummer who only knew like 2 beats!!
although the sound wasn't great we began to sing "Here in your Presence" and the spirit just hit the place
it was a pretty awesome feeling
u could just sense the presence of God in the house!!
as we sang "Wonderful, Beautiful, Glorious, Matchless in every way"
the spirit began to move
we were singing that one chorus for like 10 minutes and the glory moved all over us!

it was awesome to watch the power of God move in a small church like that
earlier today i was wishing and wanting to have a church w/ mulit campuses and a HDTV live video stream to different campuses and a starbucks in the church
and God slapped me in the face by showing me that i was getting away from the meaning of church
i was getting consumed in making things look cool rather than being consumed w/ gods love for people

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

FREE COFFEE AND PHOTOGRAPHY

2009-02-14T20:55:00.004-05:00

Today I was in the mood to take pictures.... so i did
here's a few of em.... tell me what ya think....

also Iam giving away FREE duncan doughnuts COFFEE!!!!

right here @www.bensbraindump.blogspot.com

crazy random ME!!

2009-02-13T16:11:00.005-05:00

here's a few thoughts that have been flying through my crazy cranium today!

1) lets speak more "4-Letter Words".... not the kind ur thinking of.... words like LOVE, PEACE, LIVE, PRAY, FAST, GIVE, LEARN, TEACH,

2) Damon thompson rocks my boat!! today i listened to a sermon from him on living life in the spirit that recked me!!

3) I can't wait for Carpe Diem next weekend!! iam believing for signs wonders miracles and revival!!

4) the words of jesus messed w/ me today "So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all."

5) iam lovin "The Afters" album "Never Going Back to OK"... i've been rockin it all day

hope u have a great weekend
speak some "4-letter words"...

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

LOVE on the yellow box

2009-02-12T16:11:00.004-05:00

Today I was on the bus and started talking to one of my friends named Dustin
I've been trying to witness to Dustin all year long
he has his own personal philosophy filled with all sorts of interesting things!
so for the past few months i've just been lovin on him everyday on the Bus
and today he brought up Jesus into our conversation and i jumped on it!!
we started talking about heaven, hell, ghost's, Jesus, Preaching, Faith,
he asked my questions like "Why do bad things happen to Good People"
and "Why would God send good people to hell" it was awesome!!
about halfway into our conversation the bus started to get quiet and right before we got off i stopped talking for a second and looked around and all the people on the bus had stopped talking and were listening to our conversation!!
it looked like it made them stop and think about God and religion and if they were going to hell or not!
right before we got off the bus dustin told me that he would say the sinners pray with me!
we couldn't do it then cause his mom was already screaming and swearing at him to get in the car!

man it's been an exciting day!!!!
hope ur days been as awesome as mine

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Amazing Earth

2009-02-11T16:23:00.003-05:00

Today in science we watched Discovery Channel's "Planet Earth" it was an amazing T.V. show.
from a film perspective it was an incredible feat to capture all of those shots in high definition..

as i was watching i began to think of it in a different perspective
instead of just seeing a tree and a monkey i started to think that God created that Tree and God created that Monkey and God told both of them what to do and how to do it
i started to think about God and Creation
that in 6 days God created all of these amazing things!!
i began to truely understand how awesome, incredible, and Amazing God really is!!
i think that the True Majesty of God is revealed in Nature
it's awesome to see all of the amazing things that God created!!

I hope u have a great wensday

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Tonight we dine in HELL!!

2009-02-09T16:12:00.002-05:00

Today i was once again rockin the Demon Hunter
i was listening to their live in nashville album and right before they started to sing "Storm the Gates of Hell" i heard "Tonight we dine in HELL"
which i know is not an original but when i heard it i thought of a quote

"Some want to live within the sound of church bells... but i want to run rescue missions withing the gates of HELL"

The song "Storm the Gates of Hell" has really become my anthem lately so here the powerful and awesome lyrics

Broken teath, a shattered jaw
Ten to one, behold my God
Wicked sons of heaven's loss
Raise your own inverted cross
King's of earth, iron fist
Serve the sacred you dismissed
Stand before your final day
Choke on every line you pray

Raise your glass to death
Not one second left

Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me. Storm the Gates of Hell
Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me. Storm the Gates of Hell.
Storm the Gates of Hell.

Coward's heart, a serpent's tongue
Stand to face what you've outrun
Fear of death, fear of pain
Bound to all you took in vain
No more lies, no regrets
Sever ties and hollow debts
Open eyes, live to learn
Or watch your blessed temple burn

Raise you glass to death
Not one second left

Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me. Storm the Gates of Hell
Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me. Storm the Gates of Hell.
Storm the Gates of Hell.

Hell Hath No Fury At All.

My favorite part of this song is the Chorus that says "Wake the lifeless, die to fight this
Stand beside me. Storm the Gates of Hell"
this has really become my anthem the past few weeks!
my battle cry has been "hell hath no fury at all"
my desire is to live a live that is "STRONGER THAN HELL"

Let's storm the gates of hell and live stronger than hell

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Stain glass and demon hunter

2009-02-08T21:33:00.003-05:00

I am just gonna give ya a quick thought that have been on my mind on this busy crazy crunk and awesome sunday

The first thing that has been running through my head today is that we have turned the church into a hotel instead of a hospital

the church has become a place where christians feel comfortable but the unsaved people feel awkward and out of place
we have outfitted out churches with stain glass windows and pews that make the unsaved people uncomfortable
we've compromised on our calling in order to have nice facilities
the great commission wasn't to go and make nice buildings and have choirs and video screens
the great commission was to save the lost at all cost

today i was rockin the DEMON HUNTER w/ my friend derek and as we were watching Demon Hunters live concert dvd i was amazed at the amount of prophetic power there was in their songs
their music didn't just sound hardcore it challenged u to live a hardcore life for Jesus Christ
i know that i've got friends that would never step into a church service but they would go to a demon hunter concert b/c that's what they like
why couldn't our churches be more like that!
why couldn't they be places where everybody is welcomed and feels welcome
a place where hardcore dancing and screemo is totally cool!!
my goal for my life is to plant an inner city church where all the "Rejects" "Misfits" "Freaks" can come and feel welcome
i want the people who nobody else cared about
the people who were rejected from the normal church b/c they were too hardcore
people who are done playing games and want to live STRONGER THAN HELL!!
I think that John the Baptist and Paul would be at the hardcore shows
I think that Paul the "Rawkfist" apostle would be all for doing church like nobody does church
living the life that nobody else is living cause our life is REAL!!!
i think that John the baptist would be at the concert hanging out with the people who didn't fit in at church cause that's who he hung w/
he was suppose to be a levitical priest but he gave that up to prepare the way for jesus christ!!

Let's live STRONGER THAN HELL!!
lets always keep our eyes on the prize and run the race spreading LOVE, HOPE, PEACE, GRACE!!
Let's make the church a place where everybody feels welcomed and loved

have a great sunday evening
and an even more awesome monday!!

Learning to LOVE
living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

I will wait

2009-02-07T17:58:00.003-05:00

During my Devo's today i heard this song and it really got me thinking

I will wait for you, Jesus
You're the son in my horizon
All my hopes in you, Jesus
I can see you now arising
(repeat)

There's a wall that stands in front of me
That I know I just can't climb
And like an eagle you will carry me
Its just a matter of the time

I will wait for you, Jesus
You're the son in my horizon
All my hopes in you, Jesus
I can see you now arising

Evil armies all around me

I believe in the word that promises me
So I will wait another day

I will wait for you, Jesus
You're the son in my horizon
All my hopes in you, Jesus
I can see you now arising
(repeat)

I will wait for you
Oh I will wait for you
Oh the doubt may try to come in
The disillusions may try to come in

I believe oh Lord (x3)
In the word that you promised (x3)
I believe it will not end
I believe it will not go

I will wait for you, Jesus
You're the son in my horizon
All my hopes in you, Jesus
I can see you now arising

This song "I will wait" by Jason Upton really got me thinking about waiting
waiting upon God,
I think that waiting is something that we don't often do in church today
in a world of fast food, instant meals, on demand movies, we don't wait on anything
not even the hand of all mighty God
we don't know how to "tarry" in the presence of God

"We are into microwaving, God is into marinating"- Dutch Sheets

I think that sometimes God doesn't want to give us something instantly he wants us to wait and tarry in his presence

Lets learn to Wait

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

doctors for the healthy

2009-02-06T14:52:00.005-05:00

Today i was doing my YouVersion daily reading and as i was reading Mark 2 these verses really got me thinking

15-16Later Jesus and his disciples were at home having supper with a collection of disreputable guests (Bad People). Unlikely as it seems, more than a few of them had become followers. The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: "What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riffraff?"

17Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit."

This statement by Jesus is very profound and simple. I think that we often times forget in church that Jesus didn't come so that we could build bigger churches, have nicer facilities.
He came to SAVE THE LOST AT ALL COST!
I think that we as christians loose sight of that vision.
the vision to save the lost at ALL cost

I also find it interesting that the followers of Jesus were "Disreputable" according to their society
they weren't to kind of people that would typically hang out at church
they were people who didn't fit in with the religious crowd but they fit in with Jesus!
i love how Jesus peeps were the misfits!! the freaks!! weirdos!!
the people who were tired of religion and wanted a relationship!!
those were the kind of people that jesus rolled with!
it didn't matter where they had been it mattered where they were going!!

Lets save the lost at all cost
and lets love the lost at all costs

Have a great weekend weekend

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls

crazyness and careers

2009-02-05T16:25:00.003-05:00

Today at school we had did a "career profile" so we took this long personality test and after we finished the test it told us our top 3 career choices and mine read
1. Clergy (Pastor)
2. Disc Jockey (DJ)
3. Camera Operator

so i started to research my career choices
i looked at the overview of Clergy and for income it said $10,ooo which doesn't sound bad for a guy who had no job but compared to my friend who was next to me who's job was lawyer and income was $100,000 i looked like a crazy idiot!!
I love how sometimes god uses the simple things in life to show us our destiny... like a stupid personality profile at school

I also love how random my careers were everybody careers were in the same field buy mine were in completely different fields!!
i gues that's just my crazy random personality!!

Have a great thursday!!!

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,

Night of Nothingness

2009-02-03T20:31:00.002-05:00

Tonight i have done absolutely nothing... and i've loved every moment of it!!!
it's always good to take a night off and do nothing!!
So iam just gonna write some stuff that's running through my crazy mess of thoughts called my cranium

1) Iam lovin twitter!! cause i can finally post status updates on my blog!!
2) I can't believe the ridonculous power of the SMILE!! you can brighten up somebody's day by just smillin and saying "have a great day"!!!
3) i love YouVersion!! i love the online journal it's like my own study bible in like 10 different versions!!
4) iam diggin the Fray's new CD
5) i can't wait till tomorrow night... can't wait to enter in to the throne room of heaven w/ oneEIGHT!! and worship the king of kings and lord of lords!!
6) I wish i had super powers!! being able to fly would be pretty freakin awesome!!
7) I can't wait for U2 to release theyre new album "No line in the horizon"
8) this list is getting longer that i thought it would!!

here's a verse i came across today that really jacked w/ my mind!

Psalms 62: 5-7
5 I find rest in God;
only he gives me hope.
6 He is my rock and my salvation.
He is my defender;
I will not be defeated.
7 My honor and salvation come from God.
He is my mighty rock and my protection.

Learning to LOVE
Living under HIS waterfalls
Ben,