a streetlight... from nothing to something

...the whole backbone of the Streetlights event i created with some friends in May to help fundraise for my local missions trip/internship to the Jane and Finch community.


the reason i came up with that name can be found when you break it up and then you look at it from afar.

street + light = streetlights

the street, or the streets. going back to the community and where the real people are. where people live and where people interact everyday. where people are real. where things go down, but also where Jesus would probably be chillin' at. back in the days of Jesus, he hung out with the sinners and the 'sick', not the righteous... sometimes we may go overseas or to other countries to preach the good news, not that that's bad or anything, but sometimes we may neglect or overlook the need right here in our very own cities... in the streets, where some people may not want to go, where people may be scared, or there may be a bad reputation, but we're still supposed to have the compassion Jesus had, and the courage he had, to just go, and love.

light. in Matthew 5:14-16, we are called to be lights in this world. we are living in a crooked and depraved generation (philippians 2), and we need to be that light in the darkness, to stand out, to be the fragrance in the world that is radically different from the world. to be counter cultural. it's our job, not just the person beside us, sitting next to us, we are all called to have courage and shine before men.... so that they may see God and Jesus in us and take notice, and start asking questions.

a streetlight. something ordinary, something people overlook, and take for granted, and something we never pay attention to, or notice. it's just metal + concrete + a lightbulb. but it's something like that which has a deeper and more meaningful purpose... just as God takes us, as we are, and can use us for things we could have never imagined, to further His kingdom. if you were to walk down a street, or walk down a pathway in a park without any streetlights, there would be nothing, and it would be pretty dark and pretty scary, cause you have no idea where you are, where you're going, but moreso, have no idea where to go. a streetlight gives light and there's help, guidance, gives you direction, helps you figure out where you are and then you can see where you need to go.

if you humbly come before God and are willing, i know and believe that God will take you and use you, fill you and guide you, and mold and transform you into a true follower of God, and will have a calling for you, and there will be many things in store for you....

there shouldn't be any excuse, and there can't be anyone who can't be used by God, to glorify God.


Matthew 5:14, "YOU are the light of the world...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

so? go and shine....

the beautiful and the wretched...

i was just reading Shane Claiborne's IRRESTIBLE REVOLUTION, which I highly recommend,
and i just thought it was a cool, subtle thing when he was talking about something along the lines of...

when we think of ourselves as beautiful and flawless and exalt ourselves, God humbles us, and we are reminded that we are sinners, and we are unworthy and wretched.
however,
when we humble ourselves, and acknowledge that we are unworthy and wretched, God reminds us that we are His creation and we were made beautiful and are beautiful

ok, i totally screwed up that paraphrasing, and i totally added stuff to that, but that was inspired by what i was reading in Shane's book.


if we aren't coming before God in fear and reverence and awe, then we aren't taking this faith serious enough. often times we think of God and Jesus as our best friend, but we must also remember that He is the Almighty God, the Lord of Lords, and there is nothing in this world or universe that even comes close. When we come before Him, we should come in fear and trembling as it says in Philippians 2, and know that we are unworthy and are in need of much grace and mercy, and we cannot do anything on our own strength.

even for myself, i just need to check my attitude sometimes, and not get settled with the 'best friend' aspect and forget about the 'Great King of Majesty' that is so holy, and we come nowhere close without Jesus.

feel free to leave your thoughts or comments.
peace to the least.

The Revolution and The Movement is beginning...

As i was going through some articles and christian happenings on the internet, i found this article from Relevant Magazine on The I Heart Revolution, started by Joel Houston, band member from Hillsong United. As i was reading this article and what this revolution campaign was all about, it just seemed to match perfectly with what i've been feeling over the past few months, and the fuel and passion behind it, is exactly paralleled with what God has placed in my heart, so i think it's perfect, and God made that happen. So here's a bit from the article i was reading, and after that is Joel Houston's message from his website, urging us all to be part of this revolution.

"...That’s where the third part of The I Heart Revolution comes in. Aptly titled The Movement, part three is practical application. Houston has coined the term “Glocal,” which he says is carried out when we are constantly doing the little things well: engaging the people we come across daily, whether at a coffee shop, a grocery store or elsewhere. It’s also about avoiding ignorance and arrogance. “It’s impossible to ignore that everything Jesus did was about others,” Houston says. The Movement is a call to further put that into practice."

Jahred Schmidt, on Joel Houston's call for a movement
from Relevant Magazine

- - -

"This is where YOU get involved.. part one and two are the story and the mission.. They are united projects aimed at giving us all a global perspective.. Part three is about YOU.. About your projects.. About telling the stories of everyday heroes.. People who are taking it to the streets.. Who aren't just doing Church, but who are stepping out and BEING the Church.. And this is what will decide whether we're a part of generation of hype and good intentions - who sung the songs and talked about making a difference but with little action.. Or whether we can truly say we were a part of global revolution.. A movement of passionate people who laid down our own personal agendas for the good of others and the cause of Christ.. Who stood up and DID something.. With no agenda but LOVE..

I HEART.

It's a locally focused initiative which, if we work together, will have global impact..

Think of it as a GLOCAL project...

Imagine a global online community where at any moment you can see what other like-minded people all around the world are doing locally to make a difference.. It's about being the change.. Locally, and together having global effect..

A social justice hub where the Church can use it's voice and be heard on the issues of injustice that face so many.. And be mobilised to action and operate as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ..

It will work when we as the Church take up the call to act on the "opportunities" that we all have every day to love our neighbours - near and far.. It doesn't matter where you live, or what you have.. There are no excuses.. Everyone can love.. Opportunity is there for anybody willing to open their eyes to it..

Practically it'll depend entirely on all of us choosing to act.. We're gonna do our best to set up a platform and a network where we can be educated on the issues.. Be directed to ways we can help.. Be inspired by the stories of others.. And share our own experiences and challenges... But ultimately this is about YOU taking up the challenge to live your life for OTHERS....

SO THERE IT IS.. I BELIEVE WE'RE ON THE EDGE OF A MOVE OF GOD LIKE NEVER BEFORE.. I REALLY DO.. BUT GOD ALWAYS RESPONDS TO US EARNESTLY AND DILIGENTLY SEEKING HIM!!! SO CHASE HIM!! DESIRE MORE!! BUT BE READY TO NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.. PREPARE YOURSELF TO LIVE UNCOMFORTABLY; TO BE INCONVENIENCED, BUT TO SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY!!! IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS.. THE UNSEEN.. THE SELFLESS.. IT'S TRUE WORSHIP.. IT'S WHAT WE WERE MADE FOR..!!

MUCH LOVE...

jth"
Joel Houston
http://iheartrevolution.com/

you should check out the video on their page too. this is totally what's needed today, and the revolution starts now. turn off your computer, what are you waiting for?
hahaha...
but seriously, let's go.

"comfortable and complacent is dangerous"

"Perhaps the most dangerous place for a Christian to be is in safety and comfort"

"While the ghettos may have their share of violence and crime, the suburbs are the home of the more subtle demonic forces - numbness, complacency, comfort - and it is these that can eat away at our souls."
Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution

Christianity and following Jesus is HARD.
it's hard in a way, not that i'm turned off by it, and whatnot,
but over the past few months, and now..
still i'm learning how hard it is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus
to really count the cost
and pick up your cross
and follow this revolutionary

to live counterculturally
to find life by losing your life
to deny yourself, and your flesh
deny your friends and family
deny this world and everything in it
not conforming to any of the patterns or culture (Romans 12:2)

you have to lay down your life.
give up your life for God
sacrifice everything...
your dreams, your hopes, your ambitions
your job, your friends, your family
your success, your pride
your whole life.

the cost of discipleship....
it's hard! would you consider it impossible?
i definitely think it's worth it
but is it actually humanly possible (next to Jesus)?

a phrase i've been saying to a lot of people lately is this,
"the things you almost can't give up, are the things you really should give up"
detachment.
my mission this year...and for my lifetime....
to be able to give up things, detaching myself from the things of this world...
so it's like FASTING. humbling yourself and sacrificing, to experience God more, and grow closer
be able to give things up in devotion and obedience, and experiencing what people who regularly don't have these things experience.
(for example, fasting, you feel how hungry and starving people in destitute places feel like)
sooo i encourage you to start this detachment process....
during the year, start small.... give things up for maybe a day or a couple days....
then move on to giving things up for a week or so
then hopefully go onto months, and then maybe if it's possible to cut it out of your life completely....

giving things up like MSN, TV, Facebook, make-up, brand name clothing, going out to eat, fast food, eating meat (this one, maybe not the lifetime sacrifice, but to be able to give it up for a small amount of time, can really show detachment, and discipline!), going out to movies, going out for bubble tea, shopping, downloading, listening to bad music (may not even be explicitly bad, but not GOOD music), sports may be a hindrance in your life...etc

what i'm trying to get at, is that these things and more, are potential hindrances in our lives, they are a foothold in our life that satan has on us, and as long as we can't give it up, or don't try and give it up, satan has that advantage on us, and he has that thing on us, holding us back from truly experiencing God and from true discipline and devotion. these hindrances are what we need to work towards detaching from these things that hold us in bondage. and when we fully rely on Jesus, when we cling onto nothing else but Him, and declare that nothing in this world can ever satisfy us, except the grace and love of God, then we are liberated and free from this bondage and the ties that bind us and hold us down.

i'm planning to do this detachment process during the year with my fellowship at Laurier, and a couple people from outside of Laurier, some of my friends from other campuses were interested, so i was thinking of sending out emails and stuff to notify everyone of what we're gonna give up as a group, and for how long, and for ideas and comments, and suggestions and whatnot, so if you're interested or wanna be notified or if you have any questions FELL FREE, and just let me know.

the idea behind this, is to live more simple and to live closer to the life we're called to live, based on the Holy Bible, to give up all the luxuries and unnecessary things to live free of bondage and to be liberated, living a righteous, Godly life, holy and pleasing to God.

just remember,

Christianity shouldn't be lived out only if it's considered cool. Jesus wasn't crucified because people thought he was cool, and we shouldn't live life to be cool, to impress others, to have a sweet rep'. Jesus was crucified because His life was radically different from culture and from society. He lived a life counter cultural, backwards from society, where the last are first and the first are last and where He hung out with the outcasts of society. That's the life we should be living.

If Christianity becomes stale and boring, maybe its because the gospel is made easy rather than difficult. Christianity should be daring and challenging, and should not have to be something entertaining, but should involve risks and being bold.
If we're not offending people, and if life is too easy and comfortable, are we truly living out our faith?