Experienced loss at a major cost,
But I never lost faith in you.

So if you see me cry, it’s just a sign that I,
I’m still alive, (I’ve got some scars but) I’m still alive

In spite of calamity, He still has a plan for me,
And it’s working for my good, and it’s building my testimony

So glad I made it, so glad I made it,
I made it through, I made it through.

This song is going to minister to so many people. This man lost his wife. In fact, he can barely finish the song. For someone to stand up and sing these words after such a major lost, there is no other explanation. Nobody. But. Jesus.

As we entered tax season, my wife and I decided to use a Certified Public Accountant (aka CPA) this year. Things just got a little bit too complicated for us to do them ourselves. The CPA knew little about us, but I recognized one thing when I began submitting the various items he requested. He could tell a lot about us just by looking at our spending. The truth is:

A person’s bank statement can tell you a lot about them.

In the same way, our spiritual deposits (and withdrawals) can certainly tell others a lot about us. Be careful who you give access to your account. There are people in your life that constantly withdraw “funds”. Somehow, they’ve learned your pin number and use it often. Let them go. If they aren’t contributing to your “spiritual household” they are leeches.

If you did a spiritual audit of your life right now, what would your statement say? Is your life in turmoil because you’re feeling “overdrawn”? The good news is that you have overdraft protection. But in order to take advantage of it, you have to notify your “institution”. Talked to God lately about things that have been taxing you? You might as well. The heavenly CPA is waiting. He’s already seen your statement. Who knows? You might just get a return.

Human beings in a mob
What’s a mob to a king?
What’s a king to a God?
What’s a God to a non-believer who don’t believe in anything?
Will he make it out alive, alright, alright, no Church in the wild.-(The Hook) No Church in the Wild

Released in August 2011, Watch the Throne is a collaborative effort by Jay-Z and Kanye West. Since its release, the album has gone platinum, selling over 1 million copies. To say that it has reached a wide, diverse audience is an understatement. You can hardly go to any public event without hearing a hit from the album blasting from the speakers overhead. The obvious theme of many of the songs? The “larger than life” personalities and lifestyles of Jay-Z and West. The album is critically acclaimed for its content and production. However, one song strikes a not-so-melodic chord with me. When I heard it, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

While I understand the concept of free artistic expression, I assert my attendant right to address what I feel to be a blatant attack on my faith. Please understand, I don’t know if there is any covert Illuminati organization responsible for certain songs/media portrayals/etc…, but I do know when someone speaks against the Gospel I’ve dedicated my life to defending. So I have to speak my piece.

The song begins and posits several questions. They appear to be rhetorical. We already should know the answers to them. The mob means nothing to a king. The king is powerful. He has legions of soldiers at his disposal. He can intimidate the mob with his power and army. But even the king has to answer to divinity. In fact, the king’s rights (in most cultures) flow from the divine. But then the hook takes an interesting detour.

What’s a God to a non-believer–who don’t believe in anything? The resounding answer in this song: Nothing.

God doesn’t exist in the mind of a non-believer. This leaves that person to fend for himself. But there’s an accompanying, transparent concern whether he will make it out alive. The hook concludes with the assertion that there’s no church in the wild. This is nothing new for Jay-Z. He’d previously stated on Empire State of Mind that “Jesus can’t save you, life starts when the Church ends” (Yet Christians run around singing, “I’m from Neeew Yoooooork”). There’s an underlying renunciation of the Church present here. I don’t have time to go into all the lyrics, but there are a few that I’d like to point out.

Jesus was a carpenter, [Kanye], he lay beats
Hova flow the Holy Ghost, get the he$* up out your seats
Preach…-(Verse 1) No Church in the Wild

The vocational similarities of Jesus and Kanye West are obvious in Jay-Z’s mind. Even a metaphorical pairing of the two is, at best, tenuous. Jesus was perfect. The greatest, most humble Man to ever walk this planet. Oh yeah, and he was GOD! On the other hand, Kanye is imperfect. Humility doesn’t appear anywhere in his biography. Oh yeah, and as much as he wants to be in his own world, he aint God. But I’m not surprised.

This is the same man who claims he “made Jesus walk” and as a result is “never going to hell.”

Sorry Yeezy, but Jesus was walking and has been walking before you were thought of or conceived. He’s walked in the lives of faithful believers over the past 2000-plus years. But I digress. With the Jesus/Kanye comparison in place, Jay-Z proceeds to complete the Watch the Throne trinity. When he flows the “Holy Ghost” apparently falls and makes people get out of their seats. Amazing. His words (all the “b*$*thes, male chauvinism, materialism, and egocentricity) cause the “Holy Ghost” to fall.

A ghost might fall, but it sure aint holy.

Although they claim there’s no Church in the wild, these two men go to great lengths to establish their own religion. The presence of Kanye, Jay-Z, and the “Holy Ghost” make up the trinity of this new system of beliefs. What are their beliefs? I’m glad you asked.

We formed a new religion
No sin as long as there’s permission
And deception is the only felony
 So never f*$# anyone without tellin’ me-(Verse 2) No Church in the Wild

There it is. West says it. Point blank. We formed a new religion. Forget about sin. As long as you have permission, you’re good to go. The only thing they ask? No need to be monogamous in a relationship. Open relationships are encouraged and welcome. Just make sure you tell the other party about your promiscuous exploits. Because you don’t want to be deceptive. Oh, the irony. There’s a real deception here.

The deception lies in the ”it’s just music” attitude we have when it comes to stuff like this.

We point out how nice the beat is, but don’t understand that the lyrical content is settling in our spirits. These are things that have the potential to enter your heart. If we’re really sincere about our relationship with God, we’ll take His exhortation seriously: “Above all else, guard your heart with all diligence…” (Proverbs 4:23). I’m no conspiracy theorist. I don’t know who shot J.R. on Dallas. I don’t think the government was involved in the assassination of Lincoln, JFK, or King. But I do know deception when I see it. And I despise it.

Oh yeah, I’ve got news for Yeezy and Jay-Z. Next time you want to make a song about the Church make sure you do some research. The Church STARTED in the wild. Just ask John the Baptist (See Matthew 3:1-11). And faithful believers have been outside-of-the-box wild ever since. Let me conclude by answering your rhetorical question in the hook. What’s a God to a non-believer?

He’s still God.

Where can we place the “blame”? The NBA officially integrated pretty early–in 1950 to be exact. Over time, African-Americans would come to dominate the game. Maybe it was the NBA/ABA merger that sealed its fate. Maybe it happened as late as the death of “short shorts” era via Michigan’s Fab Five. Maybe it was the rise of superstars with hood credibility–most notably Allen Iverson. Whatever the case may be, the sport has evolved. This certainly isn’t what James Naismith imagined when he decided to hang peach baskets in 1891. The 24 second shot clock, the slam dunk, and the “hand check” rule abolished, all led to a bigger, faster NBA. These changes tended to phase out players who didn’t fit the athletic mold.

Teams began looking for players with wingspans. The wanted players who starred in multiple sports in high school. They sought out players who were raw–with upside. Enter Jeremy Lin. Or Lin-sanity. Or Lin-vincible. Or the Lin-sation. Whatever you want to call him, over the past two weeks there’s been non-stop coverage of a young man whose had tons of success of late. But he doesn’t fit the mold. He’s not one of us, but he has a quick first step. He doesn’t have tattoos, but he lets out an emphatic “And One” after he makes a twisting lay up–getting fouled in the process. He’s not from the streets. In fact, he’s a Harvard-educated, Bay Area kid. Although he expresses a desire to do urban missions work, his hood credibility is questionable. So what do African-Americans do with him?

We have a tradition of making “others” honorary African-Americans. Christina Aguilera. With those pipes? Honorary. Eminem. With that flow? Honorary.  Bringing it closer to home, former Kings point guard Jason Williams. With that swagger and the tattoos? Honorary. It was his destiny.  I mean, his nickname was White Chocolate. But what of this Jeremy Lin guy? Let me share with you what I overheard in a barber shop recently:

Jeremy Lin (post-game interview): I just want to thank God for giving me this opportunity.

Barber Shop Patron: I’m surprised he didn’t mention Buddha…I don’t think this will last.

For starters, Lin is a devout Christian. So much so that he’s being touted as the Asian Tebow. Maybe the man in the barber shop missed that part. Whatever the case, he assumed he was a Buddhist because of his ethnicity. He went even further. No way this Asian dude lasts in the NBA. I’m sure visions of Yao Ming’s unfulfilled potential were on his mind at the time. I think it’s safe to assume that this man would NOT consider Jeremy Lin honorary. Sadly, I think there are many African-Americans who feel the same way.  He is invading our space. In fact, he made Deron Williams, John Wall, and–gasp–Kobe Bryant look stupid in the same week. For some, this was a direct attack on the “blackness” of the NBA. They clothe their disdain in “wait and see” language, yet internally are hoping he doesn’t succeed. The protectionism–of course I’ll use an economics term here–is apparent. They stand in their Under Armour apparel and belt it out: “We must protect this [league]!”

Then there are others in the African-American community. They are loving the emergence of Jeremy Lin. For them, it feels as if history is being made. They are seeing our generations own Asian Jackie Robinson. They celebrate with the Asian community because they understand the struggle of being a minority. Being an outcast. Being an underdog. Being counted out. It matters less that he is Asian and more that “Asian dude has some real game.” He can hoop it up with the street ball guys–which he did last summer–and mix it up with the great point guards in the NBA. I am part of this group. Admittedly, this is probably because I have cultivated real, authentic relationships with Asian-Americans over the past six years while living in Los Angeles. As I watch Lin, I think about them. I see their excitement in my Facebook and Twitter feeds. And something strange happens. I share that excitement. It’s like watching a family member excel. You only wish them the best.

Will Jeremy Lin’s success have a huge impact on the NBA and its culture? It might be too soon to tell. On one hand, the number of Asians in the league still hovers around 1%. But there’s one thing you can’t quantify with Lin’s emergence–a face. Ask data specialists. Numbers mean very little without a face. Why do you think stories of child exploitation are more visceral when a face is attached to them? Or putting a face on inmate 1039213 causes one to rethink our penitentiary system’s approach regarding “justice”? It shows the inherent discrepancies that we often overlook when looking at numbers. So as I continue to watch, I see a face. A face that looks nothing like mine, but who shares a story–and faith–similar to mine. In my book, that makes him honorary. All. Day. Long.

Today I wanted to share a song from a woman with one of the best voices of all-time. She had issues late in her career, but she undeniably had a gift that she shared with the world.

Richard Smallwood produced this track. Love his classical style. Powerful words from a powerful song.

I love the Lord,
He heard my cry.
And pitied every groan,
Long as I live,
And troubles rise,
I’ll  hasten to His throne…
I’ll hasten to His throne.

May we all hasten to His throne.

Bara.  The Hebrew word for create used in the Old Testament.  Ktizo.  The Greek word for create used in the New Testament.  The only time the two words are used in scripture reference God.  After all, God is the only one who can create.  Humans have attempted to re-create.  We’ve attempted to duplicate.  We’ve attempted to simulate.  Creating is special though.  Reserved for the Creator.  The psalmist declares that God can even create in humans a clean heart.  A heart that forgives.  A heart that is slow to anger.  A heart that isn’t easily offended.  A heart that cares for the poor.  And most of all, a heart that becomes the dwelling place of his Spirit.

Humans may have perfected the art of heart transplants, but there is a timeless one who knows how to create a new heart…from scratch. 

Continue to create God.  Your creation longs for your touch.

16 years…192 months…838 weeks…5871 days. That’s how long God blessed us with Danee. All of these numbers lead me to ask one question: Why? “God why did you have to take away my baby girl so young? Why didn’t you just take me?”  I spent two nights wishing God had taken my heart…wishing God had taken my kidney and given it to her. Why Lord? And God whispered this answer in my ear: Because she was on assignment. If you look throughout scripture, people who have assignments from God usually keep them a secret.

I’m here today to tell you that Danee was on an assignment from God. And she kept her assignment secret. You know why she did that? Because she knew people would try to talk her out of it. Remember Jesus? In one breath, he would reveal his assignment to his disciples and in the next breath tell them to keep it a secret. On top of that, Peter comes along and rebukes him for telling him he was on assignment. Be very careful who you reveal your assignment to.

What was Danee’s assignment? She was assigned to love like no one has ever loved before. To nurture like no one has ever nurtured before. To comfort others like no one has ever comforted others before. I’m pretty sure…if she told each of us in this room that she was on a 16-year  assignment from God, we’d be just like Peter. We’d take her aside and rebuke her. “Don’t say that Danee.” “That’s just not long enough for me. I want more time.” But I believe that she knew her assignment. She knew she had a lot of love to give in a short period of time. How else can you explain us nicknaming her grandma when she was only 3 years old? Always looking out for people.

Always making sure everyone is taken care of. Always putting others above herself. You can’t teach that. Danee already had it in her spiritual DNA. I never knew God could pack so much love in such a little body. She may have been a physical lightweight…but spiritually she was a heavyweight.  She came into this world filled with love…and she squeezed every bit of it out in her sixteen years on earth.

So why? Why Danee? Maybe, just maybe, God needed a nurturer by his side. Maybe her life here was just a tune up for what she is destined to do in eternity. I heard my sister say this the other day and I believe this with my whole heart. The day my niece entered glory…Danee’s Day Care facility opened for business in heaven. She loved kids. She wanted her mom to have more kids, but I don’t think Jennifer was trying to hear it. So she spent her life seeking out children to nurture.

She was a natural. She had a gift with children that I had never seen with anyone else so young. You see, when you operate in what you are created to do, God has a way of bringing opportunities in your life to exercise your gift and calling. So Danee would be at Shand’s Children’s Hospital…sick herself…encouraging and looking after other kids. She’d babysit the kids in  our family without hesitation. I remember when we brought my son to Brunswick…the first thing she said when she saw us, “Ohhhhh, let me wash my hands uncle John so I can hold him”. She seized each opportunity to operate in her gift.

This convicts me even as I preach. How many times have I failed to operate in a gift God has given me? My excuse?…I’m tired. But Danee was never tired. She knew what God called her to do and she did it. And I ask you today, what kind of gifts are you neglecting in your own life? How might God use you to bless the lives of others? Danee knew hers and took advantage of the each opportunity she got. So the next time you think you’re too tired to operate in your God-given gifts…think about the little girl whose heart condition wouldn’t let her run for extended periods of time. Think about the little girl whose fatigue never stopped her from loving on children. Think about Danee. She lived her life knowing one thing…can’t no devil in hell stop me from doing what God has called me to do.

Jennifer, God wanted me to tell you this today…thank you. Thank you for sharing your Rose with the world. The Bible says that, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.” God said, “You didn’t name her Danee Rose…I did. Before the foundation of the world, I chose her…and appointed her to be a prophetic voice on this day.” So on this day…the day before Valentine’s Day, I present to every one of you here…a Rose. A rose…who never had any thorns. No matter how much pain she was in, she never used it as an excuse to hurt anybody else. She never used it as an excuse to inconvenience other people. We can learn from this rose today. I present to you a rose…whose bright smile could light up any room. You would never know she had to take over 20 pills a day. A rose with a smile that formed dimples so deep…she could fit every tear shed in this room in them. And you know what, that smile always told us one thing…everything’s gonna be alright. I present to you a rose who cared for others more than she did herself. A rose whose memory will always be etched in our hearts and in our minds. Today, I present to you a rose…who spent sixteen years planted in the Master’s garden on the earth. A rose so majestic, so beautiful, and so breathtaking….that the Master himself had lift her up into his very presence…just to behold her beauty. I present to you a rose. Pretty…in pink. Just the way she wanted it. Look at somebody and say, “I’m thankful for my rose.”

I’d be a bad preacher if I didn’t read a scripture, so I want to close with one of my favorite passages in the New Testament. Philippians 3:10-14.

10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Today, I ask you a very simple question: Do you know Christ? We are celebrating the life of a young lady who knew him. How do you know Christ? Verse 10 tells us. You know the power of his resurrection AND you know fellowship of his suffering. And If we’re really honest with ourselves, we like to talk about the resurrection, but we really don’t want to talk about the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. “Lord, give me the resurrection part…you can have the suffering.” Danee knew about the fellowship of his suffering all too well. Hospitalized…consistently pierced in her arms…in pain when no one else knew she was in pain…she lived this verse. She knew Christ. Do you know him today? Let me tell you the difference between KNOWING him and KNOWING ABOUT  him. People who know him know the fellowship of his suffering. People who don’t know him merely endure suffering without Him. People who know him know the power of his resurrection. People who don’t know him keep themselves in lifeless situations around them. Do you know him today? People who know him live a life that is summed up in verses 13 and 14: “…I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead; I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” People who don’t know him live without purpose and direction.

What kind of race are you running? Can you honestly say today…that you are pressing toward Jesus? Danee has run her race. She’s received a victorious crown. The beautiful thing about God is that he’ll allow those who have finished to witness those of us who are still running. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: “…since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the  race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” On February 8, 2011, Danee joined your cloud of witnesses. A cloud…that surrounds you. A cloud…that contains all of your loved ones who have gone on to glory. A cloud…that wants to remind you today that there is one author and finisher of your faith….His name is Jesus Christ. He wrote my niece’s story…And I read the ending. It ends with these seven simple, yet profound words: “Well done…my good and faith servant.”

I’m not sure what your story reads like today. It might be a drama. It might be filled with horror, but Jesus wants to rewrite it. If anyone under the sound of my voice knows for a fact that they haven’t been running this race with their eyes on Christ, I want to pray for you right now. I’m not going to call you to the altar or ask you to raise your hand. As I preached this message, something in your heart told you that I was speaking to you…something began to raise up in your spirit and say, “I want to live a life that has meaning…I want to live a life that touches the lives of others…I want to live for Christ…”  I want to pray with you right now. All heads are bowed and eyes are closed…

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.” (Psalm 14:1)

 “Thanks fool.” A young Hispanic male expressed his gratitude to a friend of mine using this phrase. In his culture, it’s a compliment. For the seminary student, it was a put down. Being called a fool, at least scripturally, is not a good thing. What is a fool?

What are your deeds causing your heart to declare?

Truth is:

…the things you do have a lot to say about your view of God.

Your deeds speak strongly about your relationship with God. Lord may we be more cognizant of the things we do that may make our hearts declare, “There is no God.” Because nobody wants to play the fool.

There comes a time in our lives when we have to give up looking for what we lost.  In my early 20′s, I spent a lot of time seeking stuff.  I sought out things that I felt would satisfy me, only to leave those experiences empty or feeling unsatisfied.

It wasn’t until I began losing some of that stuff that I began to find true satisfaction in my life in Christ Jesus.

There is a time to seek, and a time to lose.  Jesus puts it succintly enough.  ”Whoever finds his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39).

Reuben probably regretted his decision. A decision that would ultimately lead to him losing the very thing that accorded him status in his father’s kingdom. The birthright. He was the first born of Israel’s sons and should have received a substantial inheritance. How much more do we need to protect our birthright? Being born again gives you a birthright. You have certain rights and privileges because you are a child of the King. This birthright gives you a certain status in God’s Kingdom. Yet it comes with one caveat.

Be careful what you give your birthright up for.

Many things in our lives compete for our birthright. Distractions abound. One way to remain steadfast is to determine that your birthright is much more important than the temporary pleasure you experience doing that “one thing.” Esau knew about this all too well. He sold his birthright for a quick meal. He, too, regretted his decision (See Genesis 25:24-34). Lord may we all treat the privilege of being citizens of your Kingdom with the reverence and honor it deserves.