Da Word... Online!

Da Word... 234! No Bubbles!

2009-12-09T09:00:00.005-05:00

It's quite easy to buckle down and work inside of a bubble. In fact, sometimes it downright seems like the best course of action! The problem lies when the bubble is the only environment in which we move, think, and act. It becomes VERY easy to convince ourselves of a single course... only to end up with results that completely blow up in our faces.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.

- Proverbs 11:14

As mentioned in the intro, isolating oneself is many times a good way to reap destruction. Now that was kind of extreme, but I say it to make a point. If outside perspectives are not taken into account, profound discoveries could be lost. And those lost nuggets of wisdom could very well take down a nation -- so reads the proverb. What would drive someone to reject even the desire to gather outside input?

There are many reasons. For instance, the individual could be a control freak. Yes! This type of manic control is a sure shot to the most effective blinders you have ever seen. On the flip side, an individual could simply be afraid of criticism. It takes some mettle to be able to put your idea out there for the world to take a couple swings at. As a result, thick skin is sometimes required. And still, there are others who simply believe they know all the answers. Maybe he or she came up with some pretty genius stuff back in the day, was catapulted to rock star status, and have now let it get to their head. This is probably the worst case because such a person is EXTREMELY difficult to talk to! It's even more difficult to get them to admit they may potentially have made a mistake!!! I know you know what I'm talking about!

So to avoid the gigantic blow up, we need advisers! If you look around and do some homework on those we perceive as wildly successful, you will notice each has a circle of trusted advisers. And that's the key. Getting an adviser just to have one is a path to ruin. No, we need to recruit advisers that are trusted, sort of your inner circle. These should be people who also recognize the importance of critical thought, the sharing of ideas, the seeking of feedback, and the value of mentors. These are the kinds of people who will tell it to you straight and will protect you from operating in an isolated bubble.

We need to remember that we are social beings whose very ability to do amazing things is magnified by relationships. Relationships bind us together and make us stronger. We are not meant for bubbles! Besides, bubbles can be a lonely place. Who wants that? By instead incorporating others, we raise the collective level of all involved and multiply the potential benefit to all those potentially affected. Bust a hole in that bubble and let's get on with increasing our probability of success!

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 233! Embracing the Zone

2009-12-01T12:08:00.000-05:00

Ever get in the zone? I mean, really in the zone? Isn't it a great feeling! I remember playing pool with some friends. There was one game in particular where I was on fire. I'm telling you, if there ever were a zone.. THAT was it! I COMPLETELY ran the table on these fools! Sinking shot after shot, one after the other, I could only hear the words from that classic NBA Jam video game echoing in my head, "He's heating up! HE'S ON FIRE!!!!" By not getting distracted, my output blew the charts. They didn't even get to take a shot!

The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

- J (Matthew 13:22)

Let's set the stage a bit. My man J (da Christ), had just told a parable about a sower who was sowing seed and as he did some some fell among different types of earth. There were those that fell on the path, those that fell on rocky places, those that fell among thorns, and those that fell among good soil. Later, Jesus explained the parable to his inner crew of disciples. And that's where the above verse comes into play, my man J explaining about the seeds that fell among the thorns.

In His description, the seed that falls among the thorns basically represents those individuals who lose sight of the big picture. These are the people who get distracted, lose focus, and fall out of the zone. But the zone is where we wanna be! What's interesting is how this type of person loses sight of the big picture and falls out of the zone: the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. And whats even more interesting? J describes these things as choking! Thus making this person unfruitful.

It sounds to me like this type of person is one who means well, but is going about it incorrectly. The worries of this life are always going to be present. So sinking hours, days, and months into worries is not an effective use of our time! If instead we focus on the bigger picture and on something greater than ourselves, the looming specter of our worries suddenly begins to diminish in size. It's loom loses its bite and pales in comparison to the vision of the big picture. And thus, life's worries become easier to navigate.

Wealth... now that's no adversary to take lightly! The picture of wealth is amazingly deceptive. It's easy to fall into notion that wealth can solve all problems. And that's so not true! Wealth brings along its own problems! Check out the Dave Chappelle interview on Inside the Actors Studio. He drops some bonafide nuggets about how people change, especially your supposed friends, when suddenly 50 mil is written next to your name. And if money solved all problems, why do many of the rich feel devoid of the genuine nature of joy? We, as humans, always want what we don't have and think the grass is greener on the other side. One can easily fall into the mode of chasing money, falsely thinking that acquiring wealth will catapult his/her efforts to attain the big picture. Instead, he will find himself doing all the things to increase his wealth, and doing none of the things that would advance progress towards the big picture. In short, he is unfruitful having been choked.

So what's da word? Embrace the zone. Check your trajectory from time to time. Ask yourself, is worrying about this or chasing that bringing me closer to the big picture? Is it allowing me to produce output that blows the charts? Or, is it causing me to deviate from the path? Let's get in the zone and start producing 30, 60, and 100 fold! Let's produce genuine fruit.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 232! What goes in will come out

2009-11-23T10:51:00.000-05:00

I've heard some stories about people swallowing some insaaaaane things. What they fail to remember is that if the body can't digest it..... someway or another, it's going to be coming out! And in some cases, that coming out may not be too comfortable.... ahem..... if you know what I mean. The point though is this, anything we take into our bodies will certainly be expressed, even if transformed, and will have a rippling impact.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

- J (Matthew 12:35)

In this passage, my man J (Jesus) is verbally whippin' some Pharisees into shape. I mean, these guys did not know who they were trying to step in the ring with. Here's my man J, healing some people, and in come the Pharisees attempting to attribute his good to the work of evil incarnate! Ludicrous... so J took off the gloves and, in the process, conveyed a great truth. What one fills himself or herself with will most certainly express itself in leaps and bounds.

It's all about perspective. Two people can look at the same situation and interpret or act upon it in completely different ways. And that response has to do with one's body of experience. The verse above speaks to the extremes. But of course we know there is always gray. However the point is clear, we are what we eat. Think about it, if all you ever do is ethical, humble, compassionate, encouraging, committed, and passionate, such actions will affect your thinking! You will have trained your mind to operate in a certain way, and now it's straight muscle memory. Like in any physical activity, you do enough reps of a certain maneuver and it becomes second nature. You perform without even having to think about it. In the same way, whenever something new comes around, your mind has already been trained to snap into a mode of approaching the new experience with the great perspective you've trained it to use.

Now if you always teeter on the edge, that thin line between what's right and what's not, you will soon enough train your mind to always operate in that fuzzy area. And if you tend to step over that line, pretty soon it won't take much to push you over. It is true, bad company will most certainly corrupt good character. Even if a person appears to be a pillar (and it only works if his or her beliefs are anchored into something much greater than he or she), if that individual's common experience 24/7 is with bad company, the probability still exists that that person's thinking could be altered for the worse. Pretty soon, those gray areas no longer seem all that gray, and stepping over the line no longer seems like such a bad thing. The transformation is subtle. You never know it until one day, BAM! It hits you square in the face. But alas, you are already in too deep.

It's about perspective my friends. And we can change our perspective. All we gotta do is change or augment our eating habits. Who do you wish to become? What kind person do you want to be? Do you wanna be the line stepper? Or that inspiring leader? It boils down to one question that we should ask ourselves weekly:

What am I eating?

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 231! Anything Constructive?

2009-11-16T12:03:00.000-05:00

I'm sure there are more annoying things, but this one's got to be up there: people who tear down but never bring anything to table. You know what I mean? That person who is always looking for something that is wrong, or just gunning to call somebody out... the most probable to get decked out, heh heh. It's a good thing this person usually surrounds himself or herself with people who are self-controlled!

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath."

- Matthew 12:1,2

The entire passage following these verses are primarily about the concept of mercy vs. sacrifice, mercy being the greater of the two. Jesus teaches about compassion, and where law must take a backseat to the expression of love and the true purpose of the Sabbath and the Law. Jesus even healed someone that same day, and the Pharisees tried to call him on it saying, "isn't it unlawful to heal on the Sabbath!" Crazy isn't it?

Let's focus a bit on the disposition of the Pharisees. They are like that person described in the intro, always looking to find fault. But that's not all! These peeps tend not to take on responsibility nor put forth any ideas to help a cause or bring people closer to a solution! It's perfect ;-D They can never be at fault, but can always attempt to expose fault. It's a recipe for breeding self-righteousness and conceit. The effect on your character? Let's just say, it's probably not the path you'd want it to take.

Instead, let's endeavor to focus on being constructive! That's how we all, together, can move forward as a people. It is the building of on another up that elevates our quality life, both tangibly and intangibly. And it's that intangible stuff that makes that quality light years better! Because in this scenario, you know that your fellow man or woman is actually looking out for you. And that makes all the difference. Let's embrace compassion, for compassion with a mix of passion accelerates progress. Word.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 230! The Purpose of More

2009-11-02T14:14:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you wonder, why am I so fortunate to have received so much! I'm speaking abstractly here, but it could apply to many items, both tangible and intangible. It could be fortunate opportunities, great friends, an uncanny knack for something in a particular area, intelligence, social "karma", and more. Does it ever hit you, why me? What is the purpose of more?

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

- 2 Corinthians 9:10,11

My man Paul is writing to the Corinthians and he's got tons of great knowledge to drop. This is one of those great pieces. In the verses surrounding, Paul is talking about generosity and giving to help the cause. He talks about giving cheerfully, not begrudgingly. He reminds them that Pops above supplies and it is up to us to be good stewards of what he has given.

Now there are many pretty sweeeeeeeeeeeeet things that happen when we give. Good stuff. But here we are talking about the purpose of more. It says in these verses that the person who gives generously will be given even more! It says that Pops who supplies the seed, will supply even more seed if we give that seed away. So the path to more isn't hoarding, but sharing. Go back and read that last sentence one more time. But why are we given more? Now this part is pretty AWESOME!

We are given more so that we CAN be generous at EVERY possible opportunity! We are given more so that we are enabled and empowered to enable and empower others! And the result? MASSIVE RIPPLE EFFECT BABY! You have NO idea the lives being touched by your giving of what you have to enable another. That one person could impact two. Those two could impact four, and BOOM! The juice is loosed. Now imagine the repercussions if we instead hoard.... not good.

The purpose of more is to impact lives, to have a positive effect on our fellow men, women, and children. The raising of the collective well being of all those around us by being selfless elevates the true quality of life and being of everyone. And that, my friends, is when we start to really experience life! Don't let it escape you! You don't wanna miss it, trust me. We are all blessed in unique ways, share it! And watch as you are elevated ;-D

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 229! Resurgence

2009-10-26T09:00:00.002-04:00

And we're back! That's right! It was a long hiatus, but we are back!

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted.

- 1 Corinthians 15:58

And there you have it! Part of the reason I stopped composing these bad boys was the feeling that its effectiveness was waning. Yup! In fact, my plan was to create some kind of survey, send it out, and assess from the responses whether or not to continue. Problem was I never got around to creating a survey! And then well.... you know... time flew by...

But then three weeks ago I was in church, straight chillin'. The pastor was doing a sermon on "generous living." He then got around to that verse up above. BOOM! It hit me! And you know what? A couple of you out there shared the same type of thought with me way back when you noticed the disappearance.

What's the word? The word on the street here is that nothing done for Pops above is wasted effort. Now to be clear, this is not to say anything that's anything done "for" Pops above is not wasted. There are plenty of things people do and claim they are doing FOR Pops... and it's just not true! We are talking here about legit activity we do for Pops, like speaking the good news!

So to all you fellow soldiers, all of you who are towing the line, all of you who are in the trenches, take courage and take heart! You can rest assured that your work will be fruitful whether or not you see the tangible results of your labor. Our job is to remain strong and steady, to move forward! And most of all, to remain ENTHUSIASTIC! It is that enthusiasm, that knowledge that you and Pops are shoulder to shoulder, that will drive you. You have NO idea the impact you are having. And believe me, it is great! Every once in a while a story will circle back around to you about how one small word you said changed a life, in fact saved a life. Isn't that what it's all about? Rise up homie and carry that torch!!! A little further now ;-D

G-bless,

- patrick

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Da Word... 228! Conduct son!

2008-12-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Oh, you just know a snake when you meet one. Maybe not right at first, but after a couple dealings with such an individual, his or her true writhing, slithering form emerges. And how do you feel about such a person? Nothing good right? Forget about hanging out with this person; any interaction is usually strictly confined to business. If at all possible, you might even sever all dealings with this person if you could.

The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

- Proverbs 21:8

Ain't that something? That one sentence right there explains the feeling we get when we do something with integrity and character and when we do it neither with integrity nor character. It's just... BAM! Let's pause for a moment and think about that snake again. Why does such and individual really rub us the wrong way, maybe even unto the point of gagging? It's because that snake's actions are quite devious! Straight slimy even. You stop and think to yourself, "How could anyone do something like that? What is wrong with that dude? I mean for real!? Has he no conscience?"

Yeah those are the kinds of emotions that start to bubble up, and hardcore too! On the flip-side, one who conducts himself uprightly gives us such a refreshing feeling. We're like, "Wow, that is a stand-up dude. You know something, I'd like to get to know him outside of this business context. I'll invite him to the crib for grub and chillage." In what is quite the opposite reaction, we tend to be drawn with awe to someone who acts uprightly. Isn't that surprising!!!! One who acts uprightly should be the norm! Not the exception!!!!!

So what about us? How do each of us handle our everyday interactions? Are we being devious so that we can get what we want at the expense of someone less wise? Or are we conducting ourselves uprightly and looking out for the collective well being of everyone? The former is selfish while the latter is selfless. Let's draw away from snakelike tendencies and sprint for uprightness. Let's be that exception to whom many are drawn. In so doing, a real legacy begins to form with real and foreseeable positive repercussions spreading to many upon many. Besides... who wants to be called a snake!? Stand against the tide and rise!

G_bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 227! Reconciliation

2008-12-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

Reconciliation can be a tough thing to accomplish. It sounds nice, but actually making it happen... MAN! Why is it tough? Because it takes two....

...that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.

- Paul ( 2 Corinthians 5:19 )

Paul is droppin' knowledge about why the Apostles and disciples are doing what they are doing. It is wrapped up in what he calls the "Ministry of Reconciliation". What is this reconciliation? Hmmm? Oh.. it's only the entire purpose of most of the Bible! Genesis begins with creation, and then the fall. The fall was the point of separation between man and Pops. The rest of the entire Bible is about the most massive rescue operation known to the universe holmes! And that... is reconciliation of creation and Pops.

Really? Is that what all this is about? Yeah kid! Pops wants for us to experience all that he had intended. I mean come on, we were created in his very IMAGE! That means there exists extraordinary experiences we have yet to taste! And we can't until we are reconciled back to Pops. That's why Christ came and died. See, Pops used that death as the ultimate epic moment in reconciling us to himself. Christ died so that God could reconcile us to himself and not count our sins against us..... BAM!

Ever try to reconcile a relationship? It's near impossible if even one of the two parties does not cease to hold the wrongs of the other against him. If these wrongs cannot be forgiven, dropped, or looked past, it will loom overhead like an unrelenting mass of dark clouds brimming with disaster. Healing cannot occur if forgiveness, genuine forgiveness, is not extended. Healing also cannot occur of both parties are not genuinely seeking reconciliation.

Pops has given all. His hand is outstretched and he is most genuine about seeking reconciliation. Everything he has done is about seeking reconciliation. The ball is now in our court. Do we also desire reconciliation? Homie has already extended forgiveness! My sins are not being counted against me! And so the path is WIDE open to make reconciliation a reality. The question I gotta ask myself is this, am I willing to walk that path, to be genuine in my heart in my desire for reconciliation? And if so, am I willing to take the steps to make it a reality?

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 226! All about faith!

2008-11-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes an inordinate amount of attention is paid to what you do. Is it always about what one does? I mean... mustn't there be some kind of catalyst or other driving force that moves a person to act in the first place? Is it truly all about the doing? Or is there something more? Isn't it true that sometimes all it takes for a child to suddenly shine brilliantly and surpass his or her potential is someone believing in him or her?

Under what circumstances was it [faith] credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!

- Paul (Romans 4:10)

Here we have my man Paul droppin' some knowledge yet again. He is talking about the patriarch Abraham from whence the nations of Israel and Ishmael draw origin. See, "Abraham believed Pops and it was credited to him as righteousness" ( Rm 4:3 ). In other words, homie was justified by faith! Now that's great! BUT... it gets even better.

Abraham had it credited... BEFORE he was circumcised! That, my friends, is HUGE! Because under Jewish law, you gotta be circumcised. For some reason, the Christian Jews at the time believed that God only justified or bestowed the Holy Spirit upon circumcised folk. In the early days you had to convert to a Jew in order to be Christian! What Paul says here directly flies in the face of that idea!

What point is Paul making? He is making the point that obedience of the law is not what grants justification, or the grace of God. It is FAITH. Abraham wasn't even circumcised yet and Pops justified him... So how could it POSSIBLY have anything to do with law? huh? It doesn't. It has to do with the condition of one's heart.

In other words, it isn't all about what we do... it's all about faith. And it is that faith that then impacts what we do. See, faith is the driver. It is by faith we are justified which gives us the limitless freedom to act. That security allows us to act in a powerful way. In fact, when we act we start to innately obey the law because the law is no longer some rule book that seems like a 12 ton chain. Instead, the law becomes a part of our very being as a side effect in our quest to become more like Pops above. In doing so, we start to think like He does, feel like He does, hurt like He does, and love like He does.

Bruthaz and sistaz, know this: faith brings justification, not your acts; your acts instead flow from your faith. So take off that burden of thinking that obedience of the law to the letter is what will bring you salvation. It won't, but it might drive you crazy because you can't. Naw lo, FAITH... faith is what will bring you salvation. And then transform you from the inside. Before you know it, you'll be doing the things of law innately as you become more and more like Pops above. Word.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 225! Lift a finger

2008-11-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

I bet you know some people that enjoy pointing out faults or making comments. Sometimes we call them know-it-alls. Aren't they some of the most annoying people in the world? Yeah, fa' sho! What's worse is that sometimes this kind of person is oblivious to the fact that he/she is straight pushing people away! Oy! Not good not good.

Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them."

- Da Christ (Luke 11:46)

Yooooo! My man J just laid the smack down on some Pharisees and teachers of the law kid! These kats had invited J to dine with them. And almost immediately these kats started noticing certain traditions J was "violating." J himself noticed their noticing and found his teaching opportunity. What follows was a host of "Woe to you...." He laid them bare people.

This woe in particular jumped out at me because there are a host of peeps just like this roaming the streets and many of our relationships. People like this LOVE to point out something, make judgements, point the finger, the whole nine. Yet in all of their screaming, they never EVER lift a single finger to help a brutha or a sista out! No, they only break down but never build up.

A key example are many pro-lifers. My girlfriend and I got into a discussion one time and she was telling me about a conversation she had with another individual. What came out of it was the realization that many pro-lifers only spit "law", but don't back up their shouting with practical and tangible programs for helping people while in the path of life or in choosing the path of life. You can't just say pro-life and then walk away. What kind of .... is that? A host of issues emerge and need to be addressed.

These Pharisees and teachers of the law only sought to lay down the law and keep people down. See, they had all the power and were living large. They could be all pious, high and mighty; meanwhile the people suffered. This is a recipe for disaster, division, and retribution. We need to operate differently. Let's not be that person or so-called friend who constantly pressures another and puts him or her down. Let's instead seek to build people up even when we have to point out a particular flaw. Destruction is good for no one. But genuine interest and loving action in the development of our fellow brothers and sisters is beyond golden. The strength of your relationships, communities, and organizations will grow ever stronger for it. Buhlee dat.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 224! On Angels...

2008-11-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

You ever wonder about the angels? Like, what do they do? Where do they go? How do they roll? Sometimes you come across passages that give a hint as to the abilities and purposes of angels. Some of those passages may even have you dropping your jaw saying, "Whoa! That is SWEET!"

The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

- Gabriel (Luke 1:19,20)

The angel Gabriel was talking to this priest named Zechariah. It turns out that this priest and his wife, Elizabeth, were to be the parents of Jesus' harbinger... John da Baptist. But Zechariah was like, "Us? How? We are both old son! Not to mention we have been unable to have children all these years." That's when Gabriel spoke the above. Homie had to lay the smack down about who he was.

This angel, Gabriel, stands in the presence of God!!!! What does that mean!? In my mind it's sounding like this ain't no ordinary angel. I mean THIS angel STANDS... in the presence of God. Isn't the very presence of God this most awesome of experiences that it even evokes gigantic fear? I mean the sheer presence of Pops would kill a man according to Scripture! And yet... this Angel stands in His presence. Wow. That suggests a number of things. One, it's probable that not all angels get to stand in the presence of Pops. It sounds like there is organization and possibly a hierarchy of angelic beings. Oooooooo! Exciting! It begs the question, how does Pops strategically align his forces?

Gabriel also says that he has been sent to deliver a message. So in conjunction with the possibilities above, this suggests that angels have specific jobs. It sounds like one of Gabriel's jobs is to be a messenger. And not just any messenger, but the messenger with some gigantic, world changing news. What else is Gabriel entrusted? Hmmmm.... interesting!

Finally, Gabriel lays the smack down making Zechariah mute! Can he do that!? What does that mean? ....do angels have powers!? How much autonomy do they have? Did Pops instruct Gabriel to do this? Or was this Gabriel's own doing? Like a perk associated with being entrusted as the messenger and he who stands in the presence of Pops to be able to do things in accordance with the kingdom? Or... did Pops empower Gabriel to be able to do this, much like my man J empowered the disciples to do miraculous acts when he sent them out two-by-two?

Hmmmm..... Well we know angels have choice. The prime example is Satan himself. He chose to go against Pops. And then the Bible describes a battle that occurred in heaven where the result was Satan being cast out along with 1/3rd of the angels. This 1/3rd of angels chose sides! So angels have choice, angels have stations, angels have hierarchy... but do they also have powers? I don't know, but it is interesting to think about. We see a lot of what God has created here on Earth, but it is such a small piece of everything he has created. Imagine what the heavenlies hold!

Remember, the Kingdom of Pops is much larger than what we can see or possibly understand. Although we appear to be the crown of Pops' creation, and almost all is in an effort to reconcile us to Pops, there is so much involved beyond just us. Think about it from time to time. You'll again discover... wonder. Not to mention to be yet again amazed at despite it all, we fragile humans are the crown of his creation and prized objects of his Love. Sweeeeeeeet.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 223! Law Shmaw!

2008-10-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

Why is it that no one remembers the good stuff that happened, but only the bad stuff!? I mean seriously right? All the years of doing great things for someone seem like its forgotten in the blink of an eye when you make that one error. Why can't people lend us the grace to fail sometimes?

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

- Paul (Romans 3:20)

Yo my man Paul lays it DOWN in Romans! It's great! The book really attempts to push us off our high horse and to have a reality check. That's important, because we get grounded and therefore much more able to handle anything the world my try to throw our way.

So why don't people lend us the grace to fail? And why do they tend to remember the bad things rather than the good things. Well.... it's because the "bad" things, the personal affronts, HURT! The body is an amazing thing, the mind even more so. A kid who doesn't understand the concept of heat learns REAL fast the first time that young child touches a stove top. Do you remember your first time? Yeah... you didn't do that again did you? Why? The memory of that pain is so etched into your mind that you will never forget it. More technically, your mind creates a pathway in your mind that connects that experience to a pain center. Your body then becomes hardwired to issue tremendous warnings anytime you get close to doing that again. The signal is ever more acute. It's about survival, and it's a defense mechanism.

In the same way, an affront causes pain. Pain is easily remembered because it is etched. As a result, all the good we think we've done seems to unfairly get tossed out over one single affront. It's hard for peeps to extend grace once an affront happens because they don't want to be hurt again. Furthermore, we tend to want retribution. It takes a higher kind of human to be able to extend grace; it's a path not heavily traveled because it is not easy.

So what's the point? The point is that the Law, in this case the Law handed down by the Jews, is not sufficient for declaring one righteous! The Law exists only to make us conscious of what sin is. In much the same way, our friends, family, loved ones, and significant other have expressed to us a "law" of relationship. We tell each other what makes us happy and what hurts us. But once we step into the hurt territory... it's all sunk! We need something more. Mere observance of the Law cannot declare us righteous because it is NOT some simple weight scale. More good does not necessarily overtake bad, nor can it prove us righteous. What do we need? We need grace.....

In order to grow, we need to be extended grace, otherwise the path toward growth is immediately blockaded and there is no way forward. We've gotta extend grace to those who hurt us in order to allow some room for the relationship to heal and grow stronger than it has ever been. This is part of the reason why Pops above extends us unlimited grace. He knows our limitations and our tendency to fall. But if we are genuine in our desire and aren't arrogant enough not to ask for homie's grace, we will receive that grace and in immeasurable flow. By this grace, we can be declared righteous for Pops above is righteous.

Word.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 222! Evil

2008-09-23T19:40:00.000-04:00

You know, evil gets a bad rap sometimes. That may sound strange, but it's true! So many things get attributed to evil it's crazy! Evil is sometimes an innocent bystander that gets things attributed to it that should not be. In fact, some people use evil as a scapegoat. But is evil even something tangible?

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

- John 2:11

Our homie Jesus da Christ was at this wedding right. And BOOM... they were out of wine!!! You can't be out of wine at a wedding, no no NO! So J's moms was like, "Hey son, they've run out of wine dawg." And J responded, "hey now, it ain't my tiiiiime moms." Despite that, his moms told the servants at the wedding to do whatever Jesus said. And BAM... Jesus turned water into wine.

Now check this, the verse states that this was the FIRST of his miraculous signs! I'm no Theologian so I haven't mapped out the timeline of miraculous events Jesus performed once he began his ministry. But this one occurred pretty soon after he started calling his first disciples. Now.... if this turning water into wine is his first MIRACLE.... how then can wine be evil!?!?

There are many peeps, particularly in Christian circles, who deem wine, alcohol, etc., as evil. But yo, how can an object, an inanimate thing, itself be evil?! Wine can't actively punch someone in the face. No. Wine is not evil, it is the ABUSE of wine that is evil! The minute someone kicks moderation to the curb, severe consequences can emerge. As a result an individual tends to engage in activity that produces evil ripples. That person does evil.

Where am I getting at here? Forget about wine, that's just an example to illuminate the issue. There are a myriad items people attribute to evil that they should not. Things in and of themselves are not evil. It is the abuse of things that is evil. That action of abuse brings rise to yet more actions that are evil... and then bad things happen.

So what is evil? Evil is a direction. If God is good, as da Word states, then anything not going in the direction of God is what? If everything that is good is contained in God, then anything that points in a direction other than God is something that moves away from good. Moving away from good is moving toward evil. But yo, some peeps might not like that because it's a God-centric definition. Well, try this on for size....

Another way to define evil is the path of least resistance. That's right. People seem to have a hard time believing that people tend to do bad things. But it makes sense that people tend to do bad things! Why? Because nearly everything in the naturally occurring world operates by choosing the path of least resistance. When was the last time you saw water go uphill? Or try to bust through a boulder instead of flowing around it?

Evil is the path of least resistance. The reason it is so enticing is because it is SO easy to engage in. Doing good, pshhhh, that takes work! It takes character, integrity, going against the grain, and standing up even if you stand alone. But doing evil is easy because it's instant, self gratifying, and "fun". Evil is selfish while good is selfless. Evil is a conscience decision on our part to do something destructive, no matter how subtle that destruction might be. In fact, it could be so subtle that we may not realize it is destructive. But if unpacked, BAM, we see it.

Let's wrap this up homies. We need to get it in our head that the choices we make result in evil. We gotta stop offloading responsibility for our poor decisions by attributing objects itself to evil. The object is not evil, it is our abuse of it that is evil. Once we start doing this our eyes will be opened to the real conditions of our hearts. Once we can identify those things, we can change. The sooner we accept that it is us, the quicker we can enact measures to change.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 221! Fear

2008-09-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

The acronym KISS is greaaaaat! It stands for, "Keep It Simple... STUPID!!!!" For some reason we tend towards complexity. Why? Psshh if I know. It might have something to do with the false assumption that if one appears complex or speaks in a manner that seems complex, society thinks that individual is sharp. But check this, most geniuses are genius because they recognize the simplicity in the complex. Genius is recognizing the obvious and removing complexity. So KISS baby. When we KISS, the path forward suddenly feels attainable.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

- Ecclesiastes 12:13

Now that seems pretty short and direct eh? Some might even take offense to the directness of that verse! I mean come on, it's said with such abruptness and finality. It's like the writer assumes knowledge of the whole meaning of Life. Besides... it can't be that simple.... OH but it is!!!!!

Fear has two connotations in da Word that I know of. One is genuine outright fear -- you know the type that gets you trembling in your shoes. The other means reverence or respect. When it comes to Pops, it's good to have both! For one, you compared to God.... man that's like an ant compared to a fully adult human being. And even THAT analogy is so far from the real gap between us and God. If an ant knew fear, it would definitely be QUAKIN' once the mere shadow of a human came across. We gotta have that kind of fear when we think o' Pops. It helps to check our egos, ground us, and bring us back into the real perspective of the extraordinary nature of God versus our own.

But we also gotta have the fear that means reverence and respect. The more we have of this fear, the less we have of the former. Reverence and respect replace a feeling of terror. See, in reverence and respect we have no reason to be afraid. By revering and respecting we acknowledge the gap, in fact we are in awe of it! We seek to close the gap by turning God into one of our role models.

And checkit, fearing God in these senses leads us to obeying his commandments! See how easily these things just flow? One leads to another which leads to another? It's straight SIMPLE kid! The KISS principle in full effect. Gradually turning from being afraid toward reverence leads us toward obeying commandments no longer out of fear for consequences but out of desire to demonstrate reverence and respect through action. In fact, we begin to realize the profound nature of the commandments. Cuz people, those commandments weren't made for God, they were made to aid us in protecting ourselves from our very selves! These commandments in fact free us to truly live.

So what's the word? KISS. Fear Pops and obey his commandments. Everything else falls into place as a result for doing these simple things will transform our very souls and desires. Selfishness will fall by the wayside and the true outpouring of love will replace it. And then, my friends, you will know joy.

G-bless,

- patrick

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Da Word... 220! Streams baby

2008-08-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

Ever come into contact with someone who seems to just turn you on? And no, I don't mean in the sexual sense. I mean when you speak with this person you suddenly feel revitalized! In fact you may even feel ready to take on the world! You can't put your finger on it, but there's just something about this person that is just insanely refreshing. This may be a clue, checkit:

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

- Da Christ (John 7:38)

The very next verse tells us that Da Christ was speaking about the Spirit. That's right, da Holy Spirit baby! And my man J describes it as streams of living water straight flowin'! Now that is hot. Not only does one who believes catch a supreme dose of Holy Ghost infusion, but he who believes becomes a wellspring of life himself! And that because the Holy Spirit that has taken up residence with him is spewing forth some ILL living water. Nice.

I don't know if you've read Acts, and some choice other books of the bible. But Acts talks about when the Holy Spirit first made an appearance after Christ done bounced. And yo.... it was OFF the HOOOOOOOK! Think about it, the Spirit of God teaming up with you!? Oh what possibilities then become available! And yeah, the apostles brought the ruckus. Numerous miracles, healings, speaking in other languages, clarity into scripture... the list goes on my friend. When you and the Spirit are straight rollin', everyone is blessed.

So check it, if you've got the Spirit, then the Spirit in you works through you to reach those around you. Hence, you've got streams of living water flowing from within you. Now water is necessary for all life on this planet. Without it, things are dead... dead... DEAD. It's no great wonder then when we get that nice glass of water we've been craving after some serious output that we feel so insanely refreshed. As water replenishes and revitalizes us physically, the Spirit of God revitalizes us in our inner most being -- spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and more. And thus it is also no wonder that when you come into contact with a cat that rolls with the spirit, you seem to soar.

Let's endeavor to link up with the Spirit of God thus unleashing streams of living water from within. It's unlimited upside my friends... for everyone!

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 219! Perspective

2008-08-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

There are generally two ways to approach or perceive a monumental task. One can focus on the details and the sheer weight of what might seem daunting. Or one can focus on the potential impact and/or reward of pulling off such a monumental feat. The former tends to suffer quite a great deal more than he or she should, and more times than not fails (that sucks, suffer and fail!?). The latter on the other hand, heh heh, the latter generally seems to triumph (BAM!).

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

- Paul (Romans 8:18)

Yeah! Now that's what I'm talking about! That's some ILL perspective! That kinda view on things will propel kats to maaaad heights! Fa sho' ;-D But the best part is that it ain't a pipe dream. It isn't some kind of fantasy or wishful thinking. No my friends, this is bona fide truth! Nothing worthwhile comes without effort, getting down and dirty. Those things that give us tremendous pride, joy, and sense of accomplishment are those where we've put in the time. Think about it for a hot second... yeah, see what I mean?

Walking the walk ain't no walk in the park, for sure. It's not easy standing up for truth and justice. It's not easy fightin' the raw desires of the flesh to keep yourself free from its chains. It's not easy being free! But yo, it's so worth it to be free!!! When we compare it to what Pops has in store waiting for us, maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, all of this work towards growth and development and integrity will be like a drop in the bucket compared to the sheer elation and joy that will be bursting through when Pops says, "Well done! Well done!" And homie beckons us into his crib.

Is that the only time we'll feel it? At the ultimate moment of cribdom? Naw kid! The fruits of our walk will manifest even now! You'll see it when a friend finally gets it. You'll see it when you look around and notice that your circle of homies are genuine to the core. You'll see it when by your sacrifices and dishing out of love, families or even whole towns have a second chance at living. You'll see it in the smiles of those who cannot help themselves when you defend 'em, feed 'em, clothe 'em, house 'em. You'll see it when people begin to realize that you are the real deal. Yo, when people know that when the stuff of life comes bearing down they can come to you and get it straight, you'll see it. You'll be taken aback when you realize that people believe you are someone who will stand in the gap or walk side by side in the trenches. These rewards are intangible and non-perishable. These are things that last a lifetime and beyond.

So what's the word? Don't sweat the pain, just get in the game. Play your friggin' heart out cuz yo, you're about to catch and avanlache of blessing. Keep the perspective in all that you do! Homie, it's the recipe for coming out on top. Word.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 218! Daily

2008-08-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

How is it that we surpass merely being good at a thing? Even natural talent can only get us so far. To surpass good and venture into great, maybe even legendary, we definitely have to put in the time. The Olympics attest to that in a major way. Gold ain't on your radar if you aren't hittin' it on the daily. Word.

"... He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord."

- Acts 19:9,10

My man Paul was doing his thing, reppin' Christ. Homie is always reppin' Christ! This time he was in the synagogue for a period of time (3 months) speaking about da Christ. As typical, some peeps just grew staunch and refused to believe. Did Paul let that discourage him? HAH! Naw kid! He went on to phase two. He switched venues, took his disciples with him, and held DAILY discussions.

What's that do, hittin' things up daily? Daily action breeds perfection ;-D Heh heh. Now we'll never hit perfection, but we'll become quite legendary in any endeavor if we come at it daily, hard and heavy. Ever wonder why there seem to be a few humans who seem to be able to do the impossible? It's because they are hittin' it daily kid! Persistence, focus, and a clear goal. In whatever we pursue there is no standing still, we are either growing stronger or growing weaker. Think about that for a second....

So what can we learn from Paul? For one, if we want to get God, we gotta hit him up daily. If we really want to know who God is, what having a relationship with homie is truly like, we gotta check it out daily. If we wanna grow strong relationships with our fellow bruthaz and sistaz, we gotta engage in some real discussion... daily kid. And my friends, if we want to be effective in reaching people, we gotta hang tough and invest the time. The result? Olympic Gold! Aw yeah!

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 217! Recognition

2008-08-05T08:57:00.002-04:00

You know how some people instantly recognize when something is great and not to be missed while others fail to make that same realization? Ever wonder why that is? Is it because the latter is simply not paying attention to the subtle tell-tale hints? Or is the former just super adept at picking things up from the tiniest details? Hmmm....

Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph"

- Philip (Luke 1:45)

In reading da word today, I came to Luke chapter 1. I noticed that as the first disciples were being called, it seemed each knew that my man J was the Messiah! Da Christ yo! But HOW in the world did they know? For a good portion of them, they just saw J and decided to immediately drop what they were doing and follow him. Seems absurd! But somehow they noticed something, and others of them knew that they knew our homie J was da Christ.

Peep the verse above. That is a MONSTROUS claim. Imagine being told all your life about some Messiah who is supposed to come and bring the ruckus. Imagine growing up where one of the "founding fathers" and downright PILLAR of your society spoke wrote about such a being. Oh and wait, don't forget all of the most respected and powerful members of that society also speak and write about this being. And suddenly your bro calls and is like, "Yo check this out! We've found the one Moses wrote about! And the prophets! The dude is here.... in da FLESH kid!" It would BLOW your mind and you would have to go check it out.

But how did these disciples recognize that J is da Christ, da Messiah? I don't know. But it begs the question, is it dependent on the state of mind of the individual? I'm sure it wasn't that hard to recognize that something was VERY different about this person called Jesus. I would venture to say that those who embraced that recognition were those who admitted to themselves that yes indeed, something about this person is different. They opened their minds up and didn't let themselves stand in the way of what was very obvious. It's when we ourselves don't want to accept a thing that we fail to recognize something great when it is staring us in the face. We've got some other agenda and we staunchly hold onto it despite the glaring obviousness of the thing in front of us. My friends, let's not allow our personal ambitions, vices, desires, and pride blind us from recognizing that which is great before us lest we miss out on beyond amazing realities. Word.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 216! H before H

2008-06-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hmmm, ever notice how some new hotshot will suddenly burst onto the scene and people will be going wild over him or her? Yeah, brand new to the scene and this person is just straight skyrocketing. And then suddenly.... BOOM! Crash and burn! Most then simply fade away, but then there are the few regain high esteem among many. And that time around it ain't no fad... why?

checkit:

Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

- Proverbs 18:12

I love how that flows! It's got a nice ring to it. Matter of fact, it kinda sounds and feels like those other sayings, "the calm before the storm," and, "there are no atheists in foxholes." The feeling is like something huge, deep, and maybe even profound is about to take place... brace yourself! Even more, whatever it is, it feels like it will have rippling effects. Now that's what I'm talking about, something big, lasting, and brimming with tremendous impact!

Pride is a double-edged blade, we all know that. When we let it run rampant, yo we think we are the bomb and the sole reason for our every success! Sometimes it gets to the point where we can't even hear people talking to us. OH, and sometimes it's so powerful that people willingly give up their desire to speak or think on their own because anything we say or do will be golden. This state is very dangerous because the fall will be oh so precipitous. Afterall friends, that is some height, believe that.

Ahh, but the fall isn't always so bad! Why? Well, if handled correctly and with the proper perspective, we learn and incredible lesson in humility, one that cannot be taught with mere words, only experience. As a result, WATCH OUT! Armed with a new, healthy, and proper perspective, we again venture out. This time though, there is something completely different. Something people can't quite put their finger on and yet people are drawn... DRAWN. And what's more such a reaction no longer gets to our heads! This state is straight ILL! This is when those who rise from the fall gain honor, a deep, lasting, rippling honor that emboldens and inspires many upon many. This is where the ruckus commences. Let's tap into that brothers and sisters! Humility comes before honor.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 215! A good name

2008-05-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Quick! If you had to choose between money or friends... which would you pick? Hmmm? Now, do you want groupies or a bonafide crew? It's easy to answer these in the hypothetical, but if you are faced with a very real possibility of either, how would you come to a decision? And for what reasons? Is the path you now walk in line with that choice? Or are you in danger?

checkit:

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

- Da Verbs 22:1 (Proverbs)

Well, we know where da word stands! A good name and being esteemed is where the party is at! No doubt! I mean yo, riches are nice. Things become a lil' more convenient when you are straight rolling in dough. OH, and you might be mad popular! After all, you can throw lavish get togethers and have the creme de la creme on your invite list. But wait.... is that all there is to life?

A good name involves maintaining integrity. It takes standing against the flood, and sometimes fighting the fight alone, whatever it may be, for a time. But the rewards of a solid character far surpass that of great riches. In fact, the rewards of great character can very well include great riches! Ah, but the best thing about a good name and to be esteemed is that these things are intangible. In other words, it can't be taken away. Don't get me wrong, some may try to lambaste your name and embark on a whole campaign with the sole purpose of smearing you into oblivion. But yo, if your character is solid, nothing they bring can hold weight.

The best thing about seeking after a good name though is the shear weight and strength of love and relationship you'll have with maaaad kats. Just ask yourself this question, would you rather have a crew of kats that love you genuinely or a bunch of money grubbin', posing, coattail riding, superficial, turn their backs on you on the drop of a dime "friends" as your inner and outer circle of comrades? The latter is a suffocating recipe for disaster while the former is like the breath of life itself.

I like the refreshing breath of life option myself. It promises days of genuine joy and unmatched living, both of which lasting. The latter option... yo it's not even worth describing. Chase a good name! The rewards of that endeavor are priceless. And riches are but a small part of the flow of possibilities.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 214! Forget Not!

2008-05-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

Ever do something great and feel such exhilaration that you can't help but exclaim, "Yeah! I am da shiznit! Look at that, LOOK AT THAT!! OH YEAH! WOOO!" I'm sure we all have. Sometimes we do some amazing stuff! And that's kool. BUT, have you ever then grown so accustomed to success that you get comfortable and start to forget all those that helped you along the way? All those whom without you might not have developed the skills, character, network, and opportunity to shine?

checkit:

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God... You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

- Deuteronomy 8:10,11,17,18

The danger of getting comfortable is ever present. We get used to a thing and we start to think we are entitled to it, especially in relationships. You know how many relationships of all kinds get severely and sometimes irrevocably strained due to one taking advantage of the other? It gets baaaaaaad yo! We cannot forget about the contributions of others that have aided us to get to where we are today. But before we go there, let's focus on Pops.

Pops is da shiznit. I mean come on, there is no competition. Pops is the quintessential awesome being. What's more, that kat loves us so much, he bestows all manner of blessings and opportunity upon us! ...stuff we don't even deserve kid! That, my friends, is sweet. All he asks is that we roll with him and in the same direction he is going for doing so only benefits us even more! It protects us from ourselves.

Ahh, but therein lies the double-edged blade. As the good times roll and our stations in life elevate, we start to get comfortable. We say, "Yeah, this is how it supposed to be." We begin resting on our laurels. We may even start to think we got to where we are by our very own hands! We soon forget all of the coincidences popping up that proved to be excellent opportunities. We forget all the exactly right people we crossed paths with and developed continuing relationship that proved to be essential to our current position. Was all that chance? No kid! Pops himself was at work. We gotta remember him and not fall into self-worship. Because if self-worship kicks in, it will be the beginning of our own ends, by our very own hands. Keeping the right perspective ensures the longevity of la vida free and awesome. Give thanks to where thanks is due.

So it all flows from Pops! What else does that mean? It means also that there are a bunch of peeps around you that Pops likely had a hand in introducing. These people from all walks of life have aided in shaping us to become the people we are. There is nothing anyone has attained all on their own. We cannot forget that. Once we do, look out below. The bottom will drop out so fast you'll never even notice how fast you've already begun to fall. Remember Pops and all those who have been there along the way. Let's keep a healthy perspective. Let us also give thanks and proper recognition. It will keep us humble. It will keep the good times rolling. And it will enhance our quality of life. Word.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 213! Transformation

2008-05-13T09:58:00.002-04:00

Ever heard the expression, "That which you feed will grow" ...? It's simple really, whatever it is that you feed will continue to grow. Whatever it is that you neglect will die. There's no gray there, heh heh, MIghTy simple ;-D How does this relate to Pops above? He laid it out just as simply.

checkit:

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

- Deuteronomy 6:6,7

Word! Whoop there it is! Right there, BAM! In the previous chapter, the famous Ten Commandments have just been laid out. Ten simple commandments. Yet these same ten are like fully decked out soldiers taking on the monumental horde known as the human nature and all of its shadiness. That's right. These ten stand as friggin' Navy Seals in the face of some of the most dangerous threats to life out there. Let me refresh your memory about these homies:

Have no other gods before me, Pops above.
Don't make any idols, complete waste of time homie. Think about it, worshipping something made from your own hands.... come on kid!
Don't misuse my name, it's bad not only for you, but for everyone all around.
Pay attention to the Sabbath, keep it holy, and take a break!
Honor your moms and your pops
Yo, don't murder each other!
Stay AWAY from adultery, don't give it even a first thought.
Theft... kick that to the curb to. I'm talkin' kick with a GIGANTIC boot... Battletoads style.
Stop lying! Don't even start; it's just a black hole of endless cover up.
Don't covet your neighbor's stuff, animate or inanimate.

Yes, these are the ten, in patspeak of course. These ten combat greed, lust, conceit, excessive desire, laziness, selfishness, and overt pride. Kick back a second and try to recall whenever you started to go down a path where these things lead the way. Did it ever end well? Were peeps around you lifted or hurt? Were you, deep down, better off? Was any immediate reward lasting? Can you look back upon that time, and smile with a deep joy? I will bet the answer is a resounding no. Pops above, in all his straight AWESOMENESS, is trying to deliver us from experiencing such depths of humanity, such chains and cages. Hence the guidelines homies! They aren't there to "chain" us as some believe (HAH!!!). No no NO! They are there to free us, truly and lastingly. But for that to happen, we gotta be transformed.

BAM! Hence the passage above. If we feed the side that combats the base human nature, it will grow to be unbelievably solid and the freedom of life is yours for the taking. How do we do it? Simple, by thinking about it and talking about it when we chill, when we travel, when wake up, when we go to bed. In other words, constantly meditate on these things... and DO them! And most importantly, we CANNOT fall into the lie in which most people believe, that following these guidelines is limiting our freedom. No, these guidelines free us to engage life to the fullest. We learn respect, we learn fearlessness, we learn drive, we learn perspective, we learn love, we learn how to take a friggin' break and relax, we learn community, we learn unity. Tell me, how is that even remotely a cage?

Let's be transformed into beings that are free!

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 212! It's about us!

2008-05-07T09:00:00.003-04:00

Ever stop to wonder, " Yo, why is God all up in my face? Why does He care about the things I do or don't do?" We can get caught up in some deep thought once we go down that road. Does homie seek to control our lives? Is that it? Or is it something totally different? Hmmm.... checkit:

"Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!"

- Pops (Deuteronomy 5:29)

Moses is continuing the story about how Israel got to where they are currently. He's at the part when Pops straight spoke to them all, and all these kats heard his voice. This was the time when Pops hooked them up with the Ten Commandments. Israel was like, "Whoaaaa! Pops showed his glory! YO, we even heard his VOICE kid!" I'm telling you, Israel was both amazed and terrified. They were shocked that they heard the voice of Pops and didn't die. They were also terrified of hearing him continue to speak for they thought it a fluke they didn't die the first time his glory shown! So they told Moses, "Yo dawg, let us holla at you for a minute. Why don't you go and uhh talk to Pops. We'll chill back here. Tell us what he says and we'll listen and obey."

Pops heard what the Israelites said and homie seemed touched! For after hearing, he spoke the words written in verse 29 above to Moses! Note that "fear" in the above passage means to revere, to respect, or to hold in high esteem or awe. The words in the verse sound like the longing of someone who cares for the well being of a son, daughter, friend, student, or mentee. It ain't about God himself, it's all about us! Pops is doing all of this for us... so that we can experience how awesome life can really be!

By revering Pops, we learn to respect him. Not only that, we become open to truly seeing what the character of God is really like. Aw yeah! Once that happens we are blown away both by how awesome that character is and how genuine. In addition, our hearts become open to trying to acquire those traits. That in turn opens us up to living life on a whole new level! Furthermore, all those commands Pops gave, they are all there to protect us from destroying ourselves and our fellow man. By following them, we instead lift one another up, develop endearing and genuine relationships, and keep the venom that tries to seep through and destroy at bay. Shoooooot, we'll be living la vida SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

So, let's remember and keep in mind that Pops is out there representin' for us! Homie is doing all he can to enable us to experience some straight ILL living -- an existence that is way beyond anything we could imagine. So let's stop frontin'. Let's realize that Pops, afterall, is God. Before we even were, he was still God and straight chillin'. We aren't here for him, homie is here for us. Let's not push him away, but embrace what he's got to offer.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 211! Blessings will flow!

2008-04-29T09:00:00.003-04:00

Who doesn't want to catch a blessing? I mean come on, some people would give anything to receive just ONE! What if I told you aiming for one is straight panzy? Heh heh, that's right! Pops isn't about the one offs, He's about streaming an ill flow of blessings your way, believe that. So how can we trigger such a flow?

checkit:

"... I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly."

- Pops ( Deuteronomy 1:36 )

My man Moses is continuing his story about where the Israelites have been and where they are going. This specific instance is about the lands Pops above promised the nation, specifically the forefathers Abraham and company. See, Israel had escaped from Egypt and were making their way to the promised land. Right on the verge of entering, they doubted Pops. They saw what they would have to contend with to enter the promised land and cried, "No way! We'll get stomped!" What's worse, they started saying stuff like, "We should have stayed in Egypt." OH SNAAAAAAAAP! No they did not! Yes they did. And yeah, I can see you suddenly clutching your chest in an attempt feel Pops as if to lessen the pain of an imaginary arrow piercing your heart.

Now COME ON! These peeps saw FIRSTHAND the incredibly awesome things Pops can do. Shoot, homie was leading them via a pillar of wind by day and a pillar fire by night! Why did they doubt? I don't know. But yoooo! Caleb! Yes my friends, Caleb did not cower. Caleb was all about heading to the promised land. Peep Numbers chapters 13 and 14 for the story. Caleb stood tall and followed Pops wholeheartedly. The result? Those who saw the power of Pops firsthand and yet doubted him and went so far as to call his Egyptian rescue operation a mistake LOST the chance to enter the promised land. But for Caleb and his descendants the blessings of Pops would continue to flow. And flow they did!

How can we trigger a flow of blessings? By following Pops wholeheartedly, and I'm talking wholeheartedly! There's no point in doing it any other way. Otherwise you'll just miss out on the illest of the illest blessings that Pops has ready to roll out to you. Why settle for a mere sip when you can have the whole drink! Going all in is what it takes. And believe me, it is so beyond worth it that it is without measure. Go ahead and take the dive brothers and sisters! There is plenty of room and there is no end to His flow.

G-bless,

- patrick

Da Word... 210! Drop-kick bias holmes!

2008-04-22T13:31:00.001-04:00

This morning I was listening to Just Thinking, a podcast from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, and he mentioned that Deuteronomy is oft noted as Christ's most quoted book. So I thought, "Hey, if da Christ hit this book like crazy when speaking with people, maybe I should delve into it some!" Let's hit some Deuteronomy!

checkit:

And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien. Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike...

- Moses (Deuteronomy 1:16,17)

Humans tend to have a bias toward one thing or another. Showing impartiality when deciding between two things is pretty tough for us! We are so easily swayed by all kinds of signals and triggers... especially when those signals and triggers are people and identity! Now is having a bias all that bad? Naw lo. A bias towards compassion over conceit is world's better I think! But having a bias in situations that result in disproportionate or unfair treatment towards another human being or people group tends to give rise to problems.... buhlee dat.

Why do we treat people differently? It's the idea of favor or group identity. Yeah, we like to be in another's favor, especially if such a person is connected like CRAZY. If we come under a connected person's graces, it follows that we inherit some of that connectedness! And therein lies the problem, such thinking will lead to deleterious shafting of the less fortunate. That's right homies. Those who seem small or insignificant get left by the wayside and are treated anything but fairly. That's just wrong, ethically and morally. I mean, just because so-and-so can't elevate our position in any way, shape, or form, it does not give us the right to give him or her the shaft! That individual is still a person, just like us -- living, breathing and filled with emotions, feelings, needs, and desires. The same thing applies to those who are different from us whether it be by race, ethnicity, citizenship, or organization.

It's up to each and everyone us to eliminate such bias in our hearts when dealing with people. If we don't, such thinking will begin to spread like a sick and twisted disease. It will infect all of our relationships even creeping into family, friends, and communities. It will start to seap into institutions and businesses. Pretty soon an entire county, state, or nation will be wrought with infestation. What happens then? The beginning of the end my friend. Discrimination will run rampant, respect for human diginity will be lost, those who are connected will reap the fruits off of the backs of the less fortunate. Eventually those being shafted won't take it anymore. There'll be an uprising, a civil war so to speak. And we know that a house divided against itself cannot stand. I think you can guess how it ends.....

I don't know about you, but I enjoy it when peeps are happy and at peace with each other. When people love each other and look out for the interests of others, things start to get mad interesting! Life becomes da BOMB and we start to experience life in ways we have never known. Our friendships blossom, our familes grow tighter, our communities grow, and blessings are showered among us all. And yo, the strength of our bonds with one other intensifies exponentially. Let's spread this kind of thinking and action in everything that we do. Let us also operate fairly, especially if we are in positions of power whether it be at school, clubs, work, government, living groups, da whole nine. If you do, believe me, your circles will benefit immensely rippling into the lives of many and your quality of life will soar. Your burdens become a joy. Word.

G-bless,

- patrick