More Power to 89.7 Power FM!

So there's this awesome commercial free, listener supported radio station. What's it called you ask? If you're asking then you're obviously interested and you must go check them out. Start by checking out http://kvrk.com. Then tune in to 89.7 FM or click here to stream it live from the internet at kvrk.com.

What type of music do they play? Oh, right, they play old and new Christian Rock music!! Bands like Red, Skillet, Underoath, Switchfoot, Jars of Clay, This Beautiful Republic and sooo much more. Know a Christian band? They probably play it. Now on the other hand I guarantee they'll play music that will make you go, "I didn't know Christian music could sound like that?!" Yes, yes it can, I'll tell you. These tunes will move you, boost your worship time, give you lyrics to think about and lyrics that you will definitely relate to. They have new music coming out every week. They also give away free tickets, CDs, t-shirts, autographed guitars and more all the time! Check 89.7 Power FM out!!

Lastly I've got to mention that they're in there one of two Share-a-thons for this year. They need OUR support to stay on the air. They've been going 10 years strong by being listener supported! How awesome! They are commercial free which means MORE music for us! This station is an incredible ministry with the power to heal and redeem. Just $20/mo from 3000 people will pay their bills and keep them broadcasting and ministering to the ENTIRE world. They also take one time donations of ANY size. Just call 1-866-787-1897 toll free, 214-787-1897 in the metroplex or donate online at kvrk.com.

Awesome, awesome station, great DJs that know their stuff and have fun. Check 'em out, help keep them on the air and spread the word! No pun intended ;-)

In Christ,

JMN

One Love for Tough Times

I like to be fairly open with my life so people can either get inspiration from me or have some good words for me. Last night while I'm playing, what's quickly becoming a hobby of mine, some nightly poker I was thinking about everything I'm going through right now and how much uncertainty I have to deal with. So what's going on? Right now I never know what Starbucks I'm going to be working at due to my restricted schedule and some, God forgive me, idiot running through and demolishing my home store. No one was hurt but I am displaced and I'm struggling. My internship isn't panning out how I hoped it to but I will know more, again hopefully, soon. Lastly, the major I declared 2 years ago is now at the risk of being phased out. A meeting on May 8th will have a final decision, I've been told. I still don't know what I am going to do if it's cancelled. So with all this in mind I went back to my roots of how I deal with my struggles. Writing. And here's what came of it. Everything is raw so only a few small edits have been done. I like it this way:

One Love for Tough Times

yes, i am depressed
feelin a little stressed
i can't rest
feelin like everything's a test
I'm sure my face shows it
as hard as i try to hide it
use my resources
trying to fight it
but there's one Man
one Plan
one Friend
and He'll see his plan to the end

I've gotta stay the course
run the race
fight the battle
when time and choices seem thin
i've gotta pick up myself
and fight for the win
i've actually got no choice
just one choice
and that's His
and I'll honor that and give him praise
pick it up
get back in the race

seems like so much to do
and so little time
a cliche
i'll go ahead and call it mine
but only for now
there's always more time
i'll just lay another rhyme
watch it glow
feel it out
touch its flow

so maybe i get a little down
i just drop a prayer
get back in touch
put the words in the air
maybe a few tears and a glossy stare
but nothing compares
to the love He shares
one love, two friends
eternal life, for the win

JMN, 4/29/10

Believing is not like Faith

Faith is so much more than just believing. Faith takes chances and risks. Faith is like believing times the largest number you can think of. Faith doesn't need proof. You have to see it to believe it. You don't have to see it to have faith in it.

The following song is by Dizmas - Play It Safe. It has perfect lyrics to define faith. Watch and read them below.



Seeing is believing
But belief is not like faith
Faith takes chances
Faith moves mountains
You will see when you don't see
Faith prevails where belief fails
It needs no proof, baby you don't need proof

You play it safe, that's why your running away
You play it safe, 'cuase you think it's okay

You claim to be searching
but just want to be down without a fight
No one seeks God, No not one
God will be, though belief fails
Love prevails where passion fails
No one seeks God, no not one

You play it safe, that's why your running away
You play it safe, 'cuase you think it's okay

Our nature plays with fire
Burning Bridges that made us stronger
Don't play it safe, fall in love with
The honest conviction

You play it safe, that's why your running away
You play it safe, 'cuase you think it's okay

Go with faith and fill the world with His glory!! Faith can do so much you just have to have it. And having it is easier than you think. I promise.

In Christ,

JMN

You Can and Will Win

The devil is King of the Flesh. Ha, no wonder our bodies fail us all the time. Ever wonder why your body is saying no but you're saying yes. This is the reason. God rules the Spirit. God is the Spirit. God is our Spirit. We are all one.

Ever laid in bed and knew you needed to get up but either couldn't or found yourself never getting up as time went by. I know I've slept all day before because I felt I couldn't face the world. Because I thought the world would care less. This is exactly what our flesh wants us to believe.

When you're trying to do something and are having trouble and something inside of you is saying you can't this is your flesh speaking over your spirit. The flesh is drowning out your Spirit so you can't hear It. Why would your spirit, the very being that is you, tell you that you can't do something. Your spirit wants you to win at everything you do, conquer the earth and rule over the things of this world. Your spirit, the essence of God, wants you to excel in everything. Whether a small task of brushing your teeth or a large task of climbing Mount Everest.

Now, your ideas of small and large tasks are all different depending on where you're at in your life. And these will change as you progress and accomplish new things. One day just getting out of bed may be a HUGE task for you. Another day standing up in front of a huge crowd to do a performance may be your huge task, or giving a huge presentation to the top dogs of your company. Simply meeting new people or opening up to learn something new may be huge for you. No matter what the task is the Spirit wants us to conquer it. What are your huge tasks right now? Figure them out, write them down, then conquer them. You know you can.

The Devil will also always try and bring you back to thinking these are huge tasks when you've conquered them a long time ago. He will always be whispering to you and always be thinking of new ways to keep you down, to keep you thinking you'll never win. He uses the flesh to make you think you can't do these things. He causes you to be sore when you need to keep going. He causes you to get sick just before a big day. He tells your body to stop when your Spirit will tell you to go. You must learn to keep in tune with your Spirit. To keep in tune with God. The moment you stop being in tune, the moment you let your guard down is the exact instant the flesh comes in to play. The devil will win but only if you let him.

Constantly read the Bible. Constantly pray. Constantly talk to God. Constantly strive to be better. Constantly tell your flesh it won't win. Constantly send the Devil back to hell in Jesus' name. Whatever it takes to win you must do it. You must use every weapon you've been given to fight off the enemy. Spiritual warfare is so real and the moment you think you've won is the moment the Devil gets back up and will attack again.

We have not won until we're walking through the gates of Heaven to be with our Father. Until then keep your weapons sharp, use them wisely and frequently. Keep your mind and eyes open for new weapons. Continue to listen closely to your Spirit. The flesh is always telling you, "You can't." God is always telling you, "You can." Pay attention. Never give up. Never say never. Always listen to your spirit and not your flesh.

"Everyone has their obsessions. You are mine. You are mine." - MuteMath

In Christ,

JMN

Tough Times: Evolving a Prayer

Okay, so it's been quite a while since my first post. I'm hoping this won't be the case for the future.

In my last, and first and only, post I said I was going to be blogging with my testimony over the posts to follow but I feel something different is needed. My testimony will come with time. For now, I have a battle to fight and I want to share it so you who are reading and others may share or fight with me in this battle.

Spiritual warfare is all around us whether we recognize it or not. Sometimes it's hard to even place what is spiritual warfare and what's just a personal difficulty we're going through. I'm reading a book right now entitled Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. In the book John talks about a constant battle we're in and how we must be prepared to fight at all times. The devil is attacking us and the people around us all the time. We have to be aware of this and always ready to ward off any attack.

Right now, I feel like a mental block has come upon me and even possibly has been upon me for many years. It's something I'm just now realizing that I may need to take more of an initiative to battle against. In recent months I've prayed for God to give me words of wisdom so that I may use them to advance His Kingdom and to be a light to the world. This is my way of saying I always want to have a response. I feel I have opinions that I'm not able to address or convey at many times that I want to. Now, I know there are plenty of times when it's best to not say anything at all. However, I feel I have plenty of times when I've wanted to say something and I've either waited too long or I find I'm running backwards to later get my points across.

I've always been a quieter person ever since I was little. Granted, I've always been adventurous and always looking for something to do but when I'm in crowds or in a situation with people I don't know as well or feel the slightest bit uncomfortable I tend to clam up. I've been working on this for many years because it is a quality of myself that makes me very insecure. And this insecurity spawns more timidness and I just go 'round and 'round in circles until I'm actually beating myself up internally, emotionally draining everything that's within me.

For a couple of years now I have been fine. Not until last night had this problem surfaced itself with such a fierce validity. I have been battling this problem head on and doing so well. Making myself talk when I had something to say, trying new things, creating new situations and surroundings. I have been coming out of my shell so to speak more and more as the months go by. Last night scared me. Last night made me realize I need to battle harder, be stronger, be more aware. There are actions I need to take and prayers I need to pray.

Sometimes we need to reevaluate a prayer so that it is more precise and more accurate to the problem or battle at hand. I've been asking God for words of wisdom to advance his Kingdom. For me and what I want this is not direct enough. I need to be asking God to banish the devil from my thoughts and from my mouth so that I will speak when I want to speak, so that I will recall memories and thoughts when I need or want them, so that I will be actively doing instead of reactively doing nothing.

The devil is very powerful and we must never underestimate him but we must also give him less opportunities to strike and know how to strike back. With God's power and wisdom we can defeat him. We can win. And we will. So long as we continue to pick up our swords, constantly evolve in His Grace and never, ever give up.

My Evolved Prayer:

"With these words I ask you Lord to cast away the devil from my lips and my thoughts and banish him back to Hell where he belongs. The devil will no longer block my ideas, my thoughts or my tongue allowing me to speak freely, think freely and act accordingly whenever you know I want to. You have my heart Lord and the Spirit is within it. As Christ as my friend and my Saviour I pray all of this in His name. I am forever Yours. Amen."

In Christ,

JMN

P.S. If you need this prayer it is always more efficient when you pray out loud and with a friend you have confidence in. And one time is never enough. Sometimes the same prayer is needed many days or months in a row. Feel free to use mine. If there is not someone you have close confidence with praying out loud will do just find but make sure you make constant efforts to find that person or persons to fight this ongoing battle with.

Just for C28 - A Christian Clothing Company & Ministry

Hello world and fellow Christian warriors. And when I say Warrior I mean all out fighter for Christ and making a difference in the world to further His Kingdom and not our own. It takes a true Warrior to make a difference and a strong heart for Jesus to fire that Spirit! So Warriors let's unite! And let's re-ignite this somber Christian world! (men/boys - check out "A Warrior Culture" by Donny Prater -- men/women/boys/girls - check out "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan - these books will more than lead you to becoming Warriors for Christ).

This original post is just for C28. They're an Awesome company spreading the Love of Jesus through apparel, accessories and music right on the good ol' world wide web. (note* you'll notice I will use capitals in this and future blogs for any words I feel deserve that extra emphasis for His Word; because we all know He more than deserves the extra from all of us!).

C28 is a Christian retail store chain that has many stores across the U.S. and a great web-store. C28 stands for Colossians 2:8 (interesting that Colossians is being picked up by spell check, wants to change it to collisions; hmmm...), Not Of This World (NOTW) and is all about Jesus!! They have all kinds of up-to-date designs for clothing, backpacks, purses, wallets, jewelry, and more. They also carry an incredible selection of CDs and DVDs for many bands you won't find in your local Best Buy or Walmart.

Now, I live in Little Elm, TX. I have lived in a few cities around the outskirts of Dallas, TX (maybe a little easier to place for those of you not from Texas). If you ask me (and you're a die-hard Jesus fan and living in the area) we NEED a C28 in our local malls here!! What an Awesome way to spread the Love of Jesus and touch those in need of his Love that don't even know it! Most people wouldn't even think that a Christian could actually be "hip" and "cool". I say they've just got the wrong definitions of hip and cool.

C28 is not just a clothing company. They're a ministry. The clothing is just something they've chosen to use a topic starter to get into people's hearts. The clothing allows us to share our Love for Christ and hopefully touch the hearts of others and lead them to Christ as well. C28 has brought almost 14,000 people to Christ since 2001. That's a HUGE number for a clothing company to be leading others to Christ!! How incredibly awesome!

If you haven't already, go now to C28.com by clicking here. Or get to your local C28 and check out the Awesome stuff they have to offer. You won't be disappointed by the price or the selection.

As a very LARGE side note. Those that call yourselves Christian need to wake up and smell the world if you haven't already. We're being deemed a somber culture and one that isn't worth living for. We need to show the world how Awesome it is to be Loved by Christ and Live His Way. Show them how much Fun it is to be a Christian. Let us renew our name and let it be heard. We need to Act. Everyday and all day. Our lives need to bleed the Blood of Jesus. People need to know we Love our God and will do ANYTHING for Him and through Him ANYTHING can be done. Our job is to believe, God's job is to do the impossible. He needs to be in our speech, our actions, and our worldly possessions. He needs to be at the top of our priority list and never anything less than Number One. Challenge yourself everyday to be Stronger for Him and use your fellow Christians to guide you, keep you moving forward and to hold you up when you're falling. We are the Light to our King's Will and He will find a Way. Let it be through you that He shines.

In Christ,

JMN

P.S. I haven't always been with Christ but I now will never leave Him. My following blogs will share my testimony for the world to read. You'll want to read it. I promise.