Hello everyone who reads this! (aka:no one)

My Dad and I recently wrote a worship song, and I have been recording it. Well, I just sent it in to WayFm for a contest called, “My Church Band Rocks” Needless to say these kinds of things are nearly impossible to win, but I just emailed the song in. Please stay tuned to hear news about this, seeing as I might need your votes. The winner gets studio time, and 40% off recording at a studio in Denver. I’ve posted the song, along with the lyrics. Let me know what you think! (ok, i need to get a space upgrade to post music and video. will get that taken care of soon!)

(Verse 1)

We come to You, for You are good
We hope in You, for You are good
And we know that You will never let us go

We’re prone to wander out of sight
But we love You God, with all our might
And we know that You will never let us go

(Chorus)

Today could be the day
That we’ve been waiting for
When we’re taken away
From all of the pain and suffering
Until that day we will obey
And seek the ones You love
So don’t be afraid, take care of the pain and suffering

(Verse 2)

You’re Word is true, we hold it dear
We’ve been set free, we have no fear
And we know that You are good
You are good!

All glory and praise
Is yours forevermore
All glory and praise is yours

What do you believe is right or wrong? I’ll tell you this question is the bedrock of most issues in our culture today. Even more simplistic than that is the question; is there even a difference between right and wrong? What’s right for you could be wrong for me, and vice versa. Some people think all is relative. But is it really? Everyone knows that there are certain absolute wrongs, and absolute truths. Murder is wrong, no matter what law you live under. I believe there is such thing as absolute right, absolute wrong and absolute truth. Despite popular belief, there are some things that are always true, no matter who you are, and when or where you live.

Absolute truth is a funny concept. It is peculiar because it can come from anywhere. That’s the whole point. Someone who may not know right and wrong, true and false, could speak absolute truth without even knowing it. I believe that the ultimate source of absolute truth rests in God’s Word, The Bible. What better place to get absolute truth, than from the very mouth of the one who is true. God is always true to Himself. God is just, and God is Holy. Because of that, I can trust that what He says is true.

The reason so many religions appear to have truth in them, is because – you guessed it, THEY DO! Or at least, they have pieces of truth in them. Derek Webb says in his song Ballad in Plain Red, “truth without context, my favorite of all my crimes.” This is coming from the perspective of Satan, and it makes sense. Satan takes the truth, absolute truth, and twists it into something that is almost truth.  That is precisely why you can find some truth in the strangest places. But that is also why almost truth, is not truth at all. When Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He meant it. His truth is the only truth. He did not say, “I am a way.”

I know this all is something that is hard to talk about in such a short time, so I’m wondering – what do you believe in? Do you believe in right and wrong? If you, like me, believe in absolute truth – God’s truth, what are you doing about it? This is no time to stay silent about truth. In a country full of almost truths and more often than not, flat out lies, then you must rise to the occasion. Stop acting all truth is relative, and start living the truth you proclaim. 

Barak Obama, president-elect of the United States of America, has written a new chapter in American History. The first African American to be elected president and many people are in shock over the whole thing. Some people are happy that Obama has done so well, while some are discouraged and angry that Obama has been elected. America has been through 43 other presidents, some good and some bad. We have seen Presidents drive America into the dirt, while others carry it on their shoulders. This is not the end. As much as people think Obama will fix our problems or make more, he is not the end all of Presidents. As Derek Webb sings, “my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man/
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood/ it’s to a king & a kingdom.” I think followers of Christ need to grasp onto this, and hold tight. Our President can be anyone, but it is in CHRIST that we find our leader, and our King. We were not meant to live in a democracy, but to live under the authority and power of the living God. God is the one who never changes, who never goes back on His word. It doesn’t matter who is in office, or who thinks they have power. America is not our home. This world is not our home. This World by Caedmon’s Call puts it perfectly, when they say, 

“There’s tarnish on the golden rule
And I want to jump from this ship of fools
Show me a place where hope is young
And a people who are not afraid to love 

(Chorus)

This world has nothing for me
And this world has everything
All that I could want
And nothing that I need”

It’s important also to note that America is not a Christian nation. We may say it was founded on Christian beliefs; we may have In God We Trust on our money, but we are not a nation following God. If you are a follower of Christ, your purpose is simple – “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Christ is with us! Don’t be discouraged, but put your trust in the LORD.

For some reason, I tend to get free stuff thrown at me. And it happens to me more than most people. For example, there was a Guitar Hero thing at school, and i just ended up getting every free piece of Guitar Hero clothing/hat/backpack. Another time, I got free drinks and chips for a group of about 10 people at Rubios. (That was was assisted). I think it all started when I was working at Coldstone, and my brother was working at Cinemark. I always had ice cream, and free movies. Free movies! That was maybe 5 years ago, and I have probably only paid for a handful of movies since. 

My friend Klint has only added to the free stuff. After the Guitar Hero incident, we got in to a food place on Campus for free, by telling them we were “in the band” (we were wearing all the Guitar Hero Stuff). he list goes on, free Starbucks on many, many occasions. Free Noodles for our entire groups. I think we Americans need more free stuff. I know it has really helped me. Think about it. We are a free nation, we should get the occasional free USA t-shirt, or free meal, or airline ticket. I think our next big thing will be trying to get a free airline ticket…we’ll see

Water.

Water has a lot of meaning in everyday life. Something I’ve noticed about water is that I really enjoy it. It is more often than not my drink of choice. And I find that strange, because of all the choices that are there. Mountain Dew, Pepsi, alcoholic beverages, whatever drinks there are, I find water the most satisfying. You would think by now we would have come up with something better, right? I mean, out of mankind’s entire history, I’m sure we have come up with more different drinks than we could ever taste if we drank liquids 24/7 for our entire lives. The thing about water is that it is perfect. Perfect taste, perfect color, it gives you energy, and it is refreshing, 0 Calories. How could a clear liquid, that appears as basic as dirt, do all that? I think God knew about every drink we would create, and he knew that His would be the best.

Leave it to God to create the drink with the perfect amount of everything. His drink, you would have to rely on for life. You cannot live on drinking Mountain Dew, or Coffee, if that is all you ever drank. But if all you drank was water, you would be great. It is a healthy drink. Since our bodies at 97% water, it is vital for life. It is not only vital for our immediate life, but our eternal life.

God created this water as a symbol. He made it necessary, to further the fact that we need Him. Jesus was baptized in water. Although baptism is not an absolute for salvation, it is, or should be part of the Christian lifestyle. It should be an act in response to faith, showing your peers the decision you made. In this way, water is a necessity.

You cannot water your plants with soda, or wine, or any other synthetic drink. Water is necessary for plant life, for growth, for nourishment. Part of me doesn’t like this concept. I want to be the one controlling my life, but God built into my basic needs for survival something only He can provide. This was not by accident, or coincidence. If we can rely on God for what we need most for survival, then trusting Him in the other aspects of life should be simple.

“Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

                                                                                                                         -Jesus

If you see this, you might be wondering, “What does it mean?” referring to the title, and all. Through this blog, I plan to initiate a chain of conversations, which will be much like mitosis. Mitosis, by it’s very nature is a changing process, taking place in the nucleus. Unmitigated is what I will refer to as truth. Unmitigated is something that is absolute, unchanging. In the case of this whole ordeal, truth is something that I believe never changes.  As Sandra McCracken puts it in her song Age After Age, “truth is truth is truth.” 
I hope you enjoy this experience.