Consumed - By Junyah Quemado

8.10.09 - There is a CD I would like to recommend that I recently purchased and love the message these songs bring to the Church. The title of the CD is called “Consumed” and it comes from a youth movement called JesusCulture http://www.jesusculturemusic.org/ (you can find on iTunes) out of Bethel Chapel in Redding, CA. All the song are great on this CD but there is this song titled, “Burning One”, that just spoke tons to me.

Chorus and Bridge:

“We are Your burning ones

We are consumed by You

We set our live apart

We are consumed by You

Let this life be like a fire

Let our life be like a flame

Fill our souls with Your desire

Let our passion bring You fame”

I guess what I have been really developing in my faith has been a desire to be consumed or obsessed with God to a point where literally every day I wake up I ask, “What is my mission today Lord”. And not just to say it but to live it. I have been reading Acts and Paul’s’ Epistles and seeing what a life consumed by the gospel and by God looks like. I really want to know what His desire is and what it looks like expressed through me where He has put me.

Even more exciting is the power of His Church when each Christian can live a consumed life. I have to believe that when Jesus says His Church will be built on a rock and Hades will not prevail; it has to fire us up as Christians.

I know I can’t look at every single one of you in the eye and encourage you but for those who read this I’d like to say, “Come on! Keep going! Dig deep! Stand firm! Press on! It’s ALL worth it!”

Let your PASSION bring HIM fame!

Just Do As Your Told - By Junyah Quemado

5.22.09 - This song has been on my mind and heart the past few weeks. It is a song that is simple in words yet difficult in application. The song is titled “Where You Go I’ll Go” by Brian Johnson of Bethel Chapel in Redding, CA. The lyrics go like this:

Where you go, I go

What you say, I say

What you pray, I pray

What you pray, I pray

Jesus only did what He saw you do

He would only say what He heard you speak

He would only move when He felt you lead

Following your heart, following your spirit

How could I expect to walk without you?

When every move that Jesus made was in surrender

I will not begin to live without you

For you alone are worthy

And you are always good

Though the world sees and soon forgets

We will not forget who you are and what you’ve done for us

How does the phrase, “Do as your told” strike you? If you are like most people that doesn’t sit well with you. We are taught independence and to make our own decisions. But did we learn that from Jesus? No! It’s quite the opposite. Take a look at these two verses in John:

“I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me gave me his own instructions as to what I should say. And I know his instructions lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say!” (John 12:49-50)

“But the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” (John 14:31)

Jesus teaches us that He does what the Father tells Him to do and He says what the Father tells Him to say! If we are not careful, we can fall under this attitude that was captured in another well-known song. “I DID IT MY WAY!”

I’m not saying that it’s easy to have the same attitude of Jesus but it is the example we should want to follow.

If we truly are to believe that this year is a year of transformation, we NEED to check our attitudes towards what it means to be a Christian – A Follower of Christ. Not just a BELIEVER but also a FOLLOWER.

Romans 12:2 clearly instructs us on how to be TRANSFORMED:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is”

As a church we are called to live differently than the world and take on the pattern of hearing God and doing what He says. We can’t just settle for gathering together – sing some songs, hear a message, give our offering and then leave and expect to be Transformed. The Lord has something for us to do not only as individuals but also as a CHURCH!

My prayer for myself and my brothers and sisters is that we can say “Lord I will do what You want me to do and say what You want me to say” The world teaches us to think we are in control and we know what’s best for us – REALLY???