His Glory is His Goodness - Samuel Gatlyn

New CD - Missing Galaxy

2011-11-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,
I'm writing to let everyone know that I have a new cd in the works. I've been working on this for about three years.
I've started a kickstarter to raise the rest of the funds for the cd.
Check out the video to hear all about the heart behind the project. You can watch it here:

Also I've posted a free pre-release of a track from the new cd. You can download it here:

Please do me a favor, and share these links with as many of your friends as you can. We're still a ways from meeting our funding for this project.
We're extremely excited about the content and quality of the music, and can't wait to share it with you.

Bless you guys!
Samuel

Our Wedding and Reception Videos... Almost a year later.

2010-08-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

So It's been almost a year, and so much has happened since we got married. September 12, is our one year anniversary. It's taken me about this long to edit our wedding footage into one complete version of the whole day. So... for all the friends and family who couldn't make it, and wanted to see it, here it is. The wedding is split up into two parts, and the reception into three parts.

The wedding was shot by Dean Kaneshiro and Andrew Ketchum for Earthsuit Media and AK Media.
Hope you enjoy it.

Our Wedding - Samuel & Jessica Gatlyn - Part 1 from Samuel Gatlyn on Vimeo.

Our Wedding - Samuel & Jessica Gatlyn - Part 2 from Samuel Gatlyn on Vimeo.

Our Reception - Samuel & Jessica Gatlyn - Part 1 from Samuel Gatlyn on Vimeo.

Our Reception - Samuel & Jessica Gatlyn - Part 2 from Samuel Gatlyn on Vimeo.

Our Reception - Samuel & Jessica Gatlyn - Part 3 from Samuel Gatlyn on Vimeo.

Studio Blog - Gat3 - Tracking Keys

2010-08-15T15:20:00.001-07:00

My Love Story...

2010-04-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

I've had quite a few people ask me about my love story. How did I and Jess meet; and of course... how did we fall in love? I'm going to do my best to give you the details without making this too long. I'll save the extended detailed version for our book someday. Here's how it starts....

I was searching. I had been searching since the time I was 11. I knew from a young age that my heart was made for someone out there.
I was 26 now and had tried many times to start relationships, and had pretty much been met with defeat at every turn. I was looking for what Solomon called "Mutual Delight." I had a deep desire to pour out all my love on someone, and in turn to be mutually adored.

But I had now come to a point where I was tired of waiting... and searching. My heart had given up. Hope deferred... makes the heart sick. And I was sick of waiting.

I was living in Fort Mill SC at the time, and was working with a team called Fulfillment Fest. We were heading over to Israel to do a music festival on the Mount of Olives.

I just happened to mention my trip on my blog. Little did I know, people actually read those things. I got an e-mail from a faithful follower named... Jessica. She had been to Israel on several occasions, and wanted to let me know she had contacts there if I needed them. She also mentioned that she was going to be in Israel the same time I was. I cordially responded and said "Thank you," and told her maybe we could meet up over there. We tossed a few e-mails back and forth. I didn't think much more about it. But little did I know, I had been talking to my future wife.

So I went to Israel. And one of the days while I was working an event, helping with parking, up rolls Jess in a bus full of people. She spotted me, and waved enthusiastically. I kind of gave her a half-hearted wave back, and kept my cool, acting like I was busy. After all... I couldn't give her even the slightest inkling that I was remotely interested. My heart was walled up, and I wasn't ready to let in a girl that I didn't really know.

It's amazing how when your heart is closed up, you'll ignore what your emotions are telling you. Things that you don't notice until after the fact. Things that if you had let yourself be privy to, you would have run the other way. As it was... I liked this girl. Thought she was cute. Loved her passion for Jesus. But... I wasn't letting myself know any of that.

I ended up eating lunch with Jess and her friend Sally under a tree that afternoon. I later realized I would end of looking through the crowd to find her. I actually snapped a couple of photos of her while she was worshipping. I liked this girl, and didn't know it.

I got to see Jess one last time before leaving Israel. Me and a group of friends were going out to eat that night, and I ask her if she'd like to join us. Jess said she couldn't go. Apparently I asked several times. I don't remember. I always joke with Jess and tell her that the first time I asked her out, she turned me down.

Let's move forward. I came home in June of 2008, and over the next two months didn't really talk to Jess. Occasionally we'd drop a few notes back and forth, but other than that... not much. In the mean time Jess lived in Grove, Oklahoma, and my sister lived in Kansas City, MO. They became friends, and starting video chatting. (SKYPE)

It was around August that we really started talking again.... and video chatting. I had just tried to start a relationship that ended quickly. And here is where we started, I was tired of trying. I'd pretty much given up at this point. I was afraid of even trying again less I'd fail once more. I had no idea that this girl Jessica whom I barely knew was interested in me. In my mind I had no reason to pursue her, especially since she was heading off to school. She was off to ministry school all the way across the country in Redding, California.

And that's just what she did. Jess was off to Redding for nine months. We continued to talk, and our friendship continued to grow. We both we're hoping that there just might be something more than just a long distance relationship. But what would open it up?

It got kicked open over Thanksgiving break. Jess had come home to Oklahoma, and my sister came down to visit. I had confided in my sister that I kind of liked Jess, but I was so afraid to start anything. I was afraid that there would be no reciprocation. I had tried to pour out my love so many times and never got anything back.

Beka decided to help us along. And so while spending the night at Jess' house, she broached the subject. "Do you like my brother?"
What ensued was two giggling girls under the covers, one confiding my confidence, and the other receiving it with great joy. And if any of you know Jess, you know that joy is an understatement.

The next day my sister had gone home and called Jess on video chat to talk to her about the newfound developments of Jess' heart. Little did Jess know, my sister was recording her on a cell phone. That afternoon I received two small videos on my phone of Jess talking about me. I'd never seen a girl react like that over me. It was exactly what I needed to see and hear to break the fear off my heart. I was ready to pursue.

I called her dad and asked him if I could pursue Jess. He gave me his blessing. It was about a week and a half later. Jess was back in California. I had sent her a Birthday package. A brown paper package tied up in hemp full of chocolate. Jess had been on a year vow, seeking the Lord, not eating sweets, not pursuing any relationships. I called her over skype on her birthday. I asked her if I could pursue her and her response was priceless. I'll never forget it. She did everything from crying, to laughing to burying her head in her knees and squealing. At one point she jumped up and ran in the other room. I could her screaming at the top of her lungs dancing around. Needless to say... the answer was yes.

It was probably a couple of days after that that I found myself praying, "Lord, I need a ring." I wasn't working a job at that moment, and didn't really have any money saved. But I knew I had met the girl I wanted to marry.

It was about a week later... I was at a friend's house and received a phone call from a dear friend. She told me she wanted to give me something. It just so happened to be a diamond ring.

So now I had my ring. I hardly knew what to do with myself. Most smart men would never do what I did. I decided to call Jess' parents, and tell them about .... well... everything. I mean it had only been a little over two weeks since I asked if I could pursue their daughter.

So I call them up and told them about the ring. How I'd asked God for one, and now I had it. (I was Skyping them by the way...*video chat).
I told them... "I'm not ready to ask you for permission to marry Jess right now..." (Because I wanted to ask them in person) "... but, if I were to propose to Jess, I would do it in Israel, on the beach at Caesarea. There's a place there where the Lord met Jess, and it's her favorite place in the world. That's where I would do it."

I wasn't prepared for what came next. Jess' dad teared up, as if he was almost ready to cry. He looked at me and said, "You won't believe this, but I was just asking the Lord today, about you proposing to Jess in Israel."

It was at this point that I realized more than ever, God was rolling out my dreams before me, and I would be stupid not to follow this extravagant path. So I began to plan my trip to Israel. Jess had told me early on that she would be taking a trip to Israel with a team from Bethel's Ministry school. She would be there in March... and I planned to be waiting for her when she got there. I had about three months to plan.

One amazing part of this story, is that right after Christmas Jess had come home from California. Her parents were amazing enough to fly me down to oklahoma so I could spend some time with Jess. This was the second time I would meet Jess, and the first time since we had realized how we felt about each other.

We had an amazing time together, and spent new years eve laying in her driveway looking up at the stars. (We lasted about five minutes outside. It was freezing.)

I told her for the first time that I loved her, and gave her a necklace that I had bought while I was in Jerusalem. A gift for my future bride. And while I was there, I formally asked her father for his blessing to marry Jess. He said, "Yes."

I spent the next two months working as a delivery driver for Jason's deli. And finally the day had come. It was time for Jess to leave for Israel. I had everything planned out. Jess would be in the country three days before she showed up at Ceasarea, and I knew there was no way I could video chat with Jess without her knowing that I wasn't at home working. So.... I lied. I told her I was doing a three day youth retreat out at some camp somewhere. I would have no internet, or phone service. Meanwhile I had set up my facebook to automatically post fake updates at certain times over the next three days. Status updates of me doing things at home and pictures and videos of me at work. I even recorded some personal facebook videos for her in my bedroom that I could upload at certain times. She had no idea i was coming.

Before she left for Israel, I sent her a special package. It was a little box covered in sea shells, shut up tight with a heart shaped lock. I told he she couldn't open it until later. Inside was a little red book, in which I had written the story and my plans. All about the ring, Israel, the proposal, and Jesus.

As I said goodbye to her over the phone while she was boarding her first flight, she had no idea that I was boarding a plane myself. I kept having to end the call every time the loud speaker came on. I told her I was at wal-mart with sketchy service.

Finally, I boarded my flight and many hours later arrived in Tel Aviv. I arrived 3 hours before Jess, and was picked up by an awesome friend of Jess' named Shani Feguson. Her and her husband Kobi offered to help me make this dream come true. (Check out their youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/yeshuaisraelvideos

The next two days were torture for me, and for Jess. She desperately missed me. We hadn't gone a day without talking to each other over Skype. She woke up around 2AM on March 11th to the sound of her phone sending one of my status updates on twitter to her as a text. It was one of my queue of pre-written status updates. It said, "I want to see my love..."
Jess quickly jumped out of bed and ran downstairs turned on her computer and could see that I was on facebook. She wanted to skype me, but I knew if she saw me she'd know that I wasn't at home. I logged out of my account. She sat and cried.

Today was the day. I drove with Shani to Caesarea on the coast. We got there a about forty minutes early. The plan was for me to run down to the end of the beach and wait there. Shani would text me when it was time for me to walk up the beach. Meanwhile, Jess was riding on a bus with her group to Caesarea. She knew she'd be meeting her friend Shani there, but had no clue what was about to happen. And even though she didn't know, she leaned over to a friend and said, "I'll feel like something significant is going to happen. I have butterflies in my tummy."

She came riding up and her group leader pulled her and her friend Kalia off the bus to do some sort of "Prophetic act" on the beach. :D Shani met Jess and they walked down onto the beach. Jess had asked Shani and Kalia to help her make a video for me, and so Shani began to record.

Meanwhile, I'm down on the other side of the beach... waiting. All I had in my possession, was a little clam shell with the ring in it, a cell phone, and a Pomegranate in my hand. I look up to see a guy walking towards me. He was wearing an old shirt, and dirty pair of jeans. I don't know how I knew, but I took one look at him and said to myself, "Great!. He's either Mossad, or secret police."
He came up to me a flipped out a badge, and began to ask me 'what I was doing', and 'where was my passport?' An officer in uniform appeared quickly behind him. He was like, "Do you have drugs? Knives?"
He frisked me, but once he saw the ring, he realized what I was there for. Israelis love 'love.'

So I walked down the beach, and I'll never forget that day. The ring was was in a little clam shell with our names and date on the top. Inside was also the key to the little box I had sent Jess before she'd left. I proposed to Jess there at Caesarea. She said 'yes.'

We spent the next day walking the streets of Jerusalem. We bought our wedding rings in the jewish quarter of the old city. I took Jess through Jaffa gate into the tower of David, and in a stoned garden alcove, under an olive tree, I kissed her for the first time.

We got married six months later in Moravian Falls, NC. We tallied up the time that we had physically spent together in the same room; from the time we met in May of 2009, to the day we got married in September of 2010. We had actually only spent a little less than a month together.

And that's our story. The shortest version I can come up with at this moment.

I've learned so many things from that season of my life, and maybe one day soon I'll share them with you. But the simple moral of my story for you today is this: God loves to give good gifts. His dreams for you are far beyond your wildest dreams. Before you take another step, check out the dreams He has for you. You'll never regret it. He gives the greatest gifts.

My Wedding...

2009-11-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

My Engagement - Caesarea, Israel

2009-03-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Jessica took a mission trip with the Bethel group from Redding California, little did she know that the day that she boarded the plane, I boarded one too. I arrived three hours in Israel before she did, and on the 11th of March I surprised her and showed up on the beach in Caesarea, Israel. She had no idea I was coming. This is what happened there:

Girl of my Dreams

2009-02-02T12:02:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone...
If you don't already know. I have found the girl of my dreams. I'd like you to meet her.
Her name is Jessica Cortez. And I'll be posting more about her in the very near future.
She's my amazing girl.

Photo by www.tirzahphotography.com

Recording so Far!

2008-11-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

So here is a series of short video journals so far of the recording process of my new cd. The new cd, "Missing Galaxy" should be released by the beginning of the new year.... maybe sooner.

Proposition 8 & The Call California

2008-10-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

..

..

Barak Hussein Obama

2008-10-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

In the Studio Recording Drums.

2008-10-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

Please Pray for Asha Erickson

2008-09-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Would you please take a moment to pray for a dear friend in England, Asha Erickson. Asha has been struggling with cancer in her body for over a year now and today we got word that they are only giving her a few hours to live. Kurt and Asha Erickson were our very first ministry contact in England back in the early 90's. Sent out of Times Square Church in New York, they have been faithfuly serving the East London area for many years. Kurt and Asha were also connected with Heidi and Roland Baker when the Bakers planted a church called The Believers Center and they eventually took over the work when Roland and Heidi moved to another country. The Eloes Ministries Church in Bethnal Green, London where Kurt and Asha Erickson presently serve as Pastors, is a powerful witness in the east end of London and serves many homeless people. This is a place that we have been many times with our missions teams. Kurt and Asha also have two boys, Wesley and Adam. Thanks you for all your prayers.

Blessings,
Samuel
http://www.eleosinternational.org/eleoschristianchurch.asp

Live Recording - Mercy Rain - Don Gatlyn

2008-09-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!
I like to let you know about a new live Recording that was done new year eve this past year. We've been working a long time to get it finished, and we're excited to finally have it done. It's called Mercy Rain; featuring my Dad...
Don Gatlyn.
My dad has been playing and leading worship for over 25 years. He has a unique style that you won't hear anywhere else, and when He plays, the presence of God comes.

And yes... I'm biased. But check it out for yourself. Click on the banner below and visit his myspace to hear some of the new cd... and you can also purchase it there.
Thanks for Listening!
Samuel

Bound4LIFE - FaceDown40 - 2008

2008-09-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

The Hosea Project - Thanks for Listening

2008-08-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!
Since August... I've had nearly 800 people download The Hosea Project. I hope you guys enjoy the music and the story.
Here's what I'm asking... if you downloaded the cd, please tell someone about it. Let them know where they can get it.

For those of you who haven't heard the Hosea Project yet... You can order it through my Myspace. www.samuelgatlyn.com
Or you can find it on iTunes.

Also I'm currently in and out of the studio recording my new cd: "Missing Galaxy".
As it stands right now, I still need about $1600.00 dollars to finish this project. (Maybe more.)
If you would like to help financially with this project, you can click on the 'DONATE' icon below to give.
Thank you so much for your support!

Blessings,
Samuel

Jerusalem - Fulfillment Fest has Begun

2008-06-01T02:26:00.001-07:00

This last week has been wild and busy. I've visited Nazareth, the sea of Galilee, and finally.... our container with our tent was released from customs. It took us a whole day to get the thing up, and I got some pretty nice sunburn in the process. Getting through all the red tape to get this event going has been crazy. But the festival has finally started and the name of Yeshua is being lifted up and proclaimed across the city of Jerusalem.
Please keep us in your prayers. There is constantly something new being thrown our way: whether is be the police on their way to shut up down because we can't have a grill running, or the molotov cocktail that was thrown at our tent in the middle of the night. There is a nice sized hole burnt in the tent now. Thank God the tent is "fire proof". But regardless of the circumstances, Jesus is lifted up!
Check out the pictures.

Israel - Masada

2008-05-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days have been a bit fun filled. I visited Masada the other day and took the long trek to the top.
And quite a long trek it was.... I've know the history of the place for some time, but have always wanted to visit.
For those who don't know, the basic history: There were about 900 (maybe more) jewish zealots that took refuge at Masada. They were lead by a man named Elazar ben Yair, whom the romans were not too happy with. So the romans laid siege to the city. (Masada was built by King Herod on the top of the Mountain) The siege lasted two years, being that the romans were unable to get to the top. The Romans had 10,000 soldiers and realized that the only way that they would be able to get into Masada, would be to build a siege ramp. It took them a year and half to build this ramp up to the top of Masada.
When Elazar ben Yair realized that their defenses were going to be breached; rather than be taken alive as slaves to the romans, they chose to die by their own hands. They drew lots, and chose ten men out of the 900 people. The people laid down in rows as families, and these ten men went around and killed each person one by one. Then one man out of the ten killed the other nine. And the last man killed himself.
Pretty intense! But they had decided that it would be better to die than to be slaves.
So you have to ask yourself... What is there in your life that you need to kill? What is it that needs to die in order for you to live free?
Find out what it is, and kill it! Freedom at the highest cost!

Israel - Christ Church

2008-05-15T04:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had to some work in the city to get done. When the day was finished, we headed over to Jaffa Gate to meet with Neil Blake at Christ Church.
I jumped on the Grand Piano and began to play a little. It turned into a little spontaneous worship time that was awesome. We were soaring, and I was pounding away on the grand, when in walked this elderly lady. She began to blow a shofar, and amazingly it happened to be in the same key I was playing in. (that hardly ever happens) The presence of God came into the room.
When we were finished, she came up to me, and thanked me for the music. I asked her who she had come to Israel with, thinking she must be with a tour group. She answered, "I'm on a triple date; Me, myself and I with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
I had to laugh, and then she said to me. "I have a prophetic word for you. Are you ready?"
I nodded, and she continued, "God says to those who walk in humility, He will give them the Chordae of His heart. (The Chordae are the strings that open and close the heart) It will open to them the Chords of heaven, that will bring people into one accord with the heart of God."
She had no idea that I was here in Israel to help with a music/worship festival.

May I submit that this prophetic word is as much for you as it is for me. The heartstrings of God are readily available to those who will walk in humility.

Israel - May 12, 2008 - Hiking to the Caves

2008-05-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

So me and Michael took off on a little expedition yesterday. We've been noticing these caves on the opposite hillside from where we're staying, and have really been wanting to explore. So we set off, and took the car around the rocky back roads here in Nes Harim. We found another road that I didn't dare take the car up, so we parked the car and continued on.
The terrain is not what I'm used to in North Carolina. These Judean hills are like someone took a trash bag of marbles and poured them over the path. Those little rocks are dangerous. I can't imagine how worn out Jesus and his disciples must have felt after a long trip from town to town.
We ended up down by a pasture where a shepherd was keep watch with his sheep dogs. He had a stick. :)
We took a walk around the barbwired fence, only to find out later we could have cut across the field. I just didn't want to do it with 1 or 2 hundred animal in the middle of the field. Goats can be mean.
We lost the trail after trekking all over the hillside, and we're getting pretty worn out. We forgot one very important thing. Water... There is no humidly here. It's just dry and hot.
Michael made a joke about a tour guide leading a bunch of people through a hole in the fence to get to the other side. Not sooner had he said that, then we found a hole in the fence. We decided to jump through, and would you believe it... we found that the path continued on the other side of the fence. How's that for public pathways?
The caves were cool. I'm convinced that they we're a zealot hideout.... maybe.
All in all, it was a fun time.

Israel May 10, 11, 2008 - The Call

2008-05-13T02:32:00.000-07:00

So Onething was an amazing time. I hooked up with a girl named Revi who is part of the Bound4LIFE chapter here in Israel. She told me some amazing things about them going and praying in the valley where they used to sacrifice babies to the god Molech. They prayed there and wept over the babies. Also my new friends Jessica and Sally got up on stage to talk about being a Nazarite. Good times...

So we arrived at the Call Sunday, and I met up with my parents for the first time since they arrived here in Israel. It was wonderful to hear Lou Engle's voice booming through the Israeli conference center. His voice has this authority that comes with it.
So funny... during the onething conference while Lou was speaking, the national park on the other side of the woods sent someone over to turn Lou down. They said he was too loud. And then... while Lou was talking about fasting, the ice cream truck started playing on the other side of the woods. Ironic... ehh?

The Call was a good time, and God TV broadcast it live. They had reconciliation prayers, prayers for breaking curses of the nation, and celebration. The dancing was quite fun to watch. My group was there to volunteer as ushers and security, so we were in and out the whole time. We were wiped out by the end of the day. So when it was over we hooked up with David and Victoria and went to a good Israeli restaurant. And I had.... pizza. Yeah, good Israeli pizza.

One thing-Israel

2008-05-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

So we woke up Thursday morning, and prepared to head to Onething Jerusalem. When I walked outside I was greeted by the sound of what sounded like rolling thunder. It was Israeli air force jets flying overhead. They came in about 4 waves of 5 planes each. The last wave was a large passenger plane escorted by a few fighter planes. Don't know who was in the plane. Must have been someone important. :)
I walked down and took a picture of the old Babylonian sacrifical slab that is right below the house. You can see the grooves where the blood would run down into the carved out basin. Pretty crazy!
We arrived at Onething that evening and had an amazing worship time followed by Mike Pilavachi speaking. It was great to see young Israelis worshiping God with wild abandon. And to hear them worship in their own language was definitely a plus. God is doing some amazing things in the hearts of the young people of Israel. And this is only the beginning.
We woke up early the next morning to help park cars for the conference. I was able to hook up with a friend that afternoon that I had met on Myspace. It turns out she had come over to Israel with a girl she had met on facebook. Oh the wonders of modern technology... We had a great time talking about the things God does.
Misty Edwards rocked the house (or the great outdoors) that night. She put together a new disco song that was pumping. I've always heard that the Israelis love disco. The crowd went wild.
Tomorrow we're heading to The Call Jerusalem with Lou Engle. A day of Fasting and Prayer.

Day 4 in Israel - The Old city again.

2008-05-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today... working on the schedule for the bands at Fulfillment Fest. We also took another trek through the Christian quarter again. Took some more photos.
Check em out.

Day Three in Israel - A different side of the city.

2008-05-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

So I got lost this morning with My friend Michael Carr. We were going to meet some friends of mine, and missed our meeting place. We ending up walking up Mount Zion around the walls and then back down.
Finally joined up with my friends that I haven't seen in a little bit. David Howell, and Victoria Beaver.
David took us for a little tour of the old city. We got to see a little different side than yesterday.
We visited the church of the Sepluchre, the site that the catholics believe is where Jesus died and was bury, and rose again. It smelled strongly of incense and oil. I got to hear the monk sing. It was amazing to hear, echoing off the stone walls.
Then we took a walk down the Christian quarter (it's not so Christian anymore). There were tons of vendors selling anything and everything you could ever want or never need.
In the process of ducking through side streets, and down narrow alleys we hit a little bit of the Moslem quarter too. Some produce and meat shops.
All in all, a very cool day.

Day Two in Israel - The Old City & Much more

2008-05-06T00:23:00.000-07:00

Today was a long day... We drove into the city and toured a bit so we could get a feel of the atmosphere. Visited Mount Zion, The Mount of Olives, The Valley of Gehenna, King Davids Tomb, The Wailing Wall. Saw the Dome of the Rock. The Eastern gate. And we visted the site where we'll be setting up the tent for Fulfillment fest.
Just an interesting fact... in case you didn't know. The arabs have closed up the easterm gate, and placed hundreds of tombs in front of the gates. Why? Messiah is suppossed to come back through that gate. And a Jewish Prophet won't come near dead bodies. What they don't realize is that Jesus is going to land on the Mount of Olives. The Mountain will split in two, and as He comes down the mountain and through the east gate, all the dead will rise. That will be the day!

Day One in Israel - Nes Harim

2008-05-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Arrived at the Airport at about 1:00pm yesterday, and left Charlotte NC at about 3:00pm. From Charlotte to Baltimore. From Baltimore to JFK.
From JFK to Tel a viv, Israel. It's beautilful here. The weather is perfect. The drive from the airport took us around a mountain road back and forth. We took a turn down a dirt road to head towards Nes Harim where I'll be staying with the Fulfillment Fest team. We ran into a shepherd on the way herding his sheep up the road. Sheep dogs and all.
The scenery from the house we're at is a amazing. There's an old Babylonian sacrificial site down the hill from the house.
With all that said... I'm heading towards bed. It's been a full day, with about 20 hours of travel time. I'm exhausted.

The Gospel According to Mario

2008-04-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well... I just wanted to share a drama that I wrote and directed. It was performed a few years back on one the mission trips I took to Europe.
Check it out.. and leave some comments.

Thanks for the Chickin'

2008-03-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

When God touches someone, it’s an experience that person never forgets. There’s nothing like it. Maybe you have your own memory engraved somewhere in your mind. A time when God’s presence flooded in and your heart was touched powerfully.
I can remember mine. To this day, the most powerful I’ve ever felt the presence of God was in a Chik-fil-a restaurant. Now I know, what you’re thinking: Christian establishment that is closed on Sundays and honors God, opens the door for God to come. Maybe... But I really don’t think it had anything to do with that.
I was working there at the time, and had just sat down to take my lunch break. I simply bowed my head to thank God for my food. I was suddenly surrounded by the presence of God. It had filled the room. I began to weep there in the Chik-fil-a, with my head bowed over my chicken sandwich.
At the time I didn’t really understand why God had chosen to come at that moment. It didn’t really register with me what had happened until later.
Psalms 100:4, tells us that we are to enter His gates with thanksgiving...
Psalms 95:2, says we are to come before his presence with thanksgiving...

It’s a spirit of thanksgiving that ushers us into the place where He dwells. Into His very presence. It opens doors that would never be opened otherwise. Thanksgiving is a key to the presence of God. Let’s cultivate it.

Abortions at the foot of a cross

2008-01-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

Back in March of last year, I took a trip up north with Bound4LIFE. One of the last stops we made was at an abortion clinic downtown Chicago. We parked, taped up, and stood outside the metal fence on the sidewalk to pray. As we stood there a girl came out of the clinic into the enclosed parking area, leaned up against the wall and began to cry. She fumbled in her pocket, pulled out her phone, and dialed someone.
One of our girls (named Katie), made a quick decision, and pulled off her LIFE tape, and stepped inside the fenced in area to talk to the girl. We found out that her boyfriend had brought her to get an abortion, and once she had gone in, he left her there. She was trying to call someone to pick her up. Katie asked the girl if she could pray for her, and said, 'yes'.

As we prayed for this girl from the other side of the fence, I wept. What made the circumstances even more moving, was the fact that this abortion clinic sat caddy corner across the street from a church. On the very corner in front was a giant three story cross.
We were told that the pastor of this church would sometimes let pro-life groups park in the parking lot of, but would ask them not to carry signs out of the vehicles. Why? Because he didn't want to offend the pro-choice people in his church.

And so... here was this girl, literally weeping at the foot of the cross, and yet she had no idea where to turn for help.

Sadly this is the status of much of the American church today. Many churches are nothing more than a group of people meeting in a building once or twice a week, powerless to affect change in the earth. Unwilling to separate themselves from the world in order to touch the people who most need it. The end result? Abortions at the foot of a cross.

(To learn more about the silent siege, visit www.bound4life.com)

Lou Engle & Horton Hears a WHO

2007-12-17T11:34:00.000-08:00

Check out the new Trailer, and then Check out Lou Engle's explanation.

A Battleship for a Rowboat

2007-12-14T20:54:00.001-08:00

God is the best at encouraging us when we need encouragement. His timing is impeccable. And He has an incredible way of bringing the pieces of the puzzle together to make the whole experience wonderful.

It was probably about two years ago that I was heading off for a weekend conference with Graham Cooke. I was in a place in my spiritual walk where I felt I really needed a word from the Lord. And so in my natural mind I was thinking, "I'm going to see Graham Cooke this weekend. He usually does prophetic ministry. Maybe he'll have a word for me."
The night before I left for the conference I sat down to watch a video I had borrowed from a youth pastor friend of mine. It was a new years eve video of Morning Star Fellowship church.
As I watched a young man began to lead worship. It was an amazing time, and the presence of God was there.
The next day I left with my family for the conference. We arrived at the house where we would be staying that weekend, and began to unload our luggage. As I was walking through the house I stopped to look at a wall covered in photographs. There in the middle of the photos was a picture of the same young man I saw on the video the night before. I was staying in what used to be his house. The young man's name is Jonathan Helser. You can check out his music at: http://www.myspace.com/jonathandavidhelser

The conference that weekend was an amazing time. Graham Cooke shared the heart of God in an incredible way. Unfortunately he was also very sick that weekend from food poisoning. And whether or not this was the determining factor, Graham didn't do any prophetic ministry that weekend. Meanwhile I was thinking, "Lord I would really like a word of encouragement from you."
Finally it was time to leave to head home. As I was walking out the door to leave, Jonathan Helser walked up to me. "I feel like I have a word for you," he said. "I saw a vision of you in a row boat. You were paddling along, and suddenly Jesus pulled up next to you in a battleship. He said, 'Samuel this is your boat,' and he reached down and yanked you up onto the battleship. I feel like God is entrusting you with equipment."

God's timing is amazing. And the way He chooses to encourage you is perfect.

You Might Be a Pharisee

2007-12-12T15:37:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to a man named Graham Cooke for the past ten years. He's an englishman originally from South Hampton, England, who has an expression of God like no one else I've ever heard. The following is taken from one of his teachings entitled, "Messing With the Enemy's Head". You can find him at the following: www.grahamcooke.com.

-------
The best agents of the enemy are always carnal Christians. There is no such thing as an unsurrendered heart. Your heart is always surrendered to something or someone. But you gotta make sure it's the right one. Any heart not given to God usually provides a mouthpiece for the devil. Criticism. Negativity. Cynicism. What we call pharisee-ism.
Lots of pharisees in the church ehh? How do you know you're a pharisee?

If the continuous expression of joy on your face looks as though you've been baptized in prune juice, you might be a pharisee.

If a twenty dollar bill looks small when you take it to the grocery store and huge when you take it to church, you might be a pharisee.

If you believe that Jesus turned water into unfermented grape juice, you might be a pharisee.

If your wardrobe is full of clothes that are black, gray, or brown, you might be a pharisee.

If you have a debit card with a Goodwill store, you might be a pharisee.

If you function in the gift of suspicion, and believe that misery is a fruit of the spirit, you might be a pharisee.

If you believe that laughing in church is not very politically correct, you might be a pharisee.

If you believe that Lord has given you a ministry of correction to others, you are definitely a pharisee.

If you think the film "Night of the Living Dead", is an excellent documentary of the church, you might be a pharisee.

If you think an electric guitar is a tool of the devil, you might be a pharisee.

If in the last twenty years your prayer language has not moved beyond, 'She came on a honda, she came on a honda', you might be a pharisee.

If you believe "He'll be comin' around the mountain when He comes", is the best worship song ever written, you might be a pharisee.

If you are offended by the scripture about Balaam's 'ass', 'cause you never understood it was talking about a 'donkey', you might be a pharisee.

I woke up this morning at five thirty, and the first thing the Holy Spirit said to me was, "Do you want to hear all my Pharisee jokes?" So I wrote them down. Because He is irrepressibly cheerful, about everything.
The enemy knows that when dealing with a human being, he can stir up the desires of the mind, the desires of the flesh, the desire of life, and we are like puppets on a string. He can snare us with our own ego, with our appetites with our needs with our hurts, with our feelings.
I've been stabbed in the back so many times I thought my middle name was 'colander'. I have a plan for woundedness. I plan to get healed really quickly. 'Cause I can't be bothered being wounded. There's too much happiness in God, to be bothered about being wounded.
The devil can control mankind as long as mankind is governed by the need to meet it's own desires. The moment you step into self-denial, he has no power to predict what you're going to do next. Because he can only forecast selfishness. he has no capacity to understand or predict people moving in love and faith. he's helpless against that. he can only predict the course of events if we are moving in the lust of the flesh.
--------

Maranatha

2007-12-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

Every Christian should have a cry from the deepest part of their heart to see the return of Christ. It is a foundational part of our faith. We are waiting for the day when Jesus comes back.
We are called to live each day, one day at a time. To be who God has called us to be and affect change in the earth for the glory of God. We're not to check out of society, but we're also never to lose the longing to see the day when Jesus splits the eastern sky.
Paul used the word 'Maranatha' in the last chapter of 1 Corinthians. It's an word that essentially means "Come Lord Jesus". It's the cry of a generation anxiously waiting for that day when we will changed in the 'twinkling of an eye.' All creation is groaning for that day. (Romans 8:22) He's coming soon.

Michael Card
Maranatha is a cry of the heart
That's hopeful yet weary of waiting
While it may be joyful with the burdens it bears
It's sick with anticipating
To long for the Promised One day after day
And the promise that soon He'd return
It's certain that waiting's the most bitter lesson
A believing heart has to learn

Chorus
Maranatha,
How many more moments must this waiting last
Maranatha, we long for the time
when all time is past
A commotion, a call then that will be all
Though it's not yet the hour
The minutes are ticking away

Maranatha is the shout of the few
Who for so long in history've been hiding
Who truly believe that the sound of that call
Might actually hasten His coming
For no eye has seen and no ear has yet heard
And no mind has ever conceived
The joy of the moment when He will appear
To the wonder of all who believe

Chorus

Maranatha, how hungry we are just to see Your face
Parousia, to finally fall in one long embrace
A commotion, a call and that will be all
Though it's not yet the hour
The minutes are ticking away

DigStation - The Hosea Project

2007-12-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,
Just wanted to let you know that "The Hosea Project" is now on DigStation.
DigStation is a digital download store. Check it out. You can also listen to samples of each track.
In a couple of weeks (or less) the cd should be up on iTunes.
See you in the story!

Prince Caspian or The Golden Compass

2007-12-10T19:27:00.001-08:00

Do you know what irritates Phillip Pullman, the author of "The Golden Compass?"
The answer is C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia".
This is what he had to say about it: "It disgusted me when I read it. Lewis is a contradictory sort of character for me. I loathe the Narnia books, and I loathe the so-called space trilogy, because they contain an ugly vision."
You can read the whole interview here. "Heat and Dust"

So guess what comes out May 11th?
The Chronicles of Narina - Prince Caspian
Take a look at the trailer.

The Golden Compass - Are you paying for Crap?

2007-12-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

So here is how it works...

When you purchase or pay for something, you raise the demand for that particular product you've invested in. And what happens? They create more of that product.

Let me make it even simpler for you to understand.
If you pay for "crap", the people who made that "crap" will take your money and make more "crap". Clear enough?
So this holiday season, let me tell you about some "crap" that you don't want to buy into.

It's a movie called "The Golden Compass". It was released yesterday (December 7th) in theatres.

Let me be straight forward with you. If you call yourself a Christian, you have no buisness supporting this film. Continue reading to understand why.

===============================

"The Golden Compass" is the film adaption of the first book in a trilogy called "His Dark Materials". This trilogy is written by Phillip Pullman, a self-professing atheist. When author, Philip Pullman was asked about his book in 2003, his response was "My books are about killing God."

It is a series that follows the adventures of a streetwise girl who travels through multiple worlds populated by witches, armor-plated bears, and sinister ecclesiastical assassins to defeat the oppressive forces of a senile God.

This movie is a watered down version of the first book, which is the least offensive of the three books. The second book of the trilogy is THE SUBTLE KNIFE and the third book is THE AMBER SPYGLASS. Each book gets worse and worse regarding Pullman's hatred of God. In the trilogy, a young girl becomes enmeshed in an epic struggle against a nefarious Church known as the Magisterium. Another character, an ex-nun, describes Christianity as "a very powerful and convincing mistake." As I understand it, in the last book, a boy and girl are depicted representing Adam and Eve and they kill God, who at times is called YAHWEH.

Pullman, has made it known that he hates C.S. Lewis's book series, "The Chronicles of Narnia."

What did the author have to say on the issue six years ago, when asked by the Washington Post what famously Christian author C.S. Lewis would think of his books?

"I'm trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief," says Pullman. "Mr. Lewis would think I was doing the Devil's work."

And what did he tell the Sydney Morning Herald in 2003?

"I'm a great fan of J.K. Rowling, but the people - mainly from America's Bible Belt - who complain that Harry Potter promotes Satanism or witchcraft obviously haven't got enough in their lives. Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God."

Bill Donohue, president of The Catholic League, has condemned The Golden Compass as a "pernicious" effort to indoctrinate children into anti-Christian beliefs and has produced a 23-page pamphlet titled The Golden Compass: Unmasked in which he maintains that Pullman "sells atheism for kids." Donohoe told interviewer John Gibson on 9 October 2007 why he believes Christians should stay away from the film:

Look, the movie is based on the least offensive of the three books. And they have dumbed down the worst elements in the movie because they don't want to make Christians angry and they want to make money. Our concern is this, unsuspecting Christian parents may want to take their kid to the movie, it opens up December 7th and say, this wasn't troubling, then we'll buy the books. So the movie is the bait for the books which are profoundly anti-Catholic and at the same time selling atheism.

===================================

We could keep going, but I think that's enough said. You can google or visit the links to confirm the validity of the material above. Lets not support this film. I believe that as Christians, for us a to pay to watch this film, would be to fund the very ideological war that is being fought against the values that we personally hold dear. I pray that God would give you understanding.

Bless you,
Samuel Gatlyn

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/11/philip_pullman_realizes_underm.html

http://snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1207/p09s02-coop.html

Jesus in the Car.

2007-12-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

You have to love stuff like this. This is amazing.

Tail=Monkey - No Tail=Ape

2007-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Roar Lion Roar!!!

2007-11-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

How big is He?

2007-10-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

Psalm 34:3 says, "O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together."
When we read the word 'magnify' we automatically think of a piece of glass that we can look through that will make things look bigger. But making something 'bigger' is not all that word means. It can also mean 'to see something as big as it really is'.

How often do we come to 'magnify' the Lord, with the idea that God is small. So we think that we can hold up some man-made instrument that will enlarge out view of Him; When in reality, He is big. So much bigger than we give Him credit sometimes. How big is your God? Because the principle is this: As 'BIG' as your perspective is of God, that's as 'BIG' as He'll be for you.

God wants us to see Him for who He really is. How big is your God?

His Purpose

2007-10-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

I think most Christians have heard the scripture from Romans 8:28 used a million times before.
It says this: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

Sadly this verse has become something people pull out when they want to reasure someone else that "everything is going to be ok." What's the message they're sending? "Just love God and everything is will turn out for your Good." Right?

But to be honest, it's the second part of the verse that qualifies the first: "...to them who are called according to His purpose." It's our actions that show our love to be real. As it says in 1 John 3:18, (The Message) "My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love."

So what is this "purpose" that we've been called to? It's not just a salvation experience. If you look up that word, you'll find that it talks about the "Shewbread". What was the Shewbread? It was "The bread of His Presence". It was the bread that was placed in the Holy place of the tabernacle. What was it's "Purpose"? It's was simply there to sit in the Holy Place, and soak up the very presence of God. The shewbread's literal meaning is the "bread of His face". It's the bread that is set before the face of God.

So let's look at this verse again. (My paraphrase) "We know that all things work together for the good of them that love God, and who sit before the face of God, and soak up His presence."

"Sometimes the best thing that you can do before God is to do nothing. Just let Him touch You." (Graham Cooke)

You Are Beautiful

2007-10-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here's some more music from Worship at Morning Star. Once again... the start of the videos are a little gray. Don't worry they clear up in about 10 seconds. This video is in two parts.

Pre-Purchase - The Hosea Project

2007-10-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,
The Hosea Project is now available for Pre-Purchase. The CDs will be shipped out in a couple of weeks. This is an enhanced CD that includes the lyrics.
This is perhaps the most incredible love story ever told. Check it out, order below.

Samuel

Tune Me

2007-10-02T21:01:00.001-07:00

I've uploaded new videos from some times this year that I lead worship at Morning Star. Here's a new song called "Tune Me" Don't be fooled by the gray color at the beginning; It clears up in seconds.

My Parents

2007-10-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

I love them.

Horrific Event

2007-09-30T20:29:00.001-07:00

After my recent trip on the "Iowa Justice Tour" there have been some developments that in some way or another I believe is an answer to some of the prayers we have prayed. And though I wish that the answers could be worked through different circumstances, God knows how to turn things around for good.
This is straight from Bound4LIFE's 'In The News' page.
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Iowa Justice Tour Follow Up

The Iowa Justice Tour was held August 5–10. We traveled to six cities on six consecutive days to hold Silent Sieges at all of Iowa’s seven abortion clinics. One of the key prayer targets for the tour was that the dark veil of secrecy and deception would be lifted from Planned Parenthood and the other abortion providers. The tour began in Council Bluffs and traveled to Sioux City, Bettendorf, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and then finished in Des Moines.

On August 17, one week after the tour, a horrific event took place that has catapulted these clinics into the national spotlight. A 40-year-old woman identifying herself as “Jane Roe” (the same pseudonym used in Roe v Wade) has filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood and Dr. Meryl Severson for negligence and battery. The woman suffered “catastrophic perforation” of the uterus and surrounding tissue resulting in an 80% blood loss and seizures. Although the patient begged for the doctor to stop because of extreme pain, Dr. Severson ordered faculty to hold her down while he continued.

Ultimately, the woman was rushed to a local hospital where she had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy, removal of an ovary and multiple blood transfusions in order to save her life. The full details of the lawsuit can be viewed at this link.

Dr. Severson lives in Omaha, NE, and splits his time between Council Bluffs and Sioux City, IA and Lincoln, NE.

The circumstances of this story are disturbing, and we pray for healing and protection for “Jane Roe.” This catastrophy nearly resulted in two deaths. Please join us in continuing to pray that a great exposure will take place that reveals the truth behind this modern holocaust. Abortion hurts women.

Almost Done - The Hosea Project

2007-09-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

"The Hosea Project" is almost Finished! Just a few more days of work, and I send it off to get it duplicated.

He Would Rather Die

2007-09-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

As I was praying this morning, I was meditating on the incredible love of God. Why is it so hard for people to receive God's love? 'We say that we can't live without Him. But He says He can't live without us. In fact He would rather die than live without us.'
I was reminded of some lyrics from an old song. I sat down to read them again, and I cried.

Could It Be
I Corinthians 1:19-25
by Michael Card

Verse 1
In the ebb and flow of living
As we wander through the years
We're told to listen to a voice
We can't here with our ears
They say to live by something
That you can't see with your eyes
Is there really any purpose
To this foolish exercise?

Chorus
Could it be You make Your presence known
So often by Your absence?
Could it be that questions tell us more
Than answers ever do?
Could it be that You would really rather die
Than live without us?
Could it be the only answer that means anything
Is You?

Verse 2
In our words and in our silence
In our pride and in our shame
To the genius and the scholar
To the foolish and insane
To the ones who care to seek You
To the ones who never will
You are the only answer even still

Bridge
It's a question you can't answer
An answer you cannot express
That the gentle Man of Sorrow
Is the source of happiness
You'll never solve the mystery
Of this magnetic man
For you must believe to understand

Could it be the only answer that means anything
Is You?

A Kiss From God

2007-09-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

There are times in our relationship with God that He comes and kisses us. Those times mean more than anything in the world.
About a month ago I was spending some time with Jesus one night. While I was praying I began to remind God of the promises that He had spoken over my life. Oh and by the way. Just as a side note: God loves it when we remind Him of His promises.
One of the things I prayed that night, was a promise that is found in God's word related to my name. It's found in 1Samuel 3:19. It says, "And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground."
I hadn't prayed this one in a while, but I really hit it hard that night.

The next morning I went to check my e-mail. In my Inbox, was the daily bible verse. What was the verse for the day? 1Samuel 3:19.
Talk about a kiss from God.

Terminal Cancer Vs. Love

2007-09-15T17:47:00.000-07:00

Last month on my trip to Iowa, I lead worship one night for a prayer meeting at a woman's house in Davenport Iowa. Her name was Kate. It was a great night of worship and intercession. At the close of the night, Kate came up and asked if she could buy one of my CDs. So I ran out to the car and got her one.
At the end of the week, I was working at an event and ran into Kate. She said, "I got to tell you something!"
She proceeded to tell me this: A friend of mine was coming to visit along with her father. The lady's husband is a medical doctor, and her and her father are both Lutherans. This lady had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She spent the night with me, and the morning before she left I asked if we could pray for her."

So Kate put my CD on. The CD is called 'Lost In Your Love'. They played the second to last track, which is a track of me talking over some music about the love of God.
She began to pray for them. The Lutheran lady thought she was passing out, but what was really happening was God was touching her. The lady fell out in the spirit. She was filled with the spirit instantly, and began speaking in tounges, and she got healed of cancer. Her father also got filled with the spirit instantly and ripped out his hearing aids and said that he didn't need them anymore. Several people in the room said that they saw angels.

Now let me ask: What happened here? The Bible says that, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)
Our Faith becomes enlarged by what we hear. Particularly when we hear what God has to say about us. And just what is it that God says about us? He loves us. He absolutely adores us. God's word tells us that if 'God gave us Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, what else is there that God wouldn't give us.' (Romans 8:32) If that doesn't give you some faith for your circumstances, then I don't know what will.

So, faith comes by hearing what God says, but how does faith work? What actually makes faith tick? The Bible says that faith works through love. (Galatians 5:6) It's the love of God that changes us. It's the love of God that heals us. It's the love of God that let's us know, there is nothing God wouldn't do for us. Cancer doesn't stand a chance when God declares his love over us.

Dreaming of Jim Carrey

2007-09-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

I've never been a huge follower of Jim Carrey or of his films, but recently I had a dream about him.

This was the dream:

(August 2007)
I was hanging out with a group of people. We were walking around in what looked like a construction zone for a residential neighborhood. There was a lot of high mounds of red clay beside the roads. (It's a Carolina thing) As we were walking about we ran into Jim Carrey. He was very nice, and began talking to us. In the dream I realized that he was a broken man. He had none of the characteristics of the modern movie star. He was extremely humble. I remember at one point one of the girls in the group asked if she could take his picture. He kind of ducked his head, and said with brokenness in his voice, "No I don't want my picture taken."
I invited him back to my place, and he accepted. The whole group of us went back to my apartment, which was located somewhere half way up a tall concrete apartment building in the middle of all this construction dirt. The place had a very industrial, unfinished feel to it. The walls were hard gray concrete, as well as the floor. But it was furnished with couches and other furniture. We sat there and hung out and talked with Jim Carrey. He wasn't the focus of the room, but just another person in it. I remember thinking, 'This is a broken man, whose heart is wide open.'
Right before the dream ended, I asked, "Jim, can we pray for you?"
He answered, "Yes," and we gathered around him and began to pray.
(END OF DREAM)

I believe that God gave me a picture into this man's life. Now, more than ever, is the time to pray for this man. I believe him to be a broken man, with a heart that is wide open. If we miss this opportunity to pray for this man, we may miss the opportunity of his lifetime. Jim is now forty-five years old. Pray that the influence of heaven would be over Jim's life. Pray that God would bring him out of darkness and into light. Remember that God wants to save this man, not because He's 'Jim Carrey' but simply because Christ died for him, and God loves him. Pray that God would bring this man into my sphere of influence; into my circle of friends. Please pray.

Day 6 - Des Moines - Iowa Justice Tour

2007-09-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

Bringing The Old Stuff Back

2007-09-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

About four to five years back I compiled a CD project of a variety of music I had written since I was about eighteen years old. I'll be turning twenty-six this year, and though that's not really old, this music below is kind of my early stuff. This CD is called 'I Know' and it was never really mass produced. I just burned copies off my computer and sold them when I could. Well I decided to dig the old stuff up, and put it out for people to buy. It's available on Snocap, here and on my home page. Check out the samples below, and if you like it, buy it!

Samuel

Day 5 - Cedar Rapids, Iowa Justice Tour

2007-09-12T09:42:00.001-07:00

Day 4 - Iowa City Iowa Justice Tour

2007-09-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

Day 3 - Bettendorf Iowa Justice Tour

2007-09-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

Day 2 - Sioux City Iowa Justice Tour

2007-09-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

Day 1 - Council Bluffs Iowa Justice Tour

2007-09-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

I recently took a trip to Iowa with Bound4LIFE. Our main objectives were to go and pray in front of all seven abortion clinics in Iowa, and very last, the state capitol. The next six video blogs are a chronicle of those six days.

What a Wonderful World!

2007-09-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Fetal Postion

2007-09-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last night a friend mentioned on the phone that He has just finished watching an episode of the popular tv series "House". The episode first aired back in April of this year, and is called "Fetal Position". On his recommendation, I sat down this evening and watched the episode. What did I see?
In short... a very sarcastic doctor who is very good at what he does. Along with this well produced production comes the occasional sexual remarks that in some part have become a trademark of secular television. But what I was amazed at, was something that the public audience very rarely are faced with on national TV. The issue of Life in the womb, and the sacredness of what that life really is.

Throughout the episode, Dr. House, refers to the child in the womb as a 'fetus' while his associates call it a 'baby'. And on several occasions House even insists to the medical staff that the baby be called a 'fetus'. Where does this take us? It climaxes to a medical procedure the must be performed on the 'fetus' while still in it's mother's womb. But as House is draining fluid, the baby's hand emerges and grasps his finger. Dr. House, who is never lacking in a verbal retort or comment, is left in a stunning silence. His character is impacted in some way small or great, to see life in the womb in a different light. And at a later time, when the surgery is complete, House refers to the fetus as 'the baby'.

Before watching the clip below, be warned, it's a bit graphic. But this scene is almost an identical reenactment of an actual surgery that took place on a baby named, 'Samuel'. It was captured in the famous photograph by Michael Clancy.

Pray... like never before that the eyes of our nation would have images like this set before them on a continual basis. Life is precious. It is sacred. The very creation of God. His masterpiece.

Recording Violin with Gabriel on "The Hosea Project"

2007-08-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Well... here in this Video Blog is the latest news about "The Hosea Project".

Who Wants a Cookie?

2007-08-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

A few years back I spoke for a youth group in Southern Pines, North Carolina. That night as the kids arrived, I had placed a plate of cookies on the 'sign in' table. They were gone very quickly.
Kids + Cookies = Zero
As I spoke that night I read from Matthew 5:13. It says this: "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
As we represent Christ on a daily basis, how we taste to the world matters extremely. The world is looking for something that is different from them. Something pure. Something real. They can spot a fake a mile away. A little leaven, leavens the whole lump.
Jesus has called us to be the very thing that gives flavor in the earth. But many times Christians have not just become tasteless, but so thoroughly tainted with the world that they taste like crap. A little bit of sin, pollutes your witness, and leaves you with no ground to stand on. It's the little foxes that spoil the vine.

At a certain point when I was speaking, I dimmed the lights and played the following video. I went out the day before and shot this with some friends. And, Yes... we really did it.

As the kids watched this video, the room was filled with groans. Groans from kids who had eaten one too many cookies, and were now wondering about the ingredients. >:)

In closing... I walked down the isle holding in my hand the cookies we had baked the previous day. The real ones... (the ones the kids had eaten were a normal decoy)
I questioned, "So, who wants a cookie?"
No one did.
"How you taste to the world matters."

So... How do you taste?

Johanna's Music

2007-08-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
Check out Johanna Espamer's music. I recently bought her CD, "Known". It's my favorite CD right now. Check out her page and her music. Add her as a friend. And buy her CD.

Samuel

I Want A Reese's Cup!

2007-08-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

Back in March of this year, I took a trip with Bound4LIFE up to Minnesota. At that time I was in a place where I really wanted God to do some things in my life. I wanted some things from Him, and I kind of wanted them 'now'. My first night in Minnesota, I had a dream.

In my dream I was standing in my old house that I used live in when I was twelve. It was almost Christmas time, and a Christmas tree was set up in the living room. My Dad and Aunt Ruthie were in the Kitchen working on Christmas presents. But I was irritated with them, because I knew that they had immense amounts of chocolate. I felt like they were hiding the chocolate, and specifically, that they were keeping it from me.
I came up to them in the kitchen, and with a very upset tone of voice I said, "Now listen! All I want is one Reese's cup."
They both looked at me with a strange sort of puzzled look. They turned into the other room, and I followed close behind. One of them reached under the Christmas Tree and grabbed something. My Aunt Ruth said, "Well you may want a Reese's cup, but this is what you're going to get. But you don't get it 'till Christmas!"
'It' was a clear plastic tube about ten to eleven inches long, and about two inches wide. And it was filled with all kinds of things, from candy to fruit, to all kinds of chocolate. I remember seeing apples scattered throughout the inside of this tube. As I turned it over I noticed a label on the side. A contents label that listed all of the wonderful things that were inside. I was in disbelief. There was no way that all of this stuff was inside this tube. There just wasn't room! One of the things listed was a quantity of thirty-two apples. How do you get thirty-two apples inside a tube that technically doesn't look like it can even fit one.

I woke up, and later called my mom to tell her the dream. "What does it mean?" I asked.
"Well... The name 'Ruth' means 'friend'," she said. "Could it be that you want something from God, and you feel like He is keeping it from you. When actually, your 'Father' and your 'Friend' wants to give you more than what you're asking for."

Is it possible that in our rush to get what we want from God we often don't see the incredible gift that God wants to give us. After all He is the God that 'does' exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we could ever ask... or even think. God's dream for us is so much bigger. Let's not settle for a Reese's cup.

Love Under My Tires

2007-08-22T19:12:00.000-07:00

I will never forget all the times that God has reaffirmed His love for me. He always does it in an undeniable way.
I mentioned in my last blog, that God has shown His love to me through the likeness of a pomegranate. It’s been a special way that God communicates how He feels about me.
I remember last year, near the end of summer, there was a particular week that I was having a really hard time. I felt disillusioned with myself because of struggles that I was having in my own personal walk with God. And because of my inability to get past these things, I felt like God was disillusioned with me. I felt like I had trampled all over God’s love, and as a result, God’s love no longer existed.
The fact is this: God never gets disillusioned with us, because He never had any illusions about us in the first place. He knew exactly what He was doing when He chose us. And He chose us for all the wrong reasons. He has spread His banner of love over us, and He’s very happy with the choice He has made. His love for us never changes.
That particular week last year, I woke up one morning feeling so far from God’s love. In my mind, God’s love was gone. But as I walked out the door that morning and went to get into my car, everything changed. I just happened to glance down; and there, scattered around on the ground, crushed under my tires, was a pomegranate. I began to cry. God was saying to me, “Samuel, you may have trampled on My love, but it hasn’t left. My love is still there for you.”
The next day I received a letter in the mail from my mom. Along with the letter she had included a couple of tea bags. Pomegranate tea. God’s love is so amazing.

His Love = Pomegrante

2007-08-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

If you have ears to hear, God will give you special things throughout your life that allow you to understand just what God is saying at particular moments. God loves to speak in all kinds of different ways. And He delights in the special ways that He speaks to you, that no one else understands.
One of the things God gave me a while back, was a Pomegranate. I began to recognize at certain times when I would see one, that God was speaking about His love for me.

To me the pomegranate is the fruit of Love. A pomegranate on the outside is for the most part, not much to look it. Love is not always very attractive. But if you crack it open and look at the inside, it's beautiful. And there's a whole lot more on the inside. It's full of seeds. Lots and lots of seeds. Love is full of so many seeds. And each of those seeds are full of a sweet but also very sour juice. And when they burst open they leave their mark wherever they've been. Love leaves it's stain wherever it touches.

I'll usually buy a pomegranate and crack it open in the middle of a crowd, and watch as people gather around. It never fails, people always gather around, or stop to see what it is that I'm partaking of.
In this world, in this day and age, love is not a common fruit. Crack it open, and people will come to see what you have to offer. So when they gather around, I usually share the love. But nothing is as satisfying as when I see a pomegranate, and I know that it's the spoken word of God's unchanging love for me.
God has called us to receive His love. If we are unable to receive His love, we will find that we have nothing with which to catch the eyes of the world when they come looking. We will have nothing to give them. The measure of our ability to receive God's love, is the measure by which we will be able to give it away. And that love makes all the difference in the world.

Car Bombing!!!

2007-08-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

God's promise over our lives is that He is our Refuge. He protects and keeps us from harm. And He's very good at what He does. Sometimes we can be so unaware of His sovereign hand watching over us.
Back in 2000, I was doing missions in London, England with a team. One of our nights there we had made some plans to go down to a part of inner London and do some ministry. But the whole thing fell through, and unfortunately we were unable to do any ministry that night. Unfortunately... or so we thought.
It just so happened that night that the IRA blew up a car outside the tube stop we would have been at. It was the kindness of God that night that saved us from what could have been a terrible evening. Instead... we had an amazing trip. Thanks Jesus.

A Monster In My Room

2007-08-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

I remember God teaching me at a very young age what bitterness, anger and envy can do. I was probably nine or ten years old and remember having a crush on a girl in children's church. (We'll call her Suzy) Nothing serious, just a children's church crush. Maybe you remember those?

Well I can't remember how it happened, but somehow I got the idea that this other guy was interested in my crush. (We'll call him Jimmy) Naturally, I wasn't happy. Well, one sunday morning I was helping with the sign-in list at children's church. Jimmy's sister came up to me and started being sassy like only a little girl can. She was defending her brother's right to like this girl, and started getting mouthy. Well, I already had this resentment building up over the week, and so I just looked at her straight in the eye and said, "Well I think Jimmy is a butt-hole, and Suzy said he is too."

Well... the fact was, Suzy had said that, but that's besides the point. Jimmy's sister stormed off to tell her brother. Total drama.

I was angry, and I'm sure Jimmy was angry. But it didn't really matter what Jimmy thought or said. The fact was, I had opened a door to the enemy through jealousy and anger. And sometime between my conversation that morning and when I got home that afternoon, a monster had moved into my room. A demon was in my room, in my territory, and he had every right to be there. I was so scared, that I wouldn't sleep in my room. I would run in and out really fast to get my clothes, and I slept on the couch for a week. Eventually me and my parents got to the bottom of it, and realized that because of my bitterness toward Jimmy, I had given the devil a legitimate foothold in my life. He had taken up residence in my room, and I was uncomfortable with it. And the monster didn't leave until I went to Jimmy and told him I was sorry for the things I had said. As soon as I got rid of the offense in my heart, the demon was gone.

So... what about you? Any monsters in your room?

Bound4LIFE IOWA TOUR - I'm Leaving!

2007-08-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

I'm taking off in the morning for about two weeks with Bound4LIFE. We are off to the state of Iowa, to stand in the gap, and stand against the spirit of death in our land. I've posted my schedule, on my page so that you can see each clinic that I'm at along the way. We're going to be praying/sieging at all seven abortion clinics in the state of Iowa, in about six days time. Please keep me in your prayers. I'll try to keep the blogs coming, but there may not be as many. I'm going to take some video footage however for a video blog. Talk to you later.

Bless YOU,
Samuel
www.bound4life.com

Under His Curtains?

2007-08-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I was spending some time with the Lord, which is something I try to do every night before I go to bed. I like to walk while I pray, and I usually end up walking in some sort of pattern. I was in one of the huge rooms at the Missions Training Center where I was staying. It's sort of a sanctuary/training/performance room.

As I was praying, I went from the place of request, to the place of just enjoying God. In your walk with God you have to learn to do this. You know who God is, who He wants to be for You, and you just enjoy Him. Let me put it simple: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalms 37:4)

So as I was 'delighting' myself, I looked up and happened to notice a shadow on the ceiling that I had never noticed before. It was the result of a small night light at base level shining against a very large, tall, black performance curtain. Except on the ceiling, it looked like a giant wing. And I was under it. My mind immediately flashed to Psalm 91. Verse 1 says, ''He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide under the Shadow of the Almighty' and verse 4 '...under His wings you may seek refuge.'

...and there I was; under the shadow of His wing. I laughed, I cried, it moved me. I was in His presence. He was huge. And I have never felt so secure, and so loved, as I stood under the shadow of His curtains. That was one big wing.

Morton Hears the Womb

2007-07-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

For the past three months, my Mom has been working on a childrens book. It's a parody of the popular classic by Dr. Seuss called, 'Horton Hears a Who'.
The book is called, 'Morton Hears the Womb'. I spent all day yesterday getting it ready for the internet. I just uploaded it last night.

Well today, as I went to check it out to make sure it was listed, I noticed that the new teaser trailer for the motion picture, 'Horton Hears a Who' has been released. The movie comes out May 14th next year. So check out my mom's book, and check out the trailer. Let God speak to you, and enjoy.

Quicktime version of the Trailer:

Making him Pay for it.

2007-07-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

Back in April of last year, my sister, brother-in-law, and I got in a car accident. We went to make a left hand turn, and a lady appeared out of nowhere traveling very fast. She hit us almost head on. By the grace of God we sustained very small injuries. The seat belt broke my brother-in-law's collarbone. My sister had some chest abrasions from the seat belt. And I, who didn't have any seat belt on, ended up with only a scratch on my leg. But just to be on the safe side we let an ambulance take my sister to the hospital.

The Bible tells us that Satan comes to Kill, Steal and Destroy. Many people have this warped perception that God uses sickness to teach us things. But God is not the author of sickness. And His promise over our lives is that He is the God who heals, and who gives us Life. I'm not learning anything from sickness. I'm going to learn from the goodness of God. That's my heritage in Christ. I can probably count the number of times I've needed to go to the hospital on my right hand. It's not often that I end up there. So when I do, I make the devil pay for it.

So while I was sitting in the waiting room, I took advantage of the fertile ground. There's something about pain and tragedy that opens up people's heart to hear about God. So I witnessed to a lady who standing outside the hospital door. She had this incredible misconception about what God was like. And I was able in some part to strip some of that away, and invite her to church.

I prayed for a little girl who had broken her arm, and just so I wouldn't lose my reward, (Matt. 10:42) I bought her a cold bottle of water.

So now I sound like Mother Theresa, right? But the fact is this, if I had to be at the hospital, the devil was going to pay for it. And he paid for it. He'll think twice before he tries to send me to the hospital again.

His Glory is His Goodness

2007-07-27T21:51:00.001-07:00

Every person who has a relationship with God should have a personal testimony of who God is to them. What is an aspect of God's nature that he reveals to you in an incredible way? What particular attribute of God is it that flows from His heart and touches you the most?
Whatever it is for you, it will be the very thing that throughout your life ushers you into His love.
For me, it's His Goodness. I know He's Good. He has always been Good. He will never not be Good. In fact, it's an attribute of His nature that He particularly delights in. Let me explain.
In Exodus 33 Moses is having a conversation with God, and in the course of that conversation, Moses asks God an amazing question.
Moses says, "I beg You, show me Your glory."
And the Lord replies, "I will make all my goodness to pass by in front of you. And in front of you I will declare my name."

And so out of all the attributes that God could have chosen to reveal His glory to Moses, God chose His Goodness. His Glory is His Goodness.
But still it gets a little more interesting.
God says to Moses, as if on a side note, "But, you can't see My face. In fact no man can see My face without dying. So here is what we'll do: There's a place over here next to Me. I'm going to put you in the cleft of this rock, and cover you up with my hand. And then I'm going to have all My goodness pass by in front of you, and after I've passed by, I'll move my hand away, and let you see the back of me."
Moses gets to see a glimpse of the back of God's glory. Moses was never the same. No doubt Moses spent his life longing to see the goodness of God. He had seen a little bit, and He knew that there was more He had yet to see.
The Bible records that when Moses died, He went up on the mountain alone. Just him and God. And God buried Him. Who knows? Maybe Moses asked once more, "Show me Your glory." Perhaps, God once again put Him in the cleft of the rock, covered Him with His hand. And just maybe Moses stood there expecting to once more see the back of God. But as God moved His hand Moses found himself staring into the face of God's goodness. And as he passed away, he passed into the glory of God. His Goodness.

A Chimney on the Roof

2007-07-25T15:42:00.001-07:00

What is it about godly men and women, who used to walk in signs and wonders back in the day? It seems to me like it was second nature to them. And maybe it was.
You've probably seen the bumper sticker that says, "God said it. I Believe it. That settles it!"
That sad thing is, I think the majority of people who tote that slogan around don't really believe it. Perhaps they're trying to convince themselves, or maybe it's just one of those great stickers to mess up an expensive car with.
Now days people are so saturated with 'reality' media that they are unable to believe who God has said He wants to be for them.
In my last blog I shared about my great Grandma Adams. Let me share with you a story about my great, great Grandpa Adams. I never got to meet him, but I've never forgotten this story. Short and sweet.
One day my great Grandpa was working on a roof. At some point his work brought him next to the chimney, and somehow the chimney collapsed and fell on him.
My Grandma tells me that Grandpa Adams said it landed on his neck, and his neck snapped. He knew he had broken it. He said "I reached up and put my hands on my head and said, 'Jesus is Lord', and then snapped my neck back into place." And then he went on working.
My Grandpa had probably read somewhere in the Bible that 'God likes to heal people.' He didn't really think twice about it. He believed it, and that settled it. Literally!

Great Grandma Adams

2007-07-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have a very vague memory of my great Grandma Adams. I was 7 or 8 years old when she died, but I do remember going to see her. She lived in Conneaut, Ohio. And if you wanted to see her, we would walk down to her little house, and up the steps. You could reach up above the door and find the key to the house. Much of time when you walked in, you would find her sitting at the table, asleep, with her face in the Bible. She was an incredibly godly woman who loved Jesus with everything. Her family line goes clear back to John Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the second president of the United States.
She would talk about Jesus, and on occasion, she would get so incredibly excited, that this woman in her eighties, would get up and began to dance. Well... it was more of a shuffle. She would raise her hands in the air, and placing each foot one inch in front of the other, shuffle around in circles praising God. My mother or grandmother would respond in horror by jumping up and holding out their arms to catch her afraid she would fall.
One thing my Grandma Adams believed was that Jesus could return at any moment. That should be a core belief for every Christian, regardless of what your views about the end times are.
I'd like to introduce you to her. This footage was taken in 1988. She was eighty-eight years old. She died in 1989. Three things you might notice while watching.
1. She had a accident when she was younger, and lost two or three of her fingers in a saw mill where she used to work.
2. She doesn't know she being video taped. She has no idea what a video camera is. And at one point the camera begins blinking. She thinks maybe its a weather device.
3.Incredible beauty. You can't get much more beautiful than this. Look for it. And enjoy.

The Gates of Hell

2007-07-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 16:13 Jesus comes into the district of Caesarea Philippi, and a very interesting conversation takes place. Jesus turns to His Disciples and asks them a question.
"Who do people say I am?"
The disciples give Jesus a few answers, "Some people say you are John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."
Then Jesus says, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?"
Peter speaks up, "You're the Messiah, the Son of the God who's alive!"
And Jesus speaks to Peter, using his original name, "You are blessed, Simon Barjona, because you didn't get your answer from a man, but my Father in heaven gave it to you."

Now at this point Jesus says something that has been misinterpeted for ages. It's this very statement upon which the Catholic church has founded the idea that Peter was the head of the church.

Jesus says, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church...."

Many of us know that Peter's name means 'stone' or 'rock'. It's comes from the word 'Petros'. It means 'little rock.' But when Jesus says, "...and on this 'rock' I will build my church..." That word 'rock' comes from a totally different word. It's the word 'Petra', which means, "Big ROCK", or 'bedrock'. It's a foundation stone. Paul says in 1Corinthians 3:11 "No man can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ."

To give us a little more perspective on what Jesus says next, you should understand where Jesus and his disciples are having this conversation. Caesarea Philippi is home to a place called Panias. Panias in modern times is now called 'Banias', mainly because the Arabs have no letter "P" in their alphabet, and were unable to pronounce it. So the name was changed. Nonetheless, it was a place of idol worship, where people worshiped the greek god 'Pan'. A large cave at the base of Mount Hermon become the center of pagan worship into which people would throw sacrifices.

Surrounding the cave were a series of hewn niches where statues of the deities were placed. There would be sacrifices, idol worship, and orgies. Pan was considered to be the god of fright or panic. Today, Pan is worshipped by Neopagans and Wiccans , and is considered to be a powerful deity as well as a archetype of male virility and sexuality. They call him the Horned God.

As I said, Banias is located at the base of Mount Hermon. Around the season of spring/summer, the ice caps on the mountain would melt, and the water would come down the mountain and rush out of the cave entrance. In Jesus's time, this place was literally called, "The Gates of Hell".

So it's at this place, that Jesus says to Peter, "I say to you that you are a little rock, but on this Rock, (speaking of Himself) I will build my church..."
And then Jesus turned and pointing to the center of pagan and sexual idolatry of that age, He delcares, "...and the gates of hell will not prevail again it!"

What is our lesson? For the bride of Christ to walk in power, they must know who God really is. Not who people say that He is, but who heaven itself proclaims him to be. And it's out of that knowledge that Christ delcares that we are rocks. Living stones. (1Pe 2:5) And out of the knowledge of who God is, the church will have it's foundation in Christ the Rock of ages. And when the idolotry of this age comes rushing out the gates of hell, it will not prevail.
And Jesus goes on to say, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will chained in the heavens, and whatever you allow loose to run rampant on earth will have free reign to wreak hell in the heavems."

So our conclusion muct be, that unless the bride of Christ has a knowledge of who God is, and a firm foundation in Him, the church will be powerless to effect change in the earth.

Thanks to Neil Howell, for his incredible insight into this subject,

Do you love Me?

2007-07-20T21:29:00.001-07:00

We've all heard the story of Peter, where he denies that he even knows Jesus. Remember? Before the rooster crows, Peter denies Christ three times.

Now lets skip ahead: Jesus has died, and risen from the dead. He's appeared to the disciples, and then comes the morning where Jesus appears to the disciples while they are fishing. (John 21) Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James, and John, are casting their nets into the sea when Jesus appears. You know the story; the disciples end up with so much fish that they can't pull it in. And then when Peter recognizes that it's Jesus standing on the beach, he jumps overboard and swims to shore. When they all get to shore, the disciples find that Jesus has a meal already prepared. They all sit down to eat fish cooked over a fire. And during the course of that meal, Jesus turns to Peter and asks him a question.
"Peter, Do you love me more than these?"
And Peter answers, "Lord you know, I love You"
Jesus replies, "Feed my lambs."

Two more times, Jesus asks Peter pretty much the same question. And Peter gives the same answer, to which Jesus commands twice more, "Feed my sheep."

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say that Jesus asked Peter this question three times, because He wanted to give Peter a chance to reaffirm the love that Peter had denied three time. And just maybe that is the case. But if we dig a little deeper, we get to see some of the incredible nature of God.

When Jesus asks Peter, "Do you love me," that word 'love' is a particular kind of love. It's 'Agapao' love. It's the divine kind of love that comes from God. Jesus is essentially asked Peter, "Do you love me, the way I love you?"
And Peter responds, "Lord you know I love you."
But the word 'love' that Peter uses, is a different kind of love. It's 'Phileo' love. That's the kind of love that comes from mankind. In fact that word 'Phileo' is where we get the name for the city 'Philadelphia'. The city of Brotherly love.

Jesus asks Peter again, "Peter, do you 'love-Agapeo' me?"
And Peter says, "Lord you know I 'love-Phileo' You."
"Feed my sheep"
But the third time Jesus asks, He changes His tune to fit Peter.
"Peter, do you 'love-PHILEO' me?"
And Peter answers, "Lord, You know everything. And You know that I 'love-Phileo' You."
"Feed my sheep"

Perhaps Jesus is gving Peter a chance to reafirm a denied love, but even more, Jesus is reafirming His love for Peter. And even when Peter is unable to love the way Jesus loves, Jesus stoops to Peter's level; and at each answer, reminds him that though Peter's love may be weak, Jesus still sees him fit for ministry.
"Feed my sheep."
It's Jesus' love that changes Peter, not the other way around.

Jesus then goes on to say, "One day Peter you will learn to love the way I do. In fact, you'll lay down your life for me." And Peter does.
History records that Peter was crucified. And he asked to be crucified upside down on the cross, because he felt he was unworthy to die the same way Jesus died." No doubt, He answered the question he was unable to really answer before.
"Peter, do you Agapeo me?"
"Lord, you know that I Agapeo You!"

His love is greater than our weakness.

Ping Pong with God?

2007-07-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

Its been a few months back now, but I remember a particular day that I was spending some time with God. As I was walking and praying, a scripture popped into my head. It's found in Psalms 16:11

"...In Your presence is fulness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forever."

I began to think about what it meant to be "In His Presence". We have all kinds of religious ideas in our heads about what that means. But what does it really mean?
I began to go through every idea I had.

Maybe I think 'being in His presence' is my time with the Lord in the morning. Or maybe it's a Bible study with friends. Or perhaps, it a excellent time of worship during a church service. But, as I went along I thought, 'All those thungs are great but let's just strip it down to the basics. Let's take it down to pure simplicity.'

What if 'being in His Presence' is just me and God playing Ping Pong. Maybe we're playing Ping Pong; and just maybe I'm the worst Ping Pong player in the world, but..... I'm in His Presence. And In His presence, is fullness of Joy. And not only that... but there are Pleasures forever. I'm not worried about who's winning. Because I know He's better at it anyway. And He knows He's better at it too. So why worry!
I'm just enjoying being next to Him. I'm in the same room, in close proximity to the one I love. And there's nothing that gives more joy, and there is no pleasure that lasts longer, or that can substitute for it.

But maybe you just can't picture it. Maybe Ping Pong doesn't do it for you.
How about Foosball? Maybe it's Foosball for you.
Who cares.... as long as He is there.

A Wedding in the Garden

2007-07-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today I had the incredible honor of being able to perform a wedding ceremony for two friends of mine: Joe Gerics, and Angela Matthews. It was so amazing to stand where I stood and watch as they pledged their hearts to each other.
The past couple of days, as I had been preparing, God began speaking to me about his heart for us. In the garden of Eden, God looked at Adam and said, "It is not good for man to be alone."
So God took a rib from Adam's side and created Eve, and gave her to him. And we assume that perhaps this is the first time God has initiated some sort of thoughts toward the idea of marriage and intimacy. But God was really only echoing what He had already said before. The thing He had spoke to himself as He stood alone in the darkness of a black void. Before the world began, He whispered, "It is not good that I be alone." And with those words He launched into a creativity like no man has ever seen. First He created a home for Mankind, and then with great care He formed man and breathed life into him. And with each step of the way He said, "It is Good!"
Marriage is but a picture of what is to come. When all is said and done, and this world grinds to a halt; This will all end in a wedding. Jesus Christ will have a Bride. Pure and spotless.

In Ephesians 5:31-32 (my translation) Paul writes the scripture we hear most of time when we attend a wedding.

...a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two of them will become one flesh. This is a huge mystery; But..... I am actually talking about Christ and His bride.

More than ever the world is looking and longing to see a church who lives like the bride they were intended to be. Unfortunately, the divorce rate in the church is higher than in the world. Why is this? The church has lost sight of who they have been created to be. Oh, that we would fall in love again with Jesus. He will have a bride!

Laughing at Lightning

2007-07-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

I've been up in Conneaut, OH this past week visiting family. Last night at dusk I went down to the lake. Lake Erie is one of those lakes that is so big, it's like being at the ocean. You can't see the other side. As I walked down to the edge of the water and looked out, I could see the sun setting on the horizon. And it was raining in the distance. I sat there talking to the Lord, enjoying the incredible view before me.
As I got up to leave with my family I looked out again, and saw a quick flash of lightning shoot out of the clouds and hit the water. Incredibly beautiful. But it only did it once. So as I turned to walk back to the car, I said to my brother in law, "Did you see the lightning?"
"No," he said. "Where at?"
I pointed towards the horizon, and we again found ourselves standing there gazing out, waiting for lightning.
I was already lost in the place of God's love for me, and in that place I suddenly became very child like. Almost giddy.
"Lord can we see it one more time?" I asked.
The clouds flickered and the lightning flashed almost instantly. We all started laughing.
"Again!" I spouted. "Please! Can we see it one more time?"
I raised my hand and snapped my fingers.
Lightning erupted in sync with the sound of my hand.
We all lost it again...

Our relationship to God should be like a child. He has so much He wants to show us. And our job is to say, "God, can I see it?" And just like a child to declare, "I want to see it now!" That's a kid for you. God always wants us to know what He's up to. Always... It's His glory to hide things. It's our glory to seek them out. But He wants you to see His glory. And when we ask, it delights His heart.

I think I smiled all the way back to the car.

Hindu prayer Vs Christian Prayer

2007-07-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I clicked on Drudge Report to check out the news, and see what was going on. I clicked on a link that said, "First-Ever Hindu Prayer in U.S. Senate Shouted Down..."
This morning, for the first time in American History, a session of the Senate was opened in prayer by a Hindu Priest. You can read the story here on Fox News.

The story is on just about every news site. And the fact is this; There would not be a story if it were not for the fact that this Hindu's prayer was interrupted by three Christians. As I watched the video from Drudge this morning, I was stirred. Unless God's people rise up and let their voice be heard, we will find our nation and our government overtaken by the god's of another nation. God's people must stand in the gap.
I had watched the video below, and then after reading the article, to my surprise, realized that these three Christians are friends of mine (and a family). Please pray for them. I'm not sure at the moment what the circumstances are. I do know that they were removed from the senate visitors galley, and charged with a misdemeanor. This is a travesty!

The church must be heard!

The Hosea Project

2007-06-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone...
So many people were asking to hear these songs, that I had to hurry and put them up. I spent a week and a half recording these. (check out my video blog) I want to eventually re-record these in a professional studio. These recordings are raw and not exactly the cleanest you'll ever hear, but I think you'll find the story of Hosea amazing. You can listen on myspace. (www.samuelgatlyn.com) I'll be posting more blogs about the book of Hosea at a later time.

Bless you,
Samuel

New Video Blog... well, really my first video blog.

2007-06-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Why are you parked on my lawn?

2007-06-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

I've been visiting my parents over the weekend, staying at the ministry building where my parents live.
I decided to sleep in this morning, and I woke up to the sound of my mom yelling to my dad. Note: (She was yelling to him, not at him.) All I heard was something to the extent of, "Donny, look at this guys that just pulled up in the front yard!"

We had like torrential rains last night. It was raining so hard, that the noise made it hard to fall asleep. The rain left this massive reservoir of water in the front yard. And some guy in a white boxed tool truck just pulled up into the front of the lawn, and parked right in the middle of it. He left tire tracks and the whole nine yards.

My mom delivers food each weeks to different houses in the neighborhood. It turns out that this guy is a satanist that lives in one of the houses she had been leaving food. She had also been leaving gospel tracks with the food. He was not happy, and perhaps drunk. My dad ran out and asked him, "Why are you parked on my lawn?" Dad got cussed out royally. After telling dad how he felt about all the "trash" we'd been leaving on his doorstep, he tried to walk up the sidewalk to go into the building. He stopped halfway. I guess he couldn't walk any further. He had either come to curse us, or thought that the building would be opened for a church service, and just maybe he'd cause us some trouble.

The amazing thing about life in Christ, is that our heritage is this: Every curse that the enemy tries to put on us, God has promised to turn into to a blessing for us.
Check out this video with Graham Cooke. Skip past the over-dramatic guy at the beginning, and listen to Graham tell his story.

Wrecked twice today...

2007-06-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

I've been wrecked today... twice. For the longest time I've had a heart for people in Hollywood. It's so easy to see these people in news, or on the tabloids, and to unconciously curse them with our words and thoughts.
If we make a mistake, a few people know. If they make a mistake the whole world knows. Jesus said, "The person who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone."
And so we do... not realizing that if it were not for the blood of Jesus there would be no difference between us and them. They are simply hurting people without Jesus. And hurting people, hurt people.

In Mark 2 (my version) when the paralytic is lowered through the hole in Jesus' roof; Jesus asks a question to the pharisees. "What is easier to say to a person? 'Your sins are forgiven'; or to say, 'Arise and be healed.' But just so that know that I have the authority to forgive sins" -He says to the paralytic- "Rise up and be healed."

Jesus wants to heal people as a testimony of his desire to forgive them.
So as His hands, do we cast a stone, or extend a healing hand? As His mouth, do we curse them with the reality of what they are, or do we speak the word of life to them, and say as Jesus said: "Your sins are forgiven."

I have been wrecked twice today. Twice I have watched Lindsey Lohan's video: "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)" And I have cried.
Watch it for yourself. Hear and see the cry for help.

My song on 'Brothers and Sisters '???

2007-05-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

So I had an interesting thing happen a couple of days ago. Every once in a while I will type my name into Google, and see what comes up. I know, I know... sounds a little vain right. But I like to see where my name is popping up, and who I'm being associated with.
So I typed it in, and a new page popped up in the list that I hadn't seen before. I clicked on it, and about freaked out. Here's the link.

http://www.tv.com/brothers-and-sisters/favorite-son/episode/1029293/summary.html

According to this page, my song, "I'll Not Forget" which comes from Psalms 103, was being used in a episode of ABC's TV show, "Brother's and Sisters." You can see it on the page; the song title and my name next to it.
To be honest I was a little taken back, and very perplexed. I just couldn't figure out how, or where they would use Psalm 103 in a secular television show. It didn't make much sense to me.
So I got myself all syked up, and sat down to watch the episode. As it turns out, all I did was waist about 45 minutes of my life, and found out that my song got confused with another song that was aired on that episode. Oh well... right?

But after watching the show, I couldn't help thinking that Psalm 103 would be just the prescription that this over dramatic episode needed. From dying babies, to lying senators, to wounded soldiers in rehab, to heart breaking/bleeding circumstances, a little bit of the kindness of God would have been a sight for sore eyes.
The chorus of my song says this: I'll Not forget, I'll Not forget, That He is mindful of who I am, I'll not forget, I'll not forget, that in His kindness I am blessed.

It is our destiny that the goodness of God pass before our eyes on a continual basis. And it is our inheritance that we be touched by the kindness of God.
Don't forget it! He knows who you are. And He loves You.

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A Quote for Life.

2007-05-30T03:14:00.000-07:00

"If I have not the patience with a soul that grows slowly; if I know little of travail, (a sharp and painful thing) till Christ be fully formed within them; then I know nothing of Calvary's Love."
Amy Carmichael - from the book "IF"