I don’t know if it’s a masterpiece but it does its role very well. Inception was the LSAT on big screen. With its many layers of thought and reason, you find yourself in a visual and cognitive labyrinth. I would recommend it, from a cognitive journey, it’s a masterpiece while lacking some key elements. The characters should have been developed more, the reason behind to whole process of mind access should have been developed more, how does this man obtain his wealth, how did he become who he is, when did mind access develop, etc? With no dates, time and explanation one wonders if it’s inconsistent writing or if it’s purposefully done to make you realize the whole… The movie itself never takes place in reality. I would totally recommend it but come prepared, or you’ll get lost in the idea of what you came for and end up in, limbo.

I have the privilege of working at The Village Church in Dallas, Tx. From time to time they allow a brother to express some of his thoughts from the stage. Today we call that preaching.

Recently I was able to preach on David from Psalm 57 7-11. David, while fleeing from Saul found himself in a cave, opposite of what he thought when Samuel found him shepherding, anointing him as king.  With anticipation of reading this Psalm one would expect David to cry out with some type of justification of Lord I didn’t ask for this, you pursued me, yet I’m in a cave… What I love about this Psalm is in the midst of this situation he doesn’t venture nor wallow in that pool of emotions, instead we see the opposite  v7 I am determined, O God! I am determined! I will sing and praise you! v8 Awake, my soul! Awake, O stringed instrument and harp! I will wake up at dawn!. In the midst of arguably one of the worst undeserved situations (use italics for a reason) of his life he says I will sing.

Their have been times where cognitively I knew I am supposed to sing but in my heart the pain of a situation and unbiblical expectations, in which God allowed, my heart and mouth was silent. With this sermon I spoke of the same emotions that flooded my heart from this past year and I pleaded with the people that their expectations of God have to be for him and him alone. I exhorted them to make Christ their only song not what is attached to him. Attachments to him and not him alone will give you a heart opposite of David and you will find yourself in suffocating sorrows that is dictated by circumstances and not the nearness of God. The sweetest and greatest thing that God can give is himself while the greatest lie and deception that we could ever believe is that HE is not enough.

So what is the reason for your song? If there is a comma where there should be a period you will find yourself emotionally distraught because somewhere you expected a promise of God that he never promises of himself. I assure there is no greater promise than the constant revealing of God the Son, love of God the Father and power of God the Holy Spirit. The nearness of him is indeed our only good and is the only reason why we should sing. (Psalm 73:25-28)

So I came to the reality that I am an American (I know that has many connotations but that’s another post for another day). So no matter how much I want to rail against the system, cry about corruption, capitol hill, Westernized Christianity and the distractions that our country brings, I am a born and raised American. Not only that but whatever I don’t like I still reap the comforts and rewards of the very nation I may have a problem with.

Why this post? It’s to shed light on a reality and call people, including myself to either move to another country or stop crying and leverage what you have for the kingdom. Some realities that many of us miss are, being born in America alone puts you in the top 13-20 percent of the world. Another reality, if you make more than 40,000 dollars a year you are in top 10 percent of the world. If you own a vehicle you are in the top 10 percent of the world. If you make more than 70 dollars a day you are in the top 10 percent of the world. If you can eat dinner on a table and not the floor you are in the top 30 percent of the world. The fact that you are born in America and can even complain publicly about things you don’t like puts you in the minority as well. My point? The very fact that I or any other person was born and raised here gives us a “10 talent existence”.

None of us told the Lord before the foundations of the earth that we wanted to be born in the most prosperous, distracted, influential and arguably powerful country of our time. But he did, we could have been born in any country but we were born and raised here into a “10 talent existence”. That means no matter how much we rail against this country we still benefit from the freedoms, comforts and resources it brings. Is it for the purpose of saying “I wish it was different?”

In the parable of the talents (Mathew 25:14-30) none of the slaves complained nor had a say in how much they received from the master great or small, the master gave and expected a return. We can complain about our “10 talent existence” and wish we were born into some other situation, make constant trips to third world countries, think we get it, no one else does and this some how removes us from all that is true, making us feel better at night. Or, we can embrace the reality that the master gave us a life, one that was birthed into a country of resources that despite our upbringing gives us a “10 talent existence”. All I hear from the master is him saying “stop complaining and make a return.” (this post was inspired by Mathew 25:14-30).

What a welcome it was. I had the privilege to go crusade/tour the message of Red Revolution in South Africa with Sho Baraka, Dawntoya, Kevin Rudd and little one Zipporah. There was so much love, so much beauty, in culture and creation, the fields are ready to be harvested there, very tough to come back.  The people that impacted our experienced the most where Johnny C, Noeline, Clive, Peter C, Marlon, Jeremy K, the kids at the Poolsmoor Prison, Gerald P, Olivia, Grace, Benoit, Dj Easy. These list of names may be insignificant to some but they were revolutionary to our soul as we fleshed out the gospel.

The reason we went initially was to spread the message of Red Rev in Cape Town. One year ago I had the privilege of going to preach at a Lifeway international conference in Colorado. After I gave the message of Red Rev the Lord allowed Noeline, who is from South Africa, to be burden by the truth of the message and the need for it to go forth in South Africa. In light of the splintering affects of the apartheid within the church Noeline felt the Lord speaking to her to bring the redrev team over. Long story short, by God’s grace we were able to take a team over to South Africa to minister and be ministered to, courtesy of Lifeway. We ministered in seminaries, churches, a prison, colleges, did radio interviews etc.

So much happened in our souls during this time, laughter, crying, preaching, krumping, singing, food, fellowship it was if we knew the people there for decades. Some might chalk it up to us being Americans and them being hospitable but I chalk it up to the gospel fleshed out biblically. Paul uses the word adelphos many times to speak of his brothers in the Lord, which means of the same birth canal. This matters because he is trying to express the supernatural happening and call when one is reconciled to Christ. You are drawn and called to love a person you never knew as if you had known them your whole life despite tensions. This was experienced to such a deep level it was captivating, you wish you could take it back to the states where we carbon copy many things from evangelism, fellowship, to preaching, I digress. The culture of linger as I would say, no one saw you as one of many priorities to get to, they saw you as the priority. I loved it, they loved us hard, puts southern hospitality to shame.

But one of biggest heart piercing moments for me was learning from them. Learning the identity struggles, the truth about apartheid, the division it caused in the church, the truth about ethnic labels, their insight into the scriptures, their perception of Americans and hope of the gospel. I was very thankful to have went to South Africa but my prayer is that this is the beginning of a group of believers in two different countries whom the Lord is uniting to bring in the harvest of his kingdom. We truly felt welcomed but I pray we return.
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I had the pleasure of meeting Hazakim while in Philadelphia. A conversation that was centered on the Lord and a deep appreciation for Hip hop was so refreshing. As we exchanged life stories I considered it a blessing to have met messianic believers who do hip hop. Refreshing because nothing about their speech and reason for music was for the fad and gimmick of being known. They had a true sense of hip hop history from sound to craft as well as a greater understanding for Christ in the scriptures old and new testament. I love how they openly admitted that their latest album Theophanies was very “niche-y”. They said we purposely wanted to make an album that was an outreach to the non believing Jewish community through lyrics and sound while maintaining our love for true hip hop.

After listening to their latest album Theophanies, which was a surprise gift from them as we parted ways, I felt fortunate. Fortunate that I was able to meet these brothers in the Lord. Fortunate that I could listen to an album that didn’t sound rushed or winged. Fortunate to hear an album that was not made to sell records, be gimmicky or mainstream but is still good. Fortunate to hear an album that speaks of true hip hop and not this watered down, cop cat, candy mess you hear of late in any arena. CAN WE RETIRE THE “T-PAIN” i.e “GEORGE CLINTON” AFFECT PLEASE???!!!! With the hip hop inspirations of EPMD, gangstar, x-clan, pharcyde, wu-tang, etc. artistically this album is truly refreshing. Although this album is not at the top of the charts it’s still worthy of a purchase. All hip hop heads would love and appreciate what these brothers are doing. If candy rap, carbon copy hooks, and trendy unoriginal sounds are what you’re looking for then this album will frustrate you. If you are looking for a sound that is creative (drawing from their Jewish influences), word play that makes you want to hear Eric B and Rakim on the radio and a style/sound that is unique to them then this album is a must have.

This album is not perfect but it’s Christ centered and is a throw back to the essence of true hip hop. I would definitely recommend this album, it’s truly refreshing.

A payment//
To be Paid while his blood colored the pavement//

A passion that atoned to ransom many men//
Giving us a new name our souls eternally engraven//

This is more than mere statements//
It supersedes, traditions, culture and made trends//
He’s eternal graphite
As even in the garden to himself he did not bend//

Betrayed with a kiss//
Punches to the face “prophesy that last hit”//
Give us Barabbas as the crowd jeered with a hiss//

False accusations, to The cat with nines tails dug into his flesh//
Each whip created gasps of breaths from lung to his chest//

Pilate claimed he’s just a man that’s a mess//
Said to Jesus I have the power to release you from this stress.
Jesus responded you are a pawn, used from he that sits on high, at best//

Absorbed the wrath of God thus pleasing his father//
Justify his character against accusations, Peter said…
He didn’t bother//

My crimson stains where nailed to that cross//
Removing my eternal dross//
A costly cost//
Words, I’m still at a loss//

He canceled the legal demands//
As those nails pounded into his hands//
Friday was bleak but Sunday came
And in Victory he, we, the family of God now stands//

Yes HE paid it all//
Saw this day before fall//
Only beloved son, eternally this was his call//

Author Tom Ason