Just How Christian are u Anyway-By the Ambasador

Whether we claim to be a "Christian rapper," a "Christian hip hopper," or just a "plain Christian," the question should be asked of us, "just how Christian are we?" The best Christian rappers are not just good rappers but, good Christians. The best Christian hip hoppers are not just cool hip hoppers but, good Christians.
The best "plain Christians" are not those who have perfect church attendance, but those who live all of their life submitted and obedient to Jesus Christ. This is my burden and focus in 2007—the amping up of real Christians who are potent in their Christianity!
Will the real Christians please stand up and stand out? Christian crowds are now easier than ever to amass. We've got our own celebrities, our own festivals, our own award shows, etc. Through the right marketing and promotions we can "do it big" these days, but in the midst of all of this I'm still plagued with the question, "just how Christian are we?"

This almost sounds like a trick question because it seems impossible to judge something like this. How do you judge how Christian someone is, or how Christian you are? I'm not sure that a "right answer" will be agreed on, but certainly we should be able to answer how much of the essentials of Christ's character and concerns are easily detected in us? Out of the darkness of secular culture God has clearly snatched for himself individuals and placed them into a union with His Son Jesus Christ.
After this transfer, a lifestyle change is supposed to visibly and tangibly demonstrate the difference being in Christ makes. Christ is supposed to take over a person and live his life out through them. Therefore, I look to my generation and ask "just how Christian are you?"

I labor missionally in the hip hop-saturated urban sphere on behalf of Jesus Christ. In the last decade I have personally been apart of, and a witness to the continued improvement of artistic skill among this group. The improvement of skill is just as difficult to "judge" but most people who have followed the journey of Christian hip hop would probably agree with me. But while I have to admit that there has been an improvement of skill on the mic and the drum machine, I have not seen an equally impressive improvement of Christian character and kingdom concern. We are excelling in ministry giftedness, but not necessarily as much in spiritual weightiness.
Due to the stereotypical image of hip hoppers (saved and unsaved), it has been my personal aspiration to display weighty Christianity, and not simply hip hop skill. The necessity of this was never more illustrated than during the rise of Craig Lewis and similar critics. Since his attacks against Christian hip hop and the Christian hip hop community, it becomes even more apparent that Christians must display robust Christian-ness whether they are hip hop or not. Let's look at some things that should be true of us as Christians living in an age of religious compromise.

Our Christian-ness Should Be a Public Affair

Christians are "cities on a hill which can't be hid" not under-cover agents (Matt 5:14). According to Jesus Christ in Matt 5:13-14 Christians are considered "light" and "salt" partly because both their presence and the absence are readily detectible and significantly impacting. If it is not obvious that you are a Christian, then you are probably not, or you have a Christianity that is weak in its Christ-aroma. Many Christians, especially in the pop-world have learned how to keep their Christian-ness so undercover that nobody either knows that they are a Christian or no one cares. One of the most harmful and deceptive beliefs that exists among believers, especially those who want worldly acceptance, is the idea that Jesus can be buried deep in our heart and only peek His head out if someone expresses interest in our personal religious beliefs. This is the sentiments of many Christian artists who have very little public boast in Christ, very little mention of Christ, very little public dealings with Christ, but declare that backstage or "on-the-side" they are slipping Christ into the picture. Jesus Christ did not redeem a people so that they could sneak Him into the party. He is not meant to be slid through the cracks, but rather to be broadcasted loud and clearly by those of us that he has redeemed (delivered). Our faith is not a private matter, but a public affair. The Lord Jesus is to be our boast and our life, and we are to be his proud and public representatives—on and off the stage. In 07 let us not have a Christianity that is so private and personal that it never affects the public or the corporate surrounding. As Christian artists, as well as those of you who may be Christian celebrities, let us not just be known only for "backstage exploits", but let us have "onstage exploits."

Spiritual Affections Should Dominate our Passions

The struggle to live as though dead is a universal struggle for all of God's people. Regularly we see our natural affections being nurtured and displayed more than spiritual ones. Our natural appetites are fed more than our spiritual ones. Zeal for earthly passions eclipse zeal for heavenly realities, and knowledge of earthly topics far exceed knowledge of theological topics. Too often Christians are diesel in their craft, but frail in their faith. They are the geniuses and "Einstein's" of their vocations, but remedial in their grasp of the biblical realm. Church youth groups run the risk of falling into this category because today's youth programs are entertainment heavy, but doctrinally skimpy.
I pray that 2007 we will depend on the Spirit to boost our godly affections and decrease our longings for "worldly" delicacies. Let us spend more time in the Scriptures than TV, and spend more time in cyphas around God's word than cyphas around other things. As diligently as we study for a degree, let us diligently show ourselves to be approved workers who do not have to be ashamed. As the world marvels at our skills and abilities, may heaven rejoice to see our faith and devotion to Him who sits on the throne.

Christ's Followers Don't Fade, They Keep Following.

Are we marching to a different beat today? In regard to this world, I hope so, in regard to the faith, I hope and pray not. Christianity is a relay race—a faith that is passed down and passed on. We will never outgrow the need and the command to join the saints through the ages whose lives were built on personal and corporate prayer, worship, assembling with the saints, evangelizing and discipling, grappling with the Scriptures, and engaging in acts of kindness (Acts 2:42-47). We'd better not start replacing these Christian basics with beats, rhymes, hobbies, and business-moves that are supposedly for Christ's benefit. It is real easy to hide out in the ministry today, because ministry can be big business today. For some, they never had it so good until they started "doing ministry." The sad thing is that I meet so many people that see themselves in ministry that neglect the fundamentals like corporate prayer, studying the Scriptures in community, and faithfully assembling with the saints. I did not learn Christ this way.Lately I have been more keenly aware of the new generations of believers who are learning what it means to be a Christian from those of us that have been screaming about Jesus Christ over the microphone. Just when we were ready to kick our feet up and enjoy the work of other committed Christians, the call for us to join the work came from on high. That is why I pray that our lives will demonstrate what our lips say. If we tell people that they should pray may they be able to see us in intense prayer. If we tell them that they should be a solid participant in a particular community of God's people, I hope that we are such participants. If we tell them to rally with other believers and form solid community with them, we should be doing the same. In regards to the Christian basics, there is no need to march to a different beat. We are the leaders of today and tomorrow, so we must begin leading today. For those who have been sucked up into the grind of Christian hip hop, or just "civilian affairs" we must not allow the daily grind to hinder our spiritual grind. Selah—pause and think about that.

Christ's Followers Refuse to Be Sons of Pharaoh Since They are Sons/Daughters of God?

Christians reject worldly exaltation in order to heighten their chance of remaining faithful to God, and keep a connection with the people of God. (Heb 11:24-25). Their motivation is like Moses' in Hebrews 11:26, "He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt...." In this age of "Christian celebrity-ism" it is hard to imagine this being many people's desire. From celebrity pastors to singers and actors—so few Christian celebrities deflect human exaltation that if someone does it, they are looked at as "over-doing it," or being needlessly offensive. This idea of tempering one's personal exaltation is not radical however, but it is actually rather Christ-like or Christian. Moses rejected pharaoh's throne so that he could please God and lead His people. John the Baptizer rejected an opportunity to ride the wave of his own popularity which he was gaining as Messiah's forerunner (Jn 1:19-21). Jesus would not let the crowd make him their kind of king, but chose to remain faithful to the mission of the cross (Jn 6:15). Warning! The world has plenty of money, power, and respect to offer us, but it comes with a hidden cost. We must not be afraid to let their exaltation go, so that we will receive God's exaltation in due season (1 Pt 5:6). When God grants us legitimate exaltation among the people of this world we must use it for godly purposes. I know—this is easier said than done.

As believer in Jesus Christ we will often be offered opportunities to improve our earthly situations by gaining favor with the world. It's no secret that when the world likes you, they will support and even exalt you (Jn 15:19). However, Jesus said that the world didn't like him but, rather hated him (Jn 15:18). So the only way for the world to hate Jesus, but like those of us who belong to Jesus, is by us making some sort of compromise. By luring us away from Jesus and his despised people (true believers), the world begins to tolerate us because the smell of Christ that was once on us begins to fade. Once the world makes a once despised Christian a "star", it becomes more difficult for that Christian to live out basic Christianity. The pressures of staying liked, and doing well will take its toll.

The world is known for digging into God's pot of believers and luring them out from the community of faith into the "den of snakes". The world recruits from God's stash and then employs them for the devil's work. Before long, the Christian celebrity is forced to primarily exist among the other worldly celebrities that are apart of the same godless "world." Over time the Christian develops tighter relationships, and greater solidarity with the godless "stars" of show biz, than they have with the "regular" Christians of the world. I see this frequently, and may never get too many "amens," but this is a trustworthy statement.
"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are…" (1 Cor 2:26-28). Let us be careful to stay grounded in the community of faith, and monitor how much human exaltation we accept. Too much is spiritual toxic.

Christ's Followers Make God's Priorities Their Priorities.

Christians prioritize God's passions over their own, and therefore alter their personal pursuits in light of His revealed plans. God has passions and we have passions. God has plans and we have plans. The question on the floor is, "when our plans and passions clash, who's gonna win?" I know we would quickly respond by saying "God of course," but this is no usually the real. I find that it is rare for those of us with "American appetites" to yield our passions in order for God's to prevail. God has provided examples of people whose personal priorities were not separate, but one with His priorities.
What made Nehemiah take a leave of absence from his lofty job in the king's palace and journey to the ruins of Jerusalem to rebuild the city wall?

(*) What made the postexilic community of Israel leave the prosperity of the Persian Empire and return to the rubbles of Jerusalem?
(*) Why did God send the prophet Haggai to rebuke His people about their failure to rebuild His temple?

These people's passions had become one with God's. God had revealed a dominant passion for both the city of Jerusalem, and the temple in Jerusalem. While God loves cities in general, He has revealed a special love for Jerusalem. While God empowers all mankind to do many great things, He provided special empowering grace for the building of the temple. He has always given a greater measure of grace for the accomplishing of His priorities, however, sometimes God's people ceased to make God's passion their passion.

Today God has a special passion for His glory, His church, Hs mission, and His gospel. Of course many other things are good in God's sight, but not many things rival these passions of God's. These priorities should become the individual and corporate priorities of every believer. There is so much to say about these, I'll stop and save it for another time.

Conclusion

May this year be a year of dedication to God's passions and not just our dreams. This is what Christians do—they do the will of the Father. How Christian are you? Answer this question this year by the choices you make, and the passions you pursue. Can we get back to the fundamentals of our faith? Being cool is cool, but being Christian is essential. In 2007 let's go to war together, contending for the faith once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude 3).

Chocolate Souljahz

They fear the gashes the enemy of souls might inflict upon them let alone the weight of public opinion. Therefore, they would rather not rock Christian extremism. Consequently, they come out as acceptable, relevant, loving, sweet and not harsh in their doctrine and theology. They are celebrated and heralded even in the corridors of humanistic hodgepodge.

Their hearts once bled as they left the warmth of companionship and their blankets because in the greatest warfare, the world has ever known and for the greatest captain of time and eternity, they rose to pray and skip blankets for many nites.

They know nothing of sacrifice now; they are terrible enemies, of the cross. The word of God cannot come to them ‘cause it is like throwing precious pearls away. They do not give people what they need but what they want.
In a generation, of arrogant apostasy, where the ears itch for love melodies, their silver tongues seek the applause of men. They are phat on human applause but they quietly ‘stroke to death’.
They know nothing of ‘I will not defile myself with the King’s meat’, so, they comfortably sit at secular tables instead of at the table of grace.
They major in cosmetology and physical therapy-the designer shell that must ‘bling’, their reputation among ‘civilized’ folk, their acceptability, and predictability… They dread being misunderstood yet the master’s voice will always carry innuendos in a world that would rather not look His way-Holiness first and a must!

Therefore, they spice God’s word with human reason hence robbing it of its power, its bluntness and authority. They would rather not hurt/insult folk ‘cause their face must stay in place.
They would rather not sound extreme lest they are misunderstood as harsh, abusive, ‘holier than thou’ or pharisaic.
But like I always say, ‘we don’t do this for audition but for pleasure ‘cause our meat is to do our father’s will’.
I bin told, we have only one relevant audience!!. That is all that matters. Not everyone will understand us. He cannot be rejected (the holiest man) and we be accepted. The servant is not phatter than his master.

This is a trumpet call to all profet-souljahz. The preacher is heralded but the profet must be hounded and wounded. Faint not though. The times for world dominion-the dominion that was spoke for us in the beginning, to subdue and rule over all the earth are now. Nations are ours for the taking, the industry, the political arena, socio-economic platform, the intellectual flesh pots should be redeemed for the lord with a Holy ghost revolution ousting evolution to where it belongs- in a tomb. Agnostics should fall at the master’s feet with agony of soul that will not let go of them until they are re made by regeneration. There were giants in the church alas; we now have merchants hunting mice in church corridors. Nevertheless, the warriors have to rise at the sound of the trumpet because the clock sits still and the moon is held until…It is an hour of emergency. Chocolate souljahz will not do but prophets will. Men and women who hear the voice and obey and cry out and spare not-their voices raising those that sleep among the dead telling Israel of its sin and Jacob of its transgression. This is the clarion call.

U once heard the master’s voice and it was as incense but u done sleep among the dead for so long. U don’t feel the master’s convictions nor do u hear His voice. At that, yo words do not convict yo godless friends. Matter of fact, you have become voiceless; you cannot sing the Lord’s song in a strange land. Sit down, remember Zion, weep and return to yo father’s house. Your conscious message will not raise the dead. It is a pat on their backs. You lie prostrate on the dead but are unable to raise them up like Elijah of old because there is no power in you to deliver. You sold that inheritance for a plate of acceptance in the marketplace of compromise.

Come out from the dead and be ye separate. You do not belong there! Yo pen was meant to be a liberating tool but you now turn words into money instead of turning them into souls for Jesus.
You know nothing of sacrifice, even yo rite to privileges, counting everything as dung.

Ambition is the sparkle in yo eyes but to the master, it is as the eyes of the goat whose throat hath been cut deep with a sharp knife. U choose ambition over direction, so, u would rather be rich and celebrated as a TV personality and many others in that bracket.

The way of the cross u despise which yo master embraced that u might have life. Listen and see what shame the godly men of old bring upon us modern species so cold.

CT Studd, a famed English cricketer deserted the playing field for the battlefield of world evangelism.

David Brainerd lost his place at Yale University and offered his young body so that the Red Indians might know God. He died at a young age of 28 because of o praying and fasting, which made his health give way. He coughed blood at a certain stage in the event of his demise. However, wat he accomplished, the chocolate souljah will not dream of even wen granted the blessing of longevity form the man up yonder.

His rich father disowned Francis of Assisi because he preferred the ministry to his father’s business empire. At this, he took off all the clothes his father’s money had bought him and dashed for the bushes with these words. ‘From this day forward, I will say not my father on earth but my father who art in heaven’. St Francis chapels are named after this man with a volcano for a heart.

There were giants in the church.
Savonarola of Florence in Italy rejected the priest’s hat from the Vatican saying the only hat he’d gladly wear would be that of a martyr, signed in his own blood.

Chocolate souljahz, see how much we love our lives and yet we are told that he who loves his life will lose it and he who hates his will gain it. The one who loves mother, father, friends and companion more than God is not worthy of the kingdom. It is time for the chocolate souljah to rise and put on the armor of a warrior and live like a dying man to a dying world.

I will say this again. Despise what the world glamorizes- money, fame, social standing, intellectualism, human achievement, material possessions, and all these things that wont see the light of New Jerusalem.
With Grit and gumption, let us riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise!

The church of God is calling, in duty be not slack; you cannot fight the good fight while lying on your back. We are slackers and as far as I can discern, at the judgment seat of Christ, there will be no medals for slackers.

May this find a resting place in the heart of the searching pilgrims. Affectionately in Christ. Amen!