I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Here are the lyrics (as best as I could make out) for “Go” by DJ Official featuring HGA and Tedashii. I contacted Reach Records, Tedashii, KB (of HGA) and DJ Official to verify my lyrics, but I’m sure the emails and tweets got lost in the fan mail. I’ve been sitting on this video since January, so I figured I might as well get it out there with what I have. If the lyrics are ever updated on Reach’s website, then I’ll update the video.

This was instantly my favorite song off of the Entermission album. I was a huge fan of Bone Thugs back in the day. I would spend countless hours deciphering their lyrics, and master flowing like them (just to sing along with, not making my own). Hoping KB gets picked up by Reach – when the kid raps fast, it is awesome.

Death is coming. Death is coming for us all. Death is coming for the Muslim. Death is coming for the Jew. Death is coming for the Christian. Death is coming for the atheist, the agnostic, the Mormon, the Hindu, the Buddhist. Death is coming for me. Death is coming for each and every one of us.

We all try to avoid it. We eat healthier. We exercise. We visit the doctor. We take vitamins. Nothing we do can prevent the death that is creeping behind us. Day after day, drawing ever closer. The paths to avoid it are hopeless.

When I die I will deserve his wrath for the sins I have committed. Praise God I can put my hope in his son Jesus Christ, and be seen spotless in his presence.

Put your hope in Christ.

This message was delivered following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Dwayne Tryumf’s new album, 777 (Mark of the Peace) is available now, and I highly recommend this album to you. The lyrical content is packed full of biblical truth. The first time I heard Tryumf was on Lecrae’s Don’t Waste Your Life track back in 2008. Really enjoyed the song, and was sad he didn’t make it in the video (though it probably wouldn’t have fit the story in the video). This is easily going to be one of the best albums of the year for the Christ followers in the hip-hop community.

It really is amazing how much he packs lyrically into each track. Here are a few lines from Never Be The Same that really stood out to me:

How did He escape the tomb,
when every eyewitness saw Him on the cross at noon?
And what happen to the Roman soldier?
Who moved the two ton tombstone bolder?
I-N-T-H-E-B-E-G-I-double N-I-N-G was a W-O-R-D.
Oh yes, and it’s sharper than a double edge S-W-O-R-D.

Favorite tracks so far are 777 Intro, I Don’t Pack A Matic, Our God Is, Never Be The Same, Sons of God, He’s The King… I just realized I’m putting up the whole album. Do yourself a favor, and cop it now from Amazon MP3 (iTunes soon).

How about the story of the Bible at 30,000 feet in a minute thirty? Watch this:

Dwayne Tryumf on Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | MySpace

Check out another great video after the break.

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Dr. Eric Mason of Epiphany Fellowship delivers two of the most powerful messages I’ve heard… ever. This message was so relevant to me, and my relationship with Christ. So excited to hear him preach live this Sunday at The Village Church.

Vimeo: Epiphany Fellowship
Twitter: Eric Mason

A Muslim/Christian dialogue took place in Dubai on March 2, 2009. They addressed the question: Who is God and how are we saved? The speakers were Bassam Zawadi and Thabiti Anyabwile. There are 22 parts to this video available on YouTube, and in this one Anyabwile responds to whether or not Christians have a license to sin. Fantastic presentation of defending the faith without sounding judgmental. There is 2-3 minutes at the beginning where they explain how the Q&A will work.

Source: Josh Walker

Fantastic video that depicts two views of success: our view and God’s. The video was put together by Dan Stevers.

God’s idea of being blessed and our idea of being blessed are very different. To us, success looks like having money, power, and influence. Jesus, however, saw the idea of success very differently.

Every year The Village Church student ministry holds an event called Spin Weekend. This year they are having Matt Carter from The Austin Stone, and Tedashii as special guests. Not sure if they are going to post Tedashii’s live set – it was awesome – but Matt Carter’s message from session one is already up. It will be available to watch through this weekend (maybe longer). The live streaming worked out great. Katie and I watched it on the Macbook (see pic) with only a few 2-3 second glitches.

Tedashii had a bangin’ setlist. At first I thought he was lip-singing, but on the last track the audio from the backing track cut-off. It was only cut-off for the live stream, but Tedashii’s mic was still live. It was pretty cool to hear him go off acapella-style. Here’s the setlist:

• Identity Crisis Intro
• Thank You (featuring Isaac Wimberley)
• 26’s
• Work
• Off the Hook
• Fresh
• War
• I’m A Believer

This is the first time I’ve heard Matt preach; he was really good. I’m not sure if he is always like this, but the energy was high and the humor was on point. His delivery of the gospel was great. He talked about the words no one who claims Christianity would ever want to hear: “I never knew you.” Excellent job presenting how we can know we won’t hear that, how it is hard to tell if others will hear that, and what it looks like to sin while being a believer in Christ.

Follow on Twitter: Matt Carter | Tedashii | The Village Church

Sean Slaughter and Cook Dogg

I recently discovered The What in the Ham Sandwich?! Show while browsing iTunes for podcasts. I subscribed to the DaSouth.com’s podcast hoping to discover new music, and came across the show. The first show I listened to covers the title of this post; this is from the description:

Does Jesus like to have fun? Do you think he laughs? How come Christians who are considered ‘deep’ are serious or quiet or reserved or even mean? Doesn’t God love people who like to have fun?

What an interesting topic – I had to listen. The show is hosted by Sean Slaughter and Cook Dogg, and they are goofy. I’ve listened to at least five shows over the last week and have enjoyed them all. The topics they cover are relevant and theological in nature, but the chemistry they share has me laughing almost the whole time. The added bonus: DJ I Rock Jesus has three mini-mixes in between the discussions of Sean and Cook, so I’m discovering new music as well!

Here is a preview of the episode:

The full episode can be found on iTunes or the Ham website.

Here are a few sample topics they have covered recently:

• Haiti relief or cheap advertisement?
• Why don’t we see a lot of Biblical miracles today?
• Can saints cool out with sinners?
• Suicide: is it ever okay?
• Why is being “hood” so important to getting Black respect?

Lecrae has written a new track to raise awareness and money for relief work in Haiti. The video features footage from the ground in Haiti and of the recent concert in Minneapolis where $20,000 was raised. Help them give more!

Purchase the track on iTunes or get the video+mp3 from Reach.

…remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. Isaiah 46:9-11

Source: Reach Records