Ok, so maybe the term "swag" will not be needing life insurance anytime soon. Credited to Will Smith in the 90s, the term is still going strong many years later and is used throughout society in more than just hip hop. Originating from the negatively defined term "swagger" (see below), the modified slang can simply mean the way one walks, strides, or presents themselves generally, even their lifestyle.

swagger
to walk or strut with a defiant or insolent air; ostentatious display of arrogance and conceit; to strut, brag, boast

In secular culture, the term is usually boasted to portray pride in ones self and belongings. But of course, Christians who have adopted the term use it to represent the "blessings" or "confidence" they now have in Christ. And hey, why not! Some people just cant help the favor they receive, or the prosperity that follows them around. Nevertheless, an issue presents itself when the term swag is joined to Christ, and used inappropriately.

If you're going to claim "swag like Christ" then "like Christ" should look... "like Christ".

Quite frankly, Christ never boasted in chariots, castles, new sandals, or shekels. AKA, Christ's swag was not found in cars, mansions, new shoes, or money. Many will respond saying God has always promised earthly wealth for His people, and will point out King David and King Solomon who were known for their unending riches and possessions. And to that I say -- so use them as your role models then!

There is nothing wrong with saying you got "swag like King Solomon" while pointing out the new Jordans God recently dropped in your lap. But by golly-gee-wiz, please don't use Christ's name in vain. Swag is here to stay, no matter how misunderstood and overused it becomes. But let's keep things and the men and women of the Bible in their proper place and testimony.

I love y'all man! And just to show that this blog was written in humble, lighthearted fun, I will post a few embarrassing lines to some old bars I wrote in my swag phase (but appropriately quoting Christ and not King Solomon), LOL:

When I swag like Christ, what does that look like?
I talk about it all the time, but let me define.
I got a peace like my Daddy and a sweet shalom (Jn 14:27)
Nothin lacking nothin missing-yo I been made whole! (Jn 16:33)
Got a joy unspeakable that always shows (Jn 15:11)
No need to mean mug, my kindness has a killer glow (Lk 6:35)
......

Lose your Swag, become a FOOL for Him. -Da Truth
*inspired by the following DaSouth.com discussion thread on Millyon's new music video "Swaggin": Click here!

So, today I got this email forward (below), and am pretty surprised that I am just now hearing about this book (saw it pop up on my Amazon lists before, but never took real interest, until today). I am outraged that this book is even considered by schools AND Christians as a good insightful read. More devastating, is that the book has been made into a movie which is sure to draw "seekers of truth" like cheese on a mousetrap.. a deadly find.

I am still doing research, but from what I have read, the title should be "Conversations With the god of This World" or "Conversations with Myself" by Neale Donald Walsch. Promoted by Oprah, of course, the book basically entails questions towards "God", and "His" responses... which just means questions Neale Walsch has asked and answered himself... quoting and using a mix of his VERY limited knowledge of the Bible and other religious books. I mean, go ahead and write a book about anything you want! BUT, If you are going to quote the Bible (of all things!) then use it correctly and in context!... not to spice up your oinions. Otherwise, your own words would have been sufficient.

I encourage anyone striving to call yourself a Christian, but not follow the Bible, to read this book. However, disciples of Christ, please do not be swallowed by such ear tickle. Here are some quotes from the book, but I enocurage you to research it yourself:

All creation begins with thought (“Proceeds from the Father”). All creation then moves to word (“Ask and you shall receive, speak and it shall be done unto you”). All creation is fulfilled in deed (“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us”).

Do you want your life to truly “take off”? Then change your idea about it. About you. Think, speak, and act as the God You Are.

My child, everything in life is holy.

All that is required is to know this. For you are the creator of your reality, and life can show up no other way for you than that way in which you think it will.

There are no “shoulds” or “shouldn’ts” in God’s world. Do what you want to do. Do what reflects you, what represents you as a grander version of your Self.

I tell you this: You are your own rule-maker. You set the guidelines. And you decide how well you have done; how well you are doing.

And many more delusions of grandeur. But here is my personal favorite:

I do not love “good” more than I love “bad.” Hitler went to heaven. When you understand this, you will understand God.

This book is a bestseller and being converted and sold in more and more languages and cities daily. The world loves it! And I would love this book too, if I was placed here as the SUGAR of the earth.

Salt of the Earth.. Kingdom peeps... Preservers of Truth.. Please Stand Up!

2 Timothy 4:3
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,



THE EMAIL FORWARD:
Two particular books are, Conversations with God and Conversations with God for Teens, written by Neale D. Walsch.

They sound harmless enough by their titles alone. The books have been on the New York Times best sellers list for a number of weeks, and they make truth of the statement, “Don’t judge a book by its cover or title.”

The author purports to answer various questions asked by kids using the “voice of God”. However, the “answers” that he gives are not Bible-based and go against the very infallible word of God.

For instance (and I paraphrase), when a girl asks the question “Why am I a lesbian?”.

His answer is that she was ‘born that way’ because of genetics (just as you were born right-handed, with brown eyes, etc.). Then he tells her to go out and “celebrate” her differences.

Another girls poses the question “I am living with my boyfriend. My parents say that I should marry him because I am living in sin. Should I marry him?”

His reply is, “Who are you sinning against? Not me, because you have done nothing wrong.”

Another question asks about God’s forgiveness of sin.

His reply: “I do not forgive anyone because there is nothing to forgive. There is no such thing as right or wrong and that is what I have been trying to tell everyone, do not judge people. People have chosen to judge one another and this is wrong, because the rule is “‘judge not lest ye be judged.”

Not only are these books the false doctrine of the devil, but in some instances quote in error the Word of God.

And the list goes on. These books (and others like it) are being sold to schoolchildren through (The Scholastic Book Club), and we need to be aware of what is being fed to our children.

Our children are under attack. So I pray that you be sober and vigilant about teaching your children the Word of God, and guarding their exposure to worldly mediums, because our adversary, the devil, roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

We know that lions usually hunt for the slowest, weakest and YOUNGEST of its prey.

Pass this on to every Believer you know. God bless!

And, if you are in doubt, check out the books yourself.

Dark and Lovely. This description often fits the type of guys that many "Christian" girls are attracted to -- Darkness on the inside, but looking Lovely on the outside.

In the video below, Pastor Cox (of P4CM.com) addresses the females who only bring their "model-husband" male acquantances to church to get saved, or to at least get "churched" (another blog topic). He encourages such females to not discriminate, but to bring the short-light-skinned-no-swag-acne-faced brother to church also, because they need salvation too! Hilarious and definitely true... but I want to go even further.

This is a sober issue, because not only will girls bring their "Dark and Lovelys" to church, but many will end up growing emotionally and/or sexually intimate with these guys prematurely, and may even enter a long-term relationship. In most cases, NO ONE (not even mothers or church mothers) will inquire further but instead compliment "what a nice guy" she brought to church with her, or is now dating.

Of course, these stories seem like perfect fairytales on the surface, where the couples live happily ever after... UNTIL the female becomes pregnant before marriage. At this point, since the pregnancy is visible fruit that cannot be ignored, everyone acts extremely surprised and disappointed. As if we did not know that the couple was already unequally yoked, or sexually active outside of wedlock?! So now, we proceed to treat them as "the unfortunate fornicating few".

C'mon peeps! This is unfair to these ladies who become pregnant, because:

1) they are only a small part of a greater norm that we failed (by not addressing the issue early on)

2) all the conviction and judgment that should be directed to the church body is only directed to this already broken minority.

3) the large remaining population of "single, saved, and having sex" is left deceived and feeling "fortunate" that God favored and protected them from such shame. They are left bound to pride, lust, and in pursuit of empty relationships.

Disciples, we can no longer allow each other to be pimped by this Dark and Lovely mess, and must challenge instead of compliment couples that look lovely on the outside. Church without true community and discipleship is not a strong enough antidote for the supernatural sexual seductions of this world (yes, it is not just "natural" hormones feeding this surreal sex-frenzied society), so lets keep them accountable.

Ladies, because a guy comes to church with you twice and says "service was cool" does NOT mean you have a "green light" from God to date him. In fact, if you find yourself still attracted to him, you should check your own dark heart that would prefer a man that has no passion for the Christ you claim to love. Men (in and outside the church), protect your sisters and take your hormones to Jesus and fellow brothers in Christ to be dealt with... or at least know that you are compounding the wrath of God for causing one of His to stumble.

A man that believes in God is not the same as a man who believes God. The latter will treasure God's words as His food and very source of eternal life, and know that GOD and PURITY are inseparable -- to desire one, is to desire both.

Less Swag, More Salt
Cross.Eyed

Featured EPK: Nicole Franklin
... she's still young in the industry, but keep an eye out for her. She can do some Kingdom damage if she stays the course...

I am already sold and hoping to see more of her, because [really good] dancers in the Kingdom are a rare find. She makes me want to resume my short-lived attempt at crumping. I really wanna learn!!!!!!! So maybe if I stick to it for like the next five years... huh.... who knows?!?? Watch for me now! Don't sleep on it ;-)

Anyways, enough about me. I am still trying to find a Myspace or Youtube channel for her, but here is some info off her website and don't forget to peep the video below:

"This energetic, self-described “B-girl” continues to explore her many talents as a songwriter, recording artist and performer, but the focus has changed: Faithful has redirected her gifts in praise of her Creator, using music as one of her vehicles. This holy light shines through on her new album, Taking It Back, which is being released on her own Living Water Records, distributed by Thank You Entertainment/Fontana/ Universal.

“Hip-hop is an artistic form of expression in itself, and I have been rapping since I was 10 years old, but in the midst of different styles of music I needed to find my own voice in Christian music,” she says. “Through that search, God birthed in me my new album, Taking It Back.”

Nicole’s testimony is a powerful one. To hear it is to hear the true reflecting power and nature of God’s redemption and deliverance." Find more of her bio here: http://nicolefaithfulfranklin.com/

Nicole "Faithful" Franklin EPK from nicole "faithful" franklin on Vimeo.

I decided to start blogging publicly today.

For the past year I have silently observed all the upcoming Gator blogs, and my heart has been mournful. Almost all of these blogs have been devoted to nothing but social pollution and perversion. From advice on chasing paper, empty relationships, and suicidal fashion prices to vlogs spewing out prideful lyrics of sexual escapades and whoring conquests, these blogs have no intention of glorifying anything, BUT SIN - and yet disciples of Jesus flock behind them like bees to honey.

But even if we remove the "God factor" and my "Biblical bias" (pardon me if that's not even possible) it is sad to see that a [blog] world left to itself will still choose perversion over purity -- even if both options are laid out before us on a plate (because they are). Despite everyone’s claim of wanting to "make the world a better place", we will get up from pleading prayers of change to go feed and flirt with the very vices that will only grow to swallow our kids whole.

Of course, this comes as no surprise.

I was living the same duplicitous lifestyle before embracing Christ wholeheartedly. And even now, I must continue to search my heart for hypocrisies deeply rooted from years of believing I could simultaneously pursue God and my own glory. Every religion has made clear the "doomful" state of mankind, and its affinity for immorality. And every religion has offered their solution of enlightenment, and self-help "tips" on striving toward good. But only Jesus has testified that no matter how enlightened we become, or how hard we try, we will repeat the very actions that hurt us because we are wrapped up in the very flesh that pursues pleasure at our expense.

But thankfully, Christ didn't leave it there :-)

Knowing our helpless state, he stepped on the scene Himself to destroy the works of the flesh and our bondage to a double-minded lifestyle. To those wanting Truth from the inside out, He says COME. You can take my Word, or the Bible's Word for it.... OR, you can hear it from the millions in this generation that have been liberated -- and in their freedom have chosen to make themselves a slave to this Truth for the sake of saving even.one.more.

Sin will always thrive in this broken world. Sex will always sell more than virtue. Sugar will always be celebrated more than salt. But God has set apart a remnant for Himself, to preserve and proclaim His Truth and Right-ness (aka righteousness). It is time for the redeemed of the Lord to SAY SO. And this is all this blog will be:

One redeemed voice. One saved soul. One salt of the earth.

For the few fish who prefer salt water,
Let's go!