Revelation 5 has hit YouTube!

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Let us have a humble and giving heart

A few years back the Lord really stirred me up inside. I have always been a musician and my main goal was getting popular and selling hit songs. I still remember the day that the Lord told me “I want you to write music for me and give the money away”. I was shocked, this mindset of giving and having a humble heart was new to me. After a few months of fighting I finally submitted and allowed the Lord to begin changing me.

Soon enough a good friend and I started a ministry called “Project Belize”. I wrote a Electronica album, my buddy Chris Webb created a Logo, website, and had shirts made. We set up camp  at our church and was astonished by the response. People came up left and right to purchase the items and soon we were raising money. We started with nothing, and over time we raised nearly $700.00 to give to assist in building churches in Belize! This was my first dose of humility, but the Lord changed my heart in too many ways to describe! He has given me a heart to reach out and bless others! About a year ago I began working on writing more music. Over the course of a few months I noticed my frustration growing larger and larger. I was trying to write music from my personal perspective and I could feel the holy spirit saying “David, stop! This isn’t my will for you”. Of course I was pretty confused at first. I knew music is a talent that I do have, and for me to just stop music all together just didn’t sit right. I missed the point completely.  The Lord was calling me to write music composed from only his word.

Soon after “The Word Composed” was born and the songs began to be created. I recently watched a video on a blog that moved me. These Christians show and share their humble and giving heart’s by blessing others! It’s a must watch! Here’s the link: http://lethoperise.com/2011/12/11/1441/

I want to give like these people gave. Not only to the community but to the world. Please pray and search your heart for ways that the Lord can use you at this capacity. I am right there with you, praying that he will reveal the same vision in my life.

 Here is the song I just released on iTunes. It’s straight from Revelation 5. I hope it blesses you!

Our debut single Revelation 5 is getting some iTunes attention!

It has not even been a week and our debut single “Revelation 5” is getting some real attention. We are moving up in popularity and are receiving song reviews!

Please consider purchasing this track because all proceeds will go toward blessing others!!!

Also please consider rating the song and writing a review to help out our iTunes ratings!

You can use the player below to preview Revelation 5!

Here is the link to the iTunes store

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/revelation-5-single/id487016341

or you can simply press the picture to the right to purchase ———————–>

Living a life of calling and purpose

 Please take a second and clear you mind. Imagine a life of poverty and hopelessness. You live in a grass hut with a dirt floor, eat maybe a bowl of rice every day and drink dirty water. You are infected with HIV/AIDS and can feel your body slowly dying. Though you are 8 years old you work as a servant, an unpaid servant. You have no hope in life but you keep going. Without medical care you will die very soon. You will die hopeless and alone..

Matthew 25:40
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

So the question is what are we doing? Do we even care about the needs of others outside of our families? Has the Lord’s calling and purpose for your life been choked out by our desires and needs? By the glamorous lights of Hollywood flashing from our television sets? It kills me that I watch my favorite TV show or snack on some chips while another child dies in some unthought-of country. What if that was our child? How would we feel?

These are the questions that I have been challenged with recently. I had to take a step back and put myself in the scenario for the impact to really take place.

Remember this:

Luke 9:58
Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

So if Jesus lived the life of a homeless man, why do we hold on to our possessions so tightly? It takes 2 dollars a day to feed a starving child. What habit could we cut out in our lives in order to bless another person’s needs?

This very need has birthed the Word Composed and FEED ministries. Not only will our ministry record a praise and worship album with 100% proceeds going to the needs of others, we will also give daily sacrifices to provide for these needs also.

More info to come on how we can make a difference.

Refocused; putting on our spiritual glasses.

  A few years back I realized that my vision was slowly getting worse. Over the period of a few years I went from not being able to see detail while watching TV to not being able to see street signs. I knew that it was about time for glasses. I remember the day I went to the eye Dr. and had a test. I looked through many different lenses and heard “Which one is better A or B”? When the test finished I was on my way home and I remember the anticipation I felt. The thought of being able to see clearly was something that I wanted instantly but I knew I had to wait a few weeks to receive my glasses.
I remember the day my glasses arrived and how quickly I opened the package and ran outside to have a view of the trees. I was astonished at how much detail I was missing out on through the years. My new glasses made it easier to drive, and to enjoy life. I wore my glasses daily and got used to the prescription. However, one day I forgot my glasses due to being in a hurry and while driving down the road realized “I can’t see clearly”! Isn’t it amazing how we can get used to our vision and how we see life? And how easily it is to forget how the Lord wants us to view life?
I have recently been in the very same predicament spiritually. I have forgotten my spiritual glasses. I have viewed a blurry unfocused life only to have that redefining moment where I say “I can’t see clearly”!

Acts 9:7
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Acts 9:18
Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

Saul was in the very same predicament. The lord caused him to be blinded so that he can truly see. Saul had a blurry, unfocused, and selfish view on life. I believe that when the Lord caused scales to fall from Saul’s eyes he was then given spiritual glasses.
Does this scenario ring true in your life? Where are your spiritual glasses? What is your view on life? Is it spirit lead or self-lead? Please join me in prayer in asking the Lord to remove the scales from our eyes and give use a clear view on his calling and purpose in our lives.
Please comment with any breakthroughs or thoughts on this blog post.

Even if it hurts…

The situation is the same for everyone. We have something deep inside that we tend to pray to the Lord about almost every day. Weather it be anger, greed, envy, unforgiveness, the list goes on. We have to understand that we can’t hide anything from God, and even if we pray and ask forgiveness we still need to have accountability in our lives.

Confession without accountability is useless because there is no urge to change. We tend to live in the “Saved by grace” mentality forgetting that Christ calls us to change. Speak the truth even if it hurts. Love even if it hurts. Cast down any negative image that the devil may throw at you because it’s far more important to be set free then to look good in front of people.

This is a challenge to come clean before Christ and your brothers and sisters. Find that accountability partner and bear your heart. And take it seriously because Christ takes it very seriously.

Galatians 6:2 Help carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings.

Will you take the challenge?

Complacency, my closest companion.

I wake up day after day, get out of a comfortable bed, put on nice clothes, eat a nice meal, and drive in my car to work. I then head home to a beautiful wife, beautiful kids, and feel as if I am living a Christ filled life. The truth is my thoughts are on Christ however they are limited to my surroundings. My life as I know it is exactly the way I want it to be. But what does Christ think about my life?

The more I look at this scenario the more selfish I feel. I begin to get a sick feeling inside as I hear the words of Christ “Go into the world and make disciples of all nations,” and “When you cared for the sick, the poor, the homeless you cared for me.” We learn of other countries where it is not legal to follow Christ and they have to worship in secret fearing for their very lives. Yet, I am still uneasy to talk to a neighbor about what Christ has done for me because it’s out of my comfort zone….

 The truth is that we are not people who embrace change. Amy Vanderwerf in our small group hit the nail on the head last night when she said “Would you worship the same if your surroundings looked different?” Well, would you?? If it suddenly became illegal to love Christ would you give up your livelihood to confess “Yes, I do love and follow Christ”?

 You might be saying, “Wow… Dang Dave, Why did you have to say that?” I think this reaction explains the problem. And believe me I had the very same reaction.

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.

 Jesus says we must turn from our selfish ways, take up our crosses, and follow him. He jumps right to the root of the issue. The problem is us! Our life views, and our comfort zones. Are we to comfortable to miss a meal to give money to family struggling to make ends meet? Are we to comfortable to walk next door and spread the love of God to our neighbors? Are we to selfish to think about the less needy?

Mark 12:30-31 ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.”

Composed Ministries has made a commitment to the Lord to reach out of ourselves and love others. If you have the same desire please subscribe to this blog and commit to joining us in prayer for God’s leading in this process. All money made from music and donations will go toward blessing the needy.

 What ideas do you have for outreach? I’m looking for things that have been done before and even things that no one has thought about. If anything comes to mind please comment below sharing your thoughts.

Is it about me? Or him? 1st Corinthians 9:22-23 (Message Version)

Have you ever been in a predicament where you have a chance to serve God but in a way that you aren’t used to? A way that takes you out of your comfort zone? Have you ever thought that maybe that’s what you need to take your eyes off of yourself? That’s exactly what happened to me.

I received an email from a church leader asking me if I would do a 3 minute monologue on the minor prophet Obadiah. I have been used to being on stage, but mostly to sing or Rap but never to do a monologue. I was in a predicament. I had to choose, me or God.  I really wanted to choose me and could hear my flesh screaming, but I knew deep down inside that God had a bigger plan for all of this. That’s truly what it’s all about isn’t it?

I don’t want to do it because I _______ ( <——- insert what ever excuse that relates)…

I think Paul said it best

1st Corinthians 9:22-23

I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet to a God-Saved life. I did all this because of the message. I didn’t just want to talk about it, I wanted to be it.

Wow.. .wait… Let’s back up a bit. “Just about every sort of servant”! And I’m having a hard time doing a monologue? I realize now that I was struggling with pride and in hindsight I see that God wanted to show me that my confidence need’s to be in him! The message of Obadiah is about Pride. Edom was eventuality destroyed by their own pride.

When we tell Jesus that he is Lord of our lives we are telling him that we place him first and that nothing will come before him. So if the opportunity arises we need to allow him to use us to bless others. I have much more growing to do in this subject. Just because I made a good choice to serve God in doing the monologue doesn’t mean that I have denied all of my rights. My heart is willing but my flesh is weak. Even though we have no rights we still tend to live life as something that we can fit God into.

Luke 9:23  The Message (MSG)

Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.

So if we deny ourselves we will find our true identity in Christ. If we will allow God to lead us by his spirit we first need to throw away our plans for our life.

The monologue went well and God blessed me in my obedience. I remember the second out of the 3 times I did the monologue, quieting my heart and saying “Lord shine through me and lead me”. I had memorized the monologue but didn’t really give it all to Jesus until that moment. I heard him softly say to me ” I will”.

The hard truth is that unless we allow God to lead us we will never truly know who we are. But if we allow him to take our hand even into situations that are out of our comfort zone, we will see true growth with our identity in him.

Has a situation like this ever happend to you? If so, please comment below.

It all starts with a humble heart ♥

I have been a Christian, or shall I say believer for quite some time. However, most of the time I saw God’s plan for my life as something that I have a say in.

1 Corinthians 10:14

So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can.

I have dabbled in music for over 15 years and at one point in my life I felt as if it would be my full-time job and desired nothing else. That was my problem, I desired to be successful so badly that I put everything aside.. my family, my friends and God. If you knew me back then you wouldn’t have liked me. I thought the world revolved around me and wouldn’t give you a chance…. that is unless you owned a record company, a venue or if I could benefit from knowing you in some way shape or form. I was deeply hurt and deeply lost.

Why am I telling you this? Because God has brought me a long way and can bring you out of what you are dealing with. No matter what it is. But it all starts with humble heart. The word says “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Or “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up.” Do you find it hard to walk in humility with your family and friends? The hard truth is this, God loves you and if you don’t end up humbling yourself he will humble you. And usually there is some sort of tragedy involved.

I sat down with my wife and daughter faced with a choice. Will I continue to neglect my family through the Pride I took in music? Or will I give it up and be a father and husband and even more so a Christian? Needless to say I made the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make. It tore me apart but I needed that change. I needed that freedom. I then began to find my identity in Christ. If I can be frank, I almost lost my family because of my Lust after music.

I now have a servant’s heart and have dedicated my life to God. It took me giving up what I wanted the most to finally see God. That’s what I call the great choice. Please, search your heart and ask God to help you remove that selfish desire and allow God’s Holy Spirit to replace that desire. I have seen this scenario time and time again in my own walk with God. You won’t regret it though. Before you know it the light bulb will come on and you will feel terrible for being the way you were for so long.

My Challenge to you: What is keeping you from your family and God? It could be anything from television to Drinking. What is it? The truth is that God want’s to replace that heart’s desire with a desire for him. He has done that time and time again in my life and he WILL do it for you if you will allow him to. Keep in mind that others share in this great choice. Which will you choose Christ or _______? (You fill in the blank)