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Track 8 Devotional - Last Son

     He jets through the sky at speeds the eye can barely follow, passing through cloud banks and darting around mountain peaks. He looks down and though he is far above the city he can see every person clearly, thousands of them going about their daily business, leading ordinary lives. This morning alone he has saved two of them from being run over by cars, caught a falling steel girder before it crushed a lady and the baby in the stroller she was pushing, used his breath to put out a fire that was consuming a ten-story office building, and caught a school bus filled with middle school students that had been forced off of the large bridge leading into the city before the vehicle hit the water below. It is like this everyday. The people walk headlong into disaster and when death looms near he is the one that hears the screams and must react. What haunts him is the moments that haven't happened but someday might. He can crush marble into powder in his mighty hands, but what will he do on the day he faces a weight he cannot lift? What will he feel on the day that he isn't fast enough? What will they think of him on the day he comes face to face with his limit... and it defeats him?

ABOUT THE SONG
     Casey and I are unashamed geeks... we are comic junkies. When Casey wrote "Last Son" it was his exploration of the question "What would faith look like for Superman?" If you had so much power, a god among men, what need would you have for a savior. This song was the answer. Superman (the Last Son of Krypton) is an alien, in this world but not of this world. He is a hero yes, but he is also an ideal... a symbol... above all else, Superman is an example.There are so many ways that the superman character  can be applied to the Christian life. We are also not of this world.

John 15:19--If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Like Superman we gain strength from a source of light... not the sun, but the Son of God. However, the application the song focuses on is not our strength as Christians but our limits and how we should handle them. APPLICATION      Imagine the weight of responsibility that would come with the cape. How heavy would the emotional weight of that symbolic "S" be? Many of us find ourselves in positions of responsibility. As parents, as siblings, as ministers... in all of these roles we find ourselves carrying upon our shoulders the weight of another person's world at times. That weight can be overwhelming and can give way to fear. How many times have you been afraid that you simply won't be strong enough? In the song, we find superman taking those fears and handing them to the only hero who is truly without limits. Jesus Christ. No amount of heroics can save a soul, only Christ could accomplish that. Our message to you is this. If you hold yourself solely responsible for the lives of others you set yourself up for failure. The best way to protect your loved ones is to place them in God's hands. A you read this many of you are juggling the same fears and stresses that I have described... you have shed tears of worry over whether you can afford to pay this months bills or to even feed your family. You have laid awake at night shredding your nerves over the fear that you haven't done enough, worked enough, studied enough and that because of that you have let someone down. Here is the Good News. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us that His strength is made perfect in our weakness and that His grace is sufficient for us. You don't have to be strong because He is. You don't have to be super. You are already being a hero to your family and friends just by living a godly example in front of them.       So, weary brother or sister. Lay your burden down. You don't have to save the world or carry it.

Track 7 Devotional : Through Your Eyes

About the song
     Through Your Eyes may be my personal favorite song on the album, not just because of the style of music but because of the message that it carries. This song began as one of Tyler's guitar riffs that I instantly fell in love with. The basic idea of the chorus was written on the back of a page of sheet music on the spot but the rest of the song took a little time. Over the next day or so it became clear to me what God was whispering to my heart to sing. The message was simple. The weaker I am, in my moments of greatest failure and shame...it is in those times that His strength is made perfect.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

⁹ But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power^[a] is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

     I have spent many years in youth ministry and in that time I have seen so many teenagers that struggle with understanding their own value. They look at themselves and see absolutely nothing to love. At some point they came to believe that they can do nothing but fail. Some of them try to bleed the pain and guilt out of their lives by cutting themselves with razors; their rubber wristbands and long sleeves hide a map of scars. Others withdraw into a private world of self loathing and oppressive darkness. Some try to lose themselves in sinful lives that only add to the overwhelming burden of guilt. Sadly, many others simply give up and take their own lives. The bottom line is this: they have lost track of who they are. James 1:23 likens the Word of God to a mirror. He said that some people see their reflection in God's Word but then as soon as they turn away they forget who they were. If we desire to understand who we are, the only mirror we need is Scripture. The problem comes when we turn around and face what people have told us we are, when we see every mistake we've made thrown back in our faces, and when we look into a literal mirror and hate the person staring back at us.

     So then who and what are we according to the Word of God? The first thing we are is loved (John 3:16). We are also uniquely crafted. Psalm 139:14 tells us we are "fearfully and wonderfully made". As an artist I know what it means to create something "fearfully and wonderfully", to spend long hours working on every detail, perfecting the design until it matches my vision. On a divine scale God has done that with each of us. We also have a purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 is a favorite verse for many because it reminds us that God has a plan for us. We aren't just a random face in the crowd; we have a very specific plan laid out before us filled with both blessings and purpose. We are masterpieces of an incredible artist. 

     Whoever you are, whatever you have done, whatever has been done to you... it doesn't have to be what defines you. If you believe in God but struggle to see how he could love you as flawed as you are the answer is simple. When He looks at you He sees no flaws. He sees only perfection. If you have accepted the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross then God sees only the perfection of His handiwork. Maybe you haven't ever given God a chance or believed He existed. Give your life to Him, it shouldn't be too hard if you are making a mess out of it yourself. Dare Him to do better. I promise you that He always will. He loves you as you are and can help you be so much more. He is proud of you, and to Him you are a great treasure. He...wants...you. Run to Him and learn how to see yourself through His eyes. It will change your life forever.

Music Video

So, Thursday at 7PM we will be releasing the official music video for "Through Your Eyes". Imari Anderson and Timothy Phipps from Surviving Child crafted an amazing video experience. The story will blow you away and we believe God is going to use this video to save lives. We appreciate all of the long hours and hard work that went into making this a reality.  Here is where all of you come in. We need you to share the video with as many people as you can as often as you can. The farther we can spread it, the more God can use it to heal the hurting and mend broken hearts as only He can. We love you all and thank you so much for the support you always give our ministry. We couldn't do any of this without you. We mostly want to take this opportunity to thank God for giving us the honor of ministering in this way. So tune in on youtube/facebook/reverbnation/etc... thursday night and be looking for the Through Your Eyes devotional soon as well.

Track 6 Devotional - Learning To Fight

Track 6 Devotional - Learning To Fight

About the Song and the Album
When we decided to name our new album “Learning to Fight” it was basically just a “cool idea.” However, in the time it took to get the album written and recorded, “Learning to Fight” became the story of how we had to fight to get this project off the ground.
Honestly, we probably came dangerously close to losing this ministry that God so richly blessed us with. One of our members had to face a life threatening illness, which put us in limbo for a while. We were faced with internal issues, which could have destroyed us. Some of us were dealing with serious personal struggles.
The devil has been fighting us from day one. Despite his efforts, “Learning to Fight” is finished and, in the name of Jesus, is about to give the devil a big fat black eye. The most important thing about learning to fight is learning that you can. The serpent has no dominion over us.
The song “Learning to Fight” is pretty personal to me. The devil definitely knows our weaknesses, and he certainly knew the best way he could get to me. Every time it felt like I was making progress in my relationship with Christ, the devil would attack with full force.
I’m sure many of you deal with this on a regular basis, just as I have. We can fight. We don’t have to take it. As I was growing up, my parents always taught me to stand up for myself. We are children of God, and as our heavenly father, he also wishes for us to stand up for ourselves.

Stand Strong
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. Put on the full armor of God so that YOU CAN FIGHT against the devil’s evil tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world.”
Ephesians 6:10-12 (NCV)
Okay, let’s break this down. The first part of the scripture says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his great power.” When it comes to spiritual warfare, we have to be strong in Christ. It all begins with Jesus. We can’t stand against the devil and his tricks on our own. We need Jesus. In Acts 19 we’re told a story of some people going into a spiritual battle a little unprepared….wait did I say a little. I meant A LOT.
“But some people also were traveling around and making evil spirits go out of people. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to force the evil spirits out. They would say, ‘By the same Jesus that Paul talks about, I order you to come out!’ Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest were doing this. But one time an evil spirit said to them, ‘I know Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?’ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them. Because he was so much stronger than all of them, they ran away from the house naked and hurt.” Acts 19:13-16
First of all, these guys weren’t followers of Christ. Notice that they said, “By the same Jesus that Paul talks about.” They didn’t claim Jesus as Lord. Instead they referred to Jesus as that guy that Paul preaches about. Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord. These guys were just hoping that throwing a big name out there was going to do something. Think of it like this, if someone much stronger than me was trying to pick a fight, saying Hulk Hogan’s name isn’t going to help me. However, if the Hulkster was my friend and was there with me, it would be a different story. For Jesus to help us during spiritual warfare, we must know him as Lord. Those guys in Acts 19 didn’t, and they got owned. We must STAND STRONG IN THE LORD.

The Enemy
The passage from Ephesians 6 also says to put on the full armor of God, which I’ll get to in a minute, but for now lets focus on that last part. Our fight is not against people on earth, but the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. Here’s my twenty-first century translation for that passage, “My problem is not the punk that cut me off in traffic this morning, but the little devil on my shoulder that convinced me that it would be okay to flip the dude off.” In other words, other people are not our enemies, satan and his minions are.
In John 10:10 Jesus said, “A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” Jesus came to bring us life. However, there is opposition. The thief, satan, is determined to get in between us and that abundant life. If we let the devil have his way, he will steal, kill, and destroy that abundance. WE CAN FIGHT BACK, but how?

The Armor of God
“Stand therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.”
Ephesians 6:14-17(HCSB)

I absolutely love this scripture. I could write a whole book on this, so I’m going to try my best to keep it brief. The armor of God consists of, the belt of truth, chest plate of righteousness, shoes for the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. I believe with all my heart, that this passage of scripture is vital to every believer.
First, there is the belt of truth. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life.” Remember, it all begins with Jesus. He is the truth. The belt is the part of the armor that holds everything to together. Jesus is the central piece of God’s armor.
Next, there is the chest plate of righteousness. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” The chest plate is to protect your vital organs. In a spiritual sense, your heart is the source of your life. Only righteousness can protect our heart from corruption. Our righteousness is only possible through Christ. It’s all about Jesus.
Then the there is the shoes for the gospel of peace. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus said, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” As followers of Christ, we have been given a mission. Shoes are made for walking. “Gospel” means good news. Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, so that there could be peace between God and man. As Christians, we should be ready to move in order to accomplish the mission at hand. Keep your eye on the objective. The objective is the gospel of Jesus.
Next, we have the shield of faith. The scripture says, “In EVERY situation, take up the shield of faith.” We live in a world at war. Attack is inevitable. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when.  We must take up the shield of faith in every situation, because we never know when the evil one is going to attack. The shield is always a soldier’s first line of defense. Our first line of defense is our faith in Jesus.
The helmet of salvation protects our mind. Through the salvation that Jesus offers us, our minds can be set free from the lies the devil tries to convince us of. If you feel like you’re worthless and unloved, it’s not true. Jesus died for you. That is how much you are loved. You can’t be worthless, because to Jesus you’re worth dying for. In order to shield our minds, we must put on the helmet of salvation.
Lastly, there is the sword of the Spirit. This is our only offensive weapon, and it’s all we need. The scripture says that it is God’s word. That’s right, the B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the sword for me. The word of God is more powerful than all of the nukes in the world put together. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Jesus was the Word! In verse 14 John continues, “The Word became flesh and took up residence among us.” Jesus is the Word of God, the Bible, in the flesh. The armor of God begins and ends with Jesus, because He is the Word, the Alpha and the Omega. He is God.
WE CAN FIGHT BACK! Jesus is the way. If you choose to follow Christ, you are a soldier in God’s army. Your objective is the Gospel of peace. Stand strong in the armor of God, which begins and ends with Jesus Christ. As a child of God, you are a threat to the devil, so LEARN TO FIGHT. Live Heroically.
~Casey~

Food For Thought

1. What was the last spiritual battle that you walked away from wounded? Why?

2. Boxers have strengths and weaknesses; what areas of your life stand in need of strengthening?

Track 5 Devotional: “Rat Race”

I don’t know about you, but life seems to get more hectic with each passing day. It’s so easy to get caught up in the here and now and let the “to-do” list run your life. When Josh and I wrote “Rat Race” that’s exactly how I felt! We wrote this in the fall of 2012 and things have a way of getting pretty hectic in the fall when it comes to church work. I was lost in a world of preparing for three Christmas programs, trying to keep up with all the various ministries in our church, trying to keep up with daily household needs and on top of that our pastor announced his retirement. I felt trapped in my never-ending to-do list and it just seemed to get longer each day. I was way passed exhausted and stressed. It got so bad that I just cried and cried in my doctor’s office when just going in for a regular checkup (my poor doctor)!

Have you ever felt this way, weighed down by the cares of life? Caught up in the rat race, as many like to call it? It’s a miserable place to be in and it’s not the life God has called us to live. One of my favorite verses is John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (NKJV). God has called us to an abundant life, not a life chained down by schedules and stress. Yet, how do we find freedom from the rat race? We simply come. Come to the Father that loves and cares for you. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV). His yoke is so much easier to carry than the yoke that we take up for ourselves or that the world hands us. All we have to do is come.

Yet, all of this bears another question: why do we choose to get caught up in the rat race? Who are we seeking to please or what goal are we trying to achieve? I hate to admit it, but too often I’m caught up in the rat race trying to please others. I desperately want people to like me and because of that fact I struggle to say “no”. Are you the same way or is it something else? Perhaps you are desperate to achieve success or make more money. Maybe you’re trying to impress someone or try and feel better about yourself. Whatever the reason, we will not find satisfaction in those things. The only thing we need to be caught up in is Christ. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you well” (Matthew 6:33, NIV). When we seek Christ He’ll take care of everything else! That isn’t a promise that things will be easy, but a promise that He will be there with you through it and more.

God doesn’t call us to run the rat race, but instead to “…run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” (Hebrews 12:1, NIV). Let’s set our sights on Christ and discover the abundant life He has for us!

-Ashley Adams

Questions to Ponder:
1. What things/people/places weigh me down in my life? Have I surrendered each of these to God?

2. Are there things in my life that I need to say “no” to in order to focus on the Lord more?

TRACK 4 DEVOTIONAL: Devil In A Bottle

TRACK 4 DEVOTIONAL: Devil In A Bottle

When he takes his seat on the bus for the ride home Jeremy is still laughing. His best friend has just told him a joke that still has him rolling. Every time he thinks he is done laughing he glances as Will and starts chuckling all over again. The first leg of the trip home is fine. Conversation keeps Jeremy in good spirits, but then Will gets dropped off at his house; Jeremy feels cold fingers of dread working their way into his stomach... in roughly ten minutes he will be home. After two more stops, Jeremy peers around the seat in front of him and through the front windshield of the bus he can see his house and the large black pickup parked in the driveway. Mommy isn't home. Daddy is. As the banshee wail of the breaks fills Jeremy's ears he feels a tightening in his chest that he has felt many times before. Unlike the other children who exit the bus and run playfully up the stairs to their front doors, Jeremy just stands at the edge of the driveway by the truck, watching as the bus rolls away and out of the neighborhood. He enters through the open garage door and glances inside the large plastic trashcan to the left of the steps leading up to the doorway. In the can he counts twelve empty, crushed beer cans and begins to tremble. That's two more than yesterday... and yesterday Daddy had been bad. He lets himself in, careful not to allow the screen door to slam behind him (that makes Daddy angry). As he enters the kitchen he hears his father's steps coming from the living room and heading his way. He hopes that his Daddy will be happy to see him or at the very least be ready to give him chores to do. Jeremy doesn't like chores but at least when he does them Daddy isn't angry. Sometimes Daddy even hugs him when he gets home, although that hasn't happened in weeks. But as Jeremy feared it isn't Daddy who walks through the doorway... it is the beast. It looks like Daddy but it eyes are bloodshot, its face and forehead red. It has the belt again, holding it with both hands so it can make that thunderous snapping sound that Jeremy has come to dread. The child doesn't know what he has done to make Daddy angry, but he knows why Mommy isn't home. She must have "smelt it on his breath" as she sometimes said. She must have found an excuse to work late. He doesn't blame her. He just wishes he could escape too.

ABOUT THE SONG
I wrote "Devil In A Bottle" to adress an issue which in recent years has become a very controversial topic in the church: alcohol. Now I have no intention of getting into a theological debate over whether the bible condones or condemns drinking, or whether jesus turned the water into Welch's grape juice at that wedding party. Instead I want to discuss the issue of abusing alcohol and what a dangerous thing it can be. In my time as a youth leader I have watched the effects of heavy drinking bring disaster into people lives and those of their families.
In the song there are two characters. The first is a teenaged girl who begins to drink. She thinks like so many others her age that being the party girl that can drink the boys under the table is going to establish her among her peers. She gets drunk on the weekends and every time she does she feels more of her inhibitions drop away, she likes the attention of the boys that gawk at her as she dances and shows off her body, and she thrives off the jealousy of the other girls that stand around pointing and shaking their heads. Nevermind that her grades are plummeting, she's got her looks and her friends. What she doesn't know is that they aren't jealous or enraptured as she "dances". They are laughing at her as she stumbles drunkenly around the room. They are telling stories about how she was hitting on every guy she could find and how she threw up all over the couch then actually DROVE HOME! If something doesn't change in her life this girl will throw her life away. She will look old much to young. The drinking and partying will take its toll on her looks and her future. She will make disastrous decisions that she won't even remember the next day. Her parents don't even know what she is doing. When she hits college it will get even worse. The other character is a man like the one in the introduction. He drinks under stress and doesn't even realize what a monster he has become. His wife misses the man who proposed to her so sweetly and his children suffer either his violent temper or just his drunken laziness. There was a time when he could drink a beer or two and stop but those days have been gone for a long time. Now he just comes in exhausted and overwhelmed from work and drinks until he runs out of cans.
Does drinking do this to every person? No. Could it? Yes. this song is a warning not a sermon. Drinking has ruined so many marriages and so many childhoods that one cannot help but ask if it is worth the risk at all.
Ephesians 5:18 - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Proverbs 20:1 - Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

     What should we be filled with? what should we allow to control us. What have we made our ruler? Scripture warns that being drunk works against the ability of the Spirit of God to work in our lives. It deceives us and dethrones the Holy Spirit in our lives. We have a name for someone who is a "deceiver" and desires to rules us and replace Jesus as our Lord: Satan. That is why this song is called Devil in a Bottle. If he can use excessive drinking to take control of you then he receives that excess as worship. Furthermore as a follower of Christ our first priority should be to glorify Him and not jeopardize our testimonies.

Romans 14:21 - [It is] good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

     One last thought for our teenage fans. If you are underage and have been drinking you are breaking the law.

James 4:17

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

1)Do I use alcohol or any other thing in my life to excess?

2)Do I allow things to exist in my life that will cause others to stumble?

TRACK 3 DEVOTIONAL Where the Angels Cry

TRACK 3 DEVOTIONAL
Where the Angels Cry

About the Song

In our new album, “Learning to Fight,” there are songs that deal with general concepts that all of us can identify with like Lambs and wolves, Chaos Theory, 2 Fisted Gospel, and so on. “Where the Angels Cry” deals with a more specific type of situation. It speaks about a girl’s emotional struggles, resulting from her father’s abuse. However, I believe the song has a message that everyone, not just those dealing with this form of abuse, can relate to.
Most of this song was written long before there was a Cross Covenant. I knew a girl who was beautiful, smart, and outgoing. On the surface she seemed to be a very happy person. You would never assume that anything in her world was badly wrong. That’s why I was completely caught off guard when she told me about being sexually abused by her father.
Months before I was told this, we’d go out to eat or to a movie, and then I’d take her back home without knowing what I was taking her back home to. I was the first person she ever told. I’ll never forget the night she told me or the day, months later, when we watched from afar as her father was lowered into the back of a police car. I started writing “Where the Angel’s Cry” during this time. Someone I cared about was hurting, and music was one of the ways I processed my feelings about it. Years later when I was ready, I added to and revised the song for the band.
Statistics show that 1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 6 boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18. That doesn’t even account for all the other forms of abuse that people suffer. The song was meant to reach out to those who identify with abuse. However, I also hope to raise awareness. Part of learning to fight, is knowing what to fight and who to fight for.


Comfort from Suffering

“He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
2 Corinthians 1:4

If we cry out to God, he can bring comfort for our afflictions. This verse from 2 Corinthians points out that, “He comforts us in ALL our affliction.”  God cares about ALL of what we’re going through. Regardless of what the source of our affliction is, he’s there to provide comfort. Abuse can lead to a lot of pain and feelings of guilt, and those suffering from these effects can find comfort in the arms of Christ.
Of course God cares for us and provides us with comfort, but the verse doesn’t end there, “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction.” It’s a beautiful and perfect cycle. God provides us with comfort and we spread that comfort to anyone around in need of it, “through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
I love how this verse begins and ends with Him. Notice, “He comforts us in our affliction, so that we MAY BE ABLE to comfort.” We’re no help to anyone else unless we let Him work through us. The truth is that they don’t need us, they need him. In “Where the Angel’s Cry” there’s a line that says, “We may not know what she’s going through, but we know WHO to lead her to.” Whenever you can’t find the answer, the answer is always Jesus.
We were never meant to face our afflictions alone. Galatians 6:2 says, ‘Carry one another’s burdens: in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Jesus wanted us to help each other, and by letting him live through us we can accomplish that. The burden of abuse is not something someone can handle alone.
Maybe you are someone dealing with an abusive situation or struggling to cope with an abusive past. In John 10:10 Jesus said, “A thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come so that you can have life and have it in abundance.” Your innocence may have been stolen, the thief may have attempted to destroy your life, but Christ came to bring you a fulfilling and abundant life. Jesus hurts for you, and wants to bring you healing.



Jesus is Here

“For I am persuaded that not even death or life angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”
Romans 8:38-39

There is no power great enough to separate us from the love of God. Sin and death may have threatened to do so. However, Christ died a sacrificial death, to atone for our sin, and rose from the grave, conquering death, forever ending the separation between us and God’s love. The love that is in Jesus Christ our Lord is here.
For some reason, we treat Jesus as if he is off in the heavens somewhere, and completely unreachable. We view him as being off in the distance, and his love is a wonderful, but intangible, thought. This view of Christ is nothing short of a diabolical deception brought about by the prince of lies. Jesus is right here! His love is staring us right in the eyes! Neither a troubled past or the devil himself can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ.
His love is right in front of us reaching out with nail scared hands. All we have to do is accept his love, let him bring comfort and healing to our afflictions, and spread that love and comfort to a world in desperate need of Salvation. The abuse you may have suffered doesn’t have to define you. You don’t have to remain a victim, or a prisoner to affliction, because Jesus gave us the right to be children of God. ~ John 1:12

~Casey~

Food for thought:

1) What difficult situation has God brought you through that could be meaningful for someone else?

2) Why do we choose to face our struggles alone?

Further Reading

http://www.d2l.org/site/c.4dICIJOkGcISE/b.6143427/k.38C5/Child_Sexual_Abuse_Statistics.htm

http://www.findchristiancounselor.com/?gclid=CI-f4rL9yLgCFcdr7AodzC8Akw

Track 2 Devotional: Chaos Theory

About the song

Sometimes inspiration can come from unexpected places. It just so happened I got stuck on a major Jurassic Park kick. I watched all the movies, and for some reason I was still unsatisfied. I had never read the book before, so I checked it out from the library. The book contains detailed information about Chaos Theory, and its briefly mentioned in the movie.
The book is wonderful, and all the Chaos Theory stuff really intrigued me. Halfway though reading the book, I get this idea. I thought about how Chaos Theory could be applied to sin nature. I sent Josh a text explaining this idea, and how we should write a song about it. He’s also a Jurassic fan, so he loved the idea.
My understanding of Chaos Theory is fairly basic. Let’s face it, I’m no Scientist. I do know that it’s used in stories about time travel. Basically, one little thing can be changed in the past, and it can lead to a many disastrous changes in the future. Jurassic Park not a story about time travel, but that idea of Chaos Theory is still evident. Basically, a small effect can lead to a catastrophic cause.
In our lives sin can be like this. A small sin, leads to a bigger one, then a bigger one and so on. Sometimes it seems like one little mistake can lead our lives to complete ruin. If those little mistakes go uncorrected they surely can. The more we get caught into a sinful pattern, the harder it can become to get out of it.
Luckily for us, Jesus came to bring order in the midst of this chaos that sin can produces in our lives. We don’t have to be a slave to sin anymore. Our lives don’t have to be caught in a web of chaos. We can obtain peace and freedom in Jesus Christ.


The Biblical “King” of Chaos Theory

“One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace, from the roof he saw a woman bathing – a very beautiful woman.”
2 Samuel 11:2

From scripture, we learn that David is a man after God’s own heart, but the event in 2 Samuel 11:2 is the beginning of an escalating sin cycle. This is the story of David’s adultery with Bathsheba. Of course, many of us have heard this story before, but how well do we really know it? How does a man after God’s own heart get so caught up in this kind of cycle?
We may have to back up to verse one for a minute, “In the Spring when the kings march out to war, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but DAVID REMAINED IN JERUSALEM.” Wait a minute, he did what?! Is this not the same guy that fought and killed a giant when he was just a youth? Now he’s sending his men out to war, while he’s just sitting back in his palace playing big man on the throne. Maybe the status of being king is getting to his head a little, in other words, its pride.
  After pride started to set in, then he saw Bathsheba bathing from the roof. That’s when lust set in. Because he’s the king, he has a way of getting what he wants. Then his lust becomes adultery. Can you see the cycle? Pride leads to lust. Lust leads to adultery. The cycle has started, and it will get much worse.
Bathsheba gets pregnant, and then David tries to cover it up. First, he sends for her husband, Uriah, and tried to give him a “break from the war” and told him to spend a night at home. However, Uriah was a man of principle. He wouldn’t spend a night with his wife because his comrades were off at war. So then, David arranges Uriah’s death. Pride leads to lust, Lust leads to adultery. Adultery leads deceit. Deceit leads to murder. One small step can lead to disaster.
Eventually David would repent, but not before things spiraled out of control. Often we can get caught in similar cycles like this. Make no mistake, David was a man God. That only serves to show us, that even the best of us can fall prey to “Chaos Theory” Our only hope is to remain in Christ. In Luke 9:23 Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Everyday we must turn away from our old selves, and follow him. The blood of Christ is the only cure for the chaos that is sin.
 - Casey Davis

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

1. What cycle of Chaos are you currently feeling trapped in?

2. In what areas of life are you neglecting to allow God room to direct your path?

Devotional #1 Lambs & Wolves

Track 1 Devotional: Lambs and Wolves

     You push through the tall grass and back onto the dirt path, heart pounding in your chest. Stabbing pain clenches your side and the burning in your legs is agony, but you don't dare to stop running. Behind you, the cold silence of the night is broken by a howl, and then another. Suddenly the howls seem to be rising from all around. The wolves have you surrounded. Exhausted you stumble and fall to the pebbly ground scraping flesh from your knees and outstretched hands. As you rise slowly to your feet, the choir of howling rises in intensity. You see the eyes of the wolves glowing like embers in the darkened belly of the forest. The largest of the beasts steps into the pale moonlight, its lips drawn up over its yellowed fangs in a snarl. The thick black fur of its back bristles as it anticipates pouncing upon its prey. Other wolves advance from all sides sniffing the air, smelling blood. The big wolf is staring right into your eyes. With a low growl it lunges.

Luke 10:3 - "Go your ways: Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."
     To many people this verse may sound like nonsense, but to those who are saved by the blood of Jesus, this symbolizes what Christians come up against when they go into the world to spread the Gospel. The Wolves of this scripture represent a world that does not want to hear the Word of God. It does not want to know a savior by the name of Jesus Christ. Throughout history the world has sought to wipe out every trace of Christianity. The Romans fed Christians to lions. Even today Christians all over the earth are being imprisoned or even executed for standing on the truth of God's Word. The lesson in this particular scripture is that Jesus never promised his followers that they would experience anything other than absolute opposition in the world they had been sent to reach. He explained to them that he was sending them as innocent and powerless lambs into a world that hungered for their blood. In John 15:18 Christ explains : "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." The wolves are cunning, they are cruel, but why do they hate Christians? Why do they hate Jesus Christ? The answer is that there is another wolf that leads the pack. Satan comes to kill, steal, and to destroy; just as a wolf would do to an innocent lamb. His goal is to devour as many souls as he can before his time runs out. His best chance of doing that is to so fiercely attack the church that christians cower in fear. Satan isn't worried about Christians as long as he can keep us corralled inside our churches, afraid to step out into the world. He has the modern Christian so afraid of phrases like "political correctness" that we dare not enter the dark woods.
     The lambs of Luke 10:3 of course represent Christians. As followers of Christ we are not the most popular people in today's society. Due to our beliefs, we are hated by a lot of people. Most of them have never heard the name of Jesus or heard His Word, but refuse to let it minister to their hearts. They push aside the idea of scripture as no more than "imaginary nonsense" or a "crutch for weak and naive minds". It is these, along with countless others, who we Christians have been sent into the world to seek and to save(Luke 19:10). It is for those lost souls that we brave the darkness of this world. It is for them that we face the wolves.
     The idea for this song was born when Toni Lawrimore visited Hemingway First Baptist Church to share photos and testimony from her mission work in Delhi, India. There she worked directly with women and children pulled from lives of slavery and forced prostitution. She pulled the curtain back revealing just a glimpse of the horror of human trafficking and the fact that much of that crime can be traced back to our very own country even our home state of South Carolina. Her focus verse was Luke 10:3. She challenged us to be unafraid to step out into the dark corners of the world where the wolves are howling and grasp the hands of those who desperately need saving. The lost will not be reached by the wearing of suits and ties or by cute catchphrases on church signs. Our great commission awaits us outside the safe walls of the church, far from the protective shadow of its steeple. 
     As stated the world hates us. The wolves in the Supreme Court and in the media are howling against us. They aim to destroy us, but we have something they don't have. We have something more powerful than their false doctrines or all their arguments against us. We have an almighty God that has blessed His children and has saved millions upon millions of souls. We serve a  MERCIFUL, LOVING, GRACEFUL God that died for us. Yes, He sent as lambs in the midst of wolves, but He did not send us alone. Matthew 28:20b "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
- Brody Pope and Joshua Adams

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
1) In what ways have you faced opposition in spreading the Gospel or simply living a God-focused life?

2) When faced with opposition how should a Christian respond?

devotional

The new songs on the upcoming cd mean a lot to us personally, and as such we want to see that we do all we can to communicate our hearts to you. We have decided to work together as a band to provide you with devotionals to accompany each song on the new album. We will be sharing scripture that correlates with the song messages as well as commentary and personal testimony so that you can understand where theses songs come from and what God has done in our lives and can do in yours. Check our facebook page and the blog (http://crosscovenantnews.blogspot.com/) in the very near future for these devotionals.

CD Finished!

Well, it has already been a busy but amazing summer for Cross Covenant! We have finished recording the new album Learning To Fight, and we have filmed a music video for the new song Through Your Eyes which is currently being edited.  The new cd and video will be released either the end of July or very early August and we will be hosting a music video viewing/CD release party when that happens that ALL of you will be invited to join us for!
We have a pre-buy special package for the new cd.

Deadline for prebuy and payment is JULY 24TH.
We can't express to you how excited we are about this release. It has been a long process but it is finally here and we are incredibly happy with the songs we will be sharing with you very soon!

The tracklist for the album will be:

1. Lambs & Wolves
2. Chaos Theory
3. Where The Angels Cry
4. Devil In A Bottle
5. Rat Race
6. Learning To Fight
7. Through Your Eyes
8. Last Son
9. 2 Fisted Gospel
10. The Otherside
11. Last Shot
12. All Things

Thanks as always for all of the support and love.
oh yeah... and we get to open for these guys!!!!!!!!

Where We Are Now

PRAISE GOD FOR ALL HE HAS DONE AND IS GOING TO DO! We are thrilled to announce that after much prayer God has blessed us with our new drummer. Brody Pope has just joined the cross covenant family and already God is moving in powerful ways. We also want to take this opportunity to thank Christian Love for all of his hard work during his time in the band. We love him and pray that God opens doors in his life and will richly bless him and his fiancee Stacy in their future together. We greatly appreciate the support of all our fans through the years and eagerly look forward to all that is to come. The new cd will arrive this summer Lord-willing and the new music video as well. God bless you all and we will see you onstage soon!

We will be playing at Crossover Church in Johnsonville on Saturday night March 30th as part of their first Soul'd Out Revolution night, We hope to see all of you there. It has been awhile since we have gotten to play in our hometown area so we look forward to spending a great night with our fans and supporters and most of all we look forward to lifting high the name of JESUS CHRIST!

New show

We are so excited to be playing at the Ultimate Praisefest at the Plex in Columbia, SC!
Get your tickets at https://www.trinitytickets.com/ultimate-praise-fest.