Mustard seed Faith-Mustard seed Doubt

Matthew 14:1-22
     
          We hear so much about having "mustard seed faith" and all it takes is to have faith the size of a grain of a mustard seed but we can nullify what we are believing for by allowing doubt the size of a mustard seed to creep in and be planted. This is a good example of us having to live in the scripture Romans 12 and applying that to our lives daily. Our MINDS MUST BE RENEWED or we will always try to process what God tells and reveals to us through our "computer/natural mind." if our natural mind is the primary source of our processing, we won't move when God tells us something if it doesn't "make sense" to us! He never intended for us to use our natural minds to process anything he says to us! This is why we must "re-new" or "get back to" the mind that we were given in the beginning which was the mind of Christ. This is the mind that says to the Father, whatever you say to me I believe is true and even if I don't understand it, I trust you as God and know that you cannot lie....so therefore.......IT IS SO! God wants us to trust HIM completely for every aspect of our lives and what we need. Be encouraged and don't allow the enemy's "mustard seed doubt" to planted alongside your faith.
As human beings it's easy to be distracted by our surroundings and by our circumstances but God is bringing us to a place where nothing will move us from what He has said to us......including storms and hard patches in our life walk! As a musician, not every gig or job or playing situation is gonna be ideal but I have to learn to "adjust my sails" to the wind that's blowing and go where that's taking me......does God not control the wind that's blowing? If He does, that means he also has provided the right size "sail" and any other equipment I may need to get to the other side! We are still growing.....we just need to keep doubt out of the equation!

God Bless you.....keep pressing!!! Bayce3
                    

Every race, every tongue, every nation

Hello again brothers and sisters! I am thankful today for the opportunities I've had to worship God with more than just "my own people!" lol I know that might sound strange but we really should get used to and embrace the fact that the body of Christ is made up of more than just one kind of people...*gasp!!!!!*....it is?....you mean......there are more than just...."us?" ...ummm......."news flash".....yes! The kingdom of God is made up of people from every tongue and every Nation, as is stated in the book of Revelation. We sometimes get so caught up in our "cultural thing" until we forget that there are others who love God and the Kingdom just like we do and sometimes better! There are many and diverse ways and methods and styles when it comes to worshipping God and as long as they are worshipping the ONE TRUE GOD, they are valid and God enjoys them! There is no one single style of worship that is "better." we DO have preferences as races and nations go but the important thing is that we are all worshipping the same God!
Two organizations immediately come to my mind when thinking about this topic. The first is "HeartBeat for Worship" founded by William Johnson, based in Fayetteville NC. www.heartbeatforworship.com and it was one of my most eye opening experiences being immersed in different cultures from around the world and the ways that they worship God! I realized that.."we don't have it all!" working with Heartbeat and William taught me that we need to reach out to each other and learn each others cultures and languages and styles of worship....it'll help us to see God through our other brothers and sister's eyes! It's A wonderful thing indeed....I for one have been enriched by the experience and look forward to MUCH MORE work with Heartbeat and William Johnson! The other is a newer organization that is much closer to home for me and that's "Until the Whole World Hears." this is an organization of local churches in the Eastern NC area who were previously separated due to racial, cultural, theological and various other differences! All of which are invalid in the eyes of God!!! HE is calling his body together now and it is futile to resist, because resistance is rebellion when it comes to what God has said and you'll be "pruned" away from the vine...not being able to bear any fruit! we witnessed a miracle in Carteret county this past weekend! People who once literally hated each other were worshipping, crying, eating and laughing together!!! Only God can do such a thing as this! As a musician, I've had opportunity to bond with and play with musicians from all over the world as a result of these two ministries and I don't intend to "hustle backwards" and return to the "old wine" any time in the foreseeable future! Learning the music and instruments and worship styles of different cultures has enhanced my own culture and is becoming the culture of the Kingdom! Coming together with the body of Christ is a beautiful thing and holding on to our "little cultural differences" is counterproductive at best...rebellious at worst! Musicians.....broaden your horizons and become more well rounded by learning some things your brothers and sisters are doing in other parts of the Kingdom of God.....you'll be richer for the experience!
God Bless and Keep All of you!!! Bayce3

Am I my brother's keeper?

Am I my brother's keeper? This question has been asked since the first "children" and is still just as relevant today as it was when Cain asked it. Well......am I? I like to believe that we are! Of course many will say "we're supposed to work out our OWN salvation in fear and trembling" this is true, and the word also says that we are to provoke one another to good works and that as iron sharpeneth iron so does a man the countenance of his friend.....read that "brother." if we are really concerned about working out our salvation with fear and trembling, we'd understand that EVERYTHING and EVERYONE around us in an influential manner, affects us in either positive or negative ways concerning our growth! If I Think that scripture means that I'm an individualist, I'm missing it altogether. What my brother does or does not do does affect me! Just look at the children of Israel when they were defeated by the men of Ai....all because Achan had disobeyed the directive given to Joshua by God and stole the items he hid in his tent. IT ABSOLUTELY AFFECTED EVERYONE IN THE CAMP AND NO ONE HAD ANY VICTORY UNTIL THAT WAS DEALT WITH! Same thing when they were in the wilderness and Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses. She became leprous and had to go outside the camp for a period of time until she was clean....the camp DID NOT MOVE until Miraim was brought in again!
Now how does that relate to me being my brother's keeper?.....like This....while I'm working out my own salvation with fear and trembling, I am still part of the body of Christ! Whatever affects one part of the body affects all parts of the body and I will understand that watching my brother "fall" and not confronting him about it will stunt my growth as well as every other member of the body. We should be in a position relationally, that we can speak into each other's lives without being either offended or offensive. And let me plug this in right here....THIS IS NOT TO BE VIEWED AS BEING JUDGEMENTAL OR "SUPER SPIRITUAL EITHER!! we Christians really need to grow some much thicker skin and realize that if I'm messing up and my brother or sister calls me on it, They are doing so to benefit me and also to keep things progressing in the body....not to "be in your business" and certainly not trying to be judgmental....but we must all get there together...as one body!
If I truly love my brothers and sisters I'm not going to stand idly by and let them fall prey to every trap set by the enemy...and if I love my brothers and sisters I shouldn't get defensive and hard to deal with when they're telling me something for my good either! Let's grow up body of Christ....into the mature man we're supposed to be...that's what creation is waiting for...but in order to do that...we have to "watch each other's back!!!"...."say word!"
Be blessed, Bayce3

Don't be afraid of your Leadership

Ok this blog is for all those out there who have real issues and are afraid for one reason or another to approach their leadership with them! The word tells us to know those that labor among us and are over us in the Lord.....this speaks directly to building a relationship with our Leaders that doesn't cross the line of "familiarity" but building that relationship so that we know their heart and the direction (vision) that God has established for them to go in. We are to definitely hold them up as leaders but at the same time, get to know them so when issues arise...and they will...we can sit down with them and they can hear our hearts on the matter and judge justly on it. I feel For those who, under tyrannical reign, are not allowed to even get to know those who are in Leadership over them, let alone voice their various issues in hope of receiving wise counsel! One of the problems the church is having right now is "obesity!" and by that I mean....the body sometimes grows SO LARGE (read that SOME mega-churches) that the leaders don't know who's in there and those being lead feel like just a number...lost in a crowd....feeling very insignificant and forgotten! I'm not speaking against mega churches necessarily, just the fact that this epidemic of "obesity" is causing the body to lose sight of the vision that the leaders have sometimes and small issues arise and chock the wheels of progress by keeping us at eachother's throats about what mostly amounts to meaningless nonsense!........if you have an ought against your brother...or sister....GO TO THEM first and try to reason together, if that doesn't work, take another brother or sister with you....the next one is taking it to leadership! I thank God for having Leaders who are concerned about EVERY member of the flock they are shepherding and want to see the word manifest in our walk every day of our lives!
Ok I said all that because I have had experience in this area and at one time thought my leaders didn't have time for my "little stuff." so I held it in and held it in till one day it exploded! When everything came to a head, it was not a pretty scene and caused some hurt on my part and on the part of my Leadership....all because of a lack of communication! If I had gone to them when the problems first arose, it never would have come to that point....and some of that hurt and misunderstanding could have been avoided.....the good news is I've come to have a much greater respect and appreciation for the office they have and for the things they must deal with daily....prompting much more serious prayer on their behalf from me! They in turn now have a greater level of understanding of me and the part I play in the local assembly.......as a musician/ minister/& servant. In some ways, I am grateful for the "blow-up" because it has brought us closer together and cemented the "every joint supplies" mentality that every part of the body of Christ should have!
Don't be afraid of your leaders.... The other part of that scripture is...esteem them very highly for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves.....let's have peace brothers and sisters.....this is how every joint will supply smoothly.....especially if the relationship with the leaders is intact and there is an open line of communication that is unhindered by anything that chocks the wheels of progress....let us go on!
Blessings, Bayce3

The Blood.....applied even to my musicianship

Hello once again weary travelers!...Pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of iced tea and let's chat for a minute! I have had my eyes opened to a seldom expounded upon aspect of our lives as a Christian and all that this applies to (jobs, careers, family, school, skills...etc.) The Blood of Jesus! We have always been told, albeit from largely a religious perspective, about coming through the Blood to be saved but rarely have we been told/ taught just how much the BLOOD affects EVERYTHING concerning us! The Blood is THE ONLY WAY WE CAN COME TO THE FATHER FOR ANYTHING....salvation, redemption, healing, peace, wholeness. Financial and natural provision for everyday existence...etc. The BLOOD grants us access to our Heavenly Father....in fact the BLOOD is the ONLY reason we can even call Him "Father!" I learned that anything we receive from our heavenly Father is purely because He is honoring the Blood of His Son Jesus....not because of me......it has very nearly NOTHING to do with me....it's because as I've come through the BLOOD, I "come with the package!" The BLOOD is the key to anything I have need of from my Father and it's because I'm now a son as well....but not on my own merit.....there is nothing I (we) can do to "earn" it (sonship) no amount of money can buy it, no scale, lick, phrase, clever jazzy quote or technical facility on my instrument (musicians) will convince the Father to make me a Son (gifts and callings are without repentance) We are only sons because of the BLOOD sacrifice of our forerunning elder brother Jesus.....nothing else!.....how humbling is that?!!!
Now......how does that affect the rest of the stuff??? Well speaking from a musical standpoint, I could be an absolute tune slaying monster on my instrument with technical facility beyond earthly comparison and receive praise from men, multiple Grammy's, Stellars, Dove, Essence, BET and whatever other kind of award you can think of, be out from under the BLOOD, wind up in hell, eternally separated from the Father ( who issued the gift) never to have another chance to reach his heart or Bless Him at all.....and there are so many musicians out here doing just that. The BLOOD makes me a SON and not only redeems me but redeems my gift and grants me access to play to my Father's heart and Bless Heaven, but ONLY because of the BLOOD can I do this....not because I'm a monster....plenty of those walking around...dime a dozen! that BLOOD makes what I play and sing COUNT, and MATTER to the Father and to creation on a level that cannot be measured by man's standards or any award committee! The BLOOD changes the game for us completely players!.....now we can go out there as a light in the middle of these dark places and the enemy's stronghold on our fellow musicians and singers can be broken because you cannot really be a Son of God and NOT be anointed to break the bands of the enemy and reclaim property that belongs to God! The BLOOD empowers me to not only play beautiful music but to play music that the Father directs me to play that will DESTROY the yoke of the enemy........you thought you were a monster before the BLOOD?....try letting GOD play through you! Lolol...."Fahgittaboutit!"
I am still learning about the BLOOD but after last night....everything changed and I'm looking forward to being much much more effective as a musician and as a Christian....but more importantly, because of the BLOOD.....as a SON!
Bless you!

Going beyond just networking....

Well here it is.....time to blog again! Lol I was sitting here at work thinking about the events of the past few weeks and months and have noticed a running theme in my dealings with other musicians as well as at my local Church. Lately there has been a REAL emphasis placed on Fellowship and Relationship as opposed to JUST the cold and businesslike interaction of "networking." I'm definitely not saying that networking is a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination but I think more SOLID and trustworthy contacts can be made through Fellowshipping and building relationship.....wherever possible of course! Some situations will not afford the luxury of doing this and exchanging contact info and conducting business is sometimes the best way of handling SOME people and businesses!....( you know what I mean!) I think the purpose of this blog is to address the all too common trend in the body of Christ of "networking" without getting to know that other member of the body who is a PART OF YOU! I don't think our bodies are even designed that way because our bodies and it's various parts all depend on each other to do their jobs and when one part is down or not functioning at 100% the other parts come to the aid of the part that is in need and MINISTERS to that part until it's whole again! The body of Christ has, in some ways, become more like a business than a body or single organism....we have these huge conferences (read that "backslapping, number exchanging, "hook-up" parties.....did I say that?.....yes...yes I did!) and we have these mega-churches with thousands of members and most of them NEVER experience any type of fellowship and building of relationship among the local assembly members! It's really sad to go to this huge building with thousands of people every week and leave every week STILL not knowing the people you sat next to, let alone who was in section 4 seat 35.... Of the 3rd balcony! As a body we need to think more about Fellowshipping and building relationship with the folks who will be around us for all eternity....it won't just be good for then.....but it'll give us some idea of how to address issues they may be dealing with right now, in this life! The body knows when it's parts are injured or sick and it knows this because of the complex systems of nerves and synapses and others that constantly send information to the "head/brain"....the brain in turn directs the other various parts to minister to that hurting part in certain ways until it's good again
What about the body of Christ? Jesus is the "head" and we are the body....our system of connection is the Holy Spirit, who ALWAYS knows the mind of the Father, so how is it that we sometimes still don't know how each other are doing with certain things, or if our brother or sister is hurt or has been offended....till we wind up in court!....when Jesus comes back, it's going to be for a complete body, that functions like it's supposed to with no spot or wrinkle! We can go a long way towards unity and wholeness in the body by putting aside petty issues and breaking down walls of division and segregation that have kept us apart for literally centuries and just get it done....brothers and sisters.....we each have a unique thing to offer the body.....every joint supplies.......let's start supplying!

God Bless you all!!! Bayce3

Right now!

This morning as I was praying and meditating, the Holy Spirit began to talk to me about "Right Now's"....what is so significant about "Right Now's" you ask? Well.....to begin with....that is all you really have! We can't do anything about the past (as much as we would like to sometimes) because the past is a "Right Now" that has moved on outside our realm of influence...no amount of begging and pleading, snorting and crying will change or bring back you past so you can fix....that...one...little.....thing.... I kept hearing that we needed to pay more attention to our "Right Now's" because they will soon become the past, thus cemented forever as "done" and to really take advantage of the opportunities presented to us to fulfill our purpose(s) on this earth. I also had a sense of letting too many "Right Now's" get past me and instead of dealing with the "Right Now" i was in right then, I drifted back to something I couldn't change...........the other thing about "Right Now's" is that in some moment of time/ Gods plan for us, they exist as what is to be our future!...there are "Right Now's" that have not happened yet and they make up the incrimental pieces of our future. I guess the Lord was trying to get me to pay more close attention to what I'm doing, thinking, planning, deciding, acting upon, reflecting on and possibly regretting..."Right Now!"......all we have is "Right Now!".......what are you doing with yours?...............

Continuing to represent God in the marketplace....

I felt I needed to continue this blog feed because maybe someone doesn't understand how I can function in the marketplace as a musician (I'm applying this stuff to me first) and still be saved and Love God!.......well.....the same way you do what you do and maintain/work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.....I refuse to allow what is going on around me affect who I am in Christ! Let me explain by asking a question...is the the one in you still greater than he that is in the world...or has he somehow gotten "weak and frail?"....hmmmm???? The Christ IN you should be so much stronger than what's happening all around you that when you walk into a room, things should instantly change and or settle down, get in order, come to attention...or whatever needs to happen because of the one on the inside of you. Now if every time you walk into (or in my particular case work/play @)a restaurant or establishment that sells alcohol, you come out as drunk as everybody else, or maybe walking past the tobacco case at the grocery store causes you to buy cigarettes, you may have an "issue" with your relationship with the Father....it probably means the one inside of you is still you and not him!......
Let's examine this a little further....if Christ has already won the battle and the war and he really lives on the inside of you, then your environment SHOULD NOT CHANGE YOU INTO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS!!!!! Take a step back and realize that wherever you find yourself, you may be the only hope those folks have of ever knowing the love of Christ!They don't have time for us to be weak and insecure Christians...they need answers now! If you aren't strong enough to be around some of these folks/places and not do what they do or act like they act and talk like they talk, then stay in the "salt shaker" till enough salt rubs off on you to be REALLY salty...sometimes we have to to get a bunch of "grains" to go with us so we don't turn into chameleons! In short....do the necessary maintenance to keep your relationship strong with the Lord and watch him change the environments you walk into! Go with God and go with
life!...Blessings!!!

Bayce3

Representing God in the marketplace

What's happenin fellow musicians, singers and writers!! I'm glad to be back to blogging again as I stepped away for a minute to get focused on some other things.....probably shouldn't have stopped!....but that's for another time! I just wanted to have a place to address some very real issues we face everyday as Christians in the marketplace, working alongside people who are sometimes hostile towards what we believe and know to be true!....you had BETTER KNOW IT TO BE TRUE TOO...because as we all know, you will be tested on your steadfastness and commitment to God! I have at times (as I'm sure some/most of you have as well) taken some jobs that made me feel uncomfortable for one reason or another but had to maintain and do my job because of my committing to do the work....one of the main things we have to do as Christians functioning in the world marketplace is to make sure that our relationship with God is so strong that NOTHING or NO ONE can separate us from him! There are fleshly temptations to deal with in our profession.....comes with the territory! I remember being on tour and stopping in Amarillo, Tx for a day or two off and goin to the mall only to be followed around by a group of girls who wanted to know if we were a band and of so where were we staying? It was a Gospel group and we weren't even known!!! Once had a young lady ask me the same question during a dinner break after a soundcheck...she was making my sandwich At a sub shop...I told her we were doing a Worship Conference at a nearby University Campus and she promptly asked me if she could be a "groupie!"...O__o...be watchful! Anyway, feel free to share your experiences on here....I welcome input and covet your prayers as we effectively represent Christ in the marketplace! God Bless and Keep you till the next entry!


Bayce3