Any Given Sunday

AGS INTERVIEWS BRYSON TILLER

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY: POST MALONE INTERVIEW

Check out this weeks segment as we discuss insecurity in relationships, Islamic profiling, and talk one on one with Post Malone.

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY: TRANSGENDER BATHROOMS IN SCHOOLS?

You won't believe this show!

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY

ARE YOU WILLING TO SINK PT 1

Check out Part 1 of a 2 Part sermon series from Yaves titled 'Are You Willing to Sink?" based off of Matthew 14:22-33. 

We all enjoy being comfortable, but what happens when we are challenged to do something that no one else has ever done before? What happens when God puts you in a place where He challenges you to jump out the boat and 'Walk on Water'? 

Are you willing to potentially sink, in order to do something that no one else has ever done? 

What Can We Give?

December 23, 2014 “What can I give?”

“I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling” (1 Cor. 2:3).

- 1 Corinthians 2:1–5

 

I spent the last few days stuck in traffic. Literally everywhere I drive there are people commuting, driving, traveling, going somewhere. I should have listened to the warning that the local news gave when they said that shopping season is in high gear. People are scrambling to get their final gifts and presents for loved ones. In the midst of a season that is supposed to be about joy and cheer, this kind of business and pressure can soon turn the Holiday into a depressing and frustrating time. It seems that the retail fever takes over our mind, and our only concern is with satisfying the desire to buy. Now do not get me wrong, I take part in the process of grabbing and buying gifts for my loved ones, but this morning I asked myself, am I buying it truly for them, or am I doing it to make myself feel better.

We all must admit that we enjoy seeing our family and loved ones happy, but there is also a small amount of selfish pursuit that takes place. I will not cast a stone, but I will say that we must be careful that that pursuit does not grow into a giant that overtakes us. We often drive ourselves crazy looking for the perfect gift, only to realize that 3 months after this is all said and done, that gift most likely will be used up, or re-gifted.

The question hit me this morning as I walked into my office “What can I give?” I took myself back to my studies of college, and quickly remembered this truth. The best present to give this holiday, is the ministry of Presence. The best gift for us to give to our families, friends, and God is the gift of Presence. Being available, being involved, and being there for those who are in need. As believers we are serving people even when it may make us uncomfortable.

In Galatians 6:2 we find one of the most important ways that believers can serve one another. We are told that we must “bear one another’s burdens,” and that by doing so we will fulfill the law of Christ. Let us take a moment to be present with those that we love and care for, let us not lose sight of the true gift of service that we can offer to others.

Wake Up The World: Identities Balancing Act

Identity (The Balancing Act) 1st Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: a the old has gone, the new is here!”

 

As we continue on our 3rd week of our discussion on identity, let me say that I am encouraged by the feedback that I am currently receiving on Twitter, emails, Facebook; it is great to know that people are growing an being challenged.

 

One thing I want to say is that all change is accompanied by conflict; don’t be afraid to fight for yours. When we look in scripture we see a ton of proof concerning this concept. Whenever something great is to take place in the lives of those that God was using we notice that these people came up against great opposition. The easiest illustrations of this are stories like David and Jacob. When we look at David we notice that before he was able to be crowned king there were a number of conflicts that he had to overcome. He fought with the lion and the bear. He then faced Goliath which should have been the battle that elevated him to king, however before he could obtain the throne he had to get free from conflict between himself and Saul. Now one thing you must consider is David’s behavior at each moment, especially these early battles in his life. We notice that David was said to have “behaved himself more wisely”, when you have time read 1st Samuel 18 as it shares the formula for success with us.  Now when we look at Jacob we notice a similar conflict, in fact Jacob was in conflict from the moment he was conceived. He and his brother Esau were even fighting in the womb. But we see that Jacob had his biggest battle before he was going to be given a new name, Israel.

 

We find in these two stories alone that before you enter into new stages in your life, there will always be a conflict, a balancing act that you will have to perform.  The question I always get is how do I enter into the newness of who I am, yet do away with old ideas, old surroundings, old friends, and conquer this conflict. My answer is;  you have to be willing to fight for the progression. To believe that our walk as believers will be without conflict and turmoil is the best way to set ourselves up for failure. Instead be sober minded, be clear that you won’t be denied this change. Wrestle with it until you are blessed with transition, until you obtain the new name that God has for you.

IDENTITY and Why It Matters? In Winters Ear Edition

Identity (Why does this matter?)

 

We have embarked on a serious journey that will challenge anyone who comes in contact with this devotional. We have been discussing identity, who we are, who are called to be, and why these things are important. This particular devotional will focus on the later, “why these things are important”.

Identity Theft and Identity Fraud are two crimes that are very common now in our society. Shakespeare wrote in Othelo “But he that fliches from me my good name/Robs me of that which not enriches him/And makes me poor indeed”. Even Shakespeare was well aware of identity theft. The US Department of Justice informs us that Identity Theft and Fraud, deals with wrongfully obtaining someone’s personal data, and using that data in a way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.

For the sake of our conversation let’s just say that we focused on the fraud and deception, of being someone that you are not. I am convinced that we all at one point and time have seen someone that we admired, seen a life that we wanted, seen the most popular kid in our school, the person who seems to have it all, and in our mind have said, I WANT THAT. Some of us have even studies that persons actions, mannerisms, the way they dress and talk, and in an effort to duplicate that, have tried to become just like that person. When we take on the mind, actions, mannerisms, likeness of someone else, we have taken an identity that is not ours. In fact we have done ourselves a disservice as well as robbed ourselves of the best identity to put on, which is the one of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5, let this mind be in you that was also in Christ.

When we couple this text with Gen 1:26 “Then God said, Let us make mankind in our image, after our likeness…” We see that one, we are made in Gods image and likeness, so we are called to put on the the mind of Christ.

Who Am I? In Winters Ear Edition

IDENTITY ‘WHO ARE YOU?’

 IN WINTERS EAR EDITION

Often times our greatest battles are not with people around us, the greatest battle is not with our teachers and professors, class mates, coworkers, families and friends, but one of the greatest wars that we will wage, is war within ourselves. We spend over 14 hours a day in a conscious war. A war with decisions, and every decision we make is directly tied with who we are as a person.

There are certain things that we won’t drink, due to who we are as a person. Example being, some people steer away from carbonated drinks and high fructose corn syrup best on their beliefs about its effect on your body. Some people don’t eat certain foods based on a belief on how it affects you. Some have crazy superstitions, I was reading about some of the top 10 craziest superstitions in the word. I read about one in Damascus, Damascus in Aramaic means a ‘well watered place’ well the citizens are so nervous about keeping it that way, that they have banned Yo-Yo’s because they believe that it will bring a drought. In fact they believe so strongly in this that they also banned yo-yos in the entire country of Syria. No matter if these beliefs are based on scientific evidence, or not, people follow them based on who they are as a person.

So where am I going with this whole concept, of decisions, beliefs, and who were are as individuals, well because these are directly tied to how we carry out our life.

Depending on who I identify myself as a person, determines what I believe, my belief then determines my decisions. But don’t take my word for it Proverbs 23:7, as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.  

So depending on who I think I am, determines the decisions I make, which in turn determines who I am becoming. Act  is the blossom of your thoughts, joy or suffering are its fruits, and so we eat the fruit of what we have decided to grow.

So how is it that we learn to live out an identity that is in fact not only the best us, but is the truest us.

For the sake of time I will attempt to break this down into 3 points or steps:

1.     The first step is to strip off the weight that so easily entangles us.

a.     False perceptions

b.     Others expectations

c.     Deep rooted myths

2.     Embrace the journey

a.     We do not have discovery overnight, yet there is a journey that takes place when we consider the discovery and mastery of who we are.

3.     Change you mirrors

a.     We often compare ourselves to what we see on TV, Magazines

b.     Use the bible as a mirror.

Next week we will continue our series on Identity as we discuss why this matters?

 

 

Yaves talks with Aaquil: NWO X Spaceships, gods?

Yaves talks with Aaquil about his first EP 'New World Order X Spaceships'. The discussion gives a look into Aaquil thought process in the creation of his project. Hear first hand why Aaquil tagged this project NWO X Spaceships, his travels with Ab Soul and Murs, and the controversial comments about 'gods'.