What Is A Jesus Freak?

—

The high and lofty, they see me as weak 

But I won’t live and die for the power they seek

—

The word “freak” has turned into a common word that we use in our daily lives.

 “Man, you freaked me out.”

“I didn’t know what to freaking do!”

“You’re such a freak about that.”

“Freak” isn’t something unusual to hear, but what exactly does it mean?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a freak is “one that is markedly unusual or abnormal” and/or “a person who is obsessed with something <a control freak>“

So what does being a Jesus Freak mean?   I think a song by Dc Talk does a pretty good job of explaining it.

—

Separated, I cut myself clean from a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams
Been apprehended by a spiritual force and a grace that replaced all the me I divorced
I saw a man with a tat on his big fat belly
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly
It took me a while to catch what it said, ’cause I had to match the rhythm of his belly with my head
“Jesus Saves” is what it raved in a typical tattoo green
He stood on a box in the middle of the city and he claimed he had a dream…

What will people think when they hear that I’m a Jesus freak?
What will people do when they find that it’s true?
I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak – there ain’t no disguising the truth
There ain’t no disguising the truth
No I ain’t into hiding the Truth

Kamikaze, my death is gain – I’ve been marked by my Maker, a peculiar display
The high and lofty, they see me as weak – but I won’t live and die for the power they seek
There was a man from the desert with naps in his head
The sand that he walked was also his bed
The words that he spoke make the people assume there wasn’t too much left in the upper room
With skins on his back and hair on his face, they thought he was strange from the locusts he ate
All the Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak until the king took the head of this Jesus freak

What will people think when they hear that I’m a Jesus freak?
What will people do when they find that it’s true?
I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak – there ain’t no disguising the truth
No I ain’t into hiding the Truth

People say I’m strange, does it make me a stranger?
My best friend was born in a manger?

What will people think when they find out I’m a Jesus freak?
What will people do when they find out it’s true?
I don’t care if they label me a Jesus freak – there ain’t no disguising the truth.

What will people think (what will people think)?
What will people do (what will people do)?
I don’t really care (what else can I say?)
There ain’t no disguising the Truth (Jesus is the Way)

—

Being a Jesus Freak means standing up for Him.  Being able to go out in world and look abnormal for the sake of your beliefs.  Now, that being said, it isn’t the easiest.  The world has learned to turn against those who associate themselves so heavily with Christ, thus is where the freak part comes in.  By being a Jesus Freak, you’re going to be disregarded at times.  You’re going to be thrown on the floor for your beliefs, and seemingly feel rejected.  Yet you’re not meant to do this alone.

This is my challenge to you.  Find friends who want to tell the world about their faith as much as you do.  Spend time with people who are so in love with God that everything else fails in comparison.  Don’t go through it alone, for in Ecclesiastes it says, “Two are better than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.  But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.  Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm.  But how can one be warm alone?  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.  Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”  – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

God doesn’t want us to be alone.  God wants us to find people with our same interests and beliefs to stand up together for what we believe, for there ain’t no disguising the truth.

a.p.

Listen to the song here!

Butter Outta Cream

So if you land in the gutter

Just make butter outta cream

 

Sometimes, things don’t seem to work out for us.  Our beautiful plans that we made that day take a terrible turn and we are left confused about what we’re doing and where we need to go on from there.  Sound familiar?  Well, the song “Butter Outta Cream” from Broadway’s Catch Me if You Can has an example and solution for this predicament.

Two little mice of great renown
fell in some milk and one proceeded to drown
The other one’s still the toast of the town
‘Cause he made butter out of cream

He looked around, deduced his plight
Said this is no way to spend a Saturday night
Yet he had the style to make things right
So, he made butter out of cream

He kicked his legs up he tossed and turned
So not to end up a ghost
He did the hokey pokey till the cream was churned
And baby he walked right out and buttered his toast

Now he’s on top for goodness sakes
Yeah he’s the big cheese up at land o’ lakes
He’s living proof that pop all it takes is a scheme
So if you land in the gutter, just make butter out of cream

Even when it feels like you’re drowning, whether it be in work, homework, or just life in general, there is always a way out.  It may seem crazy and unlikely to work. I mean, do you think that little mouse knew exactly that the cream would turn into butter?  NO! of course he had his doubts.  But he knew that trying was the only thing that could help his situation, so he did it anyway.  And you know what?  He made it out alive!  But if he had wondered about his situation and worried that he wouldn’t be able to make anything work, he would have ended up like the other mouse and drowned.

So, what can one learn from this song?  If you’re drowning in work, don’t stay like that!  Think of new ways to help your situation.  Whether it be laying off some socializing until you finish a big project, getting rid of something time consuming in your life in order to work on something important, or even asking for some help.  You have the style to make things right, so will you make butter outta cream?

 

a.p.

Listen to the song here!

What a Wonderful World

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

 

As I watched the new year ring in on TV, I heard this familiar tune.  You probably immediately think of Louis Armstrong like I do.  That man had such a soul; he poured himself into whatever song he sang.  I’ve watched movies  where he sings in them, and I must admit just watching his expression as he does what he loves always puts me into a better mood.

This song is such an interesting one to play at the beginning of a new year, but I think it’s very fitting.  What better way to start a year than to listen to a song about how wonderful the world is?  Sometimes, we dread the new year.  We’re scared of another year filled with disappointment and lonesomeness.  We would rather just stay with what we know instead of taking that big step towards something new.  A new semester of school.  A new job.  A new home.  A new family.  But, how long exactly do we want to stay with the status quo?  Do you want to stay at your parents’ house for the rest of your life?  Do you want to stay at a job that you hate, because you know what to expect? No, of course not.  We want to go out and travel the world, but somehow without changing our lives the way that they are now.

We have to take that leap. We have to try something new.  We have to go back to school or start that new job because you and I both know that we want something more out of life, and the only way to get it is if we take that step. This world is wonderful.  Sure, it’s definitely not perfect.  But there are so many opportunities out there for us.  We just have to stop being so lazy and waiting for the opportunities to jump out and grab us at the comfort of our own homes. Because guess what?  You have a better chance of seeing that wonderful world by actually getting out and enjoying it!

So, friends, enjoy this new year.  Reach out for new opportunities and take those chances, no matter how crazy they are.  I pray that you find absolute happiness this year, and a joy beyond all compare as you find just how wonderful the world can be.

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people goin’ by

I see friends shakin’ hands
Sayin’, “How do you do?”
They’re really sayin’
“I love you”

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

 

a.p.

 

We all relate to the healing power of music.

1 Cor. 10:31

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

 

So, everyone knows about how powerful music is, right?  a celebrity sings a soul rocking version of “I Will Always Love You” and the crowd goes wild, with tears streaming down their faces.  Right?  Everyone thinks about their old lovers and remembers the pain they once felt letting go.  Music is known to bring powerful emotions to not only the singer or singers, but the audience listening.

 

Music can bring about almost every emotion I can think of.  Anger, happiness, frustration, mourn.  This is why when people feel a certain emotion, they often choose to play music that matches their mood.  It shows that someone out there relates to their feelings; it gives them more of a relief and helps them cope with whatever situation they may be going through.

 

So, what exactly am I trying to do with this blog?

 

Well, if you know me, you know that I love music.  My goal, even if I have only two readers and one of them is my mom, is to write blog posts about songs and not only explain how they relate to my life at that point in time, but also discuss how they could relate to your life as well.  I believe that music is something that God has given us to not only worship Him with, but also to heal our wounded hearts and bring joy into our lives with positive verses and catchy rhythms.

 

That being said…

 

Come join me in this adventure as we explore how music heals.

 

a.p.