radical quote | art roy remy

“Leaders

should not lead the churches 

by imitation

but by revelation from God.

What has been revealed to someone for his church

could be different for our church. 

Understanding this make us to follow God's revelation.

And this also make us to respect other churches though may be different from us.

God did not call us to imitation.

God called us to revelation.

When was the last time you asked God, 

"Lord, what is your plan for us? 

Are you revealing something?"

- A r t  R o y  R e m y, Lecture to my Radical Students

THE LORD WILL NOT JUST DO SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE; HE WILL DO GREAT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE

Oftentimes, we address God just as the "Someone" up there in heaven. Addressing God like that just shows how one's relationship to God is not so personal. I cannot imagine addressing my father as "someone" instead of addressing him as my father. Same thing with our relationship with God, why address Him as the "Someone" in heaven when you can address Him as your Father?

Observe this well, when a person addresses God vaguely like using the word "Someone," it will usually be connected to how this Someone can do "something." Usually, you can hear these words - "Someone up there in heaven can do something in your life." Observe how unspecific and impersonal it is.

It is far different when you declare "My God, My Father." It is declaring that you have a personal relationship with the One you are addressing to. And when you say those things which God did in your life, you cannot just say that it is just something but -

      - great things.

These two statements are far, far different from each other-

"Someone up there will do something in my life."
"My Father God will do great things in my life."

In Joel 3: 21, God promised us with these words -

"Fear not o land; be glad and rejoice for the Lord will do great things."

Wow! What an assurance for us to declare that indeed our God will do great things in our lives!
God said to us not to fear. Fear only happens when you do not know who you trust or you don't know fully whom you are calling. If you know God just as the "someone who is up there" then it just shows how little you know God. This explains your fear. You don't know the God who can do great things for you is a very loving God, a very caring God and a God who blesses well.

Fear is the result of less knowledge of God. I am not pertaining here of deep theology in the study of God's word. I have seen lots of people who have deep head-knowledge of God but so less with heart-knowledge of God. What I mean is a mixture of heart and mind- an experience with God.

So when you recognize God not just as that someone but your loving Father God, then you can boldly declare and believe that the Lord will not just do something in your life but will do great things in your life.

When your faith becomes specific to a specific God, your blessings will also become specific.

For me, who I have is not just someone up there in heaven. Who I have is the Almighty God, the King of kings who is my loving Father, and this is why I believe that He will not just do something in my life but He will do great things in my life.

"Something" is not specific. It is vague and small.
"Great things" is specific, big, huge, wonderful and awesome.

When your relationship is personal, your faith becomes specific.

Declare - My Lord will not just do something in my life; He will do great things in my life.

- A r t  R o y  R e m y

FROM WITHERED HANDS TO WINNING HANDS

[Message delivered September 26, 2010 about the story of Jesus healing the man with a withered hand.]

Mark 3:14 - "And he[Jesus] entered again into the synagogue,

and there was the man with a withered hand."

The man with a withered hand can represent people whose

heart has already withered from serving God.

It is a representation of withered relationships, withered finances,

withered passion, and withered life.

It can also represent a church whose heart has withered

from being passionate for Jesus.

But Jesus came to heal the man with a withered hand.

Jesus will come to you to heal you

in a time people least expect[Sabbath] for

He will defy the norms. He will defy the wrong things that has

been said about you. He will defy the impossibilities.

God will change your withered hands into winning hands.

All you got to do is:

SHOW UP

You don't have to bring anything, just show up.

It is not complicated as you think, just show up.

What happened if that man didn't show up where Jesus was?

You will miss many things if you don't show up where Jesus is working.

Show up though it may be common.

show up though there is crisis.

Show up though there are critics.

Show up because it is for Jesus Christ.

STAND OUT

God will use the setbacks of your life to be the set-up of God's blessing in your life.

You were not designed to blend in. You were designed to stand out.

Stand out even in bad situations.

Stand out in boldness.

Stand out in the blessings of God.

STRETCH FORTH

Jesus asked from him what he has never done before.

Jesus will ask you what you have never done before.

Stretch forth though it is hard.

Stretch forth though it hurts.

Stretch forth for it will heal you.

The withered hands became winning hands.

It was just one hand he stretched out but both hands were healed.

When you show up, stand out and stretched out in faith,

God will heal your both hands.

God wants to heal your withered hands to become winning hands.

The question is-

Will you show up?

Will you stand out?

Will you stretch forth?

- A r t  R o y  R e m y

BIG DREAMS PLUS BEST SHOTS EQUALS BREAKTHROUGHS

God will show His power to those who dare to believe even against all odds. 

God promised in His words, 

all things are possible to him who believes.

By believing, one can have this formula to succeed in life, first:

God Can!

This speaks of 

Big Dreams

When you dream, dream big! 

You have a big God and He owns everything.

When you believe, your talents, potentials and resources will

work together with the challenges, situations and opportunities.

It is because God can make your dreams come true.

But be sure you believe,

Now you have big dreams, add to these:

You Can!

This speaks of your 

Best Shots

The day may seem filled with drudgery and commonness

but it is not the reason for you not to give your best shot.

You give your best shot because you believe

you are not just working for the present but you are getting ready for the future.

The best weapon you have right now against any challenges is to say "I can."

Big dreams plus your best shots means:

You Can Change!

This speaks of

Breakthroughs

In all the fulfillment of these dreams, the outmost outcome must be the better change of our lives.

The purpose of realization of dreams is the revolution of our lives.

Time for you to eradicate doubts and fear.

time for you to let God work in your life.

believe.

Dream BIG DREAMS because God can.
Do your BEST SHOTS because You Can.
Declare BREAKTHROUGHS because You Can Change.

Big Dreams plus Best shots equals Breakthroughs.

- A r t  R o y  R e m y

The Book of Acts Was Not Called The Book of Plans

Something to ponder and to act upon:

The 5th book of the New Testament

was called "The Book of Acts"

because they didn't just

planned;

organized;

met;

prayed;

talked;

wished;

but they

acted.

Until in the present time, this is still the key of health and growth of the church.

We ought not just to;

plan;

organize;

met;

pray;

talk;

wish;

we must act.

- A  r  t  R o  y  R e m y

Come Awake!

An awakening video to make us come alive in hope and faith. 

Revolutionary Words That Ought To Be Heard In Our Churches Today

Reading this article will make you guess that this one could have been written either by an emerging church pastor, a post-modern leader or a radical/revolutionary leader in our present time. Let us read the article :

"I mean that the Lord has in his sacred oracles faithfully embraced and clearly expressed both the whole sum of true righteousness, and all aspects of the worship of his majesty, and whatever was necessary to salvation; therefore, in these the Master alone is to be heard. But because he did not will in outward discipline and ceremonies to prescribe in detail what we ought to do(because he foresaw that this depended upon the state of the times, and he did not deem one form suitable for all ages), here we must take refuge in those general rules which he has given, that whatever the necessity of the church will require for order and decorum should be tested against these.

Lastly, because he has taught nothing specifically, and because these things are not necessary to salvation, and for the upbuilding of the church ought to be variously accommodated to the customs of each nation and age, it will be fitting (as the advantage of the church will require) to change and abrogate traditional practices and to establish new ones.  

Indeed, I admit that we ought not to charge into innovation rashly, suddenly, for insufficient cause. But love will best judge what may hurt or edify; and if we let love be our guide, all will be safe."

You will be surprised knowing who wrote this. Answer is below.

This was written hundred years ago in a book called Institutes of the Christian Religion written by none other than John Calvin.

CONVERTING NEGATIVE INTO POSITIVE

It is inevitable that problems and tough times sometimes come into our lives, but still we can choose to convert these negatives into positive. Just like how photos are developed from negatives in the dark, so we can also choose to developed the negatives of life into something positive.

It is time to change our mindset and the words we expressed in life. If because of the toughness of a given situation, you can't help but say negative words out of complaint and sadness, don't allow that your declarations end as negative expressions. You can still end your declaration into positive words just like what Paul said when he was imprisoned in the dungeon. In Philippians 4, he wrote words that implied how he converted negative into positive. He fully admit the reality of his situation. He was in the prison but still he said these words -

 "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly."

 "But I have all, and abound..."

"But my God shall supply all your need."

 This was how he converted negatives into positives. He admitted the hardship he was in. He faced them all, but he didn't allow that he dwell on those things. He converted the negatives into positive by saying the above words. If we learn how to apply this radical truth in our daily lives, no tough times and no problem can ever be victorious over us. Just imagine saying these words for example,

"I may have tough times...but I can choose to be happy in the Lord."

"I may not have this, or have that... but I have all that I need and I still abound."

"There may be lack... but my God shall supply."

Ending your statements with positive declarations like this makes you overcome any problems. Never allow your statements to end in negative statements. Just like Paul, convert them by saying positive affirmations, and if ever you have pushed to say negative words because of the hardships you are in, still END your statements with declarations filled with hope, positivism and faith.

WHY JESUS DID NOT SAY, "SEEK ME FIRST" BUT RATHER HE SAID, "SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD"

Jesus could have said,

"Seek me first" 

rather than

"Seek first the kingdom of God." 

Saying those words could still be right, valid, and righteous, but since He did not say it, he means something different why He emphasized that we must seek His kingdom first.

Actually most believers thought that it is what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 but it is not. Many preachers and teachers misused the verse by saying "Seek God first" when actually what He said was specific as "Seek first the kingdom of God." God is different from the kingdom of God.

What do you think why He didn't said, "Seek me first" instead He said, "Seek first the kingdom of God?"

Answer is given after this photo.

Let me ask you - "Did you already accept Jesus as your personal Saviour?"
If the answer is, "Yes," let me ask you, "Where is Jesus?"
Most probably you will answer, "He is in my life. He is in my heart," and that is right.
So, let me answer the question above with a question -

So, why will you seek Someone who is already in you?

Get the point?

Truth: You will not seek Someone who is already in you.

Jesus even promised that He will never leave nor forsake you. He will always be in your heart. So the reason why He didn't said, "Seek me" because He is already in you. He said, "Seek first the kingdom of God" is because this is the thing you need to discover in your life while you live here on earth. The kingdom of God is not something to be received in heaven, but to be lived and enjoyed here on earth. The kingdom of God is right here and present now but you need to seek it in your life by having a victorious life, sharing the love of God to others, helping the poor, passing peace and kindness to others and experiencing the abundant life in Him. This is what we seek.

Jesus is always in you. You don't seek someone whom you know where he is.
You know where He is. What you and I were told is to seek His kingdom.

Get this radical truth?

“When the question becomes

"what can God do for me?"

instead of

"what can I do for Him?"

the danger of

consumer Christianity

sets in."

- P a o l o  P u n z a l a n

WANTED: FIRST AID CHRISTIANITY

We have been reared in a Christianity that is always in a Fighting Stance. We have raised in a culture that we must always "defend" the truth to the point that we lost some fruits of the Spirit which are kindness, love and patience. We have seen bickering here and there, even in the name of "theology." And while we do this, we see how many people are going to perdition because we have lost our focus. All those times, we have a mindset of always fighting. We find glory when we thought we have defended the truth while we lost some precious souls. Some, because they don't believe anymore in present-day healing, have included that to heal people from their brokenness and spiritual wounds have also believed that these too are obsolete. 

There are lots of wounded people in this world- 

Inside and outside the Church, rich and poor, leaders and followers, young and old.

I also believe that those people who always hate other people, who are always judgmental to others, are actually results of their wounded and hurting souls.

Everybody needs healing. Everybody needs the Balm from Gilead.

I think it is time for us to really live what really is the identity of Christianity.

The church is not a museum, nor it is a war room; it is a hospital for all sick, wounded people.

Thus, when we are in our workplaces or wherever we are, what we bring with us are not guns and swords, but rather - a first aid kit.

Yes, this is a time for us to live the First Aid Christianity.

A kind of attitude which always finding the lost, the weak, the sick and the wounded. A kind of attitude which we always go for healing instead of hurting. A kind of attitude which we help those who are broken, heal the wounded and deliver the dying. A kind of attitude which we always foster peace and love, instead of polarization, legalism and indifference.

Wherever we go, we are carrying love, hope and the Gospel to heal wounded souls. Wherever we go, our mindset is not to hurt but to heal, not to bicker but to assist, not to war but to love. Jesus' mission is to  be the Great Physician healing the sick and the brokenhearted. Jesus commissioned us to go to the world not as armies to wage war, but as loving people who will help and heal those who are lost in their sins, and who are struggling in life.  

Many people are wounded today because we have left our First Aid kit in our church buildings, in our houses, in our prayer rooms, and in our study rooms. We go out with this mindset to always fight because we thought we are the army on a mission. But even you are an army, an army is not complete without the medical team. What will you do if you were hit by temptation, discouragement and criticism? You need a first aid kit.

Jesus cleared this when He said, "my people is not of this world, lest my servant will fight." "The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me to heal the brokenhearted." 

No wonder it is not coincidence that the symbol of First Aid is not a sword or a gun, but - 

... a cross.

Carry love, hope and kindness wherever you go.

There are lots of wounded people in our midst.

What we need today is not  a Fighting Christianity but a

- First Aid Christianity.

- A r t  R o y  R e m y

Is Your Sunday Really A Sun-Day?

Who in These Pictures Best Represent You Every Sunday?

I will not argue here with those who thought that Sunday is not the Lord's day because this day pertained for the worship of the sun. I will not dwell on that, but rather just think out of wit to drive a simple but radical message here.

Sun-day implies that the sun means, "absence of darkness."

There is no darkness in the sun. So what I mean is, "Is your Sunday fully dwelling on the Light, or you are dwelling more on darkness?" Are you focusing on the good and positive things every Sunday, or are you focusing more on negativism? Is your Sunday always spoiled because you think too much on how the service goes according to your whims, how the sermon goes along, or how the people in the church treat you? 

The earth and the planets with all its moons, and stars all revolve around the Sun which implies all of you must revolve around the Light making Him your focus. The Sun will not revolve around you. Sunday is not about you. It is about Him. Is there light in your Sundays?

Sun-day implies too that the sun means, "vibrance, radiance."

Is your Sunday filled with vibrance, or it is the most dragging day of your week? Is your Sunday radiates with positivism and happiness, or it lacks joy and warmth because you focus too much on what are lacking? Is your Sunday so boring? or is it so alive that you can't wait that it is Sunday again?

Again I say, the earth and the planets revolve around the Sun, and not the other way around. Your Mondays to Saturdays must revolve around Sunday, too and not the other way around. Your Sunday is not your left-over. It is your beginning. 

So, is your Sunday really a Sun-day?

- A r t  R o y  R e m y

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A MAN?

We all want change.

We all desire progress.

We want to change something, someone.

We want to change the church.

We want to change the world.

But before we can change anything, we must change ourselves first.

Before God will allow you to change anything or anyone, change must start in yourself first.

Be the change you want to see in this world.

So, I am asking "What does it take to change a man?"

God has to break me first.

    There are lots of wrong intentions, wrong attitudes and wrong mindset that I have. There are issues in my heart that must be settled. This is why God has to break me so that my pride, independence and unbelief be all stripped away from me. God knows that I cannot change anything unless He change me first. God's unconventional method- He has to break me first, and my reaction ought not to be resentment, rebellion or recklessness, but rather submission. 
I must totally - submit.

God has to mold me.

   After the breaking, it means I am ready now for the molding. I will be molded in His design and not in my own perception. Meaning, I got to surpass this stage because for sure, this will be hard and painful, but God guaranteed that He will bring out the best in me. 
Hence, I must surpass this.

God will use me now.

   After the breaking and the molding, I am ready now to be used by God. Simply because, He loves me.

No more pride, angst and other issues of the heart, but rather passion, humility and - surrender. This is the turning point of my life. All I got to do is never to run away but 
to - surrender.

These are the things that God will do to change a man.

How about you? What does it take to change you?

“We are trying to raise up an army,

not simply of street activitists,

but of lovers - 

a community of people

who have fallen desperately in love

with God and with suffering people,

and who allow those relationships

to disturb and transform them.”

- S h a n e  C l a i b o r n e

When God Carves His Truth In Your Heart

Let not mercy and truth forsake you. Write them upon the tables of your heart. - Proverbs 3:3

The tables mentioned here are made of stones. They are tablet stone. One can imagine that heavy tablet of stone being carried by Moses in the film “Moses” or those stones on the cartoon “Flintstones.” In order to write on a stone, you need to carve on it. 

So looking at the truth, it means mercy and truth must be carved on our hearts.

Principles to consider-

In carving, something is chipped away from us.

When mercy is carved in our heart, pride is being chipped away from us. When truth is carved in our heart, dishonesty is being chipped away from us. Yes, those chipped stones carved from us represents things that are not good in our hearts.

Oftentimes, the process of something being chipped away from us is –

….painful.

But when something was chipped away, something was carved on your heart that will be forever embedded in your soul.

"Write them upon the tables of your heart."

It means you must be very sure that mercy and truth are the ones carved in your heart. You know why?

It is because there are times someone will try to erase them away.

It is because there are events and circumstances that will really test you and will try to erase it all away. It will test your decision. It will test your patience. Will you lose it? No one and nothing should erase God’s work in your heart.

It has been said “Watch out for critics, they are people with erasers on their hands.” But for me, I really don’t worry. Why? Because their eraser cannot erase the radical truths carved in my heart. The truths in my heart were carved in a stone.

If that mercy and truth can be erased in your heart, it only shows that was written in your heart was just written on a sand or on a paper. It only shows mercy and truth were not carved in your heart.

You will know it is carved when you still cannot forsake to be merciful and kind,  or when you can still stand true no matter how painful the circumstances are.

When you know you can stay on your ground no matter how hard the test of life was –

then and only then, it shows mercy and truth were really carved on your heart.


Are you merciful? Can you forgive the offenses of other people?
Are you living the truth? 
If you can, then it means the truths of God were already carved in your heart. If not, then this means that what you heard were just written on your notebook, or stored in your computer, but not carved in your heart.

As you read this, I can feel something was chipped away in your heart.

Welcome it, God is carving in your heart. This is His masterpiece, His work in your life.

“If I'm crazy

it's because I refuse to be crazy

in the same way

the world's gone crazy.”

- P e t e r  M o r a n

[A man who spent his life on the streets helping poor people.]

When The Artist and Preacher Becomes One - A Call To All Artists in Our Churches

A new day has dawned on me for my life as a preacher or as a speaker.

This is the dawning of  a new era as an artist preacher.

All those times I have been wondering how the two callings or two roles of my life will merge into one. These two callings or two roles I am talking about is me:

     - being an artist;

     - and being a preacher/speaker.

As an Artist

I discovered myself being an artist even before I know how to read. Being an artist, I believe, is a gift from God. This is my essence that can never be changed nor be taken away from me. I have experienced being an accountant, a manager, an organizer, a speaker and a leader, but all of these roles may come and go, but being an artist can't. 

And the ironic thing was when I became a Christian, it was in this stage of my life that I have experienced how arts was not given emphasis, importance and support by the churches I grew up with. Speaking of misconceptions, some even thought that art is not spiritual. So, in this stage, I have allowed that this "belief" suppressed myself being an artist. But it was inevitable- an artist is always an artist. No matter how it was tried to be suppressed, it always came out and it always manifested in me in different ways. Yes, it is true indeed - you cannot deny what God made you. You must be what God has created you to be.

Lately, when I found freedom through radical grace and truths, I have embraced once again who I really am as an artist. In this point of time, all potentials that were suppressed all those years were unleashed again.

As A Preacher

As a preacher, this is the calling of God for my life. This is my passion and my heartbeat. This is my passion to preach Christ and Him alone. I have been almost stopped by criticism, judgmental people, my own failures and my wrongdoings, but indeed- once a preacher, always a preacher. The gift and calling of God do not change. 

Since I was called to preach at a young age, I have almost preached thousand of messages since then. I have preached to different kinds of people in different places. There were also times when I already preached creatively using some visuals and activities. There were some heights, and there were some depths. There were times preaching to thousand, and there were times preaching to just a handful of people. There was a continuum, but there was also a year of pause, but being a preacher will always be here in my heart.

But another thing I have learned was-  being a speaker or a preacher is not limited to the podium or to the pulpit. I can still be a preacher in the streets, in the bus lines, in the homes, in the community, in the campuses, in highways and byways- just like Jesus was. But no matter wherever I go, no matter what I do, still the passion to preach will always be here in my heart and as long God has given me a voice and the privilege to do it, I will do it. I will do it because I love God, and I love helping people.

But somehow, I was wondering, when will the role of me as an artist merge to my role as a speaker or preacher?

Artist and Preacher As One

Today is the day that this question has been answered. This is dawning of the new era of my life. I was amazed that all it takes was - 

    for me to decide.

And this was a decision to embrace what God has really made me as me.

I preached yesterday blending my gift as an artist and as a preacher. Just like Jesus who used visuals in his teaching - he used coins, mustard seed, fig tree, salt, light, birds, children, soil, and the rest- to drive his points, so I chose to mimic what He did in delivering a message. I believe Jesus is an artist, a creative one, who master in the art of carpentry and craftsmanship. He, too, was an artist and a preacher rolled into one.

I preached yesterday both as an artist and a preacher. I have been set free from the basics of delivering the message either in one-point, three-point or four-point message. [Though I still love these styles but I consider them just the basics and not my limits]. I have been set free from the homiletic style set by the West for us. I went back radically to the roots of preaching, and it is in Jesus style of preaching - telling the message in a practical, dynamic, story-based, and Christ-centered way. This is liberating, visionary and revolutionary especially if one does it in the style God has crafted for him or her. 

And this-artist preacher - is God's workmanship in me. Herein I resolved and embraced these two callings of my life. This is my style of preaching- radical, creative, artistic, visual, revolutionary, inspiring, practical and above all, Jesus-exalting.

Let me share to you about "Mashach." "Mashach" is the Hebrew word for "anointing." "Mashach" means "to be spray-painted by the Holy Spirit," and this what I feel every time I preached. I was being spray-painted by the Holy Spirit. I stand preaching Jesus and His words having this "mashach" experience - artist and preacher rolled into one.

And in moment like this, I am no longer the artist.

I am just the brush.

The colors are the Word of God.

The hand is the Hand of God.

The preaching time is the time God is making a masterpiece.

And the masterpiece is -

       ...the changed lives of people.

A CALL TO ALL ARTISTS IN OUR CHURCHES

I am calling to all who have the calling and the passion to preach the radical truths of Jesus to discover your own style and gift in delivering His message. You don't have to be totally like with those preachers you admire. I do believe that you have your own style which you can deliver, and just like David shunning the armor given to him to face Goliath, you can also choose the tools or styles that has already been proven by you. If you are not an artist, it is fine as long as you declare the message of Jesus in the strength God has endowed on you.


But if you are an artist, I am calling to you and to all artists in the churches to come out and show the potentials God has given you. Don't allow misconceptions, insecurity,criticisms, legalism, and fear suppress your gift as an artist. Even Jesus was questioned related to his craftsmanship when people asked, "Is not this the carpenter's son?" Though Jesus totally embraced his ministry as a preacher for the rest of his life, but his creativity and artistic wit were incorporated in all of his messages through his visuals. He even died by being "nailed" on the Cross- the very last expression of him being human as a carpenter. Your gift as an artist is a gift from God and you can use it for the glory of God.


If you are a singer, a dancer, a rapper, a poet, a photographer, a filmmaker, a graphic artist, or whatever line of art you are in- incorporate and merge it into being a messenger of the love of God. Don't separate your arts from your calling, nor your calling from your arts. Merge them into one because both were given to you by God. God has given them to you with a purpose. 


Your gift has been given to be ultimately aligned with the mission of God for your life. Your art has been commissioned by the Great Commission.


If God, one time, has literally wrote on the wall to show His warning to the Israelites, why not we as artists use our medium to declare the message of God?


Mashach,
A r t  R o y  R e m y