Hey Satan,

Told ya so!  Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

 Marcus

PS.  If you have no idea what this is about.  Read my previous blog!

I’m not doing this to glorify Satan at all.  I’m doing this to let him know where I stand.  Putting it in writing will help remind me of the path that I should be on!

Dear Satan,

     I’m writing to let you know that I’m through.  I’m through playing your games.  This is MY life, and I have chosen to give it to God!  That’s right!  Through me, you are contending with the Almighty, and you’re not gonna win!  Wednesday night, God spoke to me loud and clear, and I am ready to follow His standard into battle against you.  Sure, you came out with your little battle tactics Thursday.  You tried to bog me down with tons of work.  Funny how God helped me finish it all that night leaving me with a relaxing planning period Friday morning!  Friday you tried to put irritable people in my path to bring me down.  And I’ll confess, I let you into my defenses and talked about it too much.  Today, though, was the final straw!  God has put a desire in me to buy my own home.  I know God put that desire there because I want it so badly.  He has been telling me to wait, and I finally thought I’d found the one.  Then today, suddenly its under contract?  Know anything about that?

     Sure, maybe its God’s will that I not have that house.  He’ll certainly give it to me if He wants me to have it.  But that’s between me and God.  Funny how you’re not privy to those conversations!  Hahahaha!!! Must burn you up.

     So, as you can tell by these words, I’m quite tired of you and your battle tactics.  Its time I use some tactics against you.  I’m tired of raising my shield.  That shield of faith is taking a beating.  Its time I start bringing the fight to you!!!  Its time I start unsheathing my sword (the Bible) and parrying all your evil thrusts.  Here are a few for you:

“For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Hmmm….that’s pretty sharp!  Think you can handle it Satan?  How about this one:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

Wow!  Hard to argue with that one huh?  You know God is loving, so try dodging that thrust!  Here’s a real doozy for YOU:

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” - Revelations 20:10

What was that?  Did you raise YOUR shield that time!?!?!  Hard words to swallow.  You are already defeated!

 After all that, all I have to say from here on out is, “Bring it on!”  I’m not even going to say anything about it being hard because I just don’t want to give you that kind of satisfaction!

Oh!  And be ready for the battle of the century tomorrow in our little church in Greensboro.  You remember, the one that has been a thorn in your side for more than 30 years?  Our Youth Group will be brandishing our swords tomorrow and piercing not only your defenses, but also the hearts of the lost.  You’re gonna lose, anyway…might as well not show up!

Are you up to the challenge?  I leave you with one more verse:

“But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get thee behind me Satan!  You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” –Matthew 16:23

Now I’m gonna go prepare.  I’m gonna sharpen my sword (read my Bible), ready my stance (pray), and fix my shield of faith.

 In Christ (Because I’m certainly not in you!)

Marcus Lawson

What an experience we had that night!  The Spirit of the Lord came down in power on about 10 people meeting for Wednesday night Bible Study.  Chris got up to share his lesson, and God took over.  Many were confessing their struggles, and weeping over lost loved ones.  Others just sat and listened and wept.

I wouldn’t really call it a testifying service, so much as a revival service.  I know I sure was revived!

At the end, we all gathered around in prayer.  We prayed for a long time about many things.  I don’t think any of us paid attention to what the other was praying about.  If the rest of them had an experience like mine, they were talking face to face with God.  No, I’m not saying I actually saw His face, but he conversed directly with me.  I don’t remember all I said, but I do remember Him bringing up faces of people who I had wronged.  I wept so hard.  He broke my heart all over again for my lost loved one.  My grandpa, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends - people whom I should be witnessing to.  He did so much that night to bring me back to where I need to be.

It was the best night of my life!  Funny how God used something that people don’t see any importance in like Wednesday night Bible study to reach hurting and wayward hearts!

Satan attacked hard Thursday morning, but I’m not giving him any glory on that.  God was faithful, and that’s awesome!

Wow!  What a night we had February 16th at the Greensboro Coliseum!!  Every year, many contemporary Christian artists get together and go on tour.  They call it the Winterjam concert and its sole purpose is to win hearts for Christ.  They charge $10 at the door, which is the cheapest ticket you’ll ever see for anything at the Coliseum.  I’ve been going for two years now and this year’s was by far the best, hands down!  Over 18,000 people were in attendance and nearly 1700 made commitments to Christ, and 300 more re-dedicated their lives.

I will admit, I went purely for entertainment.  I am a rocker at heart (I blame my mom’s genes for that one).  One of my favorite Christian rock bands is Skillet.  You can understand what they’re saying on the cd, but certainly not in concert.  What blessed me, though was the monistry each group had.  Mandisa spoke about body image and how God sees through to the heart.  Newsong spoke about the importance of spreading the gospel around the world and helping children in China.  Skillet spoke about being “Jesus Freaks.”  Barlowgirl spoke not only about being a chaste young woman, but also about being “1 million strong and getting stronger.”  And last, but not least, Mercy Me spoke about Christ and His infinite love for us.

I went for entertainment, and what I got was the Holy Spirit of God.  Tony Nolan got up to speak and spoke right to the hearts of the young people in attendance.  Many would have looked down on him at the way he spoke, but he spoke on the level of our young people.  Sure, he used slang, but God reached them through him.  I realized this when he began the prayer for people to accept Christ.  I was floored when I heard - get that, heard (meaning they spoke out their prayers) - so many accepting Christ all around me.

 Many will scoff at the experience.  They will say that contemporary Christian music is wrong, or they will say its okay but it’s too emotional.  Coming from a church that sings hymns, I see nothing but similarity in traditional and contemporary music.  They both worship God.  They both can bring you to tears.  And they both can bring people to Christ.  They just sound different.  So, if you scoff, continue on.  You have an opinion.  But I know what I heard that night….thousands of people coming to Christ.

I leave you with the words of a simple chorus that Mercy Me led us in at the very end of the concert:

I love You Lord

And I lift my voice

To worship You

Oh my soul, rejoice

Take joy my King

In what You hear

May it be a sweet, sweet sound

In Your Ear!

Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!  Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!  Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.  Praise ye the Lord. — Psalm 150:4-6

I know I haven’t written in a while, and I do apologize.  Life gets busy during the Christmas season.

Just wanted to let you know how things were going.  We had an awesome Christmas Cantata at church this past year.  Our family struggled a bit financially, but we were all together and happy.  It was one of the most relaxing days.  I absolutely needed that Christmas Break from school.

Things have been so hectic with school.  I have good days and bad days.  Just this past week, I had one of the worst days of my teaching career.  I started a new project that required my students to draw an animal from a picture.  Out of thirty students in two classes, two students drew their whole animal without any help.  75% of the rest whined and complained to the point where I drew for them just to shut them up.  I have taught them how to draw, and what to look for.  It just didn’t stick.  I felt like the worst teacher in the world - almost like I had not taught them a thing this year.  I will not put that work in the hallway, because it was mostly mine.  I know what I have to do, so next semester’s kids will benefit from better teaching on my part. 

Speaking of which, the second semester is on its way next week, and I am stoked!  I need new faces…hahahaha!!

I have also been spending the grant money.  I plan on spending plenty in the next week, buying film, photographic paper and chemicals in preparation for teaching it next semester.  I’m planning on hittin’ up my principal for help in re-modeling the room I’m turning into a dark room this Monday.

On the spiritual side, I’ve been struggling, but that’s all my fault.  I don’t read my Bible like I should, I don’t pray like I should.  I’m becoming those people I have fought to never become - the complacent.  God had been revealing that to me lately, so I’ve been working on it.  I just know that I’ve got to get back on the bike, and start enjoying the ride - even when I’m climbing the hills!

I am looking for a house now…seriously!  I have an appointment tomorrow with my realtor to actually go walk inside some houses!  Its exciting and scary all in one.  I hope I make the right choice.  If God’s in it, I know I will.

I did see a vid in Youtube earlier today that scared me about the near future - and not so much for myself, but for others.  Time is running short people.  The vid was all about our government’s steps toward a “North American Union” with our neighbors to the north and south.  In that, they outlined the plans toward a one-world government, and a required ID chip.  I know Christ will call us home beforehand, but it is very scary to know that this world, and possibly my own extended family will see these things come true!  We need to be mindful of the Spirit, and pray for our world.  We need more time to evangelize this world!  It needs us!  We need to be looking for Him!

Love you all!

Marcus

Woohooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 God is the awesomest being alive!  I just want to say thank you to the Almighty, and thank all you who prayed for this photography situation.  A few months back, I applied for the Bright Ideas Grant which is paid by a local electric company.  My project was centered around using the money to build a dark room!

Well, your prayers paid off.  Today during my yearbook class, my principal, guidance counselor, lead teacher, and the arts director from the county office walked into my room.  Then the man with the big check walked in.  I was awarded the grant!!!  My students and I will be featured in the Energy United Magazine as the winners.

Just this past Sunday, I waffled on whether or not to request prayer for this whole situation.  There is soooo much trouble going on with our church members, and this didn’t seem worthy to speak out.  I did request prayer for it, and look what happened!  The man who awarded me the grant, told me that my application was chosen UNANIMOUSLY!  No one went against it!

Praise be to God, whose throne forever reigns!

I love you all, and thanks for your prayers.  We still have a ways to go with the dark room, but this will make it a lot easier!

Please, please, please watch the video that I posted in my previous blog!  It is now embedded on Steve’s blog called “He and I.”  He is the guru of all things technology and where I couldn’t figure out how to embed it, he did! 

Praise God for this awesome skit, and I pray that we can do it at my church too!  Now, I’m gonna go watch it again before bed!

Can you imagine what Christ does for us daily?  I am a visual learner, and sometimes seeing what He does acted out restores my faith to the max.  Watch this video, but more importantly watch how the actor portrays what Jesus constantly does for us.  Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go to www.godtube.com and type in “Lifehouse Everything Skit.”

I can’t get it to embed, so you’ll have to hunt it, but I promise, its worth your while!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, go to godtube.com.  It is one of the best sources for Christian videos!  I just joined, and am already lovin’ it!

I sure hope you guys don’t mind hearing from me so much!  Now that I’ve got into blogging, it really helps to get things off my chest!!  My principal finally took the initiative and emailed the principal at the high school (see below posts).  Now the ball is in his court so to speak.  I really hope I get that photo equipment from him.  I’m waiting to hear back from a $2,000 grant called the Bright Ideas Grant.  I feel I do have one up on everyone else, as my grant proposes the use of energy through photography, and it’s energy companies who do the choosing, but that’s all in God’s hands. 

I’ve been teaching differently than I have ever taught before and I like the outcome.  The kids are a lot more respectful, and I come home whooped everyday!

I have stepped up the house looking.  I plan on going to the bank to talk about loans and such around the end of this month, and I think I’ll be contacting a realtor soon.  I want to make the right decision, though.  I catch myself getting jealous of what others have, and I’m trying to work on that.  I want my own place soooooo bad just for the fact that I am so ready to spread my wings, but this bedroom is just too cramped!  I know mama and daddy will read this at some point in time, so just to let them know…I need your help!  I have no idea what I’m doing, and that’s why I keep bringing it up.  It’s not to rub it in that I’m growing up and ready to go.  I just want your help, and not to feel guilty about doing something that God destined us all to do…to leave home.

God is also working in me now to decrease that judgmental side that we all struggle with.  Lately it rises up in the worst of places and times - yes, even at church.  But God has really been whooping my butt over these things, and has been causing me to think.

Well, there’s my update!  Love you all and I pray God’s blessings over you!  Nite!

I hope Steve doesn’t mind me quoting him.  I didn’t ask.  In church this past Sunday, he said something that brought back memories from college, and reminded me of a comment I got from one of my friends that has stuck with me.  I’m not really going to quote him.  I’m going to paraphrase (mostly because I can’t remember his exact words).  He said something like, “I hope I see Osama Bib Laden in Heaven.”  There were some definite reactions to that from the congregation, and not all of them bad.  It reminded me of my Teaching Fellows trip to DC during my sophomore year of college.  We rolled into town the night Bush declared war on Iraq.  That was interesting!!!!  As we were watching the news in one of the hotels after a Bible study, one of my friends piped up, and said, “You know, Saddam Hussein can be saved.  If you think about it, his sin is no greater than ours.”

What truth and love in such statements!  What humbling statements too!  God looks down on us in love, but in sinners all he can see is their sin.  It doesn’t matter what sin, he just sees it!  The Bible only speaks of one sin that is greater than all and that is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit - and if I understand Vic’s explanation right - that can only be done by a Christian.  We can’t imagine the attrocities Bin Laden, Hussein, and even Hitler committed against various people, but the fact of the matter is they still need Jesus just like you and I need (or needed) Jesus!

And this all reminds me of how much God loves them.  That’s right - He loves Bin Laden!  He loves Kim Jong Il!  He loves Fidel Castro!  He wants nothing more than for them to be saved, and to accept His Son as their personal Savior, just like He wants us to do!  And if we are to strive to be like Christ, then we should love them too!  That’s right love the sinner…..but hate the sin!

Can He still save these?  The answer is the loudest, most emphatic I can muster - YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And He will if they will just give themselves over to Him!  Don’t forget, Jesus told the thief on the cross next to him that he would share in paradise!

This is for Bin Laden and any Muslim extremists or terrorists who may see this website:

I know you use the internet constantly, and in that use I’m sure you search.  My prayer is that God has led you to this site and to this blog.  Bin Laden, God loves you!  That’s right He loves you!  He is asking you to give your life to Him - to die to yourself.  Not to die so the whole world will see you, and not to die a physical death in a moment of terrorism.  No, He is asking you to give all your life to Him, so that you may truly live!  Muhammad is not the way.  Pain, murder and destruction are not the way.  Jesus is the way!  Accept Him today, and forget that old life!  Forget that fake, poser religion that offers nothing but hate!  Accept the God who offers everything!  Take up His armor and wage war on the powers of darkness, and not the people He created!  My hope is that you accept Him!

And to every sinner:

In God’s eyes, what you are doing is no different from what Bin Laden or any attrocious tyrant has done.  You need to be saved from your sins just as much as he does.  Heed these words, turn to the Word and be saved!