What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9

A year spent in Artificial Intelligence is enough to make one believe in God. Alan Jay Perlis.

On this next installment of "Stuff That's Been On My Mind," we look at A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) and finding a Christian approach to this technology. We can see already that A.I. is here and influencing much of what we do on a daily basis. Additionally, we know that potential nefarious deeds can or could come as a result of using A.I. As Christians it's my belief (Derek) that we do not run from this conversation or from this technology but we figure out how to use it to benefit the Kingdom while at the same dispelling the darkness it may bring elsewhere.

DC Talk's song "What If I Stumble?" from their 1995 Jesus Freak album, feature the opening lyrics Is this one for the people? Is this one for the Lord? Or do I simply serenade for things I must afford?

What has always been a temptation with the platform and with the stage is to make the person(s) bigger than the message. Today a quick websearch of "Christian Celebrity Culture" will bring up several articles and viewpoints about where we are at as a church culture with our own "celebrities" and big names. Overall, is this a bad thing? Is seeking fame wrong? And if we have influence, is it being used to point people to Christ or simply to ourselves?

Today's episode is the first in this "Stuff That's Been On My Mind" series; a series looking at some hot-button issues that need to be looked at within the lens of the Gospel.

Thus says the LORD to you “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s”. 2 Chronicles 20:15

When the people of Judah face a fierce opponent in 2 Chronicles 20, there is a right response made by King Jehoshaphat. Even as he is afraid of the enemies of Moab and Ammon, the king calls for a fast over the land. His prayer in verse 12 is one of the most honest prayers in all of Scripture: "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” The Lord does end up answering the prayers of the people and the king. The enemy is routed. Judah experiences peace and fear of their nation grips even other nations beyond them.

This week's podcast realizes that even though we face daily battles, those fights belong to the Lord. We must stand in obedience and wait patiently as we give the fight over to Him. Furthermore, we must worship as we go into the battle. As praise goes up, His presence leads us. Finally, as we fight we know the enemy has to run when God shows up. May we take courage and may go into each situation knowing that we can operate from a place of victory. Christ has already won the fight!

In the Book of Judges, a sad thing happens to the people of Israel; God's chosen people for His promise: they fall into sin and disobedience. After the years of being delivered, crossing the Red Sea, and even settling into the Promised Land, the people have done the very thing God warned them not to do. They fell for the gods and idols of the people who surrounded them. Into this, they ultimately forgot what God had done for them and forgot the legacy that was theirs to claim.

If we are not sharing the faith with our kids and making it a daily aspect of our lives, the steps that lead us (and them) from the Lord are not far. In one generation, faith can either be solidified and built up OR it can be torn down and dismantled. It's up to us to talk about the things of God as Moses declared in Deuteronomy 6:6-9. From there, if the generations that follow us have heard, it is their choice to listen and obey. Today's podcast takes us down this trail of thought and uses the Israelites' experience as one we can learn from.

As we follow Christ, there is a tendency that can always creep in to lull our hearts away from Him. This temptation can take various forms. Sometimes we can ask "If I am doing all of this for the Lord, where is the payoff for me personally?" This can be very subtle and an idea that grows over time. We see that in other aspects of life, hard work = reward. But often the rewards we seek in the faith are not in this life but in the one to come. As we follow that temptation and our hearts are drawn from the Lord, we can easily fall into the trap of "the gospel of me." Today's podcast unpacks this thought a bit further as we look at the origins and characteristics of a me-focused gospel. May we rejection this notion at every turn and may we find our rest and hope in the Lord!

And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days.” Joshua 6:2,3

The battle of Jericho was a unique battle in the timeline of Israel's history as a nation. Having taken fresh steps into the Promised Land, Joshua leads the people to conquer Jericho. The battle plan was unconventional but yet it needed to be followed in detail. In carrying out the plan, Israel would open the door to further victories. Those victories would establish them in the new land. From this battle we can draw many parallels to our own day. May we continue to march around the Jerichos in our lives knowing God has the power to topple the walls and giants we face.

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. John 18:37,38

The question posed by Pilate to Jesus "What is truth?" has always been a question that stopped me dead in my tracks when reading about Jesus' trial and crucifixion. It's a big question. It's definitely a question a seeker of truth would ask. If Pilate could have known Who he was asking this question to, the answer would have opened his eyes. Still, we can know Jesus as the embodiment of truth and that His very words are truth. From there, we can know the truth because we choose to follow Jesus and live in the freedom He brings. May that message stir your heart once again, not only at Easter but throughout the whole year.

On March 11, 2014 my (Derek's) debut album Carry On was released. It is amazing to think it has now been 10 years since that release date. A lot of life has happened in that space of time. This podcast episode is a slight detour from our normal content, but it's purpose is to celebrate and give God glory through what He has done. Carry On was, in many ways, a first step into ministry and music for me. It has opened many doors and in God's providence, the story of many songs and thoughts treasured up were able to be shared. Join me for this retrospective podcast in which we dive in deeper and look at this album now turning 10!

Listen to Carry On on these streaming platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5T10h7kXZh91qrBAVoKiio?si=w7sH3tNYQDqbB6EwPJEBvw
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/carry-on/836420634
Pandora: https://pandora.app.link/xBg2W5vHnHb
Amazon Music: https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B00IX6BIQI?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_Q280kvfLyQJPNiNag2kh0YV0D

CDs available for purchase here: https://derekcharlesjohnson.com/product/284877

YouTube acoustic versions:
King Of Glory https://youtu.be/0bWJ15Zt3yk
Prodigal https://youtu.be/OwH-lNUvIQU
Carry On https://youtu.be/kcKO5wpMkMk

City On The Hill Music Festival: https://cityonthehillmusicfest.com/

Tommee Profitt wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommee_Profitt