Poet Ilya Wilson chats with Derek Davis about the relationship between the Christian hip hop movement and spoken word. She also shares her writing process and the stories behind some of her favorite poems. Features live recitations of No More, Remember Lot's Wife, and Portrait of a Soldier - a "must hear" for anyone feeling lukewarm or discouraged in their walk with God.

August 1, 2010 - Sometimes when God makes a promise to us that seems to be way out in the future we can tend to hold on and settle for something that is right in front of us. We may hold on to relationships, plans, dreams and/or a set of goals. Many times these are the very things that are hindering us from the supernatural plan that God has for our lives. This message provokes us to have a direct confrontation with these things and a mindset that says this thing needs to go! As we begin to let go God will begin to take us into the blessings that were already promised to us. The rest comes when we simply agree with God in every area of our life.

July 25, 2010 - As we read through the miracles in the Bible there is a teaching for us in all of them. To enter into the miracle of intercession we are called to obtain the miraculous and also offer the miraculous to others. We are called to praise Him for the miracles and also pray for miracles for others. Intercession is a choice we make to petition God on behalf of someone else. We reach out to God with one hand and we extend our other hand to His people. God is raising up an army of intercessors who will prevail in prayer until they get the breakthrough!

July 18, 2010 - Peter's problem was not that he was impetuous or quick at the lip. At the base of all Peter's issue was the Cross. The Cross doesn’t promise that when we agree to walk with God that the storms in our lives will cease. The Cross doesn’t offer a “mountain top” religion with all glory and no pain. There is nothing pretty or desirable about the Cross. Nobody wants to suffer or have the deepest issues of their heart uprooted. Nevertheless the Cross must become central to a Christian's life. When we choose to identify with the Cross we are choosing to die to a self-centered life and to live a life that is others-centered. Sometimes the biggest Cross we have to bear is coming to terms with the fact that we cannot bear our cross in our own strength. Give up your “power” to help yourself and let God's power lift you up and take you where you cannot go in your own strength.

July 18, 2010 - What a mess we make in the Kingdom of God when we try to perfect or complete the work of God in the natural. Jesus Christ brings true victory to those who simply walk in faith. We must cast off the natural and come back to the supernatural power of God. It is a wonderful thing to be led of the Spirit. It is an awful thing to be led by the flesh. God gives us His Word and with His Word comes supernatural strength. Whatever you are struggling with God will make a way of escape. God is faithful and you will not be triumphed over.

July 11, 2010 – What does it mean to die? We are given an invitation from Christ to follow Him into His death so that His life can be manifested in us. If we attempt to hold on to a false view of ourselves and our own sense of what we think our life should be, we risk losing the glory of God that could have been revealed to us and through us. Jesus was born to die and born to be given for others. True life comes when we are totally abandoned to the work of God. The power of the Christian life is found in being given for others. Our Cry must be “Father glorify your name!”

July 11, 2010 - There will be many seasons in our life when our heart becomes heavy and we are tempted to draw back from what the Lord is calling us to do. When you get tempted to quit, fix your eyes on Jesus our Savior who was crucified with His arms open wide so He could embrace humanity. Whenever times get rough allow the Cross to lead you to a totally surrendered life. The ability not to quit comes from the power of the Cross. We don't give up, because in the deepest part of our suffering Jesus is there and He promises never to leave us. We are called to make an imprint of freedom for next generation.

July 6, 2010 - When we attempt to stand in our own strength we can be sure we will fall. Pride tells us we can do things in our own strength - independent from God. It is important to remember that in the midst of our struggles and failures Jesus is praying that our faith will not fail. When you fail don't throw in the towel. Keep coming back to God so He can pick you up and give you the courage and strength to go on. Pride will take us down but humility will cause is to stand by God's grace. The only way we can be victorious is in Christ. This message reminds us that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us!

July 4, 2010 - As Christians we must understand the power of praise and how it affects our lives. We all have problems but we also have a God in heaven who wants to solve them. Satan is always reducing God and increasing our problems. But when we are in the atmosphere of praise we begin to see everything in the right perspective. God gets bigger, our problems get smaller and Satan has to flee. We can choose to praise God and thank Him for His mercy and faithfulness. Praise Him because we know He is the answer to all our problems. God is greater than anything we will go through and He is able to accomplish the impossible. Let's make a choice to stop worrying and start praising God. The One who saved us can keep us!

July 4, 2010 - This message encourages us to take every opportunity to intentionally bring to mind what Jesus Christ accomplished for us on Cavalry's Tree. So that we will be able to endure in times of difficulty and not grow proud in times of prosperity. Jesus gives us a mandate to remember all He has done for us. We must remember when we had no hope and no strength and God stretched out His hand and freed us from all our bondage. Also, remember to love, esteem and pray for the body of Christ. Lastly, remember the lost. Don't forget to care for the people who don't necessarily care for you. Remember the Cross and what Jesus sacrificed for us so we can live in true freedom.

June 29, 2010 - There will come a time in the life of every Christian believer when we can have the privilege of defending God's character against the devil. The enemy comes with a lie within the lie. First he lies to us about ourselves and then he lies about God. Ultimately he attempts to distract and deceive to keep us out of the prayer closet and out of our Bibles. Ultimately the attack is always against the goodness and faithfulness of God. In Christ we have the power and the privilege to declare that God is good, God's will is best and His love for us endures forever. When the enemy comes like a flood don't run away from God, run into His arms and declare His goodness and watch the devil have to flee!

June 27, 2010 - When we come to Christ we must by faith believe that our sins were paid in full by His precious Blood. The Bible says He was wounded for our transgressions and He was bruised for our iniquities. The sacrifice was made one time and we don’t have to smite the Rock (Jesus) again. We don’t have to keep going to an altar call for salvation every time we fail. Salvation leads us into the completeness of Christ and we are invited to come boldly the throne of grace when we are weak and struggling. It doesn't matter what your need is today, come to Jesus and begin to speak to Him. Don't wait until you are strong, come when your weak and pour out your heart to Him. You can walk in assurance and confidence because of the Blood. Come and speak to Jesus, He wants to hear your voice.

June 20, 2010 - When we fail to appreciate the provision of God and don’t understand where He is leading us we will go backwards instead of forward. What a tragedy when we don’t see the divine purpose for our life and the Bible becomes a closed book. God provides for us manna from heaven and all the strength we need for our journey. It doesn't matter how difficult our trials become, we are called to go into the Bible and get God's vision for our lives because it will strengthen you and those around you. We serve the God of the miraculous and if we get into His Word there will be all the provision we need so that as the years go by we will be like a green tree full of fresh oil.

June 15, 2010 - When fear and doubt try to captivate you and your back is against the wall cry out to God and He will hear and answer you. God will send angels to protect you. God is near to those who recognize their need for him. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord promises to deliver His people. This message reminds us to go after the right things and turn away from the wrong things and when you need God the most He is just as close as the mention of His name. When was the last time you cried out to God? Psalm 34 says the poor man cried out and God delivered him from all his fears.

June 13, 2010 - We are living in a time when all the options of a safe and secure future are running out. The Church of Jesus Christ will never fully know the miracles of God's compassion until we run out of resources. We need a vision of our smallness combined with a vision of God's greatness. Jesus will wait until all human effort and reasoning are gone so we don't take credit for His miracles. A great touch of God is coming to those with a childlike faith who bring Jesus the little they have so He can multiply it.