The Room

Inspiration for a Song

Andre Soto — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:33:14 +0000

I wear my heart on the outside. Exposed to the elements,, fragile, at the mercy of those close enough to touch it, see it. It’s there for those who need it. Yet sealed with Gods love. You can’t break it, even if you try, cause he will restore it. It grows. I can’t keep it in. That’s why, I wear my heart on the outside. -Andre

journey to the unknown…

Monica R. Rodriguez — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:47:35 +0000

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Word from the Lord to the Church:

“I am with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. You are my beloved and my beloved is mine.

I am with you and I will never leave you. If you can understand the depths of my love, if you can understand that nor height nor depth nor principalities nor what is and what was will separate you from my love. I am going to do something amazing in you, says the Lord. Just wait and hide under the shadows of my wings and you will find new strength and you will rise like the eagles wings and you will walk and not grow weary. You will run and not be afraid.

I love you, says the Lord. All of you. And there is nothing I will not do for you, says the Lord. I am so fond of you and my affection is great towards you and healing is for you. My provisions is for you. My love is for you. My second chance is for you. My mercy, my grace is sufficient for you. Those who know me will hear my voice and they will know that it is I, says the Lord. I am that I am. I am your God. I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac and I am the God of Jacob. And I am your God. I do not change. I remain the same. My plan for you is great. Just hold on, says the Lord.

Know that I love you. Words cannot describe my love towards you. How I know every curve and curvature of your face. Every hair on your head I have counted. I have fashioned you with my own hands. Before you were formed in your mother’s womb I knew you and I have loved you. I love you when your near me and I love you when you are far. I love you when you doubt me and I love you when you believe me. I love you when you question me and I love you when you ask no questions. I love you when your frustrated and I love you when you’re at peace. I love you when you’re angry and I love you when you are filled with joy. It doesn’t matter. It never mattered. What matters is that you know me and that draw near to me.

Peace I give you, love I give you. Just take it, it’s free. I love you. And I will always love you. Always.”

(Prophecy vessel: Sofia Gonzalez)

Choose HIM…

Andre Soto — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:08:43 +0000

From the moment we wake up in the morning, till the moment we rest our head, we are bombarded with choices. Will we stay in bed, or will we start our day? Do I have time to eat, or should I just take my shower? Should I go to work, or call off? Do these jeans make me look fat? This is not really a choice, but you get my point. We continue to make choices through-out our entire day. Its hard to go even a couple minutes, with out making some kind of decision. Over time, the choices we make tend to synthesize our make-up as a single human-being. One big decision leading to another. It gives us a kind of character, substance.

The funny thing about choices, is that once your faced with one, you can’t NOT make a choice. Think about it. If you have the choice to try shrimp, or not to try it. Or if your boss gives you an assinment, and you have the choice to do, or to not do it. You can’t say, “I choose option C”. There is no option C!! You either do, or you don’t. You can’t not do either because what will happen is you’ll end up doing one or the other. How is it that we can be constrained into these situations. Most of the time, we would rather not make a choice, but once it’s presented, theres no hiding from it, cause even by doing nothing, you would have already made your choice.

Choices for the most part are essentially two ‘ways’, or two ‘paths’.

Two. Options.

It seems the most important choices in our lives come in this form, and they often showcase our deepest intentions. They cut to the core of us, because when we have no choice but to choose; we show ourselves true.*

These ‘dual options” can be narrowed down into two ‘catagories’ so to speak. When we’re faced with a ‘dual option’, what you’ll find is the Long term, and the Short term choice. For exsample, in the option of not eating breakfast. The short term choice would be to skip the meal, which we all know will mess with our metabolism for the day, which often slows us down(makes us fat). So obviously the long term choice is to eat breakfast. Quite simply, the long term choice, is more gratifying in the long run. If you choose to write a book, instead of sleeping in all day, guess what the long term choice is? Because getting drunk might seem like a good idea at the moment(short term), but the long term repercutions could be quite harmfull. Long term choice, would obviously be the healthier aproach. I believe Long term decisions have a way of gratifying the human spirit. This Long term choice is essential to who we are as spiritual beings. Our spirits, are of that of Gods spirit, not bound by space and time. It is our inermost being. Our ‘true self’. It lives not for the moment. It simply is. The word says God breathed the breath of LIFE into adam. This is the indication of the spirit. So if the spirit God gives is life, I wonder what death is?

The absence of Gods spirit in us?

The most momentous choice made in human history, can be found in the book of Genesis. We all know the story. The fall of man kind right? Yet most would be mistaken as to when the first choice was presented. What God gives Adam and Eve, in the garden of eden at first, is NOT a choice. He give them a command, a direction…

A path.

One option. ‘You may eat of any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for you will surely die”. He did not say, ‘OR you can eat from the tree of good and evil. No! You must not! No options here, and this seemed easy enough for them. Until they were presented with another option.

Two options, two paths, one choice.

You know the story, Eve runs into the serpent, the serpent tells her she will be like God in that she will know right from wrong. She eats it gives it to Adam, they find out they’re naked, they run from God, their kids never get along. It’s just one big tragic spiral effect. Like others, you’ve probably asked. Why? Why did God put that tree there? Right in the middle of the garden where they could easily run into it? And why did God let that serpent trick that poor woman into eating the fruit? Why was it a tree of the knowledge of good and evil? If he knew we would fall, why would he put it there? Dosen’t God know all things? Why, why, WHY?!?!?

I would tell you that you answerd your own quetion. Listen…

God is not looking for a substance-less heart.

He’s not looking for blind devotion.

He doesn’t want concise worship.

It would not be authentic, it would not be real.

What happend when they ate the fruit is, that they made the choice, to choose. Just having the knowledge of good and evil is not enough. God wants to know, we’re still on his path. The path of life. Spiritual life that last now and forever.

Because God knew we would fall. Yet because he is a just and rightious God, he gave us the right path, yet God even uses evil for his divine purpose. Evil is not some ravenous being who’s wild and can take you down by force, No, he’s just a voice, another option. Cause its all about choice. We needed to know about good and bad. Cause God wants to be sure that even though, you could choose yourself, you could choose casual sex, you could choose drugs, and alcohol, you could choose momentary pleasure(short term), you could choose a dead relationship, you could choose fame and money. We could choose all this stuff we cherish…..

Yet..

That we would still..

Choose…

Him…..

That has meaning

That has depth

It shows our true self

God wants to take us from the pain that self pleasure brings. He wants us to understand a life of sorrow, a dead life; so we could further appreciate a life of freedom. True freedom in him. You know how it feels when you accomplish something you’ve been putting off for awhile, you feel worry-less, without stress, free. God gave us this gift in a grand scale, and he did this over and over in history, until he sealed the deal with the death of Jesus. Who became sin, and destroyed death.

A second chance.

Yet its still about choice.

You make them every day. And God loved us SO MUCH. That he gave us the right, to choose him. God deserves to be chosen. He gives us the chance, everyday. If there is anything you learn from this, please take this:

The BEST choice you could ever make, is the one that allows you to continue to make other choices.

Thats what its about, God just wants us to see the freedom we recive in him. We are spiritual beings, who make long term choices, cause we’re not from this world. We were all made to know, and love as God does. Cause God is love! And though we slip and fall, make the wrong choices, trip over the same hurdles over and over again. God hears the cry of the opressed, and he sees the hearts of the condemed; and he will always set them free, but its in your strongest moments where your choices count the most.

What are you doing with your life. Are you on the path that God gave us through Jesus christ, a beautifal life of total dependancey on God through selflessness? Or are you still living for the short term events that plague your spirit? Giving a sence of plaesure yet ultimatly leaving you feeling empty, day..

after day,

after day.

The choice is yours. Though I think the way is clear.

Choose HIM..

-Andre

Just for laughs

Andre Soto — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:07:27 +0000

So I was sifting through old videos, when I came across this gem. This is one of the first videos we made as “the room”. Its old, so pay no attention to the out of date web site, or to the fact that I was 10 lbs heavier……….. Enjoy!

Broken of da Beauty…

Monica R. Rodriguez — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:16:49 +0000

I will never forget where I came from. Who I was and what I’ve seen. I can’t go back and can’t change the inevitable… still yet His voice calls me.

For about a year I’ve been broken. Better said, bruised. Bruised because what inflicted me was pain from the inside. The type of pain hidden by a smile of beauty, only felt when pressed by the reality of this new life.

My foundation has been shattered. My walls have come down. All there is left inside of me are the stone’s of rubble. Waiting… Piling. Smile is now gone and what is left? A broken body, no longer a beauty.

What does this matter? What is da point? This now means what once held my walls together are no longer there and what is building my foundation now is a Builder of which I have never known at this capacity ever in my life before! It means that in the canvas of a shattered wall of rubble Christ is picking up my pieces, little by little, piece by piece. Because to Him every piece matters, every piece counts. Some stones won’t be piled at the bottom anymore like they use to lie. Devotion, relationship, family… those wont be piled at the bottom this time. Some stones just wont make da cut this time around. Hey, I am not da Master mind behind this creation, take it up with Him.

My heart… it won’t be piled at the very top, where it can easily chip away with time. It will be placed in the very center, covered and protected by other stones. My faith… oh, that is my foundation! It is what my entire life is built upon.

And as Jesus builds me again piece by piece, He encourages me along da way to put away with just a smile of beauty and let da beauty of my brokenness be my strength.

I will never forget where I came from, for it is that which has caused the “Beauty of a Broken Mo”, a broken beauty. I now smile because I know my Builder in not done with me. To be continued…

-Mo

thank you to all my roomies… you have made it possible for me to emerge into what, I’m still not sure. But you have loved, accepted and taken me in anyway. @joelsroom My friend, my pastor, thank you for being a man of da word. This series, “Beauty of da Broken” has set me free…

itouch blog

Andre Soto — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:20:46 +0000

I downloaded a wordpress app for my itouch. I never really found a use for it, until right now. Whenever I want to inform you guys on the simplicities of the room. I shall do so in this short, micro, twitter like post. How does that sound? I ask, though you do not have a choice. Just kidding.

Todays topic? Prayer! We all need it. No one is excempt from pain, doubt, or failure! Yet there is much more than your circumstances. And there are people who care. If a part of the body is not right, you often find that the rest of the body has trouble functioning. As we learned this week. We are all part of one body, that is the church. We function, as one. So if you need help or prayer, I beg of you, let us know. We want you to be a healthy organism, in this body. We are your family.

So give us your prayers! I’ll start.

Pray for my future. My ability to listen to Gods direction, as far as my schooling, and decision making. And that my devotion to him surpasses all other passions. Thank you.

So let’s hear them prayers roomies! It’s time to step out in faith. We are here.

-Andre

P.S I guess this turned out to be a little more than just a twitter like post…

Less is more….

Andre Soto — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:08:52 +0000

I was watching David Letterman last night, and this man, whose name escapes me, told a story of a friend,who seemed to be overly equitable. Too, charitable if you will. He said his friend was one of those people whom you could not complement. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. If you said he had a nice watch; he would immediately take it off and hand it to you. If you saw a painting at his house and you said it was beautiful; he took it right off the wall and gave it to you. The man continued to tell how; one time when he and his friend had walked out of a theatre, this women came up to his friend out of nowhere. She said that her husband was a big fan of his. The friend that is. She also said her husband was ill, and that an autograph would make him feel better.(Cause we all know a signature can heal all sicknesses). So he signed his name, but while he did, he noticed the lady looking at his cuff-links. Now, mind you these were $1,000 cuff-links. Yet when he noticed the women looking, he took them right off and said, “Here, give these to your husband too’. The women was befuddled, but before she could say anything, the two men had gone in the car. Once inside, the man, telling the story, asked his friend why he had given away $1,000 cuff-links to some stranger. The friend replied, ” If you possess something, that you can’t give up, that thing, possesses you”. Surprisingly, the man who said that, was Frank Sinatra.

Now, if you know anything about Frank Sinatra, he was notan all-round good guy. He was a troubled man who, too often dealt with the Mafia. Yet (If the truth be told) Sinatra knew something vital to a healthy life, that most ‘christians’ don’t even know. Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you to give everything you have if complimented. Nor am I implying that you should let people swindle you. Franky was a rich son of a gun, who could have bought a tub full of cuff-links. Yet even he knew, that to whom much is given, much is also required. My point is simple.

Are you assuredly free, without a doubt? Or are you being held captive? Ask yourself. Is there anything on this earth, that you must have and can’t go without? I’m not just talking solely about objects. Has your lust for something better, clouded the beauty of what you have? You know your a slave, when you do something, that deep down you really don’t want to do. Yet we fail to realize, we were meant to be free. Its our God given gift. So what is it that you can’t live with out? Is it having the most up to date clothing? Is it the technology that consumes your life? Nothing wrong with these things. Whats wrong, is these things may be stored in your heart, when your heart needs room for more meaningful things. What has your heart? What has most of your time? Jesus said you can observe the condition of ones heart, by seeing their fruits. Basically, what are you investing your heart soul, and timein? I have to ask you again. What is it that is holding you captive? Is it porn? Is it money? Is it alcohol? These things present pleasure for the moment, yet blind you from whats really there. Why invest anytime in these things, when God says he will provide the desires of your HEART! Not your body. More meaningful, purposeful things. Your HEART! Starting to see a pattern here? If only we knew how sick we make God sometimes. He’s given us so much, yet we miss the point. That’s why Jesus had to come to restore things. When the rich man boasted about keeping the law, Jesus replied so beautifully, and told him to sell everything he has and give it to the poor, and to follow him. The man couldn’t, there were things he could not let go of.(Luke18;20) He was a slave to his own possessions. Jesus wasn’t worried about how good he was, he just wanted his heart. Jesus just wants your heart, your time, your devotion. Everything else is practically obsolete. Don’t misinterpret me guys. I’m not telling you to sell everything you have. I’m simply asking, if you would be able to, and still trust God. This is why Jesus came to earth. To save us from being consumed by things that blind us, and things that aren’t even important. He came to show us that his love, can absolve all bonds, and all boundaries. Seek him first, and he will free you. Its that simple.

I pray, God that you make us a generation, that is truly free. With the ability to make meaningful decisions. We strive for your heart, Lord God. Nothing else matters. Help us to find our identity in you. Help us to just be, that what you meant for us to be, since the beginning of man…..Free. I thank you for making love the answer, and providing us the desires of our hearts. Reign is us Lord God. Help us understand that less of what is meaningless, is more of you. In your name I pray this.

Amen.

-Andre

A Catechism

Andre Soto — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:58:50 +0000

What would happen if we lived our everyday life for other people? What if we spent most of our life tending to others? What if we loved those who hate us? What if we spent more time seeking Gods face, rather then worrying about our own desires? What if we healed, and saved lives? What if the words of God were constantly on our lips? What if we gave more OF our selves, rather than TO ourselves? What if the world looked at us, as weird and different? What if the church went out, into the world, instead of keeping the thing of God behind walls? What if we really were the Mirror image of Christ?

I think the better question is: Do we really need to ask?

No more questions. Let’s do. Let’s be.

-Andre