This song “Killa” is amazing. Not only is the production and sound tickling to the ears, but the message is extremely sobering. Lecrae raps about sin. Choosing sin over choosing wisdom. He raps about proverbs 5 as well as other texts. The female singing in the hook represents sin and she is all so seductive and alluring. I can definitely relate to battling her alluring whispers in my ear. But no matter how seductive she is, I must remember that she’s a killa!

For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil,
but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
her steps follow the path to Sheol;
she does not ponder the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it. Proverbs 5:3-6

(Killa 7x)
Uh, I know it’s going to kill me but I just can’t let it go
And the taste so appealing it’s got a grip upon my soul
These honey dip lies mesmerize me
Pride’s got its crooked fingers twisted all inside in me
Fools walk the path I’m on, never to be seen again
Sipping on seduction while we eating on some secret sin
(No one will ever know) says the whisper in my ear
And I know I should be over this, but I ain’t seeing clear
And I ain’t leaving here, unless somebody save me
Walking to my grave letting evilness enslave me
Evil looks so lovely covered in her lace of lies
And the silky smooth seduction just manipulates my mind
Her fabrical fabrication is fueling my fascination
While I’m intoxicated she starts her assassination
I’m losing all my honor and my years to the merciless
Giving all my life away but I’m just so immersed in this (Killa)

Hook:
Baby this is innocent (Killa) it won’t even hurt a little bit (Killa)
I’m only here for your benefit (Killa) I’m your every wish (Killa)
Come on and let me in (Killa), baby this is innocent (Killa)
And it won’t even hurt a little bit (Killa) Close your eyes and let’s get lost tonight
(Killa) It’ll be alright? You’ll see I’m (?) (Killa)

Her feet go down to DEATH, so don’t let her consume you
Even though her heart is black, her exterior’s beautiful
She’ll take your life away, strip away your joy
Pretends that she gon build you up but she’s just gon destroy you
My friends fell low, when they was so high
Got me running scared of myself, no lie
And I know I’m gon die, I tried cold turkey
But when I’m feeling worthy, Satan’s sure trying to merk me
I’m doing myself dirty, flirting with what’s perverted
I should follow the word but I guess I’d rather be murdered
(Eh-hreehmm) —Excuse me I mean martyred ‘cause I’m killing myself
My sin conceived a baby, and we gon name it death, breath
(Gasps) —Taken, she take my breath away
Replaces it with poison and I’m so swept away
I need some bread today hope I wake up
Before they start my wake up somebody make me break up
I’m dating a (Killa)

When I hear the word “truth”, I think of when Jesus was talking to Pontius Pilate in John 18.

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?” John 18:37-38

What is truth? Men and women have been asking this question for generations. It is not a new concept that Generation X sparked. If you, as a Christian, have ever gotten into a discussion or debate about truth then this song will sound very familiar to you. Lecrae goes through some of the most popular arguments held by moral relativists and the like. This song actually reminds me of a very interesting “discussion” me and my friend Lubee had with three atheists/former seeker sensitive youth group kids outside of a Starbucks one Sunday. I believe I heard every one of these arguments from them.

[Spoken:]
Bring it drums (Yah)
This song right here
Is for everybody out there looking for truth
Who says, you know
We all in the same boat
Yeah, Christians and Muslims, everybody like that, huh
Yow, you lookin’ for truth
Oh, I’ve got some answers man
So good to be
Ah, let’s get into it

Verse 1:
Let’s go
Night and Day I ain’t scared to say that we different
They play the prostitute but they like to say they just intimate
And Idols in their heart, they can’t seem to lose their grip on it
See them walkin’ in the direction that King Agrippa went
Our World is different like Whitley and Wayne man
They say we look the same but we ain’t chasin’ the same thing
It all boils down to they think everythings relative
Jesus might as well be a South American president
Very evident, they say that Jesus was heaven sent
They lifestyle reflects they worship themselves instead of Him
They don’t acknowledge the Christ if they did they wouldn’t worship themselves by the way that they live
All these rappers say they got guns that spray off 16
I’ve got a Luke 9 that can take all 16
That’s the Bible the one they quote
But they don’t care about the author they think he’s a joke.

[Spoken:]
“Man, It’s just some folks say, “All truth is relative, it just depends on what you believe.” You know, “hey man, ain’t no way to know for sure who God is or what’s really true.” But that means you believe your own statement; that there’s no way to know what’s really true. You’re saying that that statement is true. You’re killing yourself. If what’s true for you is true for you and what’s true for me is true for me, what if my truth says your’s is a lie? Is it still true? Come on man! ”

I promise everybody is asking the same questions
“Who am I? What is my purpose and my direction? ”
Y’probably believe that you exist for no other reason
Than Self-satisfaction, hedonism and pleasing things
Life’s about you getting’ yours and bein’ happy
Even if it means a divorce and switchin’ families?
Your job, your house, your car, your spouse
It’s all for the glory of you, Elsh-u-ou
You go to school get y’ degrees and get a job
So you can make a whole lotta’ cheese cause’ lifes hard
You never thought of livin to please a real God
And that’s the reason he made you
See, he gave you breathe to breathe the chest to breathe it.
So you can taste and see He’s the best, believe it
He made us for His glory and not for your own homey
Our God is Holy. You should repent and die slowly

[Spoken:]
“See, there’s this thing called “Secular Humanism”, it says man is the source of all meaning and all purposing. You know what I’m saying? We’re just the result of a big cosmic explosion. We don’t really have a purpose or meaning, so we just come up with our own purpose. We’re the source of our meaning and our purpose. How can a man, which is the product of chance, a finite being be the source of purpose and meaning? You can’t! You’re created with purpose man! Get with The Creator yo! ”

Man, everybody got a problem with God
And when you mention the Christ
Then they really get to turning the nod
But some say they roll with Christ
But some rappers made it seem like He was cool
With all the sin in their life
NO!
But then some say “How can God exist when
All this evil stuff in the world keep persistin’?
Wrong question. Ask again.
“How come God ain’t’ let you feel the wrath from sin? ”
What you thought last night deserved a first class flight
To Hell where God doesn’t dwell. You got that right
But He bought back life, on a cross that night
Christ died, you ain’t know that he crossed that price?
All of God’s anger poured on His Son
Then together, through all of eternity. Now He was shunned.
Praise God for the life that was won for us
Ain’t got a beef with God because the Son was crushed

[Spoken:]
You look man, “Some people say that God ain’t real ’cause they don’t see how a good God can exist with all this evil in the world. If God is real then He should stop all this evil, ’cause He’s all-powerful right? What is evil though man? It’s anything that’s against God. It’s anything morally bad or wrong. It’s murder, rape, stealing, lying, cheating. But if we want God to stop evil, do we want Him to stop it all or just a little bit of it? If He stops us from doing evil things, what about lying, or what about our evil thoughts? I mean, where do you stop, the murder level, the lying level, or the thinking level? If we want Him to stop evil, we gotta be consistent, we can’t just pick and choose. That means you and I would be eliminated right? Because we think evil stuff. If that’s true, we should be eliminated! But thanks be to God that Jesus stepped in to save us from our sin! Christ died for all evilness! Repent, turn to Jesus man! ”

-Lecrae
-After The Music Stops
-Reach Records

Yeah, I got a question, after the show, after the set, after the music stops, what’s next? Are we just writing songs or are we concerned with uniting a people to follow the great commission of Christ.
Yeah let’s get it, let’s go…

Back in the day I was a lunch line rapper, after that I guess I was a punch line rapper, then I got saved and sometime after, ya boy came back as a frontline rapper, and when I say the frontlines, that’s not a frontline, I’m out here preachin’ Christ on the frontlines, and no it ain’t about rockin’ stages ‘coz some of my engagements are out on the pavements yeah.
I’m out to take the bible, create disciples, who make disciples, disciple-cycles, that’s why I want the beats to knock so after the music stops you can meet the rock i pray, that you would know him well, this is like show and tell, it’s more than a show, I’m showing you Emmanuel,
So yeah I’m hopin’ that you’re likin’ the flow but it’s only so you could know that God I’m writing it for let’s go…

After the show, after the set, after the music stops what’s next?
Will there be fellowship, prayer, disciples, will you open your bibles after the music stops.
After it’s over, after it ends, after the music stops, what then?
Will you understand that Christ is King? Or will you just like the words we sing after the music stops.

I recorded a couple songs some fast some slow, so the listeners would know the importance of the show, the importance of the show’s not to excite these folks but make God’s truth relevant, ignite these folks.
Discipleship is our call but we make disciples, this is not a suggestion, create disciples. The teachin’ is a process, it’s not over night and it’s not a stage and a mic nah, it’s life on life Christ -
Walked with twelve, ate with twelve, talked with twelve, shaped the twelve, invested in ‘em well you could say that he made the twelve. Who made many more, who made plenty more, now it’s on you and me if there’s anymore.
1 teach, 2 teach, 3 teach, 4 teach, 5 teach, 6 teach, 7 teach more, this is what we’ve been commissioned, it’s the reason why I write, so that you could hear the truth, not so you can say I’m tight whoa…

After the show, after the set, after the music stops what’s next?
Will there be fellowship, prayer, disciples, will you open your bibles after the music stops.
After it’s over, after it ends, after the music stops, what then?
Will you understand that Christ is King? Or will you just like the words we sing after the music stops.

So, we write this for the right the speaker was righteous, and then we might check for a culture who likes the hypeness. Some say we keep it crunk, some say we hype man; we just wanna pump the resurrection of the Christ man.
We in the -burbs and the hoods that’s hostile, we share a common view like synoptic Gospels and you know we keep a couple young dudes around us and teach ‘em the same truth God used to ground us.
This is a lifestyle so, when the mic’s down I pray people follow Christ when they turn the lights down. I pray that everybody playin’ this song will be challenged by everything I had to say in this song.
I don’t do this for the money, I don’t do this for fame, I don’t do this so the industry can know my name, I do this and host to glorify Yeshua the King, if you’re feelin’ me you know you should be doin’ the same let’s go…

After the show, after the set, after the music stops what’s next?
Will there be fellowship, prayer, disciples, will you open your bibles after the music stops.
After it’s over, after it ends, after the music stops, what then?
Will you understand that Christ is King? Or will you just like the words we sing after the music stops.

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin! -Psalm 51:1-2

Man, have I gone through this. I remember my first semester in Bible College falling into sin that I never thought I would. I literally felt like the scum of the earth. And long story short, this was the main factor for me not returning to school once that semester was done. I couldn’t shake the guilt or sliminess that I felt from then on. This particular sin messed me up real bad. I went to school on fire and looking to become a faithful preacher of God’s word and pastor to His people. But instead, after one semester I bowed out and retreated back to home base to get my head and other things together. A year and a half later, I’m still feeling the effects of my guilt from that time. So I can definitely understand what Lecrae is going through in this song. As a matter of fact, this song helped out back then in my darkest moments. Lecrae is founding member of the 116 Clique and Reach Records. “Desperate” is off his 3rd album entitled “Rebel”. This is by far his most successful album financially speaking. The album hit number 3 on the iTunes All Hip Hop charts right underneath secular giants, Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy. So Lecrae has definitely made a name for himself and his music. But most importantly, his God.

[Hook: Cam]
I’m so desperate, I can’t believe I’ve sinned against you
Create in me a clean heart (I’m so sorry)
Your mercy is what I need

[Verse 1: Lecrae]
Woke up this morning too depressed and shamed to leave my bed
Can’t stand to see my own reflection so I hang my head
Feel like a disappointment like the scum of the earth
I’m so hurt I know you see I can’t cover my dirt
My souls dying hearts weak and I can’t even cry
I’m sposed to run to you but WHY I’m such an evil guy
The sun’s shining but for me it’s the darkest of days
Try to pretend it never happened but the guilt remains
I leave the house it feels like everybody knows I did it
Feels like they reading my mind and know the sin I committed
Through your blood I’m aquitted but my heart doesnt get it
Oh God I’m desperate for Help cause I’m grieving your Spirit
I couldn’t sing in the sunday service, Lord I felt fake
And when they started communion I just made an escape
I’m in need of your grace
Feels like you hid your face
Lead me back to cross and show me my sins erased

[Verse 2: Lecrae]
I’m waste deep in my pity
Is Satan tryna trick me and tell me you won’t forgive me
Cause it’s startin to get me
Jesus help me quickly I hate wrong I’ve done
I know we all fall but I feel like the only one
Feels like I should be shunned
Should I punish myself
I know it’s dumb cause by your death all my sin has been dealt
But my sin is been felt
I didn’t want to do it
But what I want to do I don’t
I swear I’m gonna to lose it
Try to open my bible I need to read your pages

I need you Lord but my guilt has got me feeling so faithless
Help me see where your face is
Take me back to the basics
Help me find my joy in you and not people and places
My sin is ever before me I turned my back on you
Oh father break and restore me to bring me back to you

[Verse 3: Lecrae]
Have mercy on me God according to your steady love
Wipe away my transgression and wash me in your blood
Create in me a clean heart renew a right spirit
Don’t take your Spirit away your Presence keep me near it
I’m waiting patience on you Lord I know you hear my cry
Restore your Joy in me
For you alone I live and die

It’s you I Glorify cause you don’t want my sacrifice
You want me broken and contrite trusting in the Christ
I confess to you my sin and you show me mercy
I turn away from it demonstrating that you are worthy
Over lust, over pride, over all sin
Is my affection for Jesus is who died for all them
I was lost now I’m found I was toss to the ground
My sin weighed on me heavy but I am no longer bound
As sure as Christ wears the crown
I know that grace will abound
And even when I feel lost I know in You I am found

Fast forward 6 years later and many things have changed but not all. I was saved at 19 and moved a couple hours north. I got a job, found a church and made new friends. I began pursuing a career at 19 while being heavily involved in the churches youth group. Around 20 or 21, God called me to full time ministry. I didn’t know what that meant at the time, but I knew all I wanted to do was serve the Lord. Meanwhile I was jumping from job to job trying to find a place I could move up. I wanted to grow up and be a man who could take care of himself. At about 22, God called me to be a preacher/pastor. With this new found desire, I started to pursue this call. I packed my my bags at 23, moved to Virginia and started attending Liberty University looking to receive my B.A. in Biblical Studies. Long story short, I never finished my degree there. This marks sort of a wilderness experience for me. I went to Bible college to pursue Gods calling on my life. But I left in disobedience because I wanted to live a lazy life indulging in my own sin. Shortly after leaving LU, I moved to NYC to take a great job. My plan was to settle down up there and maybe be in ministry one day. But God wouldn’t let me go. He began to shake my world until I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I knew I was being disobedient and I needed to repent. So I moved back to Florida and got involved in a local church plant. I enrolled in Community College and started serving faithfully in the church.

I am now a full-time student and hold the in house coordinator position in the church. God has made me a rotating preacher and I may be starting seminary classes in January at RTS (Reformed Theological Seminary). I still struggle with laziness and wasting time, but I am learning each day what it means to redeem my time.

To God Alone Be The Glory!

How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? -Proverbs 6:9
The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. -Proverbs 21:25
A little sleep, a little slumber, little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. -Proverbs 24: 33-34