One of the benefits of having attended a University (outside the opportunity of exercising faith and discipline by paying back school loans) is the opportunity to have studied great thinkers.  Although, very few of those great thinkers were fellow brothers in the Faith, I learned a considerable amount from them.  In the process of filtering this information through Jehovah’s divine spirit, I discerned how to create a synthesis in the context of biblical truth.

One great thinker I studied is Robert Putnam.  He is a political scientist who wrote challenging writings on a philosophy termed, “Social Capital”.  Social Capital is the connection among individuals, dedication to community, development of trustworthiness, and the commitment to others.  He believes American society has dramatically lost its social, civic, and communal value due to intentional isolation.  It can be simplified to mean “Social Worth/Contribution”. 

Community has lost its value, parents are stuck in the Rat Race, young adults keep their faces in their laptops while inhaling Starbucks and teenagers spend all day on Myspace and Facebook.  Furthermore, I can’t help but think that the Church (not just the building, but the believers) is losing its “Social Capital”.  Are we investing our time in people or plans and programs?  Are we sacrificing Biblical truth for Cultural relevance?  Are we introducing people to the Christian GOD or a Christian Culture? Does the Christian even comprehend the value of his or her life/calling? 
In the book of Lamentations chapter 1, Jeremiah proclaims that Israel has lost her value do to the lack of vision and sin that has infiltrated the camp.  Because of this behavior God gave them over to their enemies.  These very same enemies, who feared and respected Israel because of their GOD, now laugh and mock at their nakedness and desolation.  Israel lost their Social Capital within their borders and outside their borders, because they lost connection with their GOD.  Of course I never see my behavior as Naked and Desolate (because I sometimes underestimate my shortcomings), but I can’t help but evaluate my every decision and say, “Am I living the Abundant Life?”  Are we keeping the main thing, the main thing?
We are the boom box of heaven (2 COR 5:20), a walking, talking billboard.  We are evidence of the Glory of God.  We are an advertisement of the sacrifice of Christ and transformation of the Holy Spirit.  It may seem like lofty expectations, but we must understand this is a GOD who demands perfection (1 Peter 1:15).  We must live our life in a manner worthy of the calling (Eph 4:1, 2 Thess 1:11, Col 1:10, Phil 1:27, 1 Thess 2:12).  Not as an attempt to earn righteousness, but as a heartfelt expression of thanksgiving to God for the righteousness he supplied to us through his Son. This can only be done by total submission unto the Spirit (Gal 5:16) and the Grace of El Elyon (Titus 2:11-13).  Some of us will admit that our boom box has been muted for sometime now.  Some of our lives, if turned up, will blast something dissonantly disappointing.  Some of us have lost touch with the instruction manual. 
So in comprehension of all that was just presented…in order to regain our Social Capital….we have one phrase…TURN MY LIFE UP!
I desire to be a boom-box for GOD’S eternal message “TURN MY LIFE UP”
I desire for the world to be more impressed with my life than my talent “TURN MY LIFE UP”
I’m frustrated with the casual innocuous faith I’ve been walking out ” TURN MY LIFE UP”
I believe God wants our happiness to stem from our holiness “TURN MY LIFE UP”
I desire to be a speaker through which Christ’s life echoes and reverberates in such a way that it stimulates others to not just listen, but to tune in to the same station. “TURN MY LIFE UP”
We make these statements not in arrogance, but in humble desperation to bring Glory to Elohim, through lives that confirm the message.  Before we Turn Our Lives Up we must get aquatinted with some of the buttons.
Play - Place of Service
Whether we decide to become a Pastor of a church, a Master latte maker, or an Electrical Engineer (Col 3:23), how will you die to yourself everyday and take up your cross for the Kingdom Agenda. (Luke 9)  Without any doubt our allegiance should be to the church (2 Cor 6:14). We should offer our gifts, money, time and talent to the Church for the admonishing, equipping and building up of one another.  Our lives are to be a sacrifice for his use (Roman 12:1) this is what Paul considered to be worship.
Fast Forward - Forward vision/Multiplying of Your life
Are we as followers of Christ continuing the Family Business that he left behind (Acts)?  Are we investing in the lives of men/women so that when we die or move on, the Family Business will continue (2 Tim 2:2)? Christ commissioned the disciples to reproduce the very thing He imparted in them. (Matt 28:19) This is part of GOD’s tactic on how to reach the lost and train up faithful men. The future of the faith depends on it.
Stop - Elimination
Eliminating sin before sin eliminates you (Genesis 4:7).  Many of us in the Faith are snared by our sin.  The lack of eliminating usless, harmful practices keep us from living the Abundant Life that we were given and promised.  Some may think I’m speaking of just physical sin.  But I speak primarily of doubt, busyness, weak faith, and apathy. Do we really strive to be perfect? Or do we do enough to just ease the conscious?  It is equally important to have authentic fellowship and accountability to keep us from sin. (Hebrew 3:13)  (Proverb 28:13), 
Pause - Simplify your life
Some many of us spend all day in classes learning of Ecclesiology, seminars on evangelism, and ministry planning meetings that we never get to really apply the stuff we learn.  The Pharisees were always busy with STUFF, while Jesus was always busy with PEOPLE. Its not coincidence that the commandments went from 10 to 2 (Mark 12:30-31) to save us from our personal checklist.  This should remove us from a works based agenda to Faith based.
Rewind - Remember
Remembering the faithfulness of God and how he will provide your needs (Deut 15:15, Matt 6:25-34). If we could only consistently remember how loving and faithful Jehovah is to his children, then we would live such victorious lives, in him.  GOD instructed his worshippers to set milestones in remembrance of HIS faithfulness.  During the Passover Moses reminded Israelites that GOD would “fight their battle while they remained silent.” (Exod 14:14) He demanded they pass on the memory of that day to their children and that it would serve as a, “sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead…” (Exod 13:9)  However, so often we forget that GOD remains undefeated and is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Eph 3:20).
By no stretch of the imagination, is this an exhaustive blueprint for the Believer to live the Abundant Life of Jesus Christ. We pray you would steadily seek GOD’S face in scripture. Communicate with him in Prayer. Love the gathering of believers together.  Submit to the Holy Spirit. And offer you life as a living sacrifice to him. We just want to give you the proper instructions on how to TURN YOUR LIFE UP.
Live at a Ten!

About the Author:
Sho Baraka is an artist with Reach Records, as well as a talented videographer.  Get ready for his debut album “Turn My Life Up” dropping in October!