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| Sound Doctrinei'll be honest with you, i have waited 3 years for this day... today Erin and i are going to see The Dark Knight!!! wahoo!!! Currently Batman Begins is my favorite movie, but i have a sneaking feeling that by tonight that will change... i was originally going to see a midnight show on the opening night, but Erin wanted to see it with me first and she wasn't available until today... i do love Batman, but i still love my wife waaay more!!!
anyways, how have you been???
since you can't really answer that immediately, how's about i tell you how i am and have been??? i am doing well... i have been doing okay lately and there was a while in the last few months when i wasn't doing well at all... a few weeks ago during worship at church i got deliverance and i've felt a whole lot better since... i wasn't praying or anything, but being in God's presence just took me from a place of unbelief to one full of faith... all in a relatively short amount of time... i totally didn't expect it, but i am incredibly grateful... thank You Jesus!!!
the name of my next CD will be Sound Doctrine... Sound Doctrine will easily be my best CD to date as it contains some of the best songs i've ever written and also the best quality recording i've ever done... i'm excited it for to be finished, but there is still lots of work to be done... the recording is about 60% done, but the rest of the recording should go a lot faster (now that i know a little better what i'm doing)...
one thing i'm noticing about this CD is that it's moody... i don't know if this makes sense, but when i hear songs there is a "color" or "mood" to them... some songs are intense and almost dark (not in a bad or negative way)... other songs are happy, joyful and bright (even silly at times)... one thing i like about this CD is that there are a lot of other people singing on it and i love that... lots of choruses where everyone is singing and even a solo by another and featuring of others... i've heard a lot of comments about the diversity of Walk With Me (my last album), but Sound Doctrine will blow that away in regards to diversity... there is no genre to this album... if there is one, it's "the Gospel"... that is the whole point of this album, to communicate the Gospel in a way that those unfamiliar can understand...
anyways, i ask for your prayers regarding Sound Doctrine... pray that God give me wisdom and favor in regards to recording, artwork, merchandise, financing and the business aspect of everything... in truth, i see this CD as a soundtrack for revival... it feels really bold to say that, but i feel it's true... when the focus is the Cross, redemption and revival happen!!! | | |
| I’m currently in the Jury Service Lounge awaiting my assignment, if I even get one. In the meantime, I get to blog!!! It’s relatively quiet in here and I feel bad because the keyboard for this computer is one of those really loud ones. Oh well, it’s not my fault I’m such and excellent and forceful typer!!! Anyways, I was really thankful for Pastor Pete’s message yesterday. I think it was one of his best in a while. Not that he hasn’t had good ones lately, just that yesterday’s was extra good! To sum it up, Pastor Pete pointed out how at the beginning of I Corinthians 15, Paul emphasizes the importance of Jesus appearing to so many different people. Why did Jesus appear to them and what’s the big deal about that? Pastor Pete concluded that Jesus’ appearance to these people strengthened and encouraged their faith and enhanced their experience of the Cross. He then said how it’s important that Jesus appear to us often in order to encourage our faith and strengthen us in the Cross. This was a very powerful word for me and I believe it to be very true! I had a debate recently with someone about how it takes a good balance of both experience and discipline to live the Christian life. My friend felt strongly that it was more about discipline than experience, but I felt that it was both, not one more than the other, and more whatever the Holy Spirit is doing in your life (which could be either experience or discipline). Jesus appearing to you (be it during worship, prayer, quiet times, whatever) is essential for every Christian!!! I find this true because if Jesus doesn’t appear to you, then you have only knowledge, and while knowledge itself is fine, what we need is revelation. You cannot receive revelation if Jesus doesn’t appear to you, if He doesn’t reveal Himself to you in the knowledge that you have or have found. For instance, I have knowledge of forgiveness all across the board. I understand what it is, how I should practice it, how it was given to me, how it’s a gift. But if I only have knowledge of that without revelation, than it will be much harder for me to practice it, let alone actually forgive genuinely. Am I making sense here? So what exactly do I mean when I say that Jesus needs to appear to us? I’m not suggesting that we all have to have some sort of open vision where we see the man Jesus. All I mean is that we’ve got to have some sort of experience of His presence regarding any situation in our life. We’ve got to know and experience that He’s there, because if we don’t, we are left to our own efforts and devices. And that’s no good. How do I get Jesus to appear? I don’t know really. You pray. You worship. You get your eyes off yourself and others (very important). Get your eyes off the situations in your ilfe (equally important). And sometimes that takes time. It might even take a lot of time. But you must take the time. If you really want Him to appear, you must take the time. If I don’t see Jesus in tithing, I won’t be tithing from my heart, it will only be religion. I’ll only be performing a task, serving the Law all over again. That’s not what Jesus died for. This post was supposed to be about what it means to abound in the work of the Lord, but that has not happened. I’m okay with that. Perhaps I’ll expound on that at another time… Be blessed! | | |
| “man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” - James 1:20 I had an interesting conversation last night that really highlighted this verse for me. The people I was talking with were upset about certain Christians who make a lot of money, and some who may even abuse the pulpit to support a lavish lifestyle. When it came down to it, it was all about forgiveness to me. They couldn’t or haven’t forgiven those certain Christians for the wrongs they perceived that they had done. Instead, they remained bitter and you could hear the angst in the comments they shared regarding those certain Christians. I don’t support abuse of the pulpit. But regardless of what other people are doing, it’s my job to stay “clean”. To not hold any judgment, bitterness or unforgiveness towards anyone. My anger about someone else’s actions doesn’t bring about anything good. It doesn’t bring about righteousness in someone else and it certainly doesn’t bring about righteousness in me. I find it interesting that Christians, those who are supposed to understand love and forgiveness the most (because they have been loved and forgiven much), often negate love and forgiveness in favor of promoting righteousness, holding others accountable, defending the Faith, skepticism, cynicism and whatever else. But the New Testament is clear about love. That without love, it’s just a bunch of noise (I Cor. 13). And the New Testament is clear about forgiveness. That you have to do it, regardless of what you think, and that God doesn’t really want much from you if you can’t forgive first (Mark 11:25). Even further, Christians should understand grace and mercy the most, yet when we enforce our anger against another person for their perceived lack of righteousness, we are furthest from grace and mercy. In truth, we end up going right back to the Law when we don’t practice grace and mercy, ultimately overlooking the grace and mercy shown to ALL of us on Calvary. Lately I have been thinking about vengeance and salvation. They both belong to God (Lev. 19:18, Rev. 7:10). What that means is, it’s not my job to bring either of those things about in my life or other peoples’ lives. Yes, I preach the Good News, I give, I forgive, I heal… but that’s just me doing my part. In the end, God is the one who avenges and God is the one who saves. And while I do have my part, “my part” does NOT include being angry, being critical, unforgiveness or manipulation. Anyways, I just needed to get this out really. I hope you’re well! | | |
| Salvation Belongs to You
Thank You for Your blood Jesus
Thank You for Your Cross Savior
You lived and died for me
and now I live to see
Your Kingdom come
Thank You for Your steadfast promise
Thank You for Your word that You keep
Your perfect love is clear
it's casting out my fear
and now I'm free
Jesus, You're worthy
worthy of all my praise
and I will sing to You
I'm giving You glory
for all that Your hand has saved
Now I'm found in You
Salvation belongs to You
My life and my heart are Yours
(please pardon the pops and clicks, don't know what happened there) | | |
| well, this morning Erin left for Sault Ste. Marie and tomorrow i’ll be up there with her… however, i have today all to myself!!! what to do!?!?!? well, it’s already 12:30 and i haven’t really done much… i started a Scrabulous game because i haven’t really played lately and i still enjoy it quite much… things i hope to do today (in no particular order): 1. eat Thai food
2. see Speed Racer
3. eat Cinnabon or Carrot Cake (both?)
4. practice singing
5. finish up 2 songs for the CD
6. put away all the clean clothes
7. tidy up the lower level of the loft
8. pack for the weekend
9. journal/talk to Jesus will i get it all done!?!?! who knows… my stomach feels weird, Erin and i are wondering if i’m having sympathy pains??? maybe… well, i won’t see most of you until this Wednesday, which is a bummer… love you all!!! | | |
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