Centurion for Christ

Mighty to Save

2008-01-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

This will most likely be my last post on this blog. I think I will break down and get Facebook. It seems to be where all the hip people are these days. I will leave this blog by posting the lyrics from a song that was sung at Passion L.A. It is called Mighty to Save, and it was written by Hillsong. Chris Tomlin sung it at the conference.

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
A kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations

Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus

That is the final word. Grace and peace be to you all.

It is Official

2008-01-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

I am going to Passion LA!!!

I just booked my flight, so I am going for sure. I cannot wait. I am so excited. The conference is January 25 and 26. I do not even have to miss any school. If you want to check out the conference details, go to this site. I am going by myself, but I know I will still have a great time. I will also be able to connect with other college believers, which will be great. I am so looking forward for it.

This was taken from the Passion website. This is what Passion is all about. "From the beginning Passion has been rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8: “Yes Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we wait eagerly for You, for Your name and renown are the desire of our souls.”*

*This version of Isaiah 26:8 is a combination of the NIV and NASB translations."

In Christ Alone

2007-11-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

Worship: Less Sweet, More Powerful

2007-11-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

The concert was really incredible. It was a fantastic time of worship. I am so thankful we went. The crowd really came to sing. Chris Tomlin said it was the loudest the crowd has been on this current leg of the tour. We were right up by the stage, and we could hear all the people lifting their voices in worship. Here are some pictures from the concert.

Me sportin' some great merchandise

Kevin sportin' some great DC*B merchandise

Those people less fortunate who had to sit in actual seats

Chris Tomlin singing Your Grace is Enough (obviously)

This is what Chris Tomlin would look like if you were on drugs.

This is Louie Giglio. He spoke in the middle of the concert

Again, this is what Louie Giglio would look like if you were on drugs

Do not do drugs.

We had a great time. I would not hesitate to go again if they came around.

How Can I Keep From Singing?

2007-11-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day. I am really looking forward to the Chris Tomlin concert. Pray that we would have a safe trip and that the proceedings tomorrow would be a sweet and powerful time of worship. I will have pictures after we get back. See ya.

I Will Offer Up My Life

2007-10-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

I will offer up my life
In spirit and truth,
Pouring out the oil of love
As my worship to You
In surrender I must give my every part;
Lord, receive the sacrifice
Of a broken heart

CHORUS:
Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring
To so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?
Savior, what can be said, what can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh my words could not tell, not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed
By this thankful heart

You deserve my every breath
For You've paid the great cost;
Giving up Your life to death,
Even death on a cross
You took all my shame away,
There defeated my sin
Opened up the gates of heaven
And have beckoned me in

I Will Offer Up My Life by Matt Redman

Make It Stop!!!

2007-10-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

Right now we are being assaulted by an incredibly offensive odor. Some skunk has decided it prudent to release its essence in the vicinity of our house. It is quite overwhelming. How can something smell so bad? Our olfactories are being completely punished at the moment. Maybe we should go for a drive. The smell is starting to give me a headache. When will it end? I do not know, but hopefully it will be soon.

Crowder Concert Camera Captures

2007-10-20T21:13:00.001-07:00

David Crowder playing his guitar while singing

David Crowder playing his Guitar Hero guitar while talking

David Crowder playing his Keytar while singing

This little guy does not have a name yet

Me and David Crowder

Kevin and David Crowder

The concert was most excellent. I really enjoyed it. Now I am really looking forward to the Chris Tomlin concert in 2 weeks. I cannot wait.

CROWDER!!! CROWDER!!! CROWDER!!!

2007-10-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we embark on a journey. The destination. The venue. The satallite view. The assignment. We supply the excitement. I will supply the pictures at a later date. I will say hello to the gnome for you.

Head Exploding!!!

2007-10-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

This excellent blog post on the Pyromaniacs site has drawn my attention today. The post has to do with the sovereignty of God. The specific issues being discussed are common grace, God's sovereign purposes, and whether or not God deserves the ultimate blame for man's sin. It is an excellent discussion for the most part. The post itself and most of the comments provide a helpful look at the subjects at hand, even though they can get pretty cerebral and overwhelming.

I point you to the post and say all that to say this. The work that has been the greatest blessing to me on the subject has been Jonathan Edwards' book Freedom of the Will. I already have an old, fairly vague, post about it here. I am going to continue to be vague in this post. You want specifics? Who do you think I am? If you want specifics on a blog then you should go check out the Pyromaniacs. Now that we have that settled, what I do want to say about the book is that I think everyone with a mind and a will (free or not) to better understand this subject should pick up this book and read it intently. It is such an impressive work. To quote David Crowder, "Genius, genius." He was speaking about naming a child Meatloaf, but I think the phrase can easily be used to describe Jonathan Edwards' book. Back to the blessing part. This work has been extremely beneficial in my understanding of this subject. I think you would enjoy it and find it an equal blessing. That said, get the book. Enjoy the book. You deserve it. You know you do. How could you not.

I Just Don't Know . . . 2

2007-09-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

What is it about David Crowder that always leaves me confused and indecisive? This is not the first time this has happened. Here is a well documented occurrence of said intellectual ambiguity. Now he has done it again. I find myself hovering between two mutually exclusive opinions regarding David Crowder* Band's new album Remedy.

At first I believe that this album is a perfectly harmonious and inspiring piece of musicage that is just a small step in the overall journey of the DC*B. This means that this compilation of songs may be limited in scope, but, in context, it is a fitting continuation of the life and times of the DC*B. The second opinion that hovers in my mind is the one that says that Remedy is a non-contiguous effort that finds itself floating freely somewhere on the Cartesian plain. As far as I can trace the thought processes of another individual, I just cannot understand why Remedy would not have a stronger presence. I can completely see the set of circumstances that would lead to the Remedy epiphany, but, considering the superb experience called A Collision, I just cannot understand the weakness of this next step in Remedy. It just seems thin, and yet it seems that it does not have to be. Now, those are my two competing viewpoints. Which is correct? Which is, well, not correct? Am I just being picky, or is there a legitimate concern that I should be careful not to neglect. I think that the whole issue might require a bit more marinating in the recesses of my mind. In the mean time I believe I will give the DC*B the benefit of the doubt and recommend the album. Maybe someone else, with a far greater mental clarity, will decisively comprehend the musical complexities that I could not grasp.

PS: I just realized that I could quite possibly have insinuated that this album is sub par. That was not my intention. It is an excellent piece of pleasant listening. I am sure any number of people would supremely enjoy it without a second thought, but my own expertise, if I can say that, on many things David Crowder* Band easily clouds the subject. This is probably an issue that will find little more discussion than inside my own head. That said, get the album. Enjoy the album. You deserve it. You know you do. How could you not? In the mean time, I shall silently do mental gymnastics here in the corner. Grace and peace to you.

Remedy

2007-09-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

He is the One who has saved us
He is the One who embraced us
He is the One who has come and is coming again
He's the Remedy

These lyrics are from David Crowder* Band's new song, not surprisingly entitled, Remedy. That is also the title of the whole album. It releases on the 25th of this month. I already ordered the CD through the Band's website, so I will also be receiving some mysterious extras with my order.

You can here short snippets of the new songs here. The whole album sounds excellent. I especially want to hear the complete version of O, For A Thousand Tongues To Sing that David Crowder* Band has put together. I was able to watch a live web stream of them singing it at Passion 07. I think they added a chorus to the song, but I cannot remember exactly what it was. I really want to hear it though.

So go out and pick it up on the 25th.

Light Shining Out of Darkness

2007-08-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sov'reign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fasts,
Unfolding ev'ry hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow'r.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

A hymn by William Cowper

Future Events

2007-08-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

David Crowder Band's Remedy Club Tour in Portland on 10.18.2007

Chris Tomlin's How Great is Our God Tour w/ Louie Giglio in Sacramento on 11.04.2007

Passion Regional College Conference in L.A. on January 25-26 of 2008

Current Listening

2007-07-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

Youthful DC*B

Excellent

Even More Excellent

And Then There Were Three

2007-07-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Just 3 games left to go for the BCC Softball Team. That makes me sad. I was having a total blast. Hopefully we will play again next year. Here is our team picture. I think it turned out really well. It looks like we have pretty solidly locked up 3rd place in the Church B League Standings. That is a respectable finish. Let's pray that these last games go well and that nobody gets seriously hurt.

Gifted Response (We Will Worship You)

2007-07-12T09:58:00.000-07:00

Song from Matt Redman's Facedown album

This is a gifted response
Father we cannot come to You by our own merit
We will come in the name of Your son
As He glorifies You
And in the power of Your spirit
2x

We have come to something so mysterious
Too deep for minds to comprehend
Through the open door
Where the angels sing
And the host of heaven are antheming...

And we'll sing the glory of Your name
Celebrate the glories of Your grace
We will worship You, We will worship You
And we'll make Your praise so glorious
Singing songs of everlasting praise
We will worship You, we will worship You

July 11th

2007-07-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

And thus, as of today, I have been on this earth for 21 years. I leave you with these words from Jerry Seinfeld, who is of course one of comedy's great minds.

Well, birthdays are merely symbolic of how another year has gone by and how little we've grown. No matter how desperate we are that someday a better self will emerge, with each flicker of the candles on the cake, we know it's not to be, that for the rest of our sad, wretched pathetic lives, this is who we are to the bitter end. Inevitably, irrevocably; happy birthday? No such thing.

Grace and peace to you on this day.

The Otherness of God

2007-07-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

This quote is taken from Matt Redman's book entitled Facedown. It speaks so well of the sense of wonder that exists in the worship of our Creator.

"Worship thrives on wonder. We can admire, appreciate and perhaps even adore someone without our having a sense of wonder. But we cannot worship without wonder. For worship to be worship, it must contain something of the otherness of God.

I've come to love that word—"otherness." It's such a great worship word. Otherness gives us a sense that God is so pure, matchless and unique that no one else and nothing else even comes close. He is altogether glorious—unequalled in splendor and unrivalled in power. He is beyond the grasp of human reason—far above the reach of even the loftiest scientific mind. He is inexhaustible, immeasurable and unfathomable—eternal, immortal and invisible. The highest mountain peaks and the deepest canyon depths are just tiny echoes of His proclaimed greatness. And the blazing stars above, the faintest emblems of the full measure of His glory.

Many music critics note that the skill of songwriter Bruce Springsteen lies in his ability to take the everyday, the ordinary, and make it sound extraordinary. Sometimes in the Church we find ourselves doing the total opposite—we take the extraordinary revelation of God and somehow manage to make Him sound completely ordinary! We fail to communicate the sense of God's otherness. As A. W. Tozer puts it, "Left to ourselves we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms."

Time after time the book of Isaiah reminds us of the uniqueness of God: "I will not give my glory to another" (42:8). "I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God" (44:6). "To whom will you compare me or count me equal?" (46:5). "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me" (46:9). In light of Scriptures like these, I'm becoming more and more wary of worship songs that seem to make God merely sound like our equal. Once or twice people have shown me a worship song and said, "This is great. The lyrics are so down to Earth that you wouldn't even know you're singing to God—it could be a normal pop song or a love song." Now, I guess the point they're making is cultural relevance, and that's a good point to make, but there is a higher value in worship than cultural relevance: the glory of God.

God will not be diluted, dumbed down or patronized. He rebukes worshippers in Psalm 50: "You thought I was altogether like you" (v. 21).

But He is not like one of us. He is utterly incomparable—beyond the furthest horizon of our imaginations. He is off the scale of our comprehension. We have merely known the shallows of the mighty deep.

A while back I bought my daughter a couple of little goldfish. I've never really been one for keeping pets, but I figured that these tiny creatures were probably quieter and tamer than most. So there they swam, up on the mantelpiece, apparently forgetting everything every one and a half times around the bowl. The very next day I found myself watching a documentary about creatures of the deep sea. Right down in the depths of the ocean, the camera was capturing the most fascinating images of wild fish and other strange sea creatures. I sat glued to the screen—so many varieties, so much untamed beauty. And there in the background were Maisey's little tame goldfish, doing yet another lap of the bowl.

Sometimes in the Church, I worry that we've settled for "goldfish bowl" worship. We convey a tame and domesticated God, and we then find ourselves stuck in the endless pursuit of the ordinary. But the call is to venture out into the ocean, to encounter the extraordinary and to explore the mighty depths of God. And though our earthly gathered worship times may never fully sound the depths of His glory, beware of those who don't even attempt to do so.
Back to Psalm 50 and we discover that God doesn't even need our worship: "If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it" (v. 12).

Do we detect a harsh tone in the voice of God here? Yes, we most certainly do. This is the voice of the all-sufficient King of the universe. He does not need to be sustained, supported or sponsored. He is not in urgent need of our offerings, like a TV charity fundraiser, urgently appealing for as many contributions as possible. Charles Spurgeon wrote:

Do men fancy that the Lord needs banners and music, and incense, and fine linen? If He did, the stars would emblazon His standard, the winds and the waves become His orchestra, ten thousand times ten thousand flowers would breathe forth perfume.

The apostle Paul echoes the same truth in his speech to the men of Athens: "He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else" (Acts 17:25).

The plain truth is this: God has absolutely no need of our offerings. In fact, every single thing our open hands bring to Him—whether a good deed, a tithe or a simple act of compassion—came to us first from His hand. We cannot even offer a simple song of praise without using the breath God first gave to us.

The book of Romans hammers this point home: "Who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?" (11:35, NASB). One of the biggest mistakes a person can make in life is to think that God owes him or her something. It destroys faith and insults the sovereignty of God. There are some incredibly painful struggles in this life, and hard questions to which we may never fully know the answer. Yet even in these dark hours, we must accept that God is God, and as such, He never owes us an answer. As the hymn writer William Cowper put it, "God is His own interpreter." We cannot force Him to fit into our way of thinking. He is high above our human understanding—high enough to see things that we can never see.

But the picture of God's otherness is only really complete when we add to the mix the reality of His outrageous grace. It's true that God does not need our worship. But there is a crowning beauty that completes this truth—God loves our worship. God delights in our honest and heartfelt offering of worship. Let's dwell on that mystery for a moment. Here is the all-sufficient Creator of the universe who could get along just fine without our little contributions. And yet He rejoices and delights in every adoring response to Him. It is the joy of a doting Father over a cherished child. It is the pleasure of a mighty King over a faithful and treasured servant. Just as we cannot begin to imagine the heights and depths of His great glory, so too we cannot begin to fathom the infinite measures of His fatherly love and grace.

And as the ultimate affirmation of this heart of welcome, God has even paid the price for us to draw near to Him in worship. We've seen that everything we could ever offer to God in worship has been provided by Him in the first place. But even forgetting the gifts themselves, the very means of our access into His presence is all of His own provision. It is a gifted response. We could never enter by our own efforts. We come to the Father on the merit of what Jesus has done. In light of the cross, the resurrection and the ascension, we come through Jesus, in Jesus and with Jesus. And we come too in the power of the Holy Spirit.

So not only does God receive with delight gifts that belonged to Him in the first place, but He also pays the costliest of prices for their delivery. In human terms, this seems a little strange. How can that be a meaningful gift? Surely the giver must pay the full price? But we cannot measure God by our human standards. This extravagant act of grace is yet another reminder of His incredible uniqueness. His ways and His thoughts are way higher than we could ever imagine."

What a Day!

2007-06-28T22:32:00.000-07:00

Don't trials and disappointments seem to come in bunches? That is all I feel like saying at this time. I am tired. I think I will stop writing. Goodnight.

Of Baseball, Bones, and Brothers

2007-06-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

We just arrived home from Jimmy's baseball game in Grants Pass. His team was playing a Central Point team, and they were able to beat them by 10 runs. It has been an exciting, dramatic, and eventful tournament up to this point. Jimmy's team has played 4 games so far, won three of them, and will play again tomorrow at 7 o'clock. If they win that game then they will play Friday at 4 o'clock. If they win that game then they will have to play another game at 7 o'clock on Friday. If they win that game then they will go to the state tournament. We shall see what happens.

After the game tonight we stopped at Abby's Pizza in Grants Pass and grabbed dinner. Of course my siblings and myself had to swing into the video game room and see what it contained. Claire, Grace, and Jimmy started playing a game that paid out tickets for prizes. I wanted to try my hand at it, so I borrowed a quarter from Claire and popped it into the machine. I hit the jackpot on my first and only try. Two hundred and fifty tickets began to pour out of the machine. It is always fun to try and fold the tickets as fast as they come out of the game. I ended up redeeming the tickets for a Box-O'-Bones; however, I did not get to put the skeleton together. Kevin assembled it in the car on the way home from Grants Pass. I was a little sad, but what can you do?

Kevin leaves the airport at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning, so we will have to get there at around 4:30. It will be an early morning. Kevin has a couple of sweet flights that get him down to Brazil very quick. It should be a good trip for him. Please keep him in your prayers while he is down there.

That is all. Cheerio.

Everything Except the Kitchen Sink

2007-06-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

Jimmy’s 10-11 year old baseball tournament start this Saturday at the Grants Pass Sports Park. It should be a whole lot of fun. Jimmy’s team is very talented, nothing spectacular, but they are still a pretty good little team. Thankfully the coach seems to be pretty level headed. Most Little League All Star coaches develop delusions of grandeur when they are given the teams. They then go completely insane trying to win. In the process they mostly end up tanking the team. It is a most unpleasant experience for everyone. Jimmy’s experience this year appears to be taking a different turn. I think his team will do pretty good. It would be pretty cool if his team could go to the state tournament again this year.

On a related subject, the BCC Softball Team has been on a fabulous run. We have beaten the best team in the league, won our last four games, and now have a 5-3 record. It is pretty sweet. The win against the best team in the league was quite a nail biter, but we were able to squeak out a victory. Here are the Church B League softball standings.

I guess you would file this next section under current listening. I went and bought a couple of Vicky Beeching CDs. They are most excellent. She is a worship leader from the U.K., and yet she barely has an accent when she sings. I find that completely cool. Not because I do not like the British accent, because I love it, but because it is just a fascinating occurrence. Don’t you think? You should check out her website and pick up her CDs.

Next on the agenda. My niece, nephew, and sister-in-law are in town. My brother came too, but he had to fly back to San Antonio for a week. He should be back in Medford on Tuesday, so he should be able to get to see one of Jimmy’s All Star games. We will also be able to spend time together for the 4th of July this year, which will be really fun. He will also get back here before Kevin leaves, and that little bit of information is an appropriate segue to the next and final section.

Kevin is leaving for Brazil on the 28th at 6:00 A.M. He is going for a couple of months again, but this time he is going all by himself. I will put the counter up again to track the days until he returns to the states, so you all will be informed about when he should get back. If you could all pray for him that he would have a safe and productive trip. Thanks.

That is about it. I really just felt like writing something.

Too Funny!

2007-06-09T22:19:00.000-07:00

I ran across this joke in one of the comment threads on the Pyromaniacs Blog. It tickled my funny bone.

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge about to jump off. So I ran over and said, "Stop! Don't do it!"

"Why shouldn't I?" he said.

I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"

He said, "Like what?"

I said, "Well, are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious."

I said, "Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?" He said, "Christian."

I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?" He said, "Protestant."

I said, "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?" He said, "Baptist!"

I said, "Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?" He said, "Baptist Church of God!"

I said, "Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?" He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God!"

I said, "Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915?" He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915!"

I said, "Die, heretic scum!" and pushed him off.

The Bats Were Working Last Night

2007-06-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Our softball doubleheader last night resulted in a couple of victories. They felt good. That raises our record to 3-3.

Check out the softball standings here.

The night was a whole lot of fun.

Of Finals and Vikings

2007-06-04T12:50:00.001-07:00

I have just finished my last bit of homework before my finals next week. I feel good. The two big giants I had to slay were a couple of annotated bibliographies for two of my history classes. I have been spending a lot of time in the SOU library because of them. I think most people do not realize just how few really good, factually deep books there are on the Vikings. They were the subject of one of my classes that I had to write an annotated bibliography for. The reason why there is so little out there? Because there is not an abundance of specific and unquestionable evidence for a lot of what we know about the Vikings. Most is just theory based on pretty scant evidences, and that does not make a very good book. The reason I bring it up? Because people will question the historical validity of biblical narratives like the Gospels, and yet they will accept as historical fact things with little evidence in their favor. That ticks me off. I totally understand why some people would do anything to discredit the Bible, but it still ticks me off. Based on empirical evidence there is much more proof for the truthfulness of the Gospels than for some facts about the Vikings. That is my thought I feel like sharing for today. Congratulations.

Stephen, Get Ready

2007-05-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

I want to see some hustle like this today.

Inconceivable

2007-05-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."--- Inigo Montoya

This is one of the best movie lines of all time from one of the best movies of all time.

It Hurt My Feelings

2007-05-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

Message from:
(***)
***-****
Kevin's Cell
------------
9330 beat that
punk
------------
Sent:
3:34PM
05/24/07

That is why I had to trash his score. 9700 and champion again.
I'm his worst nightmare.

Stephen, I'm Just Trying to Make You Sing

2007-05-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Like it means everything.

Stephen, Get Fired Up!!!

2007-05-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

Enjoy

Softball Standings

2007-05-08T22:40:00.000-07:00

Here are the Church "B" League softball standings.

Oh My Goodness!

2007-05-07T10:31:00.001-07:00

Just go here and watch the video.

Explanations

2007-05-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

Stephen, this video explains the content of that David Crowder Music video.

growlll, 'hiss!

2007-04-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

It looks like we will be attending the David Crowder* Band concert in mid October. This one should be pretty good. It is part of their Remedy tour, which will promote their upcoming album, so the music should be mostly newer. The concert is going to be at Portland's Crystal Ballroom. It looks like it could be a pretty hopping venue. Anybody who who wants to go can tag along. Tickets are on presale at the concert link above.

Also check out this Public Service Announcement from the DC* B.

Thank You For Your Latest Submission

2007-04-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

I got a total kick out this. It just sounds so polite and sincere.

I Might Just Be Losing My Mind

2007-04-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

My family had lunch at Kaleidoscope Pizza today. My little sister Grace and I drove there in my car. I pulled up at the same time as and right next to my mother’s minivan. A series of trivial occurrences then conspired to cause me to lock my keys in the car; however, even with it locked it is easy to get in, so I went inside and we ate lunch. We came out afterwards and I took the 10 seconds to pry out the window and unlock the car. As I was doing that, we noticed that I had left the car on! No joke! I had left the car running and didn’t even realize it! We also found out that one of the rear doors was unlocked. I think you should worry about me.

Overflow

2007-04-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

Here I bring my stains and crowns
Gentle river wash me now
Your love is deeper than I know
Your ways higher than I can go

Lead me in Your holiness
I will follow, I confess
Glory is the song I sing
Your life is living me

And where would I be
Without You, without You?
Where would I be
Without You?

I will bow before the cross
Cherish my Redeemer's cost
There is nothing I can do
But only stand amazed by You

Mercy new with every day
Wrapped up in Your arms of grace
Nothing more, You're all I need
Your life is living me

Like a waterfall
You fill my heart and overflow
Like a candle flame
You light my way
And lead me as I go

Spirit overflow
Let me overflow

Overflow from Chris Tomlin's Not To Us album

Most Excellent!

2007-04-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

I have had this CD for a couple of weeks and am enjoying it immensely. It is called Glory Revealed: The Word of God in Worship. You can read about the album here. I highly recommend it.

Mighty is the Power of the Cross

2007-04-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

What can take a dying man
And raise him up to life again?
What can heal the wounded soul?
What can make us white as snow?
What can fill the emptiness?
What can mend our brokenness? Brokenness?

chorus:
Mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the Holy cross.
Where the Lamb lay down His life
To lift us from the fall.
Mighty is the power of the cross.

What restores our faith in God?
What reveals the Father's love?
What can lead the wayward home?
What can melt a heart of stone?
What can free the guilty ones?
What can save and overcome? Overcome?

bridge:
It's a miracle to me
It's a miracle to me
And it's still a mystery
And it's still a mystery
It's a miracle to me
The power of God
For those who believe

From Chris Tomlin's Arriving album

Nobody panic, just nobody panic!

2007-04-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

It is 9 o’clock, and I am in the SOU computer lab as I write this. I have just had a very close call. I had just sat down at a computer to kill some time between classes, figuratively of course (the killing not the sitting), when something scary happened. I pulled my Ipod from my backpack and attempted to get music to play. Here comes the scary part. Nothing happened! The Ipod is on and the headphones are plugged in, but nothing is playing through the speakers! I tried simple solutions like making sure the sound was turned up and turning it off and on, but they did not remedy the situation. At this point my initial confusion is beginning to morph into concern. I might have to stay at school all day without any music. What a terrifying thought! The thing had just worked an hour ago, but that does not help me now or later.

I managed to stay calm and collected as I ran through the whole try-and-get-music-to-play process again just for good measure. No go. I began to fear that the headphones might have broken, so I plugged them into the computer and checked for any auditory output. To my relief I can hear things, so the headphones are not the problem; however, that realization immediately leads to a greater concern. Something about my Ipod is tweaking out!

I decided to reset the Ipod, but I can never remember the correct sequence of button pushing that is required. Thank goodness for working technology. I used the internet and Google to locate the resetting commands. If this did not work then my concern would blossom into full-fledged panic. This is my last immediate option to fix the problem.

I pressed the appropriate buttons. The reboot completes, and I plugged in my headphones and fired up the Ipod. The moment of truth comes, and sweet, sweet music begins to play. Who knows why my Ipod chose to be stubborn and not play, but it does not really matter any more. It is now 10:10. I have spent a little more than an hour writing this and my next class is that much closer. Thank God for His little mercies.

Adios

2007-03-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

Some things must end. Some of those things must be remembered.

As of today my David Crowder Xbox live profile is no longer activated. That is the end of my Xbox live experience. On to bigger and better things.

How Great is Our God!

2007-03-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

I pre-ordered the DVD of Louie Giglio's How Great is Our God tour message. I guess this is the next best thing to actually seeing it live. I remember going to the Indescribable concert and being blown away by his message then. I am anxious for this to ship out. I really want to watch it. The following is the message blurb (random grammatical oversights included).

Your life is a miracle, and the creator of the universe knows you by name

He's big enough to breathe out stars, yet intricate enough to fashion together the trillions of cells that make up every facet of who you are. The God who spoke the universe into existence made you, too, and knows everything about you. From the smallest molecule to the situation you find yourself in right now, He's aware of your circumstances and intimately acquainted with everything you do. And He care about you and promises to carry you through.

That's where we find hope in the midst of the darkest places in life. The journey often complicated an painful, filled with confusion and chaos. Yet, the cross of Christ reveals God's promise to preserve and restore you no matter what the circumstance. He will hold onto you and hold you together, giving strength to those who hope in His unfailing love.

He is the everlasting God!

[Recorded on the HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD tour]

Uncreated One

2007-03-24T11:26:00.001-07:00

I found this video on Youtube yesterday. It is Chris Tomlin singing Uncreated One at the Passion 2007 conference.

Important Occurrences are Afoot

2007-03-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

The David Crowder* Band is in the studio (David Crowder's converted barn) recording their new album. They have live webcams that you can watch here, or check out the cartograph of the barn here. It is pretty cool.

Glorious Day

2007-03-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

What a glorious day
What a wonderful day today
Glorious day

-David Crowder

Amen!

Indescribable

2007-03-14T21:43:00.000-07:00

Check out the Hubble Telescope picture gallery. There are some pretty incredible and amazing photos on the site. Some of them are just stunning.

There are many more photos on the site. You can lose track of time just looking through them all.

America's Elite Boarding Schools

2007-03-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

I am sick and tired of thinking about this subject. I have a 50 minute presentation about them tomorrow morning. The presentation is based on a book that a classmate and I read. This classmate will be sharing half the load, but speaking on this subject for an extended period of time will still be difficult. I just want to get passed this assignment, so that I can study for my finals next week. So, if the mood strikes you tomorrow morning, say a quick prayer for me.

2007-03-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite songs. It is off of Matt Redman's Facedown album.

Worthy, You are worthy
Much more worthy than I know
I cannot imagine
Just how glorious You are
And I cannot begin to tell
How deep a love You bring
O Lord my ears have heard of You
But now my eyes have seen

You're worthy
You're worthy
You're worthy
You're worthy to be praised
Forever and a day

Glory, I give glory
To the One who saved my soul
You found me and You freed me
From the shame that was my own
And I cannot begin to tell
How merciful You've been
O Lord, my ears had heard of You
But now my eyes have seen

We'll sing an anthem of the highest praise
We'll sound an anthem of Your glorious name

Bring Me Back a Luger!

2007-03-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

Please Stephen!

Igloo Day 9

2007-03-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

The igloo is no more.

I must give credit for this joke to Stephen.

He is my inspiration.

Igloo Day 7

2007-03-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

We will see how long it lasts

Here is Love

2007-02-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

This hymn is on the Hymns: Ancient and Modern Passion CD. It is called Here is Love, and it is quite wonderful.

Here is love, vast as the ocean
Lovingkindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing Him praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heav'n's eternal days

On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide
Though the floodgates of God's mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
And heav'n's peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love

No love is higher, no love is wider
No love is deeper, no love is truer
No love is higher, no love is wider
No love is like Your love, o Lord

Round Two

2007-02-22T16:10:00.000-08:00

Grace made this snow crown all by herself.

The inside of the igloo.
A small video we made.

Round One

2007-02-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

Claire, Grace, and Jimmy's throne.

We are making an igloo.

It is going to be huge!
Grace, Claire, and Jimmy.
Claire trying to hide from the camera.
A little context for the size of the igloo.

More pictures will be coming soon.

Saving the World One Thought at a Time.

2007-02-20T17:25:00.001-08:00

I cannot figure out if this is serious or not. Opinions.

It's Not That Funny

2007-02-19T22:12:00.000-08:00

My lower wisdom teeth are erupting right now. It is mildly uncomfortable and awkward. Though I guess it beats having them removed.

As Requested

2007-02-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

Do you remember it now Stephen?
Click here
Well do yah!!!

Worshipping the Trinity

2007-02-07T17:21:00.000-08:00

This little article was written by Matt Redman and is from Worship Leader Magazine.

The Homeschoolers Song

2007-02-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

Because the sound on our computer is broken I am unable to hear what they are singing. Is it funny? Is it offensive?

Homeschoolers song here

Not Coming to a Theater Near You . . .

2007-02-05T18:12:00.000-08:00

. . . At least not right away.

The trailers for Amazing Grace the movie are at the official site. The theaters listed for the opening on 02/23/07 do not include anywhere close to home. I was really looking forward to seeing it. I guess I will just have to wait.

Spurgeon and Providence.

2007-01-29T17:50:00.000-08:00

The following excerpt is from this sermon at the Spurgeon Archive.

"I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes—that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit as well as the sun in the heavens—that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence—the fall of . . . leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche."

Who Names a Piece of Land Dog's Mead?

2007-01-26T17:01:00.000-08:00

My brother brought over this puzzle yesterday. One of his instructors had given it to the class for extra credit. It is kind of fun. Give it a try if you want to. Feel free to use a calculator. If you do not want to stare at a computer screen, this link takes you to a printable version.

This puzzle is tough but can be solved by using logic, a little educated guesswork, and a lot of patience. It is English in origin and concerns a farm in southern England that has been in the Dunk family for some years. A part of the farm is a rectangular piece of ground known as Dog's Mead. Additional info: The year is 1939. 4840 square yards = 1 acre. 4 roods = 1 acre. 20 shillings = 1 pound.

Across
1. Area in square yards of Dog's Mead
5. Age of Martha, Father Dunk's aunt
6. Difference in yards between length and breadth of Dog's mead
7. Number of roods in Dog's Mead times 8 down
8. The year the Dunk's acquired Dog's Mead
10. Father Dunk's age
11. Year of Mary's birth
14. Perimeter in yards of Dog's Mead
15. Cube of Father Dunk's walking speed in mph
16. 15 Across minus 9 Down

Down
1. Value in shillings per rood of Dog's Mead
2. Square of the age of Father Dunk's mother-in-law
3. Age of Mary, Father Dunk's daughter
4. Value in pounds of Dog's Mead
6. Age of Ted, Father Dunk's son, who is twice the age of his sister Mary in 1945.
7. Square of the breadth of Dog's Mead
8. Time in minutes it takes Father Dunk to walk one and a third times around Dog's Mead
9. The number which, multiplied by 10 Across gives 10 down
10. See 9 Down
12. Addition of the digits of 10 Down plus one
13. Number of years Dog's Mead has been in the Dunk family

Enjoy.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2007-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

I have upgraded the template of my blog. I may take a little time to return it to a satisfactory state. Please be patient. We have technicians working on it.

Let the Good Times Roll

2007-01-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

This will be my 116th post. I feel as if that deserves some sort of recognition. I have been looking back at my favorite posts, and I have chosen the 7 that are my personal favorites.

This is the earliest of the bunch. You cannot deny the truth of what I point out.

New members have been added since this post, but they are a little camera shy.

This one taught me a good lesson and really saved me from going down the wrong road.

Just read this.

This one marks the beginning of a very different summer than what I was used to. Thank goodness for Ultimate Frisbee.

I will never forget this post. It still hurts to think of it today, but it had to happen. That does not make it easier though.

And finally. Nothing bad ever happened because of a little mystery.

Spurgeon and Final Perseverance

2007-01-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

The past couple of months I have devoted a good amount of thought to, as R.C. Sproul calls it, the Problem of Hebrews. Specifically what is being referred to is Hebrews 6: 4-6.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

I have been keeping my distance from accessing the opinions of great theologians on this passage until I had, at least in my own mind, a clear view of what I believed the text was saying. Recently though, having come to some conclusion on dealing with these verses, I was open to the input of men who had written about it. I needed go no further than Charles Spurgeon and the Spurgeon Archive. In one of his sermons about Final Perseverance he deals exclusively and most excellently with this passage of Hebrews.

Many Calvinistic minded men generally take this passage and interpret it as talking about Christians who are only part of the visible church but not among those chosen for salvation by God. Spurgeon very superbly states what their motive is for viewing it this way.

Now, it strikes me they would not have said this if they had had some doctrine to uphold; for a child, reading this passage, would say, that the persons intended by it must be Christians.

In the sermon Spurgeon deals with this subject of the people this passage is talking about as well as two other points. One is, what is meant by falling away? And, what is intended, when it is asserted, that it is impossible to restore them again to repentance?

He preached most excellently on this whole subject and it has been greatly beneficial to have access to his thoughts. He deals with these few verses in Hebrews in a godly and wise manner. To read the whole text of his sermon click here. With that said, I have mostly come to a conclusion on understanding this part of scripture. Read the sermon, and you can discover what it is.

Additionally, if I am feeling adventurous tomorrow, I might try and update the formatting on my blog. We shall see.

An Excellent Song for the First Week Back at School . . .

2007-01-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

Shine

Lord, we have seen the rising sun, awakening the early dawn
And we’re rising up to give you praise
Lord, we have seen the stars and moon, see how they shine
They shine for you
And You’re calling us to do the same

So we rise up with a song, and we rise up with a cry
And we’re giving you our lives

We will shine like stars in the universe
Holding out your truth in the darkest place
We’ll be living for Your glory
Jesus, we’ll be living you’re your glory

We will burn so bright with Your praise, O God
And declare Your light to this broken world
We’ll be living for Your glory
Jesus, we’ll living for Your glory

Like the sun so radiantly
Sending light for all to see
Let Your holy church arise
Exploding into life
Like a supernova’s light
Set Your holy church on fire
We will shine

So we rise up with a song, and we rise up with a cry
And we’re giving you our lives
Jesus, we will shine

WRITTEN BY MATT REDMAN

Passion 07 in Atlanta

2007-01-02T22:31:00.000-08:00

January 1st signaled the beginning of Passion 07 in Atlanta. The conference runs until the 4th. In a thoughtful gesture, the organizers of the conference have seen fit to make each session available for viewing online for those who find themselves unable to attend. Each session will be available for only 24 hours. I took a chunk of time tonight and watched the first session with a talk by Louie Giglio that was really superb. If you find yourself having the benefit of extra time, you should take a peek.

You have to access the talks through the Passion website.
This link takes you to the site. Enjoy

Beautiful News and The Best of Passion

2006-12-28T18:39:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas I picked up two new CDs. Matt Redman's Beautiful News is the one I was really looking forward to. I have mixed feelings about it. It is really good, but it doesn't have the feel of his other albums. Nevertheless, Beautiful News is a collection of excellent songs.

The second CD is The Best of Passion (So Far). This was probably a big waste of money, but I felt like I needed to have it. It is a compilation of the best songs from the nine Passion CDs. I already own all nine of those CDs. There are thirty songs on this two disk Passion set, but only one of the songs was not on the other disks. I basically bought one song. At least it keeps my collection going.

I Got a Lot of Problems With You People!

2006-12-22T21:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the official date of Festivus. The following information is from this site. Please continue reading.

"Festivus is a fictional, non-denominational festival that was invented by Frank Constanza (Jerry Stiller) in an episode of "Seinfeld". Celebrated every December 23rd, Festivus was designed by Constanza as a protest to the consumerism of the holiday season, following an experience in which he got into a fight with a man in a toy store when they both tried to grab the last doll in the shop.

The hallmarks of the Festivus holiday are:

The Festivus pole -- an eight-foot, heavy, aluminum pole with no tinsel or ornaments (since Frank Constanza finds tinsel distracting)

The Feats of Strength -- a wrestling match in which the head of the family tests his strength against another member of the family. The Festivus celebration is not considered to be over until the head of the family is pinned, and family members may only decline to fight if they have something better to do (which is uncommon in the Constanza family).

The Airing of Grievances -- a forum in which each member of the family has a chance to tell the others all the ways in which they were a disappointment during the course of the year.

Despite his hatred of the family tradition, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), who always lost the "Feats of Strength" wrestling match, tried to get off from work for Festivus on December 23rd, arguing that he was being denied the right to practice his own belief. His boss decided to call his bluff and came home with him to see the holiday being celebrated. At the episode's end, George, as always, was beaten resoundingly by his father.

In addition to being celebrated annually by the fictional Constanza family, Festivus is celebrated by some "Seinfeld" fans on December 23rd each year."

Everyone have a happy Festivus and an especially merry Christmas

A Masterpiece!

2006-12-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

I have recently finished reading Jonathan Edwards’ Freedom of the Will. It is a stellar work. The intelligence, insight, and wisdom contain in this book are immense. I have never read a better explanation of the freedom of the will and a defense against that notion of it that is routinely held. It would be absolutely useless to try and shrink the majority of this work down into a bite-sized portion. The scope and detail of the writing really must be ascertained from reading the book. The only thing I have left to say is that I wholeheartedly agree with these two quotes from the back of the book jacket.

“Pelagianism has a death grip on the modern church. Perhaps the most important refutation of this distinctive is Edwards’ Freedom of the Will. I believe this is the most important theological work ever published in America.” R.C. Sproul

Jonathan Edwards was the greatest philosopher-theologian ever to grace the American scene.” Perry Miller

9 Minutes for the Pay-Off

2006-12-14T12:18:00.000-08:00

This YouTube video was a post at the excellent centuri0n blog. Take the 9 minutes to watch it and enjoy. The main laugh comes when you find out what is wrong with the robot.

Also, I switched to Beta Blogger, for whatever that is worth.

And another thing, David Crowder* Band is up for MSN Music's Artist of the Year. Go and vote!

2006-12-13T03:55:00.000-08:00

HAHA! I'm awake and its raaaaining.

Is There Anything He Can't Do?

2006-12-04T22:06:00.000-08:00

Comedian Steve Martin with his banjo.

We Will Remember You Jason Solley!

2006-12-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated to Jason Solley (pictured top middle) who will no longer be appearing with the David Crowder* Band.

Read about it here. Or at
least it should be here.

Setting Slaves Free . . .

2006-11-30T21:39:00.000-08:00

The Nativity Story comes out in theatres tomorrow. Not to be irreverent, but I think I will see it pretty soon to get it out of the way. Don't get me wrong, from what I have heard The Nativity Story does a very good job of faithfully representing, well, the nativity story; however, no matter how good it is, it can never do full justice to the biblical narrative. Motion pictures can never fully capture any story of scripture. That said, I think it will be pretty good. Now to bring up a less important person who set slaves free.

I am really looking forward to the new movie called Amazing Grace, which is about British abolitionist William Wilberforce. I think this is going to be a good movie. It does not come out until February 23, 2007, but I can wait. Not only should the movie be excellent, but also the sound track should be stellar. Chris Tomlin performs his remake of the hymn Amazing Grace that he wrote specifically for the film. Wilberforce is an immensely important historical figure, and it is great that there will be a movie with him as the focus.

That is all I have to say about that. See you at the movies.

Another Pretty Good Book I Just Finished

2006-11-30T10:36:00.000-08:00

There is no online version of this book

As Good Today as the Day Written!

2006-11-24T19:15:00.000-08:00

The whole book can even be read online if you just click on the picture. It is a link that delivers you to a site with a free and full version of the text.

"That what we have written gives but an incomplete and imperfect presentation of this most important subject we must sorrowfully confess. Nevertheless, if it results in a clearer apprehension of the majesty of God and His sovereign mercy we shall be amply repaid for our labors. If the reader has received blessing from the perusal of these pages, let him not fail to return thanks to the Giver of every good and every perfect gift, ascribing all praise to His inimitable and sovereign grace." (Pg. 241)

Be Part of the Making of History!

2006-11-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

You should go to this site and vote for the new 7 wonders of the world. You have to sign up for the site to recieve the free vote, but it is pretty painless.

Here are my selections

Go Check Out the Dead Horse,

2006-11-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

but only if you have an extra hour and the discipline to wade through the comments!!!

On the Pyromaniacs Blog is an excellent discussion carried on between the Lordship and Free Gracers crowds. Check it out to see the action.

My Favorite is the First One . . .

2006-11-13T12:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was made aware of this little article from October's issue of Worship Leader magazine. Hope you enjoy.

10 Things Techs Wish They Could Say To Worship Leaders

1. "I can't break the laws of physics just so you can have more vocal in your monitor. I didn't invent the laws, I just live by them."

2. "Repeating the phrase, 'More me, more me' from the microphone, over and over, comes across just a bit self-centered."

3. "No, there isn't a 'muddy knob' I can turn down to make it sound better."

4. "A new microphone will help some, but let's not expect any miracles."

5. "Do you think you could move the monitor yourself? If not, I'll certainly run all the way down the stairs, across the auditorium and up to the stage to scoot it over three inches."

6. "Oh, never mind me. I didn't want anything from Starbucks. I've only been here by myself for the last three hours setting all this up for you."

7. "No, if you ask me to turn all the house lights down, I can't make it so you can see the audience's reaction during the songs."

8. "The camera angle doesn't make your hair spike in strange directions, you do that yourself."

9. "There's not a knob to make it sound more round, more blue or any other shape or color."

10. "Thanks for that input on how to mix, after the service I'm going to give you some pointers on how to play music."

The King of the Cannibals!

2006-11-07T15:57:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading the autobiography of John G. Paton. He was a Scottish missionary to the New Hebride islands (modern day Vanuatu). I would be doing a great injustice to try and summarize in a few blog paragraphs the extraordinary life recounted in the 500 page work. However, let me just say this about it. GET IT!!! READ IT!!! I have recommended other things before, but this is the most earnest of my recommendations so far. This book is a complete gem. John Paton's account of his life serving among the native cannibals of the islands is incredible. This man was a true soldier for the Kingdom of Christ. I will advise everyone again to go out and get it. You will not be disappointed, and only after reading it will you understand my reluctance to try and explain in detail the life of this wonderful missionary.

In Honor of the World Series . . .

2006-10-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

Check out this Google Video!!!

Which Way Did They Go?

2006-10-19T00:34:00.000-07:00

This is a Pretty Good Interview . . .

2006-10-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

Chris Tomlin interview

Beautiful News

2006-10-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

Matt Redman's new CD is scheduled to be released on December 26. Beautiful News might be the perfect late Christmas gift!

Click the Link Please

2006-10-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

Do what it says

Thanks to Stephen for finding this.

A Brush With Fame!!!

2006-09-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

I am so glad we were able to get this picture with Jason Solley of David Crowder* Band

They are just so cool!!!

See the morning ... Our God is as faithful as the rising sun.

2006-09-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

There is something about the morning that awakens the God who never sleeps nor slumbers. Yes, something about the dawn that causes our God to "arise" all through our history. In the scriptures, we find that God loves the morning. He loves meeting His people and displaying His glory and greatness in the morning. Watch this . . .

"Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away." Exodus 16:21

"Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord . . . On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times . . . When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city." Joshua 6:12,15,20

"Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:2-3

". . . weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." Mark 1:35

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb . . ." Luke 24:1

The morning is a place of hope, a place of worship . . . I pray that these songs help you "see the morning." If you find yourself in the dark night of hardship, grief, or circumstance, know that the morning is coming. And if you find yourself in the best of times, praise God for the morning!

"The people walking in darkness have never seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2

Can you see it?
Jesus is the Light of the World, the Bright and morning Star!

Everything above this, even the title of the post, is from the inside cover of the new Chris Tomlin album. It is so much better than anyone could have expected. I highly encourage everyone to go out and purchase this God glorifying CD.

Tomorrow Morning We Can See The Morning!

2006-09-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

See the Morning comes out tomorrow!

I am going to get it first thing.

Concert Day!!!

2006-09-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

I Just Don't Know . . .

2006-09-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best books I have ever read (I think).

I don't know why. I will think about it.

I may get back to you.

In Three Weeks!!!

2006-09-05T08:41:00.000-07:00

See the Morning is just 21 days away!

It is a Nice Cover

2006-09-02T07:43:00.001-07:00

Everybody Wants to go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die

In stores September 12th.

Arriving

2006-08-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

We arrived in San Antonio last night

I Forgot How Good This Quote Is . . .

2006-08-26T10:23:00.000-07:00

"After giving a brief survey of these doctrines of sovereign grace, I asked for questions from the class. One lady, in particular, was quite troubled. She said, 'This is the most awful thing I've ever heard! You make it sound as if God is intentionally turning away men and women who would be saved, receiving only the elect.' I answered her in this vein: 'You misunderstand the situation. You're visualizing that God is standing at the door of heaven, and men are thronging to get in the door, and God is saying to various ones, 'Yes, you may come, but not you, and you, but not you, etc.' The situation is hardly this. Rather, God stands at the door of heaven with His arms outstretched, inviting all to come. Yet all men without exception are running in the opposite direction towards hell as hard as they can go. So God, in election, graciously reaches out and stops this one, and that one, and this one over here, and that one over there, and effectually draws them to Himself by changing their hearts, making them willing to come. Election keeps no one out of heaven who would otherwise have been there, but it keeps a whole multitude of sinners out of hell who otherwise would have been there. Were it not for election, heaven would be an empty place, and hell would be bursting at the seams. That kind of response, grounded as I believe that it is in Scriptural truth, does put a different complexion on things, doesn't it? If you perish in hell, blame yourself, as it is entirely your fault. But if you should make it to heaven, credit God, for that is entirely His work! To Him alone belong all praise and glory, for salvation is all of grace, from start to finish." — Mark Webb

Very Excellent!

2006-08-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

The Passion: Everything Glorious DVD finally arrived, and I was able to watch the music last night and most of the talks, plus the music again, today. It is great. The music was really fun to watch, but the talks are stellar. I was able to watch a talk by John Piper and two talks by Louie Giglio. I am so happy that they made this DVD available. If any body wants to borrow it then just ask. I will have to okay it with Grace because it was a joint purchase, but she is a nice person, so she should be fine with it.

Hark! I Forgot How Funny This Is . . .

2006-08-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

Hark!

Click here for a chuckle.

Start at the bottom.

My Precious

2006-08-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

It should be a good concert.

NO!!!!!!

2006-08-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

Chris Tomlin just came out with his new website. That means that his fall See the Morning tour schedule also came out, and sadly they will not be appearing anywhere reasonably close to Southern Oregon. I am sad, very sad. But the new album will be coming out in five weeks, so I will cope. Maybe.

I guess I am stuck going to David Crowder's concert in September. As if that is any consolation.

And That Day Was a Couple of Days Ago

2006-08-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

All the flights were on time, so Kevin, Stephen, and Jonathan arrived early Monday afternoon.

Update: They've been back for days!