Until the whole world hears…

Last week saw two new CD’s crossing my path. I have been eagerly anticipating the new Casting Crowns album. I spent the weekend listen to this on almost a constant repeat. The lyrics and vocal arrangements provides a familiar warmth and listen to Mark and the guys is like visiting with an old friend. The metaphor should not be mistaken for a dull same-old same-old disappointment, but rather a hugely fulfilling experience of being shaped by someone you trust and that speaks into your soul with authority.

Even though the music is so familiar it is not boring or dull, but rather the guys (and girls) for Casting Crowns speak profoundly with bold and relevant lyrics. The same musical traits that drew me to their music is previous albums is still alive and well in “Until the whole world hears”. Songs like “Joyful, Joyful” gives me a spirit kick-start and instantly changes my state when the violins add their unique arrangement on a classic.

Check out http://www.castingcrowns.com for great behind-the-scene video interview that adds a lot of context about the band and the album.

Personally I have huge respect for the musical ministry of Casting Crowns. I love the true church grown honesty of their intent to worship and minister. If you ever get the opportunity to see them in person please do so since it provides not just a great show, but so much more – truly a powerful moment for encountering God.

Sanctus Real

I recently stumbled across a great find. Sanctus Real is a Christian band from Toledo – Ohio. After hearing their new single “Forgiven” and browsing around I realised I heard them before through their cover of “Beautiful Day” from U2 and other songs like “I’m not Alright” (love it), “Fight the Tide” and “Sing”.

The following excerpt provides some background behind the single in their own words.

Forgiven came from an instance when we were talking honestly as a band about feeling the wear and tear of our insecurities. At the end of the conversation, we realized that no matter what we are or what we’ve done in this world, to other people, or even to ourselves, what we truly are and will always be is “…a treasure in the arms of Christ.”

It’s so hard to see past our weakness and failures sometimes, or rather the things WE think are weakness and failures. They can corner us…trick us into believing we can’t be used effectively by God. But God’s strength is perfected in our weakness (2nd Corinthians 12:9)…It’s when he can use us most!

The message we hope to convey in this song is this…We’ll always have weakness. We’ll always make honest mistakes. It’s part of being human. God’s great promise though is that we can always run into his arms, and we’ll always be Forgiven.”

- Sanctus Real

Check out Sanctus real again or for the first time at: sanctusreal.com or www.myspace.com/sanctusreal

Worship

Yesterday morning during worship at church, I finally gave everything to God.

I have given my life to Him a long time ago, but I finally gave all the comfortable things to Him. I have had this urgency in me the last couple of weeks to either go on a mission trip or something, to really go and give something back to the people out there, and yesterday in church I just really felt pushed to give everything to God in this matter, as the only thing keeping me from going, is my sense of responsibility.

I really want to ask each and every one of you reading this, to please pray for me on this, so that I will get the opportunity to go on the right mission trip, that God wants me to go on, and for me to just get some clarity on all this.

The Wretch that needs Grace

OK, going through my normal early morning blog reading spree, I came about this brilliant post on Katdish’s blog.

This post goes about what it means to really receive grace, and how we, as Christians need to embrace this fact, and stop trying to be holier than thou.

Follow the link, and enjoy the reading…

John Mark McMillan

Came about this music on Steven Brewster’s blog this morning. I love this sound, very much like Bruce Springsteen. Now I simply hope I can lay my hands on a copy as the words is really moving.

The Revelation of the Spirit

Yesterday at worship team practice, we had a bit of time where we came together in groups to just pray for each other. I love these moments where you can really invest some time in the people that you worship the Lord with, and our group just had this amazing moment going.

I had the feeling of all of us standing together as one, in the Lord, actually being part of each other and not just praying for each other. Then one of the guys in our group gave some scripture for the one lady in our group, which is just so amazing when you start to realise how the Lord reveals His plans for you.

1 Corinthians 2:9-16 (NIV)

However, as it is written:
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him”— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
“For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

If you have not had this experience of the Spirit revealing your calling to you, then I urge you to really go out and pursue this, as it really just takes all the weariness of the world of your shoulders, and you will just have this amazing conquering feeling, as well as peace for the future.

I have only received this in the last couple of weeks myself, and I can only confess about the lifting feeling I have had towards my work and everybody else that was able to get me down in the time prior to that.

The Joy

OK, so last night we started off with a musical show called 80’s Rewind. This is basically a show with some of the biggest 80’s hits, mixed into a radio scene for continuity.

After getting home after the show, I sat on the couch thinking back on the evening, and just realised that I was made for this. I love being on stage, using my God given talents to just make some music. The ultimate for me is making worship music, but every once in a while one needs to detach from it, and do something that you don’t do usually.

Now, I know Papa wants me to be making music to His glory, but how am I going to get there?

what does the road ahead look like in order for me to be able to make music on a more permanent basis?

Love story meets Viva la Vida

This is an awesome arrangement

Eternity

No words can describe this…

Are you singing?

I got the following video from Steven Brewster’s blog, and it got me thinking, are you singing, irrespective of what is going on in your life?

Share with us some of your testimonies, that, irrespective of it, you are still singing about…