things.

Josh Wilson: Three Minute Song in 2:59

Tuesday, 13. May 2008, 03:03:32

Great song. The concept behind it reminds me of Chris Tomlin's "How Great is Our God". He talks about how when it comes to God, eventually, our human language runs out of words to describe Him...so we're left with that phrase: how great is our God.

Similarly, I like how Josh Wilson's Three Minute Song captures that same flavor. How much eternity, depth, breadth, width, justice, absolute perfection, wisdom, power, beauty, gentleness, joy, love, peace, grace, concern, knowledge, patience, hope, mercy, forgiveness, artistry, righteousness, justice, judgment, creativity, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, trustworthiness, Truth, nobility, surety, purity, wrath, loveliness, admiration and worthiness can you cram into three minutes when describing an indescribable God?

Answer: Not enough. Not. Even. Close.

Josh Wilson: Amazing Grace Loop

Tuesday, 13. May 2008, 02:49:25

I love stuff like this. It's like performance art!

2 comments

Walking alone in the dark

Friday, 14. March 2008, 05:14:45

reality, Artwork

I picked this picture up in a Google image search that landed me here. Beautiful picture with depth and honesty.

C.

Beauty from Pain

Monday, 10. March 2008, 02:55:16

poetry, Music, reality

Beauty From Pain
-SuperChick

The lights go out all around me
One last candle to keep out the night
And then the darkness surrounds me
I know I'm alive but I feel like I've died
And all that's left is to accept that it's over
My dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made
I try to keep warm but I just grow colder
I feel like I'm slipping away

After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today,
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

My whole world is the pain inside me
The best I can do is just get through the day
When life before is only a memory
I'll wonder why God lets me walk through this place
And though I can't understand why this happened
I know that I will when I look back someday
And see how you've brought beauty from ashes
And made me as gold purified through these flames

After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today,
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

Here I am, at the end of me
Trying to hold to what I can't see
I forgot how to hope
This night's been so long
I cling to Your promise
There will be a dawn

After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today,
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

2 comments

Piper on the Prosperity "gospel"

Thursday, 6. March 2008, 14:55:59

Saw this at Justin Taylor's blog,Between Two Worlds. Powerful stuff.

Dave & Clym: Campus Life

Tuesday, 4. March 2008, 05:21:11

Here's an excerpt from a teen devotional book (Reality 101) that contains part of an interview that Dave Tweeten & I did with Chris Lutes from Campus Life Magazine last century.

It's good to remember God's grace.

C.

The Problem with many Evangelicals

Sunday, 3. February 2008, 18:32:22

The scriptural advice is good here: Let us test ourselves against the standard of Scripture. Real-ly.

Tough Love for the American Church

Thursday, 24. January 2008, 19:30:12

This is more than worth the time to read, ponder, pray over and live differently because of the base message. It's hard to read on my blog, but click the tiny icon in the upper right hand corner of the document below and it will launch full size in a separate window.

Be blessed by it after you're hurt by it.

____________________

Update: here's a youtube video of the actual message.

Jellyfish life

Monday, 14. January 2008, 13:46:14

reality, life

This is the fruit of some stream-of-consciousness-surfing.

On a devotional site I read periodically, there was a link to an interview with Phil Vischer (of VeggieTales fame). It seems that God has brought him through a particularly tumultuous path. At some level, it's something that we all can relate to. It's worth the read: Talking with Phil Vischer

That article linked to Phil's new company, JellyFish. The preceding link goes directly to the "About Us" portion of the site. I found the thoughts around why they chose "Jellyfish" as the company name/approach as well as his story to be profoundly challenging.

That site linked me to his personal blog...which is filled with good stuff from what I've seen so far.

It was there that I found a link to a good article about The Golden Compass. I've not read the books or seen the movie. I've read bits and pieces of interviews with the author and articles about the books and movie. I author of the Christianty Today article brings up some good things to consider. Good read.

Gotta get to work now...

C.

Les Miserables: Bring Him Home

Sunday, 23. December 2007, 07:50:05

This song from Les Miserables is my favorite from that entire production. Once, Jodi and I were fortunate enough to obtain amazing seats (something like 4th row off center) in Chicago. I distinctly remember tearing up at this song. There's just something about the scenario of a father (which I am) praying (which I do) for the husband of a daughter (which I've been doing since before our girls were born...even though right now my daughters are FAR, FAR, FAR...FAR away from the age of courtship).

I appreciate and resonate with the simplicity and humility of the prayer song. An honest request to God for healing and blessing from one generation to another.

1 comment

Song of Love - Rebecca St. James

Monday, 12. November 2007, 08:12:27

Okay, I'm like on blogging-fire today or something...or I have insomnia. Could be either. Could be both.

I checked out this teaching video. I kind of liked this song as it was played on the radio. I think I thought it was another "Jesus is my boyfriend"-types of songs -- you know, the kind where you can't really tell if it's a song about/to Jesus or if it's a song about someone you're dating. There is a difference between those two types of relationships and there should be a difference between how the two are written/sung about. Why? Because it's God, the Creator, Sustainer & Orchestrator of the Universe, not just some boyfriend.

However, after I've actually seen/spent some time pondering the lyrics, heard what was behind the song and heard how it sounds acoustically...I like it a lot more! There are some really good themes buried in "pop" worship song. If I had heard it acoustically first, I think I would have paid more attention to the lyrics/theme of the song.

Aaaanyway, here's the chord chart to the song. Enjoy & praise!

C.

________________________________
Song of Love - Capo 4
[G]Jesus, King of my heart
[D][Em]Father, my peace and my light
[D][C]Spirit, the [D]joy of my soul you [G]are

[G]Jesus, to You none compare
[D][Em]Father, I rest in Your care
[D][C]Spirit, the [D]hope of my heart You [G]are

Chorus
[D11]The heavens [C11]declare You are [G]God
[D11]And the mountains re-[C11]joice[G]
[D11]The oceans cry [C11]allelu-[G]jah
As we [A]wor-[G/B]ship You [C]Lord
[NO CHORD]For this is our song of [G]love

Jesus, You saved my soul
I’ll thank You for evermore
Jesus, the love of my life You are

(Back to chorus)

Bridge
[Em]Jesus, [D]I am in awe
Of the [C]love that [G]You have shown
[Em]Jesus, how [D]precious You are to [C]me, to me

(Back to chorus)

-- D11 & C11 are the G-shape 320033 (relative to the capo) but up on
the (absolute) 14th & 12th frets respectively.
-- Also, the A is played as 002033 (relative to the capo)

New Song Cafe Archive

Sunday, 11. November 2007, 14:36:15

Here's a great page that gives direct links to various New Song Cafe instructional videos. It's sorted by artist.

http://www.shbcmusic.com/newsongcafe/videos.htm

I hope you find it as helpful/encouraging as I do,

C.

From the Rising of the Sun, by Viola Grafstrom

Sunday, 11. November 2007, 14:17:35

I just found this video stream of Viola Grafstrom teaching how she plays her song From The Rising of The Sun. I've not heard of the song before, but it sounds beautiful and totally God-centered. It's prayer song that strikes me as being good for the heart of a worshipper.

Check it out: http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/emicmg/newsongcafe/video/wma/300/0317.wvx

Unfortunately, in the 5 minutes that I searched, I wasn't able to find a chord chart or lyrics for this song. I'll track it down later and update this entry.

C.

________________________
Update: here's the song's chord chart in ChordPro format:

From The Rising of The Sun - Capo 2

Intro: [D][Cadd9][D/F#][G][D][Cadd9][D/F#][G]
[D]From the rising of the Sun
[Cadd9]even [D/F#]to its [G]going down
Shall your [A7sus]name be [A7]great
[D]Through all the Earth
[Cadd9]among the [D/F#]nations we [G]give you praise
Your [Bm]name is [A7sus]high [G]above all [A7sus]other[A7]
[D]gods[Cadd9][D/F#][G][D][Cadd9][D/F#][G]

[D]Jesus, [D/F#]lover of my [G]soul
[Gmaj9]You alone my [Em7]King worthy of my [A7sus]praise[A7]
My [D]worship [D/F#]I give to only [G]one
[Gmaj9]Oh Lord my heart I [Em7]bring when to [C2]you [G/B]I [A7sus]come[A7]

Willow Creek repents & refocuses

Monday, 5. November 2007, 01:01:02

I picked up the link to this article "Willow Creek Repents?" from Dr. Lake's blog...no, not THAT Dr. Lake...the other one...his son, Stephen

.

Jodi and I met while volunteering with a high school youth ministry that was closely modeled after/alongside the Willow Creek ministry. After we were married, we ended up leaving that church because various things that just didn't seem right. One of the major reasons was that while we were serving and teaching students...we weren't really being taught things that deepened our faith much. Don't get me wrong, there was much sharing of past experiences and pain along with how God carries us through such things. But there wasn't much being taught in terms of spiritual disciplines beyond reading Scripture & praying. Critical lessons on how to study scripture, develop a Biblical world-view and think critically, Biblically were sorely missing in those days. Now, that church is a different church now and we've heard things are changing for the better. Praise God!

One of the touchstone realizations we had back in the days when we were working through staying or leaving was that there was such an emphasis in the ministry at the time to have a huge event and build up to it with the challenge to the students to "Bring your friends! Bring your friends!" The problem was that after the friends were brought, there was a bit of a Gospel message given, but there was a resounding "Bring your friends! Bring your friends!" feel to it.

So, we left and went to a different church that did emphasize those spiritually deeper, developmental things. Quite candidly, that church wasn't perfect either. Jerry Root used to tell us

There's no such thing as a perfect church. And if you find one, don't go there...you'll mess it up.

_ So true!

Aaaaanyway, coming from a ministry that followed Willow Creek's lead and hearing Bill Hybel's honest admission is actually quite encouraging to me. It's good to hear that their ministry is going to take a serious, prayerful look at how to create a body of believers that while it may be 100 miles wide...will be more than 2 inches deep, spiritually speaking.

Speaking of digging deeper...I've got some work to do myself,

C.

Questions to ask your kids

Tuesday, 2. October 2007, 17:01:57

I stumbled on these while looking through the Desiring God blog. They referenced some questions that John Piper found helpful. After following a string of links, I found the list on Justin Taylor's blog.

Here are the questions to ask & consider:

How are your devotions?
What is God teaching you?
In your own words, what is the gospel?
Is there a specific sin you’re aware of that you need my help defeating?
What’s daddy most passionate about?
Do I act the same at church as I do when I’m at home?
Are you aware of my love for you?
Is there any way I’ve sinned against you that I’ve not repented of?
Do you have any observations for me?
How am I doing as a dad?
How have Sunday’s sermons impacted you?
Does my relationship with mom make you excited to be married?
(On top of these things, with my older kids, I’m always inquiring about their relationship with their friends and making sure God and his gospel are the center of those relationship. And I look for every opportunity to praise their mother and increase their appreciation and love for her.)

Good & tough stuff to consider soberly,

C.

John Bunyan -- Hitching, kicking & spurring...

Friday, 28. September 2007, 18:43:58

Here's a link to a message on the life of John Bunyan by John Piper. Some really helpful things.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1480_To_Live_Upon_God_that_Is_Invisible/

One very memorable Bunyan quote that Piper references is this:

Bunyan's suffering made him passionate about these things – and patient. You can hear his empathy with strugglers in these typically earthy words in a book from 1678 called Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ: "He that comes to Christ cannot, it is true, always get on as fast as he would. Poor coming soul, thou art like the man that would ride full gallop whose horse will hardly trot. Now the desire of his mind is not to be judged of by the slow pace of the dull jade he rides on, but by the hitching and kicking and spurring as he sits on his back. Thy flesh is like this dull jade, it will not gallop after Christ, it will be backward though thy soul and heaven lie at stake."

Hitching, kicking & spurring this dull jade of flesh,

C.

A Small List of Good Books

Tuesday, 25. September 2007, 19:01:49

I stumbled upon this blogger's post of the same title and have to agree. Of the books he's listed, I've read or am familiar with 4 or 5 of them and each of them were excellently helpful. Longman, Bounds, Piper, Henry, Packer, Sproul, Ferguson, Stott, Zacharias, Lewis, Colson, Guinness & Spurgeon -- each of them offer solid & helpful guidance. Now I have more books to add to my ever-increasing-never-decreasing list of books to read...

http://www.newcitypres.com/blog/?p=31

Here's an excerpt of the books he recommended (read the actual post as it explains what he was thinking of when he came up with this list).

Spiritual Disciplines

E.M. Bounds, “Power Through Prayer”

John Piper, “A Hunger for God”

Donald Whitney, “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life”

T.M. Moore, “The Disciplines of Grace”

Matthew Henry, “A Method for Prayer”

Devotional

J.I. Packer, “Knowing and Doing the Will of God”

Arthur Bennett, “The Valley of Vision”

Charles Spurgeon, “Morning and Evening”

John Piper, “A Godward Life” (Book 1 and Book 2)

J.C. Ryle, “Expository Thoughts on the Gospels” (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Church History

Earle E. Cairns, “Christianity Through the Centuries”

S.M. Houghton, “Sketches From Church History”

Bruce L. Shelley, “Church History in Plain Language”

James Eckman, “Exploring Church History”

Kenneth Scott Latourette, “A History of Christianity” (Vol. 1 and 2)

Justo L. Gonzalez, “The Story of Christianity”

Introduction to Theology

J.I. Packer, “Concise Theology”

J.I. Packer, “Knowing God”

Thomas Watson, “A Body of Divinity”

Bruce Milne, “Know the Truth”

Sinclair Ferguson, “Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction”

R.C. Sproul, “Essential Truths of the Christian Faith”

R.C. Sproul, “Chosen by God”

James Montgomery Boice, “Foundations of the Christian Faith”

Michael Scott Horton, “Putting Amazing Back Into Grace”

John Piper, “The Pleasures of God”

D. James Kennedy, “Truths that Transform”

Christian Living

J.C. Ryle, “Practical Religion”

J.C. Ryle, “Holiness”

John Piper, “Desiring God”

J.I. Packer, “God’s Plans for You”

J.I. Packer, “Rediscovering Holiness”

Jerry Bridges, “The Pursuit of Holiness”

Jerry Bridges, “Discipline of Grace”

Jerry Bridges, “The Gospel for Real Life”

C.J. Mahaney, “Living The Cross Centered Life”

Joshua Harris, “Stop Dating the Church”

Basic Bible Study Helps

Tremper Longman, “Reading the Bible with Heart and Mind”

Tremper Longman, “Making Sense of the Old Testament”

Alec Motyer, “The Story of the Old Testament”

John Stott, “The Story of the New Testament”

R.C. Sproul, “Knowing Scripture”

Philip Comfort, Ed., “The Origin of the Bible”

Evangelism and Missions

J.I. Packer, “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God”

John Piper, “Let the Nations Be Glad”

Will Metzger, “Tell the Truth”

John Stott, “Christian Mission in the Modern World”

Joseph Alleine, “An Alarm to the Unconverted”

Rolling River Ride -- Century!

Thursday, 23. August 2007, 17:15:21

cycling, life, reality

Jodi and I are going to do the Rolling River Ride 100 miler this Saturday. We're both looking forward to it as it should be a lot of fun as well as quite an adventure. If we hadn't been riding regularly, I'd be really worried. At this point, I just know we'll be a sore (a little or a little more than a little) the next day.

Ken Delo just passed on the best advice I've received (okay, the only advice I've received) for this ride: just make sure we stand up regularly just to keep the blood flowing. That's really a conscious thing that I do now to minimize any numbness on our 18-40 mile rides. So, I'm looking forward to the "Century" experience.

One byproduct I'm hoping for is that it'll help make the 40 milers seem like no big deal comparatively. I know that when we do our 38-40 mile rides, it makes our 18-25 mile rides seem like a quick sprint.

Perspective, it's a good thing.

I heard a neat quip on the radio where a gentleman shared how while he was despairing over a wayward child to a friend, his friend said something to the effect of "Man, it's only the 5th inning. There's no reason to give up hope." I like that. In one sense, our lives are a 2 second slice of time in light of eternity and our time is short. However, in another sense, especially when things are hard, there's no reason to give up and lose hope -- as long as we're still breathing, there's time and that means that there's hope. To me, that just underlines God's immense and deep grace. It reminds me of a poem by John Piper:

Not grace to bar what is not bliss,
Nor flight from all distress, but this:
The grace that orders our trouble and pain,
And then, in the darkness, is there to sustain.

God will not always shield us from trouble and difficulty. Although, as I think back over my life, I think he shielded me from a whole lot that could have been much worse than it was. The gracious realization is that He's promised to walk with us through difficulty. We're never alone and that's a good thing. That helps me to keep plodding on. Gradatim Ferociter!

Striving to keep the long-view,

C.

Some Encouraging Scripture

Saturday, 4. August 2007, 11:51:56

I was poking around my files and found that I had compiled these back in 2003. And I found them...encouraging!

I hope you do too.

C.
_____________________
Some encouraging verses

Psalm 27:1
OF DAVID.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:5
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

Psalm 34:4
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.

Isaiah 35:4
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
"Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you."

Isaiah 41:10
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.

Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Romans 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"

Ephes. 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Philip. 4:6-7
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Tim. 1:7
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

1 Peter 5:7-10
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Rev. 12:11
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.