Monday Is For Music - Hymns

Today I wanted to point you to some of my favorite bands who happen to sing hymns. Now before you close your browser, read on and give some of these a listen. These aren’t your grandma’s hymns. There has been a resurgence lately to try and bring the good solid rich theology of hymns back to the people of my generation. Bands like PageCXVI, Red Mountain Music and Coram Deo Church have done a great job of doing this while at the same time updating the music to be relevant to our culture and style. There still remains a pretty big range in musical style though. I'll provide the links and you can listen for yourself. Below are some of my favorites that I own.

Coram Deo Church

• Doxology

PageCXVI

• Hymns I
• Hymns II
• Hymns III

Red Mountain Music

• All Things New

Red Mountain Church

• Help My Unbelief

Ascend The Hill

• Take The World, But Give Me Jesus

Honorable Mention - I don't own but still REALLY good!

Soujourn Music - Any Album

To See The Curse Removed -The Journey Church

Free Stuff!!!

As always I am providing you with some free download links and some free resources to the albums above. Enjoy.

Coram Deo Church

• Doxology - Digital hymn book

PageCXVI

• Hymns - Two free hymns

Red Mountain Music

• All Things New - Stream the full album
• Lyrics, Chords, b-sides & more

Red Mountain Church

• Help My Unbelief - Free download

Ascend The Hill

• Take The World, But Give Me Jesus - Free download

Kendall Payne - Pray

My wife emailed me this video this morning and it took me out at the knees. I had to share it with you. It is a song by Kendall Payne called Pray. The lyrics of this song along with what Frances Chan shares at the end are powerful.

Lyrics

 

I will pray for you now, for you have been my faithful friends 
While the road we walk is difficult indeed 
I couldn't not ask for more than what you've already been 
Only that you would say these prayers for me
May your hearts break enough that compassion enters in 
May your strength all be spent upon the weak 
All the castles and crowns you build and place upon your head 
May they all fall, come crashing down around your feet 
May you find every step to be harder than the last 
So your character grows greater every stride 
May your company be of humble insignificance 
May your weakness be your only source of pride 
What you do unto others may it all be done to you 
May you meet the One who made us 
And see Him smile when life is through 
May your blessings be many but not what you hoped they'd be 
And when you look upon the broken 
May mercy show you what you could not see 
May you never be sure of any plans you desire 
But you'd learn to trust the plan He has for you 
May your passions be tried and tested in the holy fire 
May you fight with all your life for what is true 
I have prayed for you now all of my dear and faithful friends 
But what I wish is more than I could ever speak 
As the way wanders on I'll long to see you once again 
Until then, would you pray these prayers for me? 
Oh, that you would pray for me

 

A Day With The Monks!

I recently had the opportunity to get away from the busyness of life for a day. Last weekend I was at Saint Benedict Center for a day of Sabbath and solitude. It was amazing. It was the fist time that I have done this and certainly not the last. The monastery is located in the hills of Schuyler, Nebraska, about an hour west of Omaha. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this. The facilities at Saint Benedict's are absolutely amazing. I was stuck, but the architecture, the expanse of the facility, the beauty of the grounds, and the amazing art on display from various countries where I assume they have missions work happening. Being as big as it was, and having a few catholic groups there on retreat, you almost never saw anyone and it was so quiet you could hear the mice think. I set up in the solarium next to a wall of windows the overlooked the lake. The sun showed bright all day which kept me nice and warm as I studied through out the day. It was an awesome day of study, refection and prayer. Below are some pictures I took while I was there. Enjoy.

What If Your Reputation Is Unjustly Bad?

I will be the first to admit that I have "fear of men" issues and have trouble believing that I am already approved and accepted by Jesus. This leads to pleasing people and worrying about what others think about me so much that it can make me sick. I read this great post from John Piper today that really nailed me and this issue. Take a look at this issue through Gospel lenses:

[Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:7–11)

Jesus says it is better to be thought worse than you are, and then be publicly vindicated, than to be thought better than you are and then be publicly humiliated.

Yes, but what if you take the lowest seat and no one comes to invite you to the front? What if your reputation in this world is always worse among men than it is with God? What if your life is one continual false accusation (Matthew 5:11)? “We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered” (Psalm 44:22; Romans 8:36). “We have become like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things” (1 Corinthians 4:13).

This parable does not promise that people will always come through for you. They won’t. Some will think you worse than you are till the day you die.

What this parable ultimately promises is that at the final wedding feast, Jesus himself will set things right. Your reputation will be vindicated. Truth will come out. The whole universe will know if your reputation was wrong.

So here’s the life-changing truth: It is better to be thought worse than you are now, and have the Lord set things right in the last day, than to be thought better than you are now, only to have Jesus put you in your place in the end.

In other words, don’t care much about whether your family and friends and acquaintances and enemies know what you are really like. Be true, be real, be humble, and let the Lord settle the matter in the end. In that day, the price of taking the lower place will be seen to be very small.

This is a re-post from Desiring God. You can find the original post here and many more resources from John Piper here.

Monday Is For Music - The Ember Days

Today I want to point you to a band by the name of “The Ember Days.” The Ember Days began as an attempt to explore worship music in its fullest sense – passion and devotion, spoken through their widespread musical influences to a new generation of worshipers. I first found this band on Come and Live while searching for new free music. Initially I did not really care for them but as I listened on, the lyrics and the music did their job and I was a convert. This is an amazing band that I highly recommend them. Their lyrics are piercing and their music is moving and healing. They are one of my top five bands as evidenced by my Last.fm play counts. One of my favorite songs they sing is "It Is Well" which I blogged about here. Click the links and check them out.

Albums

• Your Eyes Light Up (2007)
• The Ember Days EP (2008)
• Finger Painting EP (2010)

Free Music From The Band

• Your Eyes Light Up (2007)
• The Ember Days EP (2008)
• Finger Painting EP (2010) - Two Songs

 

Monday Is For Music

Today I want to point you to a band by the name of “The Civil Wars.” I discovered them back in December 2010 when they released a digital45 called “Tracks in the Snow” on NoiseTrade. The Civil Wars is an indie folk duo made up of vocalist Joy Williams and guitarist John Paul White.

New Album

You can get “Poison & Wine” off of their new album “Barton Hollow” for free right now on Amazon. You should RUN and download it, love it and then purchase the rest of the album which is only $7.99 right now. 

Free Music From The Band.

• Live at Eddie’s Attic EP - Their first EP
• Tracks in the Snow [Digital45] - Two Christmas Songs
• Poison & Wine - Off of their new album “Barton Hollow”
  

 

Mumford & Sons, and The Avett Brothers at the Grammys

Here are the performances of Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers, and then both of them backing Bob Dylan at the Grammys. I could have done with out Dylan, but hey I have never really liked him. The Mumford & Avett performace was epic. If you missed it enjoy, if you saw it like me & want to keep re-watching it enjoy. Check out Amazon for Mumford & Sons as well as The Avett Brothers.

What is God's Will for My Life?

I listened to a really good and challenging message from Darrin Patrick this week. He was preaching out of Prov. 3:5-6 and answering the question “What is God's Will for My Life?” As someone who hit 30 years old this year and has looked back on the last 30 years with some since of sadness at what has been accomplished and a longing to change that for the future. I have been asking this question. You can download the message on iTunes here or the direct .mp3 here.

R.C. Sproul wrote a great little book called "Can I Know God's Will? (Crucial Questions Series)" In it he goes through and explains all the different will’s of God. I would recommend it as a good resource for further study.

Here are the notes I took as I listened to his message:

Scripture was written in genres of literature.

• Law (A command from God that I must always obey.)
• Promise (A guarantee from God that will always be true.)
• Proverbs (Short descriptions about the way things generally go in this world.)

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deut. 6:5 Matt 22:37 – LAW

Love your neighbor as yourself Lev.19:18 Mark 13:30 – LAW

Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8:38-39 – PROMISE

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you Heb. 13:5 Deut. 31:6 – PROMISE

A generous man will prosper Prov. 11:25 – PROVERB

Whoever oppresses the poor will come to poverty Prov. 22:16 – PROVERB

Proverbs are situational. Laws and promises are not. If you try to apply these proverbs or some narrative of the Old Testament and make it binding on your life when it was never intended to do that you will be disappointed and you will doubt that God really wants to lead and guide you.

Gods Will

Sovereign Will (Events that God has ordained or decreed that will happen.)

• Jesus will return.
• The gates of hell will note prevail against the Church.

Moral Will (Laws that God commands us to keep.)

• Sexual purity.
• Lying.
• Cheating.

Personal Will (Promptings that God invites us to and to follow.)

• Do I move?
• How many kids do I have?
• Should I marry this person or not?
• Should I take this job?
• What treatment option should I choose for my illness?
• When should I retire?

As you understand God and how he works sovereignty, that he really is in control of everything (A) and you are obedient to what God requires of you morally (B) you will have more clarity on what God wants for you. More clarity, not perfect clarity. This side of Heaven we just wont have 100% clarity (1 Cor. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.) Our biggest problem though for the most part is not clarity, its rebellion and fear.

Our problem with Gods personal will is not that He has not reveled it to us; it’s that we don’t want to do it or we are too afraid to trust Him. The scriptures have to do a work in us with regard to this. Every time God shows us what He wants us to do personally it will expose our rebellion & it will expose our fear.

How can I know God's will for my life?

God reveals his will to those who are surrendered to Him.

• Trust in the lord with all your heart.
• Our surrender brings God’s clarity. Prov 3:6.

God reveals his will to those whose minds are being transformed by scripture.

• Do not learn on your own understanding. Lean on God’s. Transform your understanding.
• Transformation involves information. Transformation involves discernment. Read your Bible. Psalms 119:105
• Wisdom comes from studying the Bible.
• Read it! Study it! Do it! Teach it! (Ezra’s example)

God reveals his will through the wise counsel of others.

• You have a team of counselors around your life (friends). The question is not are they counseling you, the question is, is it wise counsel?
• Most people surround themselves with collective ignorance. We surround ourselves with friends that have the same idolatry as we have, the same sins we do. They won’t challenge us on our sins because in doing so it will challenge their sin. They won’t rebuke you for how you handled a certain situation because they don’t want to be rebuked for their sin. This is why very few people grow in relationships.
• Surround yourself with WISE counsel! This can’t be fulfilled by one person, so have a team of wise people around you.

Here’s our biggest problem with God’s will. We want Gods will more than God. We seek His hand and not His heart. When we seek God for God, (not looking to get something) He is delighted to reveal his will to us.

Breathe On Me

I was sitting in church on Sunday and the worship team sang this song from Todd Fields called “Breathe On Me.” The following two lines of the song hit me like an emotional freight train.
 
Forever, you are my reason for living
Merciful Savior unending
Breathe on me

Forever, You are the God of my story
Write every line for Your glory
Breathe on me

God brought all of these thoughts of His never ending mercy in my life. Even in tuff situations I go through, how merciful is He to allow me to walk through a trial to expose sin in my life. Difficulty in the life of a beliver is a sure sign of redemptive love. God will take us where we haven’t intended to go in order to produce in us what we could not achieve on our own. The worship team followed up with “How He Loves.” Well when you really reflect on His mercy in your life and how much He really loves us, it was just too much to bear. I was a blubbering baby at this point.

Here is the full song with lyrics.

  
Download now or listen on posterous

04_Breathe_On_Me.mp3 (4758 KB)

Breathe On Me Lyrics

Verse 1:
Find me here, in this place
Son of God, Saving Grace
At this hour, all my days
Breathe on me breathe on me

Verse 2:
Morning star, shine Your light
As I walk through this life
God of power God of might
Breathe on me breathe on me

Chorus:
Forever, you are my reason for living
Merciful Savior unending
Breathe on me

Verse 3:
When I'm weak, You are strong
Your breathe in me will be my song
In You my King, I belong
Breathe on me breathe on me

(Chorus+Chorus 2)

Chorus 2:
Forever, You are the God of my story
Write every line for Your glory
Breathe on me

Bridge:
Breathe on me, breathe on me
When I am weak, You are strong
Your breath in me, will be my song
When I am weak, You are strong
You are strong

(Chorus+Chorus2)
(Verse 1) to end

Disclaimer: I don’t really know anything about Todd Fields. From what I can see he is kind of like Steve Fee or Chris Tomlin. Looks like he is from Andy Stanley's church, Buckhead.

Behind The Scenes of "The Social Network"

IMDB has given us 93 minutes of “behind the scenes” footage of the movie The Social Network, for free! I loved this movie. Probably my number one movie of 2010. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross did an amazing job on the soundtrack to this movie also. I absolutely love it. Give it a listen on Amazon.

Here's the footage:

• Part One - Commencement

• Part Two - Boston

• Part Three - Los Angeles

• Part Four - The Lot

It Is Well

I was listening to this awesome song by "The Ember Days" on my way to work this morning. The song is "It is well." It’s a rendition of the famous hymn by Horatio G. Spafford. The words of the song really hit me this morning. So I thought I would share it with you. Below is the official music video.

Here are the lyrics to the song.

VERSE 1:
I am but a child in the hands of my Lord
Oh, he carries me through rushing rivers, takes me home
When I cannot see, will my faith sustain?
I will find my strength in your love, oh, in your love

CHORUS:
It is well with my soul... x4

Verse 2:
You are my God who gives breath to my lungs
Maker of all, to you I belong
I hold the hand of my father up above
I have no fear, carried now by perfect blood

CHORUS x4
ENDING:
Oh, oh, oh, with my soul... x4

Lucky for us The Ember Days is a open sharing band. You can download the song "It Is Well" for free here and you can download their EP from NoiseTrade for free here. Enjoy!

Monster Midwest Snow Storm

A powerful winter snowstorm pounded us in Iowa with heavy snow, ice, high winds and freezing temperatures starting Monday night through mid-day Wednesday. We got about 7 or so inches of snow. The kicker for us was the wind. 20+mph winds with 50mph gusts for 24 hours made for some good snow drifts.

Wednesday mid-morning when the wind finally died down I looked outside and to my surprise the driveway was fairly clean. The wind had blown all the snow out. So I suited up to see how the road looked. I walked out into the road and up onto the 5’-6’ deep snow drift that was about a quarter of a mile long. Knowing that we weren’t going anywhere anytime soon we settled into some snowed in activities.

To my amazement the county road grader did come that afternoon. He managed to get stuck twice trying to plow through that massive snowdrift. I shot some video of him plowing in front of the house. It took the road grader about an hour to plow a one lane path through the snow drift.

Now I feel as though I must give you some back story for this next part. In Paul Miller’s book “A Praying Life” he writes that we need to just ask God for the little things that are important to us even if they may seem dumb or we think why would God care about this. He also states that we often don’t think prayer works because we don’t see God in the story He is weaving in our lives and that we nee to keep track of the things we are praying for  how/what He is answering. Anyway, I prayed that morning “God I know the road grader is going to really plow me in. You know I don’t own a snow blower. God please send someone with a plow to plow me out.” Now in five years of living in this house the road grader doesn’t care about you as a homeowner. He will plow a 7’ pile at the end of your driveway and that is your problem. Well today was different. As I was sitting in the kitchen thinking there is NO way I am going to be able to shovel all of that. The road grader started working on the end of my driveway. I stood there in total amazement. I prayed right there and thanked God for answered prayer. Now someone might say “well he was going to do that regardless of you praying or not. Maybe, but please put your cynicism aside long enough to see that I prayed that someone would plow my driveway and that prayer got answered. The driveway got plowed. As a cherry on this prayer sundae, as Elicia & I were out with our shovels cleaning up around the mailbox, my neighbor who has watched me shovel for 5 years brings his tractor down and helps to scoop out. Our God is amazing.

Here are a few pictures of the road grader as he plowed by the house. 

See and download the full gallery on posterous