Music REALLY Worth Dancing To

I've been listening to some great Christian music lately. Just saying that is quite something for me. Most of the time, I wouldn't say that "great Christian music" really exists. As a musician, I tend to appreciate secular music from an artistic standpoint, while most Christian music tends to sorely pale in comparison. Let's just say I'm not a Michael W. Smith fan. (Sorry if you are.) But, of course, the lyrics and the attitude that I expose myself to with secular music is typically far from desirable. So, I was really excited when I started doing some hunting recently and came across about 25 or so honest to goodness Christian music treasures! These all have a great southern-rock/gospel/blues/soul vibe with some sweet guitar solos worth cranking up the volume for. I thought I'd share a few of them with you here. Check out these lyrics and the links to the songs on iTunes.

Have an awesome weekend! And get up and DANCE! YOUR SAVIOR LIVES!!


Be not you weary
While on this journey
For you will reap
If you faint not
If dark clouds should rise
And thunder roll
Look to the Master
For HE's in control
He's In Control- Austin's Bridge

I've just gotta praise him, Jesus set me free.
I've just gotta praise him, for the victory.
I've just gotta praise him, cause I'm not the same.
I've just gotta praise his holy name.
I've Just Gotta Praise Him- Chelley Odle

There ain't no grave gonna hold this body down
There ain't no grave gonna hold this body down
When I hear the trumpet sound
Gonna get up outa the ground
Cause there ain't no grave gonna hold this body down


I said look way over Jordan
What do you think I see
I saw a band of holy angels and they're comin' after me!
I cried meet me, meet me Jesus
Meet me in the middle of the air
I'm gonna rise to meet my Lord and say goodbye down here!
Ain't No Grave- Selah, Jason Crabb, Adam Crabb

Now you've been busy sleeping in the shadows of your own

Wasting the gift of your life

Now the sun is rising, the shadows are gone

Get up, wake up, for you've been justified!

The prodigal is waking up

The wayward child is waking up

The down and out is waking up

The prisoner is waking up

The lonely soul is waking up

The Pharisee is waking up

I hope the church is waking up

Everybody's waking up!

Wake Up O Sleeper- Jason Crabb, Jonathan Shelton, Bear Rinehard

O Be Careful Little Feet Where You Go

Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.  Exodus 40:34,35

At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of God.  2 Chronicles 5:13,14

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.  Romans 8:11 

The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, appeared as a cloud during the time of Moses and again during the time of Solomon to dwell in the Tabernacle in the desert and later in the Temple. These two structures were assembled with painstaking intricacy according to the detailed instructions of God himself. Everything had to be just so if it was going to be fit for God himself, the One who breathed the universe into existence, to inhabit it.

Humanity was so extraordinarily unfit to even be in the remote vicinity of this Almighty God, and in order for Him to dwell among them, there was a dedicated process of sanctification that first needed to take place. From the time of Moses, this is how the Israelites approached God, only in a designated place, and only through the appropriately sanctified priests.

But all of that changed the day Jesus showed up on the scene. This same holy God came as a humble servant and dwelt among men. Throughout his ministry, Jesus defied the religious leaders of the time, not abolishing those laws that were their foundation, but fulfilling and revolutionizing them in his very life and death (Matthew 5:17).

God would no longer dwell in a Temple of brick and stone. One day, Jesus himself will return to rule and reign and will physically sit on the throne in a newly constructed Temple in Jerusalem. But until that day comes, the Spirit of God has a new home: you and me!

Think about that! Think about the gravity of what that means. Previously, there was only one place where God could rightly dwell, and it required unimaginable levels of sanctification and purification in order to make it fit for him. And when the cloud, the spirit of God, actually entered the Tabernacle, Moses could no longer go in because of the overwhelming power of God's glory. And now, that exact same Spirit that filled the Tabernacle and the Temple is living inside of you if you are a child of God! What a privilege!

What do we even do with that information? We are free to come before the throne of God, and we are not bound to the law, but we also need to remember that this body is the very Temple of God. We need to use it as such!

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Matthew 5:18-19

We need to remember that in everything we expose our eyes, our ears, our minds, our bodies to, everything we say, everything we do, and everything we lead others to do is a reflection of the One living within us. We are his Temple! May everything in us shout, "Glory to the Lord!"

Where's The Reset Button?

(Check out Part One & Part Two)

Have you ever had to reset your computer or your smartphone back to factory settings? If you have, you know that it involves completely wiping your device of all information. It forgets all of the little quirky settings you spent hours programming to get it just the way you like it, the fact that you like the bell ring for incoming calls (except when it's your sister, and then it's that song that reminds you of her), the fact that you want it to alert you when you have a text message, but not for emails or Facebook alerts. It forgets every app that you've installed, every song that you've downloaded and every picture you've taken.

It forgets everything.

Months, maybe years, of adjusting, perfecting and tweaking are completely gone.

As if they never happened.

The slate is wiped clean... and you begin anew.

It is certainly inconvenient, to say the least. But it is necessary in order to restore function to something that is... well, broken.

And that is exactly what needs to happen with us.

This country, each family, each individual, you and I-- WE NEED TO BE RESET TO FACTORY SETTINGS!

We have been overloaded with massive amounts of misinformation. We have been misused, ill-trained, and pushed to the brink. And the result? We are short-circuiting! We, human beings, were not made to function in the way that this world has decided we ought to function, and we simply cannot take it anymore. We are breaking down.

We were not made to be "tolerant" of unholy behavior, and yet this is what we are taught in school. We certainly must not treat others, no matter their behavior, with hatred or spite, but it is okay, in fact it is right to say that marriage is between a man and a woman, and only between a man and a woman. And yet, our programming has been violated by a society and a school system that teaches that it is not only acceptable, but worthy of celebration, to have two mommies or two daddies. (1 Corinthians 6:9)

We were not made to take life, and yet not only is abortion legally condoned and protected in this country, it is celebrated by many as a well-deserved milestone in the fight for women's "rights". (Romans 1:29, Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13-16)

We were not made to serve ourselves, and yet we live in a culture in which the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" has taken such precedence that career grooming begins practically in kindergarten now. What if instead of placing children on a predetermined path for college and self-aggrandizing careerism, we sat them down and taught them that they in fact CANNOT be whatever they want when they grow up but absolutely CAN and SHOULD be everything God has called them to be, which might mean college for some and not for others? What if instead of career days at school, they had spiritual gifting days to determine how exactly God has gifted them and how they can best use those gifts to glorify Jesus and bless others? And what if glorifying Jesus and blessing others WAS the desired end, rather than a paycheck and a house with a white picket fence? (Isaiah 43:7, 1 Corinthians 10:31)

There are so many things that we simply were not programmed to do. And yet, there is hardly a single thing left within our programming that is still operating within suitable "factory parameters", if you will. No, we are not machines. And yes, we do have individualities and uniquenesses about us that are to be celebrated and harnessed. But above all, we were made to glorify God! End of story. And if we are not doing that in everything that we do, then we are no longer functioning properly, and we must be reset.

How do we do that? For ourselves- we need to come back to God's word, plain and simple. It is our instruction manual. It is all that we need in order to restore our hearts to their proper working condition.

And for our children? I hardly have to say it at this point, but honestly, they cannot and WILL NOT receive the biblical teaching, training and discipline in a public school that they so desperately need. Can you undo the damage each day and instill these values in the few hours a day you see them between school and bedtime (less if they are gone three nights a week for dance, soccer, tennis, etc.)? Yes, possibly. But is it worth the extra effort that it will take to not only teach them the things you do want them to know, but to also have to counteract the innumerable lies they will face on a daily basis while they are out of your care? Is homeschooling the "right" way or the only way? No, I can't make that kind of claim. But is it the best way? You'll have to answer that for yourself.

I believe that Scripture has given parents a mandate to personally teach and train their children, to raise them up in the admonition of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 6:7, 2 Timothy 3:14,15). How we each do that is between us and the Lord. But however we choose to follow that command, we must take it ever so seriously.

Many of us are already broken and in need of serious repair. Our children, if they are not already showing signs of wear and tear, will soon be in the same mess as the rest of us if we do not take them back and stake a claim on their lives, a claim that says...

"But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD!" Joshua 24:15

Rewriting History

(If you missed it, take a look at part one.)

The United States of America has such a rich history, filled with stories of heroism, justice and freedom. And if all you ever knew about this country was what (I am discovering) very little is taught in our public schools, you would undoubtedly be filled with a sense of pride and privilege to be able to call yourself a citizen of the freest and most blessed nation in the world. However, you would be neglecting a much larger, and quite frankly pivotal, truth about who we are, where we come from, why we are as blessed as we are and how we must behave as a nation if we hope to keep that blessing.

Short of giving you an entire text book of information about the forgotten and untold history of our nation, I could not begin to cover the vast extent to which this nation actually was, despite what we are told in school, birthed and founded upon the Bible, its principles and most importantly, the ultimate foundation, Jesus Christ. This is not the message we are given in school; if you have spent any amount of time in a public school classroom or university classroom, you are probably more familiar with a godless, humanist history. But I am here to tell you that our founding fathers, and their predecessors, were not the deist and atheistic individuals that have been painted into our history books. On the contrary, they were men and women of deep faith, who knew that the only hope we ever had or will have for a healthy and prosperous nation was bound strictly to our obedience and submission to the God of the Bible.

In their own words...

Samuel Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence and Father of the American Revolution: "And as it is our duty to extend our wishes to the happiness of the great family of man, I conceive that we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world that the rod of tyrants may be broken to pieces, and the oppressed made free again; that wars may cease in all the earth, and that the confusions that are and have been among nations may be overruled by promoting and speedily brining on that holy and happy period when the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and all people everywhere willingly bow to the sceptre of Him who is Prince of Peace."

James Madison, 4th U.S. President: "Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ."

Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. President, Drafter and Signer of the Declaration of Independence: "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever..."

Patrick Henry, Ratifier of the U.S. Constitution: "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."

John Jay, 1st Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court: "By conveying the Bible to people thus circumstanced, we certainly do them a most interesting kindness. We thereby enable them to learn that man was originally created and placed in a state of happiness, but, becoming disobedient, was subjected to the degradation and evils which he and his posterity have since experienced.

The Bible will also inform them that our gracious Creator has provided for us a Redeemer, in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; that this Redeemer has made atonement "for the sins of the whole world," and thereby reconciling the Divine justice with the Divine mercy has opened a way for our redemption and salvation; and that these inestimable benefits are of the free gift and grace of God, not of our deserving, nor in our power to deserve."

These are just a few quotes out of so many more. The history we know is rich, yes. But the history we do not know is richer still. And it is the one we need to acquaint ourselves with if we ever hope to restore this nation to a place of submission to God and retain his favor rather than his wrath.

More in the next post on educating ourselves as well as the next generation...

Church and State

A nation without God's guidance is a nation without order. Happy are those who keep God's law! Proverbs 29:18 (Today's English Version)

Separation of church and state...

Such powerful words that were born out of a specific need and over time have warped into something entirely contradictory to their original intent.

It is probably one of the most widespread misconceptions that the concept of "separation of church and state" is a written law and in fact part of our constitution. In reality, this couldn't be further from the truth.

The belief that this concept is constitutional stems from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This amendment clearly states that the United States government is not to infringe upon an individual's right to worship as they choose, nor their rights to peacefully assemble, speak, print news and petition the government.

Our Constitution was created to protect religion and the free practice of it, among other issues, not to do away with it.

The phrase "separation of church and state", and all the weight that it carries, was actually introduced through the writings of various political leaders from our history including a letter from President Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association as well as in a speech by James Madison, given in 1789.

Over time, what was once spoken of with the intent of protecting and preserving the faith of this nation's citizens has been given new life in the form of effectively eliminating the presence, and ultimately the protection and provision, of the very God, and his ways, who allowed this nation to be formed and blessed in the first place.

And therein lies the root, the very crux of the predicament we now find ourselves in as a nation. We are becoming a nation without God. And without God, we cannot hope to ever be blessed as we once were. We cannot shun the biblical truths which this nation was founded upon and still hope to earn God's favor. We cannot have one without the other. It just doesn't work that way.

*              *             *

So what do we do about it?

This dilemma we face is becoming increasingly obvious to those who are paying attention. I have mentioned before two authors who are speaking to this exact issue very boldly at the moment, and just this past weekend, I was introduced to yet a third source, a new documentary that is out and proclaiming the same message as well.

I strongly encourage you to explore these resources:

The Harbinger by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn: The book is a quick and entertaining read, written in a fictional story-like form, but containing massive amounts of mind-boggling FACT about both recent and ancient history as it pertains to the work God is doing right now in this country. If you're not up for reading the book, or just want to get a taste of what it has to offer, you can watch a video clip of the Rabbi talking about the nine harbingers here. Trust me when I say, your jaw will be on the floor by the time you get done with it. You do not want to miss this one!

Implosion by Joel Rosenberg: This Non-Fiction book by Joel Rosenberg is coming out in a couple months and speaks to these same issues: Where does our nation stand right now, and what will inevitably happen if we do not immediately turn back to God? I cannot wait to read this one, and I strongly recommend that you take a look as well.

Monumental: I just saw this new documentary by Kirk Cameron this past weekend, and it was well worth the trip! It reveals to us the TRUE history of our nation, a national treasure that I was completely unaware even existed, and the key to maintaining the kind of rich blessing and favor no other nation in the world has ever known like we have. Here's a trailer:

These are just a few resources that I have found particularly insightful, challenging, and edifying! Take the time to check them out!

Coming up in the following weeks: I plan to spend some time talking about what we specifically can do as individuals and families who desire to see this nation blessed as it once was. Join me as we explore America's real history and work together to seek a better future.

What I Know About My God

My burden is heavy, but HIS is light.

My ways seem logical, but HIS are right.

My dreams and desires are inspiring, but HIS are so much bigger.

So why do I find it so difficult to trust this gracious Giver?



My logic says, "You make your own lot, so plan and plot your gain."

But HIS says, "Don't worry about tomorrow. Just worship Me today."

My list of things to do grows longer by the minute.

But JESUS says, "IT'S DONE! Now, stop and simply rest in it!"



My heart fears the pain that trusting God sometimes brings.

But JESUS says, "That heart is MINE, and My love fully heals all things.

I've long ago lost count of all the tears that ceaseless run.

But MY GOD has faithfully counted and collected every one!




And when I think my joy is bound to what I can touch and see,

MY GOD reminds me, "Your greatest treasure is right here with ME."



MY GOD may be silent, far more often than I'd like,

But when He speaks, He speaks with power and all-consuming might!

And the words He keeps repeating are,

"Your burden may be heavy, but MINE is joyfully light."

From The Archives...

I have been admittedly a bit distracted lately. I haven't felt like the Lord has been impressing anything specific on my heart over the last couple weeks that needs to be shared here. But, really, I probably have not been in a position to pay due attention and hear whatever he might want to say.

So, from one pre-occupied heart to another, here is a message from the archives... one that is as much for me today as it is for you. Be blessed!

Then [Jesus] told them a story: "A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have room for all my crops.' Then he said, 'I know! I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I'll sit back and say to myself, "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!"'

"But God said to him, 'You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?'

"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God." Luke 12:16-21 NLT

This passage of Scripture has been a recurring theme lately in my own self-denial story. It has been a slow process that began about a year and a half ago, when the Lord grabbed hold of my heart and called me to hand over a part of my life that most would consider one of the few areas that we should hold onto. Since then, the Lord has actually been redirecting my heart and mind closer to a middle ground, but continuously reminding me that HE is the Lord of life and only he is qualified to determine when and if a life is created.

Since that time, there have been a number of other areas in my life that have been pulled apart and exposed, quite painfully at times, opening my eyes to the fact that the moment I begin to believe that I have finally given everything over to the Lord, He is there, waiting to reveal the next one. The truth I have finally come to realize is that in my human selfishness, there will always be something that I am still holding back; but I am thankful that God is patient with me and that, as long as I am willing to ask, he will be willing to reveal each and every one of those idols in my life, one at a time, until I am finally standing in front of him and that work is finally complete (Phil. 1:6).

The most recent of these "idols" in my life, and the one that resonates the clearest with the passage of Scripture above, is in my love of beautiful surroundings: my home. I love watching HGTV and dreaming about the house that I am going to live in someday. I love thinking about, and not just thinking but realistically planning, when and where we are going to buy this house, budgeting for renovations on an old house with lots of character, right down to the last tufted pillow on the living room sofa.

Now don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with having a nice house, having beautiful things, even spending time and money on a project like a home renovation. The Bible does not say that "money" or any of the things that you can buy with money are evil in and of themselves; it says that the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10).

Now, I wouldn't say that I am so obsessed with having this dream house that it interferes with my service for the Lord. The issue isn't so much whether or not I can have these things; it just keeps coming back to why I want them. I mean, really, what's the point? I know that God has given us material things to enjoy, and we don't need to feel guilty when we do enjoy those things, but the theme that keeps running through my head is, "Why do I even want this in the first place?" I just keep thinking, "What if we go buy this house and spend the next two years and thousands of dollars fixing it up, and the day after we hammer the last nail into the last cabinet door, Jesus raptures his church? What then? I know there's nothing wrong with having the house and spending that money, but will I honestly be content to stand before the Lord on that day and say "Look what I did with these last two years and all that money."? I don't want to look Jesus in the eye and wonder, "Could I have used that time and money more wisely?" I want to know that I have been a good steward of the gifts he has given me.

So, as my priorities keep changing and my eyes turn more and more fully towards the real prize, I offer this testimony as a reminder that we are running out of time (Rev. 22:7, 12-13, 20) and that we need to be using "our" time and talents to accomplish the work of the kingdom rather than storing up material treasures, building a name for ourselves in the business world, or even promoting our church when we should be promoting simply Jesus. Notice in that passage above, we are told that it is important to have a rich relationship with the Lord, not just a relationship, but a rich one.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have --Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials --gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgement day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 1 Corin. 3:11-15

I don't want to enter heaven by the skin of my teeth. I want to have lived a life that will come through the fire and be worthy of reward. The clearest way I see to accomplish that is simply to rid my life of as many stumbling blocks as possible and fill those gaps with things that will edify me and bless others.

What's something in your life that has maybe become more of an "idol" than it should be? What are some things you are doing to prepare for the coming of our King?