Renewing of your…Musical Tastes?

Last night I was playing around on a site call Jamsbio.com. It allows you browse all type of musical stuff, play games, blog about your favorite musical memories and list various favorites. I came across a list last night of “5 Cd’s I can’t live without” so now my job is to list my opinion on this list and create my own. A few years ago this probably would have been an easy task. I thought when I started it still would be but I began to really think about the title of the list. 5 Cd’s I can’t live without. Anyone who knows me knows that music is very much a life sustaining thing for me and I would not be the person I am without it. So I start running through my mental artist directory: Hendrix, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Metallica, Steve Vai. Then a I realized there was a new page in my artist directory that wasn’t there before. Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, Lincoln Brewster, Israel Houghton, Steve Fee, Pillar, Amberlin. These are all the great worship and Christian artists that I have been listening to since I have taken my relationship with God seriously over the past year or so. I have been exposed to many new artists that, in many cases, exceed the power and talent of the secular artists I love. I know the bible says that God will renew our minds if we let him. I guess I hadn’t actually thought about it in this way, where the music that I could not live without still technically sounds the same but carries a different message and more than likely comes from a different source. So you might be asking what my list looks like. To be honest I dont know yet, I think when I realized that my thoughts on music had really shifted to this degree I decided to step back and reevaluate.

What are your thoughts on how you view music? Could be from a spiritual perspective but not required.

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Gmail Video Chat and Skype

Google came out with a video-calling program yesterday.

Some comparison between it and Skype

http://www.gadgetell.com/tech/comment/gmail-video-chat-what-it-is-not/

Posted by email from Spirit 2.0 Posterous

God sends us what we need when we need it.

As most of you know I play drums at my church, as part of the OC worship team we are supposed to be in a spirit or worship and focused on worshiping God and playing to our utmost ability to help the congregation connect with the Lord. This is not something I take for granted.
When I arrived at OC I was in a bad funk. I didn’t really know why and during the set I felt distracted and afterwords I felt like I had let people down.

I prayed (and Twittered for others to pray) and asked God to get me out of my funk so I could glorify him. During the 1st song of the 10.30 service (Hillsong United- Salvation is here) I was playing the opening beat and our music minister was talking with the crowd. He then turned around, looked me in the eye and pounded his heart with his fist and mouthed “I love you man.” That little gesture really lifted my spirit and the timing could not have been any better. I mean, if Todd had made that gesture the day before I might have said thanks and not given it another thought but God knew I need something right then.

I think God was telling me that what I did mattered to the people around me and to the team and to Him and to get over myself. The next 2 sets were very good and I felt like I usually do, in the pocket and worshiping God and in turn I hope that those listening were blessed by what we were doing.

I write this because its so wonderful that God will take care of his kids when they ask and send people your way at just the right time that care about you to lift you out of your funk.

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

Peace

Going to the kids crusade @church

Testing brightkite via ping.fm

Testing brightkite via ping.fm

God wants our whole heart

God wants our whole heart

God wants our whole heart

I listened to a message from Matt Chandler of the Village Church recently. The guy is very challenging to listen to because he doesn’t sugarcoat his messages with lots of prosperity preaching and feelgood stuff. He puts God right in your face, sells out and expects his congregation to as well and doesn’t care if he offends some people. I do recommend you take a listen to him though.

Last week he talked about God wanting our WHOLE heart. He likened some christian relationships to us working for God. So when God starts to deal with us on certain “delicate” matters, we would rather go setup a small group than give that delicate piece up or deal with it.

I can totally raise my hand and say that is me. There are times that my heart hits a spot that isn’t quite “right” with God and rather deal with it then I would rather go teach a class or do some extra IT stuff at church or whatever, just to get off the subject almost. I think we tend to do that with each other in general, but if we treat God the same way we treat people where this is concerned, we will miss out. I think God wants all of us so he can bless us to the best of his ability and can’t do that if we aren’t totally sold out to him.

Sure, he will bless us but how much better will it be if we are totally up front with him and have all our imperfections out on the table. He already knows what they are and no way would I say this is and easy process for anyone. Totally the opposite and I think it gets harder as we get older.

I believe as we grow spiritually and get used to being “around God” for lack of a better phrase , the relationship will grow not unlike that of a good friend. The difference is that from the get-go God loves us so much that he longs to have this relationship with us and we are the ones that have to grow towards him.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 says:
The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. .

There are a million verses telling us how much he loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. I would pray that God softens us as human beings to open up to him in all things.

Peace.

Listening to Steve Fee, this guy is really good.

Listening to Steve Fee, this guy is really good.