I've got a website to make.
I've got songs to write.
There are things I need to do.
More on this later.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Lord
So I just wanted to pop on here and say that the Lord is good.
He is faithful and true and a really wonderful God.
He loves us deeply and when He moves, He moves in power. He has given us so much. Christ as the foundation. Then, He has built on that foundation in our hearts. I am so blessed by Him.
I hope you will be too.
He is faithful and true and a really wonderful God.
He loves us deeply and when He moves, He moves in power. He has given us so much. Christ as the foundation. Then, He has built on that foundation in our hearts. I am so blessed by Him.
I hope you will be too.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Just some thoughts after a conversation
Howdy all.
I had a fun conversation with my partner from impact a couple of summers ago, Kristin. We just got to sit and chat for a while about life and what we have been doing and what we see ahead of us. We got to talking about the Lord, which is always a good thing, and I think He gave me some great wisdom through what we talked about.
I am growing more certain that the Lord is going to do something amazing in our time. He is going to change us. I think we are going to be known for our love again: our love for each other, for other people that society (and possibly 'traditional' Christianity ) deems unlovable, and just the normal hurting people. I think God is teaching this generation to love unconditionally again. The gospel is good news and it should be proclaimed in love and should be carried forward with love. I want to see that again.
Also, I came to realize a truth about how I think I need to pray about my pursuit of what is next after school. I need to ask the Lord to guide me into His will, number one, but also I need to ask Him to show me where to go to be correctly equipped to carry out His will where He wants me to be. I don't know if I articulated that correctly, but basically, I want to be ready to move the gospel forward effectively where God puts me. So whatever His will is and whatever my role is, I want to go to school to learn the skills I need to accomplish that well.
Good. So basically, if I need to run a business I need to goto business school. If I need to teach His Word, I need to goto seminary. If I need to lead worship, I need to go somewhere to learn about that. I want to learn what I need to learn. And not just for the heck of it, but purposefully maturing towards a knowledge that will help the gospel go forth.
That is our purpose anyway. If we do anything without its purpose somehow being grounded in Christ and spreading His good news, we aren't really doing anything I guess.
That's that. I want to be somewhere effective. God will provide.
--Michael
I had a fun conversation with my partner from impact a couple of summers ago, Kristin. We just got to sit and chat for a while about life and what we have been doing and what we see ahead of us. We got to talking about the Lord, which is always a good thing, and I think He gave me some great wisdom through what we talked about.
I am growing more certain that the Lord is going to do something amazing in our time. He is going to change us. I think we are going to be known for our love again: our love for each other, for other people that society (and possibly 'traditional' Christianity ) deems unlovable, and just the normal hurting people. I think God is teaching this generation to love unconditionally again. The gospel is good news and it should be proclaimed in love and should be carried forward with love. I want to see that again.
Also, I came to realize a truth about how I think I need to pray about my pursuit of what is next after school. I need to ask the Lord to guide me into His will, number one, but also I need to ask Him to show me where to go to be correctly equipped to carry out His will where He wants me to be. I don't know if I articulated that correctly, but basically, I want to be ready to move the gospel forward effectively where God puts me. So whatever His will is and whatever my role is, I want to go to school to learn the skills I need to accomplish that well.
Good. So basically, if I need to run a business I need to goto business school. If I need to teach His Word, I need to goto seminary. If I need to lead worship, I need to go somewhere to learn about that. I want to learn what I need to learn. And not just for the heck of it, but purposefully maturing towards a knowledge that will help the gospel go forth.
That is our purpose anyway. If we do anything without its purpose somehow being grounded in Christ and spreading His good news, we aren't really doing anything I guess.
That's that. I want to be somewhere effective. God will provide.
--Michael
Something terribly sad
It has been a while.
I just read this article: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,307058,00.html
It makes me sad to see what perversion of what the gospel was meant to convey lead to this Westboro Baptist church does to people and to fellow Christians.
Where Christ's love and ultimate care for someone should be shining through, there is hate and belittlement and malice and, really, stupidity. We are meant to convey remedy, love, hope, joy, peace to this world, not hatred. How can we reach people if they are turned off by our ability to be the biggest jerks in the world? Gah.
I just read this article: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,307058,00.html
It makes me sad to see what perversion of what the gospel was meant to convey lead to this Westboro Baptist church does to people and to fellow Christians.
Where Christ's love and ultimate care for someone should be shining through, there is hate and belittlement and malice and, really, stupidity. We are meant to convey remedy, love, hope, joy, peace to this world, not hatred. How can we reach people if they are turned off by our ability to be the biggest jerks in the world? Gah.
1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Titus 3:1-8: Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
They missed the point. That is terribly sad.Thursday, April 5, 2007
Writing Music / Songs
I have been writing some poetry and specifically setting them to music. I have been writing songs, if you will. :) I wonder firstly, if anyone reads this. Second I wonder if any said possible readers get that joke. Probably not, but good thoughts none the less.
Anyway, back to the point. I have been writing songs and it is rather difficult. I really enjoy it, and it is certainly a worthwhile use of my time, but moving from a world of just worship music to trying to write songs that appeal to people's emotions and challenge them to think or at least entertain them is quite a different animal. The same laws do not apply to "regular music" and "worship music."
For instance:
Worship Music
Normal Music
Anyway, it is interesting trying to write something significant and real that really sounds good and is not always preachy or worship specific music. I want to write about real things that people can identify with, which is worship to Christ, just not in the traditional worship chorus style. But that is what comes out sometimes because of my experience with leading worship.
It is a good problem, because as I work through this even if I don't get a lot of "Normal Music" right now, I am getting some good praise music :)
-- Michael
Anyway, back to the point. I have been writing songs and it is rather difficult. I really enjoy it, and it is certainly a worthwhile use of my time, but moving from a world of just worship music to trying to write songs that appeal to people's emotions and challenge them to think or at least entertain them is quite a different animal. The same laws do not apply to "regular music" and "worship music."
For instance:
Worship Music
- Point to Christ
- Glorify God
- Help you praise God
- Not about show
- Easy to sing
- Less "Do do do"
- Straightforward
Normal Music
- Make a point or have a point
- Glorify God
- Help you enjoy life
- About Show
- Whatever I want to say
- "Do do do" encouraged
- Complicated or simple (either)
Anyway, it is interesting trying to write something significant and real that really sounds good and is not always preachy or worship specific music. I want to write about real things that people can identify with, which is worship to Christ, just not in the traditional worship chorus style. But that is what comes out sometimes because of my experience with leading worship.
It is a good problem, because as I work through this even if I don't get a lot of "Normal Music" right now, I am getting some good praise music :)
-- Michael
Been A Month
It has been a month since I wrote here.
A lot has changed. Well I guess not a whole lot, but some.
I might be going to the Czech Republic the Spr. of '09.
I am excited about that!
Anyway, I'll write more later.
A lot has changed. Well I guess not a whole lot, but some.
I might be going to the Czech Republic the Spr. of '09.
I am excited about that!
Anyway, I'll write more later.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
God Timeless in Eternity
I found this article today while searching out some info on eternity to share with my kids this summer at Sky Ranch. The topic is eternity and how God plays into that.
Read this:
http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/eternity.html
Really interesting stuff. Footnote 25 is great too, talking about several issues depending on the Trinity. I tend to believe the relative view of time, with God existing timelessly before creation, however I take issue with the conclusion:
"Thus, the proper understanding of God, time, and eternity would be that God exists changelessly and timelessly prior to creation and in time after creation."
How I have envisioned how God exists in eternity and not just envisioned but seen exposed in scripture and thinking is that God exists in eternity, timeless, etc. now, as well as before creation. He interacts with time from his place outside of time, but is not bound to it.
<------------------------Eternity---------------------------->
| (Time) |
Beginning (Creation) <- -> End (Judgment)
This is a figure describing kind of what I am saying. Time is an outside entity created from eternity and accessed from eternity by God. The problem with this model is that Eternity is on a timescale, which is not philosophically correct, as Eternity is timeless, almost like an eternal instance where past, present, and future combine into one. Thus, God is able to enter time for any moment as long as he wants, as his existence is outside and independent of time.
Dr. Craig seems to suggest that post creation, God is dependent upon time or bound by time, which is what my ideas above try to take a different point of view on.
Just some thoughts. Anyone?
Read this:
http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/eternity.html
Really interesting stuff. Footnote 25 is great too, talking about several issues depending on the Trinity. I tend to believe the relative view of time, with God existing timelessly before creation, however I take issue with the conclusion:
"Thus, the proper understanding of God, time, and eternity would be that God exists changelessly and timelessly prior to creation and in time after creation."
How I have envisioned how God exists in eternity and not just envisioned but seen exposed in scripture and thinking is that God exists in eternity, timeless, etc. now, as well as before creation. He interacts with time from his place outside of time, but is not bound to it.
<------------------------Eternity---------------------------->
| (Time) |
Beginning (Creation) <- -> End (Judgment)
This is a figure describing kind of what I am saying. Time is an outside entity created from eternity and accessed from eternity by God. The problem with this model is that Eternity is on a timescale, which is not philosophically correct, as Eternity is timeless, almost like an eternal instance where past, present, and future combine into one. Thus, God is able to enter time for any moment as long as he wants, as his existence is outside and independent of time.
Dr. Craig seems to suggest that post creation, God is dependent upon time or bound by time, which is what my ideas above try to take a different point of view on.
Just some thoughts. Anyone?
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