Concert

I went to the Tenth Avenue North/Casting Crowns concert last night. I actually didn't even realize it was on Good Friday at the time I booked the ticket online. It was certainly a unique way to worship on the day that commemorates our Lord's death but no less meaningful. My mission on most Good Fridays is to get a glimpse, feel a sliver of what Christ endured on the cross. Just an inkling is all it takes for the weight of that moment to be felt deep inside my soul. It's a good and proper reminder of the cost my Savior endured for me.

Last night wasn't quite like that. Yes, there were moments of reflection and meditation on Christ's sacrifice. There were lyrics from songs that stood out more than they might on other days given it was Good Friday. There are constant reminders of the cross in almost every good Christian song so it wasn't hard to continually reflect throughout the night on Jesus' death.

The first act was Caleb - a young guy - probably a teenager along with this brother. He performed 3 songs. Good voice but the songwriting needs some work.



Then Tenth Avenue North performed. Their music has really been a blessing to me so it was very cool to see them live. Their energy is infectious. They were probably the highlight for me since I know their music the best. They got 7 songs and I would have been fine with twice that.



Casting Crowns was the headline act and didn't disappoint. The songs "East to West" and "Voice of Truth" have been two of the most important songs in my spiritual walk and they sang them both. God had plenty to say to me during those times. It was cool to find out that they only perform on the road Thursday through Saturday. The rest of the time they are at their respective churches doing ministry. I think that says a lot for who is getting the glory when they are on stage.

And now...

Conway Twitty.

How God Works

Today was one of those days where I was just tired - mentally and physically. This year has been challenging thus far. No real breaks in the work schedule - certainly no vacation days. Results of all of that work have been modest at best which doesn't do wonders for increased motivation and desire. Throw in an overcast day and nothing pressing on my schedule and it was an opportunity for some much needed time to get reacquainted with my recliner.

At some point during the day I visited YouTube. Can't even remember what I was looking for. But on my home page, YouTube is kind enough to recommend some videos based on my past viewing habits. There were a number of Matt Chandler videos there. Now I wasn't really planning on going spiritually deep today. Like I said, the brain was tired. But I clicked on one that was 3 minutes long. One you will probably see posted here on Easter Sunday. Then along the side it offers other related videos and I see an 8 minute Chandler video that involves CS Lewis and the myth of truth.

That catches my attention because I know CS Lewis was an atheist at one point and was converted but I don't really know the story of his conversion. I care more now than usual because I have had recent opportunities to witness to a couple of atheists with another one waiting in the wings. So, I want to know. So, I click on it and it won't come up. Over and over again...with no luck.

So, I track down the title of the sermon and go hunting on the Village Church site and find it from April '09. 54 minute sermon but I don't mind that. God is urging me now to watch this so I do this evening. The CS Lewis part is in the middle and a cool story. How he and Tolkien, a Christian, would have intense discussions over drinks while smoking pipes at various English pubs - each passionately debating their belief that there is or isn't a god. CS Lewis believing it was all a myth but yet bothered that all the Medievel authors he studied at Oxford were Christians. Finally, early one morning after an all night walk, Tolkien turned to him and said, "It might be a myth but in this case it's true." And for whatever reason that line was the turning point for Lewis. God used that to open his eyes and transform his heart.

So the reason for bringing Lewis up in this sermon, which interestingly started in Ephesians 2, was because Chandler went to Romans 8. Ephesians 2:8 talks about faith being a gift from God. You didn't do it. He did. So how does God do that? In comes Romans 8:28-34 where Paul talks about God foreknowing and predestining and calling and glorifying.

Why is that timely for me? 2 weeks ago I am having a post-dedication conversation with the father of my friend and co-worker who tells me he has been struggling with the idea of predestination. Geez...what seeking Christian hasn't had that struggle? So, I point him toward Piper's book on Romans 8. But now I have this resource to share as well. Not a coincidence. Chandler breaks it down well for about 20+ minutes. Good teaching for me of course but I know this was meant for my friend's dad as well.

And just like that...God shows up and does some cool things and I am much better off for it. By the way, if you are interested in listening to this sermon (which is awesome) here is the link:

http://fm.thevillagechurch.net/sermons?type=sermons&page=1&match=any&kw=&topic=&sb=date&sd=desc

It's the 4/26/09 sermon. Chandler at his best. His ability to mix amazing passion for Biblical truth with moments of levity is so cool.

Love This...

NCAA Expands March Madness To Include 4,096 Teams

Health Care Bill

I took the following passage from one of Charles Payne's daily writings. I get his thoughts twice per day in my business email. He is the CEO of Wall Street Strategies and probably gets more air time on the business channels than any other black man. I respect him for his work ethic, conservative principles, writing style and faith in family and God.

"I believe that this bill will prove to be the Achilles heel of the Democrats, but it opens the door for more attacks on big businesses, too.

The CBO scoring of the bill is a joke as it defies commonsense. Really, is there a single person that honestly believes we are going to add 32 million more people to the healthcare system and costs are going to go down, doctor visits will not be rationed, and there will be less fraud, waste, and abuse? None of these estimates has ever been even remotely close. In 1965 when Medicare was being passed the official cost estimate put the 1990 price tag at $12.0 billion. Well maybe it felt like that number would hold as the 1966 cost was only $3.0 billion. The actual 1990 tally was $107.0 billion or 790% more than expected. Of course there are those out there that think healthcare reform is a birthright.

For these people there is always someone that is going to work hard and earn enough money to "share" with society. For these people the dreams an individual has are subordinate to the needs of the masses. So, if you're working two jobs to put your children through college that's too bad as someone else needs that money and even if they don't work they should be paid. On this line of thinking the Medicare Tax on investment income will now be 3.8% not the original number of 2.9%. Why invest? Why should anyone even work hard at all? The costs are too high with this bill. I'm not just talking about money or where it comes from but skirting the rule of law and rejecting the will of the people leaves the nation angry and vulnerable."

Chandler Update

Quite the Contrast

Stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, low interest rates, growth stocks, value stocks, P/E ratios, debt/equity ratios, rising inventories, falling loan activity, Social Security deficits, trade imbalances, artificially high yuan, credit default swaps, Lehman fraud, AIG short squeeze, Citigroup 30% of NYSE volume, and on and on and on and on it goes.

Sitting in church this morning to attend the dedication of my friend's 3-month old daughter, I heard a story. A guy named Alex from a small village in Indonesia. He is raised in a very poor, Muslim-only culture. They sent him away to learn, to grow and to bring back the best he could to enrich their community. What he found was the best but it wasn't in his village's economic interest. What he found was Jesus Christ. Now he wants to bring back the best of what he found to his village but the elders of his village have told him that his life will be in danger if he returns with the message of Christianity. This village that nurtered him as a child and gave out of their poverty so he could have opportunities tells him it would be better now if he never returned. Yet, he says how can he not return to share this good news with those he loves? How can he not give the best of what he has to the people he cares about the most?

The first paragraph seems so meaningless while the second is so meaningful. It's impossible not to be struck by the contrast.