Doug Van Pelt

TFK "sounds like" Chevelle

...at least in my not so humble opinion. (The new album, The Art Of Breaking, specifically.)

3 hours, 14 minutes, and 15 seconds left of deadline...

The power of one...

When Abraham heard God's promise about raising a nation from his seed, he believed God but had to wait a long time to see his son, Isaac, born. It's cool how God can use just one person. Sometimes, it seems, a small search only yields one willing person. It is that person, willing to say "Yes" to God that can be used to do wonderful things. I want to be that guy, and I want to be a part of a mighty force (of many people) that say "Yes" to God.

"'Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you...
The least of you will become a thousand,
the smallest a mighty nation.
I am the Lord;
in its time I will do this swiftly.'"

Oh, My Guilty Conscience

I'm placing ads in our layout program right now, with my interns behind me;
and after Tim's performance of Eminem, I'm cranking .38 Special and Abba.
They're kind of stuck here and have to listen to this stuff. Part of me feels bad.

hahahahaha

TFK = Chevelle

Isaiah 58 is headlined "True Fasting" (at least in my Collegiate Devotional Bible). And God talks about the types of fasting that His people have been doing. God asks a rhetorical question:

"'Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?'"

The obvious answer is, "No."
God goes on to provide the kind of fast He wants (and it's also posed as a question):

"'Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter --
when you see the naked,
to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?'"

Then He makes a promise of the resultant fast:

"'Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call,
and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help,
and He will say: 'Here am I.'"

Wow. That's the kind of stuff I want.
Then He further points out instructions to achieve this:

"'If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.'"

Spending yourself in behalf of the hungry. That phrase says it all, doesn't it? And what is so cool about "spending yourself" on others is that God provides your strength. He re-invigorates us. He sustains us and "recharges" us. We needn't worry about our own resources when we're doing this, as He provides. Wow.

Biscuit in the Office

The dog is liking it here. I had to go get a toner cartridge for our laser printer, as my proofs for layouts were looking like weak excuses -- the kind a teacher or professor would hold up and comment in front of the class: "Look what Mr. Van Pelt turned in! It's a piece of art! See how it fades from nothingness to some slightly ledgible words back to nothing again. Brilliant! It's incomplete, though." So I took Biscuit with me for another car trip to Office Depot, which is located right next to a Pet's Mart. It was his first trip into the "Pets are welcome here" shopping experience. His trip through Office Depot got some attention, when he barked at a clerk. People fawned over him at Pet's Mart, though. And we got him some new puppy biscuits and a squeaky snake toy that he likes. And my print outs are looking crisp and clean again. No more professor insults for me.

Isaiah 55 is an interesting chapter. It starts off with an invitation:

"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live."

This is like a "refrigerator magnet" passage. It's a comforting invite from the Lord to receive of Him and His Word. His Words are everlasting and His covenants are good.

"Seek the Lord while He may be found;
call on Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the Lord,
and He will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for He will freely pardon."

This is an invitation that I want to accept. He is good and His pardons are final.

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord.
'As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts."

This is good to remember at all times: when we're "high" after accomplishing something cool; and when we're "low," knowing that we've failed or disappointed in how circumstances turned out. Sometimes God works "behind the scenes" and we don't see the results we're after...

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is My Word that goes out from My mouth:
It will not return to Me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

This is an amazing declaration that is proved right over and over again. It also helps me not to carry the weight of responsibility of how things turn out. For instance, it's good to have a burden for someone's soul. When we see someone's life going bad because of wrong decisions or we see their bitterness and pain, or we just look ahead to eternity and have sorrow for their souls if they don't turn to the Lord... Those are good motivations and thoughts; but we cannot bear the weight of that person's choices or the judgment of their souls. And so when we share some of God's Word with that person, we do not have to expect or focus on an immediate "fast food" / immediate response. God's Word was shared for a purpose, and we just may not know what that purpose is just yet. But we can trust that it has a purpose and that God's Spirit uses His Word. At some point all we can do is watch Him go to work.

"You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands."

I remember meeting a friend of mine at the local HEB grocery store in Austin. I like to clap at birds resting in trees, etc, and watch them scatter as if they are running from shotgun blasts. It's just an odd habit. My friend asked me, "What are you doing?" I quickly retorted back to him, "I'm just helping the trees practice. One day all the trees of the fields will be clapping their hands..." My friend laughed. (I guess you had to be there)
:?)

Today is "Bring Your Puppy To Work" Day

So Biscuit is here laying down on my floor. I forgot to bring his chewy rawhide bone to sharpen his teeth with, so I've handed him one of many copies of the Lust Control Fun Fun Feeling cassette, which he's attacked ferociously.

There are 3 days, 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 11 seconds left of deadline. I think we are nearing the end point. I have a feeling we might finish early. That will be a blessing.

We're almost through Isaiah, and at one of the most special chapters -- 53.

I love the passage that basically says that Jesus was ugly:

"...He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him,
nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
He was despised,
and we esteemed Him not."

Of course, the label "ugly" is subjective (and basically wrong... any time we deem something ugly we are insulting the Creator of the universe, are we not?), but this passage makes it clear that Jesus was not a male model of attractiveness.

This makes me want to befriend the friendless all the more. To esteem the person who might be beaten down and rejected by men.

And, on a side note, Pat Terry recorded an amazing song, called "Man of Sorrows," which featured Leslie (aka Sam) Phillips on vocals. It could've been Mark Heard who did that song. I always confused those two great artists. No, I'm pretty sure it was Pat Terry. Heard had another great song with Phillips, "Heart Of Hearts," I think it was called.

On another side note, this chapter proves that the DaVinci Code is a lie. This age old prophecy, this text of Isaiah, which is accepted by Jews all over the world and throughout history, makes undisputed (okay, there are many people who dispute it...namely unbelieving Jews) messianic prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. Check this out:

"...He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
and by His wounds we are healed..."

He was pierced with nails that attached Him to the cross. His wounds bring healing -- physical, emotional, and spiritual healing to those that reach out and "touch" Him by believing in (clinging to, trusting in, and relying on) Him.

"By oppression and judgment He was taken away.
And who can speak of His descendants?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people He was striken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in His death,
though He had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in His mouth."

He was arrested and taken away like a dirty criminal, given a mockery of a trial, beaten, and then killed. He didn't survive, marry, and raise a family. He was buried in a tomb. It's interesting how the "coincidence" of some guy having an empty tomb to bury the Lord in. Oh, and it "happened" to be a rich man's tomb.

"Yet it was the Lord's will to crush Him
and cause Him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering,'
He will see His offspring and prolong His days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand...

"...because He poured out His life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For He bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors."

We are all transgressors. Jesus was numbered with us. He loves us. Even ugly ole' us. He gets close to us. He believes in us. He chooses us. The only One in the universe Who has the right to put us down chooses instead to lift us up! He was our guilty substitute. He took our place and our punishment. This is such a beautiful thing. He valued our life so much that He gave up His own. If we will just believe in Him, we will be moved to thank Him for that, and be moved to surrender our will to His. He is God. He lowered Himself for us. The least we can do is lower our selves, get on our knees, and tell Him that you love Him.

"He who is forgiven much loves much."

He has forgiven me much. I love Him. Will you join me on your knees in grateful prayer to Him?

Kaply Doesn't Komment

sigh

U2 In Hutto

So, I was shopping in this toy store and I see this kid start pulling on the shelf. 'No big deal,' I think. 'No way he's gonna budge that thing.' But all of a sudden a wall brace snaps and I see that thing coming down. With no time to react, I dive hands first to smother the kid, as my back helps shield him from the tumbling books and, "Ow!" large toy trucks made of steel. 'Thanks a lot, Tonka!'

Turns out its Adam Clayton's son. Adam is the bassist for U2. He can't help but cry as he sees the potential harm come to his son. He offers me a free U2 show in my home town on the spot. I'm flabbergasted. "This is a dream!" I say out loud. "No, seriously, man. It's the least I can do for you."

So I say, "Okay, I live in a small town outside of Austin called Hutto. We're right next to a high school football stadium. Maybe around the time of your Houston and Dallas shows you could do it. "We love Austin and had planned on being here anyway," says the skinny bassist as the manager for Terra Toys (on Congress Avenue in Austin) starts profusely apologizing. It's funny and sad to watch him possibly be more apologetic for this accident because the victim was a celebrity. I take him up on his offer to see his back specialist as he hands me his card, saying he'll cover all expenses. Then I realize what has happened.

It's all just a crazy thought and memory rekindled by an upcoming Texas tour date and an old Brady Bunch episode where Peter saves a kid in a toy store and gets a reward, but his parents refuse to let him have it. I always resented Mr. and Mrs. Brady for that. 'Let Peter have a large cash reward,' I always said.

So, before you bring your lawn chairs to Hutto, Texas; be sure and check your reality. Cuz mine's running amok.

As far as a made up story is from truth is the previous prose from the text I read today. In Isaiah, chapters 41 through 49, we hear about a people being taken, set apart, and given a purpose. For His glory He formed Israel and redeemed it. While He has done a great thing with His people, He considers it "too small" to just be His servant.

"I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

He says, in 49:6, that He will spread His love and His kingdom through His people. Like a candle-lighting ceremony that spreads faster when people pass it on, He has actually entrusted us with His precious cargo -- His Word.

Think about that for a second. Would you trust you or I with this valuable message and commission? On the surface, we would all probably come up short. I'd say those 12 disciples came up short, too. They were in many cases a bunch of bumbling, fumbling idiots. But these men "turned the world upside down" by simply living their life and spreading the message.

It is too small a thing for God to just save us and reserve a spot in Heaven for us. He wants to use us, and He will, to do bigger things than we could even dream of.

Haze The Day

Interns from every company get hazed in some form or another. Around here, it's called "Lust Control-izing," and usually just consists of Lust Control stickers plastered on their cars (with parts of the sticker backing remaining, so they're easy to remove and don't leave any residue, etc), but this...

THIS is extreme!

That's Tim's car, with a copy of Magdallan's Big Bang LustControlstuck to his windshield, a Flat-Rate Priority Mail envelope LustControlstuck to his front windshield, some sort of Fed Ex box lodged into his front wheel well, an HM media kit card LustControlstuck to his driver's side window, and a Lust Control sticker on the passenger window.

This is Frances' car, with a media kit card stuck under the windshield wiper, an HM media kit folder LustControlstuck on the windshield, looks like a Lust Control sticker on her moonroof, and a media kit card LustControlstuck on the driver's side window...and another Lust Control sticker on the passenger window.

For crying out loud! What goes on here at HM?!?!

Steve's Tattoo

Steve Rowe has a tattoo on his shoulder of an eagle, with the inscription IS 40.31 on it (or something like that). This is a beautiful verse:

"...but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

God is real, and His presence, help, and guidance are available to the "everyday man." You don't have to be a hotshot priest that everyone knows. Your faith in His Son is your access.

I could use this kind of strength, this stress-less energy that keeps me going -- especially in deadline! We've got 8 days, 3 hours, 51 minutes and 41 seconds left of deadline, and a lot of work yet to be done. But we are "looking good" with what's left. I'm especially pleased with the amount of proofreading that's gone into this issue already.

A messianic passage also finds its way into this chapter of Isaiah (about John the Baptist):

"A voice of one calling:
'In the desert prepare the way for the Lord..."

It is so amazing that God has done something that the whole world has noticed. There may be tribes or cultures that have yet to hear the Gospel (their number are dwindling every day as faithful believers are bringing the Message to the remotest parts of the world, as well as translating the Scriptures into other languages that have not had it before), but yet this Message of Good News has spread worldwide.

Scroll Down and View Photos...

...cuz they're phunny!

In Isaiah 38, Hezekiah was experiencing something that wasn't funny -- deathly sickness. Isaiah the prophet came to him with a "Refrigerator Magnet / Feel Good" prophetic word (hardly):

"This is what the Lord says:
'Put your house in order,
because you are going to die;
you will not recover.'"

Wow. Not the kind of thing I'd like to "receive" from a prophet. I'd probably quote the title of the new White Stripes album to that person: Get Behind Me, Satan. But Hezekiah (who has the most wonderful imaginary/funny trick to pull book of the Bible named after him...), he turned his face to the wall and prayed.

Isn't it awesome when people pray? One thing I loved about those Frank Perreti novels (This Present Darkness, Piercing The Darkness) is how the angels loved to hear and watch God's people pray. "Hold on a second, I want to hear this before we go," an angel said to another in those novels, as they listened to one of God's people say, "Let's pray." Looking back on my life (and this could be a prideful sin), some of the highlights or most important words I've probably ever uttered (and I'd like to think I said a few cool things, most of which mirrored God's Word) were the words, "Let's pray." That is as good a step as any. Repentence, specifically, probably comes first, but this is part of that scenerio, too.

Anyway, Hezekiah prayed,

"'Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotiona and have done what is good in Your eyes.'" And Hezekiah wept bitterly."

"Then the Word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 'Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: 'I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.''"

Those are powerful and wonderful words to hear (all of them). And 15 years is a great addition to someone's life. They could watch a 5-year old grow up, for instance. That 15 years would pass by quickly, but how long it might seem to the person on his deathbed!

Some of Hezekiah's grateful response was:

"But what can I say?
He has spoken to me,
and He Himself has done this.
I will walk humbly all my years
because of this anguish of my soul.
Lord, by such things men live;
and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
and let me live.
Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.
In Your love You kept me
from the pit of destruction;
You have put all my sins
behind Your back..."

(...Another wonderful promise that God forgets our sins as well as forgiving them. He doesn't dwell on our failures. Only we foolishly do that...)

"...fathers tell their children
about Your faithfulness..."

This is a great heritage to leave.

What Really Happens During DEADLINE

Here's what Frances captured on film today. It'll all make sense once you're holding the September/October issue in your hand, I assure you.

This isn't the same as the "two step" that they talk about in Texas...

God is Different

Isaiah 32 finds a declaration of God's righteous reign, this is good for some and not so good for others.

"Each man will be like a shelter fromt he wind
and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

"Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,
and the ears of those who hear will listen.
The mind of the rash will know and understand,
and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear..."

But for those that practice unrighteousness (see the difference a word like "practice" can make? All of us sin and are therefore unrighteousness, but not all of us practice sin and willfully stay in an unrighteous state -- we confess and repent and move on, which is surely God's plan and expectation for us)...these don't have it so good when His kingdom reigns. Isaiah makes a prophecy that, "in little more than a year, you who feel secure will tremble..." God was going to bring some judgment on that land, and the people would mourn. Things would be bad until,

"the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,
and the fertile field seems like a forest.
Justice will dwell in the desert
and righteousness live in the fertile field.
The fruit of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."

God is different than the world (mild understatement), and His ways are above (and superior to) the ways of the world. That really leaves no room for arrogance, but instead a grateful heart. When you are forgiven, you don't usually brag about it. "Hey, my friend forgave me for stealing his iPod! Isn't that great?" We don't say stuff like that, because it also broadcasts our sin. In the same way, we who have been forgiven and made heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven shouldn't lord it over those who don't believe. We should be grateful and serve those around us. Love wins. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

War and Peace

In Isaiah 26, the author waxes poetic about Who God is and how we are not Him. While mankind is great and continues to accomplish great things, we did not create the wind, we cannot bring peace or salvation.

In chapter 30, we see that this great God is not far away and distant, but close and willing to guide.

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left,
your ears will hear a voice behind you,
saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"

Perhaps this is the "still small voice" we all talk about sometimes. I know in my life that probably the greatest joy of all (and I'm blessed to say there's been a lot of joy) has been hearing the voice of the Lord or receiving His guidance. It's downright exciting. Sometimes it's not what we want to hear, but it's a blessing nevertheless. In the context of Isaiah 30, He's telling His people to stop disobeying Him, and the result when they do obey is to throw away or discard the worthless idols they had paid attention to.

Sometimes it's not easy to "hear the Lord." Sometimes it's as if He's not speaking to us -- at least in the still small voice or in our thoughts. And there are times when there is no obvious choice. We ask God for guidance and we let the events unfold, or some tip or wisdom comes from an unexpected source. That can be fun, too (especially looking back when resolution has come).

In times of uncertainty, sometimes the only comfort we have is that God is faithful. He can be trusted. Feelings are cool and all, but they can't necessarily be trusted to guide us. Sometimes walking in that means loneliness. But thank the Lord the loneliness does not last forever!

PS There are now 11 days, 3 hours, and 57 minutes left of deadline. I better get back to work!

Underdogs and just plain Dawgs

[this is our new puppy, Biscuit]

Like everyone, my heart goes out to the underdog. But I'm also most impressed when I see a real man -- a manly man -- be a godly man. Jesus, of course, is our greatest example. A carpenter by trade, He must've been healthy and strong. I love that scene from The Passion of the Christ, where's He's building a table (an innovation of larger height, no less) and he fits in that last leg with such precision that He has to jump on the table to get the snuggest fit just right. When you see a man like that (a manly man) humble Himself, embrace the cross, kiss his friends on the cheek, wash their feet, then the respect just runs as deep as it gets. I am stoked to see professional athletes or even just big biker dudes walking a walk of Christ-like love and humility. Having the strength to crush, but instead choosing to build up and edify.

I think it's cool to look around and elevate unsung heroes. Like a weak and skinny janitor, for example, that exudes the peace, love, and joy of God. That is a hero. But it's also cool to see that person who works hard and is blessed with strength (like a fireman or NFL linebacker) and follows this Lion of Judah and Lamb of God.

In chapter 25, Isaiah offers praise to God and His Name for His faithfulness to us. Verse 3 jumps out at me:

"Therefore strong peoples will honor you;
cities of ruthless nations will revere you."

I'm reminded of that strong man who is respected for his strength or the killer metal band who is respected for their excellent skills. And when these people are believers, it impacts those who are paying respect. 'Christian, huh? Maybe there's something to this religion...'

"You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat."

God uses His strength to protect the weak. People blessed with knowlege or strength are exhorted to use that strength to protect and bless those who are weaker. It also has an impact on the "right and wrong" guage that is inside all of us. 'Seeing that person who is weak on the outside be so strong during this trial impresses me to the point where something inside is telling me that their God is real.'

I dunno. My examples are kinda weak, but you know what I'm saying, right?

Time Management - Isaiah Style

Woe is me! Woe is me!
That's what Isaiah said when overwhelmed about a certain thing.

Me? My "certain thing" is nowhere near as big or important. My thing is time management. If I come in and read my email (and get that inbox empty), it takes a good 2-3 hours until that's done. And if I haven't started my day with a devotion, and/or if I haven't gotten into my biggest priority projects of the day, then I get bummed out. I remember the days when I was single. I didn't have much of a social life (but I did have fellowship at church on Sundays and I led a "home church" on Thursdays at my place, so there was more than adequate social interaction), but I didn't care. I'd wake up late and mosey into my office room at 8:30 or so and start working, and it didn't matter if I got sidetracked into answering phone calls and emails for hours -- I'd just work late into the night. I love this magazine, so it didn't bother me that I was "working late." It was joyful. My life is not the same anymore, and that's a good thing, albeit more challenging.

So, I find it important to get massive amounts of work done during normal business hours (8-5). I don't take much of a lunch break (usually about 12 minutes). I just wish I could relax and not get uptight about being or feeling "behind" on my workload. My challenge is my attitude. I can accept my circumstances and find joy in it.

Chapter 12 of Isaiah finds the prophet singing a song of praise:

"'...The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation.'
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say,
'Give thanks to the Lord,
call on His Name;
make known among the nations
what He has done,
and proclaim that His Name is exalted...
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.'"

God is indeed good, and we can sing a song of joy and praise any time of any day. This singing is for Him, but there are benefits that bounce back to us (the key is not doing it for the benefits, but doing it for the Person it's directed); and those benefits are joy and strength.

Please pray today for our beloved intern, Tim Hallila. His heart is beating faster than normal (like that post-workout pace) during times of rest, etc. He's going to get it checked out now.

One Bad Pig: What a Stupid Name

The lyrics say:

"One Bad Pig: our claim to fame,
One Bad Pig: what a stupid name,
One Bad Pig: God don't take ham,
One Bad Pig: Christ is the Lamb."

The band played a good show last night, and the crowd was packed with old friends. It was hard not to turn to the left or the right and not bump into an old friend from the One Bad Pig/Mission Hills Church/Hope Chapel extended family from of old. That was so fun.

[pictured above: HM's 3 previous Marketing Directors: Cathy Tucek, Heather Reynolds (current MD), and Lee Haley]

The song "Isaiah Six" was great. People sat still during the "realization" time during the bridge, where Carey Womack, acting as Isaiah, discovers that God has made him clean. The crowd sang along to "People Cry Out" and Carey poured red Kool-Aid all over him during "Red River."

Of course, a giant ice cream sundae was brought out near the end. Some people in the crowd (rumored to be me) were betting that former HM Marketing Director Lee Haley (on guitar) would pass out. It looked like I was going to make five bucks the easy way last night (!), but he hung in there and made it through the show.

Right there in the early part of Isaiah is chapter 9. An amazing paragraph is written there:

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever."

Wow. It's hard to imagine not seeing that as a messianic prophecy that Jesus fulfilled. It's so amazing to look at the multitude of prophecies in the Old Testament that Jesus fulfilled. How could it not be Him? How could He not be seen as the Messiah? It's really hard to fathom the depth of denial that these claims face in the hearts of some. Perhaps there is something to the notion of "a veil over their hearts," as Paul the apostle alluded to in the New Testament.

I pray that the government of Jesus' kingdom reigns in my heart. It's easy to resist that heart movement and rebel (old habits), but it's my prayer that I would continually surrender to His leadership in all the areas of my life.

Isaiah Six

Isaiah Six

One Bad Pig, who is performing a rare gig tonight in Austin, Texas, was formed in this fine city. One of the very first songs they wrote was "Six," later named "Isaiah Six" for the dull of understanding.

"My sleep was shattered by blinding light..."

It's really a great song. There's this incredible passion, as though they were feeling what Isaiah must've felt when he saw God in the temple.

I remember many of those early gigs. While they were raw and without the pranks and fanfare of what the band later came to be known by, I think these gigs were the band's "glory years," as they were playing to an unsaved very punk audience in the Austin clubs. Later they were catering to a very Christian audience that was starving for good fun. But early on they were singing to an audience of agnostics, atheists, and drunk or getting drunk punks. It was cutting edge. It was real. Members of the bands they played with, like Kriminal Krew, showered praise and appreciation on the Pig, as if God were getting a fair share at the microphone. It was kind of that "hardcore spirit" that some talk about in the scene.

A group of us went out to the small church in Austin's hill country -- Bee Caves Baptist Church -- to see Pig lead screamer, Carey Womack, in action. It was funny to see him in a suit, with his hair combed oh-so conservatively (and missing were the 2 dozen rock pins he wore on his jacket almost daily), and even more funny was hearing him begin the service by singing some special music. He sang some old song by Dallas Holm -- probably that old "classic" song, "I Saw The Lord." It was an old crooner. If he wasn't my friend, I probably would've gagged or at least gigled. I think Carey might've even preached out of Isaiah 6 that day.

Back to our text...
It is awesome to see Isaiah's response: "'Woe is me!' I cried. 'I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.'

"Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, 'See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.'

After another voice was heard. It was the Lord, saying, "'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

I would have said something else in that context: "Ouch! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! That burns!!!"

I can't imagine the pain. But the cleansing result was amazing. To be forgiven of guilt and atoned. What a great thing. That is something to be thankful for. That would motivate the heart, perhaps, to volunteer, "Here am I. Send me!"

It's interesting how God was sort of sarcastic (I guess) after that. He said,
"'Go and tell this people:
'Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.'"

It's as if God is saying, "If you don't understand, if you don't perceive, it'll be bad." It's almost as if the obvious is being stated with sarcasm.

Isaiah asks him, "'For how long, O Lord?'" And God answers, "'Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste.'" It seems as if God is telling us what the result will be if we don't understand and we don't perceive. It'll be to our ruin (or at least the ruin of God's people in Isaiah's time).

Free Slurpee Day

Today is July Eleventh, or 7-11. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of this frozen drink, today is free slurpee day at participating 7-11 stores. I'm not sure what size they give out, but I want to participate in this.

Today we start the book of Isaiah. Chapter one has one of the most beautiful promises about forgiveness -- in verse 18:

"'Come now, let us reason together,'
says the Lord.
'Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.'"

God is so for us. He is not a giant Doc Marten's boot in the sky, waiting to come crashing down on you because you suck. He has that right. He is the only one, in fact, Who truly has the right to cut us down. But His choice is to lift us up! He loves us and His actionis are a dramatic effort to build us up and cleanse us.

It's true that He doesn't like sin. He must hate sin -- He went to such great lengths to fix the problem (by sending His Son). It is true that we must somehow ask for forgiveness to get it. We must believe in Him Who He has sent (His Son -- Jesus), but with that belief is a soul-cleansing thing. We are forgiven completely. It's as if a red-stained garment is bleached a blinding white color (not a pink faded red color that's "sort of" white). Our forgiveness is as sure as anything. It is absolute. This realization can be quite motivating. It can be the spark that gets us off our butts and "back into the game," so to speak, serving others and loving with a purpose. It can motivate us to forgive others. Even those dastardly villains who we "know" don't deserve to be forgiven (or won't ask for it). Knowing that God forgave us a much greater debt should free us up to forgive others the petty debts they "owe" us.

By the way, the band Whitecross got their name from this verse. The cross (and its work of forgiveness) is the place where we are cleansed as white as snow...

Only 15 working days left until deadline. (if you count weekends, it's 18 days, 3 hours, 1 minute, and 24 seconds left until this issue needs to be turned in to the printer)

Cornerstone Hoopla!

Man, the Cornerstone Festival was really cool this year. I don't know what the numbers were (as far as attendance), but there was several generator stages and lots of pedestrian traffic jams at various points and parts of the festival.

As I Lay Dying put on a ferociously tough show. The energy was flowing both ways, as lead singer Tim Lambesis paced the stage. At one point near the end he stopped to talk about faith. He mentioned how faith should embody or cover or find its way expressed in all areas of our lives. He posed the question that if our faith was not working its way out in each area of our lives, then we need to re-examine what our faith is in. Very cool. It's so refreshing to hear someone say something that affirms, challenges, and encourages faith -- especially when they don't have to. You know? We're in a new environment where people have been set free from "proving their faith," so it's cool to see someone speak out when they just as easily could've remained silent and not caused a legalistic fuss.

Becoming The Archetype is all that we heard they were -- tough, brutal metal. It's funny how they rail against the proliferation of metal-core this and metal hybrid of that. They're bringing the metal aggression and distortion the way it thrives -- heavy and intensely.

Mike Pritzl led some moving and recognizable worship (accompanied by John & Michele Thompson) for a special service on the mainstage Saturday night, which was followed by a cool testimony message by David Nasser. It was neat to hear about his conversion and love relationship to Christ, which began with their family fleeing Iran in the late 70s with prayer cries to Jesus that coincided with their passage through immigration as political asylum. It reminded me of a cool time of Cornerstone's past when most everyone gathered at the mainstage for a corporate time. That unity feels real good. Those days are long gone, but these attempts to recapture that are good things.

David Eugene Edwards put on an eclectic and passionate (can I say "quirky"?) performance like you'd expect. It was is he was exorcising demons with his solid jaw and serious crooning and odd instrumentation. This guy is simply a great performer. I had to see his Woven Hand act and would go see him again and again. I'd love to see him on a stage with an old derby hat atop his head over a basket of rattle snakes that he would handle (but that's just a little fanciful thinking on my part...).

The Choir played a nice "evening encore" on the Gallery Stage on Friday night. A few brand new songs and hit after hit came pouring out of this solid band, which now features Marc Byrd on second guitar. It was funny to hear Steve Hindalong reveal a doubt he was having about pulling off a difficult drum fill towards the end of a new song they were about to play. I'll be danged if I didn't engage in a conversation towards the end and missed my opportunity to see/hear if he flubbed it or nailed it. I assume the latter, since no one guffawed.

John Davis put on a spirited performance that showed the stripped-down and raw nature of his songwriting. Accompanied by members of The Lonely Hearts, he wailed away in a bluesy fashion, coupled by much godly encouragement and chatter. It's hard not to love the enthusiasm that this guys bubbles with.

I missed a lot of performances at Cornerstone this year. I went with my family and was responsible for my youngin's, but I saw all the HM Magazine performances, and I was thrilled and pleased at the shows they turned in.

The Showdown ruled. Nodes of Ranvier were heavier and tighter than when I'd seen them last (which means they're great now). Still Remains put on a great show with good sound and a crowd that sang along to their songs. How great is that? When I introduced Gods, who took the place of Extol, I explained why the Norweigan metal band wasn't present. When I polled the audience, "How many of you haven't heard about Extol not being here?" more raised their hands than I expected. It was a bummer to bring a crowd down with disappointment when I was supposed to be getting them excited for Jesse Smith's new band, Gods. I felt sorry for them as so many people left throughout their set. Their music is good in its own right, though.

Once Dead wasn't only Vengeance Rising without Roger Martinez, they were sans Larry Farkas and Glen Mancaruso as well. Glen was replaced by Jim Chaffin a while ago (and some of us knew that to be the case), but poor Larry missed his flight from LA and the dad-gum people at the airlines failed to get him another flight as he waited at the airport for 30 hours. So Doug Thieme had the unenviable task of handling a two-guitar band all by himself. The chunky waves of rhythm were still as meaty and powerful as ever (just not as lively and frenetic), bringing back years of massive riffage that their old band created.

I need to add more to this recap later. I must start my weekend.

Be encouraged this weekend by this reminder:

God has saved us by His grace. It is not the Law that saves us, but faith. Paul warned us in Galatians 3 that we can't finish what was started by the Spirit with our flesh. We can't make ourselves good enough and carry on the work of the Spirit without the Spirit. Legalism and laws are only good for one thing -- to point us to our Savior. With His help we can do some cool things (and we ought to be about doing those things at some point), but we can't forget Who is changing us and giving us our Life by the Spirit. It's not complicated, but us humans almost regularly seem to need to be reminded of this.

Ice-say-"ah"

That's how some British speakers I've heard pronounce this prophet/author's name. Something interesting about this book in the middle of the Bible:

It's got 66 chapters to it.
The Bible has 66 books.

The first 39 chapters of Isaiah are kind of "contemporary" for its time, or pertaining to God's people, their history, and God's actions with them.
The first 39 books of the Bible make up the "Old Testament," which covers the Law, God's people, their history, how God deals with them, Psalms, Proverbs, the prophets.

The final 27 chapters of Isaiah are "messianic" in nature, foretelling the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.
The final 27 books of the Bible are collectively known as the "New Testament," and tell all about Jesus and the New Covenant God makes with His people through Him.

Interesting, huh? What are the odds of that happening?

Our prayers are with our friends in London, as it recovers from a terrorist attack. I'm also praying for my parents and their hometown in Florida, which is bracing for Hurricane Dennis. They're planning on coming up here to Texas to "ride out the storm," so to speak.

This year's Cornerstone Festival was very special. It probably had the best weather in the festival's long history.

No Innocent Victim's set was exciting and nice 'n' heavy. Jason Moody mentioned at how encouraged they were when the band left off -- at seeing so much fruit amongst their fans and whatnot -- seeing prison ministries and Bible studies and such. He beseeched his audience to get off the side of the road and "get moving" (as if many had been hurt and were sitting around complaining about the conditions they faced instead of simply blessing those around them with loving actions. Great word.

Josh Scoglin of The Chariot made a cool speech about simply being kind and nice to others -- no matter the faith or belief. He knew (or assumed) that not everyone present for the last set of the fest was of the same mindset, worldview, or faith; but he encouraged the believers in Jesus Christ to respect and live at peace with those around them with differing beliefs.

Discover America was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting some cool, meandering emo tunes; but instead I got some Beatlesque rock songs that were straight up and really good.

I was excited to see Symphony In Peril, since they changed vocalists. They were great, and new singer, John Pope (formerly from Narcissus) was very powerful, animated, and just plain good. They seem to be carrying on the right way.

The Showdown were great, feeding the crowd tons of energy with their brilliant metallic attack. By the end of the show they had gained several hundred (or a few thousand) new fans. Awesome.

A band that should go out on tour with The Showdown was the metal band Aletheian. They simply smoked with their twin guitar jams. Wow.

Vicarious Living Is Death...

...not really (it just makes for a good headline, i think)

Well, well, well. It's back to work. I am opting out of going to the Sonshine Festival this year (unlike every other year for the past I don't know how many), which is good, because it should allow me to "catch up" and be ready for the next issue's deadline.

Did I mention that I got some new business cards made up? I like 'em, because it has the magazine masthead on the left, like a sideways mag; and then I used that cool fuzzy blue light on black background image that was the background for the TFK article in the latest issue. (It's the little things)

A lot of people (I'm not sure if it's "most") refer to Song of Songs as a frank expression of passionate, physical love. Kind of like a love song put to 8 chapters. I've long believed, though, that it's in Scripture for more than one reason. One is, I think, to show a glimpse of physical love from an approving, joyous Father's perspective. Sex is a gift that God has given us with joy. It also, perhaps, mirrors the passionate love that He feels for His people -- us. Certainly He is in love with His creation. Certainly He cares for His people. So one thing that this book does for me is reinforce the notion that there is a God in Heaven who loves me to the max. In Him I find lots of security, affirmation, and self-worth. He lifts my countenance. I can't help but love Him back.

Cornerstone highlights to come here soon. I have to get my bearings straight (and caught up) here first.

"Patriotism Must Die!"

Wow.

I heard a punk band at Warped Tour cry this from the stage (Strike Anywhere).
While the passion was commendable and the voice revolutionary,
I don't think it would make our founding fathers of the revolutionary war as proud as it might appear on the surface. Yeah, it's cool that someone would be brave enough to think revolutionary thoughts like that -- not bowing to some prevailing thought or order of the day just because. And it is also commendable to think and love globally; but it is not realistic to think that mankind is basically good at heart and we can all just get along. A machette to the back of the neck or a rocket launcher to your dwelling place can end that idealistic notion real fast. History pretty much shows us that tyrants and outlaws will exist and kill. Fighting them with love isn't what Jesus taught. At least I don't think so. Yes, His teachings are universal and should be looked at applying to each and every situation we might face; but as a good liberal interpreter of the Bible will tell us, context can apply meaning. Did Jesus really teach us to love our enemies in the context of an invading army? If so, why did He never once really push the idea of civil disobedience and overthrowing the government of His day? Certainly He could have set up some sort of peaceful, utopian government. But He didn't. One reason for that might possibly be because He doesn't believe in it for mankind on this Earth under the present age (say, pre- Kingdom of Heaven eternal reign, and before the destruction of evil, judgment, etc). Perhaps He knew that a police force and a military were necessary. When He taught His Sermon on the Mount, He referenced a Roman soldier asking a citizen to carry his backpack one mile, which was apparently so common that it was a law in Roman occupation times. He told His followers not only to obey the soldier, but to carry that pack two miles. If He was against the military, don't you think He might've given us more clues or hints of His thoughts on the matter?

To get rid of patriotism is a radical thought. I'll give the spokesman that. But it is also so hypocritical to criticize a government that gives you the freedom to voice such an opinion. Criticism is not wrong. In fact, our government was set up so that it could be changed, as human nature will somehow get in the way and foul things up. Thus the need for a government of checks and balances and a freedom of the press and freedom of speech. To stand up and cry an end to patriotism is a slap in the face of those who gave their lives to defend this nation and this freedom. Someone who stands up and does this has that right. But they should realize that they are saying "(bleep) you" and slapping or spitting in the face of those soldiers and patriots before them. When this person is called a coward or some other name back in their face, they need to understand why. If they have thought through this and still want to protest, that's fine. But speaking without thinking is just dumb.

Having a respect for the blood of martyrs and soldiers is proper. Yes, on multiple sides of an issue. There is a time and a place to speak out on injustice, mistakes, wrong thinking. Let us listen to both (or multiple sides) of an issue. Perhaps this diatribe was just one side.

Politics. What a crazy thing.

Oh, and Rosenberg was a spy!