Doug Van Pelt

The Visitation

Watched part of the Frank Peretti movie, The Visitation, last night. So far, it's good (USA Network TV movie good). Seems realistic as to how people might respond to that kind of stuff.

Well, today is the day. I have a friend who's getting married tomorrow -- the great Mitch Roberts is tying the knot with Sarah, who has/had her own online magazine. She's a Stavesacre fan, which is good enough for me...

The rehearsal and dinner is tonight, and it's my goal to finish the mag before that happens, but I don't know...

I am trusting God to help me and then keeping the results in His hands. There's not much more I can do besides that. Well, I could worry, stress, and fret, but that's not a good choice, so I won't choose that.

To God be the glory, great things He hath done!

The body needs rest

I wonder if the body of Christ needs rest like our physical bodies? I wonder what that "rest" looks like.

Sigh. It can be a real pain to sit at a desk for so long for so many days in a row. It's hard to know how close to the finish I am, as there are so many parts that need to be completed to get there. Here on Thursday morning I've got just a little over a day to finish this issue. I just might do it.

Revelation 7 describes an interesting event in Heaven:

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

'Salvation belongs to our God,
Who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.'"

Later on an elder explains to John who he's looking at in the white robes, telling him that they are the ones that came out of the great tribulation, having washed their robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.

"For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

People often cite this passage as a conclusion that there will be no more crying in Heaven. I'm not so sure about that conclusion. I do think that the reasons for sorrow will be lifted, but the tears that come with great joy? Why would those be done away with? I think God has given us the ability to cry because He can minister to us so great at times like that. The kind of comfort that helps during sorrow will be in abundance, I'm sure. But maybe tears of joy will flow like rivers from those who are prone to that kind of spontaneous reaction. All I know is that there will be lots of joy there. For one thing, seeing people from every culture, every nation, every people group will be reason enough to be filled with joy.

God looks like jasper? And carnelian?

Reading the book of Revelation can be interesting. This vision John had was just that -- a vision. He said that Jesus actually looked like a lamb that was slain, and it had seven horns and seven eyes. He interprets these eyes as being "the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." This implies some interesting ideas. It makes me wonder how God moniters what goes on the earth. How does He see everything? How does he notice one saint crying out to Him on one side of the round planet and another on the other side? Maybe these roving spirits are a key to the answer.

It's awesome how the people around the throne (creatures and elders) worship God. They sang new songs:

"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because You were slain,
and with Your blood You
purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and
people and nation.
You have made them to be a
kingdom and priests to serve
our God,
and they will reign on the earth."

Jesus is the best! He gave His own life, poured His own blood out on the ground to purchase us for God. A penalty for our wrongdoing had to be paid, and He paid it -- in full. Not a lot but gratitude pour out in response to a sacrificial gift like that.

Praise Him!

Don't Let This...

I picked up a copy of Live The Dream, a DVD of the Texas Longhorns' 2005 season. Check this out:

You are in the winning locker room. Millions upon millions of people just watched your Longhorns team win the National Championship, defeating a USC Trojans team that were 34-0. You win it in dramatic fashion -- scoring two touchdowns in the last six minutes. You set "dead aim" for your goal to get to the Rose Bowl. You reach that goal. Then you endeavor to "live the dream" of winning it all. Many say (like people are proned to do) that it was the "BEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME EVER," and it was amazing, epic, and fabulous. Young men and coaches are jumping up and down, celebrating something that takes an incredible amount of hard work to do. That crystal football trophy is passed around. Head coach Mack Brown steps up in the locker room and gets everyone's attention. What does he say? How do you capsulize what just happened? Here's what he said (preserved on DVD):

"Number one: I'm not gonna cry, because I expected it. I thought you were going to win. I expected you to win. I still thought we'd win when we were down by whatever it was. It was just kind of a repeat of last year's game (Rose Bowl) -- whether it was Ohio State or Michigan last year -- that's all it was. That's all it was. You did a great job. Just keep it playing. What you did is you never gave up. (applause) Matthew McConaughey said before Colorado (Big 12 Championship Game), "Get your goal." He said, "Come to Pasadena and live your dream." That's what you're doing right now. Thank you, Matthew. That's what we're doing. We're living dreams. The most important thing, regardless of how much you played, we love you very much. I don't want this to be the best thing that's ever happened in your life. When you're 54, I don't want you to say, 'Winning a football game's the best thing that ever happened in my life.' You'll have it and you'll be a champion for the rest of your life, you make sure that's one of the best sports things in your life, but you promise me, if you've got enough about ya to win a national championship, you've got enough about ya to be a great citizen and a great role model, a great father and a great leader in your family. That's what we're looking for when you get outta here."

Wow. Is that an awesome speech to make in that context, or what? To put a mountaintop experience like that in its proper perspective...what a man. What a coach. What great character.

When I blog I sometimes just say what's on my mind. It's nice to have an anecdote and tie it in to the Scripture passage I'm reading, but I don't always plan that. I had not planned it today. But in reading the one-chapter of the book of Jude, I'm impressed by Jude's message. He says:

"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."

He goes on to talk about people betraying the faith from the inside, people who snuck in and lead people away, "who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered His people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe." He concludes with:

"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear -- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

As sweet as the day of our salvation and conversion experience was, let us not stay there. Let us go on and mature in Christ, continuing to believe (cling to, trust in, rely on) Jesus the Messiah. As great as that moment was, there is more for us.

POSITIVE reINFORCEMENT

23.5 ounces of Jolt Blue, baby!
wow, these 3-serving can (with the pop when you open it pressurized contents) is one hecka energy drink.

CX2
140 Jolts
Caffeine

Lord willing, I'll work really REALLY late tonight!

I pray for no electrical power outages with thunder storms coming.
:?)

PS That image above is our newest t-shirt: the Pit Moves #5 T.
A very different print down at the bottom of the shirt, lower left side, that wraps around towards the back.

Love Will Keep Us Together

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His comman is that you walk in love.

"Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work."

It's fairly obvious that someone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ -- growing in Him and remaining true to His Word -- that person will not do well. I wonder how much of a person's "walk" and growth depends on us -- fellow believers? I mean, it's most likely to be a person that "catches" a person that's steering away from the faith and "brings them back," is it not? God's Holy Spirit can speak to us, but when we're running away from God, sometimes He probably lets us go, allowing us to run into and trip over our folly. It is probably another example of how God has entrusted His body here on earth with some very important tasks. He left it with us to spread the Word -- the Gospel -- and reap a harvest for His kingdom. He limits His activity to act through the prayers of His people. This is pretty amazing when you think about it.

The letter of 3rd John makes mention of supporting the work of God through His people:

"Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth."

When we take this matter to heart, we truly do "partner with" others and God for His kingdom. What a mysterious plan, eh?

Well, it's 4 days from deadline. This is likely to be a loaded and hard working week. I hope that when I'm on an airplane headed to Nashville on Sunday that I do so with the satisfaction of knowing that this issue is finished and at the printer.

PS The latest on our friend (and Marketing/Advertising Director), John Thompson:
3.26.06 - 8:30am: John is still at Provena Mercy Hospital in Aurora. He has been moved from the ICU and is resting and regaining strength. If all goes well he might be released to go home on Monday. He was taken to the hospital on Thursday with severe internal bleeding. Please continue to pray for John and his family.

Artists in Austin

I went to a fantastic little meeting last night. It was held in this beautiful home in Central Austin and had people from all over the city, representing several churches, coffee houses, bookstores, arts, music, organizations -- any believers involved in the arts in Austin was invited. It was so cool.

The Arts Pastor for Hope Chapel, David Taylor, called the meeting and after about an hour of socializing and munching, he called us together and spoke a little about our collective resources and unity in the body. He spoke about how all of us don't care for each other (not in a pound us down, guilt-ridden way, but just reality and honesty) and how things happened when we learned a person's name (or could happen) and how there was probably a demonic force befhind us not connecting and relating and caring to each other. I wish I had a transcription of what he said, because it was beautiful, truthful, and profound. It made me want to shout and cry and say "Amen!"

Here's hoping that this community can come together and pool its resources -- and that this sort of thing can keep happening and start to happen all over the world.

It's deadline week. This time there's a rehearsal dinner and wedding and a trip to Nashville starting Friday night, so I have no flexibility for this deadline in case I can't make it. There's a wall erected this Friday, and I'm determined to finish before I hit it.
:?)

Please pray for my #1 righthand man at HM, John Thompson. He's our Marketing/Advertising Director and we were "meeting" via email the day after ad space reservation closing deadline about where we were at (we're short this issue) and what pages were open, and he was emailing me from an Urgent Care clinic. Later in the afternoon he shoots me an email from an ambulance on its way to Mercy Hospital. This is serious stuff. He had some internal bleeding. I got a message yesterday that he was finally out from under sedation and they took the breathing tube out yesterday morning. Silly guy (and heroic man) was concerned about HM's deadline. I've sent messages to those around him and to him that we need him healthy and to rest and take it easy and not worry about it. We've got his back and his whole being covered (in prayer and action). So, it's been an intense deadline.

Here's the latest update:

*update* 3.25.06 - 11:00am
Good report...The doctors allowed John to wake up, so he's getting his bearings and talking with his family. They are going to keep him in the ICU overnight tonight, have him rest tomorrow at the hospital, and then consider sending him home assuming no other complicationa arise. Continue to pray for his recovery.

Sin That Doesn't Lead To Death

1 John 5 delves into some mysterious stuff, but majors on hammering home how trustworthy Jesus the Christ is.

"This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

In this context, John is speaking of Jesus as the "child of God," but it could also apply, I guess, to His people on earth. It points out that God's commands are not burdensome. He did not have the Law fulfilled with the death of His Son and make a New Covenant that was just an "improved version" of the Jewish Law. "His yoke is easy and His burden is light." Having the Holy Spirit living inside of us actually empowers us to be new people. We can carry out God's commands, and they aren't fearful or heavy burdens that freak us out. It's loving God and loving your fellow man (neighbor). Love is the supreme motivator and central to His kingdom. While we are here on earth we have the potential to make it a better place.

The Jesus People from the 70s (me included) thought for sure the rapture was just around the corner. It's easy with this theology to make the mistake of "letting the world burn...I'm only here for a little while." Jesus could return today, but if we're about His business (love) and He tarries another 30 years, we'll have improved the lives of those around us and made Him happy. Isn't that true?

"I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

It is a good thing to know we have eternal life. In a changing world, part of us yearns for stability. Seeing God's Spirit at work in our lives, changing us and giving us love for one another is evidence that we have eternal life stamped in our hearts. The Holy Spirit is a person, but is also refered to as a "deposit," guaranteeing our eternal life and salvation.

"If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death."

Bible commentator Matthew Henry seemed to say about this passage that asking for the forgiveness of sins for those believers who sin is proper, but asking forgiveness of sins for those who do not believe is not. Prayer for their repentance is one thing, but praying that their sins be forgiven without repentance (or the sinner believing in Christ and receiving a pardon from sin) is useless. It's a mystery, but an interesting one.

PS Please pray for John Thompson. He's our Marketing/Advertising Director and he was rushed to the hospital yesterday.

God Told Me You're Wrong

Reading those so-called "Christian romance novels," eating that trash, listening to that music... blah blah blah. Seven things the Lord hates, eight if you trust my discernment, other Old Testament Scriptures pulled out to back up my point, blah blah blah.

Maybe God will send the Apostle Paul back here in his glorified body and allow him to slap some people upside the face. If anyone, myself included, ever gets on a soapbox and starts ranting about something and speaking on behalf of God, he or she (or me) better be right. If not, the damage they cause and the dissention they stir up is not a good fruit, not a good thing at all.

It's funny how the argument, "Because God told me so," is used. It's an easy crutch when you run out of logic or out of so-called "proof-texts." And who can argue with God? It's like starting a fight and then saying, "You have to wrestle Andre The Giant before you can reach me."

It's always the grey areas that people are fighting over, it seems. No one is really defending sin, like adultery, murder, lying and stealing (though astute debaters will link the cause they're fighting as one of these). It's always some grey area, like movies, music, food, or drink. God gave us a conscience. It's fairly reliable. And better than that, He gave us His Holy Spirit, Who is our Teacher and leads us. Two believers of the same God, filled with the same Spirit can draw two different conclusions to a matter like this. And that's okay.

One person will get so bent out of shape about something, maybe it's eating meat that has been used in a Satanic ritual or sacrificed to idols. They know that the meat was actually sacrificed to demon spirits. How can that be good? That surely is damaging to God's kingdom and no one in their right mind should be doing that, right? And then Paul states the obvious: 'it's just meat. If your conscience is clear, then go for it.' We're not talking about having sex with prostitutes or killing someone you don't like here -- we're talking about grey areas that God did not directly address in His Word. In the big picture, these areas are tiny little specks, and not really worth our energy and time. When, in the words of the great teacher/speaker Mikee Bridges, we could have used that time making sandwiches for the homeless. We could be doing actual good, "love deeds" out there instead of arguing over music.

Sigh.

In 1 John 2 John states:
"I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit -- just as it has taught you, remain in Him."

That person who sits under the teaching of the Holy Spirit will be a humble student for human teachers, too. They will not refuse to be taught. They will sit under the Grand Teacher and learn what the human teachers are saying that lines up with the Truth. A maturing believer will sit and listen to human teachers. The fact that they are ultimately being taught by God does not mean they reject or refuse human teachers, they just know Who their #1 Teacher is, and they know that God has placed human teachers within the church to build us up and remind us what His Word says.

Murder

I remember a time long ago when I fired an employee. I had a very vivid dream not too many days after. I had killed this person in the dream and had secretly buried his body. In the dream I imagined and sensed/felt the emotions of fear and paranoia of not wanting to get caught. I remember the shame over the hypocrisy and lies of hugging his parents at his funeral and offering fake condolences and comfort. When I woke up my heart was racing. 'Surely I would be found out and put behind bars for the rest of my life.' Even though it was all my imagination, my emotions and senses seemed to accurately simulate the intensity of what that would be like. I always used that dream to have deeper empathy for the guy, knowing that losing that job must've hurt. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but it sure got my attention. The panicky feelings of evading detection and the police was overwhelming. I cannot imagine living with that kind of hidden secret. I imagine my conscious would haunt me until I confessed such a wrong or, like most people, just got caught.

Like almost everyone, I avoid the sin of murder like the plague. But I wonder if I avoid other sins, like hatred, gossip, or lying with the same sort of conviction. What if "getting away" with talking about someone behind their back also came with the kind of nagging conscious that accompanied my dream? I'd certainly think twice before committing such an act. Forget about murder, I'd like to carry the conviction that telling any lies was something to avoid at all costs. To someone who believes that there is a God, there is no "getting away" with any wrong. God sees and hears what we do. To try and conceal such a matter -- a dirty little secret -- is a futile game.

The good news is found in the first chapter of 1 John:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word has no place in our lives."

Confessing to Him pardons us, grants us forgiveness, clears our conscious, frees us from guilt. The weight is lifted. That is freedom.

Of course, sin has its consequences. If I had lied to someone, it might be proper to confess to them as well, clear things up, heal the relationship. If I stole something, return it. I heard a crazy story of a former skateboard pro who many years ago was getting high with his wife and ... I can't remember all of the details, but she started choking or something and somehow he accidentaly choked her and killed her. In a panic, he buried her body in the desert. Some time later this guy confessed his sins to God, had his weight lifted, and was "born again" to new life. I think he brought this up to his pastor, who told him he should go to the authorities with this. He went to the police and told them about the death and showed where the body was buried. He was put in prison and served time (probably for manslaughter). Incidentily, I think he was just let out a couple of years ago. As intense as that story is, I have to respect the guy for standing up and taking responsibility for his actions. What a man.

That's some real heavy truth to swallow, live by and stand up to. In a roundabout link to my dream, the guy that told me this true confirmed-by-others story about the skater is the same guy that I later fired and dreamed of murdering. Someone call Dr. Sigmund Freud!

What to Wear?

"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
'God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.'

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you posses these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has fortgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

It's interesting how in 2 Peter 3 the author (the apostle Peter) refers to Paul's letters as "Scripture," giving us the canonization that some attribute to a church council/convention a hundred or 150 years later. It's also kind of interesting that he ends his letter with a caution:

"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

How we are saved for eternity (and when, etc) is really a great mystery. A great debate exists between those who think that God chose us and therefore our election is eternally secure; and those who believe we "choose this day" Whom we are going to serve and thus choose to believe and be saved. Both sides have great arguments and none of us really know if all of our doctrine is 100% accurate. Sometimes the mystery isn't solved by us or our minds. It does appear that what we think and believe is important, however. If we get carried away with error, it will not be good. We also see that we can actually "grow" in grace and knowledge of Jesus. This is cool. The journey to increasing this knowledge of Jesus is filled with and built upon some great characteristics that I'd like to have in increasing measure: faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

Marty Stuart

Packing in the old wooden pews of Central Presbyterian Church were plenty of old and young rockers that truly appreciate the blues scale and the strong imprint that Gospel music has had on Americana and rock and roll. After a late start, Stuart and his bandmates began with an a cappela rendition of an old hymnal standard and then plugged in their instruments to fill the room with electricity. Some danced in the aisles as the romping, clap-along music rocked. Especially notable were Stuart's guitar playing and the slide and lead-playin' accompaniment by Kenny Vaughan. After closing with a Pop Staples number, the stage hosted a real-time hootenanny with Billy Bragg, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Stuart, and many others.

Richard Swift

Richard and his band, The Sons of Freedom, entertained the crowd under the Emo's Annex outdoor tent. His piano playing was happy in a cool, major chord old-timey way. Lots of romping sing-alongs like maybe what you'd find at a plantation party in the South 150 years ago -- only the people enjoying the music here were black-wearing hipsters. "Atlantic Ocean" was (he thought) his last song, which had lots of guests onstage bouncing and clapping along (appearing as if they couldn't really dance). An extra last song granted by the sound crew was a ballad that sounded affectionately like Jeff Buckley. This Starflyer 59 keyboardist is quite talented and knows how to project a good time onstage.

Family Force 5

This eclectic quintet squeezed into a tiny stage area near the entrance of The Chugging Monkey. With the front of the stage offering not much space, the audience was about as thick as two-deep in front of the stage, with other spectators on the stairs, in the balcony and in front of the long bar in the hallway-like rectangle of the club. The band brought its crunk n' funk rock music, but it took almost a half an hour to get the energy level in the place where they needed it. For the last five minutes or so, they tore the place apart. Had they been able to crank it up this high from the first note, there might not be any of the club left. As it stands, though, the band's penchant for disco silliness and over-the-top rock theatrics should help them grow to be a perennial crowd pleaser. Hailing from Atlanta, it almost feels like Cooper Fortson, son of Squad Five-O party leader Jeff Fortson, has grown up with his own band and just travelled back in time to rock us. This wasn't their best show by any stretch, but it gave strong indications that they'll be bringing the rock full force soon.

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

Here was a full-length documentary about one of my favorite subjects: Heavy Metal. Sam Dunn, a 30-year old anthropologist, took his curiosity of other cultures and turned his scholarly lens upon his life-long musical favorite. He travelled to such places as the infamous Wacken Open Air Festival, and he interviewed a number of those involved in Norway's black metal scene (including Mayhem members and convicted church burner Jorn Tunsberg), as well as Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson (on the stage of the infamous Hammersmith Odeon, no less), Alice Cooper, Dee Snyder, Brian Slagel, Tony Iommi, Slipknot, and dozens more for a really well-rounded study of the genre. The only thing glaringly missing was a look at Christian metal, which would've fit nicely in his "Religion and the Occult" chapter. Since the Director and Narrater proclaimed that "each band's penchant for trying to be more evil than the next was what kept me in love with metal all these years," it's not a surprise that he'd ignore the burgeoning offshoot genre that Christian metal became. His classifications of styles was pretty dead-on, but not without room for criticism, of course (are The Scorpions really a "power metal" band?). It was fascinating to hear Dee Snyder chronicle his speech at a Senate hearing on rock music and censorship. Hearing a Norweigan minister explain what it was like to see his church burn down one night was chilling, as was the matter-of-fact interview with the convicted felon who burned it (who said he'd do it again). The description of the sound, which is boiled down to the use of the diminished fifth or tri-note, is a fun study; as is the overall study about the generalized stereotypes that have slagged metal since its inception. And one cannot comment on the film without complimenting its monsterous soundtrack, which will quicken the pulse of any headbanger watching. Well done.

The Alarm

It's always a treat to see and hear this great, all-too-unrecognized classic band. In the midst of a battle against cancer, Mike Peters and his musical teammates tour through a motherlode of material from the band's new album, Under Attack. In fact, the band launched almost without pause through 7 great-sounding songs from the new album before they even touched a hit from the back catalog -- "Spirit Of 76," which became a medley of sorts with "45 RPM" wedged in the middle before Peters crooned about "mercy lights shine in the distance..." The crowd was all over this set, recycling and building the energy flowing from the stage. The band encored with "68 Guns" and "Blaze of Glory," punctuating a heartfelt and truly great rock and roll show. The fact that it was so fast, furious, and good about made up for the lack of all the hits that were left out.

The Appleseed Cast

"It's my birthday today. I usually don't get this (bleep)-faced at shows, so if I (bleep) up too much, please give me a break," stated Aaron Pillar. I wouldn't have suspected anything, but after this announcement some of the before-song delays and glances around made me wonder if a musically-destructive performance would be had. Christopher Crisci's voice sounded impassioned and loud, lost in emotion. The intelli-beam light show at the Red 7 club made for an interesting addition to the band's full sound.

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

Antone's was packed to capacity by 11pm on Thursday, as the second-to-last act before Hank Williams III. Stuart and band came out and launched into several songs from his catalog, showing that talent is abundant in both the country and rock circles. He and his band just exude musical tightness, as they start and stop on a dime, making the waves of swelling music all the stronger with their symphonic-like togetherness. Lots of fun.

Headphones

David Bazan's two-man show played to an appreciative and knowing crowd in the small room inside Emo's. His voice at times soared high with that lovely quality that's endeared so many to his sound. Passing a wine bottle between himself and his new drummer (and occasionaly with an audience member), it was strange to see him almost intent at pushing further away any attachments or labels to the Christian music scene, with his Ozzfest-like quantity of profanity and dirty joke telling. It might not be worth commenting on if it hadn't taken up such a large percentage of the show. Kind of odd...

The Fold

This T&N newcomer sounded tight and ready to showcase their stuff for the West Coast leg of this current T&N Tour (which launched at this show). By this time in the showcase, they had the crowd much more packed close to the stage, moving along to each beat and choreographed invitation to clap along.

Jonezetta

This latest T&N signing showed great stage presence and showmanship, getting the crowd more involved. Their vocalist sailed his catchy melodies clean over the mix, giving hints at how successful this band will be over the years. Really good hooks in about every song, yet punching with a rock intensity that'll keep anyone from confusing them as a pop band.

Classic Crime

This new band opened up the Tooth & Nail showcase at the Redrum Annex, which was half-filled while a long line of wristband wearing or ticket buying hopefuls waited as the club "allowed space" for the badgeholders that had priority entrance into any club during the festival. It seemed odd that they'd do this, but at least the line was by a chain link fence that allowed them visibility and the sounds of the show. The Classic Crime sounded very energetic and utilized most of the stage for their now typical antics of headstock waving and guitar slinging. The drummer was a madman who pounded away with intensity, seemingly doing everything with a Red Bull-like boost of wreckless abandon (but without missing a beat). The guy is awesome.

Richie Furay

I had mistakenly thought that only a few people still remembered this member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his career with Buffalo Springfield and Poco, but the line that wrapped around Antone's for a city block told me otherwise. His packed out (and late-getting-started) set featured one tight and story-telling song after another. After playing a few old songs he announced that he was switching gears a little and went into one of his Gospel/Worship numbers, "Wake Up My Soul." Later on he played a 3-song medley of songs Neil Young wrote (before and after they were bandmates in Buffalo Springfield). This was the moment that many in the crowd had anticipated, as rumors were flying that Mr. Young was making a cameo at this show (this perhaps explains the huge crowd). He explained that they're praying for Neil's health as he referenced the keynote address earlier in the day with the other legend.

Music

The SXSW Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday, with 68 some-odd venues and an average of 5 or so bands at each venue per night. It's crazy, but the wide variety on the menu keeps music revelers happy and spread out. The golden appeal of SXSW is its location in Austin, Texas, which features an entertainment district matched by none in the world, making it possible to hop (or stroll, actually, with Sixth Street barracaded from Red River to Brazos) from one bar to the next, taking in as much as you can handle. It's really quite a special and energizing experience for the music lover.

Danny Roane: First Time Director

Andy Dick wrote and directed this faux-documentary of a self-destructive actor-turned-producer making his first movie. Silly as all get out, he goes to a nim-witted movie company and pitches the film. As he describes the film, he says, "In a nutshell, the movie is..." and the movie hack falls in love with the title In A Nutshell and won't let it go, granting the producer his investment capital. Even though the film is about "a journey straight to hell and back without the coming back part," as Danny Roane describes his film, the documentary of the process becomes just that journey, with one mishap after another, spoofing an industry that is ever more explained in today's age of Director commentaries and "behind the scenes" featurettes.

V For Vendetta

I beared with an hour-long wait in line for this one, only to find out that I'd have to turn in my cell phone once inside, as "anything with a camera or recording device would have to be checked." That was freaky. Paranoia at its best, it worked as a good psycho/PR move, as the "big brother" mentality of British government control in the movie was experienced by half the crowd on their way in. It was fun to see a blockbuster a couple of days before it hit theaters, but the best part was that it was just a cool movie. Natalie Portman does a good job of the innocent victim turned enabler to the villainous V character. Many political parallels are drawn, with more than a few jabs at the US and British government -- conveniently set in the future, 2020. There's action, but more adventure and intrigue than anything else. The Wachowski Brothers have done it again. I bet they enjoy making people think...

Awesome: I (bleep) Shot That

The Beastie Boys pulled off a revolutionary idea with this concert film: They gave 50 diehard BB fans a DV camera and told them one rule: "always keep filming." So, we see people in the audience dancing and singing along at full volume, there's a bathroom break, choppy edits, and a massively good soundtrack to this thumping concert. I was never a big fan of the Beastie Boys, but now I kind of am. With the f-word in its title, it's almost as if profanity is the running theme this year...

Forgiving The Franklins

Here is an incredibly intriguing story about a family of believers that have a near-death experience (where they meet Jesus in an open field and are instructed to go back to the living, but not living the way they did). Their liberation from legalistic tendancies is fascinating to watch. Reminding me of The Rapture movie back in the early 90s (where Mimi Rogers converts to Christianity from a life of sex-addiction and pick-up bars, which is all graphically chronicled on the big screen), due to its unflinching use of flesh in bedroom scenes and the type of profanity-laced but honest prayers (like those found in the movie Saved!). The movie brilliantly shows an angle of grace and redemption that is precious. Many will find the full frontal nudity and the way the topic of homosexuality is addressed as worthless, however. Jesus pulls a bloody apple from the back of the heads of this couple and their son, which the film makers refer to as "remove from them the burden of original sin." The judgmental behavior of their church friends after this life-changing experience is villainous. When main character Betty finds out that her old friends are holding a Christian Parents meeting without her (having told her it was cancelled), she confronts her friend Peggy as the other church ladies look on through a window. Peggy accuses her of not living the "good Christian life," to which Betty responds with a statement about "not acting like decent human beings." It really brings a zinger of a message home that should encourage believers to be about doing so many good deeds that people are in respectful awe. Like picking up a gem and gazing through its multi-faceted sides, this film offers a unique glimpse into the purity of an ongoing relationship with God and pulls a veil off the half-hearted and lazy attempts of so many of us in our walks. Getting some foundational doctrines wrong is not an area where believers are encouraged to go, but playing devil's advocate with an idea can certainly offer some food for discussion. I might have to interview this writer/director (Jay Floyd) for an upcoming "Intermission" feature in HM. That could be a fascinating discussion. Wow. I'm almost speechless after this one.

(bleep)

The makers of this movie might get a kick out of this if they ever saw this review, as I didn't even print the formal title for the movie. It's a fascinating documentary on the origin and use of the f-word. Of all the movies I've seen at this film festival, I don't think I've heard an audience laugh as loud and as much as this one. Several speakers from all walks of life are interviewed in this film. Of course, Miss Manners and some representative from the conservative politic side were edited and counter-sunk in a context that easily makes them and their arguments look like so much bafoonery. Alan Keyes, however, showed up quite a bit as quite the eloquent speaker he is. I have voted for this man in a Presidential primary race (I think it was in 1996) and I would love to see this black man in the White House. He's extremely smart and made some fantastic statements in this film, but I think the overwhelming majority of talking heads in the film disagreed with his statements, the flood of popular opinion being that profanity is something that is necessary to exclaim certain points, and even the oft-given reason for censorship (children) was dismissed by several arguments.

loudQUIETloud

It's hard not to like The Pixies. This concert film chronicled the 2004 reunion of the band, which Cobain said Nirvana would open up for if it ever happened (and had he not taken his own life). It provides an up-close and personal intimate look into the band, along with splendid concert footage and audio. Definitely world class. It was refreshing to see the honesty with which bassist Kim Deal dealt with her sobriety while on tour (asking the band to keep all alcohol away from the backstage and dressing rooms), but sad to see the drummer start to fall apart on drugs after losing his dad to cancer before the tour finished.

Danielson: A Family Movie

This is a movie I want my kids to see. It deftly documents the genius of Danielson's art -- both visual and musical. It follows the band through preparations of its first tour in Europe, through several appearances at Cornerstone, and explains the formation of the band. At times it was very inspiring, as Daniel Smith honestly explains his vision as an artist and a believer -- all without succombing to the pressure to be a genre-serving part of the "Christian music industry." He accomplishes much for his art and for the kingdom of God (IMHO) by simply taking his art into the "marketplace of ideas" and letting it stand or fall on its own. The phenomenon that is Danielson is that a very large (and growing) fanbase has risen out of the alternative and indie rock scenes. This is the dream of many artists of faith, and now they have another role model and mentor in Smith. Sufjan Stevens' rise to fame this past year is woven into the story, as Danielson's past, his Sounds Familyre record label, and handmade art pieces are all covered in depth. Plenty of concert footage is shown -- both the homemade variety and professionally shot multi-camera footage. This is a real gem.

Air Guitar Nation

This was a most excellent and hilarious film that documented the origin of the US Air Guitar contests as an entry into the already established World Air Guitar contests annually held in Oulu, Finland. The first ever East Coast regional contest was held in New York, where C Diddy won, soundly "defeating" Bjorn Turoque (via judges scores). The winner (and an aggressive and never-say-die Bjorn Turoque, who finds a way out West) compete in Los Angeles for the US finals. One wheelchair bound contestant in LA has a custom shirt that says, "GOD ROCKS." He says, "God's got me this far in the competition, we'll see how far God takes me." During his routine he falls out of the wheelchair, while shredding away at his invisible axe, spins around and stands up to his feined utter amazement. He raises his hands in the air as though he's just been healed and then does a flip. So crazy. This whole movement is a real hoot. The players in this event (take Turoque, for instance) are serious about the competition. Chants of "USA! USA!" encourage C Diddy, as he is chosen to represent the US in the World Air Guitar Championships. C Diddy wins for the US in its first entry into this competition. If you laughed with Wayne's World, you're likely to bust a gut with this movie.

Heaven's Fall

Here was another could-be-a-blockbuster world premiere. This movie takes on the dramatic, important and historical story of the "Scottsboro Boys" case from the early 1930s. Nine black men were falsely accused of raping two white women in Alabama. A Supreme Court appeal results in a re-trial, where New York defense attorney Samuel Leibowitz (played by Timothy Hutton) takes on a defense of the boys. The two lawyers that face off (prosecuting attorney played by Bill Sage) treat each other with arms-length courtesy that warms up as the trial goes on. The terror and outrage of the times and issue are explored upclose and personal. Filled with a cast of stars, the movie successfully shakes its audience up without resorting to gratuitous violence, blood, or over-the-top fear. Quite inspiring.

Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon

Easily one of the best films of the fest (IMHO). It's a hilarious mockumentary filmed by a small crew that wants to chronicle and study the rise of the next great psycho serial killer. Angela Goethals plays a trepiditious on screen interviewer that takes on the task of introducing and revealing the next great killer that will carry the torch started by Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddie Krueger. This new killer, Leslie Vernon is played brilliantly by Nathan Baesel, with a high-strung energy not unlike Jim Carey. He shows the disbelieving crew how he picks and torments his victims. He introduces them to his mentor, and the topic of a killing spree is treated with the glibness of any normal hobby. The small crew starts to fear that they're in over their heads as things escalate and the killing begins. While the slasher and horror genre has been lampooned before with the Scary Movie series, this one takes it to a whole new level. I have to say it was done brilliantly.

Eve And The Fire Horse

This is easily one of the stand-out films for me this year. It's an up-close and personal journey through the eyes of a child (Eve Eng). She is promised by her grandmother one morning as she heads off slightly late to school that she'll water the garden for her so she can get going with her sister, Karena. Upon returning they find out that grandmother collapsed due to the work in the garden. Ridden with guilt, the young Eve has visions of the grandmother after her death. When her slightly domineering older sister (aren't they all?) starts exploring the Christian faith, little Eve has other visions as well -- goddess statues coming to life and dancing in the house at night; the Buddha and Jesus figures dancing together in the living room. It's quite humorous to see the young girl's mind try to wrap around the conflicting faith with her Buddhist background. Her mother starts to come around, too, surmising that it's better and safer "to have two gods around the house," instead of one. There's lots of fun adventure as the two girls begin their mission of perpetual sorrow, trying to convert their friends, and learning more about their newfound faith at a local Catholic church. The Q&A with Director Julia Kwan was charming. When asked how much of the story was autobiographical, she answered, "Well, I've never seen anyone choke on long noodles before," but then later described how her mom did accept and embrace the girls' faith with the "two gods are better than one" attitude. Fascinating.

It brings up many good questions and ideas about evangelism and living the life of a believer in a world where not everyone shares our belief. The close-minded and mean behavior of some of the girls in the Sunday School class (where they torment Eve for being named after "the original sinner") shed some insight into real struggles. The polite rejection they face as Karena tries to convert her Sikh friend that she's obviously attracted to as an adolescent girl. The difficulty of family tension revolving around faith is explored heavily, giving some example of acceptance and love even without total conversion.

Brothers Of The Head

Here was a bizarre and creative take on the rock and roll documentary film. Here was an entertainment investor who purchased two conjoined twins that he would develop into a punk rock phenomenon in the UK. It's a hilarious romp that shows these attached brothers playing guitar and singing in British pubs and becoming an instant hit with "Bang Bang." The band's inner politics and relationships run the gamut of rock and roll cliche, and bring a bunch of rough-edged laughter along with it. Many of the songs tip their hat ever so slightly to punk and alternative rock and roll classics, if only for a riff or melody. Unforgettable.

Al Franken: God Spoke

I have to admit: I have some friends that are Republicans... But none of them were present with me at this world premiere. It was a packed room, and it was like my experience long ago on the campus at the University of Texas, where I attended a meeting of the Evolution Club (can't remember what they were called), where I sat in a small room with people mocking Creation Science, Christianity, and all their adherents. It was uncomfortable but fun being an outsider peeking in on a very insider's party. I once participated in an Operation Rescue event in this same week of March many year's ago (Spring Break), where about six of us posed as clients at a local abortion clinic. Armed with a positive urine sample, I came with an older woman, posing as my mother, as we got my fictitious girlfriend's sample tested. I used this experience to write a song that my band later recorded -- "Operation Rescue." Anyway, I digress in a big way. This sort of polarization and demonizing happens with about any group; where the opposing party gets lampooned and mocked at every chance. Politics is as polarizing as religion in this world, so it can be uncomfortable fun to wander into the other camp from time to time. I think this does wonders for the cause of Christ -- seeing how non-believers view the church, etc. Seeing this movie has given me perspective on how my liberal friends will probably always remain liberal (even if we agree on the topic of abortion), as this side of the political spectrum can have a ton of fun, as this movie is evidence. This possible future Minnesota Senator is shown at his comedic best, as well as viewpoints into his real-life tension and relaxed sides. The movie starts with a plane's window view at the clouds below and the "voice of God" telling Al to torment the right and write a book -- Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them, which God had "instructed" him to title: Bearing False Witness and the Bearers of False Witness. Many laughs were had in the movie, although 95% of them were at the Right's expense. It was nice to see small snippets of the politically active participants, whether politicians or media, being friendly, polite and civil to one another -- much like athletes shaking hands and laugh/talking to each other after a game.

American Gun

This was the first movie I've seen. The movie has multiple stories of people effected by guns -- the single mom (the conflicted role played brilliantly by Marcia Gay Harden) and brother of one of the Columbine shooters (with the fictitious yet rhyming name of Ridgline High School); the first cop on the scene (Tony Goldwyn), who keeps reliving the nightmare of that school shooting, even three years later; a girl that moved East to escape something (perhaps the mountain region out West where the school shooting occured), who earns money for her Virginia college by working for her grandpa in a gun store; a principal (Forest Whitaker) that struggles in maintaining safety and order in a big high school; a bright student at that same school that totes a handgun around to keep safe to and fro work and school. Personalizing the issue drove the point home deftly. The surviving members of the shooter's family was an especially fascinating perspective to explore. I would've loved to have stayed for the Director's Q&A, but I had to rush to the next movie.

SXSW Movies

The annual South By Southwest Music Film and Interactive Conference is going on now. In a rare move, I've decided to post my reviews in my blog shortly after they happen, instead of waiting for the May/June issue to hit the shelves. This year's conference has started off with a ton of great movies, many of them premieres. I've heard that there were over 19,000 registrants this year (which may increase with walk-ups), way more than any of the previous 19 years. Thus, the 20th SXSW is crowded and makes getting in to see a popular choice event difficult if you can't get there early.

One of the best things that's happened to movies in the last decade has been the emergence of the DVD format, with its bonus features and Directors' Commentaries. This gives the average viewer insight into the art and science of movie making, as well as greater story and plot details never before available. One thing film festivals have that is even better are Q&A sessions with the film-making teams (whether that be directors, producers or principle actors). Hearing them explain their hopes and dreams and challenges of the particular movie is another cool angle or insight into film.

Jesus Wasn't Type A

In 1 Peter chapter 2, we are given a description of how Jesus acted:

"When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

I can only imagine the mockery and insults hurled at Jesus from the crowd, which had turned against Him just days after many had honored Him as He paraded into town on the colt of a donkey. I can relate to the temptation to retaliate and hurl insults back at them. It says He "entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly." That's the opposite of "setting people straight." Being unjustly treated is one of the worst things around...but entrusting other's actions to God is a much better way of dealing with it than getting stressed and uptight. That is for sure.

Well, it's getting close to deadline and SXSW time here in Austin. I've got most of the stories for this issue turned in now, and I'm laying them out and proofreading them as deadline (21 days away) approaches. I go into Austin today to pick up my SXSW credentials and leave a few promotional copies of HM around town.

Lightning & Power Outages

Last night I couldn't sleep much, so I finished a book I'm reviewing, Almost Home: My Life Story, Vol. 1. It's by Damien Echols, who was the supposed "satanic ring leader" of the group falsely accused of murder in Arkansas 15 years ago -- "the West Memphis Three." I always wanted to know more about this case, as I haven't seen the documentary about this travesty of justice, Paradise Lost. But this book is the first one written as a first-hand account of what went on. It's his life story, which has many fascinating (and sad) interactions with churches. It's always cool to be able to have a perspective like this. I hope he somehow gets free in the near future, instead of executed.

James urges believers in chapter 5 to be patient about the Lord's coming. I wonder if he would've used the same language had he known that we'd still be waiting nearly 2,000 years later. I wonder what the context was like at that time that made an exhortation like this necessary. I wonder if people were freaking out or making radical decisions based on the imminent return of Christ.

It's interesting how he warns us,

"Above all, my brothers, do not swear -- not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No,' no, or you will be condemned."

I'm reminded of the verses in a previous chapter about, "You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"

I've personally tried to make this instruction a practical and real part of my life. I tell ya, it goes against the grain. When people ask, "Are you going to GMA? Are you going to Cornerstone Festival?" I say, "Lord willing, yes." I think people often think that means, "Well, I'm lingering on that decision." In reality, I'm trying to obey Scripture -- not just the letter of it, but the spirit of it as well. God could change many plans and assuming that we know the future is a presumptiousness that is not really proper. It's funny how these things rub against the grain -- even within the church.

I love the ending of the book, where James talks about prayer:

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

This is not the first time that forgiveness and healing are joined together. This is fascinating.

BRMC

Waking up (late) this morning after a late-night concert, it was delightful to hear the sounds of Beethoven's "Fur Elise" coming from our 10-year old's piano playing. While she's not at the concert performance level yet, she can still play something that's pleasing to the ears. Nice way to wake up.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is one hot ticket. They are so full of authentic rock and roll sweat that people are thronging to their shows (at least the one in Austin last night was packed), as it should be. The mix of their adroit instrumentation was wonderful. Robert Levon Been's massive, over-driven bass fills the room all by itself, but it's complemented by Peter Hayes' higher end guitar tones. At times it sounds like he's playing a harmonica, or like they're looping that sound; other times Hayes is playing a harmonica. They play full and loud as a trio, or they're joined by their friend Spike Keating for a two or three guitar romp. They add organs and revival pianos. Hayes will start the show solo, accompanied later by his bandmates' voices in harmony. Then they'll go to the drums and bass with the electric guitar and blast the room full of real rock and roll. Drummer Nick Jago is as solid as they come, too. In fact, the entire band is extremely tight. Whether it's bass and guitar chords melded with drum beats all at the same time or whether it's piano chords with the rest of the band, they're all exactly on time and impressively synchronized.

Hayes started the first of 5 songs (for their giant, long, half-hour encore) solo with acoustic guitar again. Heck, he even ended the night hunched over an accordion on the floor, singing laments and wails like he was really suffering. This culminated a good, two-hour show. They gave everyone that came what they all (probably) wanted: a foot-stompin' good time.

What a show. What a band.

It appears that these individuals consider God and His Word important. It would appear that their "rough around the edges" language doesn't betray a fake life, but a changed life. It's funny, because I'm reading out of James today, and this author makes some strong points about not just knowing the Word, but living it. I love the quote: "God did not give us the Bible to make us smarter sinners, but to change our lives."

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it -- he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

James 4:6 has an interesting tidbit about grace that goes well with the blog of a day or two ago:

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

God gives grace! Having more of grace is what I want! One thing that certainly goes with grace is humility. Humility and gratitude toward the One Who gives you grace. Verse 12 adds an interesting note:

"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One Who is able to save and destroy. But you -- who are you to judge your neighbor?

Difficult word of the day: complementary. Complementary is that which basically goes together well. Complimentary is like a free cup of coffee. My church has a small table of free coffee available for after the service. A nice little laminated sign says, "Complementary Coffee." I held it up to make fun of last weekend, but no one saw me. That's probably a good thing, because pointing out spelling errors can be embarrassing. Oops! Did I say that out loud? I had to look up the word just know, because I doubted whether I had a grasp of the word or not. I get these two words and their proper spelling confused all the time. Maybe now I'll get it right from now on.

Strengthened By Grace

Some memorable verses are in the last chapter of Hebrews. For example:

"Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

It makes sense to treat those who are in prison and mistreated with special care -- if you are truly seeing others as your brother. If your blood relative were in such circumstances, you would certainly remember them and visit them and be with them.

I wonder if I've ever encountered an angel, thinking that they were a person. That's an interesting and mysterious concept there.

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

'The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?'"

Paul is going after it, offering encouragement after encouragement:

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

I remember being at some Promise Keepers events where this was practiced. Someone from the stage (I think it was PK founder Bill McCartney) had all the pastors stand up and make their way down to the front. He encouraged us all to cheer them on. Here was a stadium full of 60,000+ men giving their pastors standing ovations, cheering them on and giving them a lasting memory of the kind of encouragement they need to persevere in doing good and teaching the Word to us. Man pastors and men cried tears of joy at this outburst. This event was awesome each time I saw it.

"Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them."

I love the idea of being "strengthened by grace." The peaceful and quiet assurance that we are loved unconditionally, forgiven by mercy and blessed by grace...believing in and taking these matters to heart really strengthen us on the inside. It gives us courage and power to move ahead.

Consider Him

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him Who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Chapter 11 of Hebrews is sometimes called "the Hall of Faith," as it relates stories about Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samson, Gideon, David, Samuel, and others. So chapter 12 starts off with, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..." Perhaps that means that this group of heroes sometimes peer with God into our lives? I don't know, but the context implies that we are to be encouraged, considering those men and women.

Then, we are told to consider Jesus, Who endured "such opposition from sinful men." You can imagine the opposition He took -- physical and verbal abuse. Knowing that He had it worse can motivate us not to whine and complain so much.

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when He rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those He loves,
and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son."

Instead of thinking that God must "hate us," because we are facing hardship; we should instead acknowledge that He loves us.

"Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."

These are real-life reminders that offer me advice and correction as I travel on my journey of faith. Bitterness is something that can fester like a disease. Joy is contagious. Enduring hardship as discipline helps us grow. The 12th chapter ends with a balancing word that we don't often hear today:

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

Permanent

Hebrews 10 underlines the fact that Jesus' sacrifice for our sins was once and for all. Like much of the book of Hebrews, it correlates the sacrifice of animals to the sacrifice of Jesus Himself. The animal sacrifices had to continually happen, because the cleansing from sin was only temporary. The cleansing that comes from the blood of Jesus, however, is permanent.

"The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says:

'There sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.'"

It is through this cleansing and forgiveness that empowers us to "hold unswervingly to the hope we profess" and "spur one another on toward love and good deeds." It is why why should "not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another..."

This forgiveness and pardoning of our sins is a contagious good virus that spreads and grows when we're together. Mistakes, sins, hurts, betrayals, gossip, slander, and all kinds of sins that have happened inside of church walls are damaging, but we should actually persevere through them and apply the healing grace and pardoning of sins (in the proper way, not glossing over sin). It is natural to want to withdraw and shy away from that which brings us pain. In some rare and extreme cases a temporary separation can be helpful when the main goal is restoration.

We know that God is pleased when brothers dwell together in unity.

Finished watching Subject To Change: The Making of ...And The Rest Will Follow, the Project 86 DVD. It is put together really well. It's mixed sweet, with loud, booming rock and roll accompanying the insider's documentary. It really makes me dig P86's music all the more.

Hope...an anchor

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."

I've seen many anchors in my life -- most with barnacles, rust and corrosion on it. They're all pretty heavy, even the smaller ones for tiny boats. They sink to the bottom, as long as the rope or chain allows, and dig into the sand and plows its hook in order to stop moving away. There will still be motion, but the boat won't wander away and get lost. I can think of turbulent times in life, where having something to anchor our souls is necessary. Tossing about and pitching can be disconcerting and uncomfortable, but getting lost is far worse. Having hope inside in the midst of a personal storm is a lifesaver.

Some background to this hope:

"When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.' And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged."

I like the idea of fleeing to take hold of the hope. Sometimes we have to let go of something and run to the hope. It's kind of like the person in a flood clinging to a tree having to let go of the tree in order to grab hold of the rescue rope or ladder. It's a concerted choice. It's not something we blindly fall into. Hope is a choice.

Books

Thought I'd share some books I've been reading lately. It's not often that I read, so it's been fun to take in some titles, like:

Stars and Strife (the story of the Dallas Cowboys, with Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson, turning the program around in the early 90s);

Murder In Brentwood (Mark Furhman's book on the OJ Simpson murder case);

The Last Victim (a college student studies serial killers);

Mrs. Paine's Garage (the lady that Marina Oswald, wife of Lee Harvey, stayed at in the Dallas area prior to the Kennedy assassination);

Full Tilt (a novel about a major secular rock star, who after getting saved in the prequel, Dark Star, has trouble with his family and new life as a Christian rocker);

Soul Hunter (a novel about an SMU professor that gets caught up in a murder case. I'm looking forward to reading the prequel, which apparently takes place in Austin, TX);

and a couple of magazines that I always read:
Spin (one of the mag's regular contributors just penned a book about Christian rock, which will hopefully come out later this year);

Guitar World (I still think this mag features the best in rock journalism from time to time. They know how to write from a music lover's viewpoint, but with authority and detail.).

Television shows:

24 (something needs to be done about this weak-kneed so-called president, who let his own wife sit in the way of a deadly ambush this past week). What a show.

Albums:
Testify by P.O.D. (I think the song "On The Grind," even though it is a HUGE departure for the band, has the potential to be the biggest hit of the band's career. It's begging for a movie soundtrack in one of those inner-city turmoil/struggle movies. It is a great song with lots of talented and legit guest vocalists.)

I just started reading another new book, too: Hebrews. I love this book, which is rich in Jewish heritage and the deep insight that this background gives to what Jesus did as our high priest. Chapter 4 contains my favorite Bible passage (if it were possible to pick just one), verses 14-16. The beginning of the chapter launches into a discussion about "entering God's rest."

This is a huge area that really blesses me when I take it to heart. Just as God rested from His creation work on the seventh day, He wants us to rest from our salvation work. Believing in (clinging to, trusting in, and relying on) Jesus His Son is the work we do. Once we do this (and continue to), we can rest, knowing that God has accomplished our salvation (we're saved, being saved, and will be saved). We don't have to continually earn his favor, like some hard-nosed perfectionist and distant father. We have His favor. It's there. We can just rest in it (trust in it, rely on it). It takes a huge burden off our backs when we do this.

Paul (probably the majority opinion of Bible scholars attribute this book to him) goes on to say, "...a long time later He spoke through David, as was said before: 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.' For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disbedience."

When I see the phrase, "Do not harden your hearts," I think about having a soft heart. I think of someone, a thug maybe, letting God touch his heart and be changed. Even if that person stumbles back into sin, I believe the work God started will continue, and God will get his attention many times. While I believe it is sometimes necessary to step up and confront someone's failure, it is not something that is necessary all the time. Some people, I think, have a real hard time with that. Like the older brother in the Prodigal Son story, they get bent out of shape that their "younger brother gets away with certain things," while they "toil away" as if working for a task master. This has to be a very bent and wrong perception of God and His favor.

I recently had a discussion with someone about a lyric in a new album by a Christian artist. I have a feeling that this person has great unrest that this believer "is getting away" with a mistake. I think they would like to see a very public apology, repentance, recall of hundreds of thousands of CDs, and an emotional pummeling until they are broken on the ground, crying for mercy. Somewhere in that tendancy is a very legalistic, mistrusting, and mean-spirited heart. If they could just let God be God and take care of His children, praying for those that stumble, gently correcting them (IF they have a relationship with them -- there are not many things worse than a "long distance rebuke" from a stranger, supposedly acting with the person's best interests in mind..." What a cruel joke.)

If we tend to "our own garden," then we will be sure to keep "weeds" from growing in our heart. If we can excel in this kind of purity, then perhaps God will use us at His bidding. Maybe others will fall in love with Jesus deeper by our silent example. Staying in God's rest is the coolest place to be. We can really grow when we stay there. Struggle and success are both tempered with this perspective, keeping us at an even keel, with continuous joy if we want it.