Saturday, February 28, 2009

Meditate by Mission Epistle

From Trinidad comes the group Mission Epistle with their original blend of reggae, soca and dancehall. 

This particular track is on the same riddim (rhythm) as the "Arise" and "Thy Light Has Come" intro and outro tracks on Owen Uriah's excellent album, "The Heart of Uriah". The instruments and music production are handled by my friend and bredren (brother) Mark "Jah Servant" Giles who also played on and produced my album. You can read my review of Mission Epistle's debut album by clicking here. Check out the tune and breezy video below.


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Lent

Our denomination (Open Bible Churches), doesn't observe Lent as far as I know. In fact, none of the three churches I've been a member of in my lifetime observe(d) Lent. My experience with it is mostly as a child when the Roman Catholic contingent within my family would be seen with this dark spot (ash from burnt palm fronds) on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday and then refrain from eating meat on Fridays. Though I was not raised Roman Catholic, the influence was there. Hence, I recall the many meatless dishes on those Fridays over the years. I even remember my great Aunt, who was really like my grandmother, scolding me because I happened to mention I had a roast beef grinder for lunch. No on purpose though. Unless she reminded me "there's no meat today", it's highly doubtful I would know. 

The problem is I don't recall being taught the spiritual meaning of these traditions. It was never explained to me that Lent was a forty-day span leading up to Resurrection Sunday where followers of Christ take time for spiritual preparation by giving up something and specifically reflecting and meditating on the ministry of Christ leading up to and including his death and resurrection. 

As a result of my experience as a child and young man, I came to think of Lent as a sort of empty tradition observed by Roman Catholics and a few other denominations. Now that I'm older and my perspective has changed, I'm beginning to see it differently. Sure, there are quite a few areas where I am at odds with the Catholic church, but I see no need to throw out the baby with the bath water. While the tradition itself is just that- a tradition, and not a biblically mandated practice, I do see the value in Lent.

In my opinion, far too many denominations (or even individual believers) observe holidays much like the world. Whether it's Christmas or Resurrection Sunday ( I don't care to call it Easter), everything pretty much happens on the day and possibly the day/night before. And that's it. There's little or no personal reflection or contemplation leading up to the day or following it. And I understand by saying "personal" it makes the responsibility to observe up to the individual. And I suppose that's where I am. Perhaps there is even something we can do with others in our congregation during this time, but there is no emphasis from denominational leadership on Lent. But that doesn't mean we can't make this season a rich and meaningful one in our individual relationships with Christ and each other.

Do you observe Lent? If so, how? I'm interested in learning of your experiences.




Sunday, February 22, 2009

worship song set list

I though it might be of interest to some for me to post the worship song set lists each week. Perhaps in the future I'll share some commentary on the songs and gathering as well. Of course, questions are always welcome.

First Connecticut Open Bible Church
Torrington, CT
Sunday, February 22, 2009

He Has Made Me Glad (C)
Celebrate (C)
Fairest Lord Jesus (C)
Only By Grace (C)
Shine On (Em)
El Elyon (Em)

Thin Places

We've been enjoying a refreshing and challenging study with the use of Mark Batterson's "Wild Goose Chase". In Chapter 3, "The Dictatorship of Ordinary: Coming out of the Cage of Routine", Batterson discusses what Celtic Christians referred to as thin places. These are places where we have unmistakable encounters with God; moments in which He reveals Himself to us in a powerful, personal way. It can be in the most unremarkable places during times when we might least expect. Take Moses, who had been tending sheep in the desert, day in and day out, for forty years. One day God decides to reveal Himself in a bush; a bush that is set ablaze but doesn't actually get burned up. 

Later in the chapter, Batterson shares an experience of his own where while on an early morning prayer walk he gets the answer to a question He had recently asked God: "What do You want me to do with my life?" At the time, Batterson was a nineteen year old who had just completed his freshman year at the University of Chicago and had decided on a major, yet wasn't really sure what he wanted to do or what God had purposed for Him. That he was on an early morning prayer walk is no small detail; it was a departure from the norm of sleeping later, probably when or after everyone else had gotten up. Also, this ocurred on the last day of the final week of summer break. On this day, in a cow pasture, God speaks to his heart- not audibly, but unmistakably. He says he knew in his spirit, then and there, that God wanted him to go into full-time ministry. The details of when, where and how weren't to be revealed and realized until years later, but it was the critically important start of a journey.

I've already read this chapter but I've been looking back at it because it speaks to me a great deal. Though I'm considerably older than Mark was at the time, I'm in need of an answer from God to the very same question. It's not that I haven't asked it of Him before; it's just that I've not been able to discern His answer. And I tend to think it's my lack of discernment- my lack of listening, hearing or seeing, rather than His being silent.

I find myself challenged to break away from routine, not that routine itself is bad. It's when routine has become so ordinary that's the problem. For me, establishing a regular, quality, quiet time with the Lord is something I've thus far been unable to do. Sure, I have devotional time in prayer and in the Bible but not consistently. I'm thinking maybe it's time for me to finally establish this for God's sake- literally. To make the sacrifices necessary for me to be able to have this time with Him because I love Him and He is worth it. Why should I expect God to answer my question ("What do You want me to do with my life?") outside of an intimate, vibrant, growing relationship with Him? 

Perhaps it's time for me to finally establish a routine. For me, this would represent a change of routine. And then, maybe through or within that, I'll be able to discern God's answer. Or maybe it will be a departure somewhere within the discipline. It's taken me a long time to reach what seems like the beginning. It seems like it shouldn't be the beginning but I guess in way it is. Before me is the first step of a journey. The choice for me is whether I want to begin something new and exciting or continue the sort of alright, ok, "same old, same old". I believe my answer and resulant action or inaction will determine whether or not I finally get THE ANSWER I've been looking for.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Breaking down the distance between right and wrong

I've always enjoyed Bob Dylan's "Ring Them Bells" off the "Oh Mercy" (1989) album. I didn't discover the recording until I starting getting into his music around ten or twelve years ago. Among the many insightful observations in the song, near the end he says this:

Ring them bells St. Catherine
From the top of the room,
Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom.
Oh the lines are long
And the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong.

And that was twenty years ago. Where is that "distance" today? I'm not exactly sure what Dylan is getting at by saying "Ring them bells St. Catherine" nor am I clear on the similar directives given "St. Peter" and "Sweet Martha" in the first line of the two previous verses. My hunch is he might be referring to I Cor. 6:1-2:
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to the law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know the saints will judge the world? And if the world be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" (I Cor. 6:1-2 NKJV)



This passage, along with Rev. 2:26-27 and Rev. 3:21, seems to indicate that Christians will in some way be assisting Christ in his judging of the world in the millenial kingdom. Dylan's reference to the "the lilies that bloom" brings to mind Luke 2:27-28 where Jesus teaches His disciples not to worry about what they shall wear since God clothes the fields with such beauty (with lilies) that not even Solomon and his presumably extravagant wardrobe could match. In verse 28 He mentions the lilies being here today and cast in the oven tomorrow. If God so cares for the field, how much more does He care for us?

My interpretation of "the fighting is strong" is that it's Dylan's observation of the increasing intensity of spiritual warfare. Finally, he closes the song with a killer line: "And they're breaking down the distance between right and wrong". I believe "they" refers to the world and all that is anti-Christ. Just think about how the clarity between right and wrong has been muddied over the years, not only in this generation, but in those preceding it. And that distance has been closing with greater and greater speed.


If you ball your two hands into fists and hold them up at eye level, with the right representing "right" and the left representing "wrong" and gradually move them towards the center, you'll have a clear illustration of Dylan's commentary. And there's no denying it's a tragic truth of the world we live in. By saying "they're breaking...." he's telling us it's something that is happening. And it's still happening today. It's now for the bride, the church, to be actively upholding that which is right by lifting up Christ and His standards as well as clearly pointing out what is wrong.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Starting at the beginning

For years I have thought about keeping a journal, and have even attempted to do so with little success. Consistency, and therefore discipline, is what seems to have been lacking. I have a couple of notebooks around with weeks, sometimes months, between entries. So, starting a journal is not something new for me. Keeping one is. This blog will be a journal of sorts, with no parameters other than writing what I feel like writing about. I don't know how often I'll post something but I suppose days between entries would be a step of progress. I'm doing this for me though my desire is for any potential readers to be encouraged and engaged and for Christ Jesus to be glorified. 

I hesitated in getting started with this. Hey, there are thousands of blogs out there already (maybe tens or hundreds of thousands). But this is about my thoughts, my questions, my observations- it's my blog.
So, if you're reading I extend a warm and hearty welcome and hope you'll find something of interest.