Jesus is singing over us, are we listening?

Many of you have heard the story posted below, about the master violin player who plays in a subway station, and virtually goes unnoticed. It's a true story, I posted the Washington post article below. And I have posted Joshua Bell playing his first piece below as well. The virtuoso, virtually unnoticed. It reminds me of when Jesus came. He was beaten and despised, rejected, the Master of Masters, the King of Kings, literally God in human flesh. And now, what of today? He died, but rose again, now He is alive and seated at the Right hand of God with all authority and power to judge us all, but still, virtually goes unnoticed. Christian, does He go unnoticed in your everyday life? People who need Christ, has He escaped your notice as well? He comes, He bacons for us to listen, but we pass by, unnoticing Him. "The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will sing over you with shouts of joy. (Zephaniah 3:17) As He sings His song over you, do you take notice? I hope so, it's quite a beautiful song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJahQRJ0Tq8 Youtube of Josh Bell playing... Article telling of the mystery violin player: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- "A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work. The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on. In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context? One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?" Share if you took the time to read this

Shining brightly, even a little

There was this little glowing spot on the floor this morning, very bright! It was very dark out and in the room, which made it even brighter. I wondered where it was coming from, and then I thought, the moon! So I tried looking through the only window it could be coming from, and no...then I caught a glimpse of it as I turned my head a certain way. I wonder if we reflect Christ sometimes this way. Do people have to turn their heads a certain way to see Christ shining through? This was not a full moon I was looking, just over half it seemed. Yet it was so bright. I had a funny thought; does the moon get jealous of itself? When it's a bright full moon, no clouds, and it shines brighter...no, probably not. But this moon was extremely bright, as if it were a full non, and et it wasn't. I know we all only have so much about ourselves that we feel shines. But it has never been about ourselves, but Christ, as we are in Him. So we have to remember that it is Christ that shines, and we in Him. So no matter how much we've been given; talent, time, gifts, however we sine, it is Christ. The brightness will not depend on us, but on Christ. "Lord, have the freedom to shine in us, take Your way, Your rightful place. Lord, we are Yours, in Jesus name, Amen!"

Never run dry

The trees are make really loud cracking sounds, sounds they usually don't make. It's because of the cold. It's extreme cold, the kind of cold we are not meant to be in much, 0, with -5 wind chill. When we are in situations that take us to the edge of life, of what we are comfortable with, we must have The Lord guiding us, and not our flesh. Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. We had a diseased tree in our back yard, and it cracked really loud. We knew at some point it would fall over, that why it was cracking so loud, it had a split in it. It was aiming right at our house, we knew if it fell, it would cream our house. It is not a good thing for a tree to hit a house. We had to cut it down. It was an easy fix right now, but if the tree crashed into the house, it may not even be able to be fixed at all. At the same time my wife had cancer, which had to be cut out. If we had not, it had already reached the wall of her chest, it would take over her body, and be much harder to heal, if it could be healed at all. So when it gets hard in life, it's too easy for us to give up, or press through in our own strength, instead of relying on the Lord, and His strength, which never runs dry. "Lord, help us today to remain faithful, even if it's hard, and we feel like cracking. Let us rely on Your power, Your strength, and Your wisdom. And help us to realize that it's all You anyway, even when we have a good thought, it's from You, for," Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights...(James 1:17) Have a great day.

Believing you have received! Do not doubt!

Trusting, not doubting, believing He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV) 6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”) And God never lies, nor is He ever wrong. He's not even slow as some count slowness...2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. So, why do we doubt? Fear replaces faith, the belief in things unseen. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for , the evidence of things not seen. We recently had to step away from a job that provided a paycheck. With no visible means of support, we believed that the Lord was asking us to step out on the water, and walk with Him. You have to do two things to walk on the water; hear Jesus call you there, and believe He will sustain you, because you can't, remember it's impossible to do the impossible, unless you believe He is calling you, then all things are possible for those who believe. (Matthew 19:26) Remember too, that, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ( Hebrews 11:6 New King James Version (NKJV)) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) So if we receive God's word, "Come" then we have to be careful our hearts don't get in the way. Matthew 13:18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” These are like the growing conditions of God's words to us. If the soil is good, and we know the seed is good, because it's God's word, then let not those seeds be choked, in Jesus name! God is not a liar, and His word can't return void, or with no effect! Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Yes, and amen!

Worship music, how do we get it?

I have read a few articles on worship, but they never seem to address much about the Holy Spirit, who was called among many other things, to "teach us in all things." This is an attempt to address singing in worship to God from a different perspective. My friend with his acoustic guitar, would come on Sunday morning with sometimes 3-5 new songs that were always some of the most anointed songs I have ever sung. God sang them to him. He would carry around a recorder, then God would start singing, my friend would grab his recorder and sing them back into the recorder. Anointing, what is that? King David was anointed King of Israel when he was still a boy, but before that he was anointed to write and sing songs to the Lord, songs that would chase demons away from King Saul. Anointing is like a special manifestation that comes when God calls you to something and then blesses your obedience, it's like His stamp saying, I have called this one to do this one thing. Often you can feel the power of God all over what they do. I have seen people anointed to play certain instruments. I have seen people with an anointing to play over people and they are healed of sicknesses. Is God even calling a certain person to lead, or be a part of the music part of worship? If you're not called, please, find out what your calling is, but don't just "do" worship. God can anoint anyone, even if they don't have musical gifts. Andre Crouch could not play the piano, at all. His dad was the pastor of a church, their piano player didn't show up. His dad looked down at him and said, go play the piano. (He was a really young kid) God anointed him, he played beautifully, as if he had been playing for years, and could play always after that. Andre Crouch has received many hundreds of songs from the Lord. Did God even give us that song? Did He write it? Rich Mullins (Writer of Awesome God and hundreds of others) wrote a song called Mary Picked the Roses. In it he claims God as the song writer and he just the vessel chosen for the song. Annie Herring of the 2nd Chapter of Acts says she's a song receiver, and not a writer. When we claim ownership of a song, maybe we should keep it because just like a sermon, I want to hear what The Lord has to say, not some another sheep, I hear enough from my own kind, I want the Good Shepherd to lead me! Peter said to the Lord, "You alone have the words of life, where else should we go?" when Jesus asked who people said that He was. If Jesus alone has the words of life, then what source are we getting our music from if not from Him. And if we are not getting it from Him, who exactly are we getting it from? It's the Spirit Himself who bears witness with our spirits....if there is a powerful anointing on a song, the singer and the players, then you will feel it, wow will you feel it. And in some cases, you will see it. People will be healed, people will be broken, and mended. Jesus Himself will inhabit those kind of praises. The ones of a shepherd boy just singing to His God who he has a heart after.

Take me all

When a man dies, and then is revived, or a person is saved from certain death, there seems to be a gratefulness that overcomes him or her. In that grateful spirit they often say, "I will live my life differently now" and often they do. I was just healed of a nasty throat condition that did not allow me to eat much and swallowing was very painful, and sleep was hard to come by. When I woke up yesterday and today, the difference was dramatic. I feel whole again. I too want to live life differently, take advantage of every moment. A life in the Spirit is supposed to be just like this everyday. But something chokes out God's Word in our hearts, and we forget, or put off. Deceitfulness of riches, having no depth in our relationship with Christ, so that persecution takes God's Word from our lives, cares of this life, or satan himself stealing the seed of God's Word from us, these are the things listed in Jesus parable of the seed sower. (Matthew 13) I want to have the good soil in my heart that produces, 30, 60 and 100 fold for God. I want to hear and understand God's Word to me each and every day. I love waking up and feeling the powerful presence of God, and I don't want that to stop, or even falter for a moment. Even in my weakness I want Him to be made strong. "Lord, take it all. Take all of me. Everything I have, everything I am, take me Lord Jesus, take me all. In Jesus name, Amen."

Live as if you were dead.

I am not good at winging it with measurements, and I'm not sure any of us should be. If I am baking cookies, and I've used the same recipe I should be able to eye it close enough, but if I am installing parts on a military helicopter, where lives depend on it, eyeing it is not an option, literally. At Ft Eustis Virginia I was training to be a Scout Helicopter Repairman. It was not only by the book, but no no matter how many times I repaired a part, I had to go step by step in the manuel, period. I, nor any other mechanic, was allowed to just install something. It had to be by the book, every time. This is how I was trained, because lives literally depended on it. How much more so with God's word. Saving souls is maybe a catch phrase we've heard so much, we get lost in it's translation, but we literally are in the business of saving lives. Jesus Christ bled, died was tortured, and rose from the grave to save our soul. Now it's our turn, and we must not eye ball it. If I wing it on spiritual things I will be in serious trouble when it comes to taking this bird off the ground. I can't walk on the water, I can't heal the sick or raise the dead, open blind eyes, I can't wing that, it just aint' happening! It is Christ in me at work, willing and doing of His good pleasure and it IS His good pleasure to do these wonderful things, but it is not within our capabilities. I would also go on to say it is not within our capabilities to live one day on our own merits or strengths. Wether it's a ministry of healing, or one of just living life for Christ, it can't, and should never be tried, on our own. We must live as if we were dead. Romans 6 says we are either slaves of sin, or slaves of Christ, we are not our own anymore. We want to be raised with Christ, but we are not always willing to be crucified with Him, and yet we must me, if we are to live at all. We are not to go on sinning, this old man, this body of sin, of death, is no longer here, with us, but was left up on that cross when we came to it, and submitted to it's crucifixion process! Verse 4, we should walk in the newness of life. We have been united together in His resurrection! I reckon! Romans 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yes, we are alive if we have died! 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Sin leads to death, and obedience leads to life. (Verse 16) We were slaves of sin, though we'd be hesitant to admit that, but now we are slaves of righteousness! We used to use our body's, minds for sin,now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.(Verse 20) Sin has but one end, death. (Verse 21) But now that we've been set free from sin and death, we are slaves to God, and now our lives can have the fruit of holiness and everlasting life, for; " 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Yes!