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Monthly Archives: October 2007

Another Puritan quote

“Without the heart it is no worship. It is a stage play. It is an acting of a part without being that person, really. It is playing the hypocrite.”

STEPHEN CHARNOCK

I have to consider this. Is my heart fully into the worship of my God? Do I act it out at times? Am I playing the hypocrite? These questions and more bubble to the surface as I ponder the words of this Puritan. How often do I let the circumstances of life interfere with my devotion to the Lord God Almighty? More than I would care to ponder anymore. The Puritans had such a way of self-conviction. Note to self: BarryDean; Worship the Lord with all of your heart, mind, and strength. I pray the same for you.

Soli Deo Gloria!

4 Comments

Posted by barrydean on October 31, 2007 in Puritan, quotes, Stephen Charnock

Music review Tuesday

31 Oct

It is great to be back for Music Review Tuesday. I have decided to do another artist from my daughter Crysta’s bag of favorites. Family Force 5 is the name of the band I am reviewing for this week. I have really come to like and appreciate the music of this band. Their music is so different from anything else I normally listen to. The band also goes by FF5 which is what I will refer to them as well to save keystrokes. FF5 is a Christian rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. The three leading members of the band are brothers Solomon, Jacob , and Joshua Olds. Their dad Jerome Olds was a Christian artist from the late 1980’s. The band is rounded up to five with the addition of two friends Nathan Currin, and Derek Mount. It is hard to classify the music of FF5 since there songs are so diverse. Some of the genre’s they have been labeled with are Rapcore, Southern Rock, Crunk, and Christian Rock. Their music employs mostly heavy keyboard and guitar. They rap some, they scream some, they funk some, and they definitely rock.

The title of the the album is “Business Up Front/Party In The Back“, and the one I have is the bonus “Diamond Edition”. This edition has three more unreleased songs on it and it was released March 20th, 2007. The first track of the album is “Cadillac Phunque” which is a unique way of spelling “Funk”. The name is definitely and indication of how the song plays out. It is southern funk, if you can imagine that. Distorted guitars and everything from keyboards to DJ turntable disk scratching are present on this cut. The next track “Kountry Gentleman” is a fun song from it’s lyrics such as:

I come from the land where the mullet attacks
Business up front
Party in the back
You gotta style in the south when ur stepping out
Put a gold tooth in ur mouth
Look at you now
Tank top, ur ball-cap, you think ur all that
But ur looking like Scott Stapp
Ur just another redneck from back in the woods
Not a Kountry Gentleman that can bring the goods, Tayoooo

to the funky rhythm of the song and band playing the sounds baby. Did you catch that? They p’owned Scott Stapp? The next track “Ex-Girlfriend” is totally about relationships, especially the ins and outs of teenage relationships. The music is very diverse with the hip hop, funk rhythms, and heavy sounds in the chorus. “Drama Queen” is one of my favorites because it reminds me of my youngest daughter Crysta. Not the mean spirit portrayed in the lyrics “you go behind my back, don’t you know that’s whack, it’s a personal attack … Ur such a drama queen” but the just the way she is always performing and overly sensitive at times.

Album highlights would be “Kountry Gentleman”, “Drama Queen”, “Love Addict” which is about the greatest commandment L-O-V-E, the song has a great slow driving rhythm, “Earthquake” which is such a fun dance song, makes you get funky with head banging rock, “Replace Me” is the most theological song on the album about being broken into pieces and having the Lord “Replace Me” and make me new, “Peachy” is a very cute and nice song to tap your foot along with, I feel so peachy. The best thing I like about this album it it’s diversity. Each track is different from the last. The music is professionally performed and yet you can tellFF5 had a ball recording it. It give it four and a half stars out of five.

Please check out the video below for “Kountry Gentleman” and shut yo mouth.

A question of self-control

26 Oct

I first want to apologize for not posting anything for a few weeks. I have been in the midst of a personal struggle that has affected my family and I dramatically. I will not get into the details in this forum but I would ask for your prayers. I would ask that we would seek God and His strength as we all get through this season of hurt and healing. As a friend once told me, no matter what the question is, Jesus is the answer, and I believe that.

With that being said, I would like to begin posting again with the fruit of the Spirit. In particular the attribute of self control. Our associate pastor Erik Raymond did a sermon on this very attribute recently and I would like to share some of my notes from it. I have since gone back with re-newed interest as of late and it is really great stuff.

What is the need for self control?

Ephesians 2:1-3 says this:

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Ephesians tells us that we were once dead in our sins and that we once lived in the passions of our flesh. I love the verse 4 that follows these mentioned above. God, who is rich in mercy, and loved us even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive with Christ. We need to rely on the Spirit in our self control because we were woefully condemned and enslaved to sin. Were being the keyword here.

How do we strengthen our self control?

Lately I have been hearing this expression, “preach the gospel to yourself” and this is especially true in the case of self control. Galatians 4:4-7 is a great place to read for preaching the gospel to yourself.

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

You see that God has made a provision for us who were once enslaved to sin. He has adopted us as sons and joint heirs with His own son Jesus Christ. If we live in utter dependence on our Abba Father for His grace, then we have the hope of overcoming those the sins of losing our self control. Ephesians 2 and Galatians 4 have become very special passages for me lately. I pray that you will also read and meditate on them.

If you’d like to hear the wonderful message presented by Erik Raymond click here.

Sola Gratia!

1 Comment

Posted by barrydean on October 26, 2007 in fruit of the spirit, Personal, self control

Music review Tuesday

10 Oct

Today I did something a bit unusual. I did not have a definite idea on what album to do for Music Review Tuesday. So while I was out and about running some errands I stopped at a local big box retailer and cruised their new music racks for something interesting to review. I selected a CD based on it’s cover art. The band is Alter Bridge. I have heard some of their songs on the local college radio station 89.7 The River here in Omaha. I really had no idea who they were or where they came from until I read the Wikipedia site. All of the band members are original ex-members of Creed except the lead vocalist. They are Miles Kennedy on lead vocals and guitar, Mark Tremonti (founder) on guitar and vocals, Brian Marshall on bass guitar, and Scott Phillips on drums. The band was formed by Mark Tremonti in 2004 after the breakup of Creed. I have listened to Creed for many years so I have heard many recognizable characteristics from these band members, especially Mark Tremonti. The name Alter Bridge was derived from the bridge on Alter Road that runs between Detriot and Grosse Pointe Park in Michigan where Mark Tremonti grew up.

Blackbird is the second album from Alter Bridge, and I will have to say that after listening through it twice now that it is definitely much better than the Scott Stapp solo work. Stapp is the troubled singer/songwriter from Creed who split with the rest of the band. But enough of that. It is yesterday’s news. Blackbird is good enough to prompt me to check out their debut album. You may see it here in the near future. The album was just released today October 9th, 2007. The first track on the album is “Ties That Bind”. This song is such a hard rock guitar song. The constant wailing on the low end strings drive the rhythm of the song and the guitar solo is awesome. It is so nice to have two accomplished guitarists in the same band, because as a result you get some incredible guitar music. Which anyone here can attest to, I love that guitar music. The lyrics to the song tell of breaking free from a controlling influence. Most likely a controlling person like a parent or a spouse. The next track “Come To Life” sounds so self descriptive of the struggles the members have been through. The music is classic Mark Tremonti with an added rhythmic harmonic presence. It sounds so cool, reminiscent of Zak Wylde of Ozzy fame. “Brand New Start” is a song that tells of starting afresh from a life of sorrow and agony. The song rings true of a passion for starting over. It reveals the great vocal talent of Miles Kennedy. The style is very similar to Brent Smith of Shinedown. They both have a great vocal range. The next track is called “Buried Alive” which is another song of life struggles and overcoming them. I am starting to see a pattern here, are you? The theme of the band is definitely overcoming life’s obstacles and reminds me of the rock band Triumph from the late 70’s and 80’s with a much heavier sound.

Album highlights are “Ties That Bind”, “Come To Life”, “Coming Home” about missing your home, “Rise Today” the album’s first single and a great rock song, “Before Tomorrow Comes” it has such great guitar effects and awesome vocals it definitely showcases the talent of Miles Kennedy “we could be so much more than we are” , “Watch Over You” which asks the question “Who is gonna save you when I’m gone, who’ll watch over you when I’m gone?”, “White Knuckles” and its fast paced head banging guitar riffs and great drumming. The album and the band as a whole are similar to Creed in some respects but different in vocals and they have a much fuller guitar sound. More importantly it Rocks!!! This component is very important to BarryDean. I give the album 4 stars out of 5. But it may go up the more I listen to it. Rock On!!!

Please check out the video for the albums first single “Rise Today”, it is a great rock song.

5 Comments

Posted by barrydean on October 10, 2007 in Alter Bridge, Blackbird, Music Review

Music review Tuesday

03 Oct

This fine Tuesday morning I was driving to work listening to the album I will be reviewing here today. It was raining and very dreary looking along the way and the music seemed to fit right in to the mood of the day. The artist is one of my favorite guitar players. He is not what you would call a guitar god but he is a very accomplished player. His name is Mark Knopfler. You might remember him from the rock band Dire Straits. “Money for nothing, and your chicks for free.” Dire Straits has not recorded music since 1995 but Mark Knopfler has continued to make great music although not the kind that would appeal to the masses. His style is so eclectic that his albums don’t usually sell hundreds of thousands, but he has a very loyal following as I am one. His solo albums are all very different from each other. From the Country “Neck and Neck” album he did with Chet Atkins, to composing film scores for two of my favorite films “The Princess Bride“and “Local Hero“, to recording a full duet album “All the Roadrunning ” with Emmylou Harris. He has touched all musical genres. His latest project is no exception.

The album is called “Kill To Get Crimson” and was released September 17th, 2007 and it is such a different album in sound and feel than anything he has done to present. According to Mark Knopfler in a video about his new album (which can be seen here) the title comes from the passion of an artist desiring to get crimson on his paint palette. The songs on this album are supported by many different instruments and makes for a very eclectic album. (I can’t believe I used that word twice in one posting) “Kill To Get Crimson” starts with a love song of sorts “True Love Will Never Fade”. It speaks mainly of a tattoo artist and the picture he put on the shoulder of his love. A picture that will always remind us that “True Love Will Never Fade.” The second track “The Scaffolder’s Wife” is a beautiful song about the wife of a scaffolder who is aging gracefully although as the song says “she is losing her looks over the company books” you understand that she is loved by her husband the scaffolder. The music is filled with a beautifully played flute with piano and of course Knopfler’s recognizable guitar licks. “The Fizzy and the Still” is a beautiful piece of guitar work and tells the story of young man who comes home after trying to make it in Hollywood. The next track “Heart Full of Holes” reminds me so much of an old pub song sung over many beers. Musically the song is adorned by a banjo, and I think I hear a mandolin, but the bridge to the song an accordion is definitely played and fits the song so well. Sing along with “Heart Full of Holes.”

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Posted by barrydean on October 3, 2007 in Kill To Get Crimson, Mark Knopfler, Music Review