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Monthly Archives: November 2012

Black Days

26 Nov

Did you ever get that black feeling the Monday after a long weekend? Today has been that way for me. The weekend was awesome. We spent time with our son Sean and Jessica and our new grandson Sean Jr. We met our future in-laws, and shared a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with them. I was able to spend time as well with my two daughters and two other sons during the weekend. Our daughter Amanda and her girls were able to worship with us at our local church on Sunday and have lunch with us. It was definitely a long and full weekend filled with love and memories.

But as human nature would have it, I didn’t care to have to face going back to the clearing of the vines and thorns due to the curse from Eden. You know, the job. I wanted the weekend to continue. I am reminded of a verse in the Bible. The verse is found in Psalm 90, verse 12.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

This teaches us not to take our days for granted but to enjoy the time God has given us on this earth. When we are His children, God has promised to bring us through those black days.

So here’s to those black Monday’s. A fitting song from the grunge genre, and one of my favorites from it. Soundgarden and “Fell On Black Days”. Thank God I don’t live in Seattle. 🙂

 
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Posted by on November 26, 2012 in black days, Monday morning, Psalm 90, Soundgarden

 

Food, Fellowship, and Football: Redeeming Thanksgiving from our Traditions (Psalm 30)

18 Nov

Food, Fellowship, and Football: Redeeming Thanksgiving from our Traditions 
Psalm 30

Recognizing the goodness of God in our lives. A Christian should have a disposition of thankfulness.

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. (Psalm 30:1 ESV)

The context here is like The Lord drew David out of a dark pit or well.

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. (Psalm 30:2 ESV)

David acknowledges his dependence on God, and his relationship with Him.

I. Praise God (vv. 1-3) This should be our life’s ambition.

II. Proclaim God’s goodness (vv. 4-10) When we experience goodness in our life, we naturally want tell everyone we know about it.

As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” (Psalm 30:6 ESV)

The pride of self-sufficiency.

For this sin, God hid his face.

By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. (Psalm 30:7 ESV)

David was undone.
In verses 8-10 David cries out for mercy.

III. Thanking God (vv. 11-12)

The context of parallelism:

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, (Psalm 30:11 ESV)

Mourning to dancing
Garments of sackcloth to clothes of gladness
God delivers us so we can praise Him. He saves us for Himself.

that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
I will give thanks to you forever! (Psalm 30:12b ESV)

We should turn (repent) our Thanksgiving traditions to a disposition of thankfulness and praise to God Forever!

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2012 in Calvary Church Wahoo, Michael Rue, Psalm 30, sermon notes, Thanksgiving

 

Mark Tremonti – Tremonti

16 Nov

You’d think if you were the prominent guitarist and co- songwriter for two major rock bands you’d have enough axes in
the fire. But not the Grammy Award winning and well respected musician Mark Tremonti. (guitarist of Creed and Alter Bridge) Mark Tremonti has recently created a solo project, simply called “Tremonti”. About that later. Here’s a little background.

Mark Tremonti was born in Detroit, Michigan. His early childhood was spent living in Grosse Pointe. At the age of 11 Mark had his own guitar and totally immersed himself in music. His family eventually moved to Orlando, Florida where he attended High School met his future Creed band mate Scott Stapp. Tremonti briefly attended Clemson University but after one year returned to Florida to attend Florida State University and reunite him with Scott Stapp also attending FSU. These two college friends would go on to form the band Creed. The rest of Mark Tremonti’s bio can be found here. I highly recommend it. But this is an album review. One more thing for the bio. Click on the thumbnail below to see the uncanny resemblance Mark Tremonti and Adam Baldwin have. Tremonti is on the right. On to the thrash.

According to Wikipedia, Mark Tremonti has had the desire for a solo project since the early 2000’s when Creed was starting to wane. He envisioned a speed metal/thrash type project. Nothing ever became of this desire until 2010 when he realized he had so much material written that did not really fit the Creed or the Alter Bridge mold. So with former Submersed band members Eric Friedman and Garrett Whitlock he hit the studio to record “Tremonti“. On the album Mark Tremonti performs all of the lead singing. His backup singing has always been and enhancement to Creed and Alter Bridge but this is the first time for a lead performance. According to Tremonti, the songs on the solo project are “heavier sounding” than anything he’s done with Creed or Alter Bridge with “lots of soloing”.

Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on November 16, 2012 in album review, Alter Bridge, Creed, Mark Tremonti, Music Review, Tremonti

 

Joy In Mercy

11 Nov

It has been a very long time since I’ve posted anything to  my blog. I will have to admit that I have been more distracted with social media like Facebook and Google+. My pastor mentioned to me this morning that he was going to deactivate his Facebook account at the end of the year because of it’s distraction. This prompted me to start thinking about how much I’ve let the social media distract me from living a more productive life. Along this line of thinking I am going to post my sermon notes from the sermon this morning. Pastor Mike Rue has been taking us (Wahoo CBC) through a biblical exposition study through the Beatitudes. (Matthew 5) This morning we looked into Matthew 5:7 and the joy of mercy. The following are my notes:

Joy in Mercy (Matt. 5:7)

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. (Matthew 5:7 ESV)

Mercy is a relief from a plight.

The assumption of this verse is that mercy has already been given to the believer. There is also a future mercy.

Mercy – Compassion in action.

To be merciful is:

I. Realize the mercy shown to you by God.

II. Respond to the needs and miseries of others.

Example: The good Samaritan Luke 10:29-37

Look for opportunities to serve others in need. Driven by compassion.

III. Relieve the guilt of others.

Everyone lives in a spirit of guilt or regret.

Matt. 18:21-35

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14, 15 ESV)

Regardless of the sin another has done toward you, your sins against a holy God are even greater.

Soli Deo Gloria

 
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Posted by on November 11, 2012 in beatitudes, Matthew 5, mercy, Michael Rue, Wahoo Calvary Baptist Church