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Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.
– 2 Chronicles 20:9
A multitude of enemy warriors marched to war against the tribe of Judah.
They slipped around the Dead Sea and caught the people of God by surprise, making it as far as Engedi before they were spotted and reported to King Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat knew that his army could not stand before the combined armies of his enemies. Distressed, he turned to God, proclaiming a fast in Judah and assembling all the people to the house of God. His prayer is memorialized in Chronicles for the generations after to him who face an overpowering evil force. He ended his entreaty with these touching words: “Our eyes are on You.”
God answered the king with a plan for battle that has become the blueprint for generations of His people to come:
-Do not fear or be dismayed. (v. 15)
-The battle is God’s. (v.15)
-Hold your position on the battlefield. (v. 17)
-Trust God. (v.20)
-Offer the thanksgiving of praise. (v. 21-22)
-Stand and see the salvation of the LORD. (v. 17)
King Jehoshaphat did all God had commanded. His army went down to the battleground, stood before the amassed armies of their enemies, and sang praises to God. They did not fight, and they did not run before the threat of certain defeat. They did not study the enemy or count the number of weapons and men arrayed before them. They kept their eyes off the battleground and on their Captain.
They held their position, trusted God, faced down fear, and sang His praises.
True to God’s word, He destroyed the enemy by setting them against themselves, so that they were all destroyed without Judah’s army raising one hand in battle.
When Satan sets a trap for you, and you find yourself facing certain destruction, remember God’s promise to Judah.
Your enemy may be too strong for you, but this isn’t your battle.
This is God’s war, and it’s personal.
Your God will fight for you. Look up, for your deliverance is coming.
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Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,
Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him.
– Psalm 68:4
A new year usually begins with hope and promise set against the backdrop of winter.
My new year began in the heat of a blistering emotional desert. People I love are in pain, and their torment has scorched my soul. Day after weary day has stretched on with no relief in sight and only endless wilderness before us. Hope has slowly soured in my belly as my desperate prayers are met with silence. Waves of fear wash over me in the night as I frantically seek God before falling into a fitful sleep.
In the gray dawn of another day, I am spent. I can pray no more. There are no more words I can say, no entreaty with which to reach my Master. As the night shadows fade before the rising sun, I arise and pad heavily into the breakfast nook with a cup of coffee. There I open my Bible.
In the space between darkness and light, I need to hear His voice.
This morning I find Psalm 68, a powerful image of a God who does not sit impartially in the heavens glaring down at his frail creation. Here, I find a God who rides through the desert as conqueror. Once again, I am reminded no pit is too deep for Him, no problem too hard for Him, no trial too hot for Him.
O God, when You went forth before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness,
The earth quaked;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God.
– Psalm 68:7-8
Throughout this song of David, God addresses every situation of our lives that makes us feel lost and in need of a savior. He reminds us He is a father to the fatherless, an advocate for the widows, a home for the lonely, a deliverer for those in any kind of bondage, and a provider to the poor.
Through the wilderness He marches as the victor. Before His majesty the earth quakes and the armies of hell flee. In His presence the heavens open, and life-giving rain quenches our barrenness. In our worst of times, He reminds us of His promises.
You confirmed your inheritance when it was parched.
– Psalm 68:9
Fearsome as He is to His enemies, the King comes to His sheepfold as a precious and pure dove, a gentle Shepherd and Comforter to His people.
When You lie down among the sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with glistening gold.
– Psalm 68:13
Once again, I am in awe.
Victory doesn’t come because we tough out trial. It doesn’t come because we pray the right prayers, sing the right songs, or attend the right church. We are saved because we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, Ruler of heaven and earth.
Dawn is rising.
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Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.
– Romans 12:19
The person on the other end of the phone line needed my last name.
When I gave it to him, he paused before asking, “Are you Japanese?”
I nearly laughed out loud at the question. He wasn’t even close.
My maiden name is Prussian, a distinctly ethnic and confounding mix of letters that caused endless confusion for others as I grew up. I’m proud of my name, because my father was a local celebrity and a well-respected figure in the community. When I married my Scandinavian husband, though, taking on the name Thorson was a relief of sorts. It was much easier to pronounce and spell.
With the current cultural fascination with mythical gods, our last Norwegian surname has become cool. The Thor of recent movie fame is handsome and powerful. He rights wrongs. He’s the guy you want to have on your side.
Like the other superheroes of myth, he’s also prone to eccentricities and faults. That’s because he’s a figment of human imagination. Like all idols, Thor is a god made in our own image. We can’t construct a perfect deity, because we don’t understand perfection. We don’t comprehend unconditional love. We can’t fathom pure justice.
Contrary to the claims of secularists, the real God isn’t a creation of the human mind.
He’s so high above us, so powerful and righteous and holy, we can’t even begin to construct such a God. Our study of His creation, His Word, and His story reveals a murky vignette of His glory.
We will only fully understand when we stand before His throne on that great day He is revealed to humanity in all His glory.
Until then, we must accept His wisdom and leading by faith. We must trust Him when life gets hard. We must remember, when we see brokenness all around us, that He will make all things right. One day He will avenge all wrongs, dry every tear, and deliver the afflicted. He never acts out of evil motives. He is jealous with a godly jealousy for His beloved and fiercely protects His own.
Who wants to trust in a myth when the real Avenger is at the door?
A jealous and avenging God is the Lord;
The Lord is avenging and wrathful.
The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries,
And He reserves wrath for His enemies.– Nahum 1:2
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Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
– Matthew 11:29 NKJV
Decades ago, when my husband and I were new Christians, a series of small and incidental “signs” convinced us a windfall was coming our way.
We shared this belief with a few people, who were instantly skeptical. But we were undeterred, sure God had spoken to us.
When the bounty never arrived, we were a little embarrassed and a lot confused. How could we ever possibly learn to know the difference between God’s voice and other voices in our lives? That first lesson was a painful one as we realized how naïve we were. Thankfully, we discovered it does get easier to recognize what is from God and what isn’t.
We’re still learning because we’re just human.
One of the most beautiful features of the face of faith is the desire to learn the ways of God. It is the willingness to admit our failures and remember their lessons that marks the mature man and woman of God.
Growing in faith is a process that never ends on this side of heaven.
It requires us to balance hope with common sense; to humble ourselves enough to learn from others and admit our mistakes.
Our greatest source of wisdom is God’s Word. It is the inspired text from which we sit at the feet of God. Other important resources are trusted friends, pastors and teachers, parents, siblings, church and parachurch activities, Godly music, and books.
Maturity involves honest introspection and the willingness to learn from our mistakes (and successes). The Spirit of God is our greatest teacher and the One who will never lead us down the wrong path. But sometimes it’s hard to discern His voice above the noise in our head and around us. The Bible encourages us to keep listening and trying because we are trained by practice.
Getting up and falling.
And getting up again.
God understands our weaknesses. He wants us to hear Him. He is a patient teacher.
But solid food is for the mature,
who because of practice have their senses trained
to discern good and evil.
-Hebrews 5:14
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And those who know Your name trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
– Psalm 9:10
A frigid cold descended in the night upon the river valley.
The next morning, a deceptively innocent breath of frost kissed the new deck outside the front door. A toddler and his dad stepped out of the house, the boy bouncing enthusiastically on ahead of his father.
As the boy’s feet hit the ice, his little legs splayed out in opposite directions. Unable to catch his balance, he slipped and slid all over the deck. But he did not fall, he did not cry, and he wasn’t afraid.
He knew he’d be all right.
His father had a firm hold on his hands as he danced and laughed and skated across the danger to the safety of the gravel driveway beyond the deck.
Trust is a beautiful thing.
It’s a gift we give someone who has earned the right to ask for it. It’s the bond between two people who have a history between them. Trust is hard-won and easily lost. I believe that’s why God loves it so much when we show Him we trust Him with our lives.
Tremble, and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And trust in the LORD.
– Psalm 4:4-5
The Lord understands how hard it is to trust what we can’t see.
At His resurrection from the dead, He told the doubting Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:29)
There are several Greek words used in the New Testament to indicate blessing. The one used in John 20:29 is makarios, which is most closely linked to the English word “happy.” Trusting in others or ourselves will inevitably lead to sorrow, because humanity is flawed. Searching for security in money or possessions or power will fail us, as well, because all those things are temporary. God is the only safe place for us. He has promised He will not abandon those who run to Him.
As a new year dawns, many of us carry the sorrows and struggles of an old year into the next. Danger lurks in a world filled with evil. This is a good time to take a mental pilgrimage back to the many times God has held our hands as we slipped and slid through the frigid seasons of our lives. Each time we’ve fallen, he’s lifted us up. Every time we safely navigated another trial, it was because we reached for His arms. As we enter a new season, may we have the trust to hang on tightly to Him.
Not only will we be safe, we will be happy.
…indeed,
we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves,
but in God who raises the dead….
– 2 Corinthians 1:9
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Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice….
– 1 Samuel 15:22
The Old Testament prophet Samuel visited King Saul soon after he was set into power as king of Israel.
Samuel arrived to deliver a command from God to go up against the Amalekites and destroy them completely. God instructed Saul to destroy everything belonging to them, as well.
Saul did obey as far as taking his army up to the city of Amalek. There he defeated them. But he spared the life of the Amalekite king Agag and the best of the livestock in the city. The victory degenerated into a looting spree as the men saved what they liked and destroyed the rest.
When God sent Samuel back to confront Saul over his disobedience, Saul explained his motives were pure. He had simply saved the best of the flocks to sacrifice to God.
Samuel’s reply?
To obey is better than sacrifice.
The prophet then told Saul, “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:23)
Disobedience against God places another god above Him.
It makes us the judge of the Lord’s wisdom and is inherently anti-Christ in nature. It’s sobering, then, to realize God equates our disobedience with witchcraft.
Conversely, it’s fascinating to read the exploits of believers in Hebrews 11 and see what God describes as acts of faith. In every instance, God honored those who listened to Him, believed in His promises, and were willing to obey what He told them to do.
Here, then, is the next quality of faith:
The willingness to obey.
In Luke 6:46-49, Jesus rebuked those who called Him “Lord” but didn’t obey His commands. He compared an obedient follower with a man who built his house upon a rock. This house, Jesus said, would stand firm against the storms that came against it.
On the other hand, a rebellious person was like the man who built his house on the sand. This house would fall when besieged by life’s trials.
Obedience isn’t about following the rules. It’s not even about compliance.
Obedience is the active response of an open heart to the voice of its beloved master.
There is nothing fake or feigned here. It engages all the qualities of trust and love and humility as we place our own will on the altar. It’s symbolized by a house built on a rock because it is the proof of our faith in Christ, the Rock that will never crumble beneath us when the going gets rough.
As always, God’s commands are meant to build us up and protect us. By walking in obedience to Christ, we live in victory over every circumstance of life.
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It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Thy name, O Most High
– Psalm 92:1
God doesn’t need our thanks.
If we were to walk through an open door to heaven as the apostle John did in a vision during his imprisonment on Patmos, we wouldn’t find a forlorn father sitting by the phone awaiting a call from his kids. John’s glimpse into that other dimension revealed a royal residence filled with glory.
There a throne encircled by an emerald rainbow sits upon a sea of crystal glass. Lightning and thunder emanate from the presence of a King so beautiful and precious He can only be described in jewel tones. Around His throne wondrous living creatures and many thousands of angels lift their voices in continual praise to the Sovereign of the Universe.
God doesn’t need our thanks.
And yet, throughout Scripture we are encouraged, commanded, and entreated to be thankful. It’s not because God needs our attention. He’s no egotist.
He knows thankfulness is good for us. A heart full of praise has no room for envy, jealousy, or strife. When we are busy praising God, it’s harder to hear the bitter whisperings of the devil or the grumblings of a tired soul.
Praise guards us, guides us, and strengthens us. A grateful heart honors our Father, who has done so much for us. Gratitude purifies us. It draws others to our precious Lord. Living in an attitude of praise frees us and lifts us out of the bony clutches of all that would keep us forever tethered to the old life.
God doesn’t need our thanks, but He deserves it.
I want to be more appreciative of Him, to live in the joy of remembering all I have been given, even when life gets difficult. From every breath to every gift small and great, there is much for which to thank my God. If I were to consider each kindness my Heavenly Father has granted me, my days would be consumed in His praise. It’s a shame I have relegated so much of my gratitude to one day a year.
As the season of Thanksgiving approaches once again, this is my prayer:
To awaken and thank God for the gift of life and good health, asking God to help me pray more for those who are suffering from illness and pain.
To eat dinner and thank God for the gifts of my home and a full refrigerator, asking God to help me be more generous with my possessions to those who endure hunger and cold.
To watch football and thank God for the gift of family, asking God to help me be more loving to them.
To go to church and thank God for the gifts of freedom of worship and fellowship, asking God to help me be a better citizen to my neighbors and a gentler sister in the Lord to my precious friends.
To look upon the earth and thank God for His creation, entreating Him to reveal Himself to those who live each day without the knowledge and comfort of His love.
To raise my eyes to heaven and remember that even though He doesn’t need our thanks, He longs for us and and the expression of appreciation that marks a good relationship.
To determine to fill every day of every year with heartfelt praise to the God from Whom all blessings flow, that my song may be added to the eternal voices worshiping such a magnificent King.
Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen
– Revelation 7:12
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If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
– Galatians 1:10
The Scriptures tell us it is impossible to please God without faith.
But how does pleasing God present evidence of our faith to a dying world?
In Hebrews 11, the “faith chapter” describes acts of faith recorded in the Bible and defines faith as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Since our faith is the concrete evidence of the unseen world, let’s continue to examine what that evidence might look like. This week we look at the image of faith, as expressed by a second quality:
A desire to please God.
The longing to do what pleases Him comes from the active work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as He cleanses our heart and directs us upward. We no longer find pleasure in serving ourselves and sin. Our joy is now found in honoring our Father in heaven and our Lord Jesus. The concrete outflow of that heart change is seen in our actions and words.
How do we please God?
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Believe He exists.
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Trust that He will honor and reward our search for Him.
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Learn what He asks of us in His Word.
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Respond accordingly.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:1-4, Paul issued a plea to the Christians to strive to please God with their lives, and he particularly addressed the issue of purity.
Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor….
A clean heart is God’s gift to us through the sacrifice of His Son. Living to please Him is our gift back to Him. It is the outward expression of an inward change, evidence for all to witness.
Without faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe He is
and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
– Hebrews 11:6
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Release Date: October 27, 2017
Label: Essential Records
Genre: Rock
Reviewer: Jon Ownbey, CMADDICT.com
Rating: 4/5Purchase Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Gone-Deluxe-Red/dp/B075NPQN8K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509651101&sr=8-1&keywords=red+gone+deluxe
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/gone-deluxe-edition/id1285526524
Review
Red releases their 6th studio album Gone. With 17 tracks the album is just over an hour long and is truly an experience for the ears. Known for their unique hard rock sounds and vocals, with a great mix of both this album does not disappoint. Unlike other bands who find one sound that is popular and base their music on it, Red has been a group that has not been afraid to experiment and create a new sound for each of their albums. The core of their music is a mix of rock with elements of classical, these intertwining sounds are the tools for the band’s goal of creating an emotional experience for the listener.
Unlike some stories, the band Red was not an overnight success but has been a culmination of a lifelong pursuit. Consisting of guitarist Anthony Armstrong and bassist Randy Armstrong these brothers were joined by lead vocalist Michael Barnes. These three have been lifelong friends beginning from where they grew up in Linesville, Pennsylvania and have been the core of the band as it has evolved and changed over the years. As they grew up they worked towards their dream of performing on stage, and in 2002 they relocated to Nashville where they were finally able to get a record deal.
The members of Red proclaim themselves as Christians in a rock band and as such their music reflects that philosophy. While not afraid to admit their faith, there is no direct references to it in their music. While lyrically they are not specific, their music does deal with the overarching emotional aspects that every human must deal with, which is that we are all broken.
The band’s passion for their music is evident by the hard work that they have put into their music from its creation to the time they have spent touring and building their fan base. This album is a lot of fun to listen to and is very enjoyable. Once again Red has crafted an album that is emotionally hard hitting. Any fan of Red will find this a must-have album but its wide range of style and tempo will allow anyone to enjoy this album and not just those who favor heavy metal. I especially enjoyed the songs on the album that were remixed so that the listener could experience the same song in a whole new way. It never felt like they were just filling space but almost like they were entirely different songs. Red has proven themselves as a group that is not only part of, but influencing Christian Rock.
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Jesus said, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
– Matthew 5:6
Ask a Christian what the word “faith” means, and you’re likely to hear a quote from the Bible.
Most of us know at least part of the King James version of Hebrews 11:1, which tells us faith is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
In a court of law, a conviction or acquittal is based upon the evidence brought before the jury. The Bible assures us our faith is the evidence of an unseen world and its promises. But faith itself has an ethereal quality about it, and we often simply equate it with the idea of believing. But faith is not just belief. It is the expression of our belief before God and man. In James 2:17, we learn faith without works is dead.
So then, what does faith look like?
In the next few weeks, we’ll examine some qualities painting the portrait of a believer. Since taking the first step toward God often comes out of a place of emptiness, this might be our first piece of evidence:
A thirst for righteousness.
In the beatitudes given to us by the Lord Jesus on the mountain, He called those “blessed” (happy, fortunate, blissful) who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The deep craving for a relationship with God drives us to the well that both cleanses and fills us. The search to know Him should be relentless and lifelong and revealed in what we think, say, and do.
This search will put us in direct opposition to the societal “norms” imposed today:
The pressure to fit in by dressing and talking like those we want to impress.
The relaxation of sexual inhibitions, mocking of those who choose to remain pure.
The assault on our values though today’s movies, television, social media, and music.
Choosing to run after God forces us to make choices putting our faith on display to others. It will reveal the unseen to the unseeing, and some will not like it. We may lose friends, family members, and more in the process. The first lesson we learn, then, is that faith is not without cost. But the gain far outweighs the price of discipleship.
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.
– Romans 10:7-9
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Release Date: October 13, 2017
Label: Independent
Genre: Worship
Reviewer: Andrew Funderburk, CMADDICT.com
Rating: 4/5Purchase Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Salt-Sound/dp/B075R9TXPJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1509383616&sr=1-1&keywords=Salt+Of+The+Sound&refinements=p_n_feature_browse-bin%3A625150011
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-prayer/id1287025463
Review
Husband and wife duo Anita and Ben Tatlow, who form the band Salt of the Sound, release yet another album full of peaceful pieces of musical artistry. With their work being featured on various TV and radio circuits, this Stockholm based group continues to reach far with their work.
Overall, the new project In Prayer is quite short, lasting only about 17–18 minutes in length; however, this doesn’t detract from the record’s beauty. The music woven together here flows from track to track causing the feel of a musical journey. Blended into some of the tracks are sounds from nature (e.g. waves on “Refuge”), which causes In Prayer to feel more natural and present and not just a far-off thought.
By in large, vocals are scarce throughout most of the record. The songs vocals are featured on include, “Lamb of God,” which remains largely repetitive in its lyrical approach, the opening track “Be Still My Soul,” “Hope,” and “Your Ways.” Anita’s vocals remain quite distant in these tracks, which provides a less distracting atmosphere in regards to other music, where the artist’s voice is up front. Despite the vocal/lyrical scarcity, the times voices are present offers the same element of peaceful simple beauty.
By the end of Salt of the Sound’s latest, refreshing and peace of mind are sure to be found. For studying, getting your kids to sleep, having background music for your times of studying the Word, or times of prayer and meditation, In Prayer provides you with the correct atmosphere, making this yet another solid release from this group.
Get a Free Download of Salt of the Sound “Be Still, My Soul” right here:
http://www.cmaddict.com/free_music_page.php?downloads_id=128
Tracklist
- Be Still, My Soul – 3:48
- Lamb of God – 1:13
- Refuge – 2:42
- Solace – 2:16
- Rest – 1:06
- Hope – 3:30
- Your Ways – 2:16
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God said, ‘Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him.’
– Psalm 91:14
She was well-dressed, beautiful, and accomplished.
She had just flown across the country to teach at a conference and looked fully the part.
Sharp. Witty. Color-coordinated.
And she may have left with that image safely in place, except that she happened to be introduced to a group of women who had been through loss too terrible to imagine: the death of a child. These brave women had come together to write their stories, and as each shared her individual loss, the corporate pain was palpable. The tears flowed freely, and the walls of brave faces came down, heartbreak made holy by the faith with which they faced each day.
The speaker sat and listened, eyes red. It was then she shared the depth of her own pain, the desperation of her own losses exposed by this gentle fellowship of suffering.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Despair, it seems, is a common, if unspoken, condition of the human soul. On the field of pain, we are all equals.
But God has not intended for us to stay there, because we are not meant to lead lives of quiet desperation. Desperation should be, instead, the thorn in the flesh that drives us to our knees in search of God. He has promised that we will find Him when we search Him out with all our hearts. Sorrow turns a complacent heart into a seeking heart.
Despair, as the Psalmist discovered, it is the schoolmaster to lead us to hope.
This concept is so powerful he expressed it three times in the space of two Psalms:
Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.
– Psalm 42:5,11;43:5
Psalm 62:11 tells us, “Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.” In Psalms 42 and 43 we read not once, not twice, but three times that we should question the power of despair over us. We should fight for hope, look for deliverance, and praise Him in all things.
Are you in despair?
He sees it. He hears your prayers in the night. Power is His, and you are His. Hope in God, for you will again praise Him for His restoration.
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Release Date: October 20, 2017
Label: Beach Street Records
Genre: Christmas
Reviewer: Jon Ownbey, CMADDICT.com
Rating: 4/5Purchase Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Its-Finally-Christmas-Casting-Crowns/dp/B074QVZ76N/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1508858274&sr=1-1
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/its-finally-christmas-ep/id1295277744
Review
The Christmas season is kicking off early this year with the release of It’s Finally Christmas by Casting Crowns. They are joining forces with King & Country this year who will be releasing a Christmas album of their own the following week on October 27th. These two albums are in preparation for their upcoming tour A Glorious Christmas, beginning November 30th.
Formed out of a student worship band in Daytona Beach, Florida, Casting Crowns was founded in 1999 by Mark Hall who is the lead vocalist. Soon after coming together they relocated to Stockbridge, Georgia and have been closely connected with Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church ever since. Beginning with several independent albums they were eventually signed by Beach Street Records, a division of Reunion Records. With seven studio releases, the band has been very popular and has received both Grammy and Dove awards.
An EP is an album that is too long to be called a single but is too short to be called a full-length album. It’s Finally Christmas has 6 tracks that are a pleasant blend of some old favorites and some new songs by the group. This is not a rock or pop album and the older songs mix well with the new ones to create a traditional Christmas feel. This album is less about the band and more about getting people to realize the true meaning of Christmas. “Christmas has become clouded with so many different distractions that it’s easy for us to forget to stop and take time to think about the true meaning — how God saved the world through his Son, and the humble way in which he came,” says Casting Crowns lead singer Mark Hall.
It has been a long-standing tradition in my house to not listen to any Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. I really believe that each holiday should at least get a few moments of its own time each year. I broke that tradition this year when I played this album. I’ve got to say that I was surprised at how this album focused me on Christ’s birth and the hope it brought vs just being another feel-good Christmas album. There is no way that a listener will miss the intended purpose. This album really got me excited about Christmas and its true meaning albeit a little too early this year. Even though this is an EP I would still recommend this album as a definite favorite for the Christmas season.
Tracklist
- Gloria / Angels We Have Heard On High – 4:31
- It’s Finally Christmas – 3:26
- What Child Is This (Christ the King) – 4:11
- Somewhere in Your Silent Night – 3:56
- O Holy Night – 4:56
- Make Room (feat. Matt Maher) – 4:25
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Release Date: October 20, 2017
Label: Street Talk Media
Genre: Worship
Reviewer: Andrew Funderburk, CMADDICT.com
Rating: 4/5Purchase Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Suddenly-Nuclear-Sunburst-Truth-Revealed/dp/B075H3GYWM/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1508263823&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=Young+Oceans
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/suddenly-or-the-nuclear-sunburst-of-the-truth-revealed/id1281129680
Review
In just five years, Young Oceans has released six full length albums with a seventh soon to be released. While their last project VOICES held the niche that the band has found, it felt largely influenced by the musical styles of the featured guests, which departed from the band’s contemplative style and moved towards a congregational feel. What we find with their newest collection, Suddenly (or The Nuclear Sunburst of the Truth Revealed), is a return to the personal sound they have crafted well over the years.
Through the album’s course, the soaring sounds of voices and music backing draws the listener on a journey of reflections of our humanity and God Himself. Surprisingly, while most of the tracks are three or more minutes, the lyrical content is quite simple and sometimes repetitive. This can be seen on the shortest track midway through the album, which repeats for over a minute, “O have mercy, Lord.” In contrast to that though, other tracks present deep mulling of the mind, which is exhibited by statements and questions. A few of these tracks are Are We Not One (“Have we not joy, in the midst of every shadow/Have we not hope, in the deepest of the dark….Have we not love”); Suddenly (“In the echo of Your silence/Or the shadow of my doubt/You know I hunger in the dust, Lord/For every word from Your mouth”); and This Wild Earth (“Lord, come as the lion/Or come as the dove/Just let there be life/Life from above”).
While each album they’ve released has contained the same meditative feel and sound, it’s impressive the way Young Oceans has continued to mature even in their music. The sincerity in the vocal talents of the lead singer is deeply felt with each lyric sung. The penning of the writer, Eric Marshall, is thoughtful and contemplative towards the inner workings of one’s own life, our surroundings, and the character of God. Though simple at times, it is with those thoughts in mind that set apart Young Oceans from the mediocre mainstream.
Get a Free Download of Young Oceans “Are We Not One” right here:
http://www.cmaddict.com/free_music_page.php?downloads_id=126
Tracklist
- This Wild Earth – 4:00
- Only the Sound – 4:02
- Heaven Has Come – 5:13
- Are We Not One – 4:03
- Walls Come Down – 4:32
- Have Mercy – 1:30
- Out Here – 3:38
- Every Heart Is Open – 2:38
- Suddenly – 4:49
- Forever Yours – 3:25
- The Humility of God – 4:18
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Release Date: October 20, 2017
Label: Reunion Records
Genre: Pop / CCM
Reviewer: Jon Ownbey, CMADDICT.com
Rating: 5/5Purchase Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Repeat-Brandon-Heath/dp/B075X4LV5Y/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_1
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/faith-hope-love-repeat/id1289454638?app=itunes
Review
Brandon Heath releases his 6th studio album Faith Hope Love Repeat. Beginning his career in 2004 with the release of his first independent album Early Stuff, he later signed that year with Reunion Records and has been with them ever since. No stranger to success, his first studio album was released in 2006 and was nominated for a Dove Award. He has since gone on to win several Dove Awards and an Emmy.
Brandon Heath stands as a songwriter and musician whose albums are crafted together by a unique vocal sound and blend of storytelling. While his music is supported by talented musicians and has a good blend of various styles and rhythm, his albums stand on his voice. What makes this album enjoyable is the varied styles from pop to praise.
While the sounds keep you wanting to hear more, it’s backed by powerful and meaningful lyrics that come from the artist’s experience. Heath came from a broken home early in life and grew bitter towards his parents. As a teenager he came to know Christ and through his forgiveness would eventually forgive his family. His life has continued to change through such events as his marriage in 2014 and their first child expected in December. His music is full of what God does for us in our lives.
The pre-release single “Whole Heart” is a great example of the feel of this album. This album is not a one-hit wonder but contains several tracks that hold this album up. I personally liked “Don’t Be Afraid” as an encouraging song that no matter what happens God is in control. The self-titled track “Faith Hope Love Repeat” is a song with a message that any parent would want to sing to their kids while mixing together a catchy beat. “Lighthouse” is also about how no matter what we do or where we are God is always guiding us.
Composed of 11 tracks, the running time is a bit quick at 40 minutes, which is my biggest complaint. If you’re not careful this is sure to be a disc that you wear out. This is certainly an album for anyone’s collection—it’s uplifting and, given the varied style, it will appeal to almost everyone. When I think of an artist whose career is defined by their distinct vocal talent and songwriting ability, my first thought is Michael W. Smith. Listening to Brandon Heath reminds me of the first time I heard Michael W. Smith. While many stars come and go, Brandon Heath has the God-given talent to last.
Tracklist
- The Future Is Bright – 3:35
- Whole Heart – 3:03
- I Run – 3:14
- Got the Love – 3:39
- Don’t Be Afraid – 3:36
- Faith Hope Love Repeat – 4:01
- A Little Faith – 3:35
- Lighthouse – 3:30
- You’ll Find Love Again – 4:21
- Someone Like Me – 4:16
- Only One in the World – 2:51
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Release Date: September 29, 2017
Label: Essential Records
Genre: Pop / CCM
Reviewer: Michael Tackett, CMADDICT.com
Rating: 4.5/5Purchase Links:
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Matt-Maher/dp/B0743LV5GS/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1508184117&sr=1-1
iTunes – https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/Echoes.asp
Review
Matt Maher, a leading musician and lyricist for over a decade, has returned for his sixth solo record Echoes. As a noun, the word “echo” means “a close parallel or repetition of an idea, feeling, style, or event.” As a verb, it means “to be reminiscent of or have shared characteristics with.” After listening to the record, it’s clear why Maher chose this title. The album carries a profound lyrical message, proclaiming the struggle of seeking a Savior through life’s challenges while extending grace to others—even those we may not agree with.
The current state of affairs in the USA and around the world is not lost on Maher. In “Clean Heart,” he begins with the line, “Woke up this morning / The whole world was yelling.” The track reflects on self-examination before engaging in conflict. Later, he sings, “We measure our mercy / When mercy is a flood.” That single lyric carries immense weight and demonstrates why Maher is regarded as one of today’s great CCM lyricists.
Alongside the deep lyrical content, the record also offers worship-filled tracks that paint a picture of a God who defends His people and comforts those who struggle. Songs like “What a Friend” and “Won’t Let Me Down” encourage listeners to lean on God and lay their burdens down. In “What a Friend,” Maher sings, “… Everybody knows sorrow, devastation / But we can lay our burdens down … What a friend we have in Jesus.”
In the CCM landscape, it’s refreshing to see an artist address current events while also encouraging listeners to act, think differently, and remember that God is present, loving, and defending His people. In “Echoes Two,” Maher sums up his prayer with the words, “Bind us together as one / We would find the greater good / Searching for a common ground … I hear the echoes / Follow the Echoes.”
Tracklist
- Echoes One – 1:29
- Clean Heart – 3:00
- What a Friend – 3:17
- Holy – 4:17
- Your Love Defends Me – 3:46
- Just as I Am – 4:11
- Awake My Soul (A Thousand Tongues) – 3:51
- Faithfulness (feat. Steffany Gretzinger) – 3:31
- Echoes Two – 1:00
- Picket Sign – 3:01
- Won’t Let Me Down – 3:34
- The Least of These – 3:50
- The Cross Forever Speaks – 3:52
- Into Your Hands – 3:50
- As Good as It Gets – 3:48
- Your Love Defends Me (Solo Piano Version) – 4:15
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Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song,
And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.
– Psalm 149:1
An Age under Judgment
A 2014 Fox News poll reported fifty-eight percent of voters polled in the U. S. believe the world is, in their words, “going to hell in a handbasket.”* As we reel from the unrelenting wave of murders, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, protests, and political intrigue, it’s not hard to agree.
But while this age and its works are under judgment, Christ has come to free us. Society may be coming apart at the seams, but God holds all things together while His plan for humanity is revealed. As history unfolds, He has not forsaken us. He delivers, protects, upholds, comforts, strengthens, and guards us.
He gives us a song to sing.
And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.’
– Revelation 5:9
While the world fosters and exploits our differences, Jesus Christ reaches into every nation and ethnicity to bring together a redeemed family of brothers and sisters dwelling under His sovereignty. Creation groans under the weight of sin and death, but God’s people can rejoice in the face of trial, because we have a Deliverer and a hope.
Satan hates the sound of this new song, so much so that he feverishly works to silence our worship. He gives us every reason to doubt God. He whispers in our ears God is uncaring and harsh. He twists our perception of the trials in our lives to make us resentful of our Heavenly Father.
Satan paints the portrait of God as a petty and capricious deity, hanging it in the hallway of our minds.
It is a lie, a deception. It is a travesty to the heart of a gracious Savior.
If nothing else good should happen to us except salvation, it is enough to fill our every moment with His praise. If we live destitute, forgotten by men and angels, it is still enough.
Jesus will always be enough.
When life is sweet, give God the glory. When it is bitter, remember all that is good, and sing His praise. In the day and through the night, fight any internal or external pressures to still your voice.
Sing on.
I will remember my song in the night.
– Psalm 77:6
*http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/10/15/fox-news-poll-as-election-nears-voters-say-things-are-going-to-hell-in.html
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Jesus said, ‘If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.’
– Matthew 17:20
All I remember is a small room filled with people and a sour-faced doctor.
I can’t tell you what the room looked like, or who was in it besides me, my husband, our eldest son, and the doctor in charge of the unit in which our middle son lay on life support. Kevin had been injured during a trip to Canada, and we had driven twelve hours through the night to be at his side. He was conscious and alert, but paralyzed from the neck down.
We had barely sat down to this consultation when the doctor launched into a recitation of all the “nevers” our son faced. He told us Kevin would never breathe on his own, never move his body below his chin or shoulders, and never return to his home. He could not even return to a hospital in the States, because no doctor in the States would take him as a patient, no airline would consent to fly him, and no medical team would accompany him. Even if we could arrange all that, the cost would be prohibitive.
Kevin could not leave Canada, we were told, and he could not stay in Canada. The only other choice was to pull the plug on the ventilator keeping our son alive. We were given no hope. There was no way forward.
That was twenty years ago. Our son has been home in Idaho since he left a rehabilitation hospital seven weeks after the initial injury. He breathes on his own except to sleep at night. He moves his entire body to one degree or another. He can walk, exercise, and use a computer with help.
Every day he lives the impossible, because he serves a God who loves to do the impossible.
Life is still hard, and our family often faces new mountains in this journey. But we have learned several important principles to follow when the way forward seems blocked.
Resist the temptation to find an easier path.
But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
– Philippians 3:13-14
Death would have been the easy way out for our son. It has been much harder for him to choose life and walk a difficult but rewarding path of daily deliverance. Doing what’s right is always the first step forward.
Listen for God’s voice.
Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.
– Isaiah 30:21
It’s pointless to try to solve our own problems without God’s direction. He alone knows the way, and He is eager to lead us, even when we feel abandoned.
Be patient.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
– James 1:4
Deliverance is often a step-by-step process. Just take one step at a time, and let God do the heavy lifting to clear your path.
Submit to God’s sovereign plan.
Submit therefore to God.
– James 4:7
Sometimes the path we are sure is the correct one turns out to be a dead end, because God has a different journey mapped out for us. God is a good father, and He knows what we need.
Trust Him.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
– Proverbs 3:5-6
He is worthy of our trust. And if we follow Him even in times of the greatest pain, He will take us safely to our destination.
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Jesus said, ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’
– John 10:10
Trouble comes in waves, hitting you when you least expect it.
The dog gets sick, the transmission falls out of the car, an unexpected doctor bill comes due, and a dear friend posts a nasty Facebook comment about you –sometimes all in the space of a day. A series of traumatic events threaten to drive you over the edge. Sometimes, it’s the constant drip of small annoyances piled upon a mountain of duty that pushes you toward a meltdown.
In the shadows of the mayhem descending upon you on any given day, a thief lurks at your door. If you live in a city, this may literally be true. But the thief I’m talking about is an unseen enemy, and the window he’s trying to break is the one that opens into your soul.
What is he looking for? He wants to steal your joy.
If you are a believer, Satan has already lost you to eternity. You are written in the Lamb’s book of life and sealed with the Holy Spirit forever. The enemy can’t take your soul. He is a created being under judgment. His goal now is to hurt God by inflicting as much damage as possible in the time he has left and to keep as many people as possible from salvation.
Satan hates anything or anyone that reflects the image of God.
He plots and plans with his minions to harass and hurt the whole of creation, and to torment believers specifically.
Like most dwellings, our faith-house, this temple of God, is less secure in some places than in others, because we still dwell in mortal bodies subject to temptation. We all have weaknesses the enemy exploits to gain access to our emotions and derail our walk with God. Our adversary prowls around looking for any weak areas in our faith. For some, illness is our challenge. Others break down under the stress of financial problems. Every one of us has a window or a door that groans against the lock.
Beloved, Christ wants more for us than to exist in pieces, torn by constant crisis.
The key to victory in our lives is not to rid ourselves of trials. It’s remembering when hardship hits, it’s just Satan rattling a doorknob. If we can separate ourselves from the emotion of the moment, we can learn the proper response to the threat by leaning onto God.
Ultimately, everything that happens to believers is God’s tool to strengthen our faith and purify our motives. We are promised in God’s Word if we resist Satan, he will flee like an intruder caught in beam of the watchman’s light.
So stand firm. Stay alert and keep the door of your heart locked against the night. Do not crumble when the doorknob rattles. Guard your joy.
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Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?
– Jeremiah 32:27
Across the United States, nature has been on a rampage.
A series of earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes have wreaked havoc on many communities this summer. In August, the sky briefly turned to dusk as the moon danced before the sun and stole his glory. For a few minutes, the air chilled in the semi-darkness created by the eclipse, our reminder of just how fragile we sit in space. A slight variation in the amount of sunlight our planet receives would be catastrophic for us. Too little, and we would freeze. Too much, and we would fry.
And yet, in this whole universe, we happen to be positioned at the perfect distance from the sun to support life here. Our atmosphere happens to have the right mix of gasses for breathing and shields us from most of the harmful radiation from space. The earth happens to have the right amount of gravity to hold everything together without crushing us.
We happen to be uniquely equipped for Earth. Earth happens to be uniquely equipped to sustain us.
Our bodies happen to be so perfectly fine-tuned even a tiny change in body chemistry or function can cause illness or death. A single atom contains enough power to destroy a city. Yet we are comprised of many atoms united to form tissue and organs and systems working together in harmony. The body is even programed to strive to maintain a certain state of well-being known as homeostasis.
Scientists have spent their entire careers studying one small function of the universe, and still understand so little of it. The intricacies of our world take great minds and complicated math to explain, yet the entire collective knowledge of all recorded history can’t plumb the depths of creation. The whole of our intellect combined can’t answer our most basic questions:
How did we get here? Why are we here?
We have lived so long in the mystery, we no longer wonder at the design.
We dwell without gratitude in the providence of a benevolent Designer. We breathe in the perfectly mixed air into our exquisite lungs without a single breath of thanks.
Our world displays the power and intelligence, beauty and sensitivity, ferocity and tenderness of a great being. If we have learned anything, we should have learned He is so far above us. We demean Him when we question His ability and desire to care for us.
God holds the universe together, and we can’t trust Him with our paychecks, our homes, our families, or our health. At the first signs of turmoil in our lives, our first question is not to ask how we can glorify Him in our trials, but to demand the reason He is being so cruel to us.
Why do we do this? Have we have fashioned a god in our own image, one who is capricious, petty, and vain instead of using our circumstances to grow in faith and get to know Him better? Who is this God we serve?
Isn’t it time we found out?
Ah Lord GOD!
Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power
and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.
– Jeremiah 32:17
