Found Bible

I don't blog much anymore but I wanted to type out this thought from my day Thursday. I'm having some struggles at work and the changes that are about to happen to me in it. But that's another story. I had a meeting Monday night at church after work, a rehearsal at Wrightsville beach Tuesday night after work, worship rehearsal Wednesday night after work, and a gig at Cameron Art Museum Thursday night after work...on top of that I'm sick and have no voice this week. I saw my kids for about 4 hours over those four days and was too tired to really speak much if at all with Rebecca. So when I got home Thursday night and was unloading gear from my truck I found my Bible. I was unloading the last of the many articles of clothing that had piled up through the week in my front seat and under it all was my Bible and I was rocked. With all the stress of the week I had not even thought about picking it up, to the point that I didn't even know it was there. I took a moment and quickly asked God where to read and Romans 8 was spoken to me and it ends like this: "³¹What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

I have been searching for the right passage to express a thought for worship this SUnday and this is it. (I'm not going to share it all here until after church). But, throughout my "bad" week, and though I had forgotten to even think about God, He is faithful and just to wait patiently for me and is ready to give a quick "I Love You" through His Word. I would love to say that will not forget God again through a week but that would be a lie, I would love to say I give everything to God but that's a lie, I can say God gives everything to me and is with me in my work, sickness, travel, etc. God be my everything!! I'll simply do my best.

Scott

Long Time No Blog

Ok, so I got all jazzed about having a blog and then let it die....oh well. Here's what I'm thinking right now.

As most of you know I'm the worship leader at a new church in Leland which runs right now about 110 people, and while numbers make no difference to me the numbers for this story are important. Last night I went to visit PC3 (around 6,000 people) which is our local mega-church. I have absolutely no problem with mega-churches if they become that way due to great teaching and great worship, and they did. What did come to mind though was, as a church grows larger (and all should have that goal, b/c more people should mean more salvation's you have seen) how do you balance between deep worship and a show? Let's be honest for a moment about money. God commands us to tithe to our local church, so more people equals more money. More people also increases the chances that you will have huge talent. With big money and big talent comes "perfect" performances. How then do you be a good steward of the blessings God gives your church and still have a small, deep, worship feel to it? Please don't misunderstand, PC3 honestly surprised me with the amount of real worship I saw, but they were also very very polished and the "choreography" of the service spot on. I don't know if this is making since, but it's a nagging I have now at the prospect of Crosswinds growing. I want to keep the "feel" that we have now, while also using what God gives. I guess many bands go through this and that is why they do tours where they only play small venues like the ones they started in, they miss the "feel" of small clubs. I pray I'll grow with the program as the church grows and as God grows me, but if I were to be thrown into a situation like PC3, well I wouldn't last very long...at this point. Having said that, I cannot wait to be used by God in our quickly growing church!!!

Scott

Worry and Worship

So it's been awhile, but anyway. Today I had an awful cold and had trouble singing and I was worried about it. Sadly but I was more concerned about my voice than the words that came out of it. Shame on me. God moved so hard today in the hearts of people through worship and I was worried about my voice. Thank God for the lessons learned today before worship was over. Thank God for the worship he uses unto Himself to touch us also. Worship of the Creator is an amazing thing in all circumstances. Ok, enough about the weakness of this worship leader. I love learning from my weaknesses!!

Praise the Creator.

Profile Updates

So today the California courts upheld the vote from November that marriage is between one man and one woman. Overlooking the fact that that is Biblical, it is what the people wanted (twice). The first time they voted a court of only 5 overturned what the people wanted and allowed gay marriage. Did you hear that? They OVERTURNED what the people voted for. Why vote if a handful can then say in effect, "you people don't know what you really want so we change it"? So California had to vote again, as crazy as that is, and again voted to define marriage as between one man and one woman. And, again the courts felt the need to take up the issue, but this time they decided that the people do know what they want and upheld the vote. Again, how ridiculous is it that they had to take the case but that's another discussion altogether. All day today on facebook I read about my friends and their friends railing against the decision to uphold what the people want and then equate that to what founding fathers had to say about freedom. Sadly my friends don't get it. The founding fathers recognized our freedom from God and set in motion the voting privileges we have today. They said that the people by vote should decide how they want to be governed and what laws should be in place, now those same people who enjoy that freedom argue when it doesn't go there way. And by the way non of my friends live in California so what's the beef anyway? Again, I'm trying to get past what the issue is (obviously I agree with the people of California, at least on this) and talk about the absurdity of courts deciding if the people know what they really want. Look I cannot take Obama to court because I don't like that he was elected. I cannot talk Bev Perdue to court because I didn't vote for her, and it is insane that some people can take the vote of the people to court simply because they don't like it. I say move to Maine if you want it so bad, or is your only recourse to complain? If you want an issue so bad move to where it is enacted, or are you not wanting inconvenience for your ideals? If the people of North Carolina outlawed my faith I would move in a heartbeat, and let those people have the state they want. Sorry but that's the country we live in. A group of independent states, and the freedom to vote and move how ever you choose. Glad that's done....have fun on facebook and by all means believe that what you do on there changes the world.

Scott

Trend

I've been hearing a lot lately about a trend I'm not sure is a good thing. I've heard people talk lately about how God will take us where we are and is all Loving and it's ok to mess up and none of us are perfect. Which I agree with, BUT. The problem is that we stop there and don't want better. A trend in the church right now is to love all and except all and we are falling short of helping people OUT of their sins. We want to say to the alcoholic, "God loves you and we don't condemn you" see them saved and we walk away to the next unsaved person, believing that the alcoholic is saved and it's all good. The truth in that God wants us broken (Psalm 51), He wants us to become a "new creation" (Col 3, 1 Cor 5), and He wants us to stop sinning (John 8). Now I am not insane enough to think that we stop sinning when we get saved but we need to stop using it as a excuse to continue in sin we enjoy, and as an excuse not to press the new Christian into stopping his or her actions. Now God is Love, but God also hates sin. He wants better for us. It is, in my opinion, immature to have the mindset that we need to love people and except them as they are and not expect better for them. Love wants the best for a person, and the best is not to continue in sin. The truth of the Bible is that God takes us as we are in whatever sin we are in, no matter how big it is, He loves us unconditionally, BUT wants us to stop sinning because it is the best for us. He does not expect that we will not ever sin and is willing and ready to forgive those sins, bu t we have to stop using that as a crutch to not want better, to not want to correct, and the not want to stop our enjoyable sins. I am be no means a legelist and understand fully my weaknesses but we are going down a scary and slippery road when we liberalize Christianity. The church for too long shut people out because of what they have done and we are correcting that, but we cannot do it at the expense of God's standards and justice. In 1 John John says that he wrote that letter so that we don't sin but adds "when you do". He wants us to stop sinning, but knows it's a tough task. Work at it!! It may never happen but not to try does not show evidence of a changed heart or a saved life (James). God excepts all and wants the best for all and that is to "go and sin not more".

Scott

Worship Music

What can't God do through worship music? Ok, that's rhetorical because there's nothing God cannot do. Last night do to unplanned events (hehe God is in control) I had the honor to jam with the band I lead for 8 years and that I haven't played with in a year and a half. My boss ruined the surprise of my surprise graduation party, but b/c of knowing I in turn knew who was coming. I found out that most of the guys and gals from the old G's band were going to be there. On the way home from church God hit me up with the idea of calling them and having them bring a little gear and jam out some worship music. They willingly excepted the invitation and in my opinion the party rocked and God was honored. Yeah it was a tad unrehearsed (that's what a year and a half will do to you) but it was a blessing to my heart to play and lead with those guys again. I am fully planning on doing it again for a night of worship real soon. I know my mom and wife hate that the "surprise" was ruined but I know God was in control the whole time in order to bless our hearts with a blast from the past. If any of you guys form the band read this, know that your phones will be ringing some to do it again, and we will even try to practice and learn some new songs to add to our list.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

 "A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)

Psalms 33, personal God

Psalms 33
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-
15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.