Hi friends! Thanks so much for your friendship and support over the last year! It has been a wonderful year for me musically, (lots of creative endeavours, and the Philippians album recorded), and very rewarding in other ways, too.
I hope your year has been full of blessing and worship, also! Wherever you are right now, I pray that God will fill you with His spirit, and give you a sense of his loving presence. Jesus loves you, this I know. May his peace overwhelm you so that you can be the arms and legs of Jesus toward others.
A praise report: there has been a break-through for my daughter recently!
As I've mentioned before, Grace has been diagnosed with many different things of late: autism, fibromyalgia, seronegative inflammatory arthritis, and most recently, P.O.T.S. (postural orthostatic tachycardia).
It's been so difficult for her. She hasn't been able to go to school, and can hardly get out of bed most days. For months she has been struggling with her health, and the doctors don't really have any clear strategies on what to do. She's constantly exhausted, can hardly bring herself to do the things she loves. As a result, depression and despair has begun to creep in.
Through much research and Internet searching, we came upon a clinic in Texas. They claim to have a very high success rate in dealing with POTS! (https://www.potstreatmentcenter.com/success-rate-statistics/)
It was expensive, but we decided to step out in faith, and to enrol her in this program. (How could we not at least try!?) Praise God, she's already seen an improvement!
Our families have helped cover some of the expense, and we have a new hope that Grace will be able to pursue her life-dreams! Praise God!
Please pray for us all through this process, and also let me know how we can pray for you and your family.
God bless you! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
Jason, Joanne, and family (Lucas, Seth, Grace, and Rose Mary).
This video came out today. I'm having SO MUCH fun doing these videoed recording sessions. A new fellow that recently moved to our village agreed to play drums for me. His name is Shawn Killaly, and he's a professional drummer (he's toured with some famous bands!)
Pray for him and his wife, and pray that we'll be good reflections of Christ to them both. I get the sense that he's spiritually seeking, so I love the opportunity to be his friend and play with him.
That's one of the things I love the most about how God uses me. He brings all these guys into my life- guys on various places on this spiritual-life-journey, often who are musicians too! It's a chance to show them how a Christ-oriented life can work, and hopefully a challenge for them to join in that journey!
Hello friend! Thanks so much for your support! Today I want to share with you a new direction I'm taking.
Over the last couple of weeks, I've decided to experiment with TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts. These platforms are popular with young people, and seem to reward quick and pithy videos which get right to the point.
They use a vertical video format, not a horizontal format, so this has been a bit of a learning curve for me.
I've been trying to learn from the successful TikTok Christian channels on how to reach an audience. I've tried both longer and shorter videos, lyric clips, performing-on-instrument clips, and Bible verse clips so far.
I know that God's word is important to you, as it is to me, so please pray for this new work as God brings me to mind. If you use these platforms, please follow me there, and share my work with your followers and friends.
I'm not sure how I missed it before, but today, when reading through Psalm 126, I noticed something very interesting! Maybe it's nothing, but bear with me for a moment.
It's in verses one through three, as contrasted with verses four through six. See the word "restored?" Here it is in context:
1 When the Lord RESTORED the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;...
It sounds great! The fortunes have been restored; everyone is laughing and shouting, presumably back from exile. But what I find noteworthy and just a little confusing is that the writer doesn't seem to be quite satisfied. I'll get into this in a moment.
The six last words of verse one stick out to me: "We were like those who dream." I'm tempted to ask, "Is he actually living the dream, or just dreaming to live?"
I like that play on words, but in case you're not following, take a look at the next section:
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
What's going on? Are things restored or yet to be restored? Are our tongues making shouts of joy, or are we asking for shouts of joy?
The consensus among the commentaries is that the psalmist wanted more. God had done some restoration, but not all of it. That sounds plausible, and I have no problem accepting that it could be true.
But maybe it's more interesting than that. I wonder if our writer is imagining a preferred future. Maybe these first three verses are a biblical example of positive thinking? Maybe he's taking people down the road of expectation and trying to awaken in them a hunger for the blessing in store.
We probably have no way of knowing for certain, but we do know what Jesus has said about faith in prayer. In Mark, chapter 11, verse 24, Jesus says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
I suspect that this is what is happening in Psalm 126. Our psalm-writer could be imagining a time when he can look back and say, "The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced!"
Whatever situation we find ourselves in, however sad, broken, lonely, or destitute, we can put ourselves in the place of these exiles. We can sing of the future as if it's already happened because it has been promised.
God is our saviour and our rescuer, and soon we shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying our sheaves.
Hi friends, here's that song I was talking about recently... despite the weird references, it's a great theme. The important take away here is that we are now free in Christ: free from the laws that constrain and restrict our freedom won by Christ's death and resurrection.
This is important! I see a trend in many who try to live a type of Christianity that walks the line between the Old Testament law and the New Testament redemption. They willingly submit themselves to all kinds of rules on various topics, whether they be about the sabbath, about their diet, about God's "true-name," or some other law laid out in the Old Testament. It's easy to get caught up in it, but I don't believe it to be what Jesus wanted for us!
Christian freedom is one of the many paradoxes of the Christian faith. Christian freedom is not a license to sin. True freedom means willingly becoming a slave to Christ, and this happens through relationship with Him (Colossians 2:16–17).
Christianity seems like a heavy burden and yoke to many, but Jesus said, ‘for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30).
As citizens, we often feel a sense of pleasure in our country of origin. I experience this regularly when I make Psalm nature videos. As I hike through the mixed forests of Ontario, and as I climb over the rocky landscape that is the Canadian Shield, something within me feels at home.
On a relational level, as I hear people laugh at the way we Canadians use the word "eh," or the way we are singled out for being exceptionally polite, I admit to feeling pride creeping in. This is my country, and I'm glad to call it home. I even jokingly refer to it as "God's country."
It's not that unusual, and whether you're from Ireland or Italy, Jamaica or Japan, you likely have a similar saying: "This is God's country."
Lately, because of the fighting between Russia and Ukraine, I've witnessed something similar: people from both sides of the conflict who are proud of their land, and supportive of their leaders. I understand this tendency, but we should be wary, too: wherever we hang our hat; whatever the country we call home, as believers, we are citizens of a different kingdom.
In today's Psalm 87, we hear the psalmist extol the virtues of Jerusalem, stating that it is the city that the Lord loves more than all others! He may have a unique right to call Jerusalem God's country! It is the place of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! It is the earthly homeland of Jesus himself! But Jesus Christ has made us citizens not of Zion, but of heaven; and so we belong to a spiritual kingdom!
What might that mean for us? Shall we deny our earthly citizenship and tear up our passports? Shall we withdraw from the politics of the physical world in favour of the spiritual world? Not at all! Rather, we should become like salt and light to flavour and illuminate the earth! We should consider our fellow humans to be brothers and sisters in an even greater kingdom!
Dear Father in heaven, thank you for making us part of your family. May we represent you as ambassadors of your land, our true home! Bring about your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Sometimes it can be weird putting scripture to music. Whether the song is about circumcision, slavery, taking a little wine for stomach, the tribes of Israel, or some other atypical lyric, trying to find a theme and a rhyme, and trying to make the point of the section of verses turn into a chorus that can be sung isn't always easy.
But in the song that I recorded yesterday, which is in the video attached to this message, things seem to come together really nicely. Yes, singing about Abraham's two sons is unusual, but when we hear the scripture sung, it's as if the meaning becomes even more profound. Which son do I want to be, we think; do I want to be the son of a slave woman, or the son of a free woman?
Lots of times when I find myself in the middle of this process, I wonder whether it's the right thing to do to just keep putting scripture to music. It's a niche that has worked, and some people seem to be drawn to it although not in great numbers. Hearing from you regularly helps me to keep focused on this goal. Some of you regularly comment, and react to my devotionals and videos. I am so appreciative of your financial support, and your verbal support.
Hi everyone, not sure if you have seen these already, but a new friend, "Miroslava Djakov" sponsored a series of songs from John 14 and 15, NKJV.
I've just completed them, and wanted to let you know in case you've missed them. I've been filming the process of recording these in the studio so I can make a mixed video of the whole thing.
Thanks for the part you play in making these happen! It really is so amazing to have friends like you who are praying for me and for my family, and sponsoring such important work for the kingdom! Thank you!!
In 1996, my wife and I left our one-year-old son to travel to Ireland. At that time, with Riverdance high-stepping for audiences, Enya releasing regular albums; the Titanic movie making a splash in theatres, and Celtic music playing a big part in church worship, Ireland was a popular destination!
We decided to visit after researching my genealogy. I was surprised and pleased to hear that two branches of my family tree came from the Emerald Isle!
It was a moving, emotional experience. The landscape alone seemed to beckon me to bring my family and settle down among the green hills. The constant drizzle of rain was like the tears of ancestors suffering through the pain of the potato famine. I climbed among the ruins of castles, feeling the mossy rock under my hand as if I could absorb the life and memory of that place.
I recall listening to a busker who was playing her cello on the cliffs of Moher. Her long red hair was blowing in the wind, and her gaze was fixed on some distant horizon! The waves battered the shore metres below! Dark clouds roiled on the horizon. Such mystical melancholy! I encountered thinkers and dreamers, so much like myself. I had an innate sense that I was among my own people, on my own land.
I believe this sense of familiarity is similar to how we all feel when we're in God's presence or among God's holy people. We become acquainted with our spiritual brothers and sisters, and find ourselves united by Christ's love. We sense in ourselves that we have finally returned to the land of our origin!
But unlike the castles of Ireland, our spiritual dwellings are not in ruins! The keeper is God himself, wide awake and watching to protect us from all evil; to keep us from slipping; to hold us safe from harm.
Are you part of this genealogy? If not, what are you waiting for? Your family awaits! Let our First Father set you apart and graft you into the family tree of God!
Most of us know instinctively, that if we love someone for what they can do for us, it's not really love. It's more of a self-centred neediness, really; a selfish “love.” In First Corinthians, Paul tells us that love is not selfish.
But the writer of Psalm 116 seems to have missed that bulletin. He says he loves the Lord, because the Lord has heard him, and has heard his “supplications,” his “cry for mercy” as some translations put it.
That got me thinking a bit about the nature of our relationship with God, (or with anyone else for that matter). Who among us can really say we love unselfishly? I guess I have to admit that although I aspire to that, I'm not very good at it.
Other scripture says we love, because he first loved us. I think that's the truth of the matter, really. In our frail, less-than-perfect state, we love mostly as a response.
So how important, then, must it be for us to share God's love with the world. We have to really take it seriously.
If the world is to love God, then they have to know that God loves them, first. We have to make every effort to model God's love. We've got to show the world not the angry, judgmental, and stingy stereotype Christians are reputed to have, but the reckless love that Jesus showed. We've got to be willing to give the shirts off our backs! We've got to go the extra mile! We need to let those without sin throw the first stone (in other words, no one!) We've got to be willing to put the weak first and the rich last! We need to be ready to give our very lives for love!
Who's with me? Who's ready to join God in reckless love?
Wouldn't it be wonderful if God always spoke to us in a clear, audible voice? Wouldn't it make it easier to know that he is listening to us if we could hear him speak? I would love to hear his clear direction in so many difficult situations!
In today's Psalm 109, David asks God to not be silent, and then pours his heart out to the Lord, asking for justice. In his lamentation, he begs God to make right the wrongs against himself and others!
This has happened to me, and it's probably happened to you too; sometimes when we put ourselves out there in love, we receive only disdain in return. David wrote that while still praying for these people—people he had shown love to—they were attempting to subvert justice with false accusations. Between verses six and 19, David recalls their prophetic-style curses on him. They even call down calamity on David's own father, mother, and children!
David begs God to represent his case and intercede. He pleads for justice, and he knows to whom he shall go to find it.
I believe the last point is the main take-away from this part of scripture. When we need justice, our best solution is to go to God. David doesn't attempt to manipulate the situation, but asks God to vindicate him. From what we read here, David isn't trying to affect the downfall of this individual. Rather, he asks God to do what is right.
Note how David appeals to God's character. He recalls our heavenly Father's steadfast love, his Holy name! As people are belittling David and gossiping about him, David is more concerned about how this will affect God's reputation!
He doesn't elevate himself before God, reminding God of how wonderful he is, or how worthy of God's attention he may be. Instead, he calls himself poor and needy. He owns his weakness, and fasts before God in his prayers.
Even at the end of Psalm 109, David takes an attitude of meek and humble praise. He entreats God to have mercy on him, a lowly part of the throng, taking part in the act of worship. His submissive posture before God is beautiful, as he takes pleasure in God's protection of the lowly and needy, of whom he counts himself a part.
Are you willing to be needy before God? Do you recognize your place as a humble and broken servant? That may be an important attitude to adapt as you call out to the God of justice.
The God of love will hear and answer. He will not remain silent.
One thing I love about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God of Moses, David, and Jason Silver, is that he doesn't seem to mind it when we call out to him in confusion and even anger.
Consider the first sentence of today's Psalm: "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?"
Obviously, God will not forget us, but sometimes, from our perspective, it seems like we're not at the forefront of his mind! Not only is it normal to think that God has moved on and forgotten us in our pain and despair; he is perfectly fine with us expressing that fear!
But to do so has become taboo among many of us. We wonder if maybe we shouldn't complain to God? We worry that by expressing our true and honest feelings, we are abandoning our faith!
As a result, our faith is propped up by fear, not hope.
This was not how the great heroes of the Bible behaved! Rather, they are credited with great faith despite often admitting their anger, frustration, and disappointment with God.
I'm convinced that God doesn't want us to just pretend that everything is fine. I believe that when we struggle, he prefers our honesty. Remember, he knows our hearts better than we know them ourselves, so acting like everything is fine when it's not, is actually dishonesty before God. We put on artificial spirituality because our faith is weak, not strong.
When your enemies rejoice in your bad circumstances, and when you are fighting sorrow and pain in your soul all day long, just as King David did in today's psalm, go get on your knees. Tell God how he's let you down! And then, like David, remember how God has dealt bountifully with you in the past, and worship him! Thank him for listening, loving, and directing you along his path.
The above quote is well known, and often quoted - it can be found in Deuteronomy 32:35 and Romans 12:17-19.
“35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.”
- and -
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
But just because we say it, just because we read it and nod our heads, well that doesn't mean we live it. Are there people in your life for whom you wish God would bring swift revenge?
I asked myself that question. When I considered revenge toward those difficult people in my past, I immediately hesitated, because there are probably people whom I've offended, hurt, or disappointed who wish revenge upon me as well. That's a sobering thought, isn't it? It might not be true, but it's possible.
I think a humble, honest attitude can go a long way to finding peace in this world. I've never been perfect, and I'm certainly not innocent.
The Psalmist in this passage is aroused by the injustice around him: the widow killed, the stranger accosted, the orphan murdered. He sees the cocky bravado of these offenders who say, “God doesn't see any of our behaviour.”
Oh Lord, show this godless generation that you are listening. You do know. You want to bring us to yourself, restore us, make us more loving and peace-seeking.
When she was small, my daughter Rosie had a hamster. She initially named it "Angela Vanilla Peach," which somehow seemed to match the creature's big personality! Later on, Rose shortened the creature's name, but this in no way diminished the personality of her furry friend! That animal was the cutest little thing, often busy carrying her bedding from place to place, running through the transparent pipe maze, which we had connected to her cage.
These tunnels joined the different parts of her home together, which were soon assigned as a bedroom, kitchen, storeroom, and even bathroom! She was a real source of entertainment! We loved to watch her go about her day, with a purpose beyond my understanding.
I began to see her little experiences as a type of microcosm of this whole world. Her life was like a tiny example of what's happening over every square inch of this earth. From ants to aardvarks, or microscopic bacteria to great blue whales, life seems to be everywhere, and each life-form has a purpose to live, to store up for winter, to procreate, to eat, and maybe even other things that I could never guess.
Isn't it amazing? All of these life-forms glorify God in their complexity! Somehow there is pleasure in the mundane, in their mere existence!
So as I sing Psalm 104, I join in worship with the Psalmist: this is a beautiful world we live in! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
The people of the world may say, "If it feels good, just do it," but as Christians, we try to live a little differently. Even when we don't feel motivated, our faith-perspective and God-changed heart compel us to behave in ways we know to be right, despite how we feel at the time.
If you have made a decision to follow the ways of Jesus, then I'm sure you've noticed these changes. Our selfish hearts are transformed into kind ones. We notice ourselves bearing with others in generosity and offering our energy in personal self-sacrifice. It becomes easier to lovingly forgive wrongs against us; we desire to live even more honestly; and, as I will discuss today, sincere worship becomes something that flows out of our new natures!
The old self may complain and grumble when circumstances don't go our way, but the Christ-transformed self stops to consider our many blessings. Out of that moment of commitment comes worship!
The old self may despair when the doors of opportunity close before us, but the new self realizes that God is directing our paths, making a way that satisfies us and glorifies Him! Out of that realization comes worship.
What about suffering? As much as we don't look forward to it, our Christ-transformed soul knows that it can bring about a greater depth of character. It can put us in the footsteps of Jesus, and so foster a more intimate knowledge of Christ. Out of this pain, worship can flow.
In all things, worship. Like the psalmist today, make a joyful noise! Look around: the natural world is taking part! Don't stand in the doorway, but step through the gates into the King's presence! Join with the generations before us, and join the generations to come, in continuing the voice of praise!
A number of years ago, Joanne and I went out for dinner. I don't recall if we went out to celebrate some special occasion, but what really sticks out in my memory is the way the waiter interacted with us that night.
When he walked up to our table, the first thing he did was crouch down on his haunches so that he was just a little lower than we were; looking up at us a bit. It was unusual enough that we both remarked about it afterwards.
Why would he do that?
Perhaps he wanted us to feel as comfortable as possible. He probably just wanted a good tip, and had learned this technique to break down any potential barriers between himself and the diners. It's the first time I recall noticing that positional effect! He wasn't looking down on us, but up at us, and it made us feel like he was there to serve our needs.
Whether you're kneeling before a king, enthroned upon his dais, or looking up to a judge presiding on his bench, or even waiting for a pharmacist, who stands elevated at his counter, being at a different level implies a different status. It becomes clear who is serving whom.
In Psalm 123, the writer observes this difference in status as he sings to God. "To You I lift up my eyes," he writes, "as the eyes of a servant look to the hand of the master, for mercy."
As our waiter figured out, position matters. We humble ourselves before our King and our Judge, asking for mercy. But we have a God who in his mercy, has crouched down to our earthly level, to break down the barriers between us!
Lord, thank you for serving us! May we, in turn, serve one another!
We live in a society—at least in the western world—where most people think that faith in God is a waste of time.
Others may say they believe in God, and even recognize an apparent order to the universe, but it's just philosophy. They often will not take the next step, and place their trust in Him.
I empathize with this! Our culture is focused on self-indulgence. Our attention is worth money, and so each of us is faced with attractive and appealing distractions. Advertisements tell me to do what feels right, that we deserve it; that we should just do it! Our feeds are filled with fun! Why would anyone ever consider putting God first, if it means we have to put ourselves second?
Besides distractions, there are other reasons to disbelieve: how often are we shown caricatures of “Christians” who turn their backs on love, on gentleness, and who seem to be more angry than peaceful? There's an underlying message in the media: Christians are self-centred, oblivious to what's real, and that our faith proves our blindness. Religion is an artifact from a primitive time in our past.
Then there are arguments based on anger at God, or disappointment in God. We hear complaints that since He allows such injustice in the world, he can't be real. Isn't it ironic that our own inner sense of right and wrong, put there by God himself, is what we use to judge Him?
But the fact of the matter is, God cares very much for those on the fringes of society. This whole Psalm lays out God's heart. He's the father of orphans, the protector of widows! He provides a home for the desolate; he leads the prisoners to prosperity! He gives rain in abundance. He provides for the needy!
Let's be honest. Suffering is not only unavoidable; it's the path by which we find God. Pleasure is more appealing than pain. We allow ourselves to be distracted so that we cannot hear the quiet, still voice which calls us to repentance and authenticity.
So don't wait, be counter-cultural! Put your faith in him and invite him to fill you with peace, hope, joy, and love. Let God Rise Up in your life!
The beginning line of this Psalm is, "Fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.'" The first few times I read this, I thought it was saying, "Those who say in their hearts, 'there is no God,' are fools."
While that might be true, David's following description of foolish atheists seems dishonest. I balked over his accusations of perversion and corruption. Are they all perverts? Do they all abuse the poor? It's just not an accurate position to take, and it certainly wouldn't help an atheist change his mind about God's existence.
But as I read and reread this psalm, I began to realize that this wasn't the point of what David was saying! Rather, many evils are done by people who think they'll never have to answer for them. He is making an observation that some individuals do "abominable deeds," taking advantage of the helpless, obstructing the ways of the poor, "confounding their plans," and seem to never face the consequences. These people think they are outside of judgment because they don't believe there is a Judge who will hold them accountable.
In that way, they are foolish. There is a God who will judge the earth. They cannot get away with their crimes.
Those crimes don't even have to be as extreme as the examples in this psalm. In verses two and three, God looks down on us all, and says there is not a single one who does good! From God's perspective, we've all gone astray. Yes, verse five says God is with the "company of the righteous," but think about it: how righteous does one have to be to qualify?
I am so thankful that Jesus intercedes for us before the Father. David's call for deliverance in verse seven has come! Because of Jesus, my lies, my disrespect of others, my selfishness, my pride, my dishonesty are all forgiven.
Are you in need of God's mercy? Are you aware of His coming judgment? Will you be foolish, or instead admit your need for proxy-righteousness?
It takes a special kind of strength to admit weakness. If you're like me, you're not especially proud of being weak. I make great efforts to disguise the fact that I often don't know what I'm doing. I don't want others to see that I may not be able to accomplish the things I suppose other men can easily do.
Perhaps we can all relate to this. It's like we're programmed to fake it until we make it. Survival of the fittest, not the weakest, right? So let's get fit, project our own confidence, and let the world know, "we've got this."
But is that even true? Can we REALLY stand on our own? We actually need one another, right? We actually need God, too.
In today's scripture-song, the anonymous writer of Psalm 71 lays out his shortcomings for all to see. He confesses to God all the ways he needs refuge, where he needs help, how he needs deliverance, to be rescued, to be revived... He mentions these words 15 separate times.
Perhaps it's his perspective as an old man that allows him to be so vulnerable. When you're old, I suppose you get used to asking for help, accustomed to your own limitations. Must we be senior citizens to understand? God is the one who will deliver us from trouble! He will rescue us from our selfishness, our brokenness, and our self-destructive tendencies!
We can endure the difficult times of fear and waiting by worshipping the One who saves! The last ten verses of this scripture describe all the ways the psalmist will praise and glorify God! He doesn't wait until he has overcome these challenges; rather, he uses faith and experience to get on that praise-routine right away! He uses his memory of God's faithfulness since he was a baby, as a basis for his hope!
Let's use this as a template for our own response. You will encounter difficulties and struggles, so how will you respond?
Psalm 129 is a song of ascents, meant to be sung on the worshipper's journey up the mountain to Jerusalem. In the lyrics, this psalmist reviews the past story of Israel as if it were his own story. Notice that rather than highlighting the successes and accomplishments of a mighty nation, these people sing of their survival in the midst of suffering.
1 ‘Often have they attacked me from my youth’
—let Israel now say—
2 ‘often have they attacked me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 Those who plough ploughed on my back;
they made their furrows long.’
Think about that. It's not normal. When my family celebrates our past, we laugh about the good times! We fondly recall the funny moments, the surprises, the positive outcomes, maybe the near misses! But this isn't the way this song goes, at all. Instead, they're reminiscing about the scars on their backs! They're turning their pain into poetry!
That begs the question: what can we take from that?
First, when we suffer, we grow! You've likely heard about Christian "trials and tribulations." Those of us who direct our lives toward God, shouldn't be surprised when we find a lot of opposition. The scriptures tell us not to just expect, but to rejoice in suffering! For we know our suffering brings about the development of many positive outcomes, including perseverance, character, and hope.
Secondly, when we suffer, we become part of God! Our saviour identifies as the suffering servant; what greater honour can we have than to wear this mantle of pain and sacrifice? The stripes on his back, and the holes in his hands are evidence of his perfect love for us. We shall take it upon ourselves with pleasure. God has chosen and redeemed the "least of these" for himself. In our suffering and turmoil, we are set apart for him!
Third, when we suffer, we grow in faith! Look at how the psalmist reviews the pains of the past: he uses them as a basis of hope for the future! The blessing which awaits us is our reward for suffering! Each trial tempers us like quenching oil tempers iron. We will be able to look back on the past and agree with the psalmist and all the heroes of our faith: God is good.
I thought I'd interrupt this regularly scheduled program to let you know some things happening in my personal life.
The biggest news is that my 18 year old daughter, Grace, has been quite sick for the last three weeks. We have been to the doctor a lot, there have been tests, needles, and pills, but we still don't really know what's going on. She's been sleeping about 20 hours a day for three weeks, and it's not mono.
Thursday she thought she'd try to go to school (for the first time in a very long time), and feinted within the first hour. She banged her head on the floor and so we took her to the emergency department at the hospital to find out if she has a concussion.
It was a very busy day in the hospital that day. We waited for 7 hours before being seen by a doctor, and then 11 hours until all the tests were run. We still don't know what's going on, but we're hoping it's related to dehydration and not something more serious. We've been booked into an appointment with the cardiologist next week (which unfortunately falls on her graduation day).
The less serious news:
My friend and I have put a new steel roof on the front porch of our house,
Joanne's parents are driving from Saskatchewan to visit next week, (2000 miles / 3000 km)
My oldest son has a graduation for his master's degree next week
We're nearly done with the main structure and lead vocals of the Philippians album!
That likely covers most of it! I'd love to hear from you, so please let me know how you're doing, what's new, and maybe how I can pray for you!
When David asked who could abide in God's tabernacle upon the holy hill, he may have been asking for himself! After all, David loved God, and he loved to worship! What better place to take up residence than in the very house of the Lord! Imagine being part of the daily offerings, participating in joyful worship, and regularly sensing the never-ending presence of the Holy One of Israel!
But remember that from David's old-covenant perspective, one must keep the law in order to be considered righteous! You can see it in this partial list he makes from verses 2 to 5. Each of these items are part of a performance-based system of keeping various rules outlined from the time of Moses.
Based on what we know of David, and this simple list of dos and don'ts, we may notice that David would not qualify to remain in the tabernacle: he had blood on his hands. Despite his place in time, we can see now that David is hinting at a future story in which his own descendant would qualify to abide in the presence of the Father!
Now we know that there is only one answer to his opening question: "Who may abide in God's tent?" Jesus. "Who may dwell on God's holy hill?" Jesus. Jesus alone walked blamelessly, and did what was always right. Go through the entire list, he passes all the conditions!
Therefore, we can rejoice that Jesus will never be moved outside that holy place with the Father! He is our brother and our advocate, and he makes it possible--through his sacrifice and pain--that each of us can join him at the Father's side!
Thank you, Jesus, for now we, like you, shall never be moved!
Do we Christians, especially those of us in the West, have a persecution complex? Recently I saw a video in which Tim Keller compared the relatively modest resistance we experience in North America to the types of difficulties believers face in countries like North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Libya, to name a few. I'm not saying that it's easy to be a Christian here, but I think it's always important to balance one's emotion with a bit of reality.
Yes; at one time, Christian faith was a good example of social morality, and today we live in a world where sometimes we are considered immoral for holding our beliefs.
Yes; we have foes. We can use Psalm 83 as a template for our prayers, as we plead with God to break his silence, to bring justice in the midst of our suffering.
As I studied this Psalm, one thing really stuck out to me. It is eighteen verses long, and for the first seventeen, the psalmist appears to be trying to make his case to God, trying to tell God what's happening to His people--as if God doesn't know! He is setting the scene, explaining how God haters are raising their heads, laying crafty plans, conspiring and encouraging one another. The psalmist lists all the countries involved, and then asks God to do to them as He has done in the past. He asks God to destroy them, to make them like chaff, to burn them up, to perish, etc. etc.
However, in my opinion, the most important verse is the last one: “Let them know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.”
As we face the challenges of living in an upside-down world, we have little power over the culture. We can get angry about the state of affairs, and moan about our loss of moral status, but we really can't change things by getting angry and calling down fire and brimstone! We can only change things by putting on Christ: we must become like him, and love like he did. We must turn our stiff necks to the left and the right, looking for the overlooked, the lost, the hurting, the hungry, and the outcast, and wash their feet!
Let's pray as Jesus prayed, when he asked the Father that we might be unified, in John 17:15-23. Look at verse 21: “I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.”
That's how we change the world! That's how we face persecution! The world will believe when we start loving the unlovable.
Due to popular request, I've uploaded the entire album of Ephesians to YouTube as a single video file.
Also, I have decided (with much trepidation), to submit this album to the Gospel Music Association (Canada) to be considered for nomination of an award. Please pray that God's will be done in this regard.
I'm hoping YOU CAN HELP: what genre does my album best fit into? I'm thinking "Adult Contemporary," but I'm just not certain. Also, not sure which category to submit to for sure- best album of the year? best male vocalist? best song? Each submission costs $62, so I want to choose wisely.
If only life worked out the way we wanted it to; if only things happened according to our ideals! Instead, we're often faced with challenges, and disappointments which make it hard to keep a positive attitude!
The writer of this Psalm was certainly having a bad day! He lists the many things going wrong in his life: his stricken heart, his burning bones, too wasted to even eat, groaning, thin, alone, unable to sleep, and on top of all of this, he is being taunted by his enemies.
I feel bad for this poor fellow, but it's not really pity. It's more a sympathy, since I go through many of the same feelings from time to time. I think I can relate to what he's going through! I've had days like this myself, and the despair and depression can be immobilizing.
But as he speaks, he turns things around so that instead of focusing on his own pains and distress, he begins to focus on God. He says, God, you're enthroned forever. Your name endures, you will rise up and have compassion. He recognizes God's faithfulness and justice, acknowledges God's power, and asks for God to intercede for him right away.
So this is my challenge, and I hope I can encourage you to do the same: let's not stop in our despair! Let's turn our hearts toward God! Even when I feel too hopeless to pray, I will whisper from my inmost being: God help me! Let's, you and I, acknowledge what we both know to be true and right about God, even when it seems false, even when we're afraid we're being delusional. “Here my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you… The children of your servants shall live secure; their offspring shall be established in your presence.”
Have you ever read The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis? If you have, perhaps you will remember that Aslan created the land of Narnia through the act of singing!
Since reading that story as a boy, the symbolism of song has stuck with me. I've often pondered the nature of music, and whether it might be the “mother tongue” of the spirit. Perhaps music is the natural language of God?
If you stop to think about it, almost everyone has a “spiritual experience” when they encounter beautiful music, even if these listeners are not especially religious. A talented musical performer can sometimes sweep us away to another time and place! Singing a song we love at church can move us to tears, or fill us with awe. Even outside of religion, many have felt similar experiences while singing around a campfire or joining with a choir.
Speaking of spiritual language, perhaps it is more than a coincidence that many religious traditions use music as part of worship. This was certainly true for the ancient Israelites. The book of 1 Chronicles lays out detailed instructions for priests and musicians. Here we read that there were 288 temple singers and 4,000 musicians!
Today's Psalm 137 was likely written by one of these fellows. He and his friends carried their harps away from the burning city of God. How difficult it must have been! Days of forced-march from your home country, leaving the city you love in ruins; your temple destroyed. Flashing through your minds are images of war and murder. To add insult to injury, these pagan captors are asking to be entertained! “Come on, sing us a song,” they cry! When I put myself in the position of our singing priest, it's hard not to join in his pain.
Playing any music would be too painful a reminder of what they've lost! Think of how a few lines from some old song can transport you back to a time of first experiences, first love! Songs are like landmarks to memories, and not always good memories.
So my challenge for us is this: in our moments of pain, when we feel far from God; that is when we are best able to recognize our inner hunger. It's like God is singing over us, drawing us to His Spirit. He is calling us to seek Him and find Him.
The only comfort that will truly satisfy is God himself.
Over and again, he's proven his faithfulness to me. He's answered little, teeny prayers. He's come to my rescue. He has helped me through challenging situations. He's blessed me in ways I don't deserve. He's provided for me financially when I was desperate.
Perhaps some would call these assurances mere coincidences, but not me.
This is the essence of faith for me: to find surety in the small things.
For example, last week I lost my wallet. Six days later, on Sunday, the pastor mentioned it from the front–and asked the church to pray. I was beginning to despair that the cash was stolen! Now I would need to replace all my debit and credit cards, my government health card, and my driver's license. I'd been carrying a couple of gift cards around with me too!
But an hour after church, I'd found my wallet stuffed in the front of a shoe.
It's so easy to explain it all away. Yes, I put the wallet there. It wasn't some magic appearing act God accomplished. Perhaps I would have stumbled onto it eventually—I don't wear these shoes often, as they are kind of uncomfortable. I could choose to not increase my faith, and just explain it all away.
But where's the fun in that? And more importantly, where's the faith in that?
Those who don't have much faith sometimes ask for a sign, so that their faith will grow. But the problem, in my opinion, is that these people don't see the signs that are all around them every day! If they only credited God with the little, teeny answers to prayer, they'd find themselves full of faith!
I pray God increases our faith even more, so like a mountain, we can never be moved!
Hello everyone!! I have some news that may interest you today!
Philippians
I'm meeting with an engineer / producer on Monday to tour the studio, and to talk with him about completely producing my next album! (These are the songs based on Paul's letter to the Philippians).
He said he will charge me about $5000 Canadian to do this, which is about $4000 USD. I'm really hoping to use him for this project to make it even better than my past work. I've been the sole producer on everything this far, and I hope to increase my audience to younger people by making the music a more contemporary sounding.
If you'd like to make a special gift for this project, or increase your monthly giving to help, that would be wonderful.
TikTok
I've been hearing from some of my younger students that they discover a lot of music on TikTok, and they recommended that I start using it. I haven't really been too eager to join yet another social networking platform, but both of my daughters love TikTok, and my youngest, Rose, has offered to help. She's planning on releasing videos regularly.
I'm sure Rose would appreciate any advice you have, or suggestions to make videos that would interest young-adult viewers.
Ephesians
I'm getting a lot of new listeners to my Spotify account since the release of the singles from Songs to the Church in Ephesus! If you use Spotify, one thing you can do to help is to put my songs in playlists, play them on repeat (even at night while your volume is down), add them to your favourites by clicking the "heart" next to the tracks and albums.
Today's video
I made a mistake on the video title for Psalm 40:1-12, so I am releasing it again today with the mistake fixed. Watch on YouTube
Thanks again to everyone for their support in this project, and their belief in me to spread God's word to even more ears.
When I have been camping in the wilderness, and need to make a small trip late at night, a problem sometimes presents itself. Somehow, without the benefit of electric lighting, I must unzip the tent, and then make my way across strange ground. In these instances, colliding with a tree, or tripping over a fallen log are the dangers most often on my mind.
But as I read Psalm 40, I get a window into the types of obstacles which King David might have encountered on his blind travels: the desolate pit, and the miry bog. These are vivid images which perfectly compare walking with living.
We've discussed some of David's missteps before, and here we see him full of thanks for God's mercy, and newly equipped with a song of praise. He recognizes that God is the one who rescues him, and he is driven to tell the world.
In my opinion, these are exactly the right responses. First, we praise, and second, we tell.
In order for us to do either of those two things, however, we must first reflect. How has God guarded your steps? Perhaps you can look back and see His straightening of your path at a time when you were lost, and walking the wrong way? Maybe you didn't cry out for help until you'd already stumbled, and in His mercy he reached down and helped you back to your feet?
These are just two examples, but each of us have our own stories. I encourage you to call them to mind, and give God your praise for his faithful leading.
And, like David, do not stop there. Tell of his wonderful deeds. When we tell others, we lead them away from their false gods, their misplaced trust, and we direct them into the arms of Jesus.
Here I am, Lord. I delight to do your will! Help me to not hide your saving help within my heart, but rather to speak of your faithfulness and your salvation before the whole world.
I want my life to be an expression of faith to those I encounter! I would like it if--without saying any words--there was a sense of holy love about me.
It's not that I want to be seen as an amazing person who has it all together! Rather, I am so entranced with the transformation brought about by God's love, that I wish that all people could experience it! I feel such freedom as I go about my day! I no longer feel guilt! Not only that, but I experience such love as I encounter others! It is God's love manifesting itself through me. I weep when I see pain because I'm looking at it through Jesus' eyes! Furthermore, I long to make a difference in the lives of those who suffer, because the Holy Spirit is animating that desire within me!
I think this is what David is asking in this psalm.
I've found a few different interpretations for King David's Psalm 4, however, it looks to me like David is longing for a world filled with faith. Look at verses six and seven. He sings, “There are many asking to see good around them: so let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart more than when grain and wine abound!” He continues by describing an inner peace, which lets him sleep at night. Why does he feel this way? It is because he trusts in God to keep him safe.
He asks those around him, “How long will you abuse God's honour? How long will you love empty and lying words? How long will you be disturbed or angry, and then sin?”
He tries to describe the alternative way to live: ponder your anger in your bed, be silent before God, do not sin. Offer the right sacrifices, trust in the Lord.
Lord, this is our desire. Rewrite the hard code of our hearts with the beautiful script of your law. May the light of your face shine upon us!
You may wonder why so many of my Psalm videos are of trees, lakes, streams, rocks, hills, and skies.
Look no further than this Psalm for an insight into my reasoning. When my wife Joanne and I are out in God's beautiful world, I am filled anew with an awareness of his presence in all things. They contain his fingerprints! From smells, to sounds, to sights, and even the textures of every leaf, branch, puddle, stone or outcrop, God makes himself known to us. As each creature goes about its life, as plants grow, blossom, and decay, these actions become their voices of praise! By their very nature and being, all creation worships God!
Even the planets and stars worship God through their existence. Though they have neither speech nor language, yet by their splendour and magnificence, through their motions and their influences, all regulated and exerted according to the word of their Maker, do these bodies, in a very intelligible and striking manner, declare the glory of God!
When I assemble together these moving images of God's glorious creation, I hope to provoke in you the same wonder I feel, as I immerse myself in his handiwork. I want to transport you from your own home, into the very heart of the Canadian outdoors. My aim is to give you a glimpse of God in his creation. I want you to shout out in praise and adoration for our amazing Saviour-God, who wants so badly for you to see Him and to know Him!
Right now my next video is being released for Ephesians 2:4-10, which contains a speed-paint time lapse by ELINOR!
I'm sure she'd really appreciate it if you please followed her on Instagram. Her Instagram username is @elinor.jean.brown.
The song Saved actually is released on Monday, so this is an "early taste" for those who are interested! Please continue sharing it and helping to create a buzz out there!
Do you come from a family of believers? Maybe you have a grandmother who has faithfully prayed for you for years, or maybe you've been blessed to have been part of a church since you were a child?
I have grown up in the church, and have heard the stories of how God has made himself known mightily to my people. Close calls from car accidents, for example, or a healing from cancer; a prayer for a child to be born safely; the saving of a marriage--these are just a few of the many types of prayers one hears.
But in this Psalm, the writer cries out to God asking, "I've heard how you've done great deeds, back in the old days--my grandparents have told me the way you saved them, but, what about me?"
The Psalmist continues by saying, "I know the way you brought us to this country, how it was through your strength, and not my ancestor's strength that these battles were won. But what about now? What about today, and our battles?"
That's so real. That's so honest! For most of us, all we've got to go on are the stories we've heard, but it can seem like God isn't listening to our need.
Like this poet, we tell God, “Yes! You are my God, I trust only in you. Yet it seems like you're just not here. You've rejected me, you've let the enemies win.”
That's just one aspect of what makes the Psalms such a great place to go when we are lonely, afraid, and feel like God isn't even listening.
Lord, rise up! Come to our help. Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.
As I'm sure you can imagine, with twenty songs to choose from it might be difficult to decide which song to select for painting.
For this week's song, Aurora Black didn't hesitate. She picked the third song, "Enlightened," taken from Ephesians 1:15-23. (She is the girlfriend of my son, Seth).
I love the way she created this eye, seemingly made up of galaxies and light! It really captures the essence of the scripture, especially the idea of the eyes of our heart being enlightened!
Please check out Aurora's Instagram profile, and follow her to see more great work!
aurorablack.art on Instagram
Also, let her know in the video comments that you enjoyed her painting and interpretation!
I reached out to artists on Reddit.com, asking if there were any Christians who might be interested in participating in this Ephesians project.
One of the first to respond was Ruan Lucas Ribeiro, an amazing artist from Brazil. He picked the second song on the album, from Ephesians 1:11-14, which I've entitled "Claimed." Each artist was asked to create their own interpretation of the scripture to accompany the music.
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I have hired and found volunteer painters. They've agreed to interpret the Ephesians scripture songs, and to record themselves painting.
This week is the first video, Unblemished, which is Ephesians 1:3-10.
Finn Zeisig lives in my village, and I'm good friends with her father. As you can see, she's a talented artist, and I think you're going to enjoy watching her paint!
Thank you, Patrons, for your support in this creative endeavour.
When I was a boy, I remember a common part of Sunday night church was something called “personal testimonies.” Volunteers would stand and share how God had worked in their lives. If they were eloquent, then the congregation would feel encouraged by the description of their struggles and faith. It can be wonderful to hear of how God has shown his faithful, loving hand in others' lives.
As I ponder Psalm 73, I am reminded of these old-time testimonies. This psalmist doesn't honey-coat his struggle! He confesses his jealousy toward the ungodly, since they seem to get whatever they want! He envies their strong bodies, their ever-growing popularity, and the cunning way they seem able to deceive without consequence. These people have no shame, and their wealth just keeps growing.
As he continues to complain, guilt starts to creep in. How dare he think this way, with all that God has done for him! Perhaps he is a teacher, responsible for encouraging faith in others, for verse 15 says to do so would be false to the circle of children.
So, he goes to the temple. There he realizes that the wicked are on slippery ground. They will, someday, face ultimate destruction. Despite outward appearances, they are not "getting away with it."
He confesses his bitterness toward God and realizes he had been ignorant and self-centred, like an animal without sense; he knew, even in that state, that God was still honourable to him.
What a lesson. We are welcome before God even as we complain. There is a place for us, in his presence, despite our selfishness. He ends with praising God, since he has truly so much to be thankful for!
Brothers and sisters, life often is unfair, and evil people do seem to get away with their behaviour for a little while. However, serving God lasts forever, so consciously summarize all you have to be thankful for, and live out a life of faith.
Psalm 36 presents a contrast between a wicked person and an upright person. David gives us a compelling portrayal of someone lying on their bed, thinking of ways to do harm. The entire description is vivid! For example, verse 2:
For they flatter themselves in their own eyes,
that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
We usually think of flattery as coming from another person, but as David has noted, we each have a keen ability to tell ourselves that we are better than we actually are.
We live in a time of disdain toward those who are religious. Perhaps there is a God, perhaps not, they say. If God exists, people say, then He doesn't concern himself with the ways of humanity. How can anything even be a sin, if there is no lawgiver? Who cares? Isn't it all up to us? Don't we make our own destiny? Aren't we ultimately in charge?
We've taken God off of the throne, and put ourselves there. We lower our estimation of God, and we raise our estimation of ourselves.
This Psalm isn't all negative, however. Actually, the last half describes the upright person, who is made so because of God's character! The hinge between selfishness and righteousness turns upon God's steadfast love!
That is worth some serious reflection. Note how it says that “ALL” people may take refuge in the shadow of His wings. Taking refuge in God gives us access to the abundance of His house, the thirst-quenching river of His delights, the fountain of life, and the revealing light of His light.
All of these blessings are available to those who put God on the throne!
Has fear taken over our minds? Whether it's something about the coronavirus, or despair about the state of the world, so many people are afraid. Some are afraid for their jobs, some are afraid of the unvaccinated. Others fear that the virus is a conspiracy, and the vaccine a lie.
Fear has become the dominant emotion, and that seems like such a waste to me!
Whatever the answer to any of these questions, why are we preoccupied with fear? Isn't there a better choice? Have we defaulted to fear because we've forgotten our faith? What does fear even give us? It shuts us down, it closes us off, it burns bridges! Fear is a destroyer of hope!
If we are to fear anything, we should fear God. His ways are the good ways.
In Psalm 11, David's friends urge him to flee to the mountains in order to escape Saul. They warned that the very foundations were crumbling around him, and the best thing he could do was escape. Their suggestion was reasonable, their advice sound from a worldly perspective, but thankfully, David disagreed.
David answered the fear by affirming God's oversight: the Lord's throne is in the heavens! God watches over all that happens, and this was David's source of confidence! He didn't put his trust in his own power, there was no self-reliance here, instead he put his confidence in a holy, all powerful, all knowing God.
The answer to fear is faith.
So, I entreat you: replace your fear with faith. Don't run from the battle, don't try to solve the problem in your own strength. Try to remember that no weapon formed against you will prosper! Don't fear man, don't fear the virus, don't fear the evil one! Fear only our God of love and justice.
Oh Lord, build my faith and replace my fear with love and trust.
My first song from Ephesians is now in online music stores! Please do me a favour:
Please play the song on repeat in your favourite music site (iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, Deezer, or whatever) -- if you get tired of it, just turn the volume down...
Also, if you could share it on social media and try to help build a buzz for me, that would be fantastic!
I have four children who are between the ages of 15 and 26. Throughout their teen years, I have noticed a pattern: they love jargon! Instead of slang I'm accustomed to, such as “weird,” “cool,” or “wow,” they replace these phrases with something uniquely their own. Meanings are often flipped, so that something is “sick” when it's not, or “drip” when it's fantastic.
This is a great reminder of the eighties, when as teenagers we'd say, “radical,” or “totally awesome, dude!” In-speech is a rite of passage!
At the time, my elders weren't happy about it. I remember hearing some reprimands, especially with regard to awesome. We were taking the power out of the word, they said.
Upon reflection, I guess they were right! The word has lost its impact; we tend to throw it around to describe a good grilled-cheese sandwich, or a funny joke: “That's awesome,” I say with a chuckle! I have a couple of close friends who love to say, “that's amazing” in the same off-handed way.
It's a shame to waste such a potent word. Its use is better suited to the feeling we have when confronted with the expanse of the cosmos or the majesty of mighty mountains!
What things come to mind when you recall the full meaning of awesome? Do you consider our God, and His power, beauty, love, justice, and especially His saving grace?
As the psalmist writes in Psalm 76, “From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared, and was still when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the oppressed of the earth.”
