Music for Your Monday: The Reckless Raging Fury

Hi all!

Here's a taste of Rich Mullins. I've had an appreciation for his music ever since I was little, and now more than ever, I know it is because of the deep, poetically spiritual lyrics he created. It is a blessing to listen to artistry like this. Lyrics below; have a beautiful Monday.

There's a wideness in God's mercy

I cannot find in my own 

And He keeps His fire burning 

To melt this heart of stone 

Keeps me aching with a yearning 

Keeps me glad to have been caught 

In the reckless raging fury 

That they call the love of God 

Now I've seen no band of angels 

But I've heard the soldiers' songs 

Love hangs over them like a banner 

Love within them leads them on 

To the battle on the journey 

And it's never gonna stop 

Ever widening their mercies 

And the fury of His love 

Oh the love of God 

And oh, the love of God 

The love of God 

Joy and sorrow are this ocean 

And in their every ebb and flow 

Now the Lord a door has opened 

That all Hell could never close 

Here I'm tested and made worthy 

Tossed about but lifted up 

In the reckless raging fury 

That they call the love of God

Music for Your Monday: Grieg's Wedding at Troldhaugen

Good afternoon!

I seem to feature lots of Grieg here, most likely out of admiration.  This piece was playing on Minnesota Public Radio this morning (when I got to my cancelled 8:00 am...), so I enjoyed the music instead.

This is Grieg's Wedding at Troldhaugen. At first I thought it was a piece of a rendition from The King and I, by Rogers and Hammerstein, but nope. It does sound like it, though, and I hope you enjoy this delightful piece.

Blessings.

Romans 8:6-8: Hostile Enmity? NO.

Ever been saturated by something? And no, I am not talking about hydrocarbons or fats.

I was reading Romans 6 recently, and the raw purity soothed me. With new plans for the summer and fall, especially moving out (woo!), I needed some concrete. I read the ESV version, and then decided to compare it to three others here:

ESV: "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

NIV: "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God."

KJV: "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

In a sense, the versions seem to hold different dialects almost. The ESV, when stating "to set the mind on ____ is ____", sounds as if it's all us who are doing the mind-settting. That's where I liked the NIV better, as it reads "the mind governed by". Now that's a joint effort of of us and the Holy Spirit.   Also, the words carnal and enmity in the KJV version are steel-cut. They lacerate. Also, I appreciated the word realm in the NIV version; just like the word govern, it contrasts sharply. The Holy Spirit will govern our hearts with us, but if we are carnally minded, we belong to an entirely different realm that even we don't have charge over. That realm? It's flesh.

So, if I were to do a "mash-up" of this verse, I'd combine elements from all three versions.

"For to be governed by the carnal mind is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The carnal mind is in hostile enmity against God and is not subject to God's law because it cannot be. So then those who belong to the realm of flesh cannot please God."

We must trust, and not in the flesh, so let us not walk in hostile enmity but trust.  Let Him saturate your soul, for He will take us where He wants us to fly.

The Calvinist: John Piper

Evening, friends.

Browsing the Desiring God website, I found an amazing piece of art. This is poetry of God.

THE CALVINIST: John Piper

May this hearten you as it did me; leave a note if it did. Blessings.

All the Fitness He Requireth

Photo

Evening, friends.

After not being able to attend church for about two months, I was finally able to worship together, with family, at church.

It's been a lot of 'getting it together', and I become tired of people judging.

"When are you moving out?"
"Why don't you have your own car?"
"Do you even drive??!"
"So, tell me, why aren't you at a University?"

Um, well? Yes well.

Going to church today was the best thing that's happened to me in a long time, and God really opened my eyes to some extremely frivolous things I've been spending my time on.

Through this winter I've felt physically sluggish and have wanted to exercise more. When March 1st arrived yesterday, I was emphatic to start a routine. And I did.

Then, I went to church this morning, and just sat soaking everything in. Everything was all so relevant, and the fervor of the children's choir was ever-so-convicting. After communion and the message, I thought about how little time I've dedicated to Christ personally and how I'd never actually do that to one of my friends. Sin is so distracting, and as Pastor Jason stated (in his message on Hebrews 3:12-15), it is because it promises fleeting pleasures. And we all know how they over-promise and under-deliver.

Christ does neither.

As the sermon came to a close, I thought about my regimen, one day completed, thirty to go. We stood to sing one last melody, and I did so with gusto, it being a favorite.

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,

Weak and wounded, sick and sore;

Jesus ready stands to save you,

Full of pity, love and pow’r.

I will arise and go to Jesus,

He will embrace me in His arms;

In the arms of my dear Savior,

Oh, there are ten thousand charms.

Let not conscience make you linger,

Nor of fitness fondly dream;

All the fitness He requireth

Is to feel your need of Him.

With that said, my eyes were more like thrust open. Seriously, how much more clear could it be? Nor of fitness fondly dream?! All the fitness he requireth is to feel your need of Him. I knew I had to stop. Quite convicted, I walked out, realized there was no one I knew at all, walked right back in, sat down, and prayed for a while.

A friend saw me later and we continued together for a time, but I learned a lesson today. Christ is more important than anything I dream of fondly. And oh, ever-wandering, doubting, little Israelite; Look at His mighty hand and the dangers He has delivered you from, and rejoice. 

Links:

Here are live links to the sermon and a recording of the song. Enjoy.

Fernando Ortega and Amy Grant: Come ye Sinners Poor and Needy

Bethlehem; Sermons by Date