Larry Norman: THE OUTLAW

We saw Jesus in a different light back in the late 60's and early 70's.
New voices were rising up, writing songs and singing about this Jesus.
It changed me.
I would never be the same.
Jesus became more real in my life as I searched out Scripture and saw the futility of trying to do it myself. Trying to "earn" my way into heaven.

I hooked up with others who were also on this journey to know Jesus. Older folks didn't understand us. Spoke bad against us. Claimed that since we played guitar's, we were playing the devil's music. Funny how folk's got saved when we played the so-called "devil's music". 

I learned more about love during this time than in any other period of my life.
Sad to say, but I forgot most of it and have, under God's conviction, begun to love again.
I don't wish to reclaim those years past.
I don't even with to replicate them here and now.
I simply want to acknowledge what God was doing in my life and in the lives of so many other during that time.
Those were good days.
Hey! These are good days....

God on you...
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Oh My!

Matthew 28:18
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth."

Matthew 10:1
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.


Every believer is given authority and power to walk out this relationship with Jesus through the filling or indwelling of God's Holy Spirit. I can't explain the "how" of it, I just know it to be the truth through what has happened to me.

Authority means that we have been given the right to act on behalf of the Kingdom of God.
What is the Kingdom of God?
Where ever God's rule is being carried out in the hearts of women and men.
Power means that our authority has teeth to it.
Authority  means we have the right....
Power means we have the ability......

In other words, when a person becomes saved and begins this relationship with Jesus...
they have the right to walk in this new life.
They have the right to be changed from their old lifestyle...
They have the right to defend themselves from the attacks of our enemy, the devil (Yes, Virginia..there is a devil).
But more than just possessing the right...God has given us the power!
I find that a lot of people have a hard time believing this.

Jesus told his disciples in Acts 1:8 : "But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power....."
Some will say, "I don't feel as though I have power."
It isn't about your feelings.
It is a stated fact from Jesus..."You will receive power."
If we have this power, then why don't we see it manifested more in our lives?
Maybe because of our doubt and fear brought about by our lack of trust in Jesus.
The devil wants to keep us bound in fear and doubt. In this place, we don't rely on Jesus.
We tend to be trapped by our past and, at the same time, fearful of what the future may hold.
We forget those two words spoken by Jesus to us...."Follow me."
Follow means that we get behind and walk in step with.
IF I am behind Jesus, walking and following, then I am hidden from the enemy.
When he looks for me, he sees Jesus. And he really doesn't want to tussle with Jesus.

We have been given power.
Power to walk out this new life.
Power to tell others about what Jesus has done to us and through us.
Father God.....
I confess that I haven't been walking in power.
I have been walking in fear.
Today, I choose to accept and hold fast to the truth that you indeed have given me the authority and power to be your witness here on earth.
I ask that you manifest yourself in me today as I walk and love and share with others what you have done for me.
I will not cower in fear to the threats of my enemy, the devil, but rather choose to take hold of your hand and move through this day, facing each situation knowing that you have given me authority and power.
Thank you Lord, that you have not given up on me.
I chose this day to not give up on you....
In Jesus name....
Amen....

Now...
Go live!
God on you....
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Resetting The Compass

Sometimes in the middle of tragic events, such as the death of a good friend, we reset our compass as to what is important.
We make adjustments in the way we see things or approach things.
We take stock of our own life and see things about ourselves that we would love to change.
Sometimes, it is God who is resetting us.
Such is the case of my own life.

Yes, I have worked in Recovery for the last 13 years.
Yes, I have been a part of Rapha as a volunteer and staff member.
Yes, I have seen God do some pretty incredible things over the last 17 years.
But I lost sight of what was important in my life.
Who am I?
I have been so busy helping and giving to others, that I forgot who "Michael" was.
On the scale of human endeavors, this isn't a massive mistake or one that would cause the Dow Jones Industrial to drop a gazillion points.
Rather it was a subtle shift in how I view myself and what my purpose is here on this dirt clod that is hurtling through space.

One of the things I teach (Yes, my own words are coming back to haunt me) is that, "God is more concerned with who you are becoming than He is in what you are doing." Why do I say that? Because I have discovered that I am who God wants me "TO BE"...the "DOING" will come natural. It seems as though people have this idea backwards. "I will do so that this will prove who I am becoming."  All outward behavior is because of an inward belief. Change the heart......change the mind......change the mind...........the behavior will follow. So, in a nutshell, I got so caught up in doing, I lost track of being.

I am, first and foremost, a Vineyard Pastor. As such, I hold dear to values and priorities that are found in the Theological & Philosophical Statement that is center to every Vineyard Church. These values helped me to understand who I am in Christ and what God expects of me. I lost sight of this. Through listening to Keith Green teach I was stirred to revisit some older teachings. With each one I listened to, I could feel God at work in me. As if He were pulling back to a place of balance in my life where I could receive some healing and restoration. God truly was whispering to me, "Michael, don't forget who you are in Me."  For this I am grateful. Why am I writing this? I'm not really sure except to say that I believe we all need to revisit some teachings or writings or music that help to define us early on in our relationship with Christ. Time has a way of putting blinders on you if you are not careful and you loose sight of what God has laid out before you.

I believe that my highest calling (as is with all who are followers of Jesus) is to worship the LORD.
Worship through my life. Everything I do......Everything I say........Everything I think....should reflect His goodness and holiness. My life has been given to me by Him, so why should I not simply live it out for His glory and goodness? Weird thinking ain't it?

Ephesians 5:1 reads: Follow God's example in everything you do. KJV reads...."Be imitator's of God.
How can I imitate unless I see and understand. It didn't read, "Make up how you think God would live and act." It says we are to imitate Him. I have to "see" Him in order to become like Him. How do I see Him?
I thought you'd never ask. Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Get my heart in order by letting God's Holy Spirit change the way I think and do business in this ol' world. In other words, let God change my character and remove all the defects and replace them with the "good stuff" that can come only from God.

I know that today I am grateful that God's love for me has not waned nor faltered. Any failure in this relationship fall squarely on my shoulders. I am thankful for God's authority and power to break through any human effort or thought that is contrary to His will. I am thankful today for my salvation. It is going to be a good day.

God on you....
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More Memories / More Pic's

o.k. the pic's are crooked and I am bloger-ly challenged. Lean with it folk's.

These are some pic's from the recording session we did for Vineyard Gadsden.

The one thing I remember most about that day was when we attempted to record our first song, we only got one channel. Hour's of setting up for this and all we got was one lousy channel.

Take two.

One channel.

Take three

One channel.

Disconnect everything.

Reconnect everything.

Take four.

One channel.

Brook and Richard were at a loss to solve this problem.

One last thing to do.

"Let's pray over the equipment!"

We prayed.

Take five.

Stereo!

God is God even over mixing boards and tape machines.

The man: Brook Finlayson.

Play's with feeling and touch.

Speed is over rated if there isn't passion involved.

Brook can take a note and bend it and make you and the string cry.

Permanent Wave backing David Finlayson at Chrisitan Brothers 20th Anniversary Concert.

An all day affair featuring Joanna Stockard, Barry Goss, David Finlayson and Permanent Wave

The Other man: Kenny Young.

Miss you!

"Now how does this song go?"

Love you Kenny!

Kenny Young Part Deaux

Well, here we are in all our radiant splendor. These are photo's of our band, PERMANENT WAVE, on a road trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky.

We stayed with David and Gina Finlayson, who were part of a group that put on a kind of roving Coffee house on Saturday nights.

David had invited us up to play with him and how could we say,"No."

I look at these photos and believe it or not....

I am taken with how young we looked.

No thoughts of death.

No thoughts of grandchildren or retirement.

The one constant through these years has been the desire to play for God.

That is a fire that burned in all of us.

Countless hours at the church during the week playing and learning to hear God in the music.

riffs and chord runs.

Drum beats and keyboards.

It was school and there weren't any more passionate students than the members of this band.

Musically we were far from professional....

but from a heart of worship...

It was an incredible time, that still carries on to this day.

I am grateful for the time God allowed us all to spend together.

And I am a better musician and a better person for having each one these people

in my life....

My Friend---Kenny Young

Kenny Young....
Friend.....
Brother in Christ......
Drummer extraordinaire...
I knew Kenny in High School, although we were not in the same grade.
Got hooked up with him early before I became a part of the Vineyard. Nori Kelly had put together a worship team and had asked me to play bass. Kenny was the drummer. And what a drummer he was.
He was the only drummer I had ever met that wanted the chord charts to what we were playing.
Kenny had a unique sense of humor as witnessed to the fact that 20 years after we had played together, if ever I saw him, he would ask, "Hey! When are we getting back together?"

Many times we'd be on stage playing and right before the song would start, Kenny would lean over his drums and say, "How does this song go? I forgot." I'd turn around and kind of beat out the rhythm on my chest. Kenny would go, "Oh yeah, I remember that one."

One of the engagements our band played was in Kentucky. I had the wonderful opportunity to ride with Kenny to the gig. He talked nonstop the entire trip about how we needed to pool our resources and buy a bus, then we could really travel. Kenny was all about giving up the day job to play. His passion was music and especially music that played unto God. I loved his heart for Jesus.

I got news this morning (Monday) that Kenny had died.
I didn't know the details. All I knew was that there was a big old empty spot in my heart.
I pray for God's peace to rest upon Wanda, Kenny's wife, and all their children and grandchildren.
I will miss my friend more than you may know.
Seems like we are entering the part of life where this kind of event will happen with greater frequency. With that in mind, I want to say to all my friends, "I love you and I truly do cherish the time we had together."

I had not seen Kenny in a number of years. I could make all kinds of excuses but they would ring hollow. Time has a way of helping us loose track of one another. I want to be a better friend in light of Kenny's death.

God's blessing on Kenny's family that in his death, God's Spirit would minister peace and love to them.
Thank You Lord for the time you let Kenny and I share.
Amen....

New Message IN I-pod section: The Promises Of God
Enjoy !
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