alive in this old town
a few weeks ago i was with my brother james in nashville, and we ended up writing a couple of songs. i wrote this one with easter on my mind. the very basic concept is that there is a way that the world functions. that was is violent and self-serving. Jesus gives us a way to be alive in the presence of death.
blood is calling from the ground. Christ came to breath life into that which was dead. those of us who know him are alive in this old town.
here you go:
everyone came out to fight
to save their land and protect their rights
they stole, they killed, they died
they took their brothers lives
but i’m alive in this old town
i’m alive in this old town
some were shown a different way
a way to build and not to break
they know the way of peace
by turning other cheeks
i’m alive in this old town
blood is calling from the ground
“you took my heart and cut me down”
but we got what we deserved
revenge has now been served
i’m alive in this old town
-dave-
FAQ
- Q: What’s with the name?
- Psalm 118:22 Names Jesus as the stone the builders rejected which has now become the capstone.
- Matthew 21:44 calls on us to fall on the Stone and be broken.
- 1 Peter 2:5 calls us living stones being built in to a spiritual house by the Lord.
A:
- The name stems from a couple of verses:
- Q: Why grey and red?
- Red: Hebrews 9:14 – The blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from our sins.
- Grey: Matthew 6:24 – There is black and there is white yet we all try to live in this grey area of life which is unacceptable in God’s eyes.
A:
old and new
genesis 4:3-11: “in the course of time cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. and the LORD had regard for abel and his offering, but for cain and his offering he had no regard. so cain was very angry, and his face fell. the LORD said to cain, “why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? if you do well, will you not be accepted? and if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
cain spoke to abel his brother. and when they were in the field, cain rose up against his brother abel and killed him. then the LORD said to cain, “where is abel your brother?” de said,”i do not know; am i my brother’s keeper?” and the LORD said, “what have you done? the voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. and now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.”
i am finally taking old testament survey at school. i have been trying to avoid it for quite a while, but it finally got me. as you would expect we started out in genesis, and i the story of cain and abel struck me in a way that it never did before.
i came to the realization that the first manifestation of humanity’s fall was jealousy, resulting in murder. simple, i know. but, this realization made a lot of things click for me. it allowed to understand salvation on a much deeper level than i had before.
so, here’s a quick idea of what i’ve been coming to understand…
the world the way we made it:
God creates everything good. we decide we can do as well, if not better without God. we bring death to a creation designed for life by choosing our own way.
violence and death run rampant in the realm of humanity (and in the animal kingdom).
humanity is bent on self-preservation. all we care about is ourselves and all we desire is our own happiness, no matter the cost to anyone else.
a now for something completely different:
enter Jesus. a new kingdom. a new way. a new death. a renewed life.
“you have heard that it has been said…but i tell you!”
in Jesus, God most powerfully displays for us his intentions for humanity. God’s blessing is now opened up to the whole world, and we are called to extend that blessing to everyone.
this new and completely different way, this salvation that we have come to know, is not just a rescue from a nebulous afterlife. it is a here and now life changer. it doesn’t place a stamp of approval on the old way of doing things. it gives us new goals and new peace that we can’t help but bring to others.
we are new people, with new attitudes and a new heart bent on love instead of self-preservation. this new and opposite way changes us into people who place others before ourselves (including our enemies).
there is no hiding from those who love this new way. they are lovers to their death, even if their death is caused by those who know not this new way.
apart from Christ there is only the way of death. the way of self-preservation. with Christ there life. that’s a kingdom i want to be a part of.
the rest is for the birds.
-dave-
Walking in Darkness
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. ~Psalm 62:8
A little story I thought I’d pass along.
I hear a still small voice saying “trust me” as fears and doubts pour in my head daily. And I speak back saying “I want to but I can’t see you”. I feel like I’m in a pitch black building with no windows. There are obstacles all over the place and I’m bumping my knees and stubbing my toes. I’m crying, part from fear, part from pain, and I just want to get to the door where there is fresh air and sunlight. There are whispers all around and I hear the scurrying of little feet like nails on a chalkboard. My flesh tenses and my head darts from side to side but I still see nothing. I’ve been walking for hours and from the outside everyone could see that I’m walking in circles, but not me. The fears and doubts clutter my mind. They confuse my feet and keep me searching for answers I’ll never find. These moments keep me distracted from the door. I lose focus of where it is as I’m engaged in fighting the urge to scream at every creak and whisper. I bang my shin and am spun in another direction. Yet I don’t realize it because I’m worried about the pain. I run my fingers down it to feel the pain. Is there blood, is it broken? Do I need a banage? Can I walk? And stand up once again from my crouch, weary, as I head further in to the darkness but I’m heading south and the door isn’t this way. It’s been months, maybe years. I feel hungry and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth, parched for water. My back is aching with shooting pains and my feet are blistered and bleeding.
And I hear it again, “trust me”. And I’m terrified.
“Is that You? I can’t see your face, who’s there?”
“Trust Me”.
I get discouraged. “How did I get here? LORD! how did I get here?”
Suddenly a flicker like a low burning candle in the distance. A quick glimmer casts a shadow. To my left, I CAN SEE IT! I turn and start to run, but my run turns to a hobble. I’m broken and hurting and can’t run. I’m limping as fast as I can and striving to make it. Have I found the way? And as quickly as it appeared I’ve lost the light. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? Was it there? “I can do this” I think to myself. But my stride has fallen off and I’m walking again. Both hands stretched out in front of me passing frantically from left to right checking for danger.
I begin thinking about that voice. Trust me. What should I trust for? What decision was it meant for? I’ve asked so many questions and gotten no answers. Do I take the job or not? “trust me”. Do I end this relationship? “trust me”. My heart sinks as I realize how broken and disoriented I really am. The answer was there each time and yet I kept waiting. Dragging out the terms for a yes or a no, listening for only the word I wanted to hear. But there was no ‘yes’ and there was no ‘no’.
I felt something and looked down and He was holding my hand. And He reached up and touched my ear with His other hand and the ringing was gone. His eyes looked into mine and my mind was clear. And I was still crying but these tears were warm and each one filled my heart a little more. I could not speak but I knew His name and he said “Trust Me” and I saw that it was Him all along. And the words ran through my ears without ringing and entered my thoughts with clarity. I could see the answers to all my questions lying deep inside those words and it was so vibrant.
I felt warmth and opened my eyes and there was the sun. They were clenched tightly together this whole time and I looked around and my hands were over my ears so I could not hear. I turned and the door was behind me wide open. There was a moment of peace and reflection but I knew what I had to do. I turned and took a step in to the doorway and the door quickly slammed shut behind me. Darkness flooded over me and my eyes were pained as they fought for focus. And just as I went to take my first step I felt a hand slide in to mine and I turned my head slightly and heard “Trust Me”.
Defiant
“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion” – 1 Peter 5:8
Have you ever heard the saying “everything comes in 3’s.”? It’s a common theme, you get a new car cheap, and find a $5 bill on the floor of the local stop and shop and one of your friends mentions “hey what’s next? Good things come in 3’s.”, and vice versa for bad things.
Let me walk you through the last month of my life: I got severally sick for 2 weeks(bed ridden for days at a time), my heat broke, I ran out of heating oil, I hurt my back to where I thought I had just had back surgery again, I was down to my last dollar, a girl at work is trying to make my job hard and for some reason doesn’t like me, and as soon as I fixed my heat, it broke again, only this time I need an entire new heating system!
You know what my plans were in that month? I started a Bible study and I taught awana(kids church). I can say with certainty that had I not done those two things my problems would have went away. My heat probably wouldn’t have broken, the girl at work would probably be cordial, and my back would feel great.
Satan knows the power of the word(1 Thessalonians 1:5) because he knows the Bible inside and out.(Matt 4:6). If you begin taking on the tasks God has given you, if you decide to change and live for Christ you are going to feel it. It will not be easy. He is not going to come at you and prick your finger with a pin. He will come at you like a roaring lion looking to devour you.
Several years ago I gave up. Any little bump in the road caused me to stumble. It didn’t even need to be my bump! “Oh they disrespected my dad? Well, I’m not going to that church then!” I’m 26yrs old and I’ve been through some crazy trials in my short years. And up until recently each one had the desired affect that satan was looking for.
Then something happened. I chose not to live for this earth. I still struggle, sure, but my focus is elsewhere. I started my Bible study, I taught those little kids, and the trials got worse. Some how I need to come up with $4,000 for a heating system.
When it first happened over the weekend I got a little down. How am I gonna do this? Then I got defiant. I got mad. But not at God. I became defiant to the devil’s tricks and lies. To his manipulation of my situation. I prayed. I prayed while I drove, I prayed while I ate, I prayed while I slept.
You do not control my situation. I will submit to my God’s will and will remain in the places He has me. Jesus, help me in my time of trouble. You are in control and because of this I know I will not freeze to death, I know I will not go hungry. I know my pain is temporary.
I know I am in God’s will because I’m being hammered from every direction. I’m making a difference, some way, some how, for God’s kingdom. Satan knows it and he’s trying to break me down. I don’t see the difference I’m making and maybe I never will but I know it’s happening.
BRING IT ON.
I am defiant and I’m angry. Take anything you want from me satan because I’ve already won. My soul has been won. I have been bought with a price and I will let everyone know you are a liar and the blood that covers me covers them as well. I have fallen on a stone not cut with hands(Daniel 2:34) and have been broken(Matthew 21:44) for the glory of my Lord and Savior. These cheap tricks will not work on me any longer. This world, this house, these clothes, mean nothing. Take it. I’m out to save lives.
We’re all searching
For in the image of God has God made man. – Genesis 9:6
Our DNA is hard coded to worship Jesus. For any of us who follow Christ daily this fact is undeniable. When we worship it stirs up emotions we don’t feel at any other time. At points it drives us to tears of repentance, sometimes tears of joy, and other times tears of shear awe.
For those who don’t serve this God, who have doubt, who have questions, this seems perplexing. How can worshiping something no one can see help me? How can it possible change my life? How do I know it’s even real?
John 16:13 says “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.” When Jesus died, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven God sent His Spirit as our guide.(John 16:5-11) In worshiping God and surrendering your all to him you allow His Spirit to come and guide you.
A young boy and his father were hiding in a church during the Revolutionary War as British troops marched on their town. The march of footsteps drew them to the window. As they peered out the window the young boy exclaimed “Dad! minutemen! We’re saved!” No son, those are redcoats. The dad explained. “No, look dad! They’re wearing white coats.” The dad, perplexed, and a bit concerned looked down at his son and realized what had happened. Being so small, his son was looking through a piece of red stained glass at the bottom of the window. You see, if you look through red glass at red all you see is white.
We are gross and grimy; covered in sin. Yet Jesus shed his blood for us. When we accept Him we are covered by the blood of the Lamb. God takes one look at us and all He sees is His son, as white as snow. You are gonna make mistakes, even through His Spirit guides you but God’s grace will always be greater than any sin.
When something bad happens to you how do you feel? As a Christian I’ll tell you how I feel. I feel upset, disappointed, angry. But shortly thereafter I remember how big my God is and remember that He has a plan for my life. He also promised to protect me. I’ve seen non-Christians experience bad things. Cancer, death, and even small things have caused people to ‘give up’. They have no hope. When someone asks me, I point to 1 Peter 3:15 which says always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have. People think I’m crazy for being upbeat when something bad happens. If I told you that whenever something bad happened to you you would be happy and that it would turn out okay every time wouldn’t you take it? That is what Jesus is offering you! This is your life changing moment.
Finally, how do you know it’s real? Before you were even in your mom’s womb, He knew you(Jeremiah 1:5). So what you say. You’re just quoting from the Bible and I don’t believe that. Ok, listen to the lyrics of some of the music you listen to. Listen to famous actors and athletes. They all have everything this world has to offer and are still searching for something. Searching in this world drives them crazy, leads them to drugs and to do crazy things.
Listen to these lyrics: “Check your pulse it’s proof that you’re not listening to The call your life’s been issuing you“. Sounds like something in a Christian song right? It’s John Mayer.
Each one of us has a hole in our heart and it’s deadly. We search high and low trying to fill it with anything we can think of but nothing in this world can fill it. The only thing that fills this hole is Jesus and He’ll fill it perfectly, satisfying all your needs.
We are hard coded to worship the Lord, our maker. And when we choose to reject Him we search endlessly for an answer that isn’t attainable, leading to death. “Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”(Matthew 7:7) People who choose to follow the world may get all the material blessings they search out. People who choose to follow God get eternal life with all the blessings thrown in.
Don’t play house
Therefore what God has joined together, let man not seperate. – Matthew 19:6
I feel I must get on my soap box after having a conversation a couple of days ago with several non-believers. Two are around my age, one around my dad’s age. It troubled me to the point I needed a few days to grapple with what it really means.
Recalling how the conversation actually started is difficult, and probably irrelevant, but we all somehow managed to get on the conversation of marriage. One spoke up and said he and his wife moved in together and then got married so marriage wasn’t a “big decision” for them. Another chimed in and confirmed, saying her and her husband even bought a house together before getting married. The older of the 3, in partial disbelief, said “what is the world coming to?”. And proclaimed that it was much different in his time. You would think that was enough for me to chew on but it gets better.
In the world we live in none of this was really a shock to me. It’s a part of every day life now, a passing thought in the minds of all. Then came this revelation: “Oh it’s the way to go. I’m going to tell my kids to do it.” Hold on, WHAT?! The logic itself was flawed. When pried for an answer as to why the response was “with the divorce rate so high why would you not want to test it out first? It only makes sense.”
Even a non-believer was questioning this. And it made me think how much easier it must have been 30yrs ago to live a more stringent Christian life. How disgusting is this world than even just 30yrs ago? It’s so hard to stay on course when all around you are things to tickle your senses.
Then it hit me. The world doesn’t have a moral and spiritual compass to guide them. They step out in to the woods unprepared and are confused when they get lost. Don’t believe me? Try convincing a non-believer that the big bang is impossible. Yes, logically it makes no sense but they don’t have any other answer for how we got here so it must be right. 2 Peter 3:3 says in the last days scoffers will come following their own evil desires. It’s so easy for them to scoff at logic in the face of doing what they want. Following logic would mean changing and why change when things are “ok” as they are?
You don’t need to read far in to the Bible to see the answer. Genesis 2:24: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. See, you want the divorce rate to go down? Don’t mess around before getting married. Sex is more than a feeling. It’s a union of two spirits, it’s something humans can not understand. Only God understands the complex union of two into one.
So you say, I’ve already had sex am I doomed? No, because the blood of Christ cleanses us of all sin.(Hebrews 9:14) When you except Christ in your life God only sees a blameless lamb, it’s the beauty of grace! In following a Christian life, divorce becomes a mute point. Through the power and glory of God He makes all things whole.
The divorce rate is so high because without a compass there is no guide to say “no that’s the wrong direction”. Unbelievers simply see it as a decision. black and white. Oh it’s sad, but you can find someone else. Not true. We should not break what God has joined together.(Matthew 19:6) It’s not just a decision. It’s a breaking of a union of two souls. Ever heard the saying “He took a piece of me with him.”? In a sense, this is true. If you give over to sex you have joined together as one and breaking that leaves a lasting impression.
I felt broken inside hearing that these children are going to be given no compass and be given misguided information on how to live their lives. I felt powerless, hopeless for them. I wish you could just shake someone into believing sometimes.
Remember, nothing is hopeless with God. He has a plan for each and every one of us. If you’ve stumbled, if your marriage seems irrepairable, if you’re a non-believer, don’t lose hope! Pour out your heart to God. He will hear you, he will pour out His blessings on you, even though we don’t deserve them. With God all things are possible(Matthew 19:26)!!
