Time to Record!

Well folks it is that time again! It seems like only a few weeks ago we were trying to finish up the Alive project and now we are jumping right back into it. We have the privilege of being able to set up and record at the Cedarmore Campgrounds in Baghdad. We are so excited about the new songs that the Lord has laid upon Josh's heart to write, and also the variety of styles that this project is going include. Anything from blues to country and of course our own little style which I have yet to figure out what it is called, is going to be on this one. It is the afternoon before we go and set everything up and get ready for a grueling weekend of recording and fellowship. Please be in prayer as we try to lay down the songs and hopefully we will be able to give updates as we go along and maybe add some pics in the process. Well I now must go and start getting all of this equipment together and figure out how I am going pile it all in my jeep. Wish me luck!! Until next time. Seeya bye! Kelly

Recording Preparations (from Andrew's blog)

I posted this over at my personal blog, but I've decided to post it here as well:

Next week, the Josh Martin Band heads into the “studio” (that term used loosely in this case - our studio will be the dining room of Boone Lodge on Cedarmore’s campus). This long weekend will involve almost everything I love - playing the drums, recording, blogging, taking pictures, video, hanging out with friends, not working, updating websites, eating, sleeping, etc. (read further for more explanation). Most of all, these things will be done to glorify God. As you can imagine, I’m pretty excited. During the weekend, I will document the entire process. I’ll have my iBook, camera, and camcorder in tow. My goal is to use the JMB blog as a recording journal and keep folks updated on the progress. I’m anxious for everyone to hear the new songs. We had our last rehearsal last night, and the new songs are sounding great. Here’s a look at the tracklisting (not in order): -Wrap Me in Your Cross -Learning More Everyday -Will the Circle Be Unbroken -Sweet Embrace -Redemption Hymn -Depths of Your Mercy -I Am -Not So Easily Pleased -Call Me Crazy -Get Up To A High Mountain -What Part of Go Don’t You Understand Aside from the new album, we have started planning a live DVD to be released later this year. We’re planning on filming one of our performances at Cedarmore in July. Also, we have new t-shirts finally!

Back to the Old Blog

We've come back to Blogger for our blogging needs. Seemingly, our move to Wordpress wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. So, we'll stick around here! Be sure to check out the links on the sidebar. I've updated them with sites to ministries, devotionals, and more! Later y'all....

Wed Devo

Old Testament Salvation Question: Before the death of Christ, how were people saved? Answer: The same way people have been saved after the death of Christ. Here’s why. Romans 3:25—whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. I can remember a few years ago when this question came to me. I don’t know why but it took a while for me to even think of such a question. I always thought that if Jesus had not yet died then there was no forgiveness of sins. I thought that through the Old Testament sacrifices people where saved when in fact, these sacrifices could not take away sin (Hebrews 10:4). These sacrifices were considered sacraments just like baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Being dunked in water doesn’t make you a new person but it is symbolic of the death of your old spirit and the new life that comes with the new spirit, which is Christ. When we partake of communion we are not actually eating flesh and drinking blood but this symbolizes the atoning work of Christ in the life of a believer. The same is true with the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament. These sacrifices did not atone for sin but were symbolic of the atonement of Christ. Let’s look back at Romans 3:25. We see that it is not the blood of animals that is the propitiation (the removal of God’s wrath by the removal of our sin from his sight) for us but that it is the blood of Christ. We receive this through faith. So the Old Testament people were required to have faith in the blood of Christ to be saved. In speaking with reference to time, the Old Testament believers faithfully looked forward to the sacrifice of Christ for salvation, while we look back to the sacrifice of Christ. Regardless of when you lived, salvation is only possible through faith in Christ. The ability to look forward to the sacrifice was only because of divine forbearance. When Romans says that he passed over former sins, it does not mean that he just forgot about them and didn’t hold them against the people. It means that what Christ did on the cross 2000 years ago was effective before it even came to pass (Ephesians 1:4-6). The Bible establishes salvation in one way: faith in Christ. If it were possible to live perfectly then you would be saved. But Romans 1:18-3:20 is a staggering reminder that we are all sinners and therefore not perfect. Our hope for salvation is the same hope that was present for Isaiah, Deborah, Abraham, Moses, and Hosea. Only faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross saves us. Nothing else.

"Sola Fide"

“Sola Fide” Galatians 2:16—yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ…” Another foundational belief of true Christianity is justification by faith alone (sola fide). Justification by faith alone is a very crucial doctrine that we must understand. Concerning this article of faith, Martin Luther said that it is “the article with and by which the church stands, without which it falls”. Before we look at “faith alone” lets look at justification. Justification is the act of God in which he pardons sinners and accepts them as righteous for Christ’s sake. Once this has taken place you are then declared justified. Just-if-I’d never sinned! This is incredibly important to believers because without this justification we will face the wrath of God. So if justification is this important, it is equally important that we know how one becomes justified. This is where faith alone comes in. James 2:24—You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Oh boy! What do we do with this verse? This seems to be an apparent contradiction, doesn’t it? One verse says faith alone, and one says works and faith. So what can we make of this? If “sola scriptura” (scripture alone) is how we discern the truth, what happens when we find these apparent contradictions? Well, this isn’t a contradiction. James 2:24 became the verse that Rome used to refute faith alone. Rome would have been right if that verse stood alone apart from any other idea or point--------but it didn’t. This is where most of us pick up bad theology. We read a verse, remove it from it’s context and then interpret it as literally as possible. Scripture must always be used in the context in which it is presented! Any other way will be spiritually devastating! To understand this verse we must look at James’ original reason for making this statement. James 2:14—What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? First of all, James is automatically implying that the faith that is not accompanied by works is not saving faith. We can only conclude by “can that faith save him?” that James does indeed believe that it is faith that saves. James is talking about a kind of faith that does not produce works. That faith is no faith at all. It is like the seed that fell on the shallow soil (Matthew 13:5,6). It appears to be faith and claims to be faith but is not saving faith. James is making clear that no one is justified by simply professing to have faith, but that justifying faith will always manifest itself in works. John Calvin wrote, “it is faith alone that justifies, but the faith that justifies is never alone.” This belief has been deemed the “storm center of the Reformation”. This doctrine was arguably the beginning of the protestant faith. The Roman Church had believed and still believes that the combination of works and faith save a person. Let there be no mistake. Works necessarily follow saving faith. If you go to McDonalds and order a hamburger you will also get a bun, ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions. No one orders a hamburger and gets a plain patty. It’s the same way with faith. If faith is given it is accompanied by works. Faith saves all by itself, but it is not by itself.

Update

Well, I said that I would keep you all updated on the play auditions, so here I am. I was selected to play the part of Reuban. If you've seen the play, or the movie, this is the brother that sings the French song- "Those Canaan Days". Thats about all of the updating that I have at the moment. Right now I am just waiting for the next JMB practice. The new songs for the new album are coming together very nicely and I hope that you all will enjoy them as much as our current songs (or even more!). I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'll see you when I see you...

Chasing Rabbits

Chasing Rabbits Originally today’s devotion was to be about “sola fide” but it’s not. Something that has been weighing heavy on my heart completely crushed it last night. I’ll try not to get too preachy but no promises! Last night I watched Barbara Walters special about heaven on WHAS. In this special Ms. Walters interviewed many different religious leaders about their beliefs of heaven. Islamic, Judaist, Evangelicals, Catholics, and Atheists were among the groups interviewed. Many different people with many different beliefs. My heart was saddened as I listened to some of the interviewees’ responses. This is what I would have said if given the opportunity to share and this is what I am saying to all of you who would read this: Heaven is not just a place where all troubles cease. It is not just the place where I may be reunited with loved ones. It is not just the place where no sickness, disease, or death never take place. It is not just a beautiful paradise with pearly gates, streets of gold, walls of jasper, and a crystal sea. Heaven is a real place. It is not just a state of mind or the hope of R.C.’s and Moon Pies. You can forget all of the beautiful sights and loved ones. You can forget about the extinction of disease. There is something far greater than any of that. HEAVEN IS THE PLACE WHERE WE ENJOY THE FULLNESS OF GOD FOREVER!!!!! It is the place where the glory of Jesus himself is the very light by which we will see everything. And all of those things will only exist to bring more glory to him. That is heaven! There is grave danger in any other view of Heaven. There is a way that seems right to man but in the end leads to death and destruction (Proverbs 14:12). The greatest realization that I believe a person can come to is that everything exists, including us, to glorify God. That is it. That is the secret of Life! If you’ve ever wondered why you’re here, that’s it! We must so preach, so teach, and so share the gospel in order to get people to God, not heaven. Heaven does not save anyone. NOBODY! But God does! If you get to heaven you are going to get to God. Heaven is not the end but it is a means by which we enjoy God. The Westminster Confession of Faith states that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. I like John Piper’s spin on that. The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever. God is the beginning, middle and end of the gospel. John Piper has just recently written a book called, “God is the Gospel”. I will buy that book for any of you who want it. It is imperative that God be the focus of the gospel. We often share the gospel and end it like this; “if you trust Jesus as your savior and lord then you will get to go to heaven.” This makes heaven out to be our God. Heaven becomes the end and God becomes the means. This is simply wrong and possibly suicide. If you could go to heaven and receive all of the blessings of heaven without God, would you still want to go? R.C. Sproul writes in “Grace Unknown”, “This is our error. In our fallen condition we desire the benefits that only God can give us but we do not want him. We want the gifts without the Giver, the benefits without the benefactor.” I have never felt such urgency to share the real gospel in my entire life. Most of the folks in Ms. Walter’s special simply said that they believe in heaven because it brings comfort. One man even said that even if heaven doesn’t exist, believing in heaven so alters our lifestyle that it is well worth the belief even if it turns out to be false. 1 Corinthians 15:19 says that if that is true, we should be the most pitied people of all. I will end with some thoughts that have been running through my head all week thanks to Derek Webb. The cross is both beautiful and offensive. It must be both. The rich young ruler came and found that the true gospel is not seeker sensitive (whatever that means) in nature. It is a call to come and die, but live. Love is not efficient. That is a mouth full. I hope to encourage you to find your peace in trusting a holy God. Not just in his heaven. I also encourage you to search your desires. I hope that God becomes your desire. It will be a fight for us all to desire him more than the things of this life. Evangelical Christians as a whole are not teaching the real gospel. God is the Gospel. Everything else are just simply means in which you get to him or enjoy him. God is the hope of life!

It's Me Again...

Hey guys! It's been awhile since I posted anything on here- life is pretty hectic in high school (I'm sure it all smooths out the day after graduation... right?) Anyway, I don't really have a lot to say, just wanted to share what's going on in my life as we speak (or, i guess as i type and you read). Auditions for the spring musical have been going on for the past two days. Franklin County High School will be presenting "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (yes, just like that cheesy Donny Osmond movie). We have a lot of talented male singers this year so the show should go well. I tried out for the part of Joseph so I'll keep you posted on how that all turns out. I've also been doing some reading for the past few days. I finally finished "Don't Waste Your Life" that I started this summer and never got a chance to finish. It is a truly amazing book by John Piper that will completely turn your life upside down. So once I finished that one, I picked up "Desiring God" (also by Piper) which Josh gave me for Christmas. I am about 1/3 of the way through and it's fantastic. Along side these things, The Josh Martin Band is working hard to get all of the kinks worked out of our new songs before we record them in the upcoming month. Josh has been writing some really phenomenal songs and I think that you will all be pleased with the album. Well, I'll be sure to post more as more developes in life, but until then...

Back to the Studio

In january we will be recording our 3rd album (2nd studio album). I don't know why they call it an album! Can you even get an album anymore? Anyway, the new "cd" will have some of our new songs that you may have heard at some of our concerts. Songs like "Wrap me in Your Cross", "Learning more everyday", "Sweet Embrace" and "I am". Hope to have more details soon. Recording is like no other experience. It is full of mountaintops and valleys with a few screams of aggravation! Probably more screams than mountaintops but oh well!...josh

Sola Gratia

Sola Gratia Romans 11:5,6—So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. Almost every believer will say that they are saved by grace but will differ on how much grace was needed to save them. What you believe about grace coincides with what you believe about your spiritual condition. Whether you believe you are born spiritually sick or dead? Some still believe that they are born spiritually well. All of these views determine a person’s beliefs about grace. Pelagianism believes that man is born with no inclinations to sin or goodness. He is like a sheet of white paper. Semi-Pelagianism and Arminianism believe that a man is born spiritually sick. Calvinism believes that a man is born spiritually dead. Regardless of the rest of the luggage that is unpacked with each view, one of them must be right. There are no other options. I believe the grace required for salvation is total. There is no room for me to try and work my way to salvation. The fact of the matter is that we are dead in our sins. Nothing can be done apart from God’s grace to save you. This is why “sola gratia” or “grace alone” is a fundamental truth in the Christian faith. “Grace alone” means that it doesn’t work along side of us. It doesn’t need our assistance even if we were spiritually able to give it. Ephesians 2:8 states that we are saved by “grace through faith” and that it is not by works. Until you come to grips with your sin, you will not understand the grace of the Gospel.

Caedmon's Call Concert

Friday night I had the opportunity to go to see Caedmon's Call and it was awesome! I heard that our Number one fan was going be there but she failed to show so I just sat behind her parents. They finished out the show with "Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus". That was worth the whole night. Great concert!! Just thought I would let you know...Josh

Sola Scriptura

Sola Scriptura The next four weeks devotions are going to be on the basics of the Christian faith: “Sola scriptura”, “sola gratia”, “sola fide” and “soli Christo”. This simply means scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, and Christ alone. These are the very doctrines that define true Christianity. This week we will look at “sola scriptura”. “It is not the word of God because the church says so; but that the word of God might be spoken, therefore the church comes into being. The church does not make the Word, but it is made by the Word.” –Martin Luther 2 Timothy 3:16,17—All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Is the Bible infallible? I hope you say yes; at least in the original manuscripts. This is not a new question. But this topic has been brought to my attention several times in the past few months so I thought I would give my two cents worth of conversation. “Sola Scriptura” simply means scripture alone. This is one of the declarations of the Great Reformation of the 1500’s. Martin Luther was very vocal about his convictions concerning the infallibility and inerrancy of scripture. Martin Luther believed verses like 2 Timothy 3:16,17 were foundational to the growth and well being of the church. Luther stated that “the church does not make the Word, but it is made by the Word.” You may ask how this is true. 2 Timothy states, first of all, that all scripture is God-breathed. The hand of man wrote the Holy Scriptures but only by the guidance and inspiration of God. Each prophecy of the Bible is given by the Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). Many people believe that the translations we have today are not accurate. On the contrary, the English Standard Version is one of the most accurate translations in print today. Many folks hold to the “King James Only” tradition. They believe that this is the only correct translation of the Bible. Many folks don’t realize that the King James Version was a direct translation from the Geneva Bible, which was a translation of the Matthews, Coverdale, and Tyndale versions, which were in turn translations of the Vulgate in 400 A.D. So how can one really look back at all these translations and believe that the bibles that we use today could be infallible? I think that R.C. Sproul put it best in his book “Grace Unknown”. “Suppose the normative yardstick housed at the National Bureau of Standards were to perish in a fire. Would we no longer be able to determine the distance of three feet with accuracy? With the multitude of existing copies, we could reconstruct with almost perfect accuracy the original yardstick.” Luther also believed that the church was made by the word. If you are a Christian, then you are to believe the Bible. That sounds pretty simple but do you conform to God’s word or make it conform to you. It is imperative that you know who the God of the Bible is and not what you can make Him to be. We are made by the teaching, rebuking, correcting and training of the Bible. These are the things that make us who we are. The Bible is the only authority that may bind the conscience of believers. To take the Bible as anything less than the living, active word of God would be spiritual suicide. “Sola Scriptura”! “Semper reformada” (always reforming) should be the battle cry of all believers who will reckon their lives with the Holy Scriptures. Josh Martin

Wednesday Devo

Today’s Devotion is a new song that I have written. This song is my way of saying salvation is possible by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. May God grant you eyes to see and ears to hear. Redemption Hymn A holy God, A righteous son Requires of me, A holy love On my own, no gift to bring Where will I gain, such a thing? Dead in my sin, nowhere to go Broken life, without a hope I have no faith deep inside I fall short, His love provides Tears of sorrow, tears of joy Down on my knees a helpless boy In my life your glory known Only by grace, through faith alone Purchased by God, The great exchange He took my sin, I took his name His blood for sins, such a cost And not one drop is ever lost My spirit wills, my flesh is weak A sinful man, can he keep? But for His church, grace proves the way He draws us near and near we’ll stay No firmer grip than in his hand The will of God, now of man He holds us fast within his Grace In him we find our hiding place Josh Martin

Cowboy Up

We had a great time playing at both Cowboy Churches (Centerfield & Brandenburg). I was surprised with the Glad Tidings Christian Center - it's probably become one of my favorite places I've ever played. The room was nice and sounded great. We were also pleased to have Doug Dearinger come out and play with us again. He last played with us on our live recording. He's a phenominal musician. Here's what I like best about the Josh Martin Band: During soundcheck, Doug started messing around with a jazzy version of "White Christmas." One by one, we all joined in and played along for a few minutes. Josh turns around and says, "Yeah, we'll play that tonight." We pulled it out mid-set and it came off without a hitch. The crowd really seemed to enjoy it, and had no clue that we'd hardly rehearsed it! In other news, we had a "band meeting" tonight. We have some great things in store for 2006, including some new t-shirts, our next studio recording, and more stuff that you'll find out about later! In the mean time, we're taking December off to enjoy the holidays with friends and family. Adios! -Andrew

Wednesday Devo

Sick or Dead? I think it is pretty safe to say that none of us enjoy being sick. That is particularly true for me today. I have had a sore throat the past few days but wasn’t too worried until I started to lose my voice yesterday. We have two concerts this weekend so I thought I better not wait to the last minute to go to the doctor. I went to the doctor Tuesday morning and was diagnosed with a virus. All I can really do is go home, rest, drink plenty of liquids, and take it easy. You know, all $50 dollars worth of advice! I really got to thinking last night about being sick and remembered an example that an evangelist once used for a conference. He showed a picture of a man lying in a hospital bed with a respirator, IV, the whole works. He said that this man is the perfect picture of those who are non-believers. He said we are all spiritually sick and will die if we do not come to Christ. At the time it seemed like a pretty neat illustration. But after becoming more familiar with the Word of God I must say, I disagree. I believe the evangelist had good intentions, but bad theology. Ephesians 2:5-9—even when we were dead in our trespasses (God) made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. According to Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus we are dead in our sin, not sick. Sick people can help themselves to a degree. I can go to the doctor. I can pick up my prescriptions. I can take my medicine. I can seek help. Being sick does not mean I am totally unable to take care of myself. It just means I need some help. The bible is very clear that we are not just sick. We are dead!!! A dead man can’t do any of the things I just described. The evangelist I referred to earlier has also come to this conclusion and has since changed his illustration. He now shows a picture of a man in a coffin. You may ask, “If the point is that we all need Christ to be spiritually well, then why get so hung up on whether some folks believe we are sick instead of dead?” If a man were spiritually sick (not dead) and believed on Christ, then this type of salvation would be grounds for the man to boast. He would have assisted Christ in his redemptive work. The efforts required would be divided between the man and Christ—and the glory too. But if a man was spiritually dead (not sick), and raised to life by Christ, then this type of salvation (which is the only type) would not leave any room for man to boast or glory in himself. This is what makes grace so amazing! The fact that we were totally dead in our sin and only the grace of God brought us to life. We played no part in our spiritual resurrection. I can’t save myself and you can’t either. Only God can do that. It is not a result of any work. Dead people can’t do works. It is imperative that God receive all glory in your salvation. If we could do even the smallest of things concerning our salvation, we would have something to boast about. We could say, “With the help of God I was able to save myself.” The fact is if we are saved, it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We cannot assist God in saving us. I remember a true story about a guy one time that tried to take glory from God. Now he is commonly referred to as Satan.

Cowboy Church

I am looking forward to next weeks gigs! Cowboy church is always a great place to sing. It's a place where you can just relax and minister. The crowd is used to having good music so we will have to be on our toes. They have some pretty incredible singers and musicians come every month. I hope that the rest of the guys are as excited as I am. This last weekend's concert was very encouraging. Sometimes we have opportunities to sing in some places where people just stare at you and honestly look like no body's home! But that wasn't the case at Ninevah Christian church. Every now and then you will come to a place and feel like you are home. This was exactly the feeling I got from those folks. I asked the pastor, "How long do you want us to play?" He said something like, "Until the lord tells you to quit." Gotta love that! That is a body of believers that the lord is using and will use. Until next time.... Josh

Wednesday Devotion

The Three W’s of Service Ephesians 6:7-8----Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, Because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. There are three words in this passage that I want us to look at this morning. They conveniently all start with “W” so it makes them easy to remember. These verses are very essential to the way you view your day. Let’s take a look at the first one. Wholeheartedly-- “Serve wholeheartedly…” I am a big fan of college basketball. You see things in college basketball that you don’t see in the pros. When was the last time you saw a professional ball player so overcome with fatigue, that at the final buzzer, he collapsed on the floor? When was the last time you saw a pro player exhausted to tears when losing an overtime tournament game? The sad reality is, that few players play the game wholeheartedly. Even worse, we often serve the Lord as pro basketball players play ball. A professional player plays as one who knows that regardless of the outcome, his paycheck is still going to be there. He’s not worried about the small things or anything else for that matter. He is comfortable and at ease. Sound familiar? Whatever—“whatever good he does” A tornado had ripped through a small rural community leaving trees and debris everywhere. Everyone in the community pitched in to clean up and get things back to normal. While cleaning up one day two brothers, one 15 years old and the other 7, had a conversation. The older brother was picking up large pieces of wood while the younger could only carry simple twigs. The older brother said, “Why do you even try if you can only pick up such a small amount?” The younger brother smiled and said, “Every little bit helps!” Does God take pleasure in seeing you glorify Him in small things as well as big things? Of course He does!! God rewards us for “whatever” good we do. There is nothing that we do that is not seen by the eyes of God. Likewise there is nothing we do in His name for His glory that he will ever forget. Little is much when God is in it. Praise God for the small things! Whether—“Whether he is slave or free” When I was in high school, I had a part-time job as a stock boy at a major supermarket. I can remember when the big bosses would come in and do an inspection of the store to see if things were up to snuff. They would walk past us as if we were invisible. They had no time or interest for us even though four days a week, we were there working as hard as anybody. We were simply seen as a lesser being in the grocery world. The whole time I worked there they never talked to us or acknowledged our existence but I would still receive my check just the same. “Whether” you are a big boss or a stock boy, our lord sees us on the same level. He rewards good work “whether free or slave”. You may feel like you are insignificant because of your position in life, but let me remind you, the lord does not show partiality and He will hold true to every one of His promises. Billy Graham once said during a staff devotion time that he believed that some of his office workers would be ahead of him in line for the Lord’s rewards. They chuckled at that thought but he became very serious and reminded them that God rewards faithfulness over fruitfulness. Pray today that in everything you do, that you do it wholeheartedly, whatever it is, whether big or small, young or old.

Josh Martin

Back from Indiana

We had a great time in Indiana last night at Derek's aunt's church. They were a great audience, and we were blessed to be able to spend the evening glorifying God with them. Not to mention, they fed us! Thanks for the food! On the drive up, I decided to ride with Josh & Kelly. Big mistake. I didn't know it would result in my yearly fill of southern gospel music. I also didn't know that I'd only get to hear 45 seconds of each song before Josh would skip to the next one. (disclaimer: sorry, southern gospel just isn't my style, but I DO appreciate and respect it) The gig went well, considering we hadn't played together in a while. Josh surprised us by going into "Here I Am to Worship" off the cuff. Good thing we know it! The jazz musician in me loves the "flying by the seat of our pants" parts of our shows. On the way back, Josh & me put Kelly to sleep by going into deep, theological discussions about churches and more. It was great. The best part was, I didn't have to listen to any southern gospel! We look forward to going back sometime and playing there again. Adios...

A Little Different Today

This week’s devotion is a little different from the norm. This should possibly just go on the message board but this is something that has been on my heart a while and I had a discussion with a friend on this topic just the other night. There is way too much stuff to put into a couple of paragraphs so this is honestly a horrible attempt to address these things. But anyway, here it is. What affects have “tradition” had on the body of Christ? Now, when I say tradition, I’m not talking about singing hymns or not having a praise band. Jesus tells us that we must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). So it is not a matter of style or taste of music. In fact, those who “must have” one or the other in order to engage in worship seemed to have missed the point completely. And may need to take a look at Matthew 5:17-20 to see where their heart rests. When I say “tradition” I mean things that we have always taken for granted; the things that we have never looked into because everybody seems to agree that it is right or it has just always been done this way. I have spent quite a bit of time in the past few weeks studying and learning about church structure and leadership and have come to this conclusion. Biblically structured churches are hard to find. About 5 years ago, I had some pretty stiff issues staring me in the face and in dealing with them I simply relied on what I had been taught or on the beliefs in which I had grown accustomed. I came to find out just how sharp this “double-edged sword” really was. I knew what I had always done and what I always believed, but in my quiet times I was reading some things in the bible that were contradicting my beliefs. So I began to twist these verses and words to conform to my beliefs (this is the reason I referred to the passage in Matthew). But just like the sword that it is, it cut my reason and logic to shreds. My traditions would have me believe things contrary to God’s word. So, I had a choice to make; will the bible be the authority on which I believe or will I trust in my traditions. Hang on, my point is coming. This mindset changes things. I don’t just believe something because my pastor says it, I read it in a book, or a friend feels strongly in a certain direction. We must do as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). The bible does not always directly address an issue, but never the less; it is to be the only belief system of the church. Back to the original question; what affects have tradition had on the body of Christ? Have we missed something because of our traditions? Here are some questions to think about. I would love to have your thoughts or comments. Please let me know what you think. Nothing will be replied to negatively. First let me just say that Christ is the head of the church and the bible is totally infallible. Now we can view these questions. Should churches be elder led or led by the congregation? Is there a difference between pastors and elders (overseers)? Who should have the final say in spiritual matters of the church? What is the role of the Deacon? Is it a biblical requirement for churches to meet once a week? Are small group meetings biblical? Can a woman pastor a church and be biblical? These are all church structure questions. Here are a few doctrinal questions. Does man have a free-from-god will? Can you lose your salvation? What is the importance of Jesus’ blood? Did Christ descend into hell and what did he do there if he did? Did Christ come to save all or some? Is the future predetermined? What does “election” mean? Does the “gift” in Ephesians 2:8 refer to faith, grace, salvation, or all three or any combination of two? Many of us know what we believe, we just don’t know why? This is the aim of this morning’s devotional. To get you to examine why you believe what you believe. This is a lot to think about at one time and way too much to discuss or answer on this short devotion page. But the awesome thing is that you have all the answers if you will just open up the bible and search for them. Never once, did any of the apostles say believe without a reason. In fact we are to be ready to give an account for the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15). May I remind you that the bible was written to ordinary folks just like you and me. Some things may be hard to grasp or may require a lot of study, but who said deep truths are found in shallow water. Be good Bereans. Don’t just take my word for it. Look it up. What you find may surprise you! Put your traditions to the test and see if they pass or fail. Pray for the lord to open your heart to His truth and leave your preconceived notions behind. It is an amazing thing to read scripture with this attitude. It will shake the very foundations of your life. Josh Martin

Everlasting Father

Everlasting Father Our finite minds cannot comprehend the word everlasting. We live in a world where everything comes to an end. Days, minutes, roads, paychecks, mortal life, careers, seasons, chores, and the list could go on for days but even this list would eventually come to an end. Words like everlasting and forever are words that have a simple meaning (never ending) but a complex working out. None of us can fathom forever. There many places in the bible that mention forever and everlasting but they always refer to the work and presence of God. No mortal man will do anything forever. All mortals die. But those who have trusted in Christ for salvation will be able to experience forever. God made an everlasting covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:16). Nebuchadnezzar declared that the kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom (Dan. 4:3). Isaiah prophesied of the coming of the Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). These are all declarations of how great our God is and the fact that He alone can fulfill each of these is a credit to His glory. Even God’s steadfast love will endure forever (Psalm 100:5). His will abides forever (1 John 2:17). His word remains forever (1 Peter 1:25). What I am trying to say is that our God is incredible! God is wholly perfect and completely holy. That will never change because he never changes (Hebrews 13:8). Only God can fulfill his everlasting promises. It is such a comfort to know that our loving Father is an everlasting father. He will never come to an end. He created everything and will see to it that His will is fulfilled in everything. Nothing will ever disrupt or frustrate His everlasting plans. They are as good as done. This is the truth that we must fall on in times of pain and hopelessness. God is everlasting and will always fulfill all that he intends to fulfill. His word is as steadfast as his love. His ultimate will is a sure thing. He alone is the everlasting one. Those who have trusted Christ as savior will endure forever. We have nothing stable without him. Our heart and flesh may fail but God is the strength of our heart and our portion forever (Psalm 73:25,26). Everlasting is an unfathomable truth. Praise the lord of eternal things!