God and stir-fry…
It is often in random places that I get the most profound thoughts. Last night a friend was asking how to teach the kids at school about the “religion” of Christianity comparatively with other religions, while we were enjoying some delicious stir-fry…
It made me consider what makes Christianity profoundly different to other religions historically. I remember a discussion I had with a Hare Krishna dude once and he very proudly explained that they follow the Vedic scriptures which predate Judaism, i.e. predating Christianity by a long shot. It then dawned on me that looking at Christianity from an outside perspective is always going to go wrong, because God’s plan was always relational and not organisational.
What I mean is that the Hare Krishna chappie was saying that the formal religion of Christianity is very young compared to the Vedic scriptures so he wins the religion race. Yes he does… and God doesn’t care. God’s plan was relational. God wasn’t setting out to prove that he could build a wonderful religion with pretty buildings and clever books. It was always about communing with god-like creatures such as ourselves – humans. Adam and Eve (some debate that this is a made up story to explain a far more complex series of events but the same result is achieved) were created to be companions to God, having regular strolls through the garden to talk in a cloud of glory. Abraham was a friend of God who was used to start an amazing journey with humanity. Jesus existed to fix the mess that Adam and Eve started in order for our relationship with God to be a far greater experience.
So yes, all the religions stemming from the Vedic scriptures win the religion game. They are the oldest. But the whole concept of God’s plan for humanity was and is to build relationship. To converse with his god-like creatures and form a love bond that makes the whole universe worthwhile.
God’s plan for you may involve making money, building things, having a great career etc. But his ultimate plan and goal for you is not organisational, it’s relational. Out of all of it he wants you to know him and for you to affect others to know him intimately.
October 19, 2011 Leave a comment
From mundane to spectacular
It all started out one evening when I went to Church minding my own business, looking for a place to settle. The pastor said, “I hear you sing, we must get you up there on stage.” I was like, “Wow, they must be desperate!” 8 years later I had been involved in producing 2 full length albums and led worship in almost every charismatic church in Cape Town. Little did I know that was just the beginning.
God sent us to the desert. 4 years in Bloemfontein where songwriting slowed down to a trickle and everything I did was difficult and opposed by people who came out of nowhere.
I then got a phonecall after working 5 different jobs in 3 different industries and struggling to make any headway at all with my music, all the while coming to terms that I truly was meant to be a full time worship leader and pastor to a church music and media ministry. The phonecall came about two weeks after my wife and I made peace with that calling and how tough it would be to find a place to thrive since it appeared I wasn’t “fitting in” at our church (it’s amazing how we can let our perspective of reality go off track). The phonecall came after my wife and I decided God was releasing us from Bloemfontein and we wanted to move to Cape Town. I answered the phone and heard, “Adin we want you guys to move to George to be the full-time worship leader there. It will be a paid position.” I put the phone down and two minutes later we had made our decision, we were going to George!
What I want to focus on here is the desert time in Bloemfontein. Only after getting the job did I realize the skills I had developed while supposedly stumbling through my life aimlessly. Something I picked up over those years was drum programming: I program drum loops for every single service we do as a church. And I record all my new songs with very little equipment. And with all my working positions I somehow learnt a bit about my strengths and weaknesses in a very powerful way. I have avoided long term struggles for myself and my leadership by admitting my shortcomings and focussing on my strengths.
The lesson here is this: no matter what you are doing right now, it will all come together as a cosmic school of hard knocks for the plan God has for you. So don’t be afraid to submit to God’s leading in your life and to simply do the mundane to reach the spectacular.
October 13, 2011 Leave a comment
We’re all saved!
October 12, 2011 Leave a comment
Grace is enough.
God said to Paul (Writer of 2 thirds of the New Testament and heavily persecuted for his beliefs) that His grace was enough. (2 Cor 12:9)
Whatever you’re facing, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t beat how downtrodden Paul was.
But what does that mean? “My grace is enough”.
It means my favour, goodness, blessing, mercy, is enough for you. That through your suffering the goodness of God is a good enough measure of goodness in your life to make up for the suffering. And that all your weakness does is prove to the world that God is mighty. And it teaches you that you cannot do anything without God’s power.
Whatever troubles you know this: God is enough for you. His blessing, his kindness, his friendship, his protection, his provision, his favour, is enough. And when the stress is too much understand that your weakness is an opportunity for God to show himself strong.
October 12, 2011 Leave a comment
Modern warriors.
Watching the Springboks briefly today got me thinking: we are at war. Some are more geared to the physical type of warring against an enemy, they’re the sort of people who would have been warriors or gladiators in the ancient times, guys like Pierre Spies and John Smit. You also get guys like me, who would probably have been a philosopher and poet. But all of us are at war.
When you lay your life at the mercy of your calling, you will see opposition. I’m not being negative, I am facing facts. Those that risk all for a cause are ridiculed, judged, tested, sued and even hated for their efforts. It’s the bi-product of being effective – unpopularity (not sure that’s a word).
The key is not to fear that there will be opposition, because the other side of it is financial and reputable success (i.e. there will be others who respect you). I mean, what’s the point of living if you can’t do something meaningful and fulfilling?
Couple that with a belief in a God who is all powerful and your future is limitless…
September 30, 2011 Leave a comment
We will keep running – new song [rough recording]
Here’s a song I wrote last week which I played as an item during the offering at church this Sunday. It seemed to go quite well with the congregation so I thought I would pop it on my blog as a little sneak preview before I record it properly.
We will keep running by adinwalls
September 26, 2011 Leave a comment
We will keep running – new song lyrics
My church is basically one big revival sweeping across South Africa and the world. Lately our Pastor has been speaking about the whole point of what we do as believers. This song is all about that.
VERSE 1
CAN YOU FEEL IT? REVIVAL TIME IS HERE!
ITS ELECTRIC, THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE AIR
CAN YOU HEAR IT? ANGEL CHOIRS ARE SINGING ALONG
AS THE WORLD AROUND US FINDS THEIR KING
CHORUS
WE WILL KEEP RUNNING TILL WE HEAR
YOU HAVE DONE WELL MY FAITHFUL ONES
LET EVERYTHING THAT HEARS US BOWN DOWN AND SAY
JESUS IS THE LORD
VERSE 2
THERE IS POWER BEYOND OUR WILDEST DREAM
COMING CLOSER, AS WE WAIT ON HIS LOVE
WE WILL CONQUER, THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD
AS WE DECLARE OUR FAITH IN ONE WHO SAVES
BRIDGE
BORN INTO SIN
REBORN OF THE SPIRIT
THERE’S NEW NATION RISING ON THE EARTH
POWER TO US
WHO WAIT ON THE LORD
THE WORLD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN
September 22, 2011 Leave a comment
Good and strong – video songblog
This song means a lot to me because I wrote it during a very critical time in my life when my parents got divorced. It’s a proclamation of faith stating that I WILL praise God, even in the storm.
September 21, 2011 Leave a comment
