The challenge of seeing a childhood hero self-destruct is causing me to reflect on pain and suffering. What better place to start than Jesus and Job?
There's no perspective quite like the perfectly innocent and once beautiful boy hanging broken and shredded on a cross, pinned by His love for His creation like a bug cruelly stuck to the Jr. High student's foam board for display. He's labeled, but even when the label is true it is intended to mock and use Him for political gain. Truly, nothing in my life compares to this torture.
Then there's Job. Job, no doubt, feels stuck to the board and wrongly labeled by his remaining family, friends, and society at large. Even God has, in Job's mind, mislabeled him.
The thing that gets me is that Job, especially around the middle to end of chapter 9, is hoping beyond hope for reconciliation. The way he speaks about how that could happen and what it would be like reminds me of Jesus' words "all the prophets and the Law speak concerning me."
So, feeling down? Jesus and Job give some great perspective to pain and suffering. Feeling mislabeled? Who hasn't? Wondering how it can get better? Look to Jesus and Job. Ultimately, their answer is ours.
24 February 2010
21 February 2010
Time
That song, "If I could have time in a bottle..." I remember going to a the hospital with my dad and hearing him talk with a doctor. That song was playing on the radio in the lounge and dad said to the doctor something along the lines of, "that would be the best selling drink of all time."
Time does keep on ticking, ticking, ticking. It seems like each day is shorter than the last one and we're already heading into another March before the smell of the douglas-fir has worn off.
Here's my theory (and why I'm feeling the need to press ahead with pursuing dreams and goals despite doubts and fears): since we are temporal beings, all we can do is observe our experiences through the relativity of the length of our stay on this planet to date. For me, that stay is nearing 38 years. When I was 2 years old, one year equaled 1/2 of my knowable experience (and so it seemed like a reeeeaaaallllyyyyy long time between Christmases). Today, that same year is simply 1/38th of my knowable experience. Add to this the complexity of an expanding universe and I'm not sure what's going on...
Which is no surprise to me... Only God can grasp the enormous prank on humanly divined wisdom that is the nature and confusing effect of time. Being made in His image means that time, for us, is like a fish living in air or a bird living underwater - it just doesn't work very long...not that "very long" means much of anything to the eternal nature of God in us.
Oh, to have time in a bottle...which is, I guess where it is - and I'm feeling contained within and waiting for Him to drink it dry so that I can be forever outside these confines. Glorious thought, to reach the ultimate expression of His original intent of my existence.
jkreh
Time does keep on ticking, ticking, ticking. It seems like each day is shorter than the last one and we're already heading into another March before the smell of the douglas-fir has worn off.
Here's my theory (and why I'm feeling the need to press ahead with pursuing dreams and goals despite doubts and fears): since we are temporal beings, all we can do is observe our experiences through the relativity of the length of our stay on this planet to date. For me, that stay is nearing 38 years. When I was 2 years old, one year equaled 1/2 of my knowable experience (and so it seemed like a reeeeaaaallllyyyyy long time between Christmases). Today, that same year is simply 1/38th of my knowable experience. Add to this the complexity of an expanding universe and I'm not sure what's going on...
Which is no surprise to me... Only God can grasp the enormous prank on humanly divined wisdom that is the nature and confusing effect of time. Being made in His image means that time, for us, is like a fish living in air or a bird living underwater - it just doesn't work very long...not that "very long" means much of anything to the eternal nature of God in us.
Oh, to have time in a bottle...which is, I guess where it is - and I'm feeling contained within and waiting for Him to drink it dry so that I can be forever outside these confines. Glorious thought, to reach the ultimate expression of His original intent of my existence.
jkreh
16 December 2009
It's The Final Countdown
Cue 80's "hair band" music, folks. Today at 1:30 pm, if the Lord wills, I will go behind closed doors for the Master of Ministry exit interview armed with the rough-mixed "least" album. My reviewers will mentally scourge and flog me for up to 2 hours. Afterwards, I'll know whether or not to bother going by and picking up my cap and gown for Saturday's graduation ceremony (10 am 19 December 2009 in the Benson Auditorium on the Searcy, Arkansas Harding University campus - no cover charge...).
"least" is a tribute to work of Jesus of Nazareth in and through my life as a living, breathing "word" of God. "Under the Sun" sets the tone of duality by being a really fun reggae tune with a serious, dark, and brooding message about universal oppression in the world.
The next two songs on the album explore the roots of exodus by our postmodern friends from anything religious. "Sum Nothing Again" is the philosophical weirdness I went through a few years back. I think others, sadly, will relate to the hopelessness therein. "Porter" is what I saw growing up in a small, Southern, Christian, post-Vietnam War town. Fallen leaders, be they murderous physicians or racist religious and educational experts, are the porters at the doors to the gospel.
"Ishmael" generates awareness about the roots of our current global conflict between radical Islam and anyone who does not bow the knee to Allah. Jesus died so that all of His creation can be redeemed from hate and strife. My good friend, Tim, asked me upon first hearing this song, "are you trying to get yourself killed?" No, but it the gospel call is for all - including our Islamic friends.
While delivering a series of lessons on leadership to inmates at the Varner maximum security unit, one of the men brought up the thought of the power of forgiveness. That God has given us both the example of His forgiveness of our actions against His will and empowered us to extend that forgiveness, through the power of the gospel, is an amazing responsibility. Forgiveness is lived out in our daily lives when we hurt those around us and empower them to forgive us by seeking reconciliation. It is also expressed in our extreme privilege to look into the eyes of another soul and say, as Christ says, "of course I forgive you!"
The first step to receiving forgiveness is to admit that there is a problem. "To Any Looking In" is my humbly inadequate attempt to flesh out the problem of hypocrisy in the Christian world. This song was written at an extremely spiritually-deficient time in my life (and it shows in the critical nature of the lyrics). Again, I am saddened by the fact that many already have identified with these lyrics.
However, we can press on to the more yearning faith spoken of in "I See You". My life is a constant struggle between what Paul describes as a war between the Spirit and the Flesh. Like Peter, sometimes I find it easier to identify with those who are not living the Christian faith to the fullest. But friends like Paul keep me focused on denying myself and proclaiming Christ. Friends, I really can't wait until I get to see Jesus face to face.
"Anymore" is my personal statement against the consumer-driven, materially focused mindset that exists in Western culture. So much of my life has been chasing worthless goals and dreams - things that are self-serving and will not survive the trial by fire we will all endure. The problem with me is that I'm blind to what I'm blind to. "Lift the Veil" is a plea for God to remove the blindness of whatever "-ism" is standing between us spiritually.
When we see the world as Christ sees the world we will experience a constant burden for the spiritually blind in our time. This blindness is reinforced both by poverty and affluence, ignorance and education, slavery and freedom, and so much more. Seeing clearly allows us to walk with Christ, like a bride with her strong and perfect groom, through the streets of our past relationships and flawed decisions. "Dearly Beloved and I" is my take on friendship evangelism.
Ultimately, there is nothing more profound that has ever happened than Immanuel, "God is with us." When Jesus left His eternal home to make His habitation among us, at the very moment of conception within the womb of sweet, innocent Mary, He placed Himself on death-row. For His last meal, when He could have had anything at all, He choose fellowship over bread and wine. He has called each of us to be like Him, bread that gives comfort in fellowship and the wine of a sacrificial life. It is the least that we can do to share His message, by whatever talents or skills, words or deeds, gains or losses He blesses us to endure.
I sincerely hope that these songs will make sense as a grouping of thoughts. I pray God's blessings on hearers of this simple attempt to express a life of gratitude and service to His Kingdom. Please feel free to be as critical or praising as you desire. The latest versions will be uploaded to www.reverbnation.com/jeffkreh before graduation regardless of the today's exit interview.
"least" is a tribute to work of Jesus of Nazareth in and through my life as a living, breathing "word" of God. "Under the Sun" sets the tone of duality by being a really fun reggae tune with a serious, dark, and brooding message about universal oppression in the world.
The next two songs on the album explore the roots of exodus by our postmodern friends from anything religious. "Sum Nothing Again" is the philosophical weirdness I went through a few years back. I think others, sadly, will relate to the hopelessness therein. "Porter" is what I saw growing up in a small, Southern, Christian, post-Vietnam War town. Fallen leaders, be they murderous physicians or racist religious and educational experts, are the porters at the doors to the gospel.
"Ishmael" generates awareness about the roots of our current global conflict between radical Islam and anyone who does not bow the knee to Allah. Jesus died so that all of His creation can be redeemed from hate and strife. My good friend, Tim, asked me upon first hearing this song, "are you trying to get yourself killed?" No, but it the gospel call is for all - including our Islamic friends.
While delivering a series of lessons on leadership to inmates at the Varner maximum security unit, one of the men brought up the thought of the power of forgiveness. That God has given us both the example of His forgiveness of our actions against His will and empowered us to extend that forgiveness, through the power of the gospel, is an amazing responsibility. Forgiveness is lived out in our daily lives when we hurt those around us and empower them to forgive us by seeking reconciliation. It is also expressed in our extreme privilege to look into the eyes of another soul and say, as Christ says, "of course I forgive you!"
The first step to receiving forgiveness is to admit that there is a problem. "To Any Looking In" is my humbly inadequate attempt to flesh out the problem of hypocrisy in the Christian world. This song was written at an extremely spiritually-deficient time in my life (and it shows in the critical nature of the lyrics). Again, I am saddened by the fact that many already have identified with these lyrics.
However, we can press on to the more yearning faith spoken of in "I See You". My life is a constant struggle between what Paul describes as a war between the Spirit and the Flesh. Like Peter, sometimes I find it easier to identify with those who are not living the Christian faith to the fullest. But friends like Paul keep me focused on denying myself and proclaiming Christ. Friends, I really can't wait until I get to see Jesus face to face.
"Anymore" is my personal statement against the consumer-driven, materially focused mindset that exists in Western culture. So much of my life has been chasing worthless goals and dreams - things that are self-serving and will not survive the trial by fire we will all endure. The problem with me is that I'm blind to what I'm blind to. "Lift the Veil" is a plea for God to remove the blindness of whatever "-ism" is standing between us spiritually.
When we see the world as Christ sees the world we will experience a constant burden for the spiritually blind in our time. This blindness is reinforced both by poverty and affluence, ignorance and education, slavery and freedom, and so much more. Seeing clearly allows us to walk with Christ, like a bride with her strong and perfect groom, through the streets of our past relationships and flawed decisions. "Dearly Beloved and I" is my take on friendship evangelism.
Ultimately, there is nothing more profound that has ever happened than Immanuel, "God is with us." When Jesus left His eternal home to make His habitation among us, at the very moment of conception within the womb of sweet, innocent Mary, He placed Himself on death-row. For His last meal, when He could have had anything at all, He choose fellowship over bread and wine. He has called each of us to be like Him, bread that gives comfort in fellowship and the wine of a sacrificial life. It is the least that we can do to share His message, by whatever talents or skills, words or deeds, gains or losses He blesses us to endure.
I sincerely hope that these songs will make sense as a grouping of thoughts. I pray God's blessings on hearers of this simple attempt to express a life of gratitude and service to His Kingdom. Please feel free to be as critical or praising as you desire. The latest versions will be uploaded to www.reverbnation.com/jeffkreh before graduation regardless of the today's exit interview.
27 November 2009
Nearing Completion
The Master of Ministry program is, if the Lord wills, going to be competed within the next few weeks. This project, however, is a thing which once begun cannot be completed. The album is nearing a point of release, true. But the ongoing effects of the album and project are not as easily calculated toward a completion.
It is my hope that the album will move into the final stages of post-production over the next two weeks so that I can offer downloads and CDs before Christmas 2009. In the meantime, I am impressed by the interest of others in the songs and message. This interest has prompted me to explore ways to continue producing songs that promote positive values. Some of these songs are more "Christian" than others at first glance, but all share the common core of being produced from a Christian worldview.
Please bear with me as I near completion of the goal of finishing the MMin program and the role of this album project within that program. If you are able and willing, I'd love you to share what is available at reverbnation.com/jeffkreh with others. Every time someone listens the songs move up in the online charts. This improvement in the charts exposes others to the songs, which multiplies the reach of the songs and my Christian influence.
My desire is that God be glorified in all of this. I have fallen prey to the allure of fame in my pre-Christian days. So I recognize both the tactics of the enemy and my susceptibility to this temptation. However, my former self lacked love for God and the power of His Spirit to withstand these challenges. My commitment is to use whatever He places within my care to His glory. This includes my marriage, my relationship with my son, my extended family and church relationships, general talents of life and breath, specific talents of intellect and creativity, social influence and whatever else.
If you can join with me in promoting these talents to His glory, great. If not, that's fine, too. In any event, I hope you have been blessed by these songs and however Christ is working in and through me. Thank you for listening and having my best interest in your heart as I seek to serve the Lord more and more through my entire being.
It is my hope that the album will move into the final stages of post-production over the next two weeks so that I can offer downloads and CDs before Christmas 2009. In the meantime, I am impressed by the interest of others in the songs and message. This interest has prompted me to explore ways to continue producing songs that promote positive values. Some of these songs are more "Christian" than others at first glance, but all share the common core of being produced from a Christian worldview.
Please bear with me as I near completion of the goal of finishing the MMin program and the role of this album project within that program. If you are able and willing, I'd love you to share what is available at reverbnation.com/jeffkreh with others. Every time someone listens the songs move up in the online charts. This improvement in the charts exposes others to the songs, which multiplies the reach of the songs and my Christian influence.
My desire is that God be glorified in all of this. I have fallen prey to the allure of fame in my pre-Christian days. So I recognize both the tactics of the enemy and my susceptibility to this temptation. However, my former self lacked love for God and the power of His Spirit to withstand these challenges. My commitment is to use whatever He places within my care to His glory. This includes my marriage, my relationship with my son, my extended family and church relationships, general talents of life and breath, specific talents of intellect and creativity, social influence and whatever else.
If you can join with me in promoting these talents to His glory, great. If not, that's fine, too. In any event, I hope you have been blessed by these songs and however Christ is working in and through me. Thank you for listening and having my best interest in your heart as I seek to serve the Lord more and more through my entire being.
04 November 2009
Remote Control Upload
I uploaded this song to www.reverbnation.com/jeffkreh late last month and immediate received a "where are the horns??" message from my good friend Jeff Henig. The refreshed version (which also sports massaged vocals that are a bit more pleasing to the ear concerned with pitch) is uploaded and ready for your comments. Just head over to reverbnation and take a listen to the first track, "Remote Control"
The song uses a dual metaphor to explore the emptiness of treating God, through selfish prayers, like a simple remote control. Those who wish to delve into the secondary metaphor of living in a representative system of government where the voice of the people is being lost can make additional connections between the "remote control" metaphor and prayer...
Enjoy!
The song uses a dual metaphor to explore the emptiness of treating God, through selfish prayers, like a simple remote control. Those who wish to delve into the secondary metaphor of living in a representative system of government where the voice of the people is being lost can make additional connections between the "remote control" metaphor and prayer...
Enjoy!
Focus Group Update
The MCA focus group was incredible. First, these high-school students are operating at a graduate level in many respects. It was humbling to hear their take on "To Any Looking In" and "Anymore" during our time together. Most of the comments were along the lines of agreement. The underlying truth in these songs seems to resonate - which prompted one student to confess her challenge with materialism and need for greater faith in Christ.
The students also noted the impracticalities in today's world of having "focus groups" for listening/thinking about much of anything outside of an academic or "church" setting. However, they were quick to point out that lyrics, especially when "pemcoated" by appealing music (like the fertilizer surround the "perfect patch" grass seed), sinks into the subconscious of the listener and takes root. This is seen in the common use of lyric snippets or song titles in facebook posts and daily language (like Jesus saying, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" from Psalm 22). So, the art of music, in the hands of a Christian, can have a powerful effect on the thoughts, considerations, and actions of even the most casual listener.
One final insight the students offered is that the job of the artist is to produce art. This sounds kind of simplistic at first, but is pretty profound. Artists, in the purest sense, are not concerned with anything so much as creating art - the purer the better. When I asked about relationship with artists the students were, for the first time, perplexed. "You mean, like, have a relationship with an artist?" I realized then and there that no matter how hard I may try to deeply interact and form relationships with listeners, that my primary concern is to "preach the word."
Casting the seed of the message of Christ is of second priority to pursuing my relationship with Him. Casting the seed helps my relationship with Him and may lead to others pursuing Him. But like my job as an artist is to create and publish art, my job as a Christian is to cast the seed of His Word and be, likewise, cast by Him as a seed of influence into the world.
Please continue to pray for my efforts to be good seed as I seek to lift up the "least" among us as the Greatest.
The students also noted the impracticalities in today's world of having "focus groups" for listening/thinking about much of anything outside of an academic or "church" setting. However, they were quick to point out that lyrics, especially when "pemcoated" by appealing music (like the fertilizer surround the "perfect patch" grass seed), sinks into the subconscious of the listener and takes root. This is seen in the common use of lyric snippets or song titles in facebook posts and daily language (like Jesus saying, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" from Psalm 22). So, the art of music, in the hands of a Christian, can have a powerful effect on the thoughts, considerations, and actions of even the most casual listener.
One final insight the students offered is that the job of the artist is to produce art. This sounds kind of simplistic at first, but is pretty profound. Artists, in the purest sense, are not concerned with anything so much as creating art - the purer the better. When I asked about relationship with artists the students were, for the first time, perplexed. "You mean, like, have a relationship with an artist?" I realized then and there that no matter how hard I may try to deeply interact and form relationships with listeners, that my primary concern is to "preach the word."
Casting the seed of the message of Christ is of second priority to pursuing my relationship with Him. Casting the seed helps my relationship with Him and may lead to others pursuing Him. But like my job as an artist is to create and publish art, my job as a Christian is to cast the seed of His Word and be, likewise, cast by Him as a seed of influence into the world.
Please continue to pray for my efforts to be good seed as I seek to lift up the "least" among us as the Greatest.
19 October 2009
"Focus Groups"
The Capstone Project has to be about more than recording and promoting an album. Ministry is the focus, obviously, of a Master of Ministry program. So, the question becomes, "how do these songs promote ministry?"
One essential component of ministry is that it involved the people of God being willing to be used by Him to impact the lives of others for His purpose. Being used in this way improves the relationship of God with His people, His people with themselves as community, and the community of God with those who remain outside the community.
For these songs to effectively serve as a ministry tool, it is my view that they must lead to some sort of impact that is both personal and relational. To this end, "focus groups" are being formed and conducted which explore the lyrics and probe the potential for conversation. It is in conversations that one heart shares with another and both more clearly see the path to eternal friendship.
The first of these "focus group" sessions is scheduled to take place in a few days out in Midland, Texas. A group of Fine Arts students at Midland Classical Academy and I will be led by their tutor, Cameron Smith, in a discussion of the conversational merits of one of the songs from "least".
However, I am finding that there is an already ongoing "focus group" of sorts taking place in your responses to these songs. I hope to return from the MCA experience equipped with some great questions to guide our conversation. In the meantime, I would LOVE you to review the lyrics and ask me some questions. Please risk being critical.
One essential component of ministry is that it involved the people of God being willing to be used by Him to impact the lives of others for His purpose. Being used in this way improves the relationship of God with His people, His people with themselves as community, and the community of God with those who remain outside the community.
For these songs to effectively serve as a ministry tool, it is my view that they must lead to some sort of impact that is both personal and relational. To this end, "focus groups" are being formed and conducted which explore the lyrics and probe the potential for conversation. It is in conversations that one heart shares with another and both more clearly see the path to eternal friendship.
The first of these "focus group" sessions is scheduled to take place in a few days out in Midland, Texas. A group of Fine Arts students at Midland Classical Academy and I will be led by their tutor, Cameron Smith, in a discussion of the conversational merits of one of the songs from "least".
However, I am finding that there is an already ongoing "focus group" of sorts taking place in your responses to these songs. I hope to return from the MCA experience equipped with some great questions to guide our conversation. In the meantime, I would LOVE you to review the lyrics and ask me some questions. Please risk being critical.
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