Went to a Third Day concert last night....

OK, let me say this up front... this is not a thread about Christian rock. I realize some may post their thoughts about the genre on here, thats their right.

But this is about God breaking thru my crusty heart last evening.

For my birthday my sweet wife gave me two tickets to see Third Day at the Asheville Civic Center, and the concert was last night. This band came out a year or two after I got saved, so they were basically the first Christian band I was exposed to after I dumped all of the secular music. I've always been a huge "fan". Never seen them live before.

Lately I've been really burdened down by everything that is going on in the world today. The economy is [b]really[/b] effecting my business, and I'm very concerned about the future of my family. So needless to say... I walked into the Civic Center last night with a fake smile, my wife on my arm. While the "warm up" act was on stage (Branden Heath) my mind was a million miles away.

My wife leaned over and said something about "Hey... you need to ask the Lord to speak to your heart tonight." So I got up and walked the halls a little bit, since I didnt really know who this guy on stage was anyway... and I spent that time in prayer asking God to lift this burden of worry off of me, and reveal Himself to me in a fresh way.

So... there's an intermission while the stage is set up for Third Day. Saw some friends hanging out, talked to them a bit.

Then Third Day comes on. First 20 minutes or so were rockin'... lights, smoke etc. Typical stuff. But once things settled down a little bit the real ministry started, and I have to say that every word that came out of Mac Powell's (lead singer) mouth was directed by God right to my heart.

He spoke about people coming to the show with heavy hearts and worries... and how scripture says we are to worry about nothing. Every time he spoke it was about faith and hope, not in the world, but in Christ. In a God who is bigger than any problem we might could face in this life.

God just broke my heart. The real focus of the evening was on Jesus, and how we tend to think of Him in terms of who was in scripture... the things He did in scripture... the people He touched and healed in scripture. But we miss the fact that He is alive [b]today[/b], and we need to think of Him in terms of what He is doing TODAY. He is closer than a brother, and that nothing can seperate us from His love.

How I needed to hear all of that again because I've lost that focus. I've had my eyes on the here and now, focused on ME providing, and not on God providing.

There were 4 songs they did that just made me cry... and I don't cry. It made my wife cry when she looked over and saw me crying. Kinda glad none of y'all were there to see it.

The songs were... "Thief" (about the thief on the cross... which God revealed to me is what I am), "Cry Out To Jesus" (a song about hope in the midst of trouble), "Revelation" (a song about asking God to reveal Himself and His plan because we are lost without Him), and "Love Song" (which is about the depths of God's love for me, and how we can not even fathom it)

I wont post the lyrics here, y'all can google them easy enough.

Let me just say tho that God reached down and touched me in a way I havent been touched in a long long time. It was almost like coming home again. Hard to explain.

The concert ended with an encore, and the last song was a worship song... the instruments stopped everyone was singing acapella "Worthy is the Lamb... You are holy... holy... are You Lord God, Almighty...". The lights went down and thats all you heard... thousands of voices singing those words... and when the house lights came up... the band was gone. Kinda cool cuz they ended by taking the focus off of them, and onto the Lord.

Suffice it to say, for a guy who sometimes comes off as gruff and crusty... I cried last night for the first time in a long time. It wasn't the music or the crowd... it was God answering my prayer to reveal Himself to me in a fresh way. And He did! We left there last night feeling so encouraged in our walk, encouraged in our faith.

All I can say folks is this... the economy is bad. People are hurting. It may well get much worse before it gets better, if it ever gets better. But this much I know... God loves us each of us. Nothing can seperate us from His love. And when we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing His praise then when we first begun!

Hellelujah.

Krispy

Right on, TJ.

One thing Mac Powell said last night was that atheism seems to be on the rise today, and the old saying that "Christianity is a crutch" is becoming popular again. Christianity is for people who are not strong enough to get thru life on their own.

He said "Ya know what? They're right. But I don't need a crutch... I need 4 ambulances, a stretcher and a great big hospital building!"

Amen to that... I know exactly how he feels.

Krispy

Thanks for sharing that Krispy.

I apologize for using this as a launch for my situation brother.

Apologize? Are you kidding? Don't apologize! This is what I had hoped would happen with this thread. I want this to be a conversation where we encourage one another. If we have a story of hope to share... share it. If we need hope... receive it. Know what I mean?

Brother, even if your marriage should stay in the state it is in until you are with the Lord... stay faithful. Stay hopeful. If nothing else, your reward from the Lord will be worth it. And really, is there anything else?

As I get older I am discovering just how quickly this life slips by. When I was 20 I felt like I could never die... I felt invincible. Now I'm 41 and I've had two surgeries this year... a shoulder repair and a kidney stone removal. My body is starting to show the mileage I've put on it. (Also feeling my age because I thought the concert was too loud...! lol! This coming from a guy who back in the day went to concerts by AC/DC, Motley Crue and Van Halen!)

Dont feel so invincible anymore. But ya know what? To die is gain! I've lost a number of close Christian friends over the last couple of years, mainly to cancer. Ya know what? None of them would come back here given the choice.

I think we get to heaven we will look back on this life and wonder why in the world we held onto this life like we do.

Nothing can separate us from our Lord.

Krispy

Alan, consider yourself prayed for on a daily basis brother. You're on my list. I appreciate your prayers too.

You're right, all is not always OK with me all the time. I'm usually very optimistic and the "life of the party" kinda personality... but we all struggle. And if I'm showing it, then you know it's a burden on me.

I'm not struggling so much with "oh man, the economy is really hitting me"... I'm struggling with just turning it all over the Lord and obeying scripture by worrying about [b]nothing[/b]. I know I should do that, but it don't come easy.

Lack of faith I think is the proper term. But where do you get the faith? Know what I mean? But last night the words "Nothing can seperate us from His love" really penetrated my heart. No matter what happens to us in this life... soon we'll all be home with the Father and His Son, Jesus.

This life is merely a prelude to the [b]real[/b] life to come. Heaven is [b]NOT[/b] the "after life"... it [b]IS[/b] life! What we're experiencing right now in this world should be termed the "before life"!

Krispy

Krispy..... good to hear your testimony brother. I think we men fret a lot about provision as the head of the household (not that it's not a legitimate issue, but a magnified worry)and can forget that the head of us is still the means for our provision. I always go back to the Scripture when Christ was talking about seeking the Kingdom of God first and His provision will be added unto you. This scripture helps but it's still easy to slip back into the circumstances that keep splapping us in the face. There's a persistent vigilance that is required to not lose hope. We're all in this economy together, albeit to different degrees, but God's the same and we need to pray for eachother. My prayers are going out to you and your family for His richness of spirit and sustaining provision. God Bless.

Hey...what happened to the Krispy that I left before going to Greenock? Whatever happened, I like it :)God bless you brother and all those who are hurting. It is time for the Lord to penetrate the hard hearts, and whatever it takes, thats good enough............Frank

Krispy wrote:

Lately I've been really burdened down by everything that is going on in the world today. The economy is really effecting my business, and I'm very concerned about the future of my family. So needless to say... I walked into the Civic Centre last night with a fake smile, my wife on my arm. While the "warm up" act was on stage...my mind was a million miles away.

Wading through hundreds of threads with so much philosophical reasonings, it's refreshing to come across reality. All of us are being affected by all this disturbance in this world. I have felt for sometime now that the LORD will look after us in ways that we never thought possible, if we trust and obey what He is speaking to us today.

When I was reading your post, I know that many of us are very much like you. We all need a fresh touch, a true word from the LORD, a sure word that will settle our hearts and calm our minds, for the days are evil.

Again, thank you for being real and opening your heart up to us, sometimes that takes courage to expose yourself like that, but I am glad you did.

I am glad you enjoyed the concert, and I am also glad that God is not offended to show Himself where "we" think He wouldn't go.

God Bless you brother.

DeepThinker, thanx bro... good word.

Appolus... Refocussed, brother, that's all. lol...

Krispy

Praise God for refocussing, may we all be refocussed continually............Frank