Sing Unto the Lord

I went to Mike McCarthy’s album launch last night at Lizottes. It was a packed out room full of punters being forced to buy food. Mike was supported by Isaac De Heer
Isaac was pretty good. He used some unreal instrumentation and voicings to create a powerful soundscape that was authentic and beautiful.
Mike’s set was unreal. I’ve seen Mike play a bunch of times, but never like this. His new songs are really different to anything he’s done before. Particular favorites were ‘2 bent frames and a Holy Cross’ and ‘Small remedy’ – simple and profound.
One of the members of Mike’s band was a young girl named Coral Latella. I’d seen Coral already that day at a year 12 graduation. I had noticed her voice but was surprised to see her play with Mike that night. She was fantastic. I bet we’ll hear a lot more from her in the future.
I’m stoked that Mike has heard her around the traps and has just given her an opportunity. Made me keen to think through how our band is going in seeking out gifted young musos.
Mike’s new album is called ‘The Harrowing Tale of John William Tate’. It tells the story of a young man who leaves his farm and family to chase his dreams of sailing the pacific. Worth checking out.

This is my first post from the embedded blog editor. It’s pretty cool.
There’s heaps of mad features with Flock. Its like all integrated and blue.
A little crowded on my screen but I’ll clean up the stuff I don’t use.

If we love a person, we like to read about him. What intense pleasure a leter from an absent husband gives to a wife, or a letter from an absent son to his mother. Others may see little worth notice in the letter. They can scarcely take the trouble to read it through. But those who love the writer see something in the letter which no one else can. They carry it about with them as a treasure. They read it over and over again.

Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian delights to read the Scriptures, because they tell him about his beloved Saviour. It is no wearisome task with him to read them. He rarely needs reminding to take his Bible with him when he goes on a journey. He cannot be happy without it. And why is all this? It is because the Scriptures testify of Him whom his soul loves, even Christ.

Party on.

If we love a person we like to hear about him. We find a pleasure in listening to those who speak of him. We feel an interest in any report others make of him. We are all attention when others talk about him and describe his ways, his sayings, his doings and plans. Some may hear him mentioned with utter indifference, but our own hearts bound within us at the sound of his name.

Well it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian delights to hear something about his master. He likes those sermons best which are full of Christ. He enjoys that society most in which people talk of the things which are Christ’s. I have read of an old Welsh believer, who used to walk several miles every Sunday to hear an English clergyman preach, even though she did not understand a word of English. She was asked why she did so. She replied, that this clergyman named the name of Christ so often in his sermons, that it did her good. She loved even the name of her Saviour.

If we love a person, we like to think about him. We do not need to be reminded of him. We do not forget his name or his appearance or his character or his opinions or his tastes or his position or his occupation. He comes up before our mind’s eye many a time in the day. Though perhaps far distant, he is often present in our thoughts.

Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! Christ ‘dwells in his heart’, and is thought of more or less every day (Eph 3:17). The true Christian does not need to be reminded that he has a crucified Master. He often thinks of him. He never forgets that He has a day, a cause and a people, and that of His people he is one. Affection is the real secret of a good memory in religion. No worldly man can think much about Christ, unless Christ has pressed his notice, because he has no affection for Him. The true Christian has thoughts about Christ every day he lives, for this one simple reason that he loves Him.

When I was 18 in my first year of uni I bought a book called ‘Holiness’ by JC Ryle. I’d never heard of him or the book before but I was in that age where I gambled money on whims and fancies. As I read the first chapter on Sin (I can remember sitting in front of my parents fireplace at home, wearing a blue t-shirt – must have stuck in my head) I was blown away at the way this guy wrote. He applied scripture like a hot iron. There was no compromise, no getting out of it, no ‘in my context it’s ok to do that…’ He was straight down the line and convicting. I found it refreshing to read someone who was so honest and who didn’t allow me to shrink back from the call of God’s word on my life.

I’ve since read ‘Holiness’ three times as well as reading ‘Practical Religion’, his devotional/expositional commentary on Matthew, and articles on worship, prayer, sickness and warnings to young men. I shared him with many of my brothers. JC Ryle has been dead for over a hundred years now (its coming up to his death anniversary 14th June) and yet I still find him relevant, compelling and helpful.

In the lead up to his ‘death day’ I’m going to post a series of points from ‘Holiness’ on the marks of a Christian who loves Christ. I found it helpful. I hope you do too.

This is the 200th post on Sing Unto the Lord. Woo.

Thought I’d let readers in on a little secret and a bit of an invitation.

June 23rd // Avoca Beach Theatre // Live CD

More info to come…

This video was taken on Easter Sunday at MHC. It’s pretty cool. This is why it would be fun to have a baptismal in our new building!