Music Monday Bushman Ukulele Contest

Music Monday....... Yeah!!!!! So listen here is what happened.  Somehow I stumbled on to a video from an individual that had made and entry in to a contest to win......... a UKULELE.  Well there has been some discussion around our house about getting a ukulele so I thought..... I wonder what this contest is?   I looked around on you-tube and found out,  it is the Bushman World Ukulele Contest and they do it on an annual basis.  There is something about ukulele music that just makes everything better.  So here are a few of the better entries as chosen by me, not on the merits of if thy won or not.  I thought you might enjoy them and the ingenuity  used to make the video entries.  The good new is..........(if hearing ukulele music is not enough)  that you can enter the contest yourself.   Bushman World Ukulele Contest  the contest runs through December 31st and you can practice one of your favorite songs original or cover and maybe win some cool prizes and a little recognition.  If you do enter please let me know so I can have the pleasure of hearing a bit more ukulele contest..... who knows maybe I will enter....... (prolly not but who knows)  Enjoy


Very creative and well done on this one.



How bout a little blues



very creative and nice use of technology on this one.




So as you can see ukulele is not just for Tiny Tim any more.  Let me know what you think.

Genesis, Creation, Original Sin...... No Room for Compromise

Here is a very good website with a ton of information about creation from a biblical perspective.  It is a site devoted to apologetics on the subject of creation.  I believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God and that starts with Genesis.  There are a lot of Christians that are not sure where they stand on the story of creation as told in Genesis but I would encourage you to spend some time here so that you can can explain what you believe and why you believe it.  Strategy of the Devil

Many people give concessions to the literal meaning of Genesis, as a result they unknowingly leave the door open for a whole myriad of untruths and attacks from those that believe in evolution, darwinism, and any other forms of attack against Christianity.  I could summarize many of the issues here but here is an article that is worth reading that will help you understand just how slippery of a slope denial of the complete accuracy and historical truth of the book of Genesis really is to the entire Christian faith.

Genesis: Bible authors believed it to be history

‘The important thing is that God created, isn’t it?’

by Jonathan Sarfati, CMI–Australia

Ever had someone tell you, ‘You’re missing the whole point! The purpose of Genesis is to teach that God is our Creator. We should not be divisive over the small details. Genesis teaches the theological truth of “Who?” and “Why?” not about the “How?” and “When?”’ Or else they say that the Bible is a book for faith and morality, not history.

An obvious answer is, why should we trust Genesis when it says God created if we can’t trust it on the details? After all, Jesus told Nicodemus, ‘I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?’ (John 3:12). So if Genesis can’t be trusted on an earthly thing, such as Earth’s age, the sequence of creative acts upon it, or the Flood that covered it, then why trust it on a heavenly thing such as who the Creator was? Also, if Genesis 1 were merely meant to tell us that God is creator, then why simply not stop at verse 1, all that’s necessary to state this?

However, the critic has overlooked something even more important—Genesis is written as real history. This is why the rest of the Bible treats the events, people and time sequences as real history, not parables, poetry or allegory. 

Please take the time to read the entire article  Genesis: Bible authors believed it to be history

Here is a cool video on the fall of man. It is called Free Fall
it is available by clicking here --~~> Worship House Media
This is a great resource that I have used in the past. 



What Questions do you have about creation?  Maybe I can help point you in the right direction.

Music Mondays 09/20/2010

The following videos are of Norway born singers.  Kurt Nilsen and Venke Knutson.  I stumbled across Kurt Nilsen on YouTube doing a version of Hallelujah with several other singers.  He really has an incredible voice and a purity of tone that is hard to ignore.  I did a little follow up and came across several songs that he had done and some with Venke Knutson.  The following videos are of Kurt and Venke together and separate.  Venke as a unique voice, little bit of raspyness and airy quality I like them both.  Take a few moments to enjoy some great music by a couple of artist that you most likely have not heard of before.  FYI Kurt does a song with none other than the Great Willie Nelson at the end of this post that is really great.  If you don't like Willie Nelson then I think you might be missing out period.  Willie has done many many songs with many many different artist and they are always great.  Enjoy!

















So what do ya think?  Thumbs up or down, you tell me.

The Gospel

I have been thinking about what is most important in the church.  With all the things that we do, under our own power, and not the power and direction of God.  I feel compelled to look back at what our call is to be and that is to share the Gospel.  We have done everything in our power to make church about connections with others, growing our relationship with others in the church, and serving ourselves.  I think we should be more concerned about serving others, those around us, as well as outside of church.  Connecting the lost with Christ through the Gospel, and growing in our knowledge and preparedness to disciple.

We have given worldly definitions and ideals to the things that we do.  It is off track and it will continue to manifest itself in chaos and poor harvest.  I want to put a short excerpt from Spurgeon below.  I think what he says here is the first bad seed that begins to infect the church and when we remove this weed from our presence it will start us in the right direction.

Quick to Criticize

 We shall, as we ripen in grace, have greater sweetness towards our fellow Christians. Bitter-spirited Christians may know a great deal, but they are immature. Those who are quick to censure may be very acute in judgment, but they are as yet very immature in heart. He who grows in grace remembers that he is but dust, and he therefore does not expect his fellow Christians to be anything more; he overlooks ten thousand of their faults, because he knows his God overlooks twenty thousand in his own case. He does not expect perfection in the creature, and, therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it. As he has sometimes to say of himself, ““This is my infirmity,”” so he often says of his brethren, ““This is their infirmity;”” and he does not judge them as he once did.

I know we who are young beginners in grace think ourselves qualified to reform the whole Christian church. We drag her before us, and condemn her straightway; but when our virtues become more mature, I trust we shall not be more tolerant of evil, but we shall be more tolerant of infirmity, more hopeful for the people of God, and certainly less arrogant in our criticisms.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Ripe Fruit," delivered August 14, 1870. 

The following are a couple of blogs that I follow that happen to post on the topics of the importance of making the Gospel priority over anything else. 

What is the pressing need in the church today that this book addresses?

I really believe the most pressing need in the church today is to rediscover the gospel. There's a lot of talk about the gospel these days but there's also a lot of evidence showing that we're still not getting it. If the gospel is ever going to reach people outside the church and change people inside the church, it's going to have to be distinguished from moralism because moralism is what most people inside and outside the church think Christianity is all about. Many people reject Christianity because the church has given them the impression that it's all about rules, standards, good behavior, and cleaning yourself up. Moralism assumes that we're decent people who need good examples. The gospel assumes that we're mangled sinners who need a merciful Savior. The reason moralism is so dangerous is because it inoculates people from the gospel by giving them something of "the real thing"--behavioral change, external conformity, and so on--ensuring that they miss out on the true gospel all together. As I say in Surprised by Grace, the gospel doesn't first make bad people good; it makes dead people live.

blog link here

The Gospel Song was first written for a musical my church put on in 2002 for our 25th anniversary. Drew Jones, who led the production, wanted to musically communicate how over the years the church is always tempted to make primary what is secondary. But it is the gospel that remains constant and preeminent. When secondary issues (relationships, serving, mission, spiritual gifts, evangelism, etc.) are given equal weight, the gospel has the potential of getting obscured, assumed, or lost altogether.

blog link here


I am praying that we all will prioritize The Gospel as the primary focus as believers in Christ.  I am also praying that we will not be Quick To Criticize and that we will stop and pray for wisdom and discernment before we act of our own understanding, perceived power and authority.

Music Monday

Okay we are going to start something new here at Couldu Shouldu Wouldu and I am going to call it...... Music Monday.  Why?  Well because I really like music.  Music of all types and I am going to share some of it with you here. 

I will tell you this, I like the artist and the songs that are being posted.  In many cases I don't know the background of the artist or all of the songs that this particular artist may do.  So this is not a recommendation of character..... past or present.  It is a little glimpse into what I think is good music and a few artists that you may never have been exposed to.  Take a listen, I think you will find something you like.  I am going to post Music Monday from time to time just to share what I like to hear.  So here is the first post tell me what you think.

I came across this song last week and really connected with it right from the beginning.  It is well done and great lyrics.  I never heard of this particular artist before now, but I like it...... :-)

Never Gonna Stand for This Teachenor Clark



I have been listening to this young ladies covers for a while.  Great voice and she plays well you can check out some of her other songs if you choose most all of them are good.

Ana Free Sings Elton John



I have always enjoyed this song, and I have been watching this young man for a while also.  I have no idea how old this fellow is but I don't think he is over 18 which makes it even better.  The talent that goes into singing and playing the song, and the ability to record, master and edit the song as well as sync it with video is talent in and of itself.  To be young and be able to put all of these pieces together.... that is where it is going..... self producing and marketing.  Take a listen.

Michael Schulte Sings Hallelujah





Well let me know what you think.  Good, bad, like, dislike.  I would love to hear from you.

Things That Will Make You Say Hmmmmmmm 09/07/10

About a week ago I blogged with the same title as listed above.  I have decided to make it a series that will be posted from time to time with things that I come across that in my opinion should make all of us think a bit.  So here ya go........ the second instalment of Things that Will Make you Say Hmmmmmmm.

If someone were to interview Satan about the church it probably would sound a lot like this.  Take a look tell me what you think.






Here is a Sarah Groves video, I can't quite put my finger on it but it is a little unsettling.  Maybe you can give me a little insight.







Some fine men and woman of the United States military get the opportunity to surprise their loved ones.  This is a tear jerker.  We should be thankful for their commitment and the sacrifice that they and their families make on a daily basis.






Make no mistake the video below is a prime example of why our military personnel are fighting.  Remember it seems like a land far away and maybe we should not be there, but if we don't address it there as you will see in this video they are looking for every way to bring it to us. 



So let me know what you think about any or all the videos in this edition, I would love to hear your thoughts.

The Dynamics of Worship

Wow is how I want to start this book review.    Wow!  I just got done reading The Dynamics of Worship by James P. Gills.  I will give you a link to it a bit later on if you are interested in reading it.  This book has been around a while but it is full of valuable information and insight.  I will give you a little of the things that spoke to me personally.  A lot of it was a bit hard to swallow, mainly because this book forced me to reflect on what it truly means to worship.  I know I have heard others say some of these things before but it seems as if we just don't get them. Gills does a relatively good job in my opinion of breaking down the specifics of what worship is, what it should look like, where we should be as Christians in order to worship.  He explains these things with several specific terms and how they relate to our personal relationship with God.

Gills states early in the book "The void within us is spiritual.  Yet, how often do we look to other areas of life in hope of finding the answer to or malaise?"  I thought that statement was particularly indicative of how nearly all of us go about our lives from day to day.  We long for something, many of us know that it is a close relationship with God yet we fill our lives with all shorts of things that we try to fill the void with.  I don't feel like I need to go through a list of things here..... I am sure you all get it...... suffice it to say if you get more excited about anything.... ANYTHING!.... than you do about God there is a really good possibility that you have an idol before you and you are expending your energies worshiping that thing instead of expending your energies in improving your relationship with and worshiping God. 

Gills goes on to say the following "You understand why religion was invented.  It was to keep God at a safe distance.  I used to believe that all the religions of the world were men reaching out for God.  It isn't.  All the religions of the world are there to keep God at a safe distance.  You see, man knows there's a God, but he's scared spitless of Him, so he's got to keep Him away.

I thought that was a very interesting perspective and in retrospect when I look at how religion is organized there are an unbelievable amount of similarities with church today and the very religiosity that was created by the Pharisees and the Jews in the old testament.  There seems to be a desire to compartmentalize God and worshiping Him to the point that we have control over what things are being done.  Almost to the point of us being able to say what we will do and won't do in the name of God.  Could you imagine if we made a choice to live a radical life for Christ.  One that made others in the so called current establishment uncomfortable.  A life that was focused on pleasing Christ first and others secondary.  We would be called crazy..... koookooo for coco puffs..... and many other things along the way.  I don't think we would be very popular.  ( I am used to that one)

There were several quotes used in this book to make some really great points.

Worship is the missing jewel of the evangelical church!  A. W. Tozer

I can see that.... I don't know that I have truly worshiped God in the way that he would have me worship Him, a life totally abandone to him.  (again the point here is not what the worship leader is doing, all though they should be helping the congregation understand what true worship is as well as the pastor)  It is about our relation ship with God through Christ on a day to day basis.  I have heard this given lip service also..... I am guilty as well.

To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.  William Temple. The Archbishop of Canterbury in his book The Hope of a New World.

I often wonder while we are worshiping God, in song, in prayer, in scripture.  How many times are we somewhere else?  Are we thinking about the game, lunch, the bills, the ugly tie that Mr. Zimbart is wearing today and not focusing on worship God or the attributes of God that make him worthy of worship.

The only person justified in not worshipping is the unbeliever.  For to worship you have to have a Savior, and your Savior has to be the central figure of your life.  Chuck Swindoll

I would venture to say for most of us there are a lot of things that are the center of our lives and Christ is not one of them....... oh don't get me wrong Christ is a part of our lives...... but he is not the center of our lives.  We make choices every day that relegate Christ to the smallest portions of our lives, the little back corners, that we suppress while we engage in the futility of what we call life here in the world.   We hardly notice what Christ would have us do until there is a ............... Crisis then we pull out all of the stops, we pray with out ceasing...... we make promises to him that we don't keep.  We just go about it in the most selfishest of ways.... you know what I am talking about.

The path of wholehearted discipleship has never been crowded, or popular           A. P. Gibbs

There goes the popular thing again.   I am thinking God wants us to not worry about being popular with people.  There just might be a correlation with how popular you are in the world and with people and just how popular you are with God.  Popular with God just makes everyone else uncomfortable cause you are saying and doing the things that most everyone else does not want to hear or do.

Most Christians have read parts of the Bible.  Yet, they admit they can't understand much of it -- especially the more profound divine truth.  Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the shades of meaning.  Relying totally on His guidance, we submit our entire beings -- spirits, souls and bodies --- to Him.  That may take a while because we cherish our independence.  We surrender little by little.  When we do though, our study and prayer times, as well as our praise and worship, will produce much spiritual fruit.  James. P. Gills

I do think our independence is the biggest obstacle to a real relationship with God.  We all want to belt out a line from the Frank Sinatra song,  I DID IT MY WAY.  While we may all want to puff up with pride and say that it will get us into a lot of trouble and even a one way ticket to H. E. double hockey sticks.  I can assure you that will not be any fun.

Dr. Gills gives an example of a triangle and each of those sides being equal.  On each of those sides he places the words, Covenant, Knowledge, Worship.  He makes points specifically about anytime one of these things gets out of measure with the other it creates imbalance that ultimately effects our worship and our relationship with God.  He uses this to drive home with specific examples how it does effect our relationship with God and what Churches or people look like when they have one or more of these specific relationship points with God out of balance.  He goes in depth here and it is a real eye opener as I can see certain times in my life were specific imbalances in these areas effected my relationship with God in specific ways, I also recognize specific patterns in churches that I have attended past and present.

Finally he goes in to specifics about the obstacles to worship.  I am going to list the points here, he goes in depth and defines and describes what these obstacles look like and how they prevent us from worshiping.  (I stay away from the phrase true worship because there is only worship either you are doing it or not.)

1.  Pride
2.  Lack of Knowledge
3.  Independence
4.  Critical spirit
5.  Laziness
6.  Impatience
7.  Legalism
8.  Emotionalism
9.  Elitism
10.  Traditionalism
11.  Unforgiveness
12.  Worldly Influence

This is a good book that will help you put into perspective what a life of worship to God looks like.  It will help you identify the pitfalls that are there that would separate you from that relationship with God that he wants to have with you.  A relationship that far exceeds anything that most have ever experienced.  While there are a few things that I don't agree with it in no way takes away from the validity of this book, and those issues do not in any way do injustice to the core Christian beliefs, or doctrine.  This book can be found for a very cheap price in some cases as little as $1.  I would recommend that everyone take the time to read this book and you can start your search for a copy by going to the following link