Dream Set List

This Friday and Saturday I get to go to see U2 in Croke Park. I'm very excited about these gigs. I love U2 and I love live music so combine both and I've bolted over the edge. When you get to go see an artist(s) preform live you always have a few songs you want to hear live. Last week when I got to see Springsteen, he delivered quite possibly the best gig I've ever been too! Seriously, but one personal disappointment was that he didn't sing 2 songs I was hoping for... 1) Queen Of The Supermarket and 2) The Wrestler

It's never the end of the world but there's always that "if only" feeling. So, U2. This most recent tour I've been pretty bold/impatient and I've read up on each of there gigs so far (in fact as I write this I'm listening to their latest gig from Berlin!!!) Last night my bro told me I had to write up my "Dream Set-list" for this coming weekend.

So here it is...(in no particular order)

• Magnificent
• Beautiful Day
• Elevation
• Vertigo
• Bad
• Staring At the Sun
• The Fly
• City Of Blinding Lights
• Unknown Caller
• Grace
• The Ground Beneath My Feet
• Where The Streets Have No Name
• Running To Stand Still
• Mofo
• Wake Up Dead Man
• Breathe
• All Because Of You
• Grace
• Yahweh
• Original Of The Species
• The First Time
• Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
• Stay (Faraway So Close)-Favourite U2 Song!
• One
• 40
  

So there it is.

You know, this was a bad idea cause as I read over this set-list my excitement has intensified!!!

Chasing the Spirit

On Monday night past a lady named Jackie Pullinger came to "speak" in Redcross. I really had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that she was a missionary in Hong Kong and worked with drug addicts. I thought she'd be some sweet lady with a "nice" message for us to hear and she'd leave us with a little thought-provoker.
Man I couldn't of been more wrong. This woman was not some sweet lady. She was a dangerous servant of Jesus. She spoke in a way that I'd not heard in a long time. She had a fire that she was wanting to impact those around her with. She spoke truth in all she said and pointed everything to Jesus. She took no crap and her relationship with Jesus was so tangible. The place was packed (300+) and people were eager. Eager for something. The worship was from the heart and free which was a blessing to start with. She had a team of 10-15 people with her that took part also. They spoke and interpreted tongues and prophesied with people and prayed for healing for a number of folk too. This was the Kingdom in action and it was beautiful. I was overwhelmed. I really believe that God is stirring his people to be ready. For what? I don't know, but he's wanting us to be ready for what he's wanting to do!
I want to be ready. I want to be part of whatever is on his heart. There's enough rubbish going on around all of us, that we should want more of God's heart revealed. We/I need to be getting more intimate with the Father. That happens through Jesus with the power of the Spirit. God is wanting his people to pursue him with everything! Again I experienced someone speaking truth into my life in things that they'd no clue about which meant it could only be from God. He knows my heart and He loves me beyond my imagination. It's humbling and empowering. Lets not hide the most sacred relationship we have. Lets show those around us the beauty of Jesus so they can see Him too.

Live it...

Gig of the year?

So on Sunday I went with a good friend to see Springsteen play in the RDS in Dublin. It was superb!!! We got into the pit and Bruce was on form (which seems to be consistent with him these days!) He was on stage at 8.02pm and off stage at 11.17. Over 3hrs of amazing tunes. Highlights were Outlaw Pete, Working On A Dream, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, American Skin, Born To Run, The Rising, Jungle Land and Glory Days. If you want to give Bruce a shot I'd really recommend his most recent album (Working On A Dream)
This was an awesome gig.



Setlist

No Surrender
Badlands
Night
My Lucky Day
Outlaw Pete
Hungry Heart
Working On A Dream
Seeds
Johnny 99
Youngstown
Darkness On The Edge of Town
Spirit In The Night
Sherry Darling
Proud Mary
Prove It All Night
Trapped
Waiting On A Sunny Day
Promised Land
Radio Nowhere
American Skin (41 Shots)
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Born To Run

Jungleland
American Land
Rosalita
Glory Days
Dancing In The Dark
Twist & Shout

Working Out The Dream

If I ever write a book, I'd entitle it "Life after the Miracle". So many people when touched by God or when they have an experience with Him, don't know how to move forward. Let me give you an example of the "what if". In John 5v1-8 we read about the man who was healed at the pool. He'd been an invalid (ever thought about that word; invalid!?!) for 38yrs. He has an encounter with Jesus, and BAM he's healed. I love the fact that Jesus doesn't want him to know who healed him (would people put it then down to the "miracle of the pool"?) Anyway, picture it, this healed man walks home to his parents as they'd probably been looking after him. He gets home, his parents are stunned and overwhelmed at their sons transformation. Two maybe three days later after all the celebrations have calmed down his mum or dad sit him down and ask if he's gonna go look for a job.... Now there's a reality check! This guy has the most remarkable encounter with Jesus and, well, life goes on.
Life after the miracle...

Ever been there?
Had an experience with Jesus and life goes on.
A dream comes true and life goes on.
The day you've been longing for was yesterday.
Got the dream job and it's the following week.
Had the greatest time away and now you're home again.

How do we cope with this?
We cope with Jesus and people who get it. We keep moving forward. We don't stop, we keep moving forward. In Ephesians 6 we read about the armour of God. The examples and equipment mentioned are all for moving forward. The world we live in hits us so hard it can be difficult to breathe sometimes but God created us with His Breath so we can keep moving forward. I write this cause I'm now in my new job (loving it) and already I'm beginning to see the task ahead. It fires me up but also freaks me out. Also my best friend and his wife have just come home from the most amazing time away and my heart is with them as they re-adjust.
The wake-up call can seem so intrusive but it's necessary. All we experience can be shared, treasured, laughed about, wept over but always remains Jesus'.

This is Kingdom living. Walking with others, sharing our stories, reminding each other of what Jesus has done and is continuing to do.

We can live life after the miracle with either Fear or Love...

Easier said than done but the same could be said for our dreams...

Breathe

Every day I die again, and again I’m reborn
Every day I have to find the courage
To walk out into the street
With arms out
Got a love you can’t defeat
Neither down nor out
There’s nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now

Breathe - U2

Fathers Day

Yesterday was Fathers day. Everyday is Fathers day when I'm around my kids. Not just yesterday, but everyday since they've been born. I love them and how they make me feel. Yes there are times they drive me crazy (Naomi substitutes breathing with talking sometimes and Andrew has found the joy of throwing stuff) but I love them beyond belief! The relationship between a Father and their child should always be special and significant. Unfortunately we live in a world were many don't experience this.

That breaks my heart...

God's Father heart for me was revealed through His son Jesus. If you want to understand the Father, just look at his son and experience Him. When I was a teen God the Father used to freak me out. I looked on Him like an angry God. That was it. My view of the trinity was that God was the angry Father that you very wanted to meet, Jesus was the cool brother, and the Holy Spirit was the weird crazy aunt. Safe to say that my view has changed alot since then.
I love my heavenly Father and I know He loves me. I experience it every day. I see it all around me and I hear Him tell me everyday. Since becoming a Dad I think I got a better glimpse of the Father's heart. Now I always said that before becoming a Dad I wouldn't go all ga-ga and talk like this. But the fact is, I can't help it. There is something about being a Father. Knowing you've brought a child (or two) into the world, you feel responsible for them and want nothing but the best for them. You want you're kids to know the love you have for them but also for them to grow well and strong and be the best they can be.
Knowing what the Father has done for me (and everyone else!) it's humbling and yet liberating! He wants us to be free to live the way we're meant to be, and not chained up by our failings and Satan's view of us. His heart is for me/us to live the way it was before the Fall. I have a Father who is the greatest of them all and I need to live that way.

A Fathers love is very precious and child's response to that love completes it. (1 John 4v12)

More Than Meets The Eye...

So at Midnight on Thursday I went to see the new Transformers Movie. I love movies (most movies, not all!) I really enjoyed this one. So far (as summers go) there have been some cracking movies. Star Trek, Terminator, and Wolverine I've really enjoyed. These are your typical "Summer Blockbusters". Bar Star Trek all have gotten mixed reviews. I'm not one to read to much into a review as it's only ones opinion (unless it's someone I know and respect) but I've noticed a slight change in some of these movies.

God very often uses movies and music to speak to me. It's been like this for years and I love it because I love movies and music! God knows this and I know that's why He does it. God usually uses the things we are passionate about to speak to us. We need to be aware of this and look for it and train our mind to be that way inclined. I love the way God does this.

Anyway, what I've noticed over the last while in a lot of these movies has been the theme in them. If you look at the top 5 money-making movies in 2008 you've got (not in order) Iron Man, The Dark Knight, Hancock, Indiana Jones, Wall-E and so far in 2009 you have Watchmen, Star Trek, Wolverine, Gran Torino (odds are high that Transformers will be in this list too). The theme of "new beginnings"/origins and heroes is quite obvious and strong in these films. Now most Directors are smart in tapping into what will be popular with an audience or the human spirit. The movies mentioned have made the most money because people are going to see them (probably more than once). Whats the attraction? Why now are movies of pure fantasy doing so well. I believe this shows a hunger in people that they what a hero. A hero that they can relate too because they know the background to this hero. They know the struggle it is to be(come) this hero. People like the idea of being protected, looked out for, someone fighting for them.

The greatest (fiction)hero of the last 70yrs to be spawned from the human mind has been Superman. (I know my brother would disagree but Batman would come a close second). Now I'm not going to write a parrell between Superman and Jesus now but trust me it's uncanny! (I'll write it some other time) Why do people love hearing about other heroes and not Jesus. Is it because they don't know the full story? We (christians) are so quick to tell people about his death that we forget to tell them about his life. We know why he died but why did he live? Why did he come? Why show up when he did?

If people were to know the complete picture as to who Jesus is and what he's all about, would it make a difference?

I think it would...