Losing Your Life

My dear wife Sherry and I have lost it.The American dream has slipped away from us.All we dream about is freedom to follow Jesus wherever he leads.Everything has to take a backseat to follow his calling.This really makes us happy to do.What a wonderful Saviour.

My Life and This Old Piano

Now I can see so much clearer how God had my life planned.They say hindsight is 20/20,and of course it is.This piano has been following me for 34 years.I was delivering a new Mason Hamlin six foot grand to this high scool and noticed this old piano on the stage floor.The legs were broke off and it just layed on the floor.The principal told me to take it with me if I wanted it.So I took it to my studio and set it up,repaired the legs and lyre.To my surprise I saw the whole insides(really what matters for sound quality,) was totally restored,pin block,pins,strings,hammer,and key action.I customized the action and hammer voicing next.

After performing a fine tuning on this baby I discovered a whole new world of inspiration.I have written most of my songs on this instrument.Being a studio piano over 200 gospel songs and years of recording sessions were performed on it also.Just last week we recorded some tracks for a movie score we are working on.God continues to use this piano for his glory.Last month we moved it to the church sanctuary where it will stay beside my Hammond B-3.It will now inspire hundreds more to worship.

Remember the old story about the old violin at the auction?God uses the foolishness of the world to confound the wise.No telling how many people have been blessed by this piano considering records and airplay an television and all.The old piano the school system thought was trash!

Fourty Hours Across

Sherry and I in Monte Carlo

Never dreramed of seeing all the things we have seen in the last couple of weeks.The old cities are amazing to say the least.The plains and mountains are awsome glorious.The people are numerous as sand on the shores.The Mediterranian Sea is beautiful and vast.All in all God is so amazing and his people are his body.The family of God is amazing and serving him is our highest honor.From Lisbon, Portugal to Milan,Italy we have met children of God in Madrid,Palencia,Barcelona, and Marseille France and now Milano Italy.When it comes to building a family God is on it.

Crazy Christians

Wow the church we love,”where my Hammond B3,” hangs out annointed Sherry and myself with oil Sunday and prayed God’s guidance,protectiion,and will be done on our trip to Europe.

We feel blessed to have this opportunity and cherish all your prayers.The treasure in the field is Christ himself. What gace he has placed upon us to know him.Last year when we got to go to Portugal to play at “Rock on Christmas,”Sherry and I felt a real purpose that all our lives have come to that point.After spending time with the crazy “Hurst family,”we felt convinced we were not the only crazy people on Earth.Also spent time with Andrew Jones and his family,they live like in a “Yellow Submarine,”existence.A crazy looking Iveco four wheel drive motor home they travel around Europe in.

Now I have this to ponder.Can following Jesus make you crazy?At least in the worlds view.We leave November 27th outa Greenville SC and fly to Lisbon.We come back December 21 st outta Milan.Please pray God will make many people “CRAZY,” about him.

We kinda look Portuguese

Something We All Share

Prayer is Powerful

I have been meeting with Pastors from different churches to share our vision of the “European Mission'”.Sherry and I have strong conviction that we are included in this.The Hurst family,Denny,Maureen,and their children have a calling to evangelize Europe with the Gospel through culturally relevant music.

We had the opportunity to play in Portugal last December 2010.Now Denny Hurst is promoting “Rock on Christmas,”as a tour through four southern Countries,Portugal,France ,Spain,and Italy.We will arrive in Lisbon ,Portugal November 28  and leave Milan ,Itlay December 20th.Please pray for Gods will to be done and many precious souls to come to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus’s salvation.

Go to you tube “Rock on Christmas Portugal.” to see the promo videos.Share in the rewards by praying for this tour.God will richly reward you.He is coming soon brethren.Glory to our father and lord Jesus

Why Does God Love You?

When a child ask why you tell him to do or not do something we often say “because I said so,”don’t we.Well that is why we need to believe God loves us.In Ephesians 2:4 the Bible says.New International version,But because of  his great love for us,God who is rich in mercy,made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions,it is  by grace you have been saved.Because he said so.Believe it!

Can God Exert His Strenght?

Last year this passage jumped out at me.Eph.1:19 and 1:20,”and his imcomparably great power for us who believe.That power is like the working of his mighty strength,which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead”.

Now we know God is all powerful and nothing is too hard for him to do so I thought a lot about God exerting himself. I used to lift weights and the  heaviest weight you can lift takes an exerting of strength.Or like the time you swam too far and barely made it back to shore.

Our saviour Jesus took on the sins of the world(he who knew no sin),to die in our place as an atonement for our sins.He literally became our “substitute,”like a sacrificial lamb.He is called the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world by John the Baptist.

So why does the text say God exerted himself when he raised Christ from the dead?I can only think “Resurrection Power,”has to be the most awesome of all miracles.The power it took,even caused many “sleeping saints,”to rise up out of their graves.After Jesus went in the air to heaven they were seen walking the streets of Jerusalem.That would get some attention.

That power is at work in those who believe,”Resurrection Power”.

Hammond B3 is going to Illinois

I decided to take the organ to Illinois with me to the Cornerstone Festival.Everybody is using “keyboards,”to make organ sounds in live concerts and on recordings.The so called “duplicate sounds,” are cheesy at best.Ever notice Greg Allman always uses the real Hammond organ in his shows?World class groups like “Deep Purple,”now deceased Billy Preston and all the great classics used the real thing.

Everyone says”you gonna move that thing,that will be a lot of work.”Well just call me the hardest working man in the music ministry.Once I get it on the stage an up and running the crowd will know the difference.It’s time to give our God the best we can do.I can certainly do this for his glory.

Organ on the road

Pearl of Great Price

I got this title to a song long time ago”Pearl Of Great Price.”After all these years I finally wrote the song.It turned out to be a minor key blues tune with a few good punchy chord changes.With my graveley voice it reminds me of kinda Stevie Ray or BB King.

The lyrics are inspired by the parables Jesus spoke of in Matthew 13:44 and 45,the hidden treasure and the pearl.The man that bought the field to have the treasure represents the believer that discovers the kingdom of heaven and realizing it’s incomparable worth sells all that he has to buy the field and own the treasure.I thought in the next parable( verse 45 ,)the merchant was also the believer.

The first lyrics are,”Pearl of Great Price,in the carpenters field/Gave all that he had to know it for real”.In my excitement(remember I have tried to write this tune for years,)I called the bass player Darrell Thompson.Now Darrell is a analytical sorta guy.He gets out his study bible and looks up the verses.

In his study bible the comments are researched back to the original Greek and Hebrew meanings of the words.The comment on the man who found the treasure in the field said “the man represents the believer finding the kingdom of Heaven”.The comment on verse 45 says the merchant finding the pearl of great price is God himself.This blew Darrell and I away.God sold all he had to buy the pearl of great price.That is you and me brothers and sisters(For God so loved the world,he gave his only son).

I had to change the lyrics a little.Now it is “Pearl of great price,in the carpenters field/gave all that he had,to know us for real”.I have asked many theologians who they think the merchant is and so far they all think he is the believer.Just thank the merchant he thinks of you as a “Pearl of Great Price”.

You Carried His Cross

You were just a traveler,only passing through

When they seized you in the crowd

Why did God pick  you

I’ll never know I’ll never know

But I thank God for you

What were you thinking while carrying his cross

Did you know he was the Christ

The son of God

Was it heavy as they say

Was it rugged full of splint

Was the blood upon his shoulder

Stained into the wood

And did it soak onto you

Oh fortunate one

Oh fortunate you

When you reached Calvary hill

They nailed him on that tree

The one you carried up the hill

For all mans destiny

Did you know he was the Christ

The precious lamb of God

What did you think

What did you think

While carrying his cross

You were just a traveler,only passing through

When they seized  you in the crowd

Why did God pick  you

I’ll never know I’ll never know

But I thank God for you

copyright   2007  Rob Cassels