Job Scenario 2: I got recommendations to apply at this one particular bank.  I got the interview and I thought they liked me.

They never called back.

I got a lead with Microsoft.  Even though I could have gotten the job, I have worked there before and I know, in my heart, I would have not been successful there.  But if they offered, I would have to take it because I have to provide for my son.

God held up the process where, just today, I was schedule for a 2nd interview (4 weeks since having the phone screening).

They waited too late.

I got another lead with an Episcopalian church to be their IT Director.  I thought to myself, "PERFECT!  I can get my foot into the door into ministry."

I submitted my resume 2 months ago. 

I just got an email, minutes ago, from the church asking about my salary requirements.

Not going to lie to you, I was very scare to review this album for several reasons:

1. This album is so good that I felt this review was going to be one big transcript from “The Chris Farley Show”. (For example, Me: “You know that album from Hillsong United? Yea, it’s totally awesome. I really liked it. Uh… Umm.”)
2. This album is a three months old but I am blasting it like it is brand new. (Yea, Joe, thanks for joining the rest of us.)
3. Just when I think I have a favorite song, I end up finding a new favorite song. Argh! (By the way, I am listening to the song, “Never Let Me Go” and I think this is becoming my new favorite.)
4. When I heard this album for the very first time, I didn’t like it much at all because of the song, “Break Free”. (I still don’t like that song but the rest of the album is awes… err… let me finish the rest of this review.)

For the longest time, I was trying to put my finger on what made this album so great. Despite it being a studio album, Hillsong United is all about the Praise & Worship so it automatically gets a gajillion gold stars from me.

(Sorry, lovers of Adult Comtemporary Christian music: I come from a background of Rock and big fan of Metallica, Deep Purple, Rush, Prince and Pink Floyd where live performances are epic. Thus the transition into Praise & Worship and Gospel (given my background in R&B, Blues and Jazz) was a given. Despite all of that, I am taking any recommendations.)

The instrumentals are superb in this album. I certainly hope that Christians musicians keep pushing the envelope as far as laying great riffs and killer basslines and yet keeping all things in balance so not to draw attention from the One we have come to praise.

But like most of the songs I hold dear to my heart (Sade’s “Haunt Me” to Nas’ “Life’s A Bitch”), it has to be the lyrics. If there is not strength in the words written in the song, then the song will not stand the test of time.

While the song “Desperate People” carved a place in my heart with this verse:

Honestly, I didn’t mean to take a break from writing.

However, at this moment, right now, there is such a powerful testimony of the Glory of God that I would be racked by guilt if I didn’t to share it with you.

As many of you guys know that I have been without a job ever since getting the ax near the end of July.

But what I have not shared in too much detail is that I came into this unemployment period without one penny to my name.   Nothing.  Emphasis on nothing.  Nothing in checking.  Nothing in savings.  Oh, I did have a glass full of change if that counts. (I told you I was bad with money re: Comments Section.)  I did receive the very last paycheck from my last job.  However aside from unemployment wages (I will get to that in second), I had no other sources of income.   I wrote about tithing so you know darn well I tithed out of that check.  It was the very least I could do in recognizing God.

Before I go into praising His Holy Name, I want you to know that I do not share this example in order to preach on prosperity.  I will apologize if I offend anybody reading this but I am appalled at the very notion that we only give in order to receive.  In my mind, that defeats the very notion of giving.  My brother-in-law, who is a senior pastor and his church which I have visited more times than any other church in my adult life, preaches this very destructive message.  (Yes, I would love to write tons more but that is for another week down the road.)

That said, let me tell you how God moves and reigns over all the Earth.  Over the next week, let me tell you how the Lord rules powerfully.  His blessings come from beyond and resolves our solution with such precision.  He knows what we need and He will fulfill that need better than anything we could have imagined.

Job Scenario 1: Friend, who owns a server hosting company, calls me up and asks if I could do Sales on a part time basis.  At the same time, I get part-time inquiries about other gigs such as fixing Macs or breakfast cook for a hotel.  I was tempted by it all because I could make money and have tons of time.  But I kept adding up all the figures and it would be extremely difficult to make ends meet with the child support, rent and what not.  But I took what I had in hand, held it up to God and prayed, "Lord, I thank you for providing for me.  If this is to be my way of living, then I offer my jobs to you and I ask that I do them only if it brings glory and honour to your name."

The day that my friend called me up: August 20, 2007.

No, God was not done yet.  Not by any stretch of the imagination.

About those unemployment wages: I just received the first funds today just five weeks after going unemployed.  Never needed it, because God provided every single day.

Not in the least bit.

I have had A LOT of things happening and it is all all because of God.

I will post it up this week because come Friday night, I might be heading out of the country.

More to follow.

I was incredibly moved by Matt Chandler’s sermon (of The Village Church, Highland Village, TX) last weekend entitled “The Role of Men: Part 1; Defining Masculinity”.

What jumped out at me was the very last portion of the sermon (forgive me, the transcript hasn’t been released so I have to paraphrase just a tad):

“If I am lucky enough to make it to 70, can I keep living like this for that long? Can I really do it?

The scriptures say: I will give you everything you need to love and lead your wife, to love and lead your kids, to love and lead this ministry and pursue me with your whole heart. I will give you everything you need in order to do that, today. If you make it to bed tonight, I will give you all the strength you need. Likewise, when you wake up in the morning, I will give you all the strength you will need for that day.”

- Matt Chandler, Senior Pastor, The Village Church, Lewisville, TX

When he dropped that tidbit, the God spoke to me through his prayer:

Matthew 6:11 (KJV) Give us this day our daily bread.

In the last four months, I have kept searching for ways to make sure that I am fully dependent on Him. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t depending on my own talents and strength to make it. I wanted to put my entire will and life into His hands so that His name can be glorified.

I have read the Lord’s Prayer hundreds of times in my lifetime but that one particular verse never gripped me until Matt’s sermon.

When I pray, I always pray for strength from the Lord because I know my own strength will fail me. But what if the Lord will provide you the strength you need to just to handle that day?

Is that what He meant in:

Matthew 6:34 (NIV) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

For a moment, I applied it to my finances. (In that same moment, I wanted to added another chapter to my series on tithing.) What if I trust in God to provide for me to pay a bill as soon as I receive it rather waiting for my paycheck to arrive? What if I can restructure my finances so that I pay bills as soon as they arrive rather than wait for paychecks to arrive?

Food for thought.