Over the years, many people have asked for a recording of DEC’s music. In recent years, the Worship Ministry has been discussing and planning to record. And in recent weeks, we’ve gotten closer than ever. So here’s a little preview (which, of course, may change as time goes on).

With the blessing of the church body & leadership, we’ve purchased recording gear (I and others have recording backgrounds) and have set up the basics of a small studio. We plan to record all original songs or arrangements, which means everything on the recording will be DEC-birthed music. Some of these include “I Can’t Wait To Go Home,” “Just As I Am (I Come)” and “My God Is For Me.” We also hope to introduce a couple new songs on the recording.

We’re aiming to have the project ready sometime around Easter, and I hope it’s a blessing to our church family, and that it might be used to give our friends and neighbors who haven’t come to DEC a little glimpse of what it’s like inside our four walls.

I’ll keep you posted on the progress. Let me know what you think.

In light of God’s perfect and proactive plan to grant forgiveness, righteousness and eternal life to the unworthy (including the “chief of all sinners”), it’s time to celebrate and say, as the Apostle Paul did to his Roman readers, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? For I am sure that neither death nor life… Nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31,38-39 ESV).

Selah,
Chris

(Oh, here’s my meditation on this. Lord willing, we’ll be singing this in 2 weeks -the choir sounds great on it!)

My God is for me, He’s not against me
And if God is with me what shall I fear?
He who died for me - Emmanuel to me -
Lives today in me, drawing me near

CHORUS
Nothing can separate me from the Father’s love
I am secure in Him whatever may come
He who was crucified and was raised back to life
Always stands by my side in power and love

My God has loved me, gave himself for me
Set His seal on me, washed in His blood
No great Accuser of things behind me
Can stand in the presence of my saving God

CHORUS

BRIDGE
I belong to Him
He’s my God and Friend
To the very end ever near me
I am not my own
I am not alone
He has told me He’s never leaving

This week I’ve been reminded in a potent way of how powerful and how central the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to the Christian church. And how easily it slips away from us, and we begin to oh-so-subtly rely upon our good works, efforts and intentions to secure the approval and love of God. I suppose it happens to all of us sometimes. But what tragedy and idolatry can result from that.

May His Gospel transform our affections, our intellect and our will. May God’s people love and serve and surrender to Him with all our heart, mind and soul. And may He be glorified for the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us so that He could take on our sin and God’s wrath against that sin, and bequeath His pristine holiness, His righteousness to those who come to Him in faith.  It is by grace we have been saved!

Thank You, thank You, thank YOU, Lord Jesus!

Amen.