One of my favorite biblical stories is found in the Book of Acts. Peter and John, disciples to Jesus, who had just been crucified, are hanging around Jerusalem per Jesus final instructions before his death, to 'wait for what the Father has promised', namely the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Upon receiving that baptism in the form of tongues as fire, Peter preached a prophetic sermon in Chapter Two that basically foretold these days in which we now live.
17 'In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. 19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below - blood and fire and clouds of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. 21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.."
Peter would go on to preach with such fervor that, according to verse 43, A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity - 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
Now understand this turn of events when Peter and John passed by the lame beggar at the gate of Beautiful. This man who was born lame, was carried to this temple entrance on a daily basis to beg for alms from those that entered to worship. Chapter 3:3 -
When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting a gift. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and anklebones were healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
ERNESTO: A New Blues
SILVER OR GOLD, I DO NOT HAVE.., but such as I have give I Jonatan Terris Bäckelie aka ERNESTO. This CD, A NEW BLUES, is an important release for these troubled times. It blends soul, blues, gospel and dance in a hybrid of emotional releases that will take the attentive listener to heights indicative of the experience of those that waited in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost. Hearing the depth of lyrical integrity and hypnotic musicality, you'll be overwhelmed that all of this has birthed forth from a mere 24 year old from Sweden! Jonatan's roots are indeed in the church, but his understanding of meter and rhyme suggests that he's traveled beyond his foundation to other depths to achieve this musical feat. You'll be drawn to the magnificent gospel-tinged anthem DEVIL's GOTTA RUN and the swirling implusive FALLING FROM GRACE for their sheer rhythms but I plead with you to truly listen to the lyrics. The same goes with FATHER: this is introspective songwriting at it's best. NO MORE (Oh Child) mixtures electronica rave induced beats with down home blues, a combination that is genius in it's execution. Other stand out favorites are SOCIALIST featuring the incredible vocalese of fellow countryman, Paul Mac Innes (another anointed talent) filled with enough political fire power to end every war before it begins, if only it were required listening at the diplomatic levels.., and the wickedly lyric-driven BLAME IT ON YOUR MELODY gives you insight that this artist is just dealing with his everyday problems, in the midst of being on the cutting edge of a new musical expession. But special mention must go to the confessional IF IT BE YOUR WILL that will open your soul to the inifinite possibilities of a life lived without ego.
This release is better than silver or gold.., it's living water that I promise is as important to your musical collection as it will be to your soul, if you let the music wash over you as it certainly will, and if you would just let go and join in the holy dance. Exceptional Records has a bona fide cult hit on it's shelves. A NEW BLUES is nothing short of a clarion call of encouragement and hope born out of the releasing of these truths revealed so adeptly by Ernesto. Remember to visit him on MySpace and listen to these tunes samples.., but to get the full effect, pick up his disc on eMusic or at GiantStep. ~~BD
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