Vision in Me.

Tom and friends,

This one came out of a place in eternity, so I wanted to share it with a few other families, Tom. Hope you don't mind! :D

"Forerunners" - the ones who, like John the Baptist, are "going ahead to prepare the way of the Lord - saying "CHANGE YOUR WAYS! THE KING IS COMING!" - are defined by their vision (which is only from above)... not by their strength. So, to be that world-changer, we SO need to lean on our vision instead of on our strength!

From May 2004 Music Tech Magazine

"Not many of us - given the choice - wouldn't jack in the day job if we were guaranteed a successful career making or recording music. But the problem here is that the success of any possible career change can rarely be guaranteed, and when it comes down to gambling the next month's mortgage payment on your ability to turn something that perhaps - for the moment, at least - is just a hobby into a way of paying the bills is just too much of a risk to take.

"That's not to say it can't be done, of course. And I'm well aware that at least one in three of you reading this column are already gainfully employed in the music business in one form or another. But for the other two, a career in the industry is one of those things that you just might be aspiring to.

"If you do fall into this latter group, then consider this: there are a variety of ways of turning your music/recording talent into hard cash that don't require you to burn bridges with your current employer. You can have you cake and eat it too, if you're willing to put in some after-hours time (hey - you're doing it anyway), and apply a little lateral thinking. In our cover feature this issue we've spoken to a number of people who've done just that - earning money from their talent in the less obvious spheres of the music business. So if you fancy lining your pockets while making your music... read!

"Is the music technology of our day slowing you down? I don't think so! And some people are making some serious money out of it, so isn't it about time you joined the club?"

* * * *

"A life lived in fear is a life half-lived."
"Do it by heart, or let it be."
"Do what you love and the money will follow."
"Delight yourself in the Lord! He gives the desires of the heart!"
"When I run - I feel His pleasure." - Eric Liddel (Chariots of Fire)

* * * *

And your gifting, Tom Cellie, is more of the Tom Scholz (inventor, musician) variety, than, say, a Kurt Cobain. (the latter being a little too dead to do any good anyways.) Meaning... you have INVENTION in you. You have crazy tech skills - you're not just a rock star - you're a GEEK rock star!!! (Big difference.)

To quote one of my current mentors, Robert Rodriquez (SpyKids 1,2, & 3, and the El Mariachi series),

"The creative core of the work happens here at the house. From the writing, post-production and editing, music and mixing... I believe home is where the dreams are, so that's why I like to work at home."

"That's what makes (the technology we have available now) so revolutionary - the projects that you would normally shy away from (because of antiquated technologies), you'll just go do. I know so many directors who make a movie once every 4 years because they're just so tired afterwards. And they're tired of the process. The process is what drags them down and they call me and they say, 'You seem to be having fun - how can I have fun again? And it's just that the process has gotten very convoluted."

* * * *

Think, Tom, of how we do church. Convoluted. Without a plurality of leadership for accountability and variety and, even then, smart delegation of responsibilities by the power of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 14:29-33), there's nothing but stale, old, convoluted and stinkin' RELIGION in a lot of buildings we call churches... with one superstar making all the decisions - not "drawing forth from their treasure chest, things both new and old" (Matt.13:52).

We are a new breed of Forerunner business-builders who are carving home-businesses out of the granite of our own grey existence and cooperating with other family businesses to build a community of believing businesses that will ROCK society down to its current, ungodly foundations.

Every family is designed to contain a unique anointing - a family legacy:

"There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families will eat and enjoy everything you've worked for, because the LORD your God has blessed you. (Deuteronomy 12:7)

"This is the land inherited by the families of the tribe of Judah." (Joshua 15:20)

"...that they gave Aaron's descendants who were from the families of Kohath in the tribe of Levi. Their lot was the first one drawn." (Joshua 21:10 - Note: these are the "priests" - the peacemakers - who stand in the Presence of the Lord on behalf of the people around them - the ones whose hospitality brought God to man.)

"Solomon spoke to all Israel--to the commanders of regiments and battalions, judges, every prince, and the heads of Israel's families." (II Chronicles 1:2)

"God places lonely people in families. He leads prisoners out of prison into productive lives, but rebellious people must live in an unproductive land." (Psalms 68:6)

"Give to the LORD, you families of the nations. Give to the LORD glory and power." (Psalms 96:7)

Even in the future.... categorized by "family"

"If any of the families on the earth won't go to Jerusalem to worship the king, the LORD of Armies, then rain won't fall on them." (Zechariah 14:17)

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!

* * * *

And these "home businesses" strengthen the Church AND the community of that local expression of the one Church... even on a global scale in some instances!

Paul and Jan Crouch, Pat Robertson and Bruce Wilkinson (Prayer of Jabez), who is now promoting his book, The Dream Giver...

The story about Ordinary, who dares to leave the Land of Familiar to pursue his Big Dream. With the help of the Dream Giver, Ordinary begins the hardest and most rewarding journey of his life.

So here we go folks. The sky ain't even the limit! Heaven on earth or bust! And, remember, when it's about to bust, God is famously the God of the last minute!

Back to "Music Technology" and Robert Rodriguez on technology -

* * * *

"Creative people are usually the slowest to adopt new technologies and (after one initial learning curve) it's ultimately going to free them. But you'll really be UNSTOPPABLE if you become technical as well as creative."

* * * *

We say we serve Jesus - but we're not willing to find out more about Him now. Perhaps, for instance, He may prefer we use the Hebrew alliteration of His name for now - Yeshua!

And if He is going to teach the entire planet from Zion... Where is Zion? What does it mean to me and my family?

And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:2)

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. 16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14: 9 and 16)

* * * *

And more importantly,

"Lord! What will You be teaching the planet in those days - 'Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to Thy voice: cause me to hear it!' (SOS 8:13)"

* * * *

Tom, I believe if we are "faithful in little" with the exploding technologies we are being given in these last days when "knowledge shall increase" - that we will be entrusted with much.

But faithful by His vision. Not our strength.