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Shalom Friends,
It was such an amazing experience writing and recording the music to the REVIVE CD. There are a few things I think you might be quite interested to know, especially after you have gotten a chance to take a listen to the CD.
This album is a concept album. It lasts approximately one hour and tells quite a story. The story is about the process that God brings many of us through as we get closer and closer into the "Light of His Presence." When we first come to God he saves us from our sins and revives us. He takes the parts of our lives that used to be dead and brings them back to life. Once this has happens we are finally in a good position to give him some praise and worship Ð to really "enter in." The goal of praising and worshipping Him is to get into the closest fellowship possible with the God Almighty. Hopefully the design of this REVIVE CD will take you on a natural progression closer and closer into His Love.
The first song on the album is "Prayer for Israel." As I was writing the various songs, I noticed some themes reoccurring in several different songs. For example, one of the main Scriptures we sing in "Prayer for Israel" is that wonderful text from Jeremiah 31:7 that says, "O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel." This is the same text we sang at the close of my first release, DRY BONES. On the last track of DRY BONES, "Save Your People," the Kol Simcha choir made of mostly first generation Messianic Jewish Believers finishes off the album with this wonderful melody "O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel." The thematic melody fades gradually into the distance. Now this new album begins with a song that has a youth choir made of mostly second generation Messianic Jewish Believers singing the same line. I feel as though God is saying, "Just look at the way I am saving the Jews increasingly from one generation to the next during these last days!"
This same theme from Jeremiah 31:7 shows up again in the climactic piece of the entire REVIVE CD, "Dwelling PlaceÑThe Light of Your Presence." Here the theme is sung by a congregational choir made up of wonderful musicians, both family and friends. At the very end of this track, Rosa, my wife sings the verse as a solo. I really feel that this message of the salvation of the Jewish people is on the heart of God and it is coming more and more into the forefront of the Body of the Messiah with each day that passes as we get closer to the day of Yeshua's return.
Another thing that is very important to the REVIVE CD is the title track. I knew that this would be the name of the album well before we began recording the project. The first words in the Revive track say, "The LORD will roar from Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem." This Scripture comes from the book of Amos. And I used to think (even until just recently) that this verse basically meant that God is so strong and powerful that He is going to let out a roar against our enemies so that we can be saved. However, when I read the book of Amos more closely, it is actually saying something quite different. The verse is saying how God will let out a massive roar of judgment against his people; even His very own people of Israel. When you take this verse and place it together with the Scripture from Psalms of my chorus, "Will You not revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You, show us Your salvation." Really what this song is saying is: Lord, we have sinned against You and deserve Your judgment as a people, but be merciful toward us and save us we pray. Please do not pour out the judgment we deserve, but instead show us grace and save us even though we do not deserve it.
This Revive track is such a powerful cry for mercy. Thank God for His mercy and grace.
With all of the different sounds that are included in the REVIVE CD and all of the amazing people who contributed, my prayer is that you have an extraordinary listening experience. And I hope that overall it gives one solid single message: The Revived Enter His Dwelling.
If you have any specific questions about the music or the Scriptural texts that the music comes from, please feel free to contact me. I would be glad to share more with you.
God bless you,
Greg
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