...self-control campaign...

So, for some time now (and some time into the future) I have decided to work on my self-control. Now, some would ask what about self are you controlling? Well, im glad you asked, lol! In the past few weeks a spirit that was put to rest a while ago in my life, tried to resurrect its ugly head in my life, and I had to cast it down. The spirit of peversion and lust tried to uproot itself in my life. Knowing the authority I have, I casted it down and prayed to set things straight. I decided then that I needed to start a self-control campaign for myself.

In my decision to do so, i realized that this spirit didn't just come up from nothing, but it was trigered by something. So I sat back and I thought.."what is it that is in my life that is allowing this spirit to creep back in?"

Well, I went over my daily routine and found a couple ways in which the enemy tried to creep in.

Firstly, i love hulu.com! lol! That is like the only thing I do during my breaks while snacking. I watch the tv shows that I missed and cruise the past shows that I have not seen before. But there were some shows that God convicted me on. Now these shows didn't have nudity or much bad language, however some episodes I saw had mentions of sexual acts, therefore quietly entering my mind and making room there.

Secondly, Ash and I like seeing movies. We make it our business not to see movies that are unGodly, or movies that are demonic or have demonic relevance. We pick our movies carefully. With our strict criteria we dont have much to choose from. As a matter of fact, we only see 'love' movies or as I call them 'chic flicks' lol! However, even with those movies...there were certain love scenes and mentions of sexual acts that a christian should not partake in. Geez!

Thirdly, I work in an office with 2 men and a woman. I love my co-workers. They literally help me through the day. They know my faith, and I have even invited them to my christian events. As a matter of fact they do come. However, they are not saved yet, and sometimes there conversation can be raunchy. Not too much. They do respect me and keep things low, but I can still hear them, and those words become thoughts in my mind.

All these things partnered together, can make for a creeping in (unaware) of the spirit of perversion in the mind. So....

Here I am...free from those thoughts and desires...because I know the freedom of Christ, and the authority I have in me from salvation and having the light of Christ within my life. However, I do not trust my flesh. As a matter of fact, my spirit man fights against it daily. So, with this self-control campaign I'm on, I am monitoring all I watch and listen to. My association and my conversation around me. Daily, I will mortify this flesh, in order to deter (not stop) the enemy's plans to destroy me. Believe me, the enemy would love it best to kill me, however even when stopped for this season, I know he will be back. So I keep my defences up and strong. I'll be stronger when he gets back.

Even with this self-control campaign, I am controlling other areas of my life.

1)My Finances- Monitoring my spending, creating a budget. Buying only things that I need, and not want. Saving properly. Continuing to tithe and sew into the local ministries. Giving abundantly and cheerfully.

2)My Idol Time- Controlling my down time. Binding up procrastination and slowfullness. Making every moment count. Eliminating time not doing anything.

3)My Prayer Time and Worship- Usually I pray in the morning and do my daily devotions in the evening. But my days are longer now a days, and it makes me tired to stay up and worship. I don't want to short change my Lord, so I decided to do the my prayer time and worship at the same time. That means waking up early and sacrificing my being comforatble for the worship of the Lord

Controlling my flesh, will allow me to control other areas of my life, therefore allowing me to be a better Christian. Doing this will allow me to prosper. As a matter of fact God said in His word that He wants us to prosper (3 John 1:2)...SO LIVE THE LIFE GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE. Live Free and control your flesh. Mortify your flesh...DAILY! (Romans 8:13)

Remember Jesus Loves You!...and nothing can take that away!

=DG

...Set Apart...

Devin Gray and Set Apart

'...restoring the integrity back in to Praise and Worship...'

Check us out on:

Twitter - @setapart4lyfe

Facebook - devin gray and set apart

Myspace - setapart4lyfe

ReverbNation - devin gray and set apart

Spiritual Covering - Pastor A.L. Harris, New Life Christian Center

Represented by:

Peculiarity Music Group - peculiaritymusicgroup@gmail.com

For Booking Please Contact:

Tina Summerville @ 443.802.5232

or email us at

setapartbooking@gmail.com

We pray that we will be able to worship with you soon! God Bless!

~SA

...awesome worship!...

Whoever posted this was pretty mean by putting 'Worse Worship...' but I do think this is quite funny! Check this out!

~~ZAP~~

=DG

Sponsor a Child - Compassion

Sponsor a Child - Compassion

...what for...

This is a new segment of my blog where I wanted to show you guys some of my favorite songs, and showcase to you guys, the reason why these artists said what they said...wrote what the wrote...just what for... Enjoy!

Leeland

Israel Houghton

Jars of Clay

Click on the names of the artists to learn more about them on their websites.

=DG

...A Sweet Sound...2/2010

Oh, how sweet the sound! **long exhale** for a moment I was starting to believe that music was being truncated by a mass movement of auto-tuned cliches and copy-and-paste lyrics. Christian music was starting to sadden me, because of some artists wanting to be pop stars instead of worship leaders; to be rockstars instead of making Jesus famous; to be popular instead of being peculiar. Our message for a short while was tainted by our outloud lifestyles and our lack of difference. As a writer myself, I promised myself and the Lord, that my music and lyrical content would reflect the culture of the kingdom. I resolved to be a writer that infuses the word of God with good music. Knowing that without the word of God present in song, its just inspiritation. Inspiration in itself is not full truth, however the word of God is...and thats what makes it the gospel. The good news. The news that people want to hear. The world is bombarded with bad news every day of their lives, don't you think that the world is in need of some 'good news'...some news that brings hope...reminds people of love...convits the stony heart to a heart of repentance, a heart of flesh...gives direction...brings forth understanding...shows the love of God. Thats what the world needs people! not cliches...not borrowed phrases or sermon titles. This world needs Jesus, and as writers and ministers of the gospel, we are charged to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so God help us.
I want to personally charge all writers, singers, producers, ministers of the gospel...make your music different. Produce good music and use that music to promote the word of God. Let your music be inspired by God, and rooted in the truth; the word of God. For it is the word of God that makes us free...for the word of God is truth, and the truth shall...'make us free' Selah...

I thank God for these 2 Christian Artists who have made it their business to use their music to bless the king, and enhance the kingdom of God, and they have not lacked on creating good music. Still being young, these worship leaders are well on their way to becoming everyday household names. They are effectively creating change in their generation and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ wherever they go.

Kari Jobe

I first heard about Kari Jobe when getting my weekly dose of youtube clips. I literally stumbled upon Kari, singing a song called 'Healer'. I was thoroughly impressed with her voice. Such a very humbling and modest voice. As a lover of good music I became intrigued. So i looked up Kari Jobe and fell in love with her voice. Soon after, her album (self titled) was released and after I while I picked it up. An awesome worship album. This Integrity Music artist is probably one of the most soft spoken powerhouses in ministry this country has seen. The self titled album includes awesome remakes of Hillsong's Healer and the modern day hymn Revelation Song. She also did an awesome job of singing Beautiful. That has become my morning of meditation song. I often fall asleep listening to the album, because it literally takes me to another place in worship. Her hit single off of the album is 'I'm Singing' a song that gives hope in Jesus Christ; and sends the message that through it all, with Jesus there is no need to lose your song. That song, along with this entire album helps me throughout my day. A Great worship leader and artist. Kari Jobe's career is far from over, and I cannot wait until I hear the next installment in this artists finished works. As a matter of fact, check out my favorite song that she ministers...Beautiful...

Leeland

Love is on the Move

Ok, so this Leeland guy is not even 21 yet and already he is being called one of the greatest christian writers of all time. WOW! Thats a hefty calling to be so young. His band, Leeland, is a group of four young men who are all about spreading the love of Jesus Christ to all who listen. Musically put in the company of pop greats as well as long standing christian artists, Leeland Mooring is totally sold out for Christ. Formed in 2004, Leeland has played all across the world including w/ the World Renowned Hillsong United Conference. So how does a young man and his band remain so focused. Well its Jesus. Their foundation is Jesus Christ, and while being rooted in Jesus Christ they cannot be moved. Their new album Love is on the Move is probably one of the most beautiful christian albums I have heard in a long time. Its just simply beautiful music. Like really, its good feeling, great sounding, life convicting, world changing music. It has been called by some, their best album to date. I concur...it is great! My personal favorite right now is, um...lets see...ima say...mmmmmmmmm Follow You! Yeah I love it! That is the single right now, featuring another one of my favorite love artists Brandon Heath. Ironically, Leeland and Brandon have very similar voices and at times during the song, it was hard to tell who was which. Not a bad thing, its not like any of them sounded bad, lol! I also love Pure Bride! Such a great song of conviction, infused with an awesome track. This album is full of awesome music that is sure to help the believer, both young and old, get a grips on hope and never let it go. Love is on the move, and Leeland is at the forefront of the movement.

Awesome music guys! You must go and support these christian artists. Go get the albums, and go support. More info on Leeland and Kari can be found by clicking on their pics. Also follow them on twitter by clicking on their names. Hey, do you want me to do my review on a release? Let me know! Email me at DGray03@gmail.com and send your requests. Next time, Israel Houghton and Micah Smith. Love you guys!

As always, you can poke me, invade myspace, follow me (and SA) and email me at DGray03@gmail.com and to book Set Apart hit us up at setapartbooking@gmail.com (yup new email, save it!)

Luv you guys, but remember God is love; so who better to love you best...but God!

=DG

Free Indeed! ...embracing the past as we Move Forward!

Free Indeed!...embracing the past as we Move Forward!

By: Ken Reynolds

I grew up in Church, immersed in Gospel music. My father was the choir director at New Hope Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan for over 20 years. So my childhood years consisted of playing a lot of drums, piano and bass and listening to Gospel music. You could say I was baptized in James Cleveland, Andrae’ Crouch and Walter Hawkins!
I remember sitting on the floor in the living room, listening (over and over again) to records that dated back to the 60s. I also remember one of our church organ players, Jimmy Carr, who played for Mahalia Jackson. He had a real traditional organ style and even though I didn’t really appreciate it back then, I realize now how important that music era was to our heritage.
My parents and their brothers and sisters all grew up in Mississippi where they had a quartet-style group called “The Heavenly Travelers” that went from town to town, singing Gospel music during the 50s and 60s. And, believe it or not, they still sing with us, their children, now serving as the musicians and writers. Guess you could say that our musical roots go pretty deep.
There are many events of the past that we as a nation shouldn’t repeat. But the past also includes important nuggets that we, not only as a nation, but also as a generation, should embrace. Music is a way of expressing my feelings about my own African-American heritage.
I recall an experience I had when I made my first trip to Africa. As I was in the plane looking out of the window approaching the coast, I found myself contemplating our nation’s history. An even though, there are parts of early history that are dark and painful, this scripture came to me from John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
At that moment, a song was birthed in the style of a spiritual. I had never written anything like that before. It was accapella with only drums as instruments. Before I landed, the song was completely written. The verses came when I reflected on slavery and freedom, not only from the bondage of man, but also from the bondage of sin. The verse of the song reads:

Free Indeed!.

verse: Heal the wounds, that continue to torment us,De oh, de oh, Lord we love You Mend the scars, we reopen with our impure hearts, De oh, de oh, Lord we love You

chorus: We are free, free indeed! Whom the son sets free, we are free indeed! We are free, oh so free! Where the spirit of the Lord is, there’s liberty!

I went on to explain that songwriting experience to the workshop choir in Liberia, West Africa and taught it to them. I also taught it to the choir here in the States, which happened to be a racially diverse choir. I explained that it was a song of unity, remembering the past, but not being held captive by it. It acknowledges that God has freed us from the bondage of all sin through His son Jesus!
When I think about how far we’ve come as a nation, I can’t help but think about the transformation that music has made over the years right alongside our progress as a country. It has had a very powerful affect on my life. I’m extremely grateful for my musical heritage. It has helped me embrace the calling that God has on my life, which includes unifying the races, denominations, and cultures. And music definitely has a way of breaking down those barriers. That calling is partially reflected in my latest CD project, One World One God.As a nation, we still have many areas in which to grow, but we as the Body of Christ can help be the bridge as we continue to be the hands of feet of Jesus and spread God’s love throughout the world.

Hey, check out the full article at Integrity Direct , and get to Ken Reynolds better.

As usual, keep in touch! Poke Me, invade myspace, follow me (and SA) and email me at DGray03@gmail.com and to book SA, email us at setapartbooking@gmail.com (Yup, new email address)

Love you guys, and remember Jesus Loves you Too!

=DG

...evening random-ness...

This snow is CRAZZZZZYYYYYYZ! For the last 30 days its feels like I been living in Minnesota or something. Geez...lol! We have had more snow this year than we have had in the last 4 years...COMBINED! We have had more than 70 inches since December! Ugh! Its been very inconviencing yet it has allowed us to rest which is cool! I been shoveling so much that my body is used to it. Well...guess I have to suck it up right!? Lol!

Mommas birthday was today (10th)! She turned 50 today! So happy for her! She is living an awesome life! An evangelist, mother, wife and sister! Such a cool mom! Love her so much!

Wanna Leave you with some lyrics from a song God gave me called Daily Surrender...Its a song that God gave me that speaks about the believers everyday moment of submission to Christ. The believer is encouraged to 'mortify' or kill flesh daily. To surrender one owns will is not easy, thats goes without saying, but when one can submit and surrender unto God on a daily basis...that person is at the place of dependency.

Daily Surrender (Copyright 2009 GrayscaleMusic, BMI)

...i give my life, Oh Lord I give my all.

be my direction, help me not to fall...

...be thou my freedom, in whom Im captured

Lord I, Daily Surrender

Remember Jesus Loves you and So Do I!

=DG

...Manifested Glory...

...here they come...

Antwan Simmons and Manifested Glory
...that is all...

=DG

14 Ways to Worship w/ Your Life!

14 Ways to Worship with Your Life
by Laura MacCorkle

Ever wonder why it seems so much easier to make "worship" a verb for three hours on a Sunday morning or two hours on a Wednesday night?
Laura MacCorkle is an editor living in Dallas, TX. She enjoys singing in a civic chorus as well as her church choir.

What happens when we get back out into the real world? You know … like when you're standing in the "Express – 10 Items or Less" line at the grocery store and the guy in front of you has got a week's worth of food to check out. Grrrr.
Yes, that's when real worship kicks in.
So how can you honor the Lord when it gets down to the nitty-gritty of living? How can you worship Him with your life? Try these 14 ways on for size. …

1)Love the unlovely. Leviticus 19:18 It's easy to love the people you like. But how about those you don't? Like the lady in choir who talks incessantly about herself. You don't want to hear another word about her uncle's brother's cousin's co-worker's foot problem. But like the church choir lady, perhaps you are someone else's "unlovely." Think about that the next time she corners you. Try seeing her and loving her the way God sees and loves you.

2)Give God your firstfruits. Proverbs 3:9 Whatever is precious to you right now in your life, try giving it to God and see what happens. Perhaps it's a chunk – or all! -- of your bonus check from work. Maybe one of your firstfruits is your time. Try giving your entire day off to the Lord. Spend that time in prayer. Or reading Scripture. Or finishing long-promised items on your "honey-do" list.

3)Pick up litter. 1 Peter 4:10 How many times do you pass the same crushed up Coke can that's been on the sidewalk for a week now? Trash pickup isn't listed as a specific spiritual gift per se, but perhaps lifting a hand – and a plastic baggy -- to clean up the world around you is exactly what God is calling you to do.

4)Be neighborly. Borrow some sugar. Luke 10:25-37 As believers, everyone is our neighbor. But sometimes we forget that our neighbors are really our neighbors as described in Luke. Whether we live in a high-rise or on several country acres, we all have people who live next to us. Become a fisher of neighbors and extend your hand to them. Make them wonder why you should care.

5)Say "please" and "thank you." 1 Peter 2:17 These two words do secure second glances these days. When you're polite to whom you're talking, people will notice. And hopefully they will be changed. Plus, since we are made in God's image, we are ultimately showing respect to our heavenly King. Remember that the next time you think a cashier is rude and not worthy.

6)Be stealth. Give in secret. Matthew 6:1-4 Have you ever noticed how exciting it is to do something nice for someone anonymously? If you found your newspaper at your front door instead of all the way down at the end of the driveway, would you be upset? Or if your dinner bill was already covered when it came time to pay up, would you refuse such kindness? Your "giving in secret" opportunities are endless.

7)Show your muscle. Help the weak. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Do you know someone who is spiritually weaker than you? Come alongside your brother or sister in Christ and walk with them, as the Lord guides you in helping to strengthen their faith. Discipleship and mentoring opportunities abound for all ages and levels of spiritual maturity. Ask the Lord how you can help someone learn to lean more heavily on Him.

8)Cut out the distractions. Turn off the tube. Philippians 4:8 We're talking radical. Go ahead and turn off your television for a day. A week. A month. A year! See if you're less distracted and more in tune with what the Lord is saying in your life. See if "miraculously" you have more time to meditate on God's Word and serve Him better.

9)Give up the gossip. Proverbs 18:8 Sure, at first it seems fun to dish. There's laughter involved and you feel better about yourself when you magnify someone else's failures and foibles, right? Wrong. What goes down smooth and tasty will later only promote dissension and do your heart and mind no good. The next time you encounter a gossip circle or situation, try saying something nice about the person in question. Or better yet, be drastic and just walk away.

10)Forget about the dust bunnies. Open up your home. Luke 10:38 It may seem like a no-brainer, but the simple act of opening your home to others can be pleasing to the Lord. Whether you're living on the side of a cliff in a glass house or in a trailer park, your home can be used for God's glory. A comfy place to sit, a hot cup of coffee and meaningful conversation are all that's needed. So put out the welcome mat, and see what He can do.

11)Take care of yourself. Romans 12:1 Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. And as a living sacrifice, it represents the totality of all that you are and do for the Lord. Do you treat it as you should? Or is your visible form merely a receptacle for the fast-food drive-thru, a pack of smokes and the effects of daily couch time? Take inventory and ask the Lord how to make your body a better home for His Spirit.

12)Drive the speed limit. Romans 13:1-5 How does one worship the Lord by keeping the speedometer in check? By submitting to an earthly authority and obeying its rules and regulations, we are submitting to God, our heavenly ruler who has established this system. Remember this the next time you're passing through a school speed zone when you're late for work.

13)Lend a hand. And a shoulder. Galatians 6:2 If you live on the fourth floor of an apartment walk-up, then you know it's no fun to carry up the groceries each week. Likewise, it's not always a thrill to deal with the incredible burden of our weaknesses. When a fellow believer is weighed down by temptation or spiritual failure, how will you help shoulder the load? Through prayer and encouragement, you can "carry each other's burdens and fulfill the law of Christ."

14)Forgive. And forget. Colossians 3:13 Easier said than done. Think of the person you feel has wronged you the most in your lifetime. Have you forgiven him or her as the Lord forgave you? Holding grudges only creates bitterness in our hearts and keep us from experiencing the freedom of forgiveness. It's not achieved with an add-water-and-mix formula, so ask the Lord to reveal whom He will help you forgive today. And let the healing begin.

Granted, there's no magic cure-all that will have us worshipping 365 days a year. No late-night infomercial with a 30-day success story can do it. Nor an inspirational speaker's set of 24 discs at the low, low price of $99.99.

But the Lord will help us if we seek Him. Consider each day your fresh start in honoring and serving the Lord with body, mind and soul. With our words and deeds -- with everything in our being -- we can choose to worship our heavenly Father with our lives.

Read this Article Here at Integrity Direct! Worship Leaders and Christians alike can find some awesome resources that will help them live a lifestyle of worship. Check them out! Its worth it!

As always readers, remember Jesus Loves you, and so do I!

Make sure to follow me, Poke Me, invade myspace and email me at DGray03@gmail.com!
Also follow SA! and be on the lookout for out new website coming soon! http://www.setapart4lyfe.com/

A Sweet Sound 3 coming up! Some reviews of Kari Jobe, Jars of Clay and James Fortune and Fiya! Check it out soon!

=DG