Baroni Bloggin’

Adam and Eve once enjoyed face to face communion with the Lord God Almighty. Walking and talking with Him in the garden of Eden in the cool of the day. They were naked and unashamed- enjoying closeness with God and with each other and God’s creation.

Of course after listening to the evil one and eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil the word says that “their eyes were opened” and they knew they were unclothed and they heard the “sound (some translations say “voice”) of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and they hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord.” (Gen. 3:8)

We have been self-sufficient (and woefully lacking) and hiding ever since. But because of Jesus Christ we don’t have to hide anymore! Once again by the grace of God and the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, we can walk and talk in freedom with God- clothed with His righteousness and unashamed. We were servants to ourselves, slaves to sin but in Christ we have become sons of God!

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name”. John 1:12

The entire creation is waiting anxiously, eagerly for… the return of the Lord? Romans 8:19 says that creation is waiting for the manifestation, revealing, UNVEILING of the sons of God. Jesus preached the gospel of the Kingdom. He embodied the life of His Father through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said “OF myself I can do nothing, I only do what I see the Father doing. The Father in Me does the works.” Jesus lived His life on earth as a man, totally yielded to His Father. Totally dependent on His Father.

The Word made flesh and dwelt among us!

The Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. Not only is Jesus our Savior, Redeemer, Lord, Heavenly Bridegroom, etc. He is also our Big Brother!

As the Lion King told Simba: “You’ve forgotten who you are”, and “You are more than you’ve become.”

If anyone is in Christ he or she is a new creation. Led by the Holy Spirit, we are the sons of God! If Jesus is the King of kings (and He is), who are the “little k” kings that He is the King of? That’s right, you and me! All who have come to God through the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ have been given the incredible privilege of an eternal relationship with God… what an adventure- to rule and reign with Him by His power, by His love, by His Spirit and Life and Word within us! Talk about abundant life.

Enjoy the song “Unveiled!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVDjelIwoT8

We don’t have to hide from the Presence of the Lord anymore. Christ in us is the hope of glory!

Godrest and Godspeed,
David Baroni

“Unveiled!”
David Baroni/Kingdomsongs Inc./CCLI# 5525166

Verse 1:
To see the invisible
Hear what can’t be heard
Explore the unsearchable
Wonders of Your Word
Things of earth fade away…
Things of earth fade away
As we look into Your Face

Chorus:
Unveiled unveiled
Changing from glory to glory
Unveiled unveiled
Heart to heart Face to face
This is what we’re yearning for
The cross has made the way
For us to stand before You
Unveiled!

Verse 2:
Creation is crying out
Longing for the day
When the sons of the Kingdom
Show the world Your ways
Walking in Father’s Love
Walking in Father’s Love
By His Spirit and His grace

Chorus: (repeat)

Bridge:
Elders bow
Angels shout “Holy Holy Holy”
Multitudes and millions worship You alone
Worthy is the Lamb of God The Lord forever reigns
Blessed is Your Name
Blessed is Your Name
And blessed are the ones who stand before Your Throne

Godrest and Godspeed!
David Baroni

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The following is an excerpt from Chapter One in my book “The Jazz Preacher”.

The Civil Rights Days
One of the most profound experiences of my childhood happened because of my mother. My mama believed that “people were people.” Skin color didn’t matter, everyone was worthy of respect and dignity. With the unwavering support of my dad, she put her beliefs into action in the 1960’s, in the
south, in Mississippi!

Those were the torrid days of the KKK, segregation, lynching, cross burnings and fire hoses, boycotts and riots. My mother got very involved in the Civil Rights Movement, one of the few white women in the town (or the state for that matter) to do so.
Dad had to endure the stares and slurs of some of his coworkers at Armstrong Tire and Rubber Co. Some of the men he worked with day in and day out were fervent members of the K.K.K.

One of the black men that worked at the same factory lost both legs to a car bomb planted in his vehicle. My father remembers placing small pebbles on the hood of his car to help him determine whether or not his automobile had been tampered with.

Periodically the Klan would roll up one page newsletters filled with malicious gossip that we called “hate-sheets” and leave them in peoples’ driveways. When I was a small boy, I would pick them up on occasion to find that my own family was the subject of the vilification. Fortunately, at age five or
six, I was too young to comprehend much of what was going on.

Along with Mom and Dad, my older siblings, Mary Jane, Philip and Rose Ann, bore much of the brunt of the ostracism and name calling. The threat of violence hovered like an ominous cloud over most small Mississippi towns in the early 1960’s.
One night my sister Rose Ann was walking in our neighborhood with some of her friends. A car filled with white men they had never seen before was driving back and forth down our street. After a few runs up and down, the driver pulled over and asked my sister if she knew where the Baroni’s lived. My sister smartly misdirected him and ran home to tell my father.

What happened next has become a favorite part of ourfamily history. My usually peaceful dad got his shotgun; (unloaded, but those guys didn’t know that), and ran out to the strange car, pointed the shotgun at the ashen-faced driver and in no uncertain terms commanded him to get out of there and not
come back. He rapidly complied and we never saw him again. Go dad!

We Shall Overcome

It was in that environment that my mother began to take me to voter registration rallies. These were events held in small black churches. Much of the impetus of the Civil Rights Movement came out of the African-American church, which was a strong unifying and galvanizing force in the black community. The rallies were held to encourage black people to register to vote. Though by this time they had a legal right to vote, some black folks were subjected to intimidation and harassment if they tried to register.

Most of the time my mom and siblings and I were the only white people to attend these meetings. It was an almost surreal atmosphere. People would use funeral home fans to try to wave away the stifling summer heat.
As a young boy, I didn’t understand most of what was going on. I can’t remember the speeches and other items on the agenda, but there was one thing about those meetings I will never forget: the singing.
Between speeches the choir would sing. It was usually a small choir, from 20 to 30 voices. There was no P.A. system, no microphones. They did not need amplification! As passionate voices were raised singing “We Shall Overcome” and “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round,” the congregation and choir alike would weep, sing, shout and celebrate like nothing this young white child had ever seen, heard or felt!
I didn’t realize it then, but God gave me gifts in those sweltering churches. I experienced the passion in music, songs delivered with emotion and honesty. I heard music employed to serve a cause greater than merely to draw praise to the singer or entertain the crowd. I received the ability to appreciate people’s differences and celebrate the many things we have in common.

Those wonderful people gave me the bequest of faith-filled songs that transcend suffering and give hope in the midst of struggle and despair. I didn’t realize it at the time but seeds of destiny were planted in my heart, and many gifts were poured like living water into this young man on those hot,
humid, Natchez nights.

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As I was about to read in the Psalms today, a heading over Psalm 22 caught my attention: “A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise.”

That phrase, added by the Bible publisher, started me thinking. Isn’t that how life is a lot of the time?

It reminds me of the song my daughter Bethany and I wrote called “I Will Worship”:

In the good and the bad Lord I worship Your Name
No matter what happens You love me the same
I will worship You Jesus
Wherever You lead I will follow You
Knowing Your faithfulness God You are good
So I worship You Jesus

The second verse of the song says:

When sorrow becomes overwhelming
You come wrap your arms around me
And then like the wind Lord You whisper to me
Breathing hope into the depths of my soul

I wish life was just one great happy encounter after another…or do I?
Another song I wrote a long time ago:

If I never had sorrow I could never be comforted
I’d never know healing if I didn’t feel pain
Without the fire gold could not be freed from dross
Through the power of the cross, loss is gain

The truth is that our trials are lovingly used by our Father to conform us into the image of Christ. We get to know Christ, and ourselves better through suffering. Do we seek suffering? I don’t! But I do know that this life will have cries of anguish; sometimes right along with songs of praise, and I am glad that we have the assurance that “God is faithful Who will not allow us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear, but with the temptation will make a way of escape.”

He will complete what He has begun in us! And we will be glad.
Godrest and Godspeed,
David Baroni
7/14/2009

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Even when it’s hard to believe
Even when our hope seems all gone
There has never been a night without a dawn…

“Faithful God” is one of my favorite songs. Co-written with my friend, Wayne Tate, this song is one that I sing regularly. It never gets old to me.

You can order it as a free MP3 and songsheet download at www.davidbaroni.com

Godrest and Godspeed!
David Baroni

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Just watched an inspiring interview with Garrison Keillor and Robert Altman about the movie “A Prarie Home Companion.” (on Youtube)

In the interview with Peter Travers of “Rolling Stone”, Keillor commented on Robert Altman’s directing style. Altman’s approach is to get out of the way and let the actors bring what they have to the scene.

This started me thinking about the best music producers and authors and songwriters that I know. By far my favorite style of producer (and the way I try to produce as well) is the one who gives a skeletal outline, a flexible “wineskin”, then empowers the musician to let the music flow; to rely on Inspiration and the interplay between the musicians. To let go of creative control requires humility and trust in the creative process that causes one to rise above the paralyzing self consciousness and fear that so easily thwarts the free flow of creativity.

One of my favorite authors, Dean Koontz, imagines the characters in his novels, then lets them take on a life of their own. He merely writes from the flow of the moment. It is unselfconscious, and to me, the vulnerability and trust in the inspiration is what gives the novel it’s power and “out-of -the-blue” sense of creativity, freshness and imagination.

In a recent newsletter Koontz writes:

“When you accept your talent not as something to take pride in but as something for which to be grateful, you set the ego aside ad you are freed from the desire to impress, and you enter into play. When that happens, the consequent spontaneity enriches the work, and you experience moments that are spiritually exhilarating, an awareness of God within and without.”

I like my friend and Pastor, Steve Fry’s recent take on authority. My rough paraphrase: “Authority is not so much about power and control and submission to leadership, it is “author-ity”- creating, originating.”

The best songs that I have written were (with only a few exceptions) songs that seemed to have a life of their own. I merely yielded to the creative impulses that were bubbling in the Spirit-realm, and in my own heart.

Jesus is the Author… We are created in the image of the Creator! There is an authenticity and vitality that comes when we trust the Creator to create through us. Let it flow!

Godrest and Godspeed
David Baroni

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David and Rita have been in full-time ministry for 25 years.

David has ministered in 49 states and 20 countries. Rita has been able to join David on many of those trips and contribute in her unique and powerful way.

We are very grateful to the Lord for Him allowing us to be in full time ministry. We appreciate your prayers and support financially. The ministry is dependent on the love offerings and sales at our live events, some songwriter royalties, and the generosity of the people who believe in us. Many times God has provided for us with unexpected donations through offerings through the website or checks in the mail.

Recently, the Holy Spirit has impressed us to offer many of the items on the website free of charge, in particular the teaching mp3s.

We at davidbaroni.com know that God is always faithful to provide for all of our needs whether they are financial, spiritual, or physical. Thank you for the part you have in our ministry.

Thank you for your prayers and love! If you feel led by the Holy Spirit to make a donation to our ministry you can do so by clicking on the donation button on the home page at www.davidbaroni.com to donate securely by Pay Pal, or mail a check to:

Kingdomsongs Inc.
209 Cambridge Place
Franklin TN 37067

You can also help by purchasing the ministry resources that are available on the website.
Thank you and God bless you!

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These are two powerful principles taught to us by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
First, we are a kingdom of priests:
Rev. 5:9,10 (my paraphrase) You have redeemed them from every tribe and tongue by Your Blood and have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth! (emphasis mine).

The role of the priest in the Old Testament was to minister to God on behalf of the people and minister to the people on the behalf of God. in other words, the priest was to be a mediator between God and man.
Now, of course, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, through the Holy Spirit residing in the believer, we are all part of the royal priesthood. (1st Peter 2:9)

Christ is in us as the Great High Priest, giving us access into the very Holy of Holies, the place of intimacy with Almighty God. Not only that, but Christ in us is also reconciling the world unto Himself through us!

Our first ministry is to the Lord. From the overflow of that worship and obedience and acknowledgement of our dependence on Him (Christ Who is our life) comes our ministry to others. To reverse the order is to rob ourselves of freshness, vitality and effectiveness- regardless of how well-intentioned we may be. We are a kingdom of priests. Not independently, but in unity- though we all have different giftings, callings and expressions of the life of Christ through us.

That is only half of the exciting revelation.

We are also a priesthood of kings!

One of the Names for the Lord Jesus Christ is “King of kings”.
Notice that He is not just the King of subjects. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. This doesn’t merely mean that He is the King that is better than all the other kings (though of course that is true.) He is the King Who reigns over all the “little k” kings.

Who are these “little k” kings?
I am! You are, if you are a born-again believer in Jesus!
We are given the opportunity (and responsibility) of ruling and reigning “on the earth” with Him! Everywhere we go, we are ambassadors of the heavenly Kingdom. We carry heaven with us and fulfill the original mandate given to Adam and Eve to :
“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it:” in other words to advance the agenda, the Kingdom of our Father God!

We are a Priesthood of Kings! From our attitude and posture of humility, worship and delight in caring about those people and things that are on the Heart of God, we have been privileged by grace to partner with the Almighty!

Again, in Romans the scripture: “The entire creation groans and travails together in pain until now waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God.”

Arise and shine kings and priests of our God for your Light has come and the glory of the Lord has arisen upon you!
God’s greatest goal is not to get us to heaven, but to get heaven into us and through us to His world, to conform us to the image of Christ!

Godrest and Godspeed,
David Baroni

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I was having coffee at Starbuck’s with a friend and fellow musician today when the conversation turned to one of his favorite jazz recordings: Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea doing a lot of improvisation- free flowing spontaneity within a very loosely sketched, skeletal arrangement.

I told him that spontaneous flowing musically and spiritually is a metaphor to me of how our relationship with God should be. We flow with what we hear from the Lord, willing to lay down our preconceptions of how life is supposed to play out. In involves receiving the gift of faith and the grace to trust that God is faithful and really is working… “all things out for the good of those who love Him, who are the called according to His purposes.” I call it the “victory of vulnerability”, when we step out of the boat on a Word from God.

Jesus said “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” As Paul the Apostle wrote “Now the just shall live by faith.”

It takes a degree of trust to launch out with other musicians into the unknown waters of spontaneous composition. Our tendency, especially as Greek-mindset influenced westerners who rely on empiricism- that is, on what we perceive by our natural senses- is to lean too heavily on the sheet music. It seems safer that way, we like structure.

But does our structure make room for God? He dwells not in temples (structures) made with human hands. He came in the unlikely womb of a young virgin… to the natural minded a woman of reproach. A King? Yes, but born in a stall surrounded by smelly animals and lower class shepherds. The Word was made flesh… the Eternal/Invisible clothed, indeed bound Himself with Time and the Physical so that we who were blind could finally, by faith, see the Father.

The church is a wineskin for the Kingdom of God, not an inflexible piece of pottery that crumbles under the intoxicating pressure of the
flowing wine of God’s grace and Presence. I am not advocating that we have no structure, no wineskin, only that the new wine of the Kingdom of God is poured into the accommodating wineskin that the church is meant to be.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.” And as the Message translation of Psalms 40:3 goes on to say:

He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to God.

Godrest and Godspeed
David Baroni

P.S. My book “The Jazz Preacher” has more on this topic. You can order your copy at www.davidbaroni.com

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To introduce our new affiliation with Itunes, we are announcing this promotional event!

The first 25 people to log into Itunes from our site (you can click the icon below or go to the home page at www.davidbaroni.com) and order at least $9.99 from Itunes will receive 3 free MP3s of your choice from the list below.
You can order anything, it doesn’t have to be David Baroni music. Of course, if it is, that would be great too!
Then email us at david@davidbaroni.com and tell us your order total and what 3 free MP3s you would like. It’s that simple!

The one who places the largest Itunes order will receive the following CDs free!
“FingerPaintings: Dream” David’s new instrumental
“Real Life”
“Captured By Your Presence”

After you place your order, choose 3 MP3’s from the following songs:

Ain’t Gonna Let No Rock
Faithful God
Bow Down
A New Anointing
O Draw Me Lord
He’s Been Good
Within the Heart of God
I Rest In You
Hear My Cry
Daddy Daughter Dance (FingerPaintings)
Serenity (FingerPaintings)
Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty
You Are
Sweet Songs

Event ends April 16th so order now!

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When you download anything from Itunes… music, movies, games- using the link below, a percentage of the order is given to our ministry! It’s no extra cost to you. Thanks for considering ordering through the link below… tell your friends!
Godrest and Godspeed,
David Baroni

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