Sold Out!

Exalting His Name
Psalm 34:1-3

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

Many organizations, products, sports teams, and such, have a catchy slogan or motto that defines them. I liked that idea so much I decided to find something people could remember me by. Psalm 34:3 is often placed under my signature, and my daughter even had verses 1-3 burned onto my guitar strap. It goes like this: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”(Psalm 34:1-3).

I love it when we can exalt the name of the Lord together. So why don’t we do that just now? Praise you Lord for your goodness. We love you, Jesus!

Wise Leadership
Proverbs 1:1-6

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.” (Proverbs 1:1-6).

Wisdom, justice, judgement, and equity are exactly what we need in our leaders today. Would you take a moment to pray that God would grant us wise leadership, to guide us through these turbulent and uncertain times? And remember – pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Planting God’s Word in our Hearts
Psalm 119:9-11

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute.

When my children were young, I would read the Bible to them each day. Often we would read through the Psalms or book of Proverbs during the month. I felt it was my responsibility to feed them on God’s word, so they would be wise.

In Psalm 119:9-11, we read: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to your word. With my whole heart have I sought you: O let me not wander from your commandments.Your word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Planting God’s Word deep in our soul, feeding and meditating on it, aligns our thoughts with God’s. It also gives us truth to share with others. May God use you to speak his Word to folks you meet today, and to be an example of his amazing love.

Life’s Storms
Psalm 147:1, 16-17

Hi, I’m Howie Campbell, and this is a Wisdom and Truth Minute. “Praise the Lord; for it is good to sing praises unto our God. For it is pleasant and praise is comely” (Psalm 147:1).

Our recent snowstorm here in Virginia was a humdinger. While taking a break from shoveling, I took a walk. The nighttime sky was bright because the moon was full behind the clouds. The wind was blowing and the ice was beating on my face. My hair was covered with ice. And I thought of a scripture further down in Psalm 147. It goes like this: “He gives snow like wool: he scatters the hoarfrost like ashes. He casts forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?” (Psalm 147:16-17).

Friend, our lives are in God’s hands. So in all of life’s storms, trust God to see you through to that good place, and make you a blessing to somebody else.

As Christmas time approaches we would like to wish each of you a Spirit filled holiday. May Christ shine brightly in your hearts, home and community.

Our concert schedule is filling up for The Good News of Christmas, a musical presentation of the Christmas story. The schedule will take us from Appomattox, VA on the southern end through Upstate New York to the north. We are presenting it in coffeehouses, churches, missions and a “Coast to Coast” live stream. There will even be the intimate, friendly setting of a house concert.

View our upcoming dates on the event page at www.wisdomandtruth.org

The Good News of Christmas goes coast to coast!

Airing December 12th at 8PM EST and again at 10PM EST.

Live Stream Concert Window

The Good News of Christmas will be streaming live through Concert Window, going coast to coast and beyond. We invite you to watch the Advent celebration in the coziness of your own home. Invite your friends to watch it with you as it creates a great environment to connect with people on a spiritual level this Christmas season.

Download our order of presentation, have your Bible and hymnal ready and sing along. Presentation order

Airing on Concert Window
December 12th at 8PM EST and again at 10PM EST.

How it works.

Follow the link to Howie Campbell’s Concert Window
Create a log in and be ready when the performance begins. You may watch on your large screen, computer and even mobile device.
After a few minutes you will be asked to pay to continue watching. This is probably a $1 fee. To avoid inturruption I recommend paying before the show begins.
You may tip at any time.
Message us through Concert Window and let us know your are there!

This concert is a method for us to raise funds for our winter musicianary tours. This December we’ll be traveling from as far south as Appomatox, VA into Upstate NY where we are presenting The Good News of Christmas in coffeehouses, churches, city missions and homes.

We encourage tipping through Concert window, where we receive 70%. We also encourage giving a tax-deductable donation through our website where we will recieve 97%.

Pray that the true message of Christmas, the promised arrival of Messiah fulfilled, will deepen faith and change lives of all those who hear it.

Merry Christmas!

Howie and Debbie

Here is your guide to follow along with the Good News of Christmas presentation:

Our Family Tradition

Since our first Christmas as Christians in 1985, we have celebrated the Advent with our family. It was the most important part of our Christmas celebration. It shines the spotlight on God’s working through the Old Testament and fulfillments in the New Testament. I can not imagine what Christmas would be like as a Christian without a careful look at these promises.

Beginning December 1st. and continuing to the climatic evening of December 24th. We would light the beeswax candles on the advent log, which Howie fashioned of New York State white birch, and read the Scriptures. Passages were selected to build our confidence in God’s faithfulness in keeping His promise of a Saviour.

“The Good News of Christmas” presentation was birthed from our family tradition of celebrating Advent. Below are a list of scriptures that you may want to look at over the next 24 days.

The Good News of Christmas CD

First Week
Our God Reigns –
Gen. 3:14-15 ?(fall of Satan and promise of his defeat esp. vs. 14-15) Deut. 18:15, 18-19?
Numbers 24:17 (…..there shall come a star out of Jacob…..) Star/Septor symbol of a King.

Second Week
Is. 11:1-2 (the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him)
Is. 10 ?(Root of Jessie an ensign)
Jeremiah 33:14-16 (branch of righteousness, out of David)
Zech. 6:12-13 ?(the branch)
Ps. 89:1-4 (Establish David’s throne esp. 3-4)
Ps. 110:4 (Priestly order of Melchizedek)
Is. 52:7-10 ?(how beautiful are the feet)
Is. 40:9-11 ?(tidings of a shepherd)
Mic. 5:2 ?(Bethlehem, comes forth ruler)
Is. 9:6-7? (onto us a child is born)
Is. 7:14 (virgin shall conceive) Light shine in gross darkness Is Is. 40:3-5 (John’s birth foretold)
Is. 9:2 (light shines in darkness)
John 1:1-8 ?(in the beginning, John bear witness)
John 1:9-18 ?(He came to his own)
Mark 1:1-3 (beginning of Gospel. John)

Third Week
Luke 1:5-13? (Elizabeth and Zechariah)
Luke 1:14-25 or Luke 1:5-35 (Angel to Mary)
Luke 1:39-45? (Elizabeth’s salutation)
Luke 1:46-56? (Mary’s salutation)
Luke 1:57-80 (John’s birth)

Fourth Week
Mt. 1:18-25 (birth of Jesus….Angel appears to Joseph and he took Mary to wife?)
Luke 2:1-20? (decree, inn, shepherds)
Luke 2:21 (circumsicion)
Mt. 2:1-2? (Wise men )
Matt 2: 3-12 (Herod gifts )
Luke 2:40 (Jesus grows)

Being Bold

If there is one holiday that is ready made for witnessing, it is Christmas. People know there must be much more than buying and giving, eating and drinking, partying and stressing. Perhaps you have family, friends, coworkers or neighbors that have closed off or simply haven’t responded to your message in the past. Here is another opportunity to bless them using the language of music and the spoken word.

Christmas is the time of year that we can be like Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. “Then Philip began, and using this Scripture as a starting point, he told the eunuch the good news about Jesus…” Acts 8: 30-38

Some of the people that God places in our paths are spiritually similar to the eunuch. Christmas is here, the story of Jesus’ birth may be familiar. and they may be looking. Praying, we can look for opportnities to point out the fulfilment of prophesies regarding Jesus’ birth. By doing so, we speak of the validity of the Scriptures. Since these prophecies came true prescisely as foretold, so will the others.

If we simply trust God’s word, believe His promise of redemption and commit the keeping of our souls into His hands, then pray for opportunities to share the Good News with someone this Christmas season, it may be God will answer our prayer and grant someone new life in Jesus.

May the sweetness of Jesus be ever so strong this Christmas season!

Debbie and Howie

Charlottesville Virginia is a major music town. It makes sense that churches would involve music in their outreach strategy as well as stage praise and worship events. The folks at Aldersgate United Methodist asked Debbie and I to be a part of Praise Expo 2015. We were one of the music teams to perform that day.

Here’s a wonderful testimony of how the Lord directs our path.
While at a jazz jam session a violinist showed up. Her tone was wonderful and she seemed like a sweet gal so I met her afterwards only to discover she is a Christian, recently graduated from a music program at a Christian college. I contacted her later asking if she might be willing to join Debbie and I at an event, which she was. After looking at our web site, she messaged me that her dad traveled with his family growing up doing a similar ministry to ours. They have a heart for our style of ministry. We rehearsed the music an hour before the concert and performed well for our Lord. Thank you, Victoria Pent, for making the music even better!

It always blesses me the way God connects us with brothers and sisters to join in the joy of sharing the Good News, whether on a concert stage, on the street, in someone’s home or in a church setting. May God ever be glorified in the testimony of His saints, as we raise awareness of His immense goodness wherever we go.

Thank you, Lord, for connecting us with Victoria and her family. Many of the musicians we have a close relationship with have come into our lives by Divine appointment. We know God has a special plan for each one, and we pray the Lord, Jesus Christ will make Himself known mightily in each life and family.

Debbie, Howie, Victoria

Howie Campbell – guitar/vocal/native American flute
Debbie Campbell – percussion
Victoria Pent – violin

Howie and I are back in Charlottesville, Virginia for a few weeks. We  had the privilege of playing for the C’ville Coffee open mic last week. Here is our version of an original song written by Howie titled “Grampy”.

Enjoy!

Thank you, Johnnie R. Thomason, at Kingdom Keys Network Christian Radio, for inviting us for an interview at the studio in Amarillo, Texas.

Johnnie R. Thomason
Kingdom Keys Network

Johnnie asked us questions about how and where we minister. This ten minute interview was aired on June 4, 2015  for their program “Community Information Interview”.

In case you missed it, don’t worry, we have posted it here for your listening pleasure!