HIDE MYSELF – Live Video and Devotion Premiere:

In Psalm 57:1, David writes: “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”

The disaster that David speaks of is Saul’s pursuit of him. Saul wants to kill David because he can see that God is with him.

Believing in God doesn’t make us immune to trouble. There were many instances in David’s life in which trouble pursued him, just like there are and will be times in our own lives when we need a place of safety, comfort, and help in our time of need.

Where do we run in times of trouble? Where is that hiding place, that place of refuge?

In the midst of the pursuit, Saul says to his men: “Discover his hiding places…” (1 Samuel 23:23). The caves were among David’s favorite hiding places, but they weren’t his only hiding place. He also hid himself where he found his help – in the shadow of God’s wings.

When we run to God for help we find more than a hiding place. We find help, we find peace, and we find rest, because God’s presence changes everything. It changes fear to faith, anxiety to peace, discouragement to confidence, danger to safety.

Faith, peace, confidence, and safety – that is what is available to us when we hide in Him.

Four times in the Psalms David writes about seeking refuge in the shelter of God’s wings. The final time, in Psalm 63:7, he writes, “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.” Even when his life was on the line, David could sing, rejoice even, and hold tight to the promises of God because he had seen the Lord’s faithfulness.

No matter what you are going through – storms, floods, you name it – you can always run to God. Hold that truth in your heart and you too will find a voice to sing with from the shadows.

HIDE MYSELF is featured on Michael W. Smith’s new album, SOVEREIGN.  Get your copy wherever you purchase / consume music.

YOU ARE THE FIRE – Live Video and Devotion Premiere:

Have you ever been so excited about something that you felt like you were literally going to burst if you didn’t tell someone and tell them right now?

That’s exactly how Jeremiah says he felt about speaking God’s Word:

• But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. Jeremiah 20:9

Even when Jeremiah tried to keep quiet, he couldn’t. Even though the message he had was a challenging one, he still longed to share it. Even knowing that the people wouldn’t listen to him, God’s word was so powerful it was like an aching in his bones.

• You are the flame that’s growing deep inside
• You are the blazing passion in my eyes
• You are the aching shut up in my bones
• You are the longing that won’t let me go

That’s what God wants for the church. For us to be so filled with His love it would consume us from the inside out. For us to feel like we were going to burst if we didn’t proclaim His love to the nations right now. For us to wake up and begin to reflect who God is. For us to invite Him to be the fire that burns inside of us, and that the whole world would see us burn.

• Let it burn, let it burn now
• From the inside out
• Let it rage, let it rage now
• You are the fire

God, You are the fire!

YOU ARE THE FIRE is featured on Michael W. Smith’s new album, SOVEREIGN.  Get your copy wherever you purchase / consume music.

We are premiering 5 new Live Videos of Michael W. Smith performing songs from his new album, SOVEREIGN over the next 5 weeks.  Check back here for each premiere.

RELEASE SCHEDULE: 

• February 3, 2015 – YOU ARE THE FIRE (Live)
• February 10, 2015 – HIDE MYSELF (Live)
• February 17, 2015 – THE SAME POWER (Live)
• February 24, 2015 – ALL ARISE (Live)
• March 3, 2015 – I LAY ME DOWN (Live)

Just when you think Charlie Daniels 40th Anniversary Volunteer Jam can’t get any bigger, additional megastar performers are announced. Trace Adkins, Ted Nugent, Tracy Lawrence, Craig Morgan, Colt Ford, The Oak Ridge Boys and Michael W. Smith will all be appearing alongside the previously-announced Travis Tritt, Montgomery Gentry, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Outlaws and Lee Roy Parnell. The megastars will bind together to support the needs of American veterans through The Journey Home Project. Tickets to the once-in-a-lifetime event will be available beginning Friday, January 30 at 10 a.m. CST at the Bridgestone Arena box office and all Ticketmaster locations. Due to tremendous growth over its forty years of sell-out success, the legendary Volunteer Jam will take place for the first time at the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville on August 12, 2015 and will be hosted by Sean Hannity and Storme Warren.

In 1974, The Charlie Daniels Band hosted the first-ever Volunteer Jam as a way of celebrating their first hometown sellout concert, never knowing how big the event would become — from being aired as a two-hour TV special produced by Dick Clark Productions, to earning national attention through the Jerry Lewis Telethon, to being broadcast LIVE around the world on Voice of America, the event experienced exponential growth with each passing year. “I’m very excited to continue the Jam tradition,” said Daniels. I hope to see more Nashville Volunteer Jams in the future. I’m very, very excited to continue the Jam tradition forty years later. Ain’t it good to be alive, and be in Tennessee.”

The 2015 Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam will benefit The Journey Home Project, the non-profit organization that Daniels serves as Chairman of the Board and whose mission is to connect donors to veterans’ organizations that can help meet their health care, education and career needs, as well as The Predators Foundation, which is devoted to funneling the excitement of professional sports towards the needs of the community.  For more information on The Journey Home Project, please visit: thejourneyhomeproject.org. For more information on The Predators Foundation, please visit: predators.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=37108.

Charlie Daniels 40th Anniversary Volunteer Jam presented by Copperweld is produced by David Corlew & Associates in association with Outback Concerts. 95.5 FM Nash ICON and WSM-AM serve as the official radio partners. Ticket prices start at $17.68 with limited VIP packages available.

For additional information on ticketing, visit the Bridgestone Arena box office or Ticketmaster.com.

For more information on The Charlie Daniels Band, visit www.charliedaniels.com.

Michael and all of his team are completely humbled by the support that you have shown his new album, THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS this year.

As we enter the final days of the Christmas Season we wanted to share you a YouTube playlist with you so that you can watch the lyric videos wherever you are…

The Spirit of Christmas is now available on CD in-stores everywhere and on iTunes here.

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WATCH & LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST HERE:
Watch on YOUTUBE here.

Story Courtesy of WKRN.com and CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE®

A surprise visit by singer Michael W. Smith brightened the day of Staff Sergeant Rafael Panduro Wednesday at the Cracker Barrel in Clarksville.

“He’s in there with his wife and two daughters. They don’t know that I’m coming,” said Smith just before walking into the restaurant.

“We’re going to have a meal together and I’m going to give them some cash,” Smith told News 2.The Christian singer gifted the family with $500 and backstage passes to his Nashville show.

Staff Sgt. Panduro enlisted when he was 17 years old and has served for 15 and a half years in medical mission.

He’s currently a platoon leader at Fort Campbell.

Smith sat with the Panduros for lunch, chatting with the family, before presenting a Christmas gift on behalf of the Lebanon based restaurant chain.

“We’ve got a little money, a little Christmas shopping money here at Cracker Barrel,” Smith said with a smile. “Not $20, not $50, but $500.”

Sgt. Panduro and his wife Ursula were taken completely by surprise.

“One of his songs was the first song I ever heard after I became a Christian,” Panduro said, adding, “It’s amazing. I don’t know what to say. I’m just grateful to everybody who made this happen.”

Panduro’s wife Ursula was brought to tears.

“We’re representing Fort Campbell,” she said. “All of the families that are there that do the same thing that we do.”

In addition to the gift card, Smith gave the Panduros backstage passes to his show in Nashville Thursday night.

On Monday, December 1st – ABC aired their CMA Country Christmas Special which featured Michael W. Smith and Carrie Underwood singing ALL IS WELL.  Listen to the song here.

(ALL IS WELL is one of 14 new recordings on Michael’s album, THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS record.  Available everywhere you buy music. Sample every song and get your copy now here.)

Watch the live performance as it appeared during the CMA Country Christmas special here:

Watch and listen to the official lyric video here:

In the midst of promotion for Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, which quickly hit No. 1 on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart, three-time GRAMMY® winner Michael W. Smith was named Philanthropist of the Year by the Nashville Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Additionally, Smith was honored by the Nashville Association of Talent Directors (NATD) for his impact on the Nashville entertainment industry.

On National Philanthropy Day – November 5 – the Nashville Chapter of AFP named Smith Philanthropist of the Year based on his extensive work with Rocketown, which he founded in 1994. The first of its kind in the Southeast, Rocketown over the years has grown into a model example for Christian-based relational outreach programs across the country. Following the tragedy of Columbine in 1999, Rocketown’s board was inspired to grow the scope of programming and move to a central location in downtown Nashville. The current facility touts three stages for live entertainment, Middle Tennessee’s only indoor skatepark, The Hub snack bar, a recording studio and photography, art and dance studios. More than 800 teens from across the Middle Tennessee region participate in Rocketown programs each week. For more information, visit http://rocketown.com.

This past Tuesday evening at The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, NATD held its annual gala, honoring seven entertainment professionals for their efforts to make Nashville the exciting and vital entertainment mecca that it is today. Hosted by ABC/WKRN’s Stephanie Langston, the Gala honored Smith along with Governor Bill Haslam, Rob Beckham, partner and co-head of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, Vanderbilt University’s Head Baseball Coach, Tim Corbin, Founder and CEO of Parallel Entertainment, J. P. Williams, Demetria Kalodimos, WSMV News anchor and reporter and legendary country music icon Charlie Daniels.

The 2014 Honorees were chosen by the NATD Board of Directors, under the leadership of President Steve Tolman of LogiCom. “Our honorees are from varying entertainment backgrounds and professions, and they have each brought their expertise, their commitment and their vision to ensure that Music City continues to flourish and grow,” Tolman said.

Smith is gearing up to launch the “The Spirit of Christmas Tour” in support of Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, which features a plethora of A-list guests – including Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Amy Grant, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Bono and Michael McDonald.

The tour will kick off November 30 and will hit several cities in the U.S. and Canada. Partnering with Smith as the official tour sponsor is Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® and joining him on all tour dates is Dove Award-winner Rachael Lampa. In addition to “The Spirit of Christmas Tour,” Smith will co-headline three special events with long-time friend and fellow GRAMMY® winner Amy Grant. Teaming up in Dallas, Minneapolis and Atlanta, Smith and Grant will showcase their beloved Christmas set while performing alongside the full Symphony Orchestras.

Smith will also perform on the CMA Country Christmas special to air on ABC on Monday, December 1 at 8/7c. Smith will perform two tracks off of the album, his original song “All Is Well” with Carrie Underwood, and the beloved Christmas classic “Silent Night” with Little Big Town. For more information, visit cmaworld.com/cma-country-christmas.

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About Michael W. Smith:
Michael W. Smith is an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and musician who has sold more than 15 million albums, achieved 28 No. 1 songs, earned three GRAMMY® Awards, one American Music Award, and more than 40 Dove Awards. Most recently, in honor of ASCAP’s 100th Anniversary, Smith, along with Amy Grant, was honored as “a cornerstone of Christian music,” for his groundbreaking career and significant influence on the genre. Throughout his career, the Contemporary Christian Music artist has had the opportunity to sing for several Presidents and national leaders. He actively supports the teen club Rocketown, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse, the ministry headed by Franklin Graham. Michael and his wife Debbie live in Middle Tennessee, where they raised their five children. So far this year, Smith has released Hymns, his first-ever classic hymns album available exclusively at all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations and CrackerBarrel.com, as well as his first studio worship album since 2008, Sovereign, which took a Top 10 spot on the Billboard 200, as well as the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Christian Albums Chart. His fourth career Christmas album, Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, is available now. For more information, visit www.michaelwsmith.com.

About The Association of Fundraising Professionals:
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is an association of individuals responsible for generating philanthropic support for a wide variety of nonprofit, charitable organizations. The Nashville Chapter of AFP is one of five Chapters in the state of Tennessee. Established in 1981, the Nashville Chapter currently serves a membership of more than 120 area professionals, serving all of Middle Tennessee and parts of Southern Kentucky.
Founded in 1960, AFP (formerly the National Society of Fund Raising Executives) advances philanthropy through its more than 30,388 members in 198 chapters throughout the world.
AFP believes that to guarantee human freedom and social creativity, people must have the right to freely and voluntarily form organizations to meet perceived needs, advocate causes, and seek funds to support these activities.

About Nashville Association of Talent Directors:
NATD was founded in 1958 and professionally represents, directs, and promotes the entertainment industry through its members. Today those members generate more than 300 million dollars annually for Nashville-based artists. The organization not only serves as a forum for idea exchange among its members, it also serves as a vehicle for other facets of the industry to share information vital to the overall growth of the Nashville music and entertainment industry. NATD members foster camaraderie among “friendly competitors” which seems to be unique to the closely knit Nashville music and entertainment community. As part of its philanthropic program, NATD provides scholarship funds for students showing exemplary performances in academics, civic duties, and personal goals. This is the 26th year that aid has been granted. For more information, please visit www.n-a-t-d.com.

Three-time GRAMMY® winner Michael W. Smith will bring holiday cheer to audiences across the country this holiday season as he launches “The Spirit of Christmas Tour,” set to hit several cities in the U.S. and Canada. Partnering with Michael W. Smith as the official tour sponsor is Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®.

Earlier this year, Michael W. Smith debuted his first classic hymns album, aptly named Hymns, exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations and online at www.crackerbarrel.com. The tremendous success of the album, which was recently won a Dove Award for Inspiration Album of the Year, led to Cracker Barrel Old Country Store signing on as the official tour sponsor.

“I’m really happy to have Cracker Barrel as a tour sponsor,” remarked Smith. “Our local Cracker Barrel has become a very special place over the past several years. It’s where I take my Dad once a week for breakfast. We’ve shared some great memories there that I’ll always cherish. It feels great to have Cracker Barrel as part of my tour.”

“We enjoyed working with Michael and his team when we exclusively released his Hymns album earlier this year, and were so happy for them when it was recently nominated for a Dove Award,” said Cracker Barrel Marketing Manager Julie Craig. “Christmas is a time when families come together, and often they gather to share a meal at Cracker Barrel. When we were approached about sponsoring his ‘Spirit of Christmas Tour,’ we knew it would be a great fit.”

In addition to “The Spirit of Christmas Tour,” Smith will co-headline three special events with long-time friend and fellow GRAMMY® winner Amy Grant. Teaming up in Dallas, Minneapolis and Atlanta, Smith and Grant will showcase their beloved Christmas set while performing alongside a full symphony orchestra. Full tour dates are listed below. For more information, visit:www.michaelwsmith.com.

Smith made national headlines last month as he announced the release of Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas, featuring an all-star lineup of guests – Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Amy Grant, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Bono and Michael McDonald. The album will be available in stores – including Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® – as well as online on September 30.

“This is the most unique and unusual record I’ve ever done in my 31-year career,” remarked Smith. The album was co-produced by Smith, CMA Music Awards and CMA Country Christmas producer Robert Deaton and renowned orchestral maestro David Hamilton.

This year, the annual CMA Country Christmas will deliver plenty of holiday cheer on Monday, December 1 at 7 pm (CT) on ABC. Hosted again by Jennifer Nettles, the show will feature performances and special appearances by Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Lucy Hale, Hunter Hayes, Little Big Town, Idina Menzel, LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles and Christian singer, Michael W. Smith. Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley and Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) are also scheduled to appear.

Taping will be on Friday, November 7, 2014 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Tickets are currently on sale and run from $34.18 to $61.53 per seat. Audience members are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the show for the annual Toy Drive. The Nashville-based, non-profit group Generosity will have volunteers on site with specially marked bins to collect toys beginning at (5:00 PM/CT). Last year, the group collected over 5000 toys for children in Nashville.

In a press release, Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said, “Our toy drive adds something special to the celebration shining a spotlight on a worthy endeavor in a way that reflects the values and giving nature of our artists, the industry, and this city.”

Last year, guests like Lady Antebellum, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Kellie Pickler, Jake Owen, Lily Costner, Trace Adkins, Alyth McCormack, Luke Bryan, Willie Robertson, Michael W. Smith, Jennifer Nettles and Lucy Hale rang in the season with plenty of fun and holiday cheer.
Read more: http://www.musictimes.com/articles/13404/20141024/cma-country-christmas-performers-announced.htm#ixzz3I8pzmACo