JUSTICE: The Story Behind the Re-Recording
Just when I thought this song had been sung...
Sometimes there’s more to the message. I thought I had completed this "assignment" in October of 2022—when the LORD first put it on my heart to release JUSTICE as a collaborative performance with my Crosby Lane friends.
Then—there it was again—that familiar tap on the shoulder... accompanied by a new whisper I sensed in my spirit during the summer of 2023:
"There's more on the JUSTICE song I want you to do."
What more could there be for me to do with a song already released and featured in a music video?
I wondered. I prayed about it for a while, wanting to be sure I'd heard Him correctly.
The Part 1 Revelation
The tap persisted for weeks…then months.
As I continued praying about what the "more" could be, I began sensing that the 2022 recording was only Part 1 of the assignment. It was the announcement of God's justice coming to a world in desperate need.
For that original music video, I felt led to end with Proverbs 21:15:
"When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."
That first release carried two messages at once.
It was a stern warning to those partnering with evil:
Last call to repent. Turn from your wicked ways, because Justice is coming to knock on your door.
At the same time, it was an encouraging promise to God's people who had been praying, waiting, and trusting Him.
A New Assignment
Now I sensed the Lord saying that a new version—one infused with a different sound—was the next assignment on the horizon.
A version that would serve as a proclamation and declaration:
The time is NOW for My righteous justice to begin unfolding. Heavenly justice that will be seen and heard by the world. The window for repentance is now closing.
Seeking a New Sound
It felt a bit strange going back into the studio to create “Part 2” of a song I thought was complete.
We were creating a new sound, vibe, and arrangement just following nudges from the Lord.
Just as I had with the first recording, I questioned whether my voice was really the right one to deliver this message.
I sensed Him responding:
Your voice is right because you're willing to say yes to this assignment.
Dennis—my studio musician and co-producer—and I bounced new production ideas back and forth until the arrangement gradually became what felt right.
As I tracked the vocals, I found myself being stretched beyond what I thought I was capable of singing. After months of recording, tweaking, and mixing, the new version finally came together.
Throughout the process, I kept asking the Lord the same question:
What day, month, and year do You want me to release this Part 2 version? When, exactly, is the date of Your proclamation?
Green Light Goosebumps
The answer came near the end of 2023.
Just like the unforgettable car ride when God answered my questions about the first recording of JUSTICE (see that story here), another green-light, goosebumps moment arrived unexpectedly on my drive to the studio.
I was praying that morning, asking the Lord which Bible verse should appear at the end of the new music video.
Immediately, I was led to a verse I had never noticed before:
"But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"
—Amos 5:24
I spoke the verse aloud, instantly knowing this was the one.
God's righteous justice will soon begin rolling out... and we are all going to see it.
The Release Date Hidden in the Verse
When I arrived at the studio, I shared the verse with Dennis.
That's when another realization hit me: the release date is stamped right into the verse number of Amos 5:24!
The 5th month of the year 2024. God had answered my release date question.
I pulled up my calendar to see which Fridays fell in May—Fridays are typically the best day to release new music.
"Welllll... look at that," I said to Dennis.
"The 24th of May, 2024, just happens to fall on a Friday."
It felt like unmistakable confirmation; even the calendar was aligning with Amos 5:24.
A Song Born Again... and Again
Isn't it wonderful when God shows up and shows off like that?
I hope you enjoy this new version of a song (with the expanded title of JUSTICE 524 (Comin’ to Your City) that first began as a Wild West cowboy song, and has since been born again...and again.