New music Renewed mind

At church, during the sermon on James 1:26-2:26, Pastor Steve shared this song by Jon Foreman called "Instead of a Show." What cutting lyrics. Definitely gave me a huge nudge (along with the sermon). The song was written based on Amos 5.

"I hate, I despise your feasts,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
I will not look upon them.
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream"
- Amos 5:21-24

Listening to this song and the sermon, it brought me back to the CMDFA (Christian Medical & Dental Fellowship of Australia) Conference at the beginning of this year, where one of the speakers spoke on Micah 6. i was reminded of all the hopeful plans i'd made that somehow got drowned out from the busyness of life. I have a lot of praying and thinking to do after these exams.. i want to follow through with it all

"'With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?'
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God"
- Micah 6:6-8

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
- James 1:26-27

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
- James 2:14-18

I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stomp on my ears when you're singing 'em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you're praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There's blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don't fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There's blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let's argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let's argue this out
You'll be one of the clouds
Let's argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can't love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all, all
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show


-------------------------------------------------

Today was also introduced to a really awesome rapper by my pastor. Shai Linne, like Lecrae, writes theologically meaty music that's just so rich and hearty to hear and take in. The song below goes through basically the entire bible in one song. nuts! Will definitely track down more of his music post-exams. *oh exams... gonna try and sleep early and wake up early. freedom in t - 4days.


Alright check it: lets go back in time, brethren. Divine lessons always keep your mind guessing. The glory of the Triune God is what Im stressing. The origin of humankind was fine. Blessings were plenteous. God is amazingly generous. Crazy benefits in a state of innocence. God told the man what he could taste was limited. Not long after came our nemesis in Genesis. He scammed well, man fell, damned to hell. The whole human race—he represented it. Fooled by the serpent, man through his work, woman through birth—even the earth ruled by the curses. But instead of a wake immediately. God said her Seed would be the One to crush the head of the snake. Yo, wait what is this? Whoa, a gracious gift! In Jehovahs faithfulness He clothed their nakedness. This was so they would know their Saviors kiss and bliss. But first, many growing pains exist suffering in the worst form, ugly deeds. Eves firstborn seed made his brother bleed. Indeed things got progressively worse. Every section of the earth is been affected by the curse. And though Gods judgments against sin were gory, praise the Lord! Its not the end of the story.

Its the greatest story ever told.
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold.
The greatest story ever told.
Restoring all that the enemy stole.
The greatest story ever told.
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold.
The greatest story ever told.
Its the greatest.

Next scene: mans sin was extreme. God gets steamed, man gets creamed. The Lord is so Holy that He drowned them in the water. Fire in the valley of slaughter Sodom and Gomorrah. But at the same time, Hes so gracious and patient that from one man He created a whole nation. Eventually enslaved by the mentally depraved, they cried out to the only One with the strength that He could save. He brought them out with signs and wonders satisfied their hunger. Then He appeared on Mount Sinai in thunder. Where He laid down the law for God-ruled government. Commonly referred to as the Mosaic covenant. Sin was imputed. So for man to know hes unrighteous, God instituted animal sacrifices. This was to show our constant need for atonement. And when it came to sin, the Lord would never condone it. And when His people disobeyed and went astray, He raised up prophets and kings to lead them in the way. But they would get foul with their idolatry—wet and wild prophecy—send them into exile. To take their punishment like a grown man. Then with His own hand He placed them back in their homeland. And while in their forefathers land they dwelt, they awaited the arrival of Emmanuel.

Its the greatest story ever told.
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold.
The greatest story ever told.
Restoring all that the enemy stole.
The greatest story ever told.
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold.
The greatest story ever told.
Its the greatest.

After 400 silent years filled with sighs and tears. In Bethlehem the Messiah appears. God in the flesh—Second Person of the Trinity. At thirty begins His earthly ministry. Baffling cats with accurate, exact facts and back-to-back miraculous acts. A stumbling block to the self righteous. But the humbled—His flock, said Theres no one else like this. He came from heaven to awake the numb. Demonstrated His power over nature, son. A foretaste of the Kingdom and the age to come. But the reason He came was to pay the sum for the depths of our wickedness, our wretched sinfulness. Bless His magnificence! He is perfect and innocent. Yet He was wrecked and His death. He predicted it. Next He was stretched, paid a debt that was infinite. He said that He finished it. Resurrected so the elect would be the recipients of its benefits. Through faith and penitence we get to be intimate. His grace is heaven sent, it never diminishes. Now the Holy Spirit indwelling is the evidence for heavens future residents who truly represent Jesus, the Author, Producer, Director, and Star of a story that will never, ever end!

Its the greatest story ever told.
A God pursues foes whose hearts turned cold.
The greatest story ever told.
Restoring all that the enemy stole.
The greatest story ever told.
The glory of Christ is the goal, behold.
The greatest story ever told.
Its the greatest.

Jimmy Needham

& he's a Left-handed guitarist! this song has such a summer-time feel, makes me wanna skip down the street in shorts & a tee lol. LOVE it!



Yours to Take

This is my second chance
This is no song and dance
You came in and renewed a right spirit
This is grace at its best
This is taking a restless, messed up heart and having you clear it

I can feel the weight is lifting
I'm barely staying on the ground
And I can feel the wait is over
Finally the lost is found

[Chorus]
So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He's asking for mine
I've Been captured by grace
I'm not going away
I'm Yours to take

I was down for the count
I was up, but knocked out
When I heard pardon for the interruption
Then like out of blue
Out came glorious You

You picked me up without barely any introduction
You won my heart by a landslide
You tend to do that every time
So, everything I have is Yours now
Even my very life

So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine
Well, I've Been captured by grace
I'm not going away
I'm Yours to take

Your kindness leads me to repentance
Leads me to the cross, which leads me to forgiveness
So, I'm counting it all as lost

So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine

So, this is what it feels like to live life
So, this is breathing air for the very first time
The Son of man, He came here to give life
And in return He asking for mine
I've been captured by grace
I'm not going away
I'm Yours to take

so good!

music memory lane

heard kim walker sing on someone's music mix today! it brought me back to last yr when i just found out about her through the MoveIn Vision website (sidenote- they're definitely worth checking out! its awesome what they're doing in canada.. being intentional with where they move into, and ultimately the neighbors they can reach out to..) but ya, i used to play Kim Walker's song "Where You Go I Go" on repeat till i could no longer bear hearing her....lol. it was a pleasant surprise hearing her voice today though. Made me re-visit MoveIn, and her music :)




Where You Go I Go :
Where You go I go
What You say I say
What You pray I pray
(repeat 2x)

Jesus only did, What he saw You do
He would only say, What he heard You speak
He would only move, When he felt You lead
Following Your heart, Following Your spirit

How could I expect to walk without You
When every move that Jesus made was in surrender
I would not begin to live without You
For You alone are worthy You are always good

You are always good
You are always good
Always good
Always good

(Bridge)
Though the world seems to forget
We will not forget
Who You are and what You've done for us

You are my God
(repeat 5x)


Was also reminded of Lecrae when checking out MoveIn again. They write biblically sound musically stirring intellectually provoking lyrics! and were the sole reason why i started liking rap last yr. Given the thumbs up by John Piper as well (its funny picturing him listening to lecrae while bobbing his head up and down haha.. )




Don't waste your life
[Verse 1]
I know a lot of people out there scared they gone die
couple of em thinking they'll be livin in the sky
but while Im here livin man I gotta ask why
what am here fo I gotta figure out
waste my life/ no I gotta make it count
if Christ is real then what am I gone do about
all of the things in Luke 12:15 down to 21 you really oughta go and check it out
Paul said if Christ aint resurrect then we wasted our lives
well that implies that our life's built around Jesus being alive
everyday I'm living tryin show the world why
Christ is more than everything you'll ever try
better than pretty women and sinning and living
to get a minute of any women and men that you admire aint no lie
We created for Him outta the dust he made us for Him
Elects us and he saves us for Him Jesus comes and raises for Him
Magnify the Father why bother with something lesser
he made us so we could bless Him and to the world we confess him
resurrects him so I know I got life matter fact better man I know I got Christ
if you don't' see His ways in my days and nights
you can hit my brakes you can stop my lights
man I lost my rights I lost my life
forget the money cars and toss that ice
the cost is Christ
and they could never offer me anything on the planet that'll cost that price

[Verse 2]
Suffer Yeah do it for Christ if you trying to figure what to do with your life
if you making money hope you doing it right
because the money is Gods you better steward it right
stay focused if you aint got no ride
your life aint wrapped up in what you drive
the clothes you wear the job you work
the color your skin naw we Christian first
people living life for a job make a lil money start living for a car
get em a house a wife kids and a dog when they retire they living high on the hog
but guess what they didn't ever really live at all to live is Christ yeah that's Paul I recall
to die is gain so for Christ we give it all he's the treasure you'll find in the mall
Your money your singleness marriage talent and time
they were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine
that's why it's Christ in my rhymes That's why it's Christ all the time
my whole world is built around him He's the life in my lines
I refused to waste my life he's too true ta chase that ice
heres my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ
If he's truly raised to life then this news should change your life
and by his grace you can put your faith in place that rules your days and nights

a friend introduced me to some christian rap a few weeks ago. in the past i was always turned off by it, it wasn't all that pretty or nice to listen to, cuz there's no nice melodic tune. but these days, i'm finding myself listening to more & more christian rap! i think the majority of the songs on my mp3 player now is rap! so strange! i'm starting to like it more cuz its like listening to a story, or someone talking to me. there's more words, so it fits more umph & more meat into the lyrics. listening to rap is like eating a very thick slab of steak vs. a deliciously delicate slice of fish. both are tastey, but sit differently in the stomach. :) rap or no rap, yay for music!

How Deep
Sovereign Grace (Valley of Vision)

You were broken that I might be healed
You were cast off that I might draw near
You were thirsty that I might come drink
Cried out in anguish that I might sing

How deep is Your love
How high and how wide is Your mercy
How deep is Your grace
Our hearts overflow with praise
To You

You knew darkness that I might know light
Wept great tears that mine might be dried
Stripped of glory that I might be clothed
Crushed by Your Father to call me Your own

tonight i went to city wide praise & worship here in Kingston before the kickoff of IWT (impact world tour)

wow. that's all i can say. so many thoughts so many revelations hit me tonight, that i must write these down lest i forget.

to see young and old, rich and poor, protestant and catholic ... to see ALL these people from all over kingston come and worship our God together - how beautiful a sight that is. I can't explain it in words... but looking out before me, i saw hands lifted high everywhere, i saw eyes gazing at the opened gates of heaven, i saw hearts blooming and ready to go FORTH to the missionfield!! God is working HERE and NOW no doubt about that. God is BIGGER, SO MUCH BIGGER than we could and can ever imagine. I feel so self-centered as a university student.. i feel that all of us studying here in Queen's, we're all so self-absorbed that we can't see how we fit into the bigger picture of this city... how we actually ARE a part of this town - although we are students, we still belong to this community, albeit for a short while. The talk around campus has been unity.. yet i feel i myself have been so blinded to the greater picture God has in front of us. The unity of our entire city, the unity of all the townships around Kingston, the unity of this province, the unity of this country. GOD is SO BIG! Just like he came and conquered cities within the old and new testaments, so He will come and conquer Kingston! He has made his claim on this city, and now we must go forth and do his work... not 4 months from now, but NOW, for the harvest is ripe!

Today they shared some stories that have already been happening throughout this campaign! They've visited 4 prisons and already 50 prisoners have responded to the alter call with tears and hands raised up in repentance. They also visited Senior homes and already 80-100 elderly people gave their lives up to Jesus! All this has been happening without us knowing. He truly does dance all around us without us ever really noticing.

We sang the song Holy is the Lord God Almighty. and the part where it says "Together we sing; everyone sing... " it really hit me hard. While we were singing this phrase, i opened my eyes and looked before me... and my heart truly SAW what these words meant! One day, this WHOLE WORLD will join together and declare that yes Holy IS the Lord God Almighty. It was just so amazing to sing TOGETHER these words... Christians in Kingston coming together and proclaiming that our God indeed does reign. Just as Jesus prayed for his disciples in John, so we are doing now... the Christians of Kingston are being united as one!

"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." - John 17:6-19

God can do HUGE things. we must DREAM BIG because our God is a BIG God. I remember someone in ccf saying this, but i remember reading it somewhere before I heard it in ccf... i think it may have been john piper... or matt redman? but ya, it's SO TRUE! We should Dream great dreams for God. We shouldn't dream small dreams, but Dream big dreams... dreams worthy of our big God! For it is not by power, nor by might, but by the SPIRIT of God who can do all things! And I see the big dream that many in Kingston have been praying over! The dream that Kingston will be claimed as the Lords' once and for all. That this city will unite together and become a holy city!

God will be doing great things, HUGE things, but are we ready to jump out of the boat in faith?

nichole nordeman is the real deal

i think i really really really like Nichole Nordeman! man, she can DEFINITELY write! her lyrics are just so beautifully crafted (yes, she even rhymes, and its harder than it looks) plus there's actual depth of meaning in those lines, she truly paints a picture with her words eh? definitely more than your ordinary Hillsong's song where you sing an "I love you" x10 type deal (not that that is wrong or anything, but there's a time and place for it, and it can get overdone just a bit)

this was one of the first songs i heard from her, and listening to it again, i remembered why she stood out from the rest of the songs on my playlist. one word. wow.


Anyway.

Bless the days this restoration is complete
dirty, dusty, something must be underneath
So I scrape and I scuff
though it's never quite enough
I am starting to see me finally

A gallery of paintings new and paintings old
Guess its no suprise that I'm no michaelangelo
every layer of mine
hides a lovely design
It might take a little patience
it might take a little time

but you called me beautiful
when you saw my shame
and you placed me on the wall
anyway

you who have begun this work will someday see
A portrait of the holiness you meant for me
so I polish and shine till its easier to find
even an outline of mine

but you called me beautiful
when you saw my shame
and you placed me on the wall
anyway

thank you Father for the grace you've shown to me. its a grace that i will never be able to understand fully. its a grace beyond meaning, a grace beyond logic, and thankfully, a grace beyond doubt.

something beautiful..

What I get from my reflection
Isn't what I thought I'd see
Give me reason to believe
Never leave me incomplete
Will you untie this loss of mine
It so easily defines me
Do you see it on my face?
And all I can think about
Is how long
I've been waiting to feel you move me

Close my eyes and hold my heart
Cover me and make me something
Change this something normal
Into something beautiful

And I'm still fighting for the
Word to break these chains
And I still pray when I look
In your eyes, you'll stare right
Back down into something beautiful

Worship

Most people go to church for what they can get out of it - whether it be to get something out of the music, or out of the sermon, or just to get blessed. However, the music and the sermon aren’t ends in themselves, they are but stimuli causing us to worship God.

We go to church to worship God, and that’s done by giving, not getting. We go to offer something to Him, not to receive from Him. There is blessing in giving, for it says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). So, worship is giving to God, not getting.

The common New Testament word for worship is [proskuneo], which means “to kiss toward, to bow down, to prostrate oneself.” The idea of worship is that one prostrates himself before a superior being with a sense of respect, awe, reverence, honor, and homage. In a Christian context, we simply apply this to God and prostrate ourselves before Him in respect and honor, paying Him the glory due His superior being.

Essentially, then, worship is giving - giving honor and respect to God. That is why we as Christians gather together on Sunday. We don’t gather to give respect to the preacher or those in the choir, we gather to give honour to God. The sermon and the music are just to be the stimuli that create the desire in our hearts to honor Him.

...

So today I led worship for the first time. I was extremely nervous - and even that is an understatement. When I'm singing, I feel free. I close my eyes, and its just Him and Me. When I sing, I don't feel eyes watching me, I don't feel as if I'm under a microscope. This is because the whole entire congregation sings as one voice, same words, same notes, same thoughts; we all blend in unison. However, when I pray or when I talk, I feel like all eyes are on me, or rather all ears are on me, and because of that nervousness creeps in, words become a jumble in my head, thoughts become cloudy, and I don't know what to say. You'd think that with 10+ years of music festival, stage fright would be wiped out of my dictionary, but nope. despite all those years, I felt the same stage fright I felt when I was 9 years old out on some big stage in some big university playing my tiny violin. It felt the same. Well not completely. But I was nervous today. I just pray with time, I'll get accustomed to leading. That I'll become more confidant in the words I say, and not let the congregation's hearing ears hinder me.

i heart you music

i love music. i plain and simply love it. when you hear an earth shattering chord progression along with heart wrenching lyrics, your whole soul and being just soars above absolutely everything. its as if you're lifted up into the clouds of gravity defying heights. and you reach a euphoric peak where every thought, every thing, everyone just melts away. Music is the key to the lock of chains tying all of us down to Earth. Music unleashes the soul and frees the spirit.

some people say that Christians can only worship God in songs of praise only and only if there are lyrics. for without lyrics, there is nothing connecting the song to God. I disagree wholeheartedly. Music is a gift from God. that we are able to make beautiful (or even not so beautiful) sounds from within our body is a miracle in itself. if anything, i witness God's greatness when i hear classical music. many composers were religious. Take J.S. Bach for example who was a grounded Lutheran. He clearly saw God and was able to write what I think are God-inspired works of art. take his brandenburg concertos, or even the well-tempered clavier - there is such intellectual depth and artistic beauty that is almost divine. Same with Beethoven. At the age of 30, his hearing began to become impaired. imagine. he was unable to hear his own creations, he couldn't hear the chirping of birds or the rustling wind through trees. he heard nothing. silence. yet through all this time of trial he never ceased composing. Even on his death-bed he sketched a new symphony. from his Late piano sonatas to his 9th and last symphony mankind has witnessed his genius. a genius no man could ever tap. why? it was because in silence he had faith in God, and continued to compose in the midst of growing doubt. i truly believe Beethoven's greatest works were near the end of his life. this was when he began to see clearly through the originally fuzzy lens. he began to witness firsthand God's true glory. and it is this glory that he portrays in his music. no words can describe the beauty, the depth, the passion, the love, and the hope that is written in those seemingly lifeless black dots and lines on some flimsy manuscript paper.

music reaches the deepest pits of our very being. music is God's gift. it is his arms extending down to us, embracing us, speaking to us. music is the greatest gift we could ever ask for. . and i love music .