Lofty-Propaganda

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8, 9 NASB)

There is a beautiful mystery to God. Often times we want to figure out this mystery. We constantly try to come up with explanations for the things we don't understand like natural disasters, tragedies, or the cosmos. Science today has tried to replace God with its theories and experiments, but it has been in vain..

Propaganda's song Lofty captures the essence of Isaiah 55:8-9

Everything else is secondary
The very breath that comes from lungs is caused by the fact that God is involved
One must begin with the mind that was given to him to even believe he's evolved
I'm in awe when I think about quantum mechanics and the rotation of planets
And the exact calculation of the universe is permanently impossible to manage
How photosynthesis takes place to perfectly convert the vividness of light into chemical energy for the purpose of maintaining and giving life
Intelligent design doesn't even begin to define His creative craftsmanship
Any attempt to align the mind of mankind to divine is insufficient and inadequate
It's too lofty and far beyond us that God would not remain anonymous
Correspond with us and out of all of God's creation would become fond of us

I don't why, still I try
To wrap my mind around You
Your thoughts are higher, Your ways are better
And I'm in awe
So bring me up to where You are
Bring me up to where You are

But worth, value, and beauty is not determined by some innate quality
But by the length for which the owner would go to possess them
And broken and ugly things just like us are stamped "Excellent"
With ink tapped in wells of divine veins
A system of redemption that could only be described as perfect
A seal of approval, fatal debt removal
Promised, prominent, perfect priest
Brilliant designed system, redemption for our kinsmen
Can only be described as perfect with excellent execution
And I'm in awe, the only One truly excellent
The only source of excellence
We are declared excellent only by His decree with His system
The only accurate response is awe
So we make lofty art
See the presence of good art will unconsciously refine a community
And poor art will do an incalculable harm
Only accomplished in the light of His excellency
It's too high, it's lofty

The next time we want to question the Sovereign Creator, we should step back and worship the One who is so much greater, higher, and lofty. He alone is worthy. 

Justice and Mercy-Flyleaf

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;

Lovingkindness and truth go before You. Psalm 89:14

 

The Lord has many attributes. Two which seem to be in conflict are justice and mercy. The Lord is completely just in all His ways; yet at the same time He is mercy towards His creation. We see these as opposites: if there is justice then there is no mercy but if there is mercy then there is no justice. However, the Lord does not work within our sphere of understanding. While we are completely ruined and hopeless deserving of God's total justice in our lives, He provides mercy through the cross of Jesus. We are children of wrath therefore Jesus was subjected to wrath on our behalf.

 

Flyleaf marries justice and mercy:

We're human
We reason
We're breathing
Protecting
You're living and dying, surviving, we're trying
To breathe in safety
Come home safely

Mercy screams its violent love
Justice..
And mercy
Justice..
And mercy
The death of us created for
Justice..
And mercy
Justice..
And mercy
This is where they kiss

Life, here sacrificed
Someone who paid the price
Blood in our hearts
Blood on our hands
We cry out, we're fighting, it's warfare, we're dying
Believing we're winning, it's ending, we're singing
It's already done
We've overcome

 

I am thankful we serve a just God, but I am overwhelmed by the mercy of our God.

Instead of a Show-Jon Foreman

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 stop up my ears when your
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

People like to put on a big show in God's name. They bring in famous speakers, musicians, or leaders to "go big" for God. They spend tons of money on fancy buildings, elaborate lights, and shiny gadgets to catch peoples eyes; but all they have is empty entertainment. That is not what God wants from us. He knows that those who seek Him are not impressed with grandeur and pompous social occasions. All these gatherings are more of a way of showing off to each other rather than praising God. Instead, God desires we use our time, talent, and money on helping those in need. His heart is for justice and mercy:

I hate, I reject your festivals,

Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.

"Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.

"Take away from Me the noise of your songs;

I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.

"But let justice roll down like waters

And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream Amos 5:21-24

If our lives are full of sin and evil, God will reject us no matter what show we put on. Our focus should be on our inward righteousness and holiness. Would we put the same efforts in our lives if we knew God was the only one watching? Let us remember that God cares more about our holiness than happiness and more about our character than comfort.

I Will Find You-Jimmy Needham

I recently read John 9-the story of the man blind form birth. As a read verse 1,
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth
it struck me that Jesus was the one who initiated the healing. It reminded me of the song from Jimmy Needham about how Jesus is the One who finds us when we are lost and blind:

When you’re lost and eyes are blind, too
I will find you, I will find you
Soon the stars will start to shine through
I will find you, I will find you
There ain’t no stoppin’ me now
It’s just a matter of how
My voice calls, My hands stretch out
And well, let Me remind you: one day I will find you

It can be easy to forget that Jesus initiates the healing in our lives. This blind man was not looking for Jesus or even really knew Him. But Jesus knew that HE would heal this man and that God would get the glory for it. We should be cautious not to think that we are the reason for the healing in our lives. No matter what we have been healed from, God ultimately get the glory because He seeks us out. HE finds us at our worst and gives us sight to see the world as we have never seen it before.

Rising Sun-All Sons and Daughters

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For His name alone is exalted;

His glory is above earth and heaven. Psalm 148:13

 

The Lord is worthy of all our praise. Even though we don'y deserve to pray and sing to Him, HE accepts our humble offerings. All Sons and Daughters does an awe inspiring job of writing praise songs.

 

Praise Him all you sinners
Sing oh sing you weary
Oh praise Him all you children of God
We lift high His glory
Shown throughout our stories
We praise Him as the children of God

Our great redeemer
Glorious Savior
Your name is higher than the rising sun
Light of the morning
You shine forever
Your name is higher than the rising sun
Your name is higher than the rising sun

Praise His name forever
Speak it loud and clear now
Oh praise Him all you children of God

Our great redeemer
Glorious Savior
Your name is higher than the rising sun
Light of the morning
You shine forever
Your name is higher than the rising sun
Your name is higher than the rising sun

Hallelujah
Name above all
Simply to speak Your name is praise
Hallelujah
Now and always
Forever we lift Your name in praise
Hallelujah
Our God, You reign
Simply to speak Your name is praise

Our great redeemer
Glorious Savior
Your name is higher than the rising sun
Light of the morning
You shine forever
Your name is higher than the rising sun
Your name is higher than the rising sun
Your name is higher than the rising sun

Hallelujah name above all
Hallelujah name above all
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Death of Me-Red

How can you help my affliction
If you're the sickness and not the cure
Too long I've faked this addiction
Another sacrifice to make us pure
You tear me down and then you pick me up
You take it all and still it's not enough
You try to tell me you can heal me
But I'm still bleeding
And you will be the death of me

Satan is a liar. He uses any means necessary to promise us wonderful things in life but all he delivers is pain. He seeks to destroys all man regardless of whether they follow Christ or not. Only Christ brings life, Satan only brings death.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour 1 Peter 5:8

We must be aware of his lies and deceptions by asking the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the spiritual forces around us.

Double Life-We As Human

Don't pretend that it never happened
I was there and I know what you did
You can hide underneath that grin
I see right through you

Now you face the consequences
Now you have to live with all of this
Now you get what you deserve when you
Live this double life
Now you run in casings of the truth
Now your past is catching up with you
Now you get what you deserve when you
Live this double life

This song brought to mind the story in Acts 5 where a husband and wife conspired together to lie to the church about giving money. They appeared righteous and sacrificing giving money from selling land but they had kept back some for themselves. Everyone found out what they did when they died in their sin.

Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well."  Acts 5:9

When we claim to be one thing but live differently, our lie catches us. We not only lie to others but we lie to God as well. We do not need to pretend to be anything. We only need to live the life God calls us to live as followers of Chrisy-one of holiness and righteousness.