Beautiful Things-Gungor

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NASB)

Many people get this verse wrong. They think there will always be a happily ever after or e everything magically works out like in the movies. But God does not promise that it will be good, only that it will be for good. The good might be for someone else or for a greater purpose. Our pain, suffering, hardship may never go away but God can make something beautiful from it. A person might come to Christ, someone may get another chance at life, or you may be the only person to identify with another's pain. Whatever way you look at it, God takes the broken and makes it purposeful.

Gungor sings of this in their song Beautiful Things:


All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You
You make me new, You are making me new

Trust that God loves you and will bring hope to the darkness you are facing.

Redemption-August Burns Red

I trust in you for life to live, and air to breath.
Purity fills my lungs.
I no longer live in solitude.
No longer bound.
My heart beats with great devotion.
This is the start to a new beginning.
On my knees praying for mercy.
Hands raised high, humble and broken.
Wanting your grace.
Wanting your security.
Memories of laying face down, motionless, with such a hollow feeling inside.
Soon I would end this life I was living.
I am just a man with a heart and sinful hands.
I am a fallen victim.
Lord, show me the way.
I ask of you Father, let my words be your words.
Let my thoughts be your thoughts.
To you, I give my praise.
Show me the way.
Take me in your arms.
Never let me go.
Lord, show me the way, as I give myself to you.
Never let me go.
Hold me with your everlasting love.
Be my strength.
Be my voice.
Be my glory.
Set me free.

 

This song by August Burns Red is about surrender. They understand that Jesus is Lord and seek to live according to His words. The truth of Christ sets is free:

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

 

They have found freedom through Christ and through this song they encourage all do so as well.

 

Joyful Noise-Flame

Man I'm trying to lift Him high, higher than the stars
I am not of this world like I'm from the planet Mars
I love to preach Jesus, you can read it in my bars
I'm pretty straightforward when I'm speaking about my Lord
He paid the sin price, being beat by Roman guards
But when He resurrected, gave us life free of charge
Now me and my boys need to be in a psych ward
Cause we went crazy for God, our lives were scarred
Now in the Book of Life, our names have been written down
We're casting our crowns before His feet on the ground
It's such a holy melody and a Heavenly sound
Hearing "holy holy holy" coming out of the mouth
Of the four living creatures by His throne all around
Can you picture the scene, this is how it's going down
You just need a little faith and a new set of eyes
And a telescopic lens to look in and see God
I love it!

Angels surrounding His throne and
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
The whole earth is full of His glory
All nations bow to His name
His majesty fills the Heavens
Our hearts give thunderous praise
Declare the Lord is forever
Make a joyful noise in this place

 

 

When we think about eternity, those of us who are followers of Christ have a reason to be joyful: we will there forever with Him. In heaven we will sing the song of the angels

 

 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."

 

I cannot sing here on earth' but I can't wait for the time when I sing endless praise to my Creator and Savior. As Flame sings, let us imagine the scene where we reign forever with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!



Storm-Lifehouse

We all face storms in our lives. In their song Storm, Lifehouse sings of the emotions we all face as we tread through:
How long have I been in this storm?
So overwhelmed by the ocean’s shapeless form
Water’s getting harder to tread
With these waves
Crashing over my head

If I could just see you
Everything would be all right
If I’d see you
This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water
And you will catch me if I fall
And I will get lost into your eyes
I know everything will be alright
I know everything is alright

I know you didn’t bring me out here to drown
So why am I ten feet under and upside down
Barely surviving has become my purpose
Because I’m so used to living underneath the surface

If I could just see you
Everything would be all right
If I’d see you
This darkness would turn to light

And I will walk on water
And you will catch me if I fall
And I will get lost in your eyes
I know everything will be alright
I know everything is alright

Scripture tells us of a literal storm the disciples faces in Matthew 14:30-31
But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
 
Peter chose to get out of the boat and walk on water with Jesus, but soon he became distracted and began to sink. He let his gaze wander from Jesus to his troubles and that is where his trouble really began. Knowing Jesus would save him, he cried out and Jesus asked him about his doubt. We also have a choice to make in the midst of our storms, we can get distracted by the wind and waves like Peter or we can focus on Christ who is there in the midst of the storm.

Oh Love that Will Not Let Me Go-Ascend the Hill

Oh, love that will not let me go
I rest my weary soul in thee
I give you back the life I owe
And in your ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be

My life is not my own
It's yours
My life is not my own
I know it's yours

Oh, light that follows all my way
I yield my flickering torch to thee
And my heart restores its borrowed ray
That in your sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be

So light a fire in my heart
And I'll burn for you
So light a fire in my heart
And I'll burn for you

Oh, joy, that seeks me through the pain
I cannot close my heart to thee
I trace the rainbow through the rain
And feel the promise is not in vain
That morn shall tearless be

So anoint me with joy
And joyful I will be
So anoint me with joy
And joyful I will be

Oh, cross that's lifting up my head
I dare not ask to fly from thee
I lay in dust life's glory dead
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be

We will sing:
Holy, holy
Is the King of Kings
And we will sing:
Holy, holy
Is the King of Kings

Jesus is the love that will not let us go, the light that guides our way, and the joy that sees us through pain. He left heaven to become a man, die on a cross, and raise to life to save us from our sin. Our response should be to recognize Him as the King of Kings and sing HOLY.

Isaiah 6:3 (NASB)

And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."

Ready or Not-Britt Nicole

nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (Matthew 5:15 NASB)

We are called to let the light of Christ shines through us, not hide it.


Lyrics:

I tried to cover my shine
I’ve tried stayin’ in the lines
I, I, I don’t wanna hide
No, not tonight
You, you, you want me to take my light
Fit it in your box, right
I want you to look me in the eye

Ready or not
Here, here, here I come
I’m about to show you
Where the light comes from
Oh, oh, ready or not here I come
This is who I am
I won’t hide it
I’m a take it all over the world
To the young, to the old, every boy and girl
Ready or not here I come
I’m a show the world where the love is

I’m not ever sellin’ out
A love out loud is what it’s all about
Givin’ everything to see the lost get found
Yeah, it’s goin’ down
You, you, you want me to take my light
Fit it in your box, right
I want you to look me in the eye

I refuse to keep this buried deep inside of me
Yeah this lil’ light of mine, it’s time to let it shine a bit
‘Cause there’s no point in hidin’ it
It’s everything I am
The source of all my hope
And it’s the reason why I stand
And I pledge allegiance to being somebody real
There’s no more holding it back
I’m showin’ ‘em how I feel ‘cuz love is more than a word
It’s a noun, and a verb, and hidin’ it is absurd
Ya heard ready or not

Chasing the Wind-The Ember Days

Have you ever heard the phrase "chasing the wind"? Basically, it means to pursue folly because obviously no one can catch the wind. However, many times we find ourselves chasing after things that ate empty and vain. We spent countless hours and money on things that just do not matter. If we are not careful, we will wake up and wonder where our lives went. We will become discontent at the emptiness of our lives.

King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 2:11 warns us:
Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun

The Ember Days speaks to this in their song Chasing the Wind:

I’m discontent with chasing the wind
I want to feel more than air on my skin
Like the tide feelings come and go
Here today gone tomorrow

I want love, I want You
So take this beaten heart
And let it beat for You

I’m scared, yeah I’m scared
Only You know how I feel
When I say I don’t want to feel anything but love
True love, true love

Watch me bloom cause soon I’ll wither
But Your love lasts forever
Like the sun life is beautiful
When I rise and when I fall

 

Only the love of God lasts forever, therefore, we should spend our time pursuing God and sharing His love to all.

Like the Rain-Esterlyn

Is it just me or does rain get a bad rap? Most people do not like rain-they get depressed or upset because the rain ruins their plans. However, rain can be a very good thing. We need rain to water what grows and provide refreshment for people and animals. Rain is also good for cleaning; a good rain can wash away all the dirt and grime accumulated.

There are times in our lives when we need spiritual rain to wash away our sin and shame.
Psalm 51:2-4:

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.

Against You, You only, I have sinned

And done what is evil in Your sight,

So that You are justified when You speak

And blameless when You judge.

Esterlyn sings of the need to feels God like rain washing over us in their song Like the Rain:

Oh hear my prayer

Won't you give ear to my cry

I've fallen again

Tears won't leave my eyes

When will I realize I'm living without You? (without You)

I want to feel You like the rain, like the rain upon my face

Let the clouds, let the clouds bring down Your grace

Will You fill my soul with the light of each new day

God is the rain that quenches our dry souls and washes away the dirt in our lives. We must call out to Him like David in the Psalms and Esterlyn in their song. So don't be dismayed in the rain, welcome it like the light of each new day.

The Best is Yet to Come-Red

We would all like a do-over. A chance to go back and right a wrong. A chance to say "I'm sorry" or "I love you". We take this life and the life of our loved ones for granted. If we are not careful, we can can lose hope and despair, we can become stuck looking back instead of looking ahead.

Red elaborates on this in their song The Best is Yet to Come:

Afraid it won’t come ‘round again
Afraid to move on
Wishing I could go back when
Everything was easier and meaningful to me

Wanting all we left behind
Like it’s the answer
An hourglass we can’t rewind
Holding back the life that I’ve denied for so long
Can I find my way to you

And after all that we’ve been through
And after all we left in pieces
I still believe our lives have just begun
‘Cause now the past can be outrun
And I know you are the reason
I still believe the best is yet to come

A photograph still in my hands
Afraid to let go
The minutes rain like grains of sand
And time is just a war that’s stealing dreams from within
So come and take them back again

I won’t turn around
And let it all slip away
I’m never backing down
‘Cause tomorrow’s a new day
And everything can change  

 

As Red says, there is hope. We must change our gaze from the past to the future, from regret to hope, from what is seen to what is unseen.

 

 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

 

When we realize that the troubles in this life are temporary, that we have hope in eternal life. then we will truly know that the best is yet to come.

Gomer's Theme-Third Day

How would you react if God told you to marry someone with a shady past? Would you be obedient or question it? Would you rationalize why that would not work? Or, are you someone who has made many mistakes and wonders if you get happily ever after?

The Lord wanted to demonstrate His unfailing love to the nation of Israel; and He did in a very dramatic fashion:
 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord Hosea 1:2

Hosea was to marry a prostitute. A prophet of the Lord known as a holy and righteous man...marrying not a righteous woman but a prostitute. A prostitute. I'm sure Hosea had doubts about this particular demand, but he obeyed regardless. Just like Israel was adulterous, so was Gomer (Hosea's wife) and she ran off after other lovers.
For their mother has played the harlot;

She who conceived them has acted shamefully.

For she said, 'I will go after my lovers,

Who give me

My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink

Hosea 2:5

 

The Lord did not stop loving Israel through her lewd Acts, therefore he told Hosea to reclaim and redeem his wife; so he did.

 Then the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes

Hosea 3:1

 

We are like Gomer in that we play the harlot by chasing after old lovers. Yet the Lord is faithful to receive us back when we repent. He urges us to stay and benefit from a relationship with Him.

 

Third Day captures the emotion of this story in their song Gomer's Theme:

In this place Saw her face
He was more than happier
Made for Him It's a sin
That she was not faithful

She couldn't be
Foolishly More unfaithful if she tried
He did not care
Wanted her Despite lies and wandering eyes
He deserves the very best
But he loves her none the less

She's forgotten her first love (Maybe one day she'll return)
He's forgotten that she ever went away and broke his heart

Lavished on Silver, gold, and anything she needed
Wasted thoughts Broken hearts
Love was not acknowledged

God only knows
That He has shown her
More love than she deserves
There will come a time
When she will find
That he's not there To give her love
And He'll be gone away From her forever

Liar-Fireflight

Hypocrisy-unfortunately it is something seen too often in our churches. People who claim to be faithful servants but end up as greedy liars. Many preachers on tv and not have gotten into trouble for stealing money they promised for ministry but instead used for selfish gain. These people usually lead more people way from Christ than to Him. People who need salvation turn away because of the hurt and betrayal.
Fireflight speaks of the consequence of these types of hypocrites in their song Liar.

Empty prayers falling out your mouth
Jesus said it better and He didn't have to shout
Maybe if you change it you can get your way
Just rearrange it and you can get paid

A little more money comes in every day
Faith and five dollars goes a long way
Look at your pockets filled up with gold
But what's in your heart is making you cold

Chorus
Sick of all your lies
It’s who you are
We see through your disguise
None of your dreams come true
It’s time you know
You can’t sell the truth

All that I see when you start to cry
Is the rock on your finger and gleam in your eye
Your sad story is making me sick
So change the channel cause it's getting thick

Blind accusations are all you can say
But you'll say anything as long as you're paid
Look for their weakness you feed on their
need
but behind your eyes is nothing but greed

Bridge
You party and dine with the fattest of swine,
But your stink can’t hide behind closed doors,
Get your hands off my face, I won’t shudder and shake
What you’re selling, I won’t buy anymore
Why do you lie to make me love you?

The Pharisees were also hypocrites. They judged others but did not live up to their own expectations. Jesus warns us about caring about only the outward appearance:

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:25-28 NASB)

Let us not be hypocrites but instead strive to die to ourselves and live as Jesus lived, as humble servants loving others.

Clothes-BarlowGirl

I have a special nickname among my friends-modesty nazi. I think that ladies who pursue holiness need to cover it up. So many times I find myself appalled at what women wear to church...to CHURCH. Most of these women want attention-the wrong kind at that. Instead of using our looks, we should do good works.

Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. (1 Timothy 2:9, 10 NASB)

BarlowGirl has a song that deals with this issue:

Clothes aren’t what they used to be
They don’t seem to fit you and me anymore
Modesty is out the door
Flaunting what we’ve got and more is in
Yeah it’s in

They’re saying
Don’t ask why just wear what we say
You’ll look like a model if you’ll only obey
To get the attention, just do what we say

Pay so much for clothes so small
Was this shirt made for me or my doll?
Is this all I get?
I looked so hot but caught a cold
I was doing just what I was told
To fit in

We’re saying let’s ask why
Don’t wear what they say
Don’t want to be a model
They can’t eat anyway
That kind of attention will fade with the day
So I’ll stand up and say

Clothes that fit are fine
Won’t show what’s mine
Don’t change my mind
I'll be fine

Deathbed-Relient K

I attended the funeral of a close family friend. During the service, one of the readings was on John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."

After the funeral, I pondered on the concept of dying and song Deathbed by Relient K came into mind. The song is about a man who is dying and he reflects back on his life. By his account, the man considered himself a failure due to the fact he was dying alone. But the end of the song offers hope:

Then Jesus showed up
Said "Before we go up
I thought we might reminisce
See one night in your life
When you turned out the lights
You asked for and prayed for my forgiveness

You cried, wolf
The tears they soaked your fur
The blood dripped from your fangs
You said 'What have I done?'
You loved that lamb
With every sinful bone
And there you wept alone
Your heart was so contrite
You said 'Jesus please forgive me of my crimes
Sanctify this withered heart of mine
Stay with me until my life is through
And on that day, please take me home with you'"

I can smell the death on the sheets
Covering me
I can't believe
This is the end

I can hear you whisper to me
Its time to leave
You'll never be
Lonely again

But this was my deathbed
I died there alone
When I closed my eyes tonight
You carried me home

I am the way
Follow me and take my hand
And I am the truth
Embrace me and you'll understand
I am the life
Through me you'll live again
For I am love
I am love
I am love

Lyrics: http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/lyrics/new/track.asp?track_id=7141

Timothy - As Cities Burn

A family friend recently passed away and it has me thinking of eternity. Unfortunately, not all of our loved ones will see heaven. Many people believe all they have to do is go to church and they are safe. However, that is not what Scripture teaches. If they never believed in Jesus and received grace then they are doomed.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from M e , you who practice lawlessness .' (Matthew 7:21-23 NASB)

If we who believe in Christ are silent about our faith then those we love will be in hearts as a question mark on where they will spend eternity.

As Cities Burn warns us of the result of keeping silent in their song Timothy. They sing of a friend who haunts them because he is condemned for never believing in Christ and they did nothing to help him.

It's not the sound keeping me from sleep,
It's what Jesus said about hell underneath.
I think I'd rather believe it's some imaginary place,
Made up to make children behave,
So our souls are safe to wander off,
Wherever they might please.
Your soul is safe wherever you might be.

Come now, sleep.
Come, now sleep.

Tell me I'm only dreaming.
Tell me he's just sleeping.
And when morning comes,
We'll both wake up to see the sun,
And love that's enough to keep our friends alive.

Hell is real and it's our duty as believers to tell our loved ones about it.

Tremble-Audio Adrenaline

Sometimes I think we forget our holy our Lord is. He is worthy of our reverent fear. Instead of coming before Lord in awe, we act as though God is our equal. The Lord is not a homie, BFF, or dude; He is the Almighty full of power and might.

Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling. (Psalms 2:11 NASB)

Audio Adrenaline encourages us to worship The Lord in their song Tremble:


Shaking like a leaf
Afraid to lift my eyes
Afraid of all Your glory
Ashamed of all my pride

Then You call me in
To Your holy place
I fall down
Down on my face

And I beckon You for mercy
And I beckon You to forgive everything that I’ve ever done
And I tremble
And I tremble

I am just a man
Showered in Your grace
Your’re the Holy God
Your Glory fills this place

And I beckon You for mercy
And I beckon You to forgive everything I’ve ever done
And I tremble
I tremble

Fall, Goliath, Fall-Project 86

The stage is set for an epic story: a giant comes to defeat those weaker than he. He hurls out threats and insults night and day provoking the the enemies to action; but they are too frightened by his appearance and might. For there are stories about him how no man has ever come close to beating him. All around tremble, even those on his side in terror of him. Then in the distant a faint and frail voice is heard declaring the intent not only to fight this giant but to slay him. But who is the one who dares to summon enough courage to approach this giant: is it a mighty warrior, is it a discipline military agent with years of experience? No! It is a young boy with no shield and no sword. All he has is FAITH...and a slingshot. With the courage of ten armies, he faces the giant. He declares the LORD is on his side and that is all he needs. He places the stone in the slingshot...winds it up...releases it...and brings down the giant.

It is the scene for a great movie. But is more than that. It is David's story of unshakable faith and determination despite unfavorable stances.
45Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands."

48Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

50Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David's hand. 51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 1 Samuel 17:45-51

 

The band Project 86 encourages us to have the same faith, courage, and determination as David when we face giants in our lives:

Take up arms, all you fallen oppressed
This is insurrection rising, mobilizing defense
It’s time, my brothers, beat your shovels to swords
It’s time, my friends, sound the siren for war!

Can you smell it the air my brethren?
It ‘s the beautiful stench of reinvention
Sharpen your axes, resurrect your hatchets
As we raise our chalices to fallen combatants
It’s time, my brothers, earn your stripes and your lashes
It’s time, my friends, light your hearts into action

With our backs to the wall
We’ll respond to the call
Fall, Goliath, fall, fall goliath
Lift the head of the giant
To celebrate our defiance
Fall Goliath, fall, fall goliath

 

Do not let fear hold you captive. Rely on the strength of the Lord to with into battle and become the victor!

 

Lyrics: http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=76941

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKGtfOrtJ1s

145-Jolly Napier

I love songs that come directly from Scripture. My favorite one is 145 taken from Pslam 145

I will extol You, my God, O King,

And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You,

And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,

And His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall praise Your works to another,

And shall declare Your mighty acts.

On the glorious splendor of Your majesty

And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.

Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,

And I will tell of Your greatness.

They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness

And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and merciful;

Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.

The Lord is good to all,

And His mercies are over all His works.

All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,

And Your godly ones shall bless You.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom

And talk of Your power;

To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts

And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord sustains all who fall

And raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to You,

And You give them their food in due time.

You open Your hand

And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways

And kind in all His deeds.

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He will also hear their cry and will save them.

The Lord keeps all who love Him,

But all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever

Forgiveness-tobyMac

Forgiveness- we need it for the wrong we have done and we need to give it for the wrong others have done.

'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12

Life is so much easier when we learn to let go. Our mistakes. Other's mistakes. People we never met's mistakes. Mistakes. Just let go. Bitterness and anger lead to depression and loneliness.

We all mess up and no one deserves forgiveness but Jesus being perfect died on a cross so that we all might receive forgiveness for God and each other. If Jesus can forgive us for murdering Him, we have forgive others for thier lesser offenses.

tobyMac puts it this way:

'Cause we all make mistakes sometimes
And we've all stepped across that line
But nothing's sweeter than the day we find
Forgiveness, forgiveness
And we all stumble and we fall
Bridges burn in the heat of it all
But nothing's sweeter than the day, sweeter than the day we call out for forgiveness

Forgiveness, we all need, we all need, we all need forgiveness

 

Lyrics:http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=77212

There's Only Forgiveness-Johm Reuben

For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. Matthew 6:14-15

We are told that we need to forgive those who have wronged us so that we may be forgiven. But forgiveness is hard and most of the time we do not want to forgive.

I love how John Reuben writes in his song:

If I let this go then it’s all in the past
And if I hold onto it I still have something to grasp
What would we do if we had nothing to fight about
Out of the abundance out our hearts we run our mouths
And tear each other apart and inflict pain and grief
Humanity wouldn’t know what to do if we had world peace
So you can take the sign in your front lawn down it’s a nice gesture
But mankind likes to go to our war it’s in our fallen nature
Neighbors nations corporations races insecurity and hurt works well with retaliation
But don’t worry it will be your turn soon
So plot your revenge as you clean your knife wound
And 'I forgive you' is not an option
It’s too uncomfortable
It’s much easier to be miserable than vulnerable
You can save that for the weak and the religious
But there is no justice or no peace, there’s only forgiveness

 

Unless we learn to forgive others, there will be no peace and no joy in our lives.

 

Lyrics:http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/lyrics/new/track.asp?track_id=3662

Forgiven-Skillet

The beauty of The Lord is His faithfulness. We can trust Him because He cannot lie. So when we repent, He says we are forgiven.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NASB)

It is so simple yet people try to complicate it. They try to make us jump through hoops or convince us we must do more. But all we have to do is confess and we are completely forgiven. He does not hold onto any part of our sin. There is no sin too great for Him to forgive.

Skillet sings about this forgiveness:
All the promises and lies
All the times I compromise
All the times you were denied
You have forgiven

Forgive Me-Group 1 Crew

Repentance-its a big word. Simply it means to acknowledge that what you are doing is wrong and to turn away in an effort to not do it anymore. In order to receive forgiveness, we must repent.

Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place-unless you repent. Revelation 2:5

Some people think repentance is just saying "I'm sorry" with no contrition. But that is not the case. We must truly know that what we have done caused great offense to the Lord and seek to make it right.

The lyrics in Forgive Me by Group 1 Crew reflect this kind of repentance:

I’ve spent so many nights wonderin’ when will it end When will the day come when happiness begins I’m running the race but it seems too hard to win I’m sick of mourning my stomach is throwing up in the morning I’m calling for help and watching it melt away My heart’s been put on display and put away In many ways, many times I told myself it was ok And anger was the price that was paid While these faded dreams just screamed to bring them home The burden was too heavy I kept running from the throne I can’t take it any longer I can taste my spirit hunger God please help me get home Lyrics:http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/lyrics/new/track.asp?track_id=7109

Don't Waste Your Life-Lecrae

I just finished reading the book Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. It was compelling. In this book, he challenges us not to waste our lives on earthly, temporal things. He writes that we must make Christ supreme in every aspect our lives. One of his famous quotes is in the book: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". The main text he used is Philipians 1:20-21

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain

With everything thing we do, we must exalt, honor, magnify Christ. Whether it is working at our job, spending time with family and friends, shopping, or spreading the Gospel, we must exalt the supreme worth of Christ in what we do.

Lecrae must have read this book because his song by the same title echos its contents-just in rap style.

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 never find in the mall
See your money, your singleness, marriage, talents 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
See my whole world is built around Him, He's the life in my lines
I refuse to waste my life
He's too true to chase that ice
Here's my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ
If He's truly raised to life

I don't know about you, but I do not want to get to the end of my life and realize I have wasted it.

Lyrics: http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/lyrics/new/track.asp?track_id=11300

Then this news should change your life
And by His grace you can

Galaxies-Owl City

Oh telescope, keep an eye on my only hope,
Lest I blink and be swept off the narrow road.
Hercules, you've got nothing to say to me,
'Cause you're not the blinding light that I need.

For He is the saving grace of the Galaxies!
He is the saving grace of the Galaxies

Dear God, I was terribly lost,
When the galaxies crossed,
And the Sun went dark.
(Went dark)
Dear God, You're the only North Star,
I would follow this far

 

Our eyes are prone to wander. We look for the next big thing that causes our eyes to sparkle. For some people, it may be things like cars, houses, gadgets, etc, or it may be people that they love until someone else more beautiful or talented comes along. Most people would not admit that they have idols in their lives, but the truth is anything that causes us to take our eyes off the Lord is an idol.

 

Psalm 86:8

There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,

Nor are there any works like Yours

 

There is truly none like the Lord. As Owl City encourages, let us not be carried away by what we see, but let us fix our gaze on the only saving Grace of the galaxies.

 

Lyrics: http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=69427

 

Song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaImtAdoicU

Say It Now-The Afters

Why are three simple words so hard: "I am sorry"? I do not like to admit when I am wrong, but I really do not like to admit that someone else was right. That stubbornness has led to many broken relationships that could have easily been repaired if I would have laid my pride aside and apologized. At the time, I thought my pride was more important; however, over the years I have come to realize that the relationship was more important.

The Afters reminds us how important the relationship is in their song Say It Now:

Say it now, I hope we find a way
To say it now, don’t be afraid
To say it now, everything we’re keeping inside
Don’t wait just let your heart speak
Don’t waste another heart beat
Cuz we’ll never know
Until we let it out, let it out
Say it say it now
Say it say it now
 

We should not let our pride, anger, or fear keep us from making a wronged relationship right. Regardless of whose fault it is, we need to either ask for forgiveness or offer forgiveness to the other person.

 

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:23-24

Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering

 

Our relationship with Christ is affected when our relationships with other people are not right. So whatever needs to be said whether "I'm sorry" or "I forgive you"; let us not wait but sat it now before it's too late. 

 

Lyrics:http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=65627

 

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oByDePbf5w8

The Blues-Switchfoot

The end of the world-people try to prdict it, they write songs about it and make movies to try to decsribe what it will be like. But no one really knows what it will be like.

Acts 1:7
 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know


I do not belive the world will end as Hollywood has so often depicted; instead I believe it will be more like what Switchfoot writes in their song The Blues:

Is there nothing here worth saving? Is no one here at all? Is there any net left that could break our fall? It’ll be a day like this one when the sky falls down And the hungry and poor and deserted are found Are you discontented? Have you been pushing hard? Have you been throwing down this broken house of cards? It’ll be a day like this one when the world caves in When the world caves in When the world caves in The most important question we must ask is: will be ready on the day that the world caves in?   Song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxCjU7tdmz4   Lyrics:http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/lyrics/new/track.asp?track_id=2603

Freedom-Run Kid Run

Sin is fun. But sin has a price. Sin takes you further than where you wanted to go, keeps you longer than what you wanted to stay, make cost you more than what you wanted to pay. Sin makes you it's slave. However, there is a way to break free from the bondage of sin.

Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:34-36 NASB)

When we come to Jesus and surrender our lives to Him, He offers us freedom. But not only freedom from sin, He also gives us the right to be sons and daughters. How great that freedom is!

Run Kid Run sings of this experience in their song Freedom:

And so I'm singing for freedom. And so I'm singing for Freedom. The time has come, separaion lost the war to love. Take my hand grace has found you where you once began. you're alive! You're alive! In the waking of new life. Take my hand in the end there's only love, there's only love. There's only singing for freedom, I know I'm not the only one, praying to the One who can bring me this freedom. I'm ready for I'm ready for, Father please I need rescuing, I need You and You alone.

Deeds-Sanctus Real

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:17, 18 NASB)

The whole works and faith thing can be confusing. Your works or deeds don't give you faith but you can't have faith without them. The band Sanctus Real tries to help us understand it.

If you don't have deeds you have nothing at all
If you don't have faith your deeds will fall
They can't be true without each other
You can't have one without the other

The way I see it: we don't do deeds for salvation, we do deeds because of salvation.

Fire Fire-Flyleaf

Have you ever heard a sermon or message that ignites a passion within you? There are many great preachers and pastors who have God-given abilities to encourage, inspire, and instruct those who hear of the things of God. Unfortunately, there are also those who choose to deceive and distort the word of God to suit their own agenda. So much is said in our culture and churches that tries to disguise itself as Truth but in actually it is a lie. Flyleaf warns us to be on guard against things that we hear. 

 

What you confuse for glory's fire
Is fire from the tongues of liars
What you confuse for glory's fire
Is fire from the tongues of liars

 

 

People like to hear things that make them feel good. They like to listen and accept the lies because the truth makes them uncomfortable. Paul warns us against letting what we hear deceive us:

 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NASB)

 

We must be careful to examine everything we hear from sermons, songs, and even "wisdom from our friends. If the messages we hear do not line up with the Bible, then they are lies and we must reject them. Let us not trade the Truth for a lie to ease our insecurities and guilt.

 

Lyrics:http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=78320

 

Song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfJWBjECCxE