Song-writing and Lessons from Brainerd

"Oh, that all my late distresses and awful apprehensions might prove but Christ's school to make me fit for greater service, by teaching me the great lesson of humility." The Life and Diary of David Brainerd, April 10, 1742

Without getting into too much detail, this quote struck a chord with me in my present circumstances. It also seems that during these times the creative juices are flowing. The following is a song I wrote regarding the struggles of believing that God will provide.


Provider

I feel weak
from trying to figure out these things
on my own
I am lost on this long road

It seems that weak
is right where You want me to be
for there I see
the Sovereign God above all things

There I know
that the birds who never sow are satisfied
There I know
that my God on high is the One who will provide

So take my faithless heart
and teach me of Your ways
Your people never move or breathe
apart from Sovereign Grace
Take away my pride
You alone are the God who will provide

How foolish of me
to see the God who parts the seas
and not believe
that He is above these petty things

Who am I
to tell the Potter how to design
I praise You God
that Your grace is not fair at all

Learning Limited Atonement... From Hip-Hop

Shai Linne's Mission Accomplished


Here’s a controversial subject that tends to divide
For years it’s had Christians lining up on both sides
By God’s grace, I’ll address this without pride
The question concerns those for whom Christ died
Was He trying to save everybody worldwide?
Was He trying to make the entire world His Bride?
Does man’s unbelief keep the Savior’s hands tied?
Biblically, each of these must be denied
It’s true, Jesus gave up His life for His Bride
But His Bride is the elect, to whom His death is applied
If on judgment day, you see that you can’t hide
And because of your sin, God’s wrath on you abides
And hell is the place you eternally reside
That means your wrath from God hasn’t been satisfied
But we believe His mission was accomplished when He died
But how the cross relates to those in hell?
Well, they be saying:

Lord knows He tried (8x)

Father, Son and Spirit: three and yet one
Working as a unit to get things done
Our salvation began in eternity past
God certainly has to bring all His purpose to pass
A triune, eternal bond no one could ever sever
When it comes to the church, peep how they work together
The Father foreknew first, the Son came to earth
To die- the Holy Spirit gives the new birth
The Father elects them, the Son pays their debt and protects them
The Spirit is the One who resurrects them
The Father chooses them, the Son gets bruised for them
The Spirit renews them and produces fruit in them
Everybody’s not elect, the Father decides
And it’s only the elect in whom the Spirit resides
The Father and the Spirit- completely unified
But when it comes to Christ and those in hell?
Well, they be saying:

Lord knows He tried (8x)

My third and final verse- here’s the situation
Just a couple more things for your consideration
If saving everybody was why Christ came in history
With so many in hell, we’d have to say He failed miserably
So many think He only came to make it possible
Let’s follow this solution to a conclusion that’s logical
What about those who were already in the grave?
The Old Testament wicked- condemned as depraved
Did He die for them? C’mon, behave
But worst of all, you’re saying the cross by itself doesn’t save
That we must do something to give the cross its power
That means, at the end of the day, the glory’s ours
That man-centered thinking is not recommended
The cross will save all for whom it was intended
Because for the elect, God’s wrath was satisfied
But still, when it comes to those in hell
Well, they be saying:

Lord knows He tried


More on Shai Linne and Lampmode Recordings

Above All...

“He took the fall and thought of me above all.”

However well intentioned the author of this lyrics is, it is still a frightening reflection of the man-centeredness of many churches in America today. So many of us have grown up in churches that have taught us that the cross of Jesus Christ was all for us. He died for us alone. He came to lift us up out of darkness and raise us up high and serve us whatever we need and want. The problem with all of these statements is not that they are completely false. It is that they are incomplete. Yes, Jesus came to die for us that we might have life (Jn. 3:16, Rom. 3:25, 1 John 4:10, Gal. 3:13). But we miss the point if we think Jesus died so that we can be served by Him in this life and the next.

“Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

“Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth, …whom I created for my glory.” Isaiah 43:6-7

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

It is becoming more and more apparent to me lately that the American Church needs a revival. We have lost the grip on the true meaning of our purpose as individual believers and as the Church of Jesus. Everywhere I look I see conferences, seminars, sermon series, and books that communicate in “cool” and “emerging” ways, they reel people in and think that they are successful. Of course they’re successful! If someone stands in front of a crowd week after week and tells them that Jesus, life, the universe is all about them and what they want, they will certainly be "successful."

Some one once said that a prophet was hated in his home town (Jesus: Mk. 6:4, Lk. 4:24).

So what is the answer? The same answer that it has always been. The cross. Preach the cross. Preach the cross. Preach the cross. Stop the gimmicks, stop the pragmatism, stop the worldliness. Preach the cross. When we truly dive into God’s word we see only the cross. Our lives will be consumed by the preeminence of Jesus. We will want nothing more than to reject ourselves and experience the joy that is found in giving Him glory above all.

Friend or Foe

"We're friendly to all you seekers
don't wanna make you mad
I don't know what I would do if you
Never came back."

"I'm sorry if I talked for too long
I'll keep it short next week
That sermon that Jesus preached was
just under thirty."

He came that we might live
So suck the life right out of it
We think we're being loving
but we're telling lies, withholding
cause we're so afraid of going like we're told.

Our catchy songs won't save them
Nor our clever titles raise them from the dead
the last thing that we need is another MTV

"Let's give a hand to the communicator
who cares if he is sound."
I heard once somewhere that a prophet
is hated in his hometown.

He came that we might live
So suck the life right out of it
We think we're being loving
but we're telling lies, withholding
cause we're so afraid of going like we're told.

Our catchy songs won't save them
Nor our clever titles raise them from the dead
the last thing that we need is another MTV

Explosions In The Sky Live

enjoy this good music. End.

Stop Singing to God like He's Your Girlfriend!

I was listening to a popular band that I like and I was bothered by the ambiguous lyrics to a number of their songs. Then I started to think about this trend that's going on in a lot of seeker-friendly churches today. The thought process goes something like this: "This song was most likely written about a girl but we can sing it to God because it talks about love and stuff." I sort of understand that... but not really. There are two major reasons why.

1. If you really love Jesus your going to find a way to sing to Him without having to borrow lyrics from pop-songs. In all seriousness, Christian artists should have the best lyrics (not the cheesiest). After all we are children of God! (1 John 3:1)

2. (This fits better with the particular artist I was listening to.) If you call yourself a Christian artist your listeners shouldn't have to wonder whether or not your talking about God or a girl. If it's about a girl, fine. But if it's about God remember that He is your Lord and Savior, Creator of all the Universe, the Alpha and the Omega, The King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, NOT a girlfriend.

Some may come back and say that the Bible gives the picture of God and the Church as husband and wife. This is plainly true and I am in no way disregarding the intimacy that is required in a relationship with Christ. But the biblical image is of God as the bridegroom, the pursuer and redeemer of his bride (Hosea 3), once again, NOT a girlfriend.

Cutis "Voice" Allen

Rapper Curtis "Voice" Allen recently preformed at Bethlehem Baptist Church. It's awesome to see such diversity within the Body of Christ (as there should be). Click here for the video.

"Daniel broke the King's decree.
Peter stepped from the ship to the sea.
There was hope for Job like a cut down tree.
I hope that there is such hope for me."
MeWithoutYou