Archives for June 2011

I recently read an article about today’s contemporary worship music. Have you noticed that most worship songs deal only with an aspect of the character of God — like his love, his beauty, his forgiveness, his sacrifice, etc… Very few of them speak of the whole counsel of God. In other words, the complete Gospel message is not presented in most contemporary worship music; they are usually one dimensional.

Go ahead. Think about it. Take a survey of songs.

This is not to suggest that any of those songs are bad; most of them are quite beautiful and anointed. However, they are incomplete when it comes to conveying the Gospel message.

Most hymns, however, contain the Gospel message, which is why some artists are remaking old hymns and Gospel songs, like Casting Crowns‘ remake of “Living He Loved Me.”

What are we to do with this information and revelation? For one, if you are worship leaders, make your selections well rounded. Sing a song about His love, one about His forgiveness, another about his sacrifice, another about His resurrection, another about the gift and work of the Spirit, and another of His return. Or sing whatever but end with a song that reflects the Gospel. There it is — the whole counsel.

As one good friend told me — contemporary worship music gives the preacher a prime opportunity to link a song about God’s love with the reason for His love. Or to tell why He is so amazing! Or why we have the same power that He had.

Preachers, ministers, evangelists, we have to ride this wave. This generation wants a lot of the “love” music. Let’s share with them the Evolution and Result of that love.

Here are two songs that reflect the Gospel: the first one is “In Christ Alone”:

The Second is “Living He Loved Me” by Casting Crowns:

PRAYER: Father, may we never be satisfied with a fragmented knowledge of your great love! May the music that you bless musicians to play, lyricists to write, and psalmists to sing only serve to inspire us to search the Scriptures, for in them we have eternal life! Thank you that nothing will ever be a substitute for the reading and preaching of your Word! In Yeshua‘s Name. Amen!

Earthquakes! Tornados! Tsunamis! Mudslides! Hurricanes! These are natural disasters that can literally crumble our worlds, leaving us wondering about the reality of God.
When the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, the book of Hebrews records how priests — believing and nonbelieving — wondered what would happen to Judaism because the centrality of Jewish worship was gone: “There shall not be one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2 KJV), Yeshua had told them.
Thank God the writer of Hebrews redirects their attention, not to the stones, or the lost Tabernacle, but that Yeshua Himself was the very embodiment of all that was contained in the Tabernacle, of all that the Tabernacle symbolized.
So I redirect your attention today not to the things you possess or amass! They WILL all crumble! They WILL all be nothing!

Redirect your focus to Yeshua! LOOK AT YESHUA! HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO IS A CONSTANT THAT WE CAN COUNT ON.

PRAYER: Thank you, Father, that as all things in this world are transitory, that you are not! Thank you! You are a blessed assurance. I stake my life upon You! In Yeshua’s Name! Amen!

Enjoy about 2-3 minutes of powerful truth in this video by Hillsong and Newsboys: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus“: