Music Monday - 20090413

While i was out to pick up the ham for our Easter Dinner i popped in my Casting Crowns "The Alter and the Door" CD. It's the first album i purchased for myself from them, and i must say that i'd have the whole collection by now if i had more "extra" cash laying around. This is a contemporary Christian music group that lives and breaths the gospel. Because of where i live, and the location of the store where i was to pick up a scrumptious spiral cut honey glazed ham, i had the opportunity to listen to the entire Cd start to finish. There were actually two tracks that stuck out and i weighed which one to pick for my Music Monday selection this week. In the end i picked this video because it seemed more relevant for me, where i am today.

What This World Needs Written by Mark Hall and Hector Cervantes Special guests – Gunnar Miller, Madison Miller, Logan Miller, Tripp Weir What this world needs is not another one hit wonder with an axe to grind Another two bit politician peddling lies Another three ring circus society What this world needs is not another sign waving super saint that’s better than you Another ear pleasing candy man afraid of the truth Another prophet in an Armani suit What this world needs is a Savior who will rescue A Spirit who will lead A Father who will love them in their time of need A Savior who will rescue A Spirit who will lead A Father who will love That’s what this world needs What this world needs is for us to care more about the inside than the outside Have we become so blind that we can’t see God’s gotta change her heart before He changes her shirt What this world needs is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance Blending in so well that people can’t see the difference And it’s the difference that sets the world free Jesus is our Savior, that’s what this world needs Father’s arms around you, that’s what this world needs That’s what this world needs © 2007 My Refuge Music/Club Zoo Music/SWECS Music (BMI) (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing)

In my opinion the (American) church suffers from thinking too highly of itself. Thinking that all it needs to do is preach messages of "How to live a prosperous life", or "How to feel good about yourself", but rarely (if ever) preach about the gospel. Heaven forbid that a message about the sinfulness of man, or the Holiness of God be preached less we offend someone. A time of Christianity's prominence of influence in American culture has past. I am not sure if i will ruffle any feathers when i say this, but the church needs to speak the truth in love, be willing to point out that man is not inherently good, to identify sin as sin, and not just say "well that's how God made me". First off, God did not make man with sin, or to sin. Man has chosen sin, and the whole reason we needed the Scriptures and a Savior in the first place was because we do not follow Him on our own. I have never been a follow of the "Jerry Falwell" types. Rush Limbaugh irritates me to no end. We as Christians need to get our noses in the book, and our knees bent in prayer. Then, as the Spirit leads we can present our views on things - but in the understanding that God does not reveal all things to all people. Even me! I by no means claim to know all things... but, if we present something to others... and that message is rejected... we (and i am most definitely including myself in this statement) need to learn not to take it personally. It is not up to us to open up someone's heart or mind and convince them. We are only to spreed the seeds that God has given to us. God will "...have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." (Romans 9:15, ESV) I've recently began to reread the book of Romans. What a powerful book. It will humble the proud and give encouragement to the weary. It is my favorite book in the New Testament, and my second favorite in the entire Bible (right behind Job). Right behind the four Gospels, this book is the most important book for newer believers (IMO).