Complete

When doing my devotions yesterday, i decided it would be a good idea to go to last.fm and just listen to the Hillsong United radio thingy (apparently last.fm is kind of like Pandora??? O.o- but i think it's better :P). Well i was just baffled by how many of my preferred genre of Christian music was out there!

Me personally, i made the decision a little while ago that i was not satisfied with "Christian music" as in Christian Rock or Christian Pop or Christian 'xyz' just because when you actually looked at the lyrics, they aren't saying anything of much concern. Usually it's just a bunch of vague lines that deal with simple concepts ("Jesus wuvvv yuuuuu")

Because of this, i find many "Christian" artists nothing more than Christians playing secular music. I am not a supporter of the cross over band and I feel like bands who do cross over are sellouts. Your music is either inspired by God or it's not, there's no gray middle when it comes to the things of the Kingdom and things of this world.

That being said, i've found that the type of Christian music that i lean towards is Worship music. That's because a worship band has no other job but to worship God- there's no 'quota' of non-Christians to meet.

Artists who i have liked were:
Hillsong United(ESPECIALLY)
Hillsong (yes it's different)
Desperation Band
Chris Tomlin
David Crowder Band

Now don't get me wrong, i do sometimes find good worship songs in cross over bands. So it's possible that some may be playing a role in the Kingdom- i just don't like it.

That's one of the things about being a Christian. There are some things that you do not approve of but you have to make the distinction of what you think is wrong and what God thinks is wrong. That's because sometimes what you feel isn't the best way to Honor God or something that you think does honor God more, may not be the same to the brother or sister in Christ next to you. And that's perfectly fine! (well unless the bible blatantly says it's not obviously) Take Paul's idea of drinking (i think it's in Romans? or maybe one of the Corinthians?). Now for him, he has no problem with drinking (not to the point of drunk of course) but he realizes that some other Christians do have a problem with that. Not only that, he is willing to put the bottle down for the sake of his brother.

It should be the same attitude for us. With things that aren't of much importance, we should be willing to drop it if it's going to interfere with the fellowship that we find with other Christians- if it's really that important to the other party that you don't drink, then don't do it around them, it's not that big of a deal. Don't break up the Church for trivial things.

anyway! away from the ranting.
Yesterday i heard this amazing song by Parachute Band.
They are a New Zealand Worship group and, even though this song sounds a bit outdated, the message is still good.
The song i came across was Complete
Lyrics:
Here I am, Oh God
I bring this sacrifice
My open heart, I offer up my life
I look to You, Lord
Your love that never ends
Restores me again

So I lift my eyes to you Lord
In your strength will I break through Lord
Touch me now, let your love fall down on me
I know your love dispels all my fears
Through the storm I will hold on Lord
And by faith I will walk on Lord
Then I'll see beyond my cavalry one day
And I will be complete in You

Here I am, Oh God
I bring this sacrifice
My open heart, I offer up my life
I look to You, Lord
Your love that never ends
Restores me again

So I lift my eyes to you Lord
In your strength will I break through Lord
Touch me now, let your love fall down on me
I know your love dispels all my fears
Through the storm I will hold on Lord
And by faith I will walk on Lord
Then I'll see beyond my cavalry one day
And I will be complete in You

I look to You, Lord
Your love that never ends
Restores me again

So I lift my eyes to you Lord
In your strength will I break through Lord
Touch me now, let your love fall down on me
I know your love dispels all my fears
Through the storm I will hold on Lord
And by faith I will walk on Lord
Then I'll see beyond my cavalry one day
And I will be complete in
I will be complete in
I will be complete in You

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear"
Isaiah 59:1

"We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves. We look for justice but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away. For offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities"
Isaiah 59:11-12