Free S.O. album download

I commend the UK artist S.O., the newest member of Lamp Mode. His lyrics are saturated with Christ-exalting rhymes and wrapped in a smooth hip hop beat, professionally produced by Lamp Mode!

You can get his entire album 'S.O. It Begins' for FREE here ... www.lampmode.com/so-it-begins/

My favorite song so far is Highs and Lows. S.O. describes how in his walk with Christ, he goes through painful lows, then like in the Psalms, he looks to Christ and is lifted up.

(So I ask myself) Why are you downcast my soul, hope in the Lord/See Him hanging there on the pole for the filthest thoughts/The most wicked of hearts, He died for you S know it/This is truth, objective how do you then blow/Repentance and faith, bear fruit man show it/Have that cross up in face endure and know Him/Be strong in the grace that’s found solely in Him/Satan will pray tricks by reminding you of your sin/But He died for them all, remember Calvary again/Never let it leave your brain/and things will never be the same/The Lamb of God was truly slain, rose up from the grave though/And justified in His name up the praise go!/Yeah, and that will never change/This that high up on the ride that I better crave/My help and my God who is centre stage/And His Spirit in I no better way/

Download this album and be blessed by it too!

Jesus is the Lion King

Regardless of your preference/style of music, these lyrics are POWERFUL! They paint a picture of Jesus Christ as THE Lion King, in all His majesty! Scripture often refers to the Lord as the lion of the tribe of Judah. Narnia has it right, Jesus is a LION! (See video here)

Here are the lyrics (about as close as I can get) ...

Gentle Jesus, meek and mild
That's how they see Him now Jesus of your convenience
Never heated thumbs up when He smiles
That’s so mistaken--like He can't incinerate
A whole city, wrath more 'dread'-ful (dredlocks) then all Jamaica
And any attitude, anything less than gratitude
Is rebellion, idolatry, or proportionate magnitude
How can you figure you're gonna get with the dude you're attracted to
While the God of the universe is specifically mad at you?
I'm talkin holiness, holier than the holiest
Angels who are beholding Him, cover eyes or they won't exist
Knees are folded when they get close to His awesomeness
His presence 'ill send em repentance or their lives will be over with
Behold the Lamb Christ Jesus, the substitute for the heathen
Only One that can stand the wrath of God and keep on breathin'
Righteous, resurrected Ruler, redeemin' these rebel bein's
This lion's also a lamb for mercy for those who believe it

We all know-oh-oh, this world is a jungle
We only got one hope, oh Zion,
Our God is a king, He's a lion
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh Zion
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh , oh Zion
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh ,
Oh Zion
Our God is a king, He's a lion

I know this world is a jungle, baby this life is a forest
And we surrounded by beasts, they seek to kill and destroy us
They say we better take cover, and run for it like Forest
And while they prey on the weak, we just gon keep prayin for em
And fear can't be afforded, the God of Jacob's my fortress
And yeah I'm walkin' in pride baby the Lion is roarin
Persecution n sufferin, they raidin' our villages
They wanna push our wig back like the Indians
We got a King who hears the prayers of the indigent
Ending the fears and in the affairs of the invalid
??? and death was the instrument
So we can see His glory in a clearer lense
No drummer here but we're aware of the snares
Snakes on our heel but He was crushing his head
Took the stripes of a tiger He went out up on a limb
I got a lion king, so this jungle’s just a gym

We all know-oh-oh, this world is a jungle
We only got one hope, oh Zion,
Our God is a king, He's a lion
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh Zion
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh , oh Zion
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh ,
Oh Zion
Our God is a king, He's a lion

You can get this song on a free album download here. There are several other terrific songs on this album!

Nathan Clark George in Concert December 19th!

Just wanted to let you know about a free Christmas concert featuring Nathan Clark George on December 19th at Redeemer Presbyterian in Overland Park, KS.

I have had opportunities to see Nathan in concert when he comes to KC, and here is what I learned:

• NCG is a great performer. He likes to get the audience involved! This feat is especially noteworthy given he is a Presbyterian performing in a Presbyterian church - ha ha! Nathan has great rapport with the audience and his fellow musicians on stage and is the opposite of the stereotypical pop star. He is 'down to earth' yet 'heavenly minded' (Col 3:2).


• The setting is warm and intimate regardless of the weather outside (ala 'Let it Snow').


• The music is top notch professional and fun. There is a good mix of timeless hymns, new arrangements of lesser known songs, and brand new creations. This is music everyone will enjoy, regardless of age or gender or race!


• Best of all the message of the music is first and foremost Christ-exalting and often Scripture set to music.


• The concert is free but I believe there is a love offering and opportunity to purchase CD's.

Treat yourself and your loved ones to this concert and enjoy you will be as excited as me the next time you hear news of Nathan Clark George returning to Kansas City.

New to Nathan Clark George? Here is a short bio from Nathan's website:

Award winning singer/songwriter Nathan Clark George has been touring with his music for over a decade, including 4 years full-time in an RV with his family, encouraging a multi-generational vision for the family and the Kingdom of Peace. His discography delivers compelling musical presentations of Scripture along with transparent snapshots of life. Also included is a DVD featuring a full-length concert, as well as a documentary of Nathan and his family and their lives on the road. Most recently, he is excited to be one of the featured artists on the upcoming release from Ligionier Ministries, My Cry Ascends, performing the beautiful compositions of time-honored Psalms and hymns by Greg Wilbur. It is Nathan’s desire to encourage the thoughtful and meaningful approach to corporate worship embodied on this new project, and he looks forward to introducing several of the selections in his upcoming concerts.

I Run to Christ!

Some friends and family members have requested prayer for ailing loved ones. Please let me encourage you to run to Christ! This hymn is awesome; may it remind you to keep your eyes focused on Christ, the Eternal Giver of Life!

click here to listen

I Run to Christ
Text by Chris Anderson; Tune by Greg Habegger

I run to Christ when chased by fear
And find a refuge sure.
“Believe in me,” His voice I hear;
His words and wounds secure.

I run to Christ when torn by grief
And find abundant peace.
“I too had tears,” He gently speaks;
Thus joy and sorrow meet.

_____

I run to Christ when worn by life
And find my soul refreshed.
“Come unto Me,” He calls through strife;
Fatigue gives way to rest.

I run to Christ when vexed by hell
And find a mighty arm.
“The Devil flees,” the Scriptures tell;
He roars, but cannot harm.

_____

I run to Christ when stalked by sin
And find a sure escape.
“Deliver me,” I cry to Him;
Temptation yields to grace.

I run to Christ when plagued by shame
And find my one defense.
“I bore God’s wrath,” He pleads my case—
My Advocate and Friend.

Great hymn! By the way, Chris shared how this hymn is getting attention among the leadership at Chuck Swindoll's church! You can find the words and music to I Run to Christ and other great hymns at ChurchWorksMedia.com.

If David Letterman had a Top 10 List for Worst Praise Songs Ever

... or top 10 signs you're not in a healthy church...



HT: Stephen

Happy 13th Birthday Adriana!

Adriana turns 13 today from Mike Bonham on Vimeo.

Slain Lamb

There is nothing, no one, more worthy of high and lofty words than Jesus Christ. So when I heard this 'song/sermon' I had to find a way to share it here. This video makes use of the 'Slain Lamb Outro' piece on the album Unpacked (download for free here), by iSix5.

Excerpts are taken from a sermon by Pastor Smedly Yates, a graduate of The Master's Seminary. Yates sermon, God Never Graduates from the Gospel, was preached at Grace Bible Church in Tempe, AZ on 3/7/2010.

This exalted view of Christ is central to the Scriptures. Tim Juhnke has been preaching through Revelation and his last two sermons have been a spiritual feast. From Revelation 5 we see this idea in The Investiture of the Lamb. Consider downloading Part 1 and Part 2.

Let us focus on the One who is both Lion and Lamb, and who will return to earth to judge the world.

Aimee's Song of the Week April 24, 2010

Check out the new category on the blog, Aimee's Song of the Week. My wife and I share a love for music, so we thought it would be fun to share a song each week. Hope it will be a blessing to you.

We were introduced to 'All I Have is Christ' at the church we've been attending, FCC. The Lyrics are below, and you can listen to a sample and buy the song from Sovereign Grace Ministries here.

All I Have Is Christ
By Jordan Kauflin
As recorded on Looked Upon

Lyrics
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

Music for you

Free music abounds, so I thought I would wrap these together into one post. I expect there is something for everyone ...

This is last minute (it's today), but if you enjoy listening to a master concert pianist, and live in the north part of KC, check out Andrew Sheffield do his thing TODAY! He is giving a free piano recital at 2:30pm at New Hope Church of the Nazarene, located on North Oak, just north of Briarcliff Road. Andrew has a gift for music and uses it to edify the body at FCC where her serves as worship leader.

Another gifted musician who needs more pub is Nathan Clark George. I talk about him often, and for good reason! He has now added a new free tune on his site. The music is great, but even better are the words. Here is the first verse:

All men are but mortal, all flesh fades like grass
Only through deaths portal to, eternal life we pass
This body here must perish, before it gains reward
Heavenly joys to cherish, for the ransomed of the Lord

Click here to see how he came up with the song, and download it for free!

As we travel the spectrum of musical styles, let's kick off our shoes and pick up a fiddle! I came across this delightful video in a google search for the Rolf Family (featured in this post).



Here is the official Rolf Family website. Devon, if you're reading, I suggest you add an 'Events' section to the site and fill it up with nearby venues!

Finally, slap on your ear goggles (headphones) on and pic up the mic. If you enjoy theology AND rap music, you can download a free album from iSix5 (short for Isaiah 6:5), from Grace Bible Church in Tempe, Arizona. If you're like me, and don't catch all the words, here are the lyrics. Good stuff, lots of Scripture, lots of theology, Christ-exalting. Here is a quick taste:

God Himself is guardin what He placed inside of me/
And His indwelling Spirit is constantly reminding me/
I was filled and sealed to let the flesh die to me/
Conforming to the image of Him, cuz I'm tryna see/
Less JG, that's why I am denying me/
I must decrease to increase His notoriety/

Thanks, Andrew B for that one!

Sorry polka fans, I have nothing for you.

**UPDATE! Devon pointed me to this newer video of the family performing at Silver Dollar City. Enjoy! **

Shepherds Conference 2010

The Shepherd's Conference is going on right now in Southern California. Perhaps elders and other leaders from your church are there. While we can't all be there, we can hear the sermons. Also this year, they are making some of the music available. So if you wanted to know what it sounds like when several thousands of men sing "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross", "Come Christian Join and Sing", and "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name" now you can get a taste of that. Click here for the media page.

Hip Hop for Haiti

Hip Hop for Haiti concert featuring Lecrae, Flame, Json, DJ Essence, and DJ Official



HT: DesiringGod

Still, still, still

I found someone who sings worse than me!



This video is hilarious, but the Chritmas Carol itself is actually quite beautiful. According to one web site, "The traditional Austrian carol "Still, Still, Still" is set to the "Salzburg Melody" dating from around 1819. "Silent Night," with words by Joseph Mohr and melody by Franz X. Gruber, is probably the most widely known and sung Christmas hymn in the world. It has been translated into 300+ languages."

Here is the Vienna Boys Choir doing it right!



Here are the English lyrics.

Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
For all is hushed,
The world is sleeping,
Holy Star its vigil keeping.
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.

Sleep, sleep, sleep,
'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.
The night is peaceful all around you,
Close your eyes,
Let sleep surround you.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
'Tis the eve of our Saviour's birth.

Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.
While guardian angels without number,
Watch you as you sweetly slumber.
Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.

Enjoy!

Warm Christmas greetings from the Bonhams. May the truth of the Incarnation lead us to the foot of the Cross!

Free Christian Rap download!

Enjoy Shai Linne, Hazakim, Stephen the Levite and others on Lamp Mode's latest FREE release. Pass it on!

116 Video - To Live is Christ by Trip Lee

As a follow up to Dan's Christ-exalting "Yes!" for God's Gift of Music post, here's a video from 116 (as in Romans 1:16) about Philippians. It's great to see the lyrics because I must admit I can't always follow all the great content being poured into these great rhymes! Enjoy this exposition of Philippians by Trip Lee ...



HT: RR

Christian Rap Artists interviewed on Albert Mohler Radio Show

Someone pointed me to these interviews and and I just recently found time to listen. Russell Moore (Together for Adoption) sometimes fills in for Al Mohler on his radio show, and has interviewed LeCrae Moore and Flame (Marcus Gray) on two separate occasions.

These men have been redeemed out of the 'hip hop' culture and are sharp, articulate, born again, and growing in grace. I think Marcus Gray is a student at Boyce College. They are creating music that is Christ-exalting and yet the highest quality! What other genre can you learn about terms like the 'hypo-static union', 'expiation', 'propitiation', and more, in such a fun way?

Anyway, chances are if you enjoy hip hop already, you'll enjoy these interviews. But even if you don't like hip hop, I say give them a listen and you may even praise God for gifting His sons in so many various ways! If nothing else it's kind of funny to hear Russell Moore talking about reaching the guy in the car next to you bumping the loud rap music. I didn't agree with all of the contextualization philosophies discussed by Moore, but it was a blessing to hear testimonies from these young men.

Click here for the Lecrae interview on July 16th.
Click here for the Flame interview back in July of 2008.

If you are interested in sampling some of these guys' music, they both have a MySpace where you can here some of their music. My personal favorite is 'Joyful Noise' because it has both of these guys praising Christ in some smoking tandem rhymes!

Come & Live! Free download

Get your FREE download of I AM Living Vol.1 at the Come&Live website. (Click here)

DesiringGod blog describes this ministry here ...

Come & Live! is an expression of the major themes of Don’t Waste Your Life (radical generosity, risk taking love, making others glad in God, missions, living simply for the sake of giving, etc). The basic idea is that the label is like a missions agency, the musicians are like missionaries, and you do not have to pay for the music. I am encouraged by how God calls men and women in different industries and cultures to find ways to make others glad in God within their context.

You can download for free without registration their first music sampler I Am Living Vol. 01. If you enjoy indie rock, hardcore, and alternative music styles you will find some tracks you will appreciate (there is a great variety). Also included is a sermon excerpt from John Piper.

Jesus is Alive!

Jesus is Alive (House of Tea Remix) from Josh Bonjour on Vimeo.

Nathan Clark George in Concert May 17th

My brother-in-law passed this email along ...

Dear Redeemer Family,

Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 17 at 6pm. Our good friend Nathan Clark George will be passing through Kansas City and has agreed to do a concert at Redeemer May 17 at 6pm.

Nathan has performed at Redeemer several times in the past couple of years so he will be presenting previously unrecorded music and trying out some experimental tunes on us as well. Of course, you can count on some of his staples as well.

So, invite your friends and families to a wonderful night of acoustic guitar playing and singing with Nathan Clark George at Redeemer. There is no cost for this event but an offering will be taken.

In the Lamb,
Tony

Nathan’s website:
http://www.nathanclarkgeorge.com

HT:Travis

Were you there? Good Friday thoughts

His arrest is not just-neither is the trial
While Jesus is being treated foul, He sees Peter’s denial
He’s sent to Pilate, to Herod, back to Pilate
The violence of humanity at its finest
So now He stands before the crowd doomed to die
An angry mob who’s yelling out “crucify”
The way they treat the Lord of glory is debased and it’s foul
But you miss the point if you don’t see your face in the crowd

This is from Shai Linne's "Were You There?". Challenging lyrics and very appropriate for Good Friday! (click here for complete lyrics.) I was especially struck by the last line: "You miss the point if you don't see your face in the crowd." Truly I was there, in the crowd shouting "Crucify Him!" (John 19:6-16)

I recently discovered Christian rap artist Shai Linne in this article on Sovereign Grace.The article reviews his latest album, Atonement, includes "Where you There?", and includes a link to a video of Shai Linne giving his testimony.

Yes, it's true I'm a skinny white-boy with new glasses that-according to a friend from work-have me looking like the 'skinny version' of Drew Carey, ...

But I love this 'sanctified' version of rap music. It's not 'cop killer' and debasing to women. Rather it's grounded in Scripture and Christ-exalting! Now excuse me while I lay out some card-board and practice my break-dancing moves.

Songs I Want Played at My Funeral

I hope to live a long life on the earth, but when the Lord does call me home, let it be known that I want this song played at my funeral. Here are the lyrics (based on Psalm 96) which rightly exalt the Lord as He should be exalted!

Glorious and Mighty
(Psalm 96)
Words by Joel Sczebel, Todd Twining, and Bob Kauflin
Music by Joel Sczebel and Todd Twining

Verse 1
Majesty, Your glory is shining
Brighter than the moon and the stars
Marveling, we honor and fear You
Above all gods

Chorus
Glorious and mighty, You’re awesome In beauty
Joyful songs we raise
Glorious and mighty, You’re awesome in beauty
Greatly to be praised

Verse 2
Majesty, You fashioned the heavens
Your decrees can never be changed
Over all the plans of the nations
Your judgments reign

Verse 3
Majesty, we’ll sing with creation
When You come again in the clouds
Every knee will bow down and worship
The one true God

Words by Joel Sczebel, Todd Twining, and Bob Kauflin, music by Joel Sczebel and Todd Twining.
© 2008 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).
Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Ministries.
From Psalms. All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
North American administration by Integrity Music. International administration by CopyCare International.

I love the Psalms CD that Sovereign Grace put out last year. You can hear clips of the CD and order it for yourself here. P.S. While I'm asking, it would be great if Melissa Farmer (who belts out this song on this CD) could sing it at my funeral, I'd be much obliged.