...for music

Today at church we got into a discussion about the lyrics of the music on the Christian radio stations. Essentially, our friend was saying that today's Christian music does not mention Jesus directly. The song that was used as an example was 'Dead Man' by Jars of Clay. The point being made was, if you are not a Christian, what would that song mean to you because while it does talk about the need/want to be a 'new man', how would a person who doesn't have Christ know what that means? It seems that the majority of Christian Rock has a 'feel good' sense to it without directly mentioning Jesus's name. On the other hand, as Christian Hip-Hop has developed and spread, it is obvious that these artists truly are willing vessels to be ambassadors for Christ. They are more afraid of leaving out Christ's name, which will lead to the listeners confusion, than using His name and having less popularity. For us - well, our daughter - this is the reason why she has chosen this genre.

Now, I know some people feel that the music - not just the lyrics - make the song, and whether or not it is edifying to the Lord. My personal belief is that ALL music can be used to glorify the Lord - and it is the LYRIC portion that matters most. (No egg tossing, please *smile* - however, I do welcome your comments, that have been seasoned with grace).

Okay - so, to my music widget (which you can turn off if you like), I added two songs and an interlude from a couple of our daughter's CDs. Here are the lyrics, which I think send an AWESOME message - to EVERYONE - and they are very clear, in my opinion, on who our lives are all about.

Commercial - Flame
(to be added later)

Context - Flame

Verse1: The first task of the interpreter is called exegesis/(extra Jesus)/ naw I said exegesis man/ it’s a Latin word don’t be scared/ matter of fact I laughed when I first heard it too/ its spelled e-x-e-g-e-s-i-s/ guarantee you learn this process and you’ll be blessed/ exegesis is the careful systematic/ study of scripture for the Christian this should be a habit/ but to discover the original intended meaning/ of the author to his audience is exegeting/ but to do this man you need some tools/ so let me recommend a couple of things you should use/ aight cool/ first man you need this book/it’s called a commentary and it helps you to further look/ into some essential things you need to check/ in order for you to properly interpret the text

Hook: With this skill this should keep you from heresy/ and keep you from going through theological therapy/, the words of God will change your life/ if you Keep the text in its context/ with this skill/ this should keep you from heresy/ and keep you from going through theological therapy/ the words of God will change your life/ if you keep the text in its context

Verse 2: You need some more books I know its gettin’ scary/ but you need some definitions get a bible dictionary/to go without these tools you can’t afford it/ that’s why you need this book called a concordance/ and every time you start to think this is too much to do/ I recommend you reflect on 2 Timothy 2/and 15/and you’ll see what I mean/ simply because the serpent is lurking to glean/ those who don’t read/ and those who don’t study/ to keep a lock on this treasure/ from unlocking the pleasure/ cause God’s word is lovely/ that’s why we hold it as precious as pearls/ to let our exegetical work reflect to the world/ in accuracy/ hoping that you happy to see/ the very words God breathe handle accurately/ yeah so many take text out of context/ and come up with mess and more nonsense

Hook

Verse 3: What you don’t wanna do is called eisegesis/(I see Jesus)/ naw I said eisegesis man/ you a silly dude its Latin too/ and that’s just the act of when your adding to/ or the process of reading one’s own meaning/ into the text and that’s just eisegeting/ don’t fret I know these words are new/ and phrases to/ but it’s cool to go back to school/ its spell ei-se-gesis/ guarantee you learn this process and God’ll be vexed/ a text can never mean what it never meant before/ to its original reader or author/ so if you run into a difficult passage and you know the Bible never contradicts itself/ then turn the pages to a parallel passage and just let the scriptures interpret itself

Hook

Unashamed - by Lecrae (featuring Tedashii)

A yo man let that beat drop on em
Yea, oh you know I'm liking that right there
Whats good yall
It's yo boy Lecrae
Some call me crezy
I'm here with my 116 clique representing to you
We just want to put it down for the Lord Jesus Christ
City to city and state to state, we keep running into more 116 clique members
People who are unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ
Let me tell you where we're from dog...

[verse 1:]
New Jerusalem, that's my home
Let me put it in a song, so you'll never get it wrong
No shame in the message, that's the reason I live (reason I live)
Christ up in every song, He's the reason I'm here
All they rhyme about is guns, money, sex and drugs
Eighty percent of these dudes is fictional thugs
We don't kill nobody, we don't rob no stores
We don't trap, we ain't strapped, we don't smoke that dro
We ain't pimpin', we ain't trippin, if we tippin' on some fours
den you'll probaly hear dat Jesus music comin' out our doors (comin out our doors)
we ain't ashamed, you can call us lame,
but everybody gotta die and stand in front of the King

[chorus:]
We unashamed, unashamed
Unashamed, unashamed
Unashamed, unashamed
We unashamed

[verse 2:]
Watch this so you can really know what time it is
God is resurrected and I'm here to glorify Him
Ma Jesus, Jesus, ma Jesus might make a great tune
But we gotta leave them dipsets in the weight room
I gotta date soon, but it ain't soon enough
Father keep pruning us, cause its proven we known for screwing up
I can't front cause the pressure is still thick
And when sin in looks like the pressure, I'm havin' to turn quick
A sins sick, so merk it like John Owen
You know when Jesus the Christ you cant pay him, but still owe him
We shoulda died and been buried for our wrong acts
Instead Christ died and carried them on his own back (What?)
This is a known fact, but some say that its fiction
This is our lifestyle, no its not a religion
See I survived death back in 2002,
And religion is not at all what got your boy through
Yea your boy crayola, I don't do payola
No flows full of baking soda, just Jehovah
I get played to the left more than I get paid to write
So I aint worried about eating dog, tryin to display the Christ

[chorus]

[verse 3:]
You see me on the block, the ave the Vard or the lane
We look the same, but we different
We bring God to this thang
While being vocal about the Lord and not a piece or a chain
But don't get it twisted, its reasons these boys unashamed
How bout 39 lashes of beatings, they laughing and teasing
These blasphemous heathens reject the passion of Jesus
He fasted from speaking even with nails bashed in His feet, and the cross,
He gasping and wheezing, His lungs collect as He's breathing
The chief priest stone in the corner thats chief
The Prince of Peace minus the pipe who bought my grief so no more chiefin
But like the rims that hit the curb (curb) we call em shoulder blades
We got out crosses on our back like our shoulder blade
This is death and resurrection that turned about my direction
Stepping toward perfection had nothing to do with me (do with me)
But the gospel is the power and empowering men to bow out
We pounding in the pavement takin the message to the streets

[chorus]

lyrics taken from Cross Movement Records and Reach Records