Thursday Lyrics: He's All You Need

He's All You Need

When you're alone,

Your heart is torn,

He is all you need.

When you're confused,

Your soul is bruised,

He is all you need.

He's the rock of your soul,

He's the anchor that holds

Through your desperate times.

When your way is unsure,

His love will endure

And peace you will find.

Through all your years,

The joy, the tears,

He is all you need.

When you give in

To that familiar sin,

He is all you need.

Guilt has you paralyzed.

It slowly eats you alive.

He is all you need.

He'll be faithful to you

Though your heart is untrue

And your love's grown cold.

His forgiveness is real.

It'll comfort and heal

Your sin weary soul.

God loves you so.

He'll never let you go.

He is all you need.

He'll be faithful to you

Though your heart is untrue

And your love's grown cold.

His forgiveness is real

To comfort and heal

Your sin weary soul.

Through all the years,

The joy, the tears,

He is all you need.

I used to love the music of Steve Camp. I haven't listened to him in a long time, but today I was reminded of what an excellent musician he is. Camp uses his craft to the glory of God, for which I am thankful. You can listen to this song here. For other Steve Camp music, visit audience ONE.

The words of this song remind me that God is indeed all we need, all sufficient for every situation, feeling, struggle, or joy I have in life. Thank you, Jesus, that I can rest in You!

Thursday Lyrics: Heavenly Father, Beautiful Son

Heavenly Father, Beautiful Son

Father, You loved me
Sent Your Son to redeem
Jesus, You washed me
By Your blood I am clean
Spirit, You’ve opened these blinded eyes
And brought me to Christ

Heavenly Father, beautiful Son
Spirit of light and truth
Thank You for bringing sinners to come to You

Father, You gave me
To Jesus to keep
And Jesus, You love me
As a shepherd, his sheep
Spirit, You've given me faith in the Son
And made our hearts one

Father, You're waiting
To hear my requests
Jesus, Your loving
Open hand is outstretched
Spirit, You're in me, You intercede
And help in my need

Words and music by Mark Altrogge
As recorded on Valley of Vision

I really enjoy this song. It is from the Valley of Vision recording by Sovereign Grace Ministries. Click on the link above to hear a clip of this and other songs included on the CD. The music in this recording was based on the puritan prayers compiled in the book, Valley of Vision. I have not read this book yet, but it has been recommended to me numerous times.

Thursday's Thoughtful Lyrics: There You Go

There You Go

Is this the strange feeling
Of you working all to good
'Cause I am so confused
I don't even ask for what I should

When I asked for and deserved a stone
You broke and gave your body as bread
And even the stone that dropped down and rolled away
Spoke of the one who bled

There you go working good from my bad
There you go making robes from my rags
There you go melting crowns from my calves
There you go working good of all I have
Till all I have's not that bad

When I asked for and deserved a serpent
You gave a net full of fish
And even the serpent that told the lie
When lifted high foretold the gift

For you so loved the unlovable
That you gave the ineffable
That who so believes the unbelievable
Will gain the unattainable

This song, put out by Caedmon's Call a number of years ago, remains one of my favorites. I don't own many CDs put out by Caedmon's Call and can't speak to what they do now, but I loved this CD and still enjoy listening to this song.

Unfortunately, half the time that I listen to "Christian" music, I think to myself that while the song may not necessarily be bad, there is nothing overtly Christian about it. Sometimes it seems that to be a musician in the genre of Christian music, you don't have to be familiar with the Scriptures, you just have to sing wholesome songs. That is one reason why I still listen to some older music, such as Rich Mullins or Keith Green or Scott Wesley Brown.

Thursday's Thoughtful Lyrics

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

This is another of my favorite hymns. My heart is prone to wander, and I am so thankful that God has sealed my heart, that His goodness like a fetter does bind my heart to Him.

Thursday's Thoughtful Lyrics

Jesus! I am Resting, Resting

Jesus! I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For, by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.

Chorus:

Jesus! I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

Oh, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea:
Oh, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Chorus

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart,
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings,
Thine is love indeed.

Chorus

Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.

This is my new favorite hymn. I had never heard this hymn before our family joined Morningview, and I believe more churches should invest in singing hymns of this caliber. The lyrics are wonderful, and I love the melody. I downloaded the song as it was sung by Alisa Dishong from itunes , but I most enjoy hearing it when my daughter is sweetly singing it.

I really appreciate songs that have something worthwhile and edifying to say.

Thursday's Thoughtful Lyrics

Taking a different approach from the Excogitating Engineer and his contemplative cohorts, I have decided to think on what is good by posting good song lyrics on Thursdays. Of course, I am wondering whether a song the excogit finds bad will be a song I find good. :)

Please take a minute and leave a comment about your thoughts on what constitutes a good Christian song.

Today's song is:

Blessed Be Your Name

Matt & Beth Redman

Blessed be your name

In the land that is plentiful

Where the streams of abundance flow

Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name

When I'm found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,

I turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say...

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's all as it should be

Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,

I turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say...

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, Blessed be your name

Our family recently went through a difficult set of circumstances, and at the time, all I could think was why was something done in obedience to God so painful. This year, God has taught me so much about how what He tells me to do is not always about me. It is about God and His will, which may include using dh and myself in the lives of others, but also the why may be something I will never know this side of heaven.

I like this song because the lyrics reflect that God's name is to be blessed at all times and regardless of our circumstances. I believe this is scriptural. Just yesterday, in preparing to teach my three and four year olds in children's choir, I was struck by how God can and does use any thing, person or circumstance to bring glory to Himself. We were using our voices in different ways and made and sang different animal sounds. Our craft involved a frog, and I was struck by how God used even frogs to show His might and power that He might be glorified when He sent the plague of frogs in Egypt.

I hope that no matter what my circumstances are in the future, still I will say Blessed Be the Name of my LORD!