Endless Faces

This is a song that I wrote today, while thinking about the past and now.  I don't have a good tune to it, but if someone likes to make nice tunes and makes this a song, please share with me!  I'd love to put this to music.

All these endless faces
Are rolling past my mind
What once gave me a broken heart
Now I'm leaving it all behind

Oh, you know
I've been rescued from my hole
Oh, it shows
I'm finding my way back home

A tear fell on my shoulder
But now my cheeks are dry
It once gave me a broken heart
Now I know I won't ever cry

Oh, you know
I've been rescued from my hole
Oh, it shows
I'm finding a place to go

"What happened to what we had?
Why'd we ever let go?"
All those lies were just stuck in my mind...
I'm leaving that all behind

Oh, you know
I'm rescued from my hole
Oh, it shows
I'm finding a place to go

Oh, you know
I'm rescued from my hole
Oh, and it shows
I'm on my way back home

~♥

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 3:13-14

Music

One of the biggest questions Christians have been asking in regards to how much we are "In the world," is what types of music can we listen to?

It has split churches before (the Church of Christ doesn't believe in instrumental music), and it can create rifts in between relationships. Some get "persecuted" by their peers or even by adults because of types of music they listen to.

I would like to propose that what type of music you listen to does not matter. It does not matter whether music is A capella or screamo; music is music.

No, what truly matters is the message.

The message comes from the whole entire musical picture that the piece presents. It involves the words, the tone of the music, and how it affects your feelings. Usually, you can tell what the message is by the lyrics, but sometimes you need to make a personal judgement on how it affects you.

It can change with some people how music affects you. For example, I am really weak when it comes to "secular"(or "worldy") music, but my best friend does good enough with it that songs without a bad lyrical message, she can listen to without being drawn away from God. For her, it's a party mood, or it's just an innocent having fun mood with an interesting beat; but sometimes for me, it can bring back inappropriate thoughts, which can build up inside me and cause me to sin. So test yourself and make sure that what you are listening to isn't taking you away from Christ.

Now, if the message has nothing to do with Christ, then what is it about? Is it about you? Is it about loving a boy or a girl? Is it about partying when the sun goes down?

"Sin" is a part of our nature, not an act, and the middle of sin is "I". When the world revolves around you, your desires, what you want, and when you want it, that is when sin occurs. Adam and Eve fell because they thought they could do things better than their own Creator, not because they ate an apple that God didn't want them to eat. Be careful and always purge yourself of any sign of selfishness that puts you in God's throne; and that will be the determining factor for the music you choose to listen to.

As disciples of Christ, our biggest goal is to become more "Christ-like" every day. As we work towards that goal, all the other problems we face get solved. If you ask, "Well what about how we should worship?", the answer would be, "How Jesus worshiped." And if you ask, "but how should we treat sinners?", the answer is always, "How Jesus treated them." And so this is why we wear the W.W.J.D. (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets, because all of our questions are answered by how Jesus dealt with things and acted towards people. Keep all of this in mind when you are choosing your music too. "What would Jesus be listening to? Would he smile at me and sing along, or would he look at me with sad eyes full of love as he hangs on the cross? Would he be ashamed of me in front of the Father?" (No pressure, if he's accepting, you don't need to doubt it; but you do need to make a choice.)

Music has a big influence on how you treat people and on how others see you. I know I get made fun of for avoiding what we call secular music, but somewhere in their brains, they begin to understand that I do this for God, and not just because "it's a sin." Listening to music really isn't a sin. "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean'." (Matt. 15:10b-11) But how far are you willing to follow Jesus? Will you settle for following with only half of your life, or will you give it your all?

I strongly believe that Jesus calls us to give it our all, or he will deny that he ever knew you (Matt. 7:21-23). Even Paul (in Galatians 2:11-14) rebuked Peter, one of the Apostles, for being two-faced. It may be impossible to truly mimic what Christ does, but that can’t stop us from trying our best!!!

So if you want to be true about your faith, be careful about what you are listening to. Be sure that nothing turns you away from God even for a moment, and love Him with all of your heart(emotion), soul(decision maker), mind(thinker), and strength(body).

~♥

Addison Road - "My Story"

Recently, my preacher gave me this CD by a band named Addison Road. Unlike other CD's, in this one, I loved every single song! Usually I find one that I just don't understand or don't like, but this one has just been wonderful altogether!

As I listened to the songs, I read the lyrics they provided, and one song really stuck out to me; it's called "My Story" (the album being called Stories), and here are the lyrics to it:

My Story

This is not another song about the reasons I am stressed

This is not a melody to get the feeling off my chest

This is not a pop song written for the radio

These are just my thoughts and what I'm praying for

If this is my story, if this is my song

Then I want to be a part of something beautiful

If this is my journey, then show me your road

Wherever you lead me in this world I want to go

There's just too many times I only think of me

'Cause I get so consumed with my opportunities

When my last breath brings me to the feet of God

I want to hear him say I lived for his glory

If this is my story, if this is my song

Then I want to be a part of something beautiful

If this is my journey, then show me the road

Wherever you lead me in this world, I want to go

Colors paint the evening sky

The sun is shining, giving light

Stars light up the atmosphere

But we're the reason God came here

We are his story, we are his song

A beautiful melody that shows the world his love

When we're on this journey, when we're on this road

We are a part of the greatest story ever told

(copyright 2010 Simple Tense Songs / Inthecity Songs (ASCAP)

and Regisfunk Music (BMI) admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.)

Today is a beautiful Fall day; seeing it makes me wonder how we are more special and beautiful than all of the world God created.

Remember that our lives are a part of a wonderful plan that he's got for us; live it for our LORD!

I hope this made your day like it made mine. :)

(You can listen to the song here too!)