Drink Living Water From The Fountain of Life

Last night I was searching the ‘net for a song that represents a genre not often heard in today’s contemporary Christian music market, Living Water by Denny Correll.  I have the LP somewhere, but I was dying to hear the song.  In the process, I found a blogger who uses the songs from the Jesus Music era as the foundation for devotionals.  So I invite you to either click over to the blog Great, Great Joy now; or read what follows and then link over to click the audio track and follow the lyrics on a classic song.

Have you ever felt so excited about something that you couldn’t contain yourself? You just had to tell your friend, your neighbor, the person you met while walking down the street? This news you had was just too good to keep inside. It was like something that was bursting out of you that you couldn’t control!

The Joy that Jesus brings to my life is like that sometimes. Almost like a geyser, the Spirit bursts forth from me, usually in songs that I know, and that Joy comes out with it. It is literally energizing to have this happen, and spend the next several hours with music coming out in hums and whistles and fragments of song.

Jesus talks about this in the Gospel of John, chapter 7, verses 37 to 39: “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.”

This “living water” that Jesus spoke of, the Holy Spirit, is obviously so much more than just a song. But His work in your spirit could be through tears and repentance, or through joy and song. And I know that one way in which He works (at least in me) is to bring back to my remembrance Scripture that I’ve learned in the past — or possibly a song. And regardless of how He chooses to work in me today, it gives me something I can use to water the thirsty land around me, if I choose to let it flow!

Denny Correll released an album in 1979, Standin’ In The Light. One of the tracks on that album, Living Water is a joyful song that explains what I’ve said above in different words. Enjoy!

Click over to Great Great Joy to hear the song and read the lyrics.

I Believe What I Believe is What Makes Me Who I Am

“It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man”
~Rich Mullins, Creed

I had a friend tell me once that his denomination’s members were “not creedal people.”  I realized later it was just his way of saying that he didn’t want to be nailed down on anything.  Some of doctrines should be written in pencil, not ink, because as we mature in Christ and grow in both grace and knowledge, we realize that the things we held as absolutes may not be exactly as we think.  However… no wait, let me put that in capitals… HOWEVER, there are some core beliefs which should be not subject to negotiation; the basics, the essence of the Christian faith summed up in a few short sentences that we should “always be ready to give account” concerning.

The lyrics to Creed appear on the screen in this version.

• Here’s a bonus article from TOL, written in response to the ongoing controversy concerning the Trinity.
• Here’s another TOL piece, for those of you who get tripped up in the “holy Catholic church” line from the Apostles’ Creed.

“My Name Will Be Declared in the Final Hour”

Here’s a very different but very powerful worship song from Chuck Girard, a man who is really one of a small handful of people who pioneered today’s contemporary Christian music.

CHORUS:

IT’S THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES,
AND WE WILL DECLARE IT, WE WILL DECLARE IT
IT’S THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES,
AND WE WILL SHOUT IT TO A DYING WORLD.

Who will declare My name?
Who will shout My name in the middle of the nations
Who will take the shield of faith and the sword of My tongue,
And declare My name to a dying world?
You who have declared Me thus far,
Will walk in even greater power
Though the sands of time are running out,
My name will be declared in this final hour

I am Jehovah! I Am that I Am! And My trumpet will soon call ..out
I formed the worlds with a whisper
But I’m getting ready, I’m getting ready, I’m getting ready
To shout!

CHORUS

I will possess My people
I’ll take every inch that you’ll surrender to Me
For I’m building an army, and I’ve given it My Name
And my words in your mouth shall set the captives free.

I am Jehovah! I Am that I Am! And My trumpet will soon call out.
I formed the worlds with a whisper
But I’m getting ready, I’m getting ready, I’m getting ready
To shout!

CHORUS

Interceding for the Lost

As the saying goes, ‘And now for something completely different.’

A lot of Christian music goes over the same lyrical ground.   This one is a little different.  Refreshingly different.   Debby Boone (“You Light Up My Life”) recorded this back in the age of vinyl records.

It’s not a worship song.   It’s not a song of testimony. It’s the desperate plea for the Holy Spirit to dramatically intercede in the life of an unsaved friend.   A music expression of praying for the lost.

I’m not a huge fan of the video itself, so I’ve just posted it in such a way that you just get the audio. (HT: Abraham Piper)(Full video link.)

Do you have someone who you are desperately praying for to come into the Kingdom? We need to do all we can humanly do, and then ask God to do all that he can divinely do.

VERSE 1
I got a call from an old friend
We laughed about how things had changed
But I could tell things weren’t going as well
As he claimed

He tried to hide his feelings
But they only gave him away
The longer I listened,
The more I kept wishing that
I knew the right words to say

CHORUS
Can You reach my friend ?
Bring his searching to an end
Lord, I know you love him
Help him understand
Can You reach my friend?
You’re the only One who can
Help him give his heart to You

VERSE 2
We talked for more than an hour
I smiled when he mentioned Your name
I said that I knew You

I told him the difference You made
But he never thought he would need You
But maybe he’s changing his mind
As we said goodbye Lord
He told me that I had found
Something that he’d like to find

CHORUS:
Can You reach my friend?
You’re the only One who can
Lord, I know You love him
Help him understand
Can you reach my friend?
Bring his searching to an end
Help him give his heart to You

BRIDGE:
Maybe he’s ready tonight
Lord, he said that he might
Need to call You

Help him give his heart to You