Christian Photographers Community

I have many favorite songs, some are the old hyms and some are the new.There is a beautiful song that has a line that says "I stand, I stand in awe of you." And I can;t remember the rest I have it on paper in that place where we put things so they won't get lost and I can't remember where that place is.

Pat maybe you have heard it and can find the words and music someplace.

Marilyn

Hi Marilyn...   Nice to see you here so quickly!

Much of the new Christian music is highly copyrighted and there aren't midi files available to the public like there are for the older hymns which I use on the site often.

Marilyn, if that is the one I am thinking of, the group Bernard is in sings it.

I can sing the tune (not that that helps you a lot) but can't remember all the words.  I'll see if I can find it.

Are these the words Marilyn?


You are beautiful beyond description,
Too marvelous for words;
Too wonderful for comprehension,
Like nothing ever seen or heard.
Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom?
Who can fathom the depth of Your love?
You are beautiful beyond description,
Majesty enthroned above.

   And I stand, I stand in awe of You,
   I stand, I stand in awe of You;
   Holy God, to Whom all praise is due,
   I stand in awe of You.
   I  stand in awe of You

Repeat

If so, the MIDI file can be found here:  http://www.mc-pro.com/kbc/lyrics/rb124.htm

That's amazing that you'd find the midi on a page belonging to a church just a few miles from my daughter's home!!!  It's in a tiny town on Lake Huron!!

PRAISE THE LORD THAT'S IT

It is a awesome worship song. Oh how we who love the Lord do stand in awe of Him.

Thank you Karma. You are awesome too.

Wow, Pat. I just did a "google" search for lyrics, etc. and that was the most easily accessible one.  Small world, indeedy.

 I love that song too.

Thoughts on Christian music: hmmm

 God created music.  

 As one who has always sang, coming from a family of musicians and singers, and being one who writes songs, I've always known that music takes you where it is intended.

Some music is created for worship of the devil, and to laud the evilness of the things he causes those in bondage to do. The lyrics, the rhythm, become a vehicle to take a person from one place to another. That's what music is for.

God created it for good...for worship...so praise God..that's what worship songs do.  The songs, the lyrics, the flow, bring us closer to the Lord in worship..opening our hearts...melting us, tearing down walls, allowing God to touch our most inward parts.  I've heard songs that are so healing....others bring great promises that become sermons caught by hungry souls.

 Music is very important to me.. When we are HOME...we will still be singing......music will be all around us.

  Yes....God's music is all around us.  I had the most wonderful dream once.  Just part of it was the sounds of music all around me.  There were no words, but the sounds all around me were breathtaking.  I opened my mouth to sing.....and out of me came the same sounds I was hearing.   I have looked for that sound since that time.  I know it must have been the sound of all creation worshipping The Son...and it was music to my ears.  I believe it was God's favorite song.  

I too am from a family of musicians, from the time I was small there were family "music "gatherings, with my Grandfather playing the violin "fiddle" that he hand carved himself, uncles on Guitars, banjos, mandolins any stringed instrument, my mom, grandmother or myself chording on the piano. Everyone singing. I took some piano lessons and played the violin when younger, also the accordian.

I too am a singer and worshipper on the worship team at church. When I was a Catholic I sang in the girls choir at the High Masses that answered the preist during mass. When a Mormon I sang in our local Mormon choir. In school in the glee clubs. Music is a very large part of my life and without Good Christian musicI would be lost.

Isn't it so far much better to be singing for the Lord?  I sure know that from experience!  

Yes, Pat.....much better.  There is a pure joy that comes from singing to Him.  There's a song I heard called, "My Audience Of One".  I don't know who does it, but it's about singing just to Jesus..

 Does anyone know who that is?

 Marilyn, I have many memories of sitting around camp fires with guitars, and singing harmony..good times.   My brother plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin, fiddle and sings too.  I've been praying for his salvation for so long.

 My mom and dad both sang, and in fact, they met when dad was playing in a band in New Boston, Texas.That was 1939 I think.  They were married in 1940.   Every gathering always ended with music...and the little ones joined in, then grew up and had their own styles.  I met the Lord (He drew me to Himself, then captured my poor heart) when I was 40 years old, and then music became so much more....it was and is a very important way of expressing our love to Him.  

I know!! I know!!!  

Ya want me to tell now, or what a while?

I sure don't know.   Some of the "Christian artists" are speaking to the unsaved.....but I can't figure those out at all.  Must be too old, I guess.   Do either even hint of Christ?

  I guess let some others give it a try first.

I sure can't tell by the lyrics, I would just be taking a wild (oh how wild)  on the second song.
It sounds like so of the Christian rap I have come across on the TV.

  I know which it is  

I hear you lowteck.  Bernard and I feel very fortunate to have two Christian stations here where we live (Western NC).  They are two different "styles," but we go back and forth between them easily.   Not to mention the awesome teaching that is on both of them!

PS
One alternative is to listen over the internet.  In one of the other threads, I listed "my" stations, and I believe both of them can be heard online, in real time.

Oh yea, while I'm here --

Song number one is by the secular group Creed.  Though many have claimed they are a Christian band (some of their songs have religious undertones) they have stated emphatically that they are not Christian, and do not want that label.  Song number two is by the Christian band POD.  Though many wonder about their Christianity, they have stated that they are Christian, and want that label.  They are an interesting bunch.

I agree, lowtech.  Unfortunately, you have to wade through the likes of Garth Brooks "she had a need to feel the thunder" and "I've got friends in low places" to find such things. (Can you tell I don't like Garth???) John Micheal Montgomery's song "The Little Girl" is also a good one.  

What really ires me is artists who build up their name as a Christian artist, then start watering down their message to "cross over."  I don't mind a Christian band played on a secular station (Mercy Me's song "I Can Only Imagine" is taking secular stations by storm right now), but when an artist rights/sings/records music that could be secular or it could be Christian just to make more money, I get irked.  


And don't even get me started on Jaci Velesquez right now!  

Thanks for your input lowtek.  Keep it coming!!

You forgot to mention Elvis!  According to his half-brother, that I met about three years ago, Elvis was a born again believer who just started down the wrong path.    Who knows.  

I do think it makes the excellent point that we should do all we do for the glory of God.  I know it must be tempting if you are a Christian, to do the "rich and famous" thing, but I often wonder what God could have done with some of these people if they had been totally sold out to Him, and not just trying to get by with "positive messages."

Wow what an interesting conversation here. Not that I can add much to it. I do know all the artists andssongs mentioned inyour posts. whenI first heard Stryper I didn't know they we a Christian Band Petra either. Until I paid attention to the words. What  do y-all think of Donnie McClurkin, and Nicole C. Mullin. I really like thier music and their message.
Yousee I am an OLD rock and roller that is BC. Before Christ.

Just my two cents...

I've been reading the comments in here with interest and now will add how I feel about some of the music of today.  I know that many of my own family members wouldn't agree with me but that's their prerogative!  


I just love the old hymns.  I really dislike seeing a so-called "Christian" group singing in church, on TV, in a concert, and the words that they are singing can't be heard over the noise of the drums and electric guitars over the boom box speakers.  

My feeling about music is based on the verse in the scripture where it says that everything we do we should do to the honour and glory of God and when singers sing a lot of the  time, I feel that they are singing for their own glory.  When I used to sing a lot, I really disliked any applause.  

I know that my opinion won't be accepted by many but guess we all have that right to have differing opinions.  Being raised in a Christian home, rock and roll was never allowed to be heard by us in our home and I really appreciate my parents more now because of that.

I think that the words of our hymns can be so powerful.  But we really have to hear them don't we?      My own personal opinion too, is that repetition over and over and over of a phrase or a line just does nothing for me.  I feel that this is drawing on the emotions of people rather than in the worship of God.  (IMHO only)  


Read these words.  We sang this on Sunday and there weren't many dry eyes by the time we got to the end...


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Pat - Those are beautiful words, altho, I have never heard of that hymn before.

I totally agree with you about the drums, guitars etc we hear today in our churches.  Honestly, sometimes, the music is drumming SO LOUD, you cannot hear the words to the pieces at all.

Some of the people (well A LOT of the young people, especially) are swaying back and forth, clapping, ..to me its very distracting, and not what I would call a worship service at all.

This seems to be the way all our evangelical churches are heading.  It really depresses me.

Sometimes I leave church feeling almost "angry"... isn't that terrible?

The above is IMHO only

Its hard to find a Christian radio station here., at least on the radios I have.

I thought I would pipe in here for a minute.  For those of you who can't get christian radio stations very well on your radios at home, there are 2 excellent ones on the internet that I listen to all the time.  We have one that can be received on the radio in the area that I live in, but living in a basement apartment reception is shakey.  So what I do is I go to http://www.fm100.net and listen live, or http://www.cjtk.com

Now the first one I gave you is from Barrie, Ontario, Canada, and they call the station Life (Jesus is Life).  The second one is CJTK from Sudbury Ontario Canada,and the call letters if you look carefully (and they use this often) mean "Christ Jesus the King".

Both stations are wonderful.  Life tends to be more upbeat, but if you look at the schedule you can choose when you are going to listen to it.  CJTK is probably my favorite of the two.  They have a nice mix of good music and inspiring speakers thru the day.  Sundays are my favorite days for both stations, as all the music played is worship music.  They take Sunday as their day of rest, so they pre-program the computer to play beautiful worship songs all day long.

Enjoy!  I know I do.

Heather

Thanks Heather.  I think the Internet has been used for a lot of bad stuff, but by using these links, and telling your friends about them, you can at least listen while you are at home.  One trick Bernard has done is to put a cassette  tape in and record an hour or so of the broadcast.  Then, when we are out of range, we can listen to that.  Of course, don't forget it is in there, because it can be unnerving to hear a Winter Storm Report/Warning in the middle of July.    Also, please remember copyright laws.  Don't record to keep from buying the album.  

The  world is creeping into the Church with it,s music I guess, if you want to get youngsters to Church give them music, and give it to them loud and modern!

Give me hymns!!!!!! Ancient and modern but please let them be all Scripture!
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/
Love,
Chris and Margit.

Good thoughts, Chris and Margit.  Thanks for sharing.

I don't think I consider it the world creeping into the church as much as I see it just a natural development of musical preferences.  At one time, even the "old" hymns were considered "new" and "contemporary."  And don't forget the hymns that have tunes of old drinking songs so that the converted drunkards could learn them.  

"just a natural development of musical preferences"

I think I have to agree.  There is one song that comes to mind, I will get the words for you so you can read them, but although it has a contemporary sound to it, it is very definately a Christ centered song.  The song is sung by Mercy Me, and it is called "I Can Only Imagine"  I will find the words and post them for you to read.  

If the words are glorifying God, and edifying us as believers, isn't that the important thing?  Now I have to admit, that at 31 and a big fan of contemporary Christian music, I do like alot of the old hymns as well.  My mom (JudyB) and my aunt have done a good job, making sure that my musical appreciation included them.  Then again, I am not sure there are too many musical styles that I don't like.  I am also a big fan of listening to the words, and finding out what the lifestyle of the artist is, and between those two variables, I make my decision as to whether the song is worth my listening time.

Speaking of which, there is a country singer, who very definately gets my time....that is Randy Travis....he has a new song out, and I will see if I can find the words to that one too, because it is a very beautiful song, that very clearly has a message.  That song is called "Three Wooden Crosses"  Will see what I can come up with.

Heather

As promised here are the words to the song that makes me cry, when I need to; worship when I crave it; reflect on where I have come from, and focus on where I am going; and help me to realize that I am not the one who is in control of my life, but God is there, guiding my every step.  This song was a stepping stone to a very big turning point in my life.

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Heather thanks!  I am going to copy this into a thread of it's own, cause I have some things I want to say.  

I am coming into this late.  But I have a few comments.  
1     I love the old hymns.  There ate several reasons the leastof which being they are freat reading material for Kids to learn to read!

2     With the drums and guitars being heard over the singers it is impossible for us oldersters to hear the words.  But because the younger generation is tuned into this kind of music, they hear the words and understand them.  How I will never know, but several have proven this to me.  

There is a place for the drums and guitars, and that is as a hook.  A hook for the Christian kids to understand their peers and a hook for the unsaved to come to Christ.  The words of some of these songs are powerful.

At our church we have an evening singing the old hymns.  The kids are right in there requesting the golden oldies with the elder members.  There is variety in what we as a family sing.

Quote from: Trish on April 16, 2003, 10:28:46 PM
ok here is a quick test choose which one you think is from a Christian artist ok?!
#1
When dreaming I'm guided to another world
Time and time again
At sunrise I fight to stay asleep
'Cause I don't want to leave the comfort of this place
'Cause there's a hunger, a longing to escape
From the life I live when I'm awake

So let's go there
Let's make our escape
Come on, let's go there
Let's ask can we stay

Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see?
Can you take me higher?
To a place with golden streets?

Although I would like our world to change
It helps me to appreciate
Those nights and those dreams
But, my friend, I'd sacrifice all those nights
If I could make the Earth and my dreams the same
The only difference is
To let love replace all our hate

So let's go there
Let's make our escape
C'mon let's go there
Let's ask can we stay

Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see?
Can you take me higher?
to a place with golden streets?

So let's go there
Let's go there
C'mon let's go there
Let's ask can we stay

Up high I feel like I'm alive for the very first time
Sail up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine.

Sail up high I'm strong enough to take these dreams
And make them mine.

Can you take me higher?
To a place where blind men see?
Can you take me higher?
to a place with golden streets?


#2
I never knew that a kid like me
could take his mic around the world
and flash the big sd
and rock the masses
from madrid to calabasas
Tijuana, Mexico
bootleg demos in Tokyo
they know me though
cause I be puttin' work
commit my life to rebirth
well respected
cause that's my word
I'm sure you heard
about a new sound going around
she might have left my hood
but she was born in my town

bridge
you didn't know that we was new on the scene
well it's all right it's all right!
i know you know
i see you smiling at me
well it's alright it's alright!

chorus
Boom
here comes the
BOOM
ready or not
here comes the boys from the south
BOOM
here comes the
BOOM
ready or not
how you like me now

we rep. the south
so what you talking abou
i'm not running off my mouth
i know this without a doubt
cause if you know these streets
then these streets know you
when it's time to handle business
then we know what to do
me and my crew
we stay true old skool or new
many were called
but the chosen are few (we are few)
we rise to the top
what you want?
just in case you forgot
rush to the stage
grab my mic
show me what you got!

*bridge and chorus*

*bridge*

Is that all you got?
I'll take your best shot (x5)
I'll take your best shot

(x4)
Is that all you got?
Well it's all right, it's all right
I'll take your best shot

*chorus x2*

With love Trish

#1 is CREED
#2 is POD

I'm answering this before I see whether anybody else has or not, just to show how smart I am ..... JUST KIDDING

Creed's lyrics on that one album were much more spiritually oriented than most of the so-called Christian group POD's lyrics.  Creed, however, does NOT want to called a Christian group because they "have no agenda to convert people to Christianity."  Since their heart is not with spreading the gospel, I would agree that they are NOT a "Christian" band.  

More some other time

It always amuses those of us who play our guitars kinda loud to listen to a organist concert.....

THAT'S LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nards, it is funny that you made the comment about the volume of the organ.  I told my wife yesterday after church that our organist had "the pedal to the medal" with her playing of the Prelude and Postlude.  

Quote from: nards656 on November 24, 2003, 05:08:39 PM

#1 is CREED
#2 is POD

I'm answering this before I see whether anybody else has or not, just to show how smart I am ..... JUST KIDDING

Creed's lyrics on that one album were much more spiritually oriented than most of the so-called Christian group POD's lyrics.  Creed, however, does NOT want to called a Christian group because they "have no agenda to convert people to Christianity."  Since their heart is not with spreading the gospel, I would agree that they are NOT a "Christian" band.  

More some other time

The band members for Creed have all said that they are Christians, and their music definately reflects that.  I listen to Creed on a regular basis, even tho they don't call themselves a Christian band, simply because their music and lyrics are usually not something that causes my spirit to rebel against my ears.  However, I don't listen to POD, even though I own one of their albums, I usually feel very agitated when I do listen to POD, so I stay away from their music all together.

Take Care,
Heather

Quote from: Heather Brunet on November 24, 2003, 08:24:09 PM

The band members for Creed have all said that they are Christians, and their music definately reflects that.  

This is from www.creed.com....

QuoteIs Creed a Christian band?
"Are we a Christian band? This is a question we are asked a lot because of some of the references made in the lyrics. No, we are not a Christian band. A Christian band has an agenda to lead others to believe in their specific religious beliefs. We have no agenda! Those references were made at a time in my life when I was questioning how I was raised, and searching for where I stood concerning those issues. This is not to say I have abandoned those beliefs, just searching for where they fit into my life." -- Scott Stapp

Are the members of Creed Christians?
"This is a very personal question because the whole foundation of being a Christian is a personal relationship. I can say that all the members believe in God, but we each differ on our methods to reach Him. We are all still learning and growing, and God can only answer this question, because who are we to say that being a Christian is the only way to heaven. I know this might be hard to understand for all the Christians who follow the band--and trust me, I know where you are coming from--but let us continue to seek, and if that is the way, then we will find, if we continue to knock, the doors will be opened." -- Scott Stapp

I'm pretty sure I don't agree with Mr. Stapp on several things here, but I'm not posting this to be argumentative with either him or with you, Heather.  Simply wanted to show what I was referring to in my earlier post and maybe clarify a couple things.  

I like their music but am not sure we are philosophically in tune enough to where I relax while listening to it

Thanks Marilyn for reporting this.

I enjoyed this little discussion.

My two boy's are doing a fine job choosing the right music.  They listen to it before they buy it and then read the lyrics.  If they don't have God or Jesus in any of the songs then they don't buy it.  

They both decided not to buy anymore POD or listen to the cd's they had bought.  We noticed a new cd of theirs and they really didn't have a message.

Chris and Margit:  I enjoy the "cyberhymnal" you posted here back in June, 2003.  I hope others have bookmarked it as well.
Thanks for all the excellent choices!

- Judy M.