Archive for March, 2012

Mar
26
Filed Under (Song of the Week) by Rob on 26-03-2012

The melody is a bit ‘mainstream’ for my liking, but the words are – I hope – challenging and powerful. The Church of the West has been described as ‘asleep’ in other parts of the world. Is it not time we all became more open and radical about our faith?? The opening lines are inspired by J.B.Phillips’ New Testament translation of Romans 12:2, where it says:

“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within”.

Living Every Moment for You

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Em______C_______________G
This fallen world is squeezing us
D__________Em
Into its own mould
____________C_____________G
Your truth has been so compromised
____D______________Em
That many have grown cold
_____________C
So we come to You, Lord Jesus
G_________C
And in Your name we stand
Am___________Am/G
You alone have power to bring
___F__________D
Salvation to our Land
.

____________G____________C
I wanna speak out, I wanna be bold
________Em__________D
There’s a message to be told
____________G_____________C
I wanna have faith, I wanna be strong
_________Em_________Am___D
You’re my strength, you are my song.
__________G_____________C
I wanna live out my life each day
________Em__________D
Walking humbly in your way
____________G______________Em
A mind that is fixed and all that’s true
Am_________D________G
Living every moment for you.
.

At Pentecost, in awesome power
Your Holy Spirit came
And Your disciples all announced
The glory of Your name
So we come to You, Lord Jesus
We need your power again
Oh, Holy Spirit, fall on us
So we can do the same.

We need to share your Gospel now
Yet all around we see
Where hearts once burned with love for You
There is mediocrity
So we come to you, Lord Jesus
And ask that, in Your name
We’ll tell salvation’s message
Without fear and without shame.



Mar
19
Filed Under (Song of the Week) by Rob on 19-03-2012

Recylced hymns have become quite popular in the last couple of decades. Be it ‘Amazing Grace’, ‘When I survey’ or ‘The Lord’s my Shepherd.’ But here comes a recycled hymn with a difference!

Firstly, the words to verse one (and the inspiration for the other verses) come from this song by Ada Anne Whiddington, which was written in the 19th Century! The tune is then mine, but I composed it to fit in with the chorus of ‘All to Jesus I surrender’ by Judson W. Van De Venter – also a pretty old song from the 1900s!

So, three song-writers from three different centuries have combined to form this song, which I hope you’ll like. Making the multi-track recording was a bit of a nighmare, so I hope you’ll excuse the minor timing/pitch issues!

You could use this in your church next Sunday and folk would love it! Here you go:

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Best order: Ladies begin with verse 1, men enter with verse 1 as ladies begin chorus.
At end, men finish at the end of verse 3 (ie no final chorus). NB The recording differs from this!

Not I but Christ

________D______________________Em
Not I but Christ be honoured, loved, exalted,
________A_______________________D
Not I, but Christ be seen, be known, be heard
________D__________________G_D_Em
Not I but Christ in every look and action
________D/A____G/A__A_________D
Not I but Christ in every thought and word

Chorus:
D________Em
I surrender all
A________D
I surrender all
D_________________G
All to you my God and saviour
D/A___A___D
I surrender all

Not I but Christ, my strength in times of sorrow
Not I but Christ to wipe away my tears
Not I but Christ to lift my weary burden
Not I but Christ to take away my fears.

And Christ alone will be my hope and vision
His mighty hand will guide me all the way
My all to Him I gladly now surrender
Oh, Jesus, come and rule my life today.



Mar
10
Filed Under (Song of the Week) by Rob on 10-03-2012

Right now, I’m entering one of the biggest transition times of my life: returning to the UK after 7 years in Africa. I guess that’s where some of the sentiment of this song comes from.

However, I think there’s something in it for everyone; life is tough in this day and age. Yet the good news is that help is at hand! This song is a call to perserverance, but also to trust in God, whatever the situation.
See also Romans 8:37.

I found the words to the chorus in this daily reading from ‘Our Daily Bread’ and was immediately drawn to them. Written by someone called ‘Fitzhugh’. I’m guessing many years ago, and yet the words are just as powerful and meaningful today. Although I’ve googled Fitzhugh over and over, I cannot find out any more than his/her surname! If anyone knows any more, please do let me know!

For me, this is one of the most beautiful tunes I’ve composed (discovered?). It’s a lovely chord sequence, but had not been used in any recent songs I know. Sorry my voice is sounding a bit dodgy this week!

In a world gone mad we look to you

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Intro/interlude: Em__Am__Bsus4__B7__Em

_____Em_____Am7___D_____Gmaj7
In a world gone mad we look to You
_C____Am7_____F#sus4_F#_B
Eternal Hope, Your words are true
___Em___Am7__D______Gmaj7
The road ahead is long and tough
___C_________Am7___B7___Em
We know Your grace will be enough

Chorus:
______G_____C______D____G
Though danger lurks on every side
__Em_____Am_____D
In Christ our Lord we will abide
____G____C_______D_____G
Our God is strong, our hope is sure
__Em__Am____D____G
In Him alone we are secure

Though trials and temptations come
I put my faith in Him alone
He is my strength and He is my song
When I am weak, then He is strong

We need you more than ever now
So by your spirit show us how
To face the storm and trust in You
For by your grace we’ll make it through



Mar
05
Filed Under (Song of the Week) by Rob on 05-03-2012

There are not enough songs about the importance of the Bible. And yet it is a huge need in the Western church today.

This website states:

“American Christians are biblically illiterate. Although most of them contend that the Bible contains truth and is worth knowing, and most of them argue that they know all of the relevant truths and principles.”

It goes on to say that 35% of Christians in the USA never read the Bible. Shocking indeed!

Yet this one says that “Half the books of the Bible can be read in 10 to 45 minutes each, and many of them can be read in less than 20. The entire Old and New Testaments can be read aloud slowly and with expression in less than 71 hours.”

Wow! So, here’s my latest song on this subject:

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Your Word
.
Chorus:

____Bb_____Eb________Fsus4
Your Word is like a shining light
_______F
In every situation
Bb_______Eb_____________Fsus4
A timeless source of truth and life
________F
For every tribe and nation
Gm_________Gm/F#________Gm/F
Transforming hearts, renewing minds
____________C
Through every generation
Bb/F_________Eb/F
Eternal God, we thank you (x3)
______Eb_Bb/D__Cm7__Bb____Bb7
For the Bible.
.

Eb____________Bb
It teaches and equips us
Eb____________Bb
For life upon this earth
Eb___________Bb_D_Gm
It tells us of your Kingdom
Eb___Cm___________Fsus4__F
And it celebrates your worth

It fills the tired and weary
With the strength to carry on
It guides our path from day to day
And shows us right from wrong.

It tells of how You made us
And how we went astray
It shows the path to Jesus Christ
The life, the truth, the way.

Inspire us through its pages
And let our faith increase.
It’s sharper than a two-edged sword.
Yet it fills our hearts with peace.

If you use this song in your church, do let me know how it goes! The message is very important, as I’m sure you can see!