"God Is" - R.W. Schambauch feat. Lance Palmer

Song: "God Is"
Album: "R.W. Schambauch: Live In Brooklyn"
Artist: R.W. Schambauch feat. Lance Palmer

This is an oldie, but goodie.  A redo of the traditional gospel song by Reverend James Cleveland.  Lance Palmer is the one doing all of the (male) singing.  A truly strengthening and empowering song about allowing God to be your everything, and committing yourself fully to Him.

Enjoy.

"Like You Promised" - Amber Brooks

We've all been there: those times in life when we feel distant from God, or that He's somehow afar off.  We're desperate, we're longing; we feel like something's missing, like the passion is gone, like God's presence is not as real as it once was.  Yes, we've all been there, but it's good to know that in the midst of what seem like the darkest and driest of times, God is always faithful to answer when we call.  Today, we highlight such a cry of desperation: "Like You Promised" by Amber Brooks.

Now, the one thing that we have to remember when petitioning God in times like this is to keep it simple, and Amber does just that with this powerful worship song.  The worshipper starts out asking God to come and "stir the stagnant waters."  Yep, that's pretty much what we need right about now.  Amber even addresses keeping the request simple: "I don't have all the right words to provoke You to want me."  Yes, Lord; I'm at a place where I don't know what else to say, except that I need You, and more of You, right now.  And so we have the chorus:

Won't you come, come like you promised
Pour out your Spirit, pour out your Spirit.

In coming the bridge, the worshipper is able to put themselves in remembrance of how much God loves them ("You love like a father,") and even the intensity with which He loves us ("fierce like no other.")

All it all, it's a simple song, but when it comes to those dry times of the soul, that's what we need as worshippers; we need to be able to just cry out to God and demonstrate how we long for Him, and then allow Him to come and fill us up as he so faithfully does.  "Like You Promised" serves as a wonderful reminder of what Psalm 139 tells us:

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me. - Psalm 139:7-10 (NKJV)

I hope you enjoy "Like You Promised," and I hope that it can help you or someone you know through a time of desperation and longing.

You can listen to "Like You Promised" on the YouTube video below:




Stay tuned!  On our next feature, we'll play one of my favorite games: "Guess That Group's Next Big Single."  We'll be featuring the music of Anberlin.

As always, thanks for checking out Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.

"Less Like Scars" - Sara Groves

Did you ever notice how much difference the right perspective can make?  Well, if you've never thought about it, then let me say this: sometimes, taking the time to see things the way God sees them can make all the difference.  This is message behind the Sara Groves song "Less Like Scars."

Now, Sara Groves tends to have that eclectic folk sound to her music, but, on this album, she pumps just enough juice into "Less Like Scars" to give the album "All Right Here" a great start, and to put the necessary energy behind the message, which is all about taking the things that life throws at us and seeing them as opportunities, not setbacks.

Now, she deceives us a little bit with a simple acoustic intro, and the lyrics "it's been a hard year."  You don't get the sense that there's a big shot of optimism coming your way, until it does, and Sara begins to help us to understand how things are when we, in terms of perspective, choose to step out of the darkness and look at things in the light of day.  "Less like tearing, more like building," she says.  That's quite a difference, isn't it?  And so, the song serves as a reminder that we must consistently renew our minds to the fact that we have to see things the way God sees them.  This transforms the seemingly unbearable things of life into opportunities to grow both more like God and closer to Him.

When we get to the chorus, the gentle distortion of the electric guitar perfectly emphasizes and underscores the message, that God is faithful and able to see us through anything, which brings us to the key line: "In your hands, the pain and the hurt feel less like scars and more like character."  Sara's soft but insightful voice helps to bring the point straight to the heart of the listener; it's not shot through like an arrow, but rather gently offered, leaving the listener comforted.

In the bridge, we start to have a little fun: Sara starts to testify about her own struggles with perspective.  She does this by using one of my favorite tools: singing the story.  I love it!  And as she brings us back around, and ultimately home, the listener isn't left feeling overwhelmed or completely catapulted, but gently lifted up and over, sitting on the sunny side of the clouds rather than the dark side.  We're left refreshed, even by the build at the end of the final chorus: it's not too much - it just reassures us that, yeah, we are a lot better off than we thought.  It kinda makes you wanna say, "Thank you, Sara Groves, for that gentle reminder."

You can listen to "Less Like Scars" on the YouTube video below:





I hope you enjoyed today's selection.  As always, keep checking back for more great finds.

If you have any suggestions, please let us know, and thanks for stopping by Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.

"You Were There" - Norman Hutchins

This has simply got to be one of my favorite black gospel songs of all time.

I remember very distinctly, as a child, listening to this song over and over and over again after the passing of my father. The message of this song is so simple: “God, you said you would never leave me or forsake me, and you stayed true to your word.”

The music, as black gospel goes, is relatively simple, but the progressions are skillfully written so as to help take the listener on the same journey down memory lane that Norman Hutchins takes, citing the general idea that, through it all, God was there. It also serves to take the listener back through their own personal experience with God, putting you in remembrance of all the times that God has shown Himself faithful. The addition of that strong mass choir sound after the bridge drives it home, and really serves to bring comfort to the listener. Wow!

Honestly, I'm totally thrilled to be able to share this song with you. It's been extremely helpful to me, and I pray that it is the same with you.

You can listen to "You Were There" on the YouTube video below:

Stay tuned for more great Christian music @ Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christan Music.