Soul Cry

As the deer pants for the water, my soul longs for You
As the body dies without water, my soul dies without You

They may say, “Come on, get over it
Drink, be merry, for tomorrow we die”
That’s why I’d rather sit in the house of mourning
Than at the table with fools
Blessed are the hungry—You said it, I believe it
Hunger is an escort into the deeper things of You
You satisfy, you satisfy

My soul cries, my soul cries, my soul cries for You

Take me to the place where You satisfy, take me to the river
I’ll do anything, God; there is no price, take me to the river

They may say, “Come on, get over it, everything is okay”
They may say, “Why the hunger?
Why the thirsting? Why the mourning?”
But my soul cries, my soul cries

All my tears You hold in a bottle; You will pour them out like rain
Weeping endures for the night, for the night
But joy comes in the morning, joy comes in the morning

Blessed are the hungry, blessed are the thirsty
You said it, I believe it; I believe it, I believe it
Hunger is the escort into the deeper things of You

Deep is calling out to deep is calling out to deep

Yesterday’s depth is feeling really shallow
I’ve gotta go deeper, deeper, deeper still
And all Your waves and all Your billows crash over me
Pulling me deep, deep, deeper
From glory to glory, from strength to strength
From depth to depth, I want to fellowship with You

You’re not so far away, it’s not too mysterious
You’re living on the inside of me, Your Spirit on the inside of me

Spring up, O well; spring up, O well; spring up, O well, within me

Why So Many Cross-Centered Songs?

CJ MAHANEY answers the question: What is the importance of singing SO MANY cross-centered songs.

First, since the cross is the storyline of Scripture, it should be the storyline of our corporate worship. The cross is the matter of “first importance” and it should be reflected in our singing on a weekly basis (1 Corinthians 15:3).

Second, we must never leave the impression during corporate worship that we do not need a mediator. There isn’t a moment where I don’t need a mediator. In light of the Father’s holiness and my sinfulness, I cannot approach him directly apart from Christ. It is quite possible for us to sing songs that are accurately extolling the attributes of God. But if the cross is absent, we leave the unintended impression that somehow I can approach the Father apart from a mediator—that I can experience intimacy with God apart from the One who died for my many sins.

Third, cross-centered songs imitate the heavenly model. In Revelation 5:1-14, for example, we catch a glimpse of eternal worship and our heavenly future. Jim Elliff has written, “One is taken aback by the emphasis upon the Cross in Revelation. Heaven does not ‘get over’ the cross, as if there are better things to think about; heaven is not only Christ-centered, but cross-centered, and quite blaring about it.” Amen! Every Sunday should be a heavenly preview as we survey the wondrous cross and as we sing of the Lamb who is worthy of our praise.

Forth, cross-centered songs affect our souls. You’ve heard the Martyn Lloyd-Jones quote about how most of our unhappiness comes from listening to ourselves more than we talk to ourselves. In light of this, corporate worship is a serious gift! Singing in corporate worship is a means of talking to yourself. This provides us an opportunity to stop listening to ourselves, to stop listening to sin, legalism, condemnation, and to begin singing and talking to ourselves. And by the end of corporate worship there is a good chance that we will experience the joy of the gospel. Not very often in our noisy world do we have such an opportunity to talk to ourselves. So what your church is saying in these moments of corporate singing is very important. And what a unique opportunity worship leaders have to transfer the hope of the gospel to people in corporate worship. And to think, you can do this each and every Sunday!

Cross-centered worship songs are vital to the life of the church.

Jesus Is Alive

Jesus Resurrection		Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Sunday	Empty Tomb Witnesses	28:1-8	16:1-8	24:1-12
	Resurrection Appearances	28:9-20	16:9-20	24:13-53	20:1-21:25

Here is a chart that I manually copied from the ESV Study Bible containing the references in the gospels to the events of Resurrection Sunday.

Below are some resources that are related to the resurrection and are meant to enable to bask in the glory of our great Risen Savior.

Sermons:

I Have Authority to Lay it Down and I Have Authority to Take it Up Again- John Piper

Christ the Lord is Risen Today- Ligon Duncan

The Resurrection, It's Relevance Today- D. Martyn Lloyd Jones

I Will Raise it Up- Tim Keller

A Resurrection Hymn- John MacArthur

Easter- Francis Chan (preached on 3/23/08)

Songs:

Jesus Is Alive- Shai Linne

Before the Throne of God Above- Selah

Hallelujah What A Savior- Vicky Beeching

In Christ Alone- Newsboys

Beautiful Savior- Stuart Townsend

Don't Waste Your Life- Lecrae

"Paul said if Christ ain't resurrect then we wasted our lives

well that implies that our life's built around Jesus being alive

everyday I'm living tryin' show the world why

Christ is more than everything you'll ever try" -Lecrae

Whatever My God Ordains Is Right

A couple of days ago I found this song at the Sovereign Grace Ministries store. The original words were written by Samuel Rodigast in 1676. SGM rewrote some words and put an alternate tune to it. Here is the first of three verses written and sung by Mark and Stephen Altrogge.



Follow this LINK to hear other samples.

Beautiful, Scandalous Night

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified

Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

CHORUS
At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree
On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful, scandalous night

On the hillside, you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that pours
From our blessed Savior's side