...I like rap music.
Not your mainstream smoke this shoot that rap, but Christian Rap.
Now normally when people find that out it's usually followed by a chuckle. Of course it's still the same format for the most part. I know most of the artists I listen to try and keep their voices as natural as possible. But, for me, coming from a mostly African American grade school education, the rap style in general was all around me, and it sticks.
Music is one of the biggest influences on todays society, and knowing how much of an impact one song can have on the masses, why should I, as a christian, choose willingly to fill my mind with unworthy lyrics when it's so easy to find something I like even more that gives me a mind focused on worthy thoughts?
This guy (Lecrea) is an amazing professor of the word of God to those who most people are too scared to minister to. I was introduced to him, and others like him, a few years ago by a church group friend.
His faith is shown in amazing ways in his testimony (located in the video at end of post). When I listen to his music, I can almost hear God speaking the words through him to me...
When Jesus is allowed to step into the life of a human, amazing things happen. And when that human tries to fully embrace him, he spills out of them.
And when your struggling to stay in faith, or you feel like you don't have much left in your life for God, Take what little bit of faith, hope, belief and believe completely with what you have. Hope with all your have left, and remember how beautiful it is that our faith is in something unseen yet so magnificently powerful.
These lyrics from Lecreas song "Don't Waste Your Life", are definitely written with a big hip hop influence and it takes a little bit of thinking to try and put in proper sentences, but... I don't care.
Take this time to go line by line. Take what he is giving and apply it to your life.
Our God is with us, and anything is possible.
I know a lot of people that are scared they gon' die,
Couple of 'em thinkin' they'll be livin' in the sky
While I'm here livin' man I gotta ask why,
What am I here for I gotta figure out,
If Christ is real then what am I gon do about,
Everything in Luke 12:15 down to 21 ya really gotta go and check it out,
Paul said if Christ aint resurrected we wasted our lives,
Well that implies that our lives built around Jesus being alive,
Everyday I'm livin tryna to show the world why,
Christ is more than anything you'll ever try,
Better than pretty women and sinning and living to get a minute of any woman and men that you admire
It aint no lie!
We created for Him,
Outta of the dust he made us for Him,
Elects us and he saves us for Him,
Jesus comes and he raises for Him,
Magnify the Father, why bother with something lesser?
He made us so we could bless Him, (Bless Him)
To the world we confess Him,
Resurrects Him,
So I know I got life,
Matter fact better man I know I got Christ,
If you don't see His ways in my days and my nights,
You can hit my breaks you can stop my lights,
Man I lost my rights, lost my life,
Forget the money, cars and toss that ice,
The cost is Christ,
And they can never offer me anything on the planet that'll cost that price
I listen to songs with lyrics that move me in ways I've never been moved before, and this is one of them. This particular song is one that sorta puts everything back in to perspective. In short, it says Christ is real and he's better than anything you'll ever try. Out of dust God made us, saved us, and all so we could bless him. Confess him to the world. Know that you have life in Christ, and let that be known to others day in and day out. If you have Christ, then know that he paid the wages of your sin with his own perfect, holy, and glorious life, and nothing can ever compare.
Knowing that, How could we live for ourselves, or anything But Him?
People think they livin for a job,
Make a little money start living for a car,
Get em a wife, a house, kids and a dog,
Then they retire, they living high on the hog,
But guess what? They didn't ever really live at all,
To live is Christ, and that's Paul I recall,
To die is gain and for Christ we give it all,
He's the treasure you'll never find in a mall,
Make a little money start living for a car,
Get em a wife, a house, kids and a dog,
Then they retire, they living high on the hog,
But guess what? They didn't ever really live at all,
To live is Christ, and that's Paul I recall,
To die is gain and for Christ we give it all,
He's the treasure you'll never find in a mall,
We get so wrapped up in OUR lives that it's hard to change focus to what really matters.
To truly live, we need Christ. In good times and bad, in suffering and peace. He has not, nor will he ever abandon us. That means even when we don't feel like we've been good enough, and feel we deserve hell and that we have the power to condemn ourselves to it.
Truly, our God is greater!
If He's truly raised to life,
Then this news should change your life,
And by His grace you can put your faith in the place that rules your days and nights
YES!
Then this news should change your life,
And by His grace you can put your faith in the place that rules your days and nights
YES!
