Out of the Grey (3/19/2000)
Out of the Grey’s Web site:
http://www.ootg.com
Some contemporary Christian musicians produce albums with a strong central theme in the album. Out of the Grey does this. Twila Paris’s last three albums have strong themes. (Actually the last five omitting the two albums of hymns.) Usually, we won’t take the time to listen to an album in its entirety. This time we will listen to an entire album to see how it follows a main theme.
While we listen to the album Diamond Days, compare the songs with the Web page handed out last time in class.
Why does God, who is both all-powerful and perfectly good, allow suffering?
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/PerryWebb/suffering.html
or (mirrored at)
http://www.fortunecity.com/millenium/blossom/309/suffering.html
Album: DIAMOND DAYS
1. IF I KNOW YOU
(Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 3:12-13) What should encourage the Christian through discouraging times is trusting God to work out His will in our lives to accomplish good.
2. ALL WE NEED
(Matthew 25:37-39; John 9:1-3) When someone casually listens to this song for the first time without considering its context, it is easy to take it superficially. However, after carefully considering the context and words, this song means much more than greeting people when they pass on the street. The words speak about reaching out and helping people hurting with real needs.
3. UNFOLDING
(Acts 22:14; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:8,10,15-17; Colossians 1:9-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3) Not only do we desire to understand God's will, God desires us to understand it. Most of all, God desires us to understand His character.
4. CRY FOR HELP
(Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 4:6) Abba is how Jews in the First Century addressed their father. To cry out, Abba, is the characteristic of a very young child (preschooler). This kind of dependence of a small child on parents is the kind of dependence we need upon God. (Mark 10:13-15; Luke 18:16-17)
5. DIAMOND DAYS
Different events in our lives can bring a whole new appreciation of the rest of life God has given us. Dr. Gordan Clinard moved from teaching preaching at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to Hardin-Simmons University after suffering an almost fatal heart attach with a long rehabilitation. In class he stated, "When someone has stared death in the face and lived, his life is never the same mentally. He no longer takes life for granted."
In "The Prophet's Perception," The Illuminator, Nov. 1998, Ed wrote, "She [Ada B.] once said, at the age of 89, ‘You know, I've grown more in the last two years than at any other time.’" What is interesting about this statement is that the world would look at it and say, "What good is this growth since her life is almost over and her productive years gone?" However, God values the inner person and wants us to continue to grow even when our physical strength and health have diminished. The world tries to tell us that the means justifies the end, but God tells us that the means is the end. Who we are and how we get there is more important than merely what we do.
The song illustrates the seductive ways of the Slanderer [diabolos (Greek) also = devil].
7. LOVE LIKE BREATHING
For a human being to love is not as natural as breathing. People are self-centered from birth. We must chose to a love that is self-sacrificing. The whole nature of such love to be real is we must choose it rather than it being an inborn biological response. However, as born again Christians, we should choose to develop love with the desire that it comes as natural to us as breathing.
8. THE ONE I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR
The love people seek is the love Christ showed us. Christ's love is the ideal love that a husband should show his wife (Ephesians 5:25-33).
9. WHAT LOVE IS
Christ showed us what real love is (John 15:13; Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 5:2; 1 John 4:7-[19]-21).
10. LIFELINES
God pulling us through during hard times teaches us to trust Him (Acts 12:11; Romans 7:24-8:4; Galatians 1:3-5; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Timothy 3:10-12; 4:18; 2 Peter 2:7-9; James 1:2-4).
1998 Remember This: The Out of the Grey Collection
1997 SEE INSIDE
1. NO LEAVING
2. COME CLEAN
3. NOT A CHANCE
4. WINTER SUN (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
5. CONSTANT
6. DISAPPEAR (John 3:26-30)
7. THAT'S WHERE I LIVE
8. MY GOD YOU ARE (PSALM 22)
9. PROVE IT (1 Peter 1:6-7)
10. JOY
1995 Gravity
1994 DIAMOND DAYS
1992 THE SHAPE OF GRACE
1991 OUT OF THE GREY
Database correlating contemporary Christian songs to the Bible passages by Rick Johnson:
http://www.pgnet.net/songroot/
He is looking for people to help him find the scriptures corresponding to songs.
We will listen to an album and discuss the similarities with this page.
©2000 Perry Vernon Webb. You may quote this page in part or the whole as long as you
1) do not alter the wording and
2) reference this Internet page as the source of the quote.
How to receive a new life in Christ.
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