The Fire Is Contagious

No clue what made me write this song, but it just came to me today.  :)

"The Fire Is Contagious"

She steps out and gazes all around her...
What can she see but endless fire
Consuming the one she loves?
She wants to help him through the fire,
But there's nothing she can do but cry there, lie there,
Inhaling deadly smoke.

And the fire is contagious,
Spreading fast; she's courageous,
But her courage is running thin.

She wants to hold him close forever,
Always imagined them together,
But now she's not so sure.
He's slipping, God, she can feel him slipping,
Once full of life, now barely living.
She says, "God, I need You now."

For the fire is contagious,
Spreading fast; she's courageous,
But her courage is running thin.

"I'll never leave you; of this you can be sure,
Even if he leaves this earth or just walks out the door.
Don't you know you can place all hope in Me?
Cast all your cares and then be set free.
He's hurting now and his hurt hurts you...
Don't you know your hurt hurts Me too?

Oh, the fire is contagious,
Spreading fast; I'll make you courageous!
Oh, the fire is contagious,
Spreading fast; I'll make you courageous!"

She steps out, covered in living water,
Not consumed by the fire.

Identity Crisis!

We have a pride problem. Stemming from this pride problem is a boatload of silly little insecurities—especially in teenagers. We try to find our identity in a lot of things that don’t matter: “She’s the popular one; he’s the nerd; they’re the athletes; she’s the musician,” etc.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with having something we’re good at, the problem comes when pride kicks in, making us feel discontent because we aren’t enough. “I’m not attractive enough; I’m not rich enough; I don’t have enough friends; I’m not athletic enough.” People tend to call this problem low self-esteem. They say that people who feel inadequate about themselves only feel that way because they don’t love themselves enough. However, I would beg to differ. When we feel inadequate in this way, it is because we cannot stand having others view us as less than perfect—we are so prideful and self-absorbed that we think we need to somehow “measure up” to a non-existent standard we place for ourselves.

As Christians, this whole thing becomes a non-issue, because when we place our faith in Christ, we become His. This is our new identity: His. Suddenly all these insecurities we had about ourselves seem so trivial. So what if I’m not the most attractive person? So what if I’m not the most popular? Most talented? Most intelligent? WHO CARES?! When I find myself thinking this way, I just need to get over myself. It’s not about me; I really am insignificant apart from Christ. I don’t need to think of myself more; I need to think of myself less. Then this huge weight is lifted off of my shoulders. I don’t need to measure up to anything. I can’t measure up to anything. All I need to worry about is being pleasing to God. He is my strength.

I am an American. I am white. I am a (wannabe) musician. I am a (again, wannabe) writer. I am a homeschooler. I go to Indian Hills Community Church. I am a Pelton. All of these things are true, but in none of these things do I find my identity. The only place I find who I am is in Christ.

Who am I? I am His.

“Who We Are”

We find who we are in the blood of Your Son;

We find who we are in what You have done.

We find who we are in grace poured from above;

We find who we are in Your love, in Your love.

Without You we have no worth.

In Your cross, we find rebirth.

We find who we are in Your work on the cross;

All worldly things we held dear now are loss.

Nothing on this earth could define who we are;

Lord, only in You, in Your blood and Your scars

We find who we are,

Who we are, who we are:

We are Yours.

Copyright 2011 Samuel Pelton.

Praise the One Who Gives Us Joy in the Midst of Sorrow ("Trading My Sorrows")

I've heard a lot of flak about the song “Trading My Sorrows.” While the chorus (which consists of the phrase “Yes, Lord,” repeated about nine times) is admittedly not the most lyrical piece of work, the song actually teaches a wonderful concept: joy.

As Christians, we cannot escape hardships, frustrations, and trials. There are the day-to-day struggles of just living, trying through the Holy Spirit to serve Christ with every breath. Practicing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control on a day-to-day basis is difficult in and of itself. But there are also trials that periodically (or for some people, constantly) come into our lives which make being joyful just hard.

Sometimes we just want to quit. Sometimes we just want to say, “Enough is enough. I'm done.” But since we have Christ, along with salvation He gives us joy. That doesn't mean we're happy all the time, but we have an underlying joyfulness and peace because we are just grateful to have God and His salvation.

This is what “Trading My Sorrows” is talking about. We are able to turn over our frustrations, our sorrows, and our pain to God, and He gives us an indescribable joy in return. We have His assurances and promises to help us through.

“Trading My Sorrows”

I'm trading my sorrows.

I'm trading my shame.

I'm laying them down

For the joy of the Lord!

I'm trading my sickness.

I'm trading my pain.

I'm laying them down

For the joy of the Lord!

Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes yes, Lord!

Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes yes, Lord!

Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes yes, Lord!

Amen.

I am pressed but not crushed,

Persecuted not abandoned,

Struck down but not destroyed.

I am blessed beyond the curse,

For His promise will endure

That His joy's gonna be my strength.

Though the sorrow may last for the night,

His joy comes with the morning.

CCLI Song No. 2574653

© 1998 Integrity's Hosanna! Music

Darrell Evans

For use solely with the SongSelect Terms of Use. All rights Reserved. www.ccli.com

CCLI License No. 108004

I Am Not Beautiful

[Reposted from Facebook]

(After listening to MercyMe's popular new song "Beautiful," which is not talking about the beauty of God but rather the beauty of man...)

I'm a little leery of all these messages we get bombarded with about how we're "beautiful," "perfect just the way we are," etc. If we're talking about external beauty, then fine, whatever, outward appearances don't really matter anyway. But if we're talking about internal beauty, then we have a problem. By ourselves, we are not beautiful. Our sin is UGLY and AWFUL before God. Only through His forgiveness and grace are we made beautiful before Him. Praise God that He loves ugly, sinful wretches like us! May we not focus on our beauty, but on His! :)

"I Am Not Beautiful"

Sometimes my sinful inclinations

Get the best of me.

Sometimes insincere intentions

Rob from Your glory.

Sometimes my deceitful heart

Tries to justify depravity.

Sometimes my worthless old man

Comes back to haunt me.

(CHORUS)

And during those times

I am not beautiful;

I don't care what they say.

While it's true that God created me,

He didn't make me this way.

I don't need to love myself;

I just need to forsake,

Because I know You made me

To worship You always.

Sometimes the devil whispers

Lies into my heart,

And I don't try to fight him;

His sin I want to take part.

Sometimes rebellion consumes my mind,

Distorting all I see.

I don't think of Your holiness,

Just think of pleasing me.

Repeat CHORUS.

I am not beautiful

When I act this way;

I am not beautiful

When I choose to stray;

I am not beautiful,

But You love me anyway.

Forgive me, Lord, I pray.

Copyright 2011 Samuel Pelton.

Praise the One Who Gave/Gives Us Life ("Breathe")

I've always liked the song "Breathe"; it's simple and highly worshipful. I really love the clear metaphors--air and bread.

First, the author says that God's presence inside of us is like the air we breathe. Just like air, His living in us gives us life and keeps us living! The author goes on to compare God's Word to our daily bread; again, she's saying that His Word is what keeps us alive and living. Without His presence inside us and without His Word to guide us, we would die, both physically and spiritually.

The author wraps up with two little lines declaring our great need and desperation for God. Even though He has saved us, we still need Him each and every day to sustain our physical and spiritual life. Without Him, we would be lost. So in just a few short lines ("This is the air I breathe: / Your holy presence living in me. / This is my daily bread: / Your very Word spoken to me. / And I'm desperate for You! / And I'm lost without You!") this song conveys a powerful and simple message of our continual and dire need for God in our lives always.

He is our air; He is our bread. He is our sustenance and our fulfillment. Praise Him!

"Breathe"

This is the air I breathe;

This is the air I breathe:

Your holy presence living in me.

This is my daily bread;

This is my daily bread:

Your very word spoken to me.

And I, I'm desperate for You!

And I, I'm lost without You!

CCLI Song No. 1874117

© 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

Marie Barnett

For use solely with the SongSelect Terms of Use. All rights Reserved. www.ccli.com

CCLI License No. 108004

Hello!

So I finally decided to start my own blog. I've kinda been wanting to do one for a looooonggg time now. And maybe no one will read it except me, but that's okay. Basically I'm just getting stuff out of my system anyway. :)

The title is Musical Musings because at this point I figure most of the entries will be about (Christian) songs, but I may occasionally veer from that general guideline and discuss other biblical topics every now and then. Who knows? Maybe this will be like one of the many writing projects I started and had grand ideas for but gave up on after only a couple of weeks.

The main thing is that all that I write (or do) be glorifying to God my Savior, so if I say anything iffy when it comes to that, go ahead and call me out on it right away.

Peace out! :)

In Christ,
Sam