Oh what a day! Have you ever had that day? That day where nothing happens the way you had hoped? And not one of those days where nothing happens the way you hoped and it was all better and good, but one of those days where it just kept getting worse? That was my day today. I was very excited about each aspect of the worship service today and particularly the music because it was somewhat different that what we normally do. However, all of the missed words, technical glitches, bad playing, bad attitudes at the bad playing, slow computers (PC’s are evil), mic stands that slice your hand before you play, and everything else that went wrong have a way of making you feel like poo.

But here’s the beautiful thing, God’s truth was proclaimed today. We have been dealing with spiritual warfare as a church the past 3 weeks and today we began looking at what it means to “put on the gospel armor” from Ephesians 6. Today was the belt of truth. Now, I’m not saying that all the junk that happened this morning was an attack from the enemy (some of it was stupidity, like my own with the whole mic stand slicing my hand), but I’m not NOT saying that it wasn’t an attack from the enemy. So, even through our struggles and distractions we sang God’s truth. Here are the songs we sang and why we sang them.

1. Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus (Words: George Duffield Jr., Music: George Webb, 1858) - This is not your typical worship song, and not really even your typical hymn. I say that because it is a song that is to be sung to each other. It’s not sung to God which most of our songs are. And it’s not really about who God is or what God does. It’s about our Christian walk and we are to sing it to each other to call forth action and encourage each other to not be ashamed of what we believe. Colossians 3:16 tells us to teach and admonish one another in our singing. I needed this verse to be sung to me today:

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.

2. Fairest (Words: German Jesuits, 17th century, Translation: Joseph Seiss, 1873, Music: Crusader’s Hymn, 1842, Chorus and Arrangement: Glen Packiam, 2004 - New Life Worship) - I love this hymn. I love to sing this song. When we think about truth, we must understand that truth is a person and that person is Jesus Christ.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

3. The Power of the Cross (Stuart Townend and Keith Getty, 2005) - Truth’s greatest expression was shown in the death and the resurrection of Christ. It’s at the cross where we truly see who we are and how great our need for a savior is. It’s also at the cross where we see truly how great a Savior we have.

Oh to see my name written in the wounds
For through Your suff’ring I am free
Death is crushed to death life is mine to live
Won through Your selfless love

This the pow’r of the cross
Son of God slain for us
What a life what a cost
We stand forgiven at the cross

4. There is a Redeemer (Melody Green, 1982) - A simple song of thanksgiving for the profound truth we had been singing about. We began and ended this song by singing the chorus a cappella. It was one of the bright spots today.

Thank You O my Father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit
Till the work on earth is done

5. Blessed is the One (Psalm 32) (Doug Plank, 2008) - This is from Sovereign Grace Music’s Psalms cd. I cannot recommend this cd highly enough. This is the closing track from the cd and it’s beautiful and powerful. It’s a wonderful thing to know the truth that our sins have been overcome by the blood of the Lamb, our great Savior Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the one
Whose sins are overcome
Whom God has sheltered deep within His grace
Blessed is the one
Who trusts in God the Son
His steadfast love the sinner’s hiding place

Jesus, Your blood covers all my sin
Jesus, Your love draws my heart to sing
What a Savior, Jesus

6. O Church Arise (Stuart Townend and Keith Getty) - Another song to be sung to one another. Read the lyrics and be encouraged.

O church arise and put your armour on
Hear the call of Christ our Captain
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given
With shield of faith and belt of truth
We’ll stand against the devil’s lies
An army bold whose battle cry is Love
Reaching out to those in darkness

Our call to war to love the captive soul
But to rage against the captor
And with the sword that makes the wounded whole
We will fight with faith and valour
When faced with trials on every side
We know the outcome is secure
And Christ will have the prize for which He died
An inheritance of nations

Come see the cross where love and mercy meet
As the Son of God is stricken
Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet
For the Conqueror has risen
And as the stone is rolled away
And Christ emerges from the grave
This victory march continues till the day
Every eye and heart shall see Him

So Spirit come put strength in every stride
Give grace for every hurdle
That we may run with faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful
As saints of old still line the way
Retelling triumphs of His grace
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
When with Christ we stand in glory

I’m posting this Sunday’s setlist in collaboration with other worship leaders at FredMcKinnon.com.