Good Contemporary Music: Water and the Blood

I am tired of Christian radio.  What about you? Songs like, “Steal My Show” and “I Love the Way You Hold Me”…etc. really turn me off.  These songs are nothing but a good beat with some fluff.  They have nothing of any real substance and really don’t glorify God at all. “Christian Rappers” like Shai Lynne and Lecrae often have God glorifying and doctrinally sound lyrics…but I don’t really like rap. I began to wonder if I could find God glorifying lyrics with sound doctrine and a good sound that I would enjoy.

I heard you laugh.

But I found at least one album.   So I guess this is my first music album review. Kinda, but not really.  I come into this album biased.  I first heard a song based on Lord’s Day 1 of the Heidleberg Catechism and was intrigued.  So I researched more about this song…(since midterms are done) and found the album and a bit about the artist.

Dustin Kensrue, a deacon at the Bellevue Downtown Mars Hill Church, wrote the song and has released an album entitled Water and the Blood.   He is a large-ish man with tattooed arms…just the type of guy you would expect to sing songs with lyrics like this…right?:

I was an orphan lost at the fall
Running away when I’d hear you call
But Father, you worked your will
I had no righteousness of my own
I had no right to draw near your throne
But Father, you loved me still

Right?

No?

OK.

But he did. Now. For those of you who know me, you know how critical of Christian music I can be (sorry). It is not often I recommend so-called praise and worship music.  Nor do I often recommend Indie Rock artists.

But this album I do. With songs like:

1. Rejoice
2. Rock of Ages (yes the hymn)
3. Suffering Servant
4. My One Comfort (Based on Lord’s Day 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism)
5. God is Good
6. Grace Alone
7. The Voice of The Lord
8. Its Not Enough
9. Come Lord Jesus
10. Oh God
11. It Is Finished

My new favorite song is Grace Alone.  The lyrics are God glorifying, and the music is easy on the ears.   Oh what I would give to hear more songs like this on Christian Radio.  If you are impatient skip to 1:12 to hear the song.  Lyrics follow the video.  Enjoy and praise God with this song.

Is this a review?  Not really…but I really like this album.

I was an orphan lost at the fall
Running away when I’d hear you call
But Father, you worked your will
I had no righteousness of my own
I had no right to draw near your throne
But Father, you loved me still

And in love before you laid the world’s foundation
You predestined to adopt me as your own
You have raised me up so high above my station
I’m a child of God by grace and grace alone

You left your home to seek out the lost
You knew the great and terrible cost
But Jesus, your face was set
I worked my fingers down to the bone
Nothing I did could ever atone
But Jesus, you paid my debt

By your blood I have redemption and salvation
Lord, you died that I might reap what you have sown
And you rose that I might be a new creation
I am born again by grace and grace alone

I was in darkness all of my life
I never knew the day from the night
But Spirit, you made me see
I swore I knew the way on my own
Head full of rocks, a heart made of stone
But Spirit, you moved in me

At your touch my sleeping spirit was awakened
On my darkened heart, the light of Christ has shone
Called into a kingdom that cannot be shaken
Heaven’s citizen by grace and grace alone

So I stand in faith by grace and grace alone
I will run the race by grace and grace alone
I will slay my sin by grace and grace alone
I will reach the end by grace and grace alone