Categories
Jesus

Righteousness

Today’s featured song: We Are The Righteousness Of God by Chuck Girard from the 1983 album The Name Above All Names.

Chuck Girard was one of the founding members of the influential group Love Song, from the early days of Jesus music. By 1984, that group had long since disbanded, but Girard had continued to record solo albums. This album was notable for the title song, which Debby Boone released as a single that did well (and was featured on this blog here). Another track that I really like is And The Rain Came Down, which I’m surprised I have not previously featured on this blog (I will try to do this in the future).

This song is significant because it points out my privilege as a forgiven child of God, that I can be right before God – not because of anything that I have done, but because of what Jesus did for me.

As for Tape JM-31, this song brings us up to track 16, and at this point I am again recording from the weekly Larry Black Show on WOW in Omaha.

We are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
We are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us

I was a sinner saved by grace,
But I’m not a sinner anymore
I choose to live in righteousness
And to practice sin no more
I did not say I would not fall,
But when I do I’ll run to Him
For He is faithful and He’s just to forgive
You know He died for ALL our sins!

And I say now, we are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
We are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us

And now our hearts do not condemn us,
And we can stand before the throne
And we have confidence before our God
‘Cause we no longer have to stand alone
Now God no longer sees our sin,
He sees us fully reconciled
He sees us worthy to have fellowship with Him
He sees a brand new creature
He sees us undefiled!

And I say now, we are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
We are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us

And now we share in everything,
The very nature of the Son
We are partakers in the fullness of our God
And we know that when we pray it will be done
We live right now in Heaven’s realm,
We are no longer of the Earth
We are the children of the new creation
We’re joint-heirs with Jesus,
Partners in the second birth!

And I say now, we are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
We are the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in us
‘Cause Jesus lives in us

I am the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in me
‘Cause Jesus lives in me
I am the righteousness of God
‘Cause Jesus lives in me
‘Cause Jesus lives in me!

The Name Above All Names Purchase this track on iTunes!
Categories
Life

Rock

GuitarWay back in the early years of the Jesus movement there was this group from southern California named Love Song. They were a rock group before they became Christians, but they were all searching for the truth, the meaning of life. In their search, they came across this church called Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, where the pastor, Chuck Smith, had been successfully reaching to the hippie culture with the message of salvation. Within a period of several weeks, each of the members of Love Song responded to this message and were born again. They turned their musical skills to writing and performing songs for their Lord, but kept the original name of their group.

After several years of singing and touring, the group decided to disband. One of the members, Chuck Girard, still had a desire to write and sing new songs, and so worked on releasing an album of solo music. He had originally wanted to name the album Rock ‘N’ Roll Preacher, but this presented a problem. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was most common for Christian music to be sold through Bible bookstores across the country; typical record stores just were not interested in stocking that kind of music. But the kind of music that was done by many Jesus music artists was performed in the style that they had grown up with, namely rock and roll, and for many who were in the church, this was still viewed with suspicion and sometimes outright hostility.

The label that would be releasing Chuck’s first album urged him to not put that title on the album. They told him that in many cases a Bible bookstore would refuse to put an album with “rock and roll” in the title on their shelves, and secondly there would be many who would refuse to purchase an album with those words in the title. So, he relented and released the album under his own name, Chuck Girard. The result was that it did fairly well in the Christian marketplace, despite the fact that the first track on the album had that awful term in the title.

Some of the songs I like from Jesus music appeal to me because they bring me closer to the heart of God; sometimes it is because it speaks to where I am or where I have been in my life. And sometimes it’s just because it’s a fun song that makes me smile and simply sing along. And that is the case with the song, Rock ‘N’ Roll Preacher by Chuck Girard, by his self-titled 1975 album. Enjoy!

When I was young,
My life was rock ‘n’ roll music
Just diggin’ the wonderful sound
I’d get home from school
And when I’d finished my lessons
I’d listen to music
‘Til the sun came around

I’d sit by the hour
And pound my old piano
Pick out the chords to the songs
I’d heard on the air
And on American Bandstand
Just learnin’ the words
And then a-singin’ along

But who’d ever thought
I’d be a rock ‘n’ roll preacher
‘Stead of just singin’ the blues
Who’d ever thought
I’d be a rock ‘n’ roll preacher
Singin’ my song
So you can hear the good news

Now that I’m free
My heart is filled with the gladness
That comes when a life has been changed
The song I now sing
Has a different ring
The lyrics have meaning,
but the tune is the same

But I want you to know
I still love rock ‘n’ roll music
But now I have something to say
I’ll sing you my song
And maybe you’ll sing along
And we’ll make us a noise
They’ll hear in Heavenly places

Who’d ever thought
I’d be a rock ‘n’ roll preacher
‘Stead of just singin’ the blues
Who’d ever thought
I’d be a rock ‘n’ roll preacher
Singing my song
So you can hear the good news

©1974 Dunamis Music

Chuck Girard, 1975 This album can be purchased from Chuck Girard’s    

web site here.