Red Deluxe Edition "Forever" Music Video!

Red has recently released a behind the scenes video for “Forever”, a song that is featured on their deluxe edition for “Innocence and Instinct”. If you love this song, you can visit The Free Christian Music blog to find how you can get this song for free! Here is Red’s awesome new video right here on Jay’s Music Blog!!

Matthew West Christmas News Pt II

Matthew West is keeping busy this Christmas! First and foremost, this week is drop off week for Operation Christmas Child! As we read earlier this month, Matthew is this year’s organizer! Secondly, Matthew is giving a free Christmas song to everybody who joins the Matthew West Give This Christmas Away community! Through this community, you will be able to share with other Matthew West fans how you are planning on “paying it forward” (as it is commonly called) this Christmas season. Also of interest, Matthew West is kicking off the Give This Christmas Away tour! As soon as doors open, there will be a special screening of VeggieTales brand new Christmas movie! Oh, and Matthew is aware of the fact that you will probably want to actually meet Bob and Larry, so he has brought them along on the tour, so they can meet their fans! You can visit Matthew’s Tour page for more information. Last, but definitely not least, Matthew is going to have his very first Christmas special on the Gospel Music Channel! It will premier on December 12th at 9:30 PM EST and will be played frequently throughout the Christmas season! So, in case you haven’t packed your shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child yet, Matthew is urging you to do so. He recently visited Bogotá Columbia and handed out 1000 shoeboxes and saw firsthand the difference it can make! Please visit Operation Christmas Child’s website for drop- off locations. For more on any of these events, you can sign up for Matthew’s free email updates at his website here.

Music Video of the Week: "Your Love Never Changes"

I've recently discovered the talent of a young hip-hop/worship artist Paul Wright. So I was delighted to find his music video for the song "Your Love Never Changes". Oh, and did I mention that it features a special appearance by the one and only TobyMac? Apparently, TobyMac is the "right friends" mentioned in this song. TobyMac also sang with Paul Wright in "West Coast Kid", which I featured last week on Music for Monday. Hopefully you will enjoy this song as much as I have!

Word for Wednesday: Beautiful Feet

Romans 10:14-15 “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!’”

This week, since I am in the middle of a study, I decided to do a Word for Wednesday that is short and sweet—therefore easy to read (Yes, I know that some of my WFW’s are too long!). So as I was searching for something, I accidentally came up with this Scripture in Romans, and I thought, “If God wants to send me, am I willing?” Will we be like Isaiah: (Isaiah 6:8) “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’” Jesus told us that "…If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Mt 19:21) Are we willing to lay down our lives solely for what God has called us to do? Lu 9:23 “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” Will we take up our cross daily to follow Him? If we will follow God’s plan for our lives, and lay down our passions and desires, than God will be able to send us. Matthew 24:14 tells us "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” This cross-references with Revelation 7:9 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands”. So we know that every tribe and tongue must hear the gospel before the end comes. Are you willing to lay down your life for the sake of the call? Then it will be said of you, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

For more Word for Wednesdays, please visit Yeah, Right…

Casting Crowns "Until the Whole World Hears" Album Review

“Until the Whole World Hears” is another inspirational, awesome album from Casting Crowns. I’m so excited that I got exclusive access to the new album before it came out! The title track is a little surprising for a Casting Crowns, especially considering the awesome guitar work in this album (which I think is one noticeable good change for the band in this album). I love the message behind the title track: be the hands and feet of Jesus until the whole world hears. As the song says, “And I pray that they will see more of You and less of me/ Lord I want my life to be the song you sing.” Honestly I was very surprised by the extremely gospel sounding song on this album, entitled, “The Shadow of Your Wings”. This song is very comparable to “Saved” by Third Day from their Offerings album. This song is about giving God your all while being under the shadow of His wings. This is by far my most favorite song on this album! “Holy One”, is another one of the very amazing upbeat tunes on “Until the Whole World Hears”. It is basically thanking God for how much He has done in our lives. My favorite part of “Holy One” is the anthem bridge, which has these excellent lyrics: “I will sing/ for Your glory/ for Your love is better than life”. Besides these three songs, the rest of the songs were similar to most of their style. “To Know You”, another one of my favorites, outlines living a life for God. The best lyrics in this track are: “I leave it all behind/ You’re all that satisfies/ To know You is to want to know You more.” This song sounds similar to the style of Hillsong’s “Take All of Me”. “Always Enough” falls into the category of the slower, more peaceful songs. This gorgeous song speaks of how God is all we need and will ever need. “Your love is peace to the broken/ Faith for the widow/ Hope for the orphan/ Strength for the weak/ Your love is the anthem of nations/ Rings out through the ages/ and You’re always enough for me”. If there is one song on this album that would resonate with Casting Crown’s fans, than this is it. Especially when it says, “You keep my heart in perfect peace/ my life is in Your hands/ When confusion hides my way/ You’re always enough.” I simply can’t get enough of this track. This is probably my favorite (second to “The Shadow of Your Wings”). “Joyful, Joyful” is a very creative remake of “Ode to Joy”. I really like this remake, and as always, I love the lyrics to this classic. Like most contemporary artists, the remake and addition on the classics, makes it more enjoyable than ever before. I especially enjoyed the stringed instrument intro. “Mercy” is one of two songs that is sung by the female vocalists. As it’s title implies, it is a song of how good God’s mercy is toward us: “Here I stand a child of Yours/ broken and need of You/ break these chains and wash my guilt away”. Actually, this song was also slightly different from traditional Casting Crown’s music, and it is very inspirational. It is gorgeous when Mark Hall comes in the second verse with the harmony. (Honestly, when I hear Casting Crowns, I think that all three vocalists of the band should receive vocalist of the year!) “Glorious Day” is the story of Jesus life on this earth, and how He rose again for us and is coming again on that glorious day. “If We’ve Ever Needed You” is a cry out to God to restore us: “If We’ve Ever Needed You/ Lord It’s Now/ We are desperate for Your hand/ Reaching Out/ All our hearts/ All our strength/ with all our minds/ We’re at Your face/ May Your kingdom come/ In our hearts and lives/ Let Your Church arise”. This is another one of my favorites, and is very inspiring and heart felt.

This album is excellent, and definitely the best work from Casting Crowns. You will love this album if you like previous Casting Crowns’ work, or enjoy Hillsong, Matthew West, or Avalon. “Until the Whole World Hears” does have two good new updates: a new drummer and great improved guitar work. Three songs on this album were very, very astounding to me, because of the previous two features. Yet, most of this album is very similar to past works from the band, and was very enjoyable. This album will inspire you to worship God with all of your heart and give God your all! This is no doubt a 5 star album!

Music for Monday: Week 3

Here's Music for Monday week three around here. This cool meme was started by my friend The Brickster. So make sure to check out his blog and vote in his poll (and mine too if you haven't yet!)

This song is called, "We" from Joy Williams' "Genesis" album:



And this is from the album "Reborn" by Avalon that I raved about! It is called, "California". (Click here to read my review of this album.)

All I Really Want for Christmas...

Have you ever wanted to take a picture with Santa? Well, there's no better time than the present [no pun intended:) ]. This year, 215 malls nationwide will kickoff "A Family For Christmas", a campaign to offer support for Show Hope. Show Hope is a ministry outreach of Steven Curtis Chapman to help families interested in adoption by giving them grant money. So, how do Show's Hope and Santa and you go together? Well, Worldwide Photography will give you the option of donating $1 to Show Hope in an effort to provide orphans with a family. Once you have donated $1, you will receive a free download of Steven Curtis Chapman's "All I Really Want For Christmas" single. So far this year, Worldwide Photography has raised $186,000 in support of Show Hope. Are you next? Visit afamilyforchristmas.org for more information!