"...No Empty Words, and No White Lies, No Token Prayers, NO COMPROMISE..."

Such powerful words from one of the lines in the famous Keith Green song, "Make My Life A Prayer to You" (1978) - LINK

This song changed my life - I became a Christian in January 1984 which I just realized was just over 40 years ago. I listened to Punk Rock and New Wave Music. (and thankfully, there were Christian bands like Undercover, The Altar Boys and the Lifesavers that played music that I liked!)

What prompted me to write the post has been a recent barrage of Christians and even those considered "leaders" in the Body of Christ advocating, posting about and modeling incredible compromise in their lives - from addiction to alcohol, to immodesty, to the use the foulest language, to unBiblical divorces and remarriages. I am also thinking of men and women who had held to Biblical truth who today believe and teach not only false doctrines but even heresy. I think of others who have abandoned their faith altogether. 

I am sure back in 1984, Christians were living the very same way, but in a time before the internet and social media it wasn't SEEN the way it is today. 

As a brand new believe at that time, Keith Green's music MARKED ME. Unlike any music has ever marked me! It was far more radical than the messages I received in the first church I attended. It was NOT what the American Church at that time was preaching (and to be honest, I believe it is a far worse situation today!). 

Keith's message was TOTAL SURRENDER to Christ. Radical obedience to Jesus' teachings. Holiness. Prayer and fasting. Willingness to give everything and to go anywhere for the sake of the Gospel.

God used Keith Green to call me to the mission field where we lived for over 30 years. I am currently back in the Middle East where we ministered for those decades and spending time with believers. Keith wrote a short message called "Why You Should Go to the Mission Field" LINK. Read at your own risk. It could change the next 30+ years of your lives as well!

Yesterday after nearly four decades I listened to this song once again (a song I've probably listened to literally hundreds of times) and I began to weep. Once again I was convicted of the compromise that I tolerate in my Christian life and yet again, God was using Keith to call me once again to lay it all down, to forsake myself and to recommit myself to live a life of NO COMPROMISE.

I pray that in a day when much so-called Christian music is watered down and often hardly discernible as being Christian, that God would raise up new Keith Greens. New musicians that aren't trying to be as much like the world as they can be, but rather who want to be as much like Jesus as they can be! Christian men and women who will preach a message of NO COMPROMISE. One of those men in John Cooper from the band Skillet. I don't know this for sure, but I would bet Keith Green's music affected his life too!

For such a time as this...