These contemporary Christian songs are all written within the last couple of years by the manager of the
www.BerkeleyVersion.com The titles are “We,
Too, Shall Arise,” “Holy Art Thou,” “Mighty Sunshine Breaks
Through,” Clif's favorite: “You But Speak” “Being God’s Own” and “Tears Have Been Dried”.
Scroll down to hear the songs, please. Thank you, from my heart, for visiting.
To hear this song please click the Play button to the right. Lyrics:
“WE, TOO, SHALL ARISE!”
This song in a pleasant way helps visualize the
ascension of Christ and our, en masse, following of this similar exodus
from the world on up to heaven. It expresses a concern for those who
shall still be “saved” between the time of this, and now. A favorite
lyrical phrase of mine in the song goes “We, too, shall arise; lose all
fear of heights like birds soarin’ upward through the skies!” Its
chorus, sung three times, does not repeat except for melody; each chorus
has its own lyrical flow that compliments a
preceding verse sung. It’s a three-chord song lasting—if all
verses and choruses are sung—three and a half minutes, without any
interlude or introduction.
Lyrics:
When Christ said, “It is fin∙ished,” had our
new life be∙gun.
Soon at the as∙cen∙sion in a cloud
ris∙in’ toward the sun,
He smiled, blessed and told those a gath∙erin’
at the scene:
Their’s was to go for∙ward
in wit∙ness this had been no dream!
Christ in∙deed is ris∙en in vic∙tory
o’er sin an’ pain;
He’ll a∙bide for∙ev∙er with∙in
those who will re∙main.
Our pur∙pose now is tell∙in’ as from
the most high throne:
All who’ve put their faith in him shall have heav∙en
for their home.
(Chorus)
We, too, shall a ∙ rise! We, too, shall a∙rise;
Lose all fear of heights like
birds soar∙in’ up∙ward through the skies.
His prayer to God was an∙swered: “Fa∙ther,
thy will be done…”
End∙ing the world’s long
heart∙ache through a love bright as the sun.
(Verse 2)
Some see life as cir∙cum∙stance, what
mere chance shall bring.
But down here come an∙gels help∙in’;
we know that they sing:*
“The e∙vil isn’t formed a∙gainst you that
shall be ‘lowed to stand.
“The vic∙tory is in Je∙sus, who pro∙mised
his help∙ing hand.”
Tru∙ly, God loves you; he loves me—we can∙not
be wrong.
Ho∙ly Spir∙it blends his voice in,
add∙ing bless∙ing to the song.
We’re healed and de∙liv∙ered, now our
fu∙ture is se∙cure.
I’ve no trou∙ble in be∙liev∙in’
we’ll live for ev∙er∙more!
(Chorus)
We, too, shall a∙rise! We, too, shall a∙rise
To the heav∙en∙ly
home. There a crown a∙waits us as prize.
No more weep∙in’, be∙in’ sad at what
may come a∙long.
You’ll bring us forth to The Light**, Fa∙ther,
to hon∙or your Son.
(Verse 3)
Times are chang∙in’ with the an∙chor
gone slipped un∙done.
Some think God but to be a joke, not im∙por∙tant,
our “fun.”
But they’ll be first to learn when all the Chris∙tians
are gone:
That e∙vil has its chil∙dren; bro∙ken∙ness
is their home.
Change your ways, you sin∙ner, to make life
se∙cure!
Call on God to save you so life shall en∙dure.
He it is who saves you,
it’s Christ who real∙ly cares.
You need your sal∙va∙tion; faith is
an∙swer to our prayers.
(Chorus)
We, too, shall a∙rise! We, too, shall a∙rise!
Heav∙en bound,
his face we’ll see and look into his eyes.
Our Lord and Sav∙oir, Christ the king is he,
Who wel∙comes us be∙side
him for all e∙ter∙ni∙ty.
* angels’ song from
Scriptures Isaiah 5:17, 1 Cor 15:57, & Matt 28:20
Words and music composed by Clif Moberg, 2007.
Copyrighted.
"and while they were looking on, he was taken up and a cloud
carried him up from their view. Two men in white clothing
were standing by them who also said, 'Men of Galilee, why do
you stand gazing into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up
from you into heaven, will come again in the same manner in
which you have seen him entering heaven'"--Acts 1:9-11.
Thessalonians 4:17 tells "the living who still survive shall
be caught up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
in the air. And so we shall forever be with the Lord. So
then encourage one another with these words." (Berkeley
Version)
Painting by Mr. Norm McGary, from the book The Prom
ise.
2. "HOLY ART THOU"
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To hear this song please click the Play
button to the right. Lyrics:
“HOLY ART THOU”
This song is taken from the “sister” website BerkeleyVersion.com and the
page titled “Hear A Prayer” wherein sample prayers are recorded for those having
specific problems of 1) having jealousy, 2) theft of a personal possession, 3)
concern for a lost-soul acquaintance, and 4) being in despair.
http://www.berkeleyversion.com/prayers/index.htm To build faith
“opener songs” can be listened to, and then after the prayer, this song “Holy
Art Thou” is the praise song to close with. By its nature, it was a “composed
and sung on the spot” spontaneous song of praise, having not been written out or
scored previously. It is two minutes in length.
Lyrics:
Thank you, Lord
Je∙sus, for hear∙ing my prayer.
Pre∙sent my pe∙ti∙tion to the Fa∙ther way up there.
I be∙lieve in the ho∙li∙ness of your name.
And for∙ev∙er and ev∙er I’ll hap∙pi∙ly pro∙claim:
Ho∙ly art thou, my Lord; ho∙ly art thou, Lord Je∙sus.
12th Century stone sculpture in the Cathedral of Autun, France.
Three Wise Men reach their destination and present their gifts: the
Child Jesus, much intrigued, is trying to open the casket He is
offered, while one of the Wise Men, lost in wonder, gravely takes
off his crown. Gislebertus is the sculpturer.
To hear this song please click the Play
button to the right. Lyrics:
Not till the last of the three verses of this
song of four chords does “the sunshine break through”, but when this
happens, it is both revelation for the singer and a happy sight of
the rainbow, God’s signature in the sky! Choruses are as long as
the verses and do slow to meditative discourse of hearing/seeing The
Holy Name. Play time for this song: 3 minutes.
Lyrics:
Lay the bur∙dens
down
At the feet of our Lord,
Make ho∙ly hands now
Reach up to praise his name.
This man in san∙dals came help∙
ing loose the poor and lame;
He’s watch∙ing you,
Is still the same.
(Chorus)
So re∙joice in the Lord,
A∙gain I say, “Re∙joice!”
His com∙fort un∙er∙ring∙ly knows the wrong.
He’ll nei∙ther per∙ish nor de∙cay.
He calls us to his side—
Long a∙go on the cross
And to∙day,
At the Fa∙ther’s side,
He will pray—he knows your name.
(Verse 2)
Time I meas∙ure
The Bi∙ble right ‘gainst my wrong.
What I hold in∙side
Still comes out in my song.
Praise re∙flects the way that’s lived
Sing∙ing can∙not for∙give.
My pain is worse
Th∙an my fall.
(Chorus)
Eyes can stray; mine wan∙der
Towards sin that’s held fonder.
With caring eye you still show right for me.
Ten times ten, myri∙ad times, I’ve failed,
Yet Your Strength* shall pre∙vail.
And my heart calms with∙in,
I lis∙ten, and se∙cret∙ly know
In qui∙et—you call my name.
(verse 3)
Though I’m no Da∙vid,
This Psalm** beck∙ons me:
“My heart does re∙joice
“In the sal∙va∙tion you bring.
“And my flesh cries out for you,
“The Liv∙ing God!” Come, rain,
And wash a∙way
Lin∙g’ring thoughts that sin.
(chorus)
Might∙y sun∙shine breaks through!
No more cleans∙ing shall out∙do.
Col∙ors of love fill both eye and heart—
What gran∙deur here signed in your hand!
God’s bow hap∙’ply dis∙plays
His gos∙pel vi∙sion of
Ho∙li∙ness Christ brought to the fore
Em∙blaz∙ing—the Fa∙ther’s Name.
*I Corinthians 1:18,24 **84th Psalm
Albert Gleizes, an early French Cubism painter later in life
developed his Christian art side and he produced a wealth of
paintings with "internal movement" (rather than cubist multiple
view). In this Personnage Cubiste painted in the year 1935, there
seems to be an awakening of the self-knowledge, and a background
rainbow is participating. He is a favorite painter of mine.
4. YOURS' THE CREATIVE,
BEATING HEART (renamed "You But Speak")
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as"
To hear this song please click
the Play button to the right. Lyrics:
“You But Speak/YOURS' THE CREATIVE,
BEATING HEART”
God desired, through His
Christ, to create; and the creation today still
exhibits the passion of
God for all His creatures and the earth. That which
has made this globe hallowed, however, is the blood
of Christ shed here; and this song is a heartfelt
effort to remember and continue to give thanks for
God’s grace.
Words and music
composed by Clif Moberg, 2007.
Copyrighted.
The Greek Ministry of Culture
produced an exhibit for the Walters Art
Gallery in Baltimore MD in 1988, and for
other cities--Miami, Fort Worth, San
Francisco, Cleveland and
Detroit--thereafter. This Icon "The Akra
Tapeinosis" dates to the 12th Century,
and came from the Kastoria Archeological
Collection. "Holy Image, Holy Space" is
the book that presents dozens of fine
Icons.
Tempo of this song lends itself
nicely as a worship song for background
contemporary communion music.
5. BEING GOD’S OWN
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target as"
To hear this song
please click the Play button to the
right. Lyrics:
“BEING GOD’S OWN”
Do you think you can put to
song such phrases as “Love’s ember is stoked
aflame,” “More the winters turn cold and my bones
warn, 'You’re old,'” or “Being God’s own—belonging—is
our treasure…up there”? The song has its emotional
surges in the singing; it has a quality of love for
the Master much as is known of in the Song of
Songs (or the Song of Solomon). Is “romantic” only
for the sexes and between people? Cannot it also be
love between Maker and willing fashioned humankind?
This song will take you there! Short: a minute and
twenty seconds.
Words and music
composed by Clif Moberg, 2007.
Copyrighted.
Once pretty--beauty fades. Yet, there
is no parting; for, the heart that
contains the Truth of Christ has
rectitude, and devotedly awaits the
Bridegroom Jesus!
A 1964 woodcut by Henry Frankenfield.
6. TEARS HAVE BEEN
DRIED
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target as"
To hear melody of this
song please click the Play button to the
right:
“TEARS HAVE BEEN DRIED”
This is a plaintive melody,
a positive affirmation that occurs only after a
great deal of time has been spent in misfortune, for
example, or suppression as another example. The
sound file carries the melody only, complete with
pauses that are meant also to lend expressiveness to
this melody. Native Americans may like this
Christian song; it is our hope that they do. And for
all, we can feel it and sing first the melody, then
words, aided by names of notes that appear under the
one stanza of lyrics.
Lyrics:
Grace is but a taste of heav’n∙ly fa∙re:
See∙ing Christ,
touch∙ing a crown to we∙ar.
All tears have been
dried,
Pain's gone from
in∙side.
Mer∙cy, like for∙giv∙ness
is shown to be tru∙e.
So do∙n't wait--
Op∙en arms wide to
know Christ's love,
Sure∙ty sent from
heav'n a∙bove!
D C A F G A C Bb
A D Low D
D C A F G A C Bb
A D
D G F G D
A G F G A
A D C D A F G A Bb
A A D
G F G A
D C A F G A DD
G F E E F DD
Old-fashioned, perhaps,
is the use of the song phrase here
"heavenly fare", meaning, the condition
of things. Hats off! to the folks who
attempt to make--and those already
making--lovely beadwork such as this!
Potawatomi Shoulder Bag, c. 1870.
Wisconsin. Location of this item is at
The Detroit Institute of Arts.
