Sunday, September 16, 2012

Review: Israel's "Jesus at the Center: Live"


Well, he’s done it again! Israel and company have created another worship experience for the church of today. Available August 14th Israel’s latest live album/DVD, “Jesus At The Center,” is a collection of worship tunes centered around Jesus’ name. He states that the entire focus while preparing for this project was to place Jesus at the center, the focal point and to point to Him. So frequently church is the focus around which the rest of life orbits. We invite people to church rather than to Christ. We focus on the programs, music, polish that we experience in our local congregations rather than the relationship we have with God. It’s refreshing that Israel has taken this approach with this album, Jesus has to be the center of it all...that’s the way God designed it.
I’ve had the opportunity to listen to this album the past couple of weeks and from the first time I’ve had a smile on my face. Every single time Israel releases a new record he raises the bar and provides a new anthem (or two, or three...maybe more) for the Church to unite behind. He’s done it again. This compilation of worship songs showcases the amazing talent and anointing Israel and New Breed bring to the contemporary worship scene. This album is soaked in the anointing of Spirit and lifts you up despite where you find yourself when listening to it.
Musically, it raises the standard again. The musicians and vocalists are phenomenal and provide the musical medium for the message of Christ to arrest your attention and turn your focus back to Him. Lyrically, Jesus is truly at the center. Songs range from the upbeat worship anthem, “Rez (as in resurrection) Power,” to massive choirs songs like, “No Turning Back,” and calls to joy and blessing others in, “More Than Enough.” My favorite songs are Overflow and I Call You Jesus. Overflow reminds us of the overwhelming love that Christ showed us with His sacrifice and declare devotion to Him. I Call You Jesus has served as a welcome reminder to me of the power behind the name of Jesus. The chorus brings perspective that is too easily lost in the bustle of busy lifestyles...
“You’re name is Jesus, risen from the dead
You are the glory, the lifter of our head
You have the only name by which we can be saved
I call you Jesus!”
What a promise! What an encouragement...
I urge you to invest in this project. It will provide inspiration, strength, encouragement, joy and peace. Not because of the name of the person on the album but because of Israel’s willingness to place the focus and glory back where it belongs...on the name of our God and Savior, Jesus!

Reviewed by Michael Henson

3 comments:

ba san said...
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Safari shirts said...

I've always love the class off, since my princess came after, I all the time looking forward to my princess up onto the platform for us a lecture. In class, I will always staring at her face, the moment and never left. When I see her smile, I'll walks on stage, took her by the hand, and on the platform to dance, we only we two people wandering in the world, I looked at her, she looked at me, and she would smile to me, I'll go to kiss her, a gently.

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