NO COMPROMISE

I repent of ever having recorded one single song and ever having performed one concert if my music and more importantly ---- my life--has not provoked you into Godly jealousy , or to sell out more completely to Jesus- KEITH GREEN

That quote came from Keith Green, without a doubt one of the most anointed musical ministers to have ever lived, a man who i like to call the Psalmist(David) of the 20th Century,others called him a John the Baptist on the keyboard, a spiritual revolutionary .A man whose musical talent was only surpassed by his passion for Christ and evangelism. On his way to become a rock star, he had talent that could rival the likes of Elton John .If he was in the secular world he would have been up there with Billy Joel. His skills on the Piano were amazing and he was destined for greatness,and Bob Dylan saw this potential in him .

As a young boy raised in a Jewish home, he constantly searched for spiritual answers while pursuing his music career. He tried everything under the sun, and remember, this was the 70's .

And then at age 21, after intense seeking on many paths , Keith found Christ, his life was instantly regenerated he became a new person. With this rebirth, and realizing the world lacked this news, he immediately dropped his rock star ambitions, and wanted to tell the entire world about the transformation that had taken place in his life; even if it meant never playing music again publicly, but God had different plans for his life.

Soon after auditioning and scoring a record deal with Christian Label Sparrow records, he released his first album, spreading the Good News he had discovered shipping the equivalent of 500,000 units today. After several hit albums he left Sparrow and formed his on Label with the intentions of giving his albums away, for free. It even got to a point that he refused to charge people to attend his concerts. He rejected the idea making money out of the gospel which he repeatedly pronounced was free and refused to charge people to come hear him sing/minister.

Can you imagine that happening today!!, a "gospel" artist that holds all their concerts for free and give out whole albums for free, at their own expense,quite a contrast to what happened a few years ago when a popular gospel duo, refused to fly to London because of a money dispute.

To Keith, his music was ministry, not a career,and was not about showing people his talent or having people scream his name, he saw it as an assignment, the great commission. He often appealed to people not to exalt him or place him on a pedestal and redirected all praise to Jesus. Often times , audience members that desired a career in Christian music would ask advice on how to become gospel singers; he'd then proceed to ask them a series of questions

"Are you willing to never play music again? Are you willing to be a nothing? Are you willing to go anywhere and do anything for Christ? Are you willing to stay right where you are and let the Lord do great things through you, though no one may seem to notice at all? ...those seeking bright lights and screams from adoring fans often left downcast and disappointed.

When not recording or on tour, he held Bible studies and training, he and his young wife opened their home to single mothers,runaways, addicts ,the homeless and those seeking God. Note, this was not a man that had a large income, or even a steady stream. Remember that he gave his albums away for free, they had a little royalty from previous years, but with housing and taking care of 20 -30 people at anytime ..well... they simply lived by faith.

Tragedy struck in 1982, Keith died in a plane crash, with two of his young children, leaving behind a pregnant wife and an infant daughter, he was just 28.

27 years on, his music is still challenging lives, turning people to the Good News of Jesus Christ, and lighting the fire of a radical desire to sell out for Christ. Like a musical John he Baptist he was a voice crying out in the a spiritual wilderness. Despite his enormous success and following, He refused to be a celebrity and only wanted to challenge people to live for God. THAT and much more he definitely achieved.

As i listen to songs he recorded in the 70's ,they still challenge my life more than a large majority what i hear from my generation which entertains but rarely convicts the spirit. Many have great flair,catchy and easy to nod your head to and dance to, but no soul stirring and rarely different from the same emotions stirred by secular music . His music is uncompromisingly about the Gospel. He did not try to make it ambiguous or open for interpretation so that anyone can accept it as they see fit, he was clear about his message without losing the amazing musical delivery.

I look at Keith's life and his ministry legacy , what he accomplished within such a small time span between coming to the Lord at age 21 and his death at 28. He's been gone for over 25 years, and yet through the clear message in his music, generations born long after his death are being challenged to live for God beyond a cushy luke warm status. Not just entertained but he provoked listeners to asses our walk with God and see how we can do much better. The impact he made in those short 7 years of ministry, is more than many others do in a lifetime.

Now, we are not all going to have a musical platform , we are not all going to be public speakers, or hold a place in the five fold ministry, we are not all going to open our homes to as many as he did ,but we can cry out to God on how our lives can be a Love song unto him.

One of Keith's songs , written by his wife, Melody , was titled "Make my life a Prayer to you" , the opening lines are quite profound as he cries out "Make my life a prayer to You, I wanna do what you want me to, No empty words and no white lies,No token prayers no compromise...........".

"I want to do what you want me to", this reiterates the Lord's prayer, "thy will done on earth as it is in Heaven", and not us chanting scripture at God in an attempt to psyche or strong arm him, into giving us what we want instead of his desire for us.

I feel very challenged and ask myself ,what my life would mean when I'm gone. Would i have left behind a testimony that would change people's hearts towards God. Would they hear about my passing and , say "chei ya"(what a pity) and forget about it a few seconds later, with no impact on their lives towards Christ. Would people be able to identify and say "that was a man that lived for God and his life was an example of unrivaled passion for God? I'm ashamed to say that as i look at my life right now, and even my ambitions, if i dropped dead this second, my life would not have been a herald trumpet testimony unto God.

All i can do is cry out to Lord as ask that he create in me that heart for ministry, whether it be in my personal , professional or otherwise. Being a witness would be much more than posting a status update, writing a note, or putting up a video, but that in every moment of every day , my life both behind doors and in public, can be the salt and light to the earth.

I leave you with some more words from Keith , that really challenge me , i have not reached this state and i ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to get me there.To lay aside all ambitions and dreams if that is what he asks me to do, and like the 12 disciples, just follow and walk in faith no matter how ludicrous the world,friends, family think it is.

"NO compromise is what the whole Gospel of Jesus is all about...For i tell you ..no man can serve two masters..(Matt 6:24) In a day when believers seem to be trying to please the world and the Lord(which is impossible) , when people are far more concerned about offending their friends than offending God, there is only one answer....Deny yourself take up your cross and follow Him"- Keith Green

God Bless