Lyrics

• Track 9 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I’ve done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You
Complicated circumstances have clouded his view
Lord, I lift my friend up to You
I fear that I won’t have the words that he needs to hear
I pray for Your wisdom, oh God, and a heart that’s sincere
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You
My best friend in the world, I know he means much more to You
I want so much to help him, but this is something he has to do
And Lord, I lift my friend up to You
‘Cause there’s a way that seems so right to him
But You know where that leads
He’s becoming a puppet of the world, too blind to see the strings
Lord, I lift my friend up to You
My friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I’ve done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You

• Track 8 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Jeff Chandler

If all I had was one last breath
I’d spend it just to sing Your praise
Just to say Your name
If all I had was one last prayer
I’d pray it ’cause I know You’re always listening
If I could live a thousand lives, bind the hands of time
I would spend every moment by Your side

‘Cause I, I know You’re there, I know You see me
You’re the air I breathe
You are the ground beneath me
I know You’re there, I know You hear me
I can find You anywhere

If all I had was one more song to sing
I would raise my voice to make the heavens ring
If all I had was one last chance, I’d take it
I would stake it all on You, yeah, yeah
If I could raise up high and catch a glimpse of every eye
I would make them believe
What I feel inside

‘Cause I, I know You’re there, I know You see me
You’re the air I breathe
You are the ground beneath me
I know You’re there, I know You hear me
I can find You anywhere

If I could live a thousand lives and bind the hands of time, oh, oh
If I could rise up high and catch a glimpse of every eye

I know You’re there, I know You see me
You’re the air I breathe
You are the ground beneath me
I know You’re there, I know You hear me
I can find You anywhere

I know You’re there
I know You’re there
I know You’re there, You’re there

• Track 7 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You’ll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You’re making me
Somewhere in the middle, You’ll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence
Reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end
And we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences
The God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His
Or are we caught in the middle?
Are we caught in the middle?

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle, You’ll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence
Reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end
And we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences
The God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His
Or are we caught in the middle?

Fearless warriors in a picket fence
Reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end
And we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences
The God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His
Or are we caught in the middle?

Lord, I feel You in this place, and I know You’re by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I’m caught in the middle
Caught in the middle

• Track 6 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall

Careless, I am reckless
I’m a wrong-way travelin’, slowly unravelin’ shell of a man
Burnt out, I’m so numb now
That the fire’s just an ember way down in the corner of my cold, cold heart

Lord, this time I’ll make it right, here at the altar I lay my life
Your kingdom come but my will was done, my heart is broken as I

Cry like so many times before
But my eyes are dry before I leave the floor
Oh, Lord, I try (I try), but this time, Jesus, how can I be sure I will not lose my follow through
Between the altar and the door

Here at the altar, oh, my world’s so black and white
How could I ever falter
What You’ve shown me to be right

Lord, this time (Lord, this time) I’ll make it right (I’ll make it right), here at the altar I lay my life
Your kingdom come but my will was done, my heart is broken as I

Cry like so many times before
But my eyes are dry before I leave the floor
Oh, Lord, I try (I try), but this time, Jesus, how can I be sure I will not lose my follow through
Between the altar and the door

I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me

Jesus, I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me

Oh, Lord, I cry (Lord, I cry) like so many times before (many times before)
But my eyes are dry before I leave the floor
Oh, Lord, I try (I try, I try), but this time, Jesus, how can I be sure I will not lose my follow through
Between the altar and the door

Oh, Lord, I cry (Lord, I cry) like so many times before (so many times)
But my eyes are dry before I leave the floor
Oh, Lord, I try (I try), but this time, Jesus, how can I be sure I will not lose my follow through
Between the altar and the door

• Track 5 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall and Steven Curtis Chapman
• Featuring Tony Nolan

Looking out from His throne, the Father of light and of men
Chose to make Himself known and show us the way back to Him
Speaking wisdom and truth into the hearts of peasants and kings
He began to unveil the Word that would change the course of all things
With eyes wide open, all would see

The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive

Simple strokes on a page
Eternity’s secrets revealed, carried on from age to age
It speaks truth to us even still
And as the rain falls from Heaven, feeds the earth before it returns
Lord, let Your Word fall on us and bring forth the fruit You deserve
With eyes wide open, let us see

The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive

The Bible was inscribed over a period of two thousand years
In times of war and in days of peace
By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers, and shepherds
The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive could have been produced by such a diverse crowd
Over a period of time which staggers the imagination
Jesus is its grand subject, our good is its design, and the glory of God is its end

The Word is alive
And it cuts like a sword through the darkness
With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid
Breathing life into all who believe
The Word is alive
And the world and its glories will fade
But His truth, it will not pass away
It remains yesterday and forever the same
The Word is alive (the world and its glories will fade)
The Word is alive (its truth it will not pass away)
His Word is alive (His Word is alive, His Word is alive)

Jesus is its grand subject, our good is its design, and the glory of God is its end

• Track 4 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

Here I am, Lord, and I’m drowning in Your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don’t want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight

I know You’ve cast my sin as far as the East is from the West
And I stand before You now as though I’ve never sinned
But today I feel like I’m just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

Jesus, can You show me just how far the East is from the West
‘Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
‘Cause You know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins, endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I’m in
Today I feel like I’m just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

Jesus, can You show me just how far the East is from the West
‘Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
‘Cause You know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other

I know You’ve washed me white, turned my darkness into light
I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night
I can’t live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals
I’m not holding on to You, but You’re holding on to me
You’re holding on to me

Jesus, You know just how far the East is from the West
I don’t have to see the man I’ve been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
‘Cause You know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other

Just how far the East is from the West
Just how far

One scarred hand to the other

Just how far the East is from the West
Just how far

From one scarred hand to the other

• Track 3 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall
• Featuring Reagan Hall

Be careful little eyes what you see
It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It’s a slow fade
It’s a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you’re thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

And it’s a slow face when you give yourself away
It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
And thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day (slow fade)
Daddies never crumble in a day (slow fade)
Families never crumble in a day

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see

• Track 2 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall, Bernie Herms, and Nichole Nordeman

I’m the man with all I’ve ever wanted
All the toys and playing games
I am the one who pours your coffee, corner booth each Saturday
I am your daughter’s favorite teacher
I am the leader of the band
I sit behind you in the bleachers
I am every man

I’m the coach of every winning team and still a loser in my mind
I am the soldier in the airport facing giants one more time
I am the woman shamed and haunted by the cry of unborn life
I’m every broken man, nervous child, lonely wife

Is there hope for every man?
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man?
Is there love that never dies?
Is there peace in troubled times?
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man?

Seems there’s just so many roads to travel, it’s hard to tell where they will lead
My life is scarred and my dreams unraveled
Now I’m scared to take the leap
If I could find someone to follow who knows my pain and feels the weight
The uncertainty of my tomorrow, the guilt and pain of yesterday

Is there hope for every man?
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man?
Is there love that never dies?
Is there peace in troubled times?
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man?

There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man
There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand?
Jesus is hope for every man

There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man
There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand?
Jesus is hope for every man

• Track 1 of Casting Crowns’ The Altar and the Door
• Written by Mark Hall and Hector Cervantes

What this world needs is not another one-hit wonder with an ax to grind
Another two-bit politician peddling lies
Another three-ring circus society

What this world needs is not another sign-waving super saint that’s better than you
Another ear-pleasing candy man afraid of the truth
Another prophet in an Armani suit

What this world needs is a Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love them in their time of need
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love
That’s what this world needs

What this world needs is for us to care more about the inside than the outside
Have we become so blind that we can’t see
God’s gotta change her heart before He changes her shirt?

What this world needs is for us to stop hiding behind our relevance
Blending in so well that people can’t see the difference
And it’s the difference that sets the world free

What this world needs is a Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love them in their time of need
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love
That’s what this world needs

People aren’t confused by the Gospel, they’re confused by us
Jesus is the only way to God, but we are not the only way to Jesus
This world doesn’t need my tie, my hoodie, my denomination, or my translation of the Bible
They just need Jesus
We can be passionate about what we believe, but we can’t strap ourselves to the Gospel
‘Cause we’re slowing it down
Jesus is going to save the world, but maybe the best thing we can do
Is just get out of the way

What this world needs is a Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love them in their time of need
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love
That’s what this world needs

Jesus is our Savior
That’s what this world needs
Father’s arms around you
That’s what this world needs
That’s what this world needs