A Deeper Level

What a manifestation of a purposed time of prayer and worship! Israel and New Breed took worship to a deeper level for sure with this CD. I could hear so much scripture thread through the lyrics of these songs--and there was some praise, but so much worship. I found myself listening to this CD at the highest volume, lost in praise...and you will do the same. If you are not familiar with Israel's style of praise, don't be alarmed--it is contemporary, but it is deeply rooted in the Word and will not distract at all. My favorites are We have Overcome, Prayers of the Righteous, I Know Who I Am, and I LOVE You are Not Forgotten. Enjoy and be blessed in the process!

From the first track I was drawn in...just from Israel's declarations...all it took was one mention of scripture "the plow man will overtake the reaper" ...and it hit a spot that I didn't know was in need of watering. This cd has literally changed my life. It speaks to the broken places...even the ones you didn't know were broken until you listened to the songs. My absolute favorite is "Prayers of the Righteous"...particularly the end of the song that declares that God is miraculous...when I'm driving I literally look up into the sky and declare this to the Lord!!! And I absolutely adore "I Know Who I Am"!!! I love Chris Tomlin. And I cannot forget "I Will Search"...this was the first song on the cd that drew me in! "With Long Life" reminds me that death and life are in the power of the tongue...and "Say So" is definitely a jump up and down declaration powerhouse of a song! And, finally, I love the last track "You Are Not Forgotten"...especially the tribute to the tune from Bonnie DeBarge's "A Dream" (widely known from Tupac Shakur's "I Ain't Mad Atcha"). This cd is VERY encouraging and is great for those who are definitely trying to make it to another dimension in God. It has some traditional praise and worship, but is definitely a more mature approach to praise and worship...it is soooo evident that they followed the leading of the spirit when making this. I heard they fasted before coming together to do this project, and it definitely shows!

Guess what,I'm listening right now to this AMAZING cd! It is a multicultural phenomenon! Who can not be blessed listening to this? Every song beatifully performed.Fantastic Christmas gift.Seriously I'm thinking of buying another so that I can leave one in the car.I read on the insert that this entire group fasted before recording. The results are truly amazing.Go ahead and buy it!

Anyone who has heard any CD by Israel & New Breed knows that they carry a special anointing for live performances. This CD is additional evidence of that. It starts out by welcoming the presence of God into the time of worship and reminding Him that we know who He is. I say "we" because when I listen to this CD, I feel like I was there with them at the concert. It is "that" anointed! The next few tracks remind us not only of who God is, but of who WE are in Him. I don't know about you, but when I think of my human tendencies, I need to be reminded that God still thinks I'm special, that He loves me and that I can come to Him as I am. Thank goodness. Tracks like "I know who I am", "Surely Surely", "With Long Life", and "Identity" leave no doubt as to who YOU are in Christ Jesus. The CD ends with the beautiful acoustic-sounding song "You are not forgotten". Though the titles may be similar to songs done before, the song is different.

While the CD is very anointed, it still displays the talent of Israel & New Breed, as well as guest artistes Darlene Zschech, Jonny Lang, YPJ, T-Bone, and others.

I must admit, though, that while this CD is great, my fave is still "Live in South Africa". This one comes in second, though. I highly recommend it! I especially recommend it to anyone who has had an abortion, anyone who questions their gender assignment, and others who suffer from guilt about their past acts ... Israel speaks specifically to these things in "Surely Surely (Speaking)".

Although not as good as "Israel and New Breed alive in South Africa" it is still an excellent effort. I have heard it argued that this cd was just a slap up, and that Israel Houghton needs to get back in the prayer closet before he produces more songs, but i would say to these people that they need to read about the production of this cd before they say things like that. The whole worship team spent time in prayer and fasting before diving into this "deeper level" project and it shows. If you cant feel the presence of God when you listen, its not the cd, its you. Because the hard work and prayer shows as they sing and face issues that people deal with daily. It is relevant to believers today, and has a diverse range of songs. Both the praise and worship is great, it reaches many different cultures and ages. there will be tracks on this CD for everyone!