This World's Not Worthy (Song)

Here is another parody song I've been wanting to share for a while now. It is a musical reminder of the truth of Hebrews 13 that tells us that those of us who follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour are sojourners in this land- aliens on this planet- and exiles in this time given. On our journey we seek to share God's love and truth with others and especially when we get depressed and disappointed in the passage of time, we always look to our true homeland in Heaven and remember that we are citizens of Heaven first. This world is not our home- we're just passing through. This is a song to encourage us in the wilderness and remember the great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us detailed in Hebrews 11. Keep soldiering on as a good soldier of The Lord Jesus Christ. And invite everyone in and trust the Holy Spirit to work from there- He's called out gypsies, tramps and thieves....

"This World's Not Worthy"
(parody of "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" by Cher; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 9/24/2017) (Hebrews 11, Hebrews 13, Galatians 3:28, Revelation 21-22)

We're sojourners and vagabonds all travellin' now
We're wanderers like Cain for the Son of God now
Pop in Hebrews 11- read good
Preach and live The Gospel- tell 'em like Hall of Faith- our witness cloud

Fibs, thieves, vamps redeemed
You'll hear us from ol' Abel on all down
'Cause Jesus' blood speaks better word
God had the Christ die for sin and come back now
Use faith and get saved now

Enoch deployed without the death deal
Noah survived- filled ark with animals deal
Sarah's 90, but she had a son
(Abe) rode without a compass
Abe proffered his begotten like God would do with His Son

Crips, Bloods-- Gangs redeemed!
God's power to save people knows no bounds
He's called out hippies, drunks and kings
We're one in Christ- Galatians 3 spells it out
So lay bigotries down

The younger did fool him, but Isaac blessed them both
Jacob followed suit- young'uns blessed
Joe's bones- take 'em- Israel in travel
And he's hidden 3 months, Moses child- uh huh
He'd rather suffer as God's child- uh huh

Kept Passover- The Lamb's blood was sprinkled on post
His people had dry land through the Red Sea- Egypt? No
Jericho's through- Rahab welcomed spies
Picture of The Gospel- Christ's the Scarlet Ribbon- welcome Him inside!

Gideon, Barak- peeps
God's Spirit came on people for a time
He called out Jephthah, Samson- see?
And David right along with Samuel
There's more than I can tell

Swindling, pimps, sex fiends
Delivered- for the City coming down
Thank Jesus! City that we seek
Is there with Christ- all the sin's forever bound
By faith we're Heavenbound

(So come on) Gypsies, tramps and thieves...

Obscure Clarity (poem)

     This is a poem I wrote a while back that I wanted to post on the blog here as I came across it in my old writings today. [Every now and then I like to repost some of my older writings from previous blogs and such just for archival purposes, and also because they are meaningful to me and I hope God may use them to encourage someone else too. :-)]
    It's kind of making fun of poems that are so deep with their meanings and have all these big words that you have to wade through to try to get to what you think the author meant. And the ambiguity that's almost purposefully put in place sometimes gets me annoyed sometimes- because you need to say what you mean and mean what you say. (Like Jesus said in Matthew 5:33-37) Of course, it's also written in a similar style as part of the joke. But catch the punchline at the end. (Bonus points to catch the references :-))
    Well, thanks to everyone who reads these things for faithfully doing that and for your prayers and God bless us, everyone! Hallelujah! Praise The Lord Jesus- He reigns! :-)

Obscure Clarity
....................
(copyright Nathan Ludwick 8/16/2008)
(Matthew 13:11-15, Proverbs 25:11, 1 Corinthians 1:25)

Insipid, vapid, rapid drips onto my page
Conspired, desired, inspired attempts in vain
What does it mean to glean meaning?
Is the inkwell deep or has it run dry?
Behind every conjured image does a metaphor hide?
Tired, mired, attired phrases to decipher
Incited, recited, invited analysis forms a cipher
Where everything is possible and nothing is as it seems
Enter the labyrinth to find out what it means
And the minotaur is just men who tire
Contrived, imbibed, arrived at what should be
Controlled, retold, untold concealed revealed themes
The world's foolish wisdom in majestic rhyme schemes
The Lord's wise foolishness plain, real and free

Every Tribe, Nation, Language, Tongue, Race...Until All Hear

I've been in an international mood for the last little while... I watched "Mr. Baseball" on VHS a while back (great movie with a sweet story, but I don't care to see it again due to all the language and locker room scenes...)- and that got me enamored with all things Japan. (Since the movie mainly takes place there.) So, I naturally followed up with the excellent 1989 Sesame Street production, "Big Bird in Japan". :-) And then I watched one of my favorite Quantum Leap episodes- "The Americanization of Machiko" (which deals with the treatment of Japanese in America shortly after World War II).

       Then, I had more international celebrations when I went to the first annual international festival in Greer. It was so great speaking with so many people from so many lands, seeing pictures of their lands, hearing music from their countries, seeing a cricket demonstration :-) and just celebrating the wonderful world God has made. (Later that weekend, I followed up with watching Sesame Street's other travelogue- the 1983 "Big Bird in China". :-) Both of these Sesame Street videos really do a great job of showing some of the famous sights of both lands and teaching children some key words in each language and sharing part of their culture and showing the beauty of their people.) And on Sunday afternoon and evening, I visited the Arabic Baptist Church that meets at my church and enjoyed worshipping The Lord together with them. A sweet lady there translated the whole service into English for me. The pastor delivered a convicting message about the cross and the choice we all must make about who we say Jesus is- I agree with Peter; He is The Christ, The Son of the Living God.

      I listened to the English translation of the many songs they sang in Arabic and was encouraged and moved by the words, all of which were very Biblical and many times taken straight from Scripture- I always love hearing that. :-) And one song actually had "Hallelujah" in it, so I could definitely sing that. And I believe the very first song we sang was "How Great Thou Art". I LOVE that hymn- and its subject, of course. How great God is- truly! It was totally awesome praising The Lord Jesus Christ with my brothers and sisters in The Lord, hearing me singing the verses I could recall in English blended with their Arabic. :-) (I tried to sing some of the Arabic words here and there where I could make them out on some songs. They all had a neat beat- it was interesting hearing authentic Egyptian style worship music. Yeah- most all of the church members are from Egypt- so I got to not only walk like an Egyptian, but sing and do church like an Egyptian too. :-)

           And some Egyptian Christians have an incredible walk with The Lord too and that was very encouraging to me to see-and to talk with Mrs. Rola (hope I spelt that right) at length about our testimonies. It was interesting to hear the contrast, with her coming out of the Orthodox Church in Egypt- getting away from rituals and praying to the saints and Mary, but never really truly being directed to Jesus Himself, Who alone gives salvation. It was a vast difference when she came to put her faith in Jesus and follow Him.

           I have sort of the opposite experience, having grown up with parents who love Jesus and learning about Christ at an early age and following in my sister's and brother's footsteps and coming to first trust Jesus as Savior as a young boy, one night after devotions. I still remember being so excited very soon afterwards to tell my younger brother that I was a Christian now and to tell him how he could know Jesus as Savior too. :-) (He came to make that decision at an early age too. :-))

         I told her how it's funny how Christians with my testimony sometimes make this kinda silly talk about wishing we had a more dramatic testimony. Like, if I had been an alcoholic and abusive to my family and a convicted thief and then had gotten saved and seen Jesus deliver me from all those things- then I would really know in a clear-cut way that He had truly saved me. But then Mrs. Rola reminded me that I have a wonderful testimony because God has blessed me with a longer time to know Him and follow Him. And she even said she was jealous of me for that. It was kinda funny to think about some, but of course she's right. It's like sometimes I've wanted to see something dramatic and drastic to really know Christ truly lives in me and has saved me- and then I got reminded that Christ has indeed saved me from all these things- so that I haven't ever been an alcoholic or gotten drunk (I choose not to drink at all- I did have wine at communion at a church once though- didn't realize it was wine at the time though. ;-) And wow- it has a bit of a sting- I could tell that wasn't grape juice. lol) I haven't abused anyone physically or been a convicted thief.

[Though, to be clear, I must admit, I have been guilty of stealing time and other intangible things at times and of being verbally abusive, among so many other sins.] But Jesus loves me and has forgiven me of all of them because I asked Him to do so. I trust His cross has pardoned me from all of them. Jesus died and rose again to give me salvation and I have put my faith in Him and trust that He has done just what He said He would do and given me salvation.

             As this sweet Egyptian-American lady told me, both of us are like the vineyard workers Jesus told a parable about once. (Matthew 20:1-16) I came at the start of the day and she came at the end of the day- but both of us get paid the same thing. :-) Praise God!

             We both shared about how we try to be missionaries where God has put us and share any part of the Word of God that we can and tell people the Good News of Jesus wherever the Holy Spirit gives us opportunities. That was also encouraging to hear- it's good to know and hear of the many God has out in His fields working and sowing the seed. Sometimes we plant the seed, sometimes we water, and sometimes we even get to see the fruit come up- but it's God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:1-9) The important thing is to be faithful in sharing and let God's Spirit work as He will for the results. Rest assured that every bit of Scripture you can share goes out with a purpose- and God will fulfill that purpose with it. (Isaiah 55:11)

              At both the Arabic church and at the international festival, I thought of the same Bible verse- Revelation 7:9. This beautiful verse speaks of an awesome moment when those of us who know and follow Christ as Savior will stand with Him in a crowd of multitudes that no one can count, which is comprised of some from every tribe, nation, tongue, language and race. What an amazing and beautiful scene- this is a scene of the world as God meant it to be- one people united in Christ and singing His praises for all eternity! And the Paradise Lost in Eden will one day be Paradise Regained in the new Eden- Heaven.

             But even as I consider that scene, while it was a joyous thing to contemplate at the Arabic church with brothers and sisters I know that Jesus has redeemed and will be with me and Him there in Heaven, it was a very sad thing to think of all those peoples from all over the world at the international fair that Jesus also loves and has died and risen for- but who have not yet put their faith in Jesus- and some because they simply have not heard yet. There is still a mission field out there that God the Father has called us all to work. And there is a real Hell and Heaven and those two are the only options for people's eternal destinations. When we have a mission of eternal importance to every human being in the history of the universe, we have a major impetus to get out the Gospel. God is long-suffering and doesn't want to see anyone perish, but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) And He expects us to be faithful and share His message with others. Now, remember- we can't force their hand and make them choose anything. No one has ever been argued or convinced into Heaven by the clever oratory skills of man. (Of which, if he has any- they are all a gift from God to begin with.) It's only The Holy Spirit working in people Who brings them to salvation. But we must be faithful to do our part and leave the results to Him.

"Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask The Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.' " (Matthew 9:37-38)

(Note: Definitely pray this prayer- and remember that you're part of the answer to your own prayer. If you have put faith in Jesus for salvation, you are a field reaper- so get busy working in the fields.)

              Don't worry about what you will say- God the Holy Spirit will provide you with that. Just ask God for the boldness to speak when He gives you the chance and for the boldness to follow His lead and make the opportunity when the Spirit leads you to someone who may still need to trust Christ.

           And, of course- make sure to live out the talk too. Live the life. Walk as Jesus did. Love God with all you've got, love your neighbors and love your enemies. Pray for them. Do the right thing even when no one else is and no one else is looking- except God. Seek The Lord while He may be found- draw near to Him and He'll draw near to you. Trust Him and trust His promises. Seize the moment and rescue the perishing.

             And remember that your mission field does not have to be some other country you've never been to somewhere- though it certainly can be- but until God directs you to go there, your mission field is right where God has placed you now. Do good now- don't wait for anything; jump right in and share of Jesus right where you are. And pray for God to work and trust that He will do just that.

              Then one day we will see that scene in Heaven come true and all join in bowing down and praising The Lamb who was slain for all the sins of the world- The Lamb who is risen and stands victorious forevermore! Praise The Lord Jesus Christ forever! Lord, You are forever crowned with all crowns. You are Lord, God, Savior, Brother and Lover and Friend. Thank You for Your love that is SO much more than my paltry definition can ever possibly strain to contain. You are Love itself- and because You have first loved us, we love You. Help us to show Your love to everyone so that all peoples may know You too.