Don't Let The Sun Go Down Angry (Song)

Note: This is an entry from the archives that I started thinking on again recently after hearing the original song again. Since the singer, Sir Elton John, recently had a successful biographical movie ("Rocketman") come to theatres, it seemed like a good time to bring this one to the light of day again. Of course, it's all about dealing with things in the light of day- and not letting anger linger into the night but instead dealing with it while it's still called today. Don't let the sun go down angry- but let The Son shine on you and cleanse you of unrighteousness.
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Okay! And now for a serious one and one of my favourite ones! This one was actually largely inspired from a Sunday sermon that I heard when I wrote this. The title was just there and just perfect for one of the Bible verses I heard almost verbatim! And it’s from yet another favorite ‘70s song- though the pianist continues to make hits today of course.
But this song is all about ending each day on the right note and not letting the sun go down angry- but rather, making peace.
(Note: In an effort to be poetic and because it just seemed to fit the rhyme scheme of the song best, this song is actually sung from the point of view of anger personified.)


“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down Angry”
Copyright by Nathan Ludwick 8/4/2011
(parody of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John)
(Ephesians 4:26-32, Ephesians 5:8, Proverbs 19:11, Proverbs 29:11, Ecclesiastes 7:8-9, Romans 12:19, James 1:19-21, Colossians 3:7-9, 1 Corinthians 13, Hebrews 3:13)

I can’t light no more of your darkness
Read the Scriptures- Ephesians 5:8- stay in the light
You’re growing tired and time instills abhorring
Satan’s there on the ladder of your life

Your hate enslaves yourself to falling
You seek vengeance- it changed your peace to strife
If you’d just read Ephesians 26 verse (in)
Chapter 4 and left me binded by The Christ

Chorus:
Don’t let the sun go down angry (Don’t let the sun)
You only hurt yourself and all while someone else is free
Christ disallows a fragment of your life to writhe and seethe
But choosing your sulking is like the sun going down on me

Eleventh line- oh, it’s right- Proverbs 29 [two nine]
Fools seethe full brunt but see the wise conceal
Go on, discard me hon’ because it grieves Spirit of God
Now these cuts you have- they need God’s Love (to) help them heal

(Repeat Chorus twice)
……………………………………………………………………………..
  For now, keep redeeming the time for the days are evil- but don’t get angry and complain and don’t curse out your brothers while blessing Christ’s name. Rather, keep showing the love of Christ to everyone each day and make the most of every day that God has given us for His glory.
May His face shine upon you and give you peace. God bless. :-)

Sweet Ol' King James (1611 mix) (song)

This song felt appropriate to post around April Fool's Day, even though I'm a day off. (April Fool's! Not that being late in posting something counts as much of a joke.) And even though I do treat this song in something of a joking manner, I do want to make clear that I don't mean it with any disrespect. The reason I feel that this kind of song is almost, dare I say, Taylor-made for this holiday, is because it's a parody of a song by a guy called James singing about another James- and my version sings about yet another James- King James. Some Christians feel very strongly about his Bible translation and hold to it to the point of excluding any other translation- to the point of even denouncing other translations as demonic works of some sort because they don't render God's Word exactly as the good ol' Textus Receptus. I just find the argumentation to be ridiculous at times because it's only divisive to the church. Sometimes we have to just agree to disagree agreeably.
 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all of Scripture is God-breathed and it's useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. And I believe all the translations of The Holy Bible are useful for the same purposes as well. In 1 Corinthians 1, the issue is raised about some following Paul, and some Apollos, and some Cephas (i.e. Peter) and still others saying, "I follow Christ." I think that's the important thing to remember- we who follow Christ above all else need to love each other and serve as one united body of believers in Christ, just like Jesus prayed in John 17- and as yet another James wrote about, by the Holy Spirit's guidance. (see James 3)
So whether you dig the New Living Translation or you're down with the New International Version or the North American Standard Bible or the English Standard Version- or you're rocking out with 1611 King James Version- come together as one in Christ and let's seek to love each other above all. After all, Jesus said the most important commands for us- "Thou shalt love The Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength and love thy neighbor as thyself."

"Sweet Ol' King James (1611 mix)" (parody of "Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 1/29/2017)
(Proverbs 30:5-6, Psalms 119:89-90, Psalms 119:96-97, Psalms 119:160, Romans 13:8-14, 1 Corinthians 9:15-23, Psalms 18:30, Matthew 18:15-20, Matthew 5:38-42, Matthew 5:9-15, Matthew 7:1-6, Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31, John 15:12, James 1:19-20, Hebrews 12:14, Psalms 133, Philippians 1:15-18, James 3, John 17, Mark 9:38-41, Luke 9:49-50, 2 Timothy 3:16, Luke 9:55 (in the footnotes), Romans 14, Romans 12:9-21, 1 Corinthians 3, 1 Corinthians 14:20, Galatians 5, Ephesians 2:18-22, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4:8, John 15:8, John 13:34-35, Titus 3:1-11,1 Thessalonians 5:12-28, Colossians 3:11-17, 1 Corinthians 10:23-33, 1 Corinthians 1, 1 Corinthians 8, 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Corinthians 10:7)

There was this one Calvinist, in England he reigned
He ordered a Bible- KJV-only folks champion
He spoke in the natural good King's English canon
Writing for commoners, translators arranged
Erasmus dude's write-up assists all the scribes there
52 top men- about 7 years
In 1609, then the whole thing's reviewed there
The chief one of all, Rich Bancroft- overseer
And then came 400 odd years

Chorus 1
Goodbye, all you new translations
Rocking out (with) sweet ol' King James
"Thees", "thous", "verilys" too- vernacular I use
Won't just let you read out of NIV
I'm rocking out 1611 James

Now there're verses you remember because of the flow
Jesus spoke just like in Cambridge sixteen oughts then (i.e. 1600s)
His birth, prayer, baptism- we recount like that James king
It's been filed inside thee- 'cause the Western mores did mold

Philippians 1:18- well, we praise when Lord Christ's preached
They're wrong if using NASB (or) ESV(?)
It's wrong 'cause they leave off verses most others can't find(?)
They're included in footnotes? If it helps you to read-
Olde English works just fine for me

Chorus 2
So, goodbye, all you new translations
What about wisdom?- 3 James
133 in Psalms- united brothers- How cool!
Can't we just please agree to disagree?
Be unified like Jesus prayed

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Diversity and your cup of tea...

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/time-be-candid-google-admits-lack-workplace-diversity-n116866

           Why does the article treat this like it's a problem? Why can't it just be that the demographics are simply how the numbers worked out for... Google? Why must it be perceived like Google has some nefarious plot to mainly hire Caucasian men and snub others? Why are Caucasian males not considered "diverse" in and of themselves? (As if they all think exactly the same and have the same backgrounds, etc. As if that's true of any group of people...) And why are churches with predominantly African-American congregations and clergy not considered to be lacking in diversity? Why are Native American reservations not considered to be lacking in diversity? Why is it an issue at all? Why can't we just see people as human beings made in the image of God who are all infinitely important and loved by Him?
          I got the impression the attitude adopted by the company was saying that if we don't have this much quotient for this race, and this much for this gender and this much for whatever other category one wants to list- we must be racist, sexist, etc.. and thus, there must be a problem. I agree that if a company like Google is actually consciously or subconsciously discouraging anyone from applying (other than reasons of not being qualified- i.e. not having a computer science degree)- then, yes- there is a problem that needs to be corrected. But if that's just how the numbers played out, that's okay too. I think society at large tends to steer men and women to certain professions and that's not any one company's fault. Certainly things can be done to improve that so all boys and girls are encouraged to pursue whatever career they feel God has prepared them for. I only mentioned churches and reservations as examples- I don't consider them racist (unless they are actively discouraging others from coming- with a race-predominant church, that's a huge issue because The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone! With the reservations, I understand the desire for Native Americans to practice their way of life in seclusion and having spoken with a full blooded Native American who has lived on a reservation, I have learned some more about them in recent times. (At least some reservations do have a deal about not allowing American Indian/non-American Indian marriages to live on a reservation together though- which is a bummer, but that's their thing if they choose to be separate.)         Why should a business pick a minority out of two equally qualified candidates? I understand that's the goal of affirmative action, but I find that equally racist. I don't think hiring someone "because we need a black guy to meet racial quotas" is a good reason to hire someone. I think that's more patronizing than anything.
          I didn't say predominantly black membership churches and Native American reservations are being racist or anything of the sort and I definitely do not mean to imply that. I understand the historical reasons for their existence. The 1964 Civil Rights Act is a great achievement that needed to happen and I applaud it. (I just wish its ideals had been applied back around 1620 or so and that America and all other countries had never gotten into the slave trade to begin with, as it is obviously morally wrong and a sin to treat anyone as less than a human being made in the image of God and eternally loved by Him. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.)
My comparison with them and Google was just to point out that no one criticizes these groups for not being "diverse" (even though they are diverse by virtue of having more than one person there), but Google is criticized for not being "diverse". I don't see why that is a concern, unless of course, they are actively trying to discriminate against and discourage any particular group of people from getting jobs there (outside of the unqualified applicants who don't have the necessary Computer Science degrees of course.)
        I have also been to different churches that have predominantly African-American congregations and I have been totally welcomed in The Name of The Lord. :-) (There is certainly a different style though from Caucasian-predominant Baptist churches- but that's cool. Diversity in that sense is good. We all worship the same Lord God Christ for all His followers. And Jesus prayed that we would be one in John 17. And Galatians 3:26-29 says that there is no Jew or Greek or male or female in Christ; rather, we are all one in Christ. :-))
Anyway, that's mainly what I was trying to say. I also disagree with the thinking that says that a bunch of people of the same race, gender, age, religious background, etc. are all the same in thinking and thus, not diverse. I tend to think that's rather prejudiced in itself. We are all unique with our own thoughts and we all add something of value because God made us all in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27) That's why I like to say that God thinks we are all infinitely important and so do I. He proved that by sending Jesus to die for all our wrongdoings and failures and rise again so that we could put our faith in Him for salvation! The Bible says He has loved us with an everlasting love! (Jeremiah 31:3) And He commands all who follow Him to show that same love to everyone. (John 15:12 - Jesus says it quite a few times in this chapter. They will know we are Christians by our love- that's what Jesus says.)
*As to the example of Native American reservations and single race-predominant churches, they are just examples. As C.S. Lewis (more or less) said once, if they are helpful- cool. If not- discard them.