Gloria in Excelsis Deo (song)

 The wonder and mystery of the Incarnation is always so startling and overwhelming when I truly contemplate it. Romans 5:8 is a Bible verses that always blows me away when I consider its truth. "But God demonstrated His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It's crazy to think that God Almighty Himself loves us all so much that He would deign to lower Himself in such great humility and strap on human skin and bones for 33 years! One of my favourite Christmas carols captures it well. "Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown when Thou camest to Earth for me. But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room for Thy holy nativity! O come to my heart, Lord Jesus! There is room in my heart for Thee." ("Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne" by E.S. Elliot) It's amazing to think that God would leave His throne and set aside His glory in Heaven and come to Earth for me! Thank You, Lord Jesus for coming to save me from my sins so that I could be born again! Thank You that are risen and returning as well! That kind of amazing love and grace drives me to sing with the angels, "Gloria!" All glory to Lord Jesus! Grazie, Signore! 

"Gloria in Excelsis Deo" (parody of "Gloria" as performed by Laura Branigan; written by Umberto Tozzi, Giancarlo Bigazzi and Trevor Veitch) (copyright by Nathan Ludwick 12/16/2020)
(Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Genesis 3:15, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-56, Luke 2:1-21)

Story of what took place with God's Son now
Coming after prophecy
Isaiah 7:14 (now)
1 Matthew's got this quote now
The Lord Himself foretold it
Virgin gets pregnant- forthcomes Babe out
So the angel said to Joseph
He nearly broke it off with her
But he stuck with Mary instead
And her Boy's God Incarnate
Called Emmanuel! God with us!
Going to save us from sin!
And Mary's God's servant- cool!
Got visit by angel Gabriel in
Luke in the first chapter
Read where she then magnified
Oh-oh-oh, Holy Lord our God!
Magnificat! (Background Vocals: Magnificat!)
Decree says go be numbered
(BGV: Go read up!) 5:2 Micah- birthplace (of) Jesus
(BGV: Word of God!) But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah
(BGV: You're little!) But you shall bring forth Israel's ruler
Joseph's from line of David
Got no choice 'cause inn's full- then- swaddling cloths, manger
Ah-ah-ah! Ah-ah-ah!
Glory of Lord our God- it shone 'round
Shepherds keeping watch that same night
Oh, still Bethlehem's 'bout to be loud!
Time's due- Mary births God's Son- read
Take a look there in Luke chapter 2
"Fear not!" angel said (to) shepherds who quake
"For all people, I'm bringing Good News!
Unto you this day is born a Saviour
Well, He's born in city of David
Christ The Lord- sign you'll get- swaddling cloths, manger"
Gloria (BGV: Gloria) Angel is joined by numbers
(BGV: Gloria) They speak to God these praises thus
(BGV: Gloria) Luke 2 verse 14- (thanks, Linus)
(BGV: Gloria) "To God glory in the highest
Peace on earth, good will to men
On whom God's favour rests"- calling Gloria!
(BGV: Gloria) (x3) 
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From Heaven in Prophetic Dreams (song)

 It's funny how we attach people with certain things in our minds. We do this with a lot of things too. There are some one-hit wonder bands out there that are always known for that one main song. They may actually have had other hits too but they will never be bigger than their one huge, worldwide hit. (For example, try to name a song by Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots besides "Disco Duck".) The same happens with actors and actresses who get associated with a major role. No matter what else they do, everyone will always know them for that role. (For example of this- Christopher Reeve as Superman.) This happens sometimes with people we've heard about in The Bible too. We've all heard about Daniel in the lion's den in Sunday School. And we've probably heard about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego facing the fiery furnace too. And maybe we only know Daniel for his special diet and interpreting the writing on the wall and the king being made like a beast for a time before repenting. All those events only make up the first half of the book though! There are a lot of prophetic dreams and visions Daniel gets in the latter half of the book that we don't always hear as much about. Sometimes they can even be a bit hard and scary to read them. We need to read them and understand them though because all of God's Word is important and useful for teaching, instructing and rebuking- and we need to fill up on all of it, okay? This song does mention some of the more famous things Daniel's known for but it focuses in more on the messages he got from Heaven in prophetic dreams.

"From Heaven in Prophetic Dreams" (parody of "Together in Electric Dreams" by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/17/2020)
(the book of Daniel, Jeremiah 25, Matthew 24)

You only know Dan for a diet
Served Nebuchadnezzar's court
Telling his dreams- promoted
Friends won't bow- face flames (Christ preincarnate saves)
Palace to barnyard- king recognized
God rules as the Most High
Angelic tweet
Lions won't eat their prey
Yeshua- The Lord saves! (God always wins)
You ought to read next chapters
However hard it seems (From 7 to end)
Daniel and/or Belteshazzar
From Heaven gets prophetic dreams
Beasts- 4- first vision- that's explained
The Ancient of Days reigns
Shown next there's a ram and goat
Gabriel defines it's about end times
(Time to read Jeremiah)
Humble, confessing Daniel prays
Receives knowledge from Gabe
Then shown shiny guy
Daniel's terrified- he closed his eyes
(Loved one, now stand)
Angel says he's been held up
By Persia prince- Mike's on scene (God's angel's sent)
There's all these kings in days latter
A Southern and a Northern king
They'll align kingdoms together
However, falls- breaking
(Alliance ends)
Abomination desolate there
South and North- both kingdoms left fighting
Michael, rise- angel of Heaven
Now there's trouble, worst seen
(God's peeps delivered)
Well, all names in book written
Forever life or contempting
Daniel, you seal book for now
Knowledge runs far- increased
(How long 'til the end?)
Daniel's 70th. week
Shout out there- Matt. 24:15

All Through Jesus' Rule (song)

 C.S. Lewis said in his classic "The Screwtape Letters" book that there are two errors people fall into about the devils. One is to disbelieve in them and the other is to believe in them with an unhealthy interest and obsession. The devil and his demons are equally pleased with both errors. Thus, it's important to maintain the right balance in our view of the spiritual battle that we are all in as followers of Christ. As Ephesians 6:12 tells us, we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with spirits, forces and powers in the heavenly realms! We don't have to be scared of them though and we don't have to let them push us around. Jesus empowers us to resist the devil and his demons. Through the power of Jesus' Name, we can even command demons to obey in Christ's Name. We need to be aware of the battle going on around us and be brave and bold in standing strong with the full armour of God on us. We only need faith the size of a mustard seed in Jesus to tell a mountain to jump into the sea- and it will be done! Stand strong in faith in Jesus. Do your devo in 1 John 4:4 and you'll find that the One who is in us is greater than the one in the world. He has won the victory!

"All Through Jesus' Rule" (parody of "Through Being Cool" by Devo; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/15/2020)
(1 John 4:4, Revelation 20:10, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, 2 Corinthians 10:1-6, Mark 16:14-20, Matthew 12:22-32, Matthew 12:43-45, Matthew 17:14-21, Luke 11:14-26, Luke 10:17-20, Romans 16:20, Ephesians 6:10-20, 2 Timothy 1:7)

We're through being cool
We're through playing cool
Eliminate the lily-livered bits
You wanna barge ahead?
We're gonna need Jesus!
Christ will show those evil spirits He's God
When one leaves from a fallen house
Returns, brings in seven more too
Want these parasites to be cast out?
Matt. 12- it declares- Look through 29
Luke too- 11 find
Plan strong man to bind first- by Jesus!
Time to clean some house!
Indeed plunder the house!
Waste then is laid to a divided house!

Even if you lack big faith
Only factor's in Whom it's found
Faith of mustard seed-sized grain
Throws mountains all around

Even if you lack big faith
Mighty plants form from seeds now
Faith of mustard seed-sized grain
Throws mountains all around

Corinthians, 2
Look to 12:10, dude
Depend of Grace- Power perfected in weakness
Lord, the demons obey!
We can tread on snakes!
Rejoice that Christ picked our souls to be saved

6 Ephesians- as Paul found,
The fight's unseen- in Heavenly realms
Like Alien, chests that burst out
They're there in the air

We're through being fooled
We're through being tools
2 (Two) Timothy 1:7 verse it says
We're not fear-imbued
Accrued Spirit's tools
Power, love, self-driving through Jesus
Trust Him!
Stand firm! Jesus rules!
We're fueled by Him too!

New Heaven and Remade Earth (song)

As a Halloween and Reformation Day treat, I thought these next two songs would be appropriate. This is sort of my Hell and Heaven suite. The first one has the devil in the details, detailing his origins, his workings now and his assured eternal destruction. This second one is about the happiest place not on Earth- and that's Heaven! The world also paints a lot of images and ideas about this that place that do not be lending any light on on the subject. Heaven's only entered One Way- through faith in Jesus' death and Resurrection to pay for our sins. This world is in a horrible mess because of sin- it's like a broken car pile in a junkyard. We will never fix it in human strength and make a Heaven on Earth. However, Jesus promises to take us to Heaven if we trust Him to fix us and everything else- and He will one day make a new Heaven and new Earth. And He uses us now to point people to the rebirth that only comes from Him who makes all things new! That's the day we long for! Behold, the One who promises this says He is coming soon. Even so, come Lord Jesus!


"New Heaven and Remade Earth"
(Parody of "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" by Belinda Carlisle; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 5/30/2018)
(Genesis 1-3, Philippians 1:21-27, Genesis 11, John 6:44, Romans 5, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 2:1-18, Psalms 2, Psalms 16, Psalms 137, Isaiah 66, John 14, Matthew 5:16, Revelation 19:16, Revelation 20-22)

Ooh, hating seems to only get worse
Ooh, Heaven- come invade the Earth
The day when Heaven's Son returns
He'll remake Heaven (and) remake the Earth
New Heaven and a remade Earth

When The Christ calls now
The wait is through and He's come back down
All the world lays eyes on Him now
Babylon finally dies!
And our talk to self-improve
It's all a joke- falls apart- Psalms 2
Adam's sinning cursed the world and us
And You lifted it off by way of the cross

You saved me and each soul- what's our worth?
Ooh, Heaven is a grace undeserved
The Way to Heaven- God draws first
We make Heaven by faith not works
2 Ephesians- we're saved for good works

This world's not my home- I'm just passing through
Psalms 16:11- Home!
Then in John 14- our hearts rejoice
You prepare for me!
In His world, we get new beginning
And now with man again our Lord is living
66 Isaiah- saith The Lord
All flesh come to praise- praise The Lord!

Ooh, praise Him! Make Him Lord while on Earth
2 Philippians says all praise- 10th. verse
Don't waste a second- Love or Curse?
Get saved while living- too late in hearse
Choose Heaven! Put your faith in Christ's work

In His world we'll have no sinning
No hunger and thirst- we're all filled by King of Kings
Babel tower's our way and Hell's door
But Lord God's The Way and only Door

Ooh, Satan- do your gloats for now, jerk
Revelation says your doom's assured
You see 'cause Heaven's Love beat curse!
No wrongs Heaven's embrace can't cure
Ooh! Heaven cures all plagues of earth
Ooh! Heaven leaves no trace of curse
Ooh! Heaven's agents of change on earth
Winds of Heaven and stuff of Earth
Like (in) Heaven, do God's will on earth

Killer (song)

As a Halloween and Reformation Day treat, I thought these next two songs would be appropriate. This is sort of my Hell and Heaven suite. The first one is about one of the scariest figures in The Bible- the devil himself! The world paints a lot of false images and ideas about him, but the world doesn't know jack, son. The Bible gives us information about that old serpent throughout its pages and sometimes thinking about his and his demons' evil workings in the world can be more frightening than reading the latest Stephen King thriller. But even though he is a thief, destroyer and killer, we don't need to fear Him when we're in Christ because we know the One who has defeated sin, death, Hell, the demons and the devil. And in the end, his doom is sure- one little word shall fell him.

"Killer"
(parody of "Thriller" by Michael Jackson; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/31/2018)
(Genesis 3, Revelation 12, Ephesians 6, Zechariah 3, Matthew 4, Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, John 8:32-36, Job 1-2, James 4:7, 2 Corinthians 11:3 and 13-15, 1 John 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:4, John 8:39-47, Luke 10:17-20, John 10:10, Genesis 4:1-7, 1 Peter 5:8-9, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Matthew 16:21-23, Romans 8:11, Romans 10:9-13, Revelation 20, Romans 16:20, Revelation 20:10)

He's closed in his sights and something evil's lurking in the garden
Pumping half-truth/lies, Lucifer's trying to just sow doubts in hearts
Adam and Eve- what terrors will resound after you taste it!
Now Earth's diseased- with horror, look how you bought all the lies
You're penalized!

'Cause he's a killer, thief and liar!
And God's Son's gonna save you from the beast though His heel he'll strike
You know it's written- Genesis line
3:15 prophesies that Christ will crush the snake's head- that's right!

You read some more- bam! Ezekiel shares from where he did come
"You were in Eden- anointed as a guardian cherub"
You chose thug life- you know that this is just in 28, son
You were exiled when there was evil creeping up inside
You're out on your behind

'Cause you were filled with killer pride
O Day Star, son of Dawn- Isaiah chapter 14 writes
You said, "I will be like Most High"
Your flight has been denied because Jehovah's always Most High

The devil's fall-
12 Revelation gives a pass backstage
Third go with Satan in star wars of Heaven- 4th. line
(The demons' side)
Since the dragon's tail swung wide

They're out to get you- those demons and dragon- 17 line
They will possess you unless you take The Saviour's offer now
Now is the time- go 2nd. Corinthians 6:2- it's there
All through The Christ- He'll save you from the terrors of your sin
He'll make you clean

'Cause He was killed for sinners' plight
And Christ's life was restored by Holy Ghost
Romans 8:11- right!
World, there's a killer, thief and liar!
Won't quit 'til out of time- serpent's a-accuser, tempter, imitator angel of light!

Read in 1st. Peter 5:8- right!
The lion roars at your door- 4 Genesis
The 7th. verse mind
World-roaming killer still at large
So let's read Romans line 16 verse 20- God wins!

(Background vocals: He's gonna school him- that's right!)

(Spoken:)
Dark forces trawl across the land
The midnight hour draws closer at hand
(Since) devil's fall, he's out for blood
To tempt mankind- call evil good
And whosoever shall be found
Without their soul's name written down
In Lamb's Book of Life- they're bound for hell
Those bought by Christ- to joy eternal

(Background vocals: I'm in The Lamb's Book of Life! Will ya be?)

(Spoken:)
Look out! Resist temptings- (and) beware!
He'll run as 4:7 James shares
1 Peter too- Read 5:9- boom!
The God within you's greater too!
And though snake fights to sway your mind
Adversary's marked for Gehenna
For more, read John's Apocalypse
'Cause He will burn forever!

(Ah ha ha ha!)
(Laughter and fade)
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Luke's book's Sequel (song)

When Jesus left us to go back to Heaven, He didn't leave us as orphans. He sent The Holy Spirit to guide and counsel us, convict us and lead us into all truth. And He gives us power to stand strong and share His Word with everyone. And we must be like Christ's first disciples and take the Gospel of Christ crucified and raised for the payment of all sins, offered free to all by faith and repentance, to the world at large. It's the power of God of salvation for the Jews first and then to the foreigner. And we can look to both Luke and Luke's book's sequel for great examples of witness in action. Start where you are and take the love of Christ far and wide.



"Luke's book's Sequel"
(parody of "Jukebox Hero" by Foreigner; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 10/02/2014)
(The book of Acts-[particularly Acts 1-2, Acts 1:8, Acts 4:20, Acts 5:27-32], Luke 4:42-44, Luke 10:1-24, Luke 24:36-53, Romans 10:8-17, Jude 1:17-25, Matthew 28:18-20)

Standing on mountain 'cause The Lord said so
Out on Mt. Olivet- Jesus is about to go
He arose in a cloud- Can you picture the scene?
Just these here disciples- they look up intently
Appeared two angels- just blew in to say
"Why're y'all starin' at the sky? He's returning same way"

So Men of Galilee go out serving The Lord
Didn't know how it'd all play out, but they knew for sure
Acts 1 records- Christ laid out the plan- "Don't leave town- 'til Spirit lands
Then comes power upon you guys so
Preach The One Way ticket- only One Way to go"
So they started walking- ain't never gonna stop
Gotta keep on preaching- So they gonna take Christ all throughout

Go to Je-rusalem, yo- Get started there, guys
Hit up Ju-dea, yeah- in Acts 1:8, go- Sa-maria
Far and going wide- End of the earth (far and going wide)
They're taking Christ worldwide!

Back to town all in one place- they're all in one accord
So they cast lots for disciple- fell on Matthias (yo)
Take a trip to 2 Acts- to that day when He came
And those tongues of fire made their whole lives change
Now they need to keep on talking- they just can't stop
Gonna speak emboldened- The Lord is gonna shake things up!

It'll be like Luke 4:43- go far and go wide
Read in Luke's book's sequel- got started where they were
Yeah, Luke's book's sequel- start of the church
With Acts 1- our charge (start witness, guys!)
The church will thrive (with) changed lives through Christ...Whoa!

Yeah, we're gonna keep on talking- just can't stop
Acts of the Apostles- and now the job is laid to us

24 Luke 48 shows- Got charged to share Christ
Read in Luke's book's sequel- go far and go wide
(Those tongues of fire) Luke wrote Theo (aah aah aah)- Gospel's going worldwide
It's all in Luke's book's sequel (aah aah aah)
You've got (a part) you know (charge! charge!)
Jude 1:23, yo! (charge! charge!)
We've got a charge to share Christ- start here, go wide!

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