How We Should Live Then and Now, Not Now And Then

 "The Christian and the Materialist hold different beliefs about the universe. They can't both be right. The one who is wrong will act in a way which simply doesn't fit the real universe." - C.S. Lewis 

As I have said many times, we often try to address spiritual problems with physical solutions and seem surprised when they don't work. Spiritual problems require spiritual solutions.

"C.S. Lewis explains the dilemma in my favorite of his essays, 'Men Without Chests'. For a person to be moral, 'the head', the seat of reason, must rule the 'stomach', or the passions. But it can do this only through the 'chest', which in Lewis's analogy represents the will, the moral imagination. The problem today, Lewis writes, is that modern rationalism has reduced morality to cognition; it has focused on moral reasoning while ignoring the role of the will and moral imagination; it has robbed us of our 'chests'. And then we wonder why morality is declining. In Lewis's unforgettable words, 'We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.' "

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"What does it take to create the good life? A firm sense of right and wrong and a determination to order one's life accordingly. Not out of a grim sense of duty, but because it is what fits with our created nature and makes us happiest and most fulfilled. When men and women act in accord with their true nature, they feel a sense of harmony, contentment, and joy. This is happiness, the fruit of virtue. In fact, the ancient philosophers defined happiness as something one achieves only at the end of life, after spending a whole lifetime in character training.

     It was this definition that the American Founders had in mind when they declared that we have an inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The last phrase did not mean a right to hedonistic pleasure, as many people believe today, but the pursuit of virtue, a life spent ordering our appetites and desires to the truth of who we are, which produces happy individuals and a harmonious society."

- from pages 380-382 of "How Now Shall We Live?" by Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey (the latter of whom studied under Francis Schaeffer at L'Abri in Switzerland, which was instrumental in her conversion to Christ! :-) I'm glad I was able to visit this legendary Christian institution a few years back.)

In reading through this book, the call for Christians to share Christ through the Great Commission has been clear, along with the call for Christians to live out the Gospel and use our lives as an example of how God's kingdom operates and thus influence the culture around us as well.

     I was thinking some on this the other night, especially in view of the current pandemic the world is experiencing. While I'm trying to be cautious, I am also trying to be bold in faith. Ultimately my life is in God's hands. 

    Yet I found myself unwilling to engage with someone trying to get my attention while I was momentarily parked somewhere. (There were mitigating factors involved, including it being late at night, my body was physically tired at the end of a long day at work, and the person had no mask on and social distance would likely have been breached.) I don't know what the person wanted though I assume it was a plea for help. I say this to my shame that I didn't acknowledge the person but rather drove off and went on home. Shortly afterward, I did feel guilt and drove back to see if I could find the man, but it seemed he was gone.

    The thought struck me- if we're not helping those who are in need or at least talking with others and listening to them, what good are we? If we're not willing to meet with the lepers and help them as Jesus did, how are we helping the "lepers" of this world? Jesus did not intend for us to live Christian life in a bubble isolated from the world. He calls us to go into all the world and preach the Good News. He calls us to do unto others as we'd have done unto us. He calls us to be the Good Samaritan and help those in need. He calls us to love our neighbour as ourselves- and even to love our enemies and pray for them! He calls us to show love to all and especially "the least of these". Feed the hungry. Give water to the thirsty. Welcome the stranger and house him. Heal the sick. Visit the prisoner. (See Matthew 25) All of these are tangible ways to show we truly love The Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. 

     And these two ideas really work well in tandem because as we do these good works God made us to do all along (Ephesians 2:10), it gives us all the more opportunities to share The Gospel, which is ultimately the only thing that will truly bring change to the world. As Jesus said in Matthew 5:15-16, we are in this way like a candle on a stand that brings light to all- a city on a hill that reflects the light of God which cannot be hidden- and that causes people to glorify God our Father in Heaven. "For God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness', has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6)

   Our lives should preach the Gospel as the evidence of what an encounter with The Lord Jesus does to a soul who puts faith in Him and follows Him- he is transformed into a new creature! (2 Corinthians 5:17) It is Jesus' death to pay for all sins and His Resurrection that gives us forgiveness and salvation when we ask Him for it in faith. He produces in us a changed life that "spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere." (2 Corinthians 2:14) We're the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and those who are perishing- the smell of life to the one and the smell of death to the other. (See 2 Corinthians 2:15-16)

    So put a hand under your mouth and check your breath. Take a whiff of those underarms. Is that B.O. your M.O.? There's going to be a smell one way or the other but let's not be a stench in both the world's nostrils and God's. (Isaiah 65:5) It's God's kindness that leads people to repentance (Romans 2:4)- and He often uses us to show it to others. So to combine those two metaphors, go out to the world full of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) like an incense burner that lights up the night and leaves a sweet savour in the air and leads people to Jesus the Saviour who burns away our sins and restores us to the design He had for us all along. God is still reconciling the world to Himself and He wants to use us to help bring in as many who will come into His kingdom of love and light. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 and John 3:16-21)

Season for the Reason: Transpirings and True Transforming

Note: This was written in response to a claim sometimes made in regards to choices about sexuality. If people see orthodontists to straighten crooked teeth and eye doctors to correct impaired vision, why should someone not also seek to have surgery to alter one's sexual identity on a physical level to match one's internal sense of sexual identity for those struggling with gender dysphoria?
      To be clear, as 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 says, "what have I to do with judging outsiders?" Everyone is free to do as they wish. Those outside of Christ will not consider themselves bound to The Bible and thus wouldn't be following it anyway. While of course I think they should, first I think they should get saved by Jesus as they won't be able to fully understand or adhere to His Word otherwise anyway. There is of course much more that could be said on this but this is my concise summary of some of what The Bible says on this. This is an attempt at a Biblical view of the subject and why I believe it's best to accept the sexual identity God has given us rather than fight it.
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    A trans person 18 and over is free to do as he or she wishes with his or her body, in regards to body modification via reassignment surgery.
   I don't think a child should be allowed to make such a life-altering decision as a child is still mentally developing and may have a change of feelings down the road.
   In regards to the common rejoinder mentioned earlier here, I would say this. God did not make anyone with bad vision or crooked teeth. When God saw His creation on the 6th. day, He said it was very good. (Genesis 1:26-31)
Ecclesiastes 7:29 says that God made man to be perfect but man has gone off in search of many schemes.
   When man sinned and rebelled against God, the whole was cursed with sin and subjected to futility, as Romans 8 explains. (See also Genesis 3.) This is when bad vision and crooked teeth and other ailments started cropping up. I believe this is also where proclivities toward forbidden sexual relations came up as well. (It's important to note here that being born with a particularity proclivity for a particular sin is of course beyond any person's control. Temptation itself is not sin; acting upon it is though.)
   For the other example, if God made someone a brunette, then that person is a brunette. Dying hair to make it blonde does not make that person a blonde. Eventually the dye wears off and the natural roots will grow back out.
   The same is true with transgenderism. A person can change outer and inner genitalia and hormone levels but this doesn't change who that person is ultimately. The chromosomes are still the same. Their identity doesn't change in God's eyes.
   That said, I don't think it's wrong to dye hair (though I have no desire to do so, particularly because I believe I should be happy with what God has given me in hair color. That is something God gives me. The moral weight of changing sex is quite different from changing hair color, as I don't think there is any for that.) Fixing bad vision and bad teeth is an attempt to temporarily address products of the fall that will one day permanently be fixed with a new body in Heaven for all those in Christ.
   The distinction with transgenderism is that God has forbidden sexual relations with the same sex. (Romans 1 is a particularly good passage for this but note also Jesus' words in Matthew 19.) A transgender person engaging in sexual relations with his or her birth sex after transition would thus be violating the command against homosexual relations.
   And in Deuteronomy 22:5, The Bible also forbids cross-dressing. Thus, it would follow that a transgender person wearing clothing of the opposite sex, even after having had transitional surgery, would still be violating this command.
   This is simply not God's design and trying to rebel against it simply continues to subject transgender people to futility. Note what God says in Romans 9:20-24. Does He not have the right as Creator to make His creation as He sees fit? The clay can't tell the potter that it doesn't like the design- the clay has no say in the matter.
   2 Corinthians 4:7 says we have this treasure- that each person made in God's image is- in jars of clay. The surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. Jesus says we can find rest for our souls in Him. (Matthew 11:28) Ultimately, He is the One we can and should take our dsyphorias in life to so we can have that rest in trusting our lives to the hands of our loving Creator.
     In the end, when we are saved through faith in Jesus' death and Resurrection, we'll find the restoration and satisfaction we desire through Him in Heaven. Until we get to Heaven, He helps us along the way here in the far country in dealing with these groanings. There is a day coming when all shall be well eternally and that's what I look forward to in the midst of this present suffering, knowing that the weight of glory coming far outweighs anything I go through here.

(For further reading, I found this article from "Christianity Today" extremely helpful and gracious in talking about and understanding a Christian response to this topic.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/july-august/understanding-transgender-gender-dysphoria.html )

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. :-)

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

A Cry of Praise to The Lord (poem)

      There is a misguided notion that people often seem to get about following Jesus. For some reason, we think that the rest of our life on earth will be not only much improved but also somehow carefree. Sometimes we think everything is supposed to go well for us. After all, Romans 8:28 says that God works everything together for our good, to the good of those who love Him and are called by Him. That verse does mean God can bring bad things together for our good but our definition of "good" is often quite different from God's. Many times we go through some very painful circumstances as followers of Christ in order to bring about our spiritual good whether we can see it right at the time or not- or whether we ever see a good purpose in this life. Jesus Himself told us that we would suffer persecution in this life for following Him. We can still trust that our Father is always good and always has a good plan and purpose in mind. He seeks to help us and never to harm us because He loves us. It can be tough to remember that sometimes when we are struggling with such horrible pain. Yet we know that God Himself endured horrible pain and suffering Himself on our behalf and because we have a God familiar with suffering and temptation, we know He can identify and help us through it when we go through it. It's hard to hold to faith at times when our world is shaken- but it's especially at those times when we must remember that faith in Jesus is all we have to hold on to at all. And if Jesus could still say, "Not My will but Thy will be done" in the midst of His trial, we can still say the same to God and offer praise with Job in the midst of our suffering. "The Lord gave and The Lord has taken away; may the Name of The Lord be praised." (Job 1:21)


A Cry of Praise to The Lord
(poem copyright by Nathan Ludwick 6/9/2017)
(Matthew 5, Psalms 6, 10 and 31, Proverbs 14:10 and 13, Proverbs 15:13 and 16, Proverbs 18:14, book of Ecclesiastes (especially verse 7:13), Psalms 139, Habakkuk 3:17-19, Micah 7:18-20, Proverbs 12:25 and 13:12 and 13:19, Proverbs 14:26 and 30, Proverbs 25:20, Proverbs 27:1 and 14, Proverbs 15:30, Isaiah 53, Luke 22:39-46, Psalms 46:10, Hebrews 11-12 and 13:1-16, book of Lamentations, Joel 1:13-14 and 2:1, Joel 2:12-16, John 14:27, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, John 6:68, Jeremiah 9, Psalms 51 and 88, Psalms 42 and 103, Job 1-2, Job 13:15, Job 42, 2 Corinthians 7:8-13, Revelation 21-22)

Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah! Praise ye The Lord!
It used to be so easy to cheerfully sing those words
With shouts of joy and songs of praise
I'd be at the lead taking the crew to church
But now the praise rings hollow coming from a broken heart
Somehow I keep a smile pasted on when my world's fallen apart
Do you really want to know how I'm doing? If we're real, here's what you'll find
A scream of fury and frustration that could shatter ear drums and souls
A cry of utter misery and sadness enough to rend garments and hearts
But neither of us wants to face the desperate longings of despair trying to hold to Hope
So instead I'll steady myself again and say our calming phrase, "I'm fine."
And that mantra lets us go through the paces in the places we don't want to let go
If I ever do open up, the inside pent up feelings might just explode
Through tears of grief and stammering tongue, this should bring relief to my soul
But my tears are my food and you've poured vinegar on my soda with your words
Miserable lot of comforters- why do your consolations sound so glib and trite?
While you revel in the happiness you are always so quick to share and tout?
Your platitudes and attitudes just leave me disillusioned and jealous of the image you project
Sometimes all I want and need is your listening open ear and your unopened mouth
And I'll try to tell you what's going on, even though I don't always know myself
Why are you downcast within me, O my soul? Where's your hope in God?
A Pollyanna theology is so quickly thrown when met with Job's lament
Yet though He slay me, I will still trust Him- He's the only Hope I've got
So I'll sing a song of praise, racked with pain- to The Lord familiar with pain
Where else could I go? You are the One with the Words of Life
And while I offer the praise ever due His Name, I gasp it out between tears
Awake! Weep all and wail- this is a time to mourn- better mourning than feasting
Ezekiel can't cry for his wife while Hosea's crying for his!
I can't blithely just lip sync songs of praise without telling God of the sadness that
roils inside me like a hurricane
Sometimes I'm awash in its fierceness in the quiet moments when I'm alone
Yet I'm not alone in the grief- we just all learn to bury it so deep beneath
Eden sank to grief and the whole world's been crying ever since
I'm on the run with Elijah from violent men who seek my life
Or I'm on the run with Jonah from The Lord who wants to use me to help save some other lives
I'll grasp the heel and then the side and wrestle with a broken hip until blessing Divine
I'm in the time of Jacob's trouble looking for Jacob's ladder
Clutching the cross like Simon of Cyrene wanting a life that's serene
But the narrow path of blood soaked sweat and tears cuts through my facades of protection
And drive me back to my Lord to weep at His feet and wash them with my hair
Firmly grip the horns of the altar like Adonijah and beg like Haman at Esther's legs
And though the crops have failed just like my heart almost did,
I've got to back it up in another direction- who can straighten what He has made crooked?
Better a broken Hallelujah than none and I think maybe that's the kind He likes best
So I'm trusting that the mourning may last for a night, but joy cometh in the morning
Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted
And even my lament shall be worship to the One whose mercies are new every day!
So I'll sing praise with Job- like the morning stars shouted for joy at Creation!
"The Lord gave and The Lord has taken away- blessed be the Name of The Lord!"
Paul's thorn in the flesh wounds deeply but Your grace is sufficient
Hold the hem of His robe like this daughter of Israel and know that His power's flowing
Even as they nailed You to the cross-
Father, Thy will be done! Mt. Moriah's ram and later Lamb remind me that God knows my pain
Let me mourn like Daniel and Ezra, not just over a ruined city, but ruined hearts
Sin is crouching at my door too- the source of so many souls crushed
The trumpet in Zion sounds- a call to fast and lament
May my eyes be red like Jeremiah's with lamentations for the beautiful cities wrecked
Who is the maker of my woe but the man in the mirror himself?
The old, haggard face that haunts me still when I let the cravings take control
Yet I know that man is dead because he was crucified with Thee on the tree
May that ghost be banished forever by The Holy Ghost-
The struggle is with me now, but I know that day will come
Even as the sadness may engulf me at times and I feel so utterly alone
I know Your Presence is here, Father, whether I feel it or not
And You've never abandoned me once on this journey You've wrought
Let the sorrow for suffering be stretched beyond to the Godly sadness for sin
Good grief! That's exactly what I need
It forces me to see how everything else always fails to satisfy
And it drives me ever closer to my loving Lord God Father who alone meets all my needs
Thank You for tears that tear open the shell I encase myself in
Thank You for salvation that lasts forever- starting here and through eternity
I know the Joy's coming and one day He will be here again to
forever wipe away all tears from my eyes
And until The Glory of Heaven descends from the skies
May His love flow through me to all so we all feel the warmth
And I'll cry tears of sadness for now trusting they'll be one day transformed to joy
And I'll sing His song in the land of my sojourn and forevermore
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah! Praise ye The Lord!

Making Love Based on Nothing at All (song)

Everybody loves love. The entire world's population all has that desire to love and be loved- to have someone to hold and talk to and care for and to know that this person does the same for them. It's been said that we need love like the air we breathe. Yet some find that air supply in the wrong way. Some don't really want love and the lifelong commitment that comes with it in the context of marriage- the union of one man and one woman to each other that God designed. Some people just want sex for their pleasure and want to enjoy it with anyone and everyone and don't want to deal with the consequences that come with sin. This is the ideal generations have grown up with, learning to give out "love" for free, but The Bible makes clear that love always has a price. It costs something of us to truly love one another with the romantic love of eros. It demands a lifetime commitment which we recognize with the ceremony and vows taken in holy matrimony before God and man. And then when our culture is betrayed by the values society has taught us, finding that "free love" also brings abuse and rape and abandonment of parental duties, we seem so perplexed to understand why. When we follow the pattern that Jesus has shown us, we are delivered from so much pain. Let's model our love on the love He showed for us by dying for us to pay for our sins and rising again. (Romans 5:8) Instead of making love based on nothing at all, let's keep love based on the standard God has set. (Philippians 2) It's really He who causes any of us to know true love or to truly love one another at all.


"Making Love Based on Nothing at All"
(parody of "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" by Air Supply; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 12/31/2017)
(1 Corinthians 13, Song of Solomon [or Song of Songs] 8:6-7, Philippians 2, Hebrews 13:1-8, 1 Corinthians 6-7, Ephesians 5, Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5, John 3, Matthew 5:27-32, 1 John 4 [particularly verse 8 and verses 18-19])

You know just how God whispers
Even though you disavow the Christ
You know just where to find The Answer
But I know you love the lie
You know just how to fake it
And you know just how to scheme
I know just why you hate The Truth
'Cause it exposes your sins- come clean!
And I know that when he touches you
Even though his lines are smooth
I know when he pulls you closer
You don't know when he'll let you loose
And I know it's right hard waiting
In YOLO zeitgeist- live your life!
The world's never gonna give you everything that God will give you
Don't you know nothing really satisfies?
And I know the word "virgin" is
The world's open mark of shame
They ignore all the rules and when sin shows out and breaks 'em
Then they always go and lay out the blame
But it won't go to libido
That's been messed up by The Fall
And I mourn for how they do it

Making love based on nothing at all
Making love when there's no ring that's on
Breaking God's Ten Commandments- The Law!
Taking love out- a sex free-for-all!
Hey, "free love" 's always lying- it costs!
Babe, real love takes commitment- your all!
But your "love" 's based on nothing at all!

And the line 19 in chapter 4 of 1 John says
We love due to God's for us first
And you see love is defined by God, verse 8 says
When Christ died for unright(eous)
Redeeming Love- 1 Corinthians 13 Love
If we're goodniks without love then we're through
You can make like prophets, know all mysteries sought
And burn out like a beacon but if loveless- for naught
'Cause love's not arrogant, rude, envying with boasts
Not wrongdoing- rejoices with The Truth

Its own way denies- stays humble
Irritated it is not
Undertakes every weight, it's hope is found through all things and
Believes all- an all-enduring rock!
Love- verse 8- it lasts forever!
Prophecies (and) knowledge disappear just like tongues
And now faith, hope and love just abide- they all remain
You know the greatest of these three now is Love
But whenever you make love without Truth
What you really want is sex for free- no cost
We're delivered so much pain when first- "I do"

We're in love- matrimony- it calls
Hey, true love waits 'til rings are put on
Babe, real love waits to first tie the knot
Hey, "free love" 's always lying- it costs
Herpes, AIDS, Gonorrhea, et. al.
Maybe not- but STDs aren't all
Taints your love for everyone you hold
You can't love them as your one above all
Chaste, pure love's not a gift you can give
Faking love just like Blanche Devereaux
Making love a slut and open case for all
Shape your love like Dorothy's wise calls
Like her mom, spout truth but lovingly now
Make your love St. Olaf's innocent Rose
Golden Girls- Rose of Sharon beats all!
Proved His love- made Him nothing for all
He is God! Became servant of all
Died for love! Rose up third day, you all
Make your love Philippians 2 style
Make your love based on God's love for all!
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Pre-Fallen (song)

Note: This is another favorite from the archives. I thought it was fitting to pull this one out in tribute to Mr. Tom Petty in light of his recent passing. I hope he truly loved Jesus as he mentions the girl in his "Free Fallin' " song does and I hope he's in Heaven now.

This one is a bit like John Milton’s works. It describes how we got a “Paradise Lost” but it also describes how we can get “Paradise Regained”. Jesus has already done the job! And though we still live in a fallen world, it doesn’t have to be a heartbreaker as the initial outlook was. Rather, Jesus is a heart saver and when we give Him our lives, it’s like we’re pre-fallen!

“Pre-Fallen”

(parody of “Free Fallin’ “ by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)

(parody by Nathan Ludwick 12/31/2010)

(Romans 3, Romans 10, John 7:37-38, John 8:32-36, 1 Peter 1:18-23, Genesis 3, John 1:12, Matthew 11:28, John 14:1-6, Revelation 3:20, Matthew 10:8, Ezekiel 36:25-29)

In a good world, we’d love The Father,

Love Jesus and The Holy Ghost too

In a good world- baby, now sinless

Rejoices- it’s like Eden 2!

(And) it seems long away- living in Laodicea

There’s a tree with flaming sword to guard

What a sad day when we go and eat forbidden

We’ve been bad, boy- it’s breaking God’s heart

(Genesis) 3- the fall of man!

Adam (and) Eve- we’ve all sinned!

And it’s handed all down through Man’s family

Move east now- 1st. Peter 1- read on

And all the bad, oi- it’s planted in the marrow

But The Good Lord can form us brand new hearts

And now, uh- He’s – He’s calling!

Yeah, get a free- overhauling

He’s calling- it’s, uh- Jesus calling and uh,

We’ve fallen, read, uh- 3 Romans and uh,

I want ya right now- read in 10 Romans

In verse 9, get saved by The Christ

We’re gonna be called children of God then

Gonna leave this world far behind

[And we’re free

(Free falling into Jesus’ calling and uh)

We’re all in

(Free falling, I’m really all in and uh)

Yeah, we’re free

(Prefallen- it’s like we’re prefallen and uh)

We’re all in

(Free falling in uh, Matt. Eleven two eight (11:28)) ]

[Repeat above and fade]

(Recall in Matt. 10- free calling and uh)

Yeah, we’re free!

[alternate line for repeats]

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Mr. Joel (song)

           The Hebrew name Joel means "Yahweh is God" and the son of Pethuel sure lived up to proclaiming the meaning of his name through the Bible book named after him. A recurring phrase in the book of Joel is "The LORD your God", which does literally translate to "Yahweh is God", as "The LORD" is the Name rendered as Yahweh or Jehovah in Hebrew. And Joel was calling Israel to return to The Lord our God and repent of sin because the day of The Lord was coming to punish Israel as well as all nations that sinned against Him. And in Joel 2, we are given prophecy about the coming of The Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which we see fulfilled in Acts 2. God filled His people with His Spirit to empower them to go out and preach the Gospel. The day of The Lord is coming for us as it did in Joel's time and ravaged the land. While Mr. Jones might be busy counting crows, Joel could have been busy counting locusts as they wreaked destruction on Israel. But God promised that He would restore what the locusts destroyed. Of course, if we don't want to be eating crows, we need to repent of our pride and unfaithfulness as well and return to God Who sent the abundant latter rain to heal Israel just as He does for us through Christ's completed work on the cross and in the empty tomb. So read Ephesians 1-2 for more on the work Jesus did for us, read Acts 2 to see how God's Spirit works through us to share the Good News with others and then turn to Mr. Joel and read!


 Mr. Joel
(parody of "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 5/20/2017)
(The book of Joel, Acts 2)

Sha, la, la, la, la, la, la
Mmm
Uh huh

It is found in the New Testament
There- 2 Acts, this fellow shared Joel
Peter zones in on their declarations
In 2 Acts- there fulfilled Joel chapter 2
Holy Ghost landing- sons and daughters prophesiers
They're suddenly multilingual
"They're all on something-alcohol"
It's 9 AM- not drunk on alcohol

He's enhanced us- The Spirit- down through God's pouring

Shalom, Hola, Bonjour, Hi ya!
Yeah
Uh huh
Yeah

Come on now, Peter
Show us some of that Arabic and Egyptian
Turn in your Bible to (the) book of Joel
(And) get reading
Can you believe this locust scene?
Call a fast and weep- Joel 1- it just pleads
Yeah

Mr. Joel- read
Tell sons and daughters grisly tale
As you stare and view destruction
The locusts have chewed
Now no food! The locusts did eat
Crying 'cause the crops died
Coming through in sackcloth
Lamenting priests of God- dude!
Look, man, it's near- The Lord's Day

Joel is gonna paint a picture
Look yourself in 2- moon's red, sun's black- Great Day!
All of the dutiful dreamers know it's very, very meaningful
Yeah, well The Lord's Day comes with signs and wonders
Literal or symbolic- it'll be plain
Go review Revelation
You would find 6:12 just says much of the same

Mr. Joel- read!
Look into the future
Don't despair at the total destruction
Verse 2:32
Romans 10 quotes
Go look in 13
Acts 2:21 writes
And God Himself will save us all
For all who on His Name call
Call a solemn assembly
Let's all return to The Lord please
Rend our hearts and not our garments- see

Blow the trumpet in Zion
Ah, everybody declare a holy fast
Oh, return to Me with all your heart
Says The Lord God- what locusts've eaten- I'll pay back
Rejoice in Me- 'cause you can believe I'll send the rain
And I- I want all peeps to come to Me and believe
So believe and receive- yeah

Mr. Joel- read! Judging's due- 3rd. chapter- yo!
So prepare for the Doomsday, all nations
Hey Egypt- you're through
Man, you've got to read in Joel 3:19
You're a goner, Edom- called it
In there Joel chapter 3, there's comeuppance all given out swiftly
For every violence you do
Sidon, Tyre- turnabout is fair play- as you will see
Mr. Joel- read! Pay Me back? Thus says The Lord
What are you to Me, Philistia?
If you're paying Me, it's coming right back to thee
Beat your pruning hooks into spears
'Cause we both know why that you folks're going down
And there is nobody like Me
You're gonna see just that now when My people are redeemed
Pictured in Joel- end scenes- (well) God and His peeps are victorious!

...........................................................................................................................

When God's Children Suffer

I am so incredibly grateful that The Lord included all these verses in The Bible. We can bring our cares, concerns, doubts, worries, fears, and even anger and despair to The Lord. He invites us to bring them all to Him honestly, since He knows our hearts and thoughts anyway. And one day, though it is painful and sorrowful now, we know that the suffering will come to an end and Christ will return and bring all things to restoration! He will make all things new! We who have put faith in His death and Resurrection for salvation will reign with Him in eternal joy in Heaven! Until He comes, may He continue to use us to be His agents of change on the earth and bring His love to all that changes everything. Earth has no sorrow that Heaven can't heal.

"For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water." (Job 3:24) "Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul." (Job 7:11) "Does it seem good to You to oppress, to despise the work of Your hands and favor the designs of the wicked?" (Job 10:3) "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not." (Job 14:1-2) "If I speak, my pain is not assuaged, and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me?" (Job 16:6)

"Do You work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise You? Is Your steadfast love declared in the grave, or Your faithfulness in Abaddon? Are Your wonders known in the darkness, or Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But I, O Lord, cry to You; in the morning my prayer comes before You." (Psalms 88:10-13)

        "Vanity of vanities, says The Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) "For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 6:12)

"All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return." (Ecclesiastes 3:20) "So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:17)

      "A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." (Ecclesiastes 7:1-4)

       "O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and You will not hear? Or cry to You, 'Violence!' and You will not save? Why do You make me see iniquity, and why do You idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted." (Habakkuk 1:2-4)

         "Righteous are You, O Lord, when I complain to You; yet I would plead my case before You. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? You plant them, and they take root; they grow and produce fruit; You are near in their mouth and far from their heart. But You, O Lord, know me; You see me, and test my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter. How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, 'He will not see our latter end.' " (Jeremiah 12:1-4)

       "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?" (Jeremiah 8:22) "Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (Jeremiah 9:1)
           “My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out to the ground because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because infants and babies faint in the streets of the city.” (Lamentations 2:11)

 

"Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from The Almighty that He should do wrong. For according to the work of a man He will repay him, and according to his ways He will make it befall him. Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and The Almighty will not pervert justice." (Job 34:10-12)

"Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it?" (Job 38:12-13)

“I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:2-6)

"Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from Heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that Your right hand planted, and for the son whom You made strong for Yourself." (Psalms 80:14-15) "Then we shall not turn back from You; give us life, and we will call upon Your name! Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let Your face shine, that we may be saved!" (Psalms 80:18-19)

“Consider the work of God: who can make straight what He has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.” (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14)
“As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.” (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

"Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days—
You would not believe if ^[d]you were told." (Habakkuk 1:5)

“I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in The Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, The Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.” (Habakkuk 3:16-19)

“Therefore thus says The Lord: ‘If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before Me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as My mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you,’ declares The Lord. ‘I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.’ “ (Jeremiah 15:19-21)
“O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You have I committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.” (Jeremiah 20:12-13)

“Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of The Lord never cases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.’ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of The Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust- there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though He cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love; for He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the children of men. To crush underfoot all the prisoners of the earth, to deny a man justice in the presence of the Most High, to subvert a man in his lawsuit, the Lord does not approve. Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in Heaven.” (Lamentations 3:19-41)

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or bad.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

“And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve Him. That evening they brought to Him many who were oppressed by demons, and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’ “ (Matthew 8:14-17)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in Heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)

“Then the Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham who Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?’ “ (Luke 13:15-16)

“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fall at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept.” (John 11:32-37)
“Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that You sent Me.’ When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’ The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’” (John 11:38-44)

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about Him went out through all the surrounding country. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and He stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ And He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ “ (Luke 4:14-21)

Who has believed what he has heard from us?^[a]
    And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
² For he grew up before him like a young plant,
    and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
    and no beauty that we should desire him.
³ He was despised and rejected^[b] by men;
    a man of sorrows,^[c] and acquainted with^[d] grief;^[e]
and as one from whom men hide their faces^[f]
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he opened not his mouth.
⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
    and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
    stricken for the transgression of my people?
⁹ And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;^[g]
when his soul makes^[h] an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
¹¹ Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see^[i] and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,^[j]
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,^[k]
because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
    and makes intercession for the transgressors.
(Isaiah 53)

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit..." (1 Peter 3:18)

“ ‘…You made Him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned Him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under His feet.’ Now in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside His control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that He, for Whom and by Whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers…” (Hebrews 2:7-11)

“For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7)

"When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem. And He sent messengers ahead of Him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for Him. But the people did not receive Him, because His face was set toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw it, they said, 'Lord, do You want us to tell fire to come down from Heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them and He said, 'You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy people's lives but to save them.' And they went on to another village." (Luke 9:51-56)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.
         What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died- more than that, who was raised- who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For Your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:18-39)

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.' And He who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also He said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.' And He said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:1-8)

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (Revelation 22:20-21)

Prove 'Em Wrong (song)

[Note: Since I just recently completed a pretty different song parody based on the book of Job, I thought it might be fun to post my earlier song parody that dealt with Job. This one is from the summer of 2007. Enjoy! :-)]

I thought I'd post another writing for your enjoyment (or bemusement or begroanings or whatever ;-))
     When I originally finished this song parody, I really was quite excited with this one.  It's kind of inspired in some ways by the pastor at NewSpring Church (www.newspring.cc) (www.perrynoble.com) (which I attended for a while and was a member there when I lived in the area)
     At the time, I corresponded with the pastor through email every now and then and one time I left him a book called "I'm Not Mad at God" by David Wilkerson (which is really pretty awesome- I might post some from it later on) that I thought he might like.  He liked it and wanted to keep it- and so actually offered to buy me another copy- so I went to get that.  That was pretty cool- and the receptionist at the church let me get a free Coke Zero! Cool :-)
        Anyway, he deals with a lot of critics that object to some of the rather unorthodox things NewSpring Church does (I mean- obeying Jesus- imagine that! ;-))  And since a lot of criticism comes to him through email and bloggers, I put in a line toward that near the end. 
   And of course, I first heard the original song at that church!!!  (Yeah, the church worship band plays some secular music every now and then!  At church there, I've heard this song, that "You Are So Beautiful" song by Joe Cocker, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band (um- the clean version), "Life is a Highway" (as performed by Rascal Flatts in the "Cars" movie), "White Wedding" by Billy Idol, "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye, "Fix You" by Coldplay, and "Hell's Bells" by AC/DC (they didn't sing any lyrics!) )
     Before you get upset about the music, they've used all these songs when they fit with the theme of the service and they generally have worked quite well, I think.  (They also play a lot of modern worship music- Steve Fee, Chris Tomlin, Hill Song United, etc.)- and even some hymns! - like "Amazing Grace" and "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"
    (And hey, over the month of August 2007, they've seen like 800 people receive Christ as Savior- so that's pretty AWESOME!  Apparently the church is doing something right- mainly keeping the focus of the church on JESUS and HIS WORD! :-) I'm sure the numbers are even more now! :-) Praise God for all He's done with that church!)
              Okay- anyway, back to the song.  I had one idea for it at first- and put it aside for a while- and then picked it back up when I heard this great sermon on Job one Sunday morning.  And that was cool.  Job lost most everything he had!  And he still could say, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord." And he didn't sin by accusing God of wrongdoing!  And if you read the end of the book, Job got back all he had at the start twicefold!  And so God gave me a great inspiration for this song with this sermon!  (And of course, He inspires everything I do- and gives me the ability to do anything! John 15:5)
        And this song is also inspired by and I guess dedicated to my younger friends who have been an encouragement and inspiration to me (and I know I've said this some before, but I really do mean it)- the FCA at ol' Pelion High School has really grown since I was there- and I'm glad for that!  It's definitely good to see that many of the **ah-hem**slightly** younger generation fired up for Christ!  NEVER lose that!!!  Don't let anyone get you down and discourage you in your walk with Christ.  I especially think of Relient K's song "What Have You Been Doing Lately?"- I know we all have our moments when we may fall down and God has to pick us up- but I don't ever want to see any of my Christian friends fall away from Jesus.  And don't let the world or the devil tell you this Christian life can't be done.  Jesus came to give us abundant LIFE (John 10:10)- I want to keep that same passion for life and for Jesus flaming every day!  So, just stay strong and keep on!  (I also think of the "Facing the Giants" movie a lot with this song)
   Also, you might like my Chris Rice reference in there- check out his new album! ("What a Heart is Beating For") Sheol is the Hebrew word for the grave- also translated as Hell in some verses.  And don't depress me and ask me what Pong is ;-)
           Okay- enough prattling on my part.  Here you go.
(Fun midi to sing along to-http://www.mididelight.com/midi_files/modern_rock/move_along.mid)

"Prove 'Em Wrong"           
 (parody of "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 08/28/2007)
(Job 1:20-22, 2:9-13, 13:15, 16:1-5, 19:25-27, 42:1-6, 42:10-16
James 5:11, Psalms 7, John 17:15-17,  Hebrews 3:1, 11, 12:1-14, Romans 8:28, Philippians 1:6, James 5:13-15)

Verse 1
Go ahead as you waste these days with thinking
"When you fall, it's 'cause you're bad"
Another day and Job's had his fill of prattling
With his wife telling him,
"Abandon your faith in the Lord,
Things can't be worse in Sheol"

Chorus 1
Seems to me, when all your hopes and dreams are gone
Move along, sing a song like Job chose to do
And even when your world is wrong
Move along and read on- Job 1:22
Moving on! Sing a song!

Verse 2
Though He slay me, I trust the Lord completely
Could be tonight when my life ends
Such a faith that will leave me still believing
In the end my Redeemer
Stands upon the earth
His hands held mine since birth!

Chorus 2
Seems to me, when all you ever see is wrong
You keep on and abscond what the world tells you
And even when you lope along
You stay strong and bank on James 5:11 too!
7 Psalms!

(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
We're in the world and not of, it feels like Pong
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong, Hebrews 3:1
(E)leven, 12:1, Run on!

When all Job's fragile things were gone
Move along and read on- Chapter 42
And read in 10 how Job got on
El-Elyon poured it on- all Job's stuff times two!

When all your hopes and dreams are gone
Move along, sing a song- like Job showed you to
And even when your world is wrong
You keep on, trust in God- Jesus is holding you!

When all you ever see is wrong
Just stay strong, sing a song- like God told you to
And even when you can't go on
Just hold on and stay strong- God's not done with you!

(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
So much for my sad song
We move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
Fight back and stay strong
Now move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When skeptics write a blog
Prove 'em wrong!
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
He'll right back what is wrong
We move along
.........................................
Thus endeth this chronicle. 
Until next time- keep moving on- with Jesus!
:-)
                                           

Wedding Reception

We really do live in a wonderful world full of so much life and beauty everywhere. The masterful Creator God has dressed the daffodils with dainty skirts and poured a vividly bright array of colors over the birds of the air. The planets, stars, moons, comets, meteors- even black holes- and all the other inhabitants of the cosmos shimmer with the incandescent light of His glory. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” (as Psalms 19:1 tells us.)
               And out of all of God’s wondrous creations- the majestic mountains, the sandy shining shores on the beaches, the tremendous trees of the forests, the truly amazing animals of the world- who does God make “a little lower than the angels”? (Psalms 8). The clay Playdough figurine and Lego lady were given the breath of life and the flesh combined to make living, human beings, male and female- both made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27) And while God pronounces all His creations good, on the sixth day, He surveys His creative output and declares it very good. (Genesis 1:31)
               What is man that You should care for him, Lord? Though we’ve done nothing to make ourselves worthy of such extravagant love, You choose to bestow it upon us anyway- and You give it, not in spades, but in hearts. (Psalms 8; Ezekiel 36:26) And were one to compile the number of the grains of sand on those beautiful Caribbean ports in a pile with the Pacific islands’ stores of sands and all the other beaches of the world- the number would still fall far, far, far less than the number of Your thoughts for me- and for every individual individual who has ever or will ever exist. This is a thought too wonderful for me to comprehend- but then, Your thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than mine. (Psalms 139; Isaiah 55:8-9). Yet, You have given me the mind of Christ- which is available to all believers in and followers of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16).
               And You have made all things beautiful in Your time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) And though You made us to be upright, we have gone off in search of many schemes. (Ecclesiastes 7:29) Poison pervaded Your Paradise on Earth, back when our founding father and mother were eating us out of house and home. The lowdown snake in the grass recoiled from his long fall to earth and struck in vengeance with a forked tongue that only gave half the story, if that. But of course, half-truths are still whole lies. Yet even before You had put forth Your words and commanded the nothingness to transform itself into something- You had all these things planned and You already had the Sacrifice for our salvation said and done before anyone else had said and done anything. (Genesis 1-3; Revelation 13:8)
               Then, in the fullness of time, The Divine took on our image and face; Your Greatest Gift encased in flesh- and we beheld His glory. The paradoxical mystery of Grace and humility that ever confounds the wise and learned- The King of Kings became the Suffering Servant. Love marked Your path down a straight and narrow road- the Via Dolorosa- the way of suffering that ended in a crossroads at the side of the highway. You created the off-ramp from the broad way of destruction so that we might cross from death to life by crossing the bridge You made. Though You submitted to its ghastly reign for three days and our punishment You took as Your own for our peace, The Love stronger than death arose again victorious forever. The curse is reversed, the poison cured, and death itself and its minions all eternally defeated. (John 1:1-14, Galatians 4:4, Philippians 2:1-11, Song of Solomon 8:6-7)
                 Though beset with trial, troubles and tribulations, the tried, tested and true path of righteousness is available to all the poor, beleaguered pilgrims- the rotten, ragged ragamuffins who dare to admit their own poverty and meekly accept Your gift that comes through faith. The path may vary in its length for each traveler, but never varies in its route- a Spirit-led journey assured of its celestial end. Though we are hapless fools who doubt, question, berate and betray You before You gently return us to our senses, You remain forever faithful and remind us that You are the One who has always been moving our legs forward e’er since we first stepped on Your path with a willing heart of trust. And even that is Your gift- we boast of nothing but a Love that wilt not let us go. (John 15:5, Romans 11:29, Ephesians 2:8-10, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Jude 1:24-25)
               And when at last the faith becomes sight when Your clarion call carries us to Your lovely dwelling place, whether at the last of days or the last of our days, we will bow in Your holy presence, amazed at Your beauty and stunned speechless at Your welcome arms that would even deign to allow us in the midst of Your perfection. But then we recognize the Everlasting Arms that have always held us and even now envelop us all at once, with each having an equal amount of Love embodied and personified, rocking us gently as a baby in a cradle. As we join with the living creatures and angels- cherubim and seraphim; all of ‘em- singing praise to our God who sits on the throne forever, Who alone holds salvation and is forever praised- the brilliance of colors we have never seen bedazzle but pale in comparison to the purest white all of eternity has ever witnessed. And a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language of which we are delighted to be in that number, in robes made white from the blood of The Lamb, wave palm branches before The Lord God- The Only King and forever sing Your praises. You alone are worthy, Lord. Mere feeble words fail miserably to describe the indescribable majesty of Your glory. Lord Jesus, You alone are God. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We will forever sing Your praise.  (Psalms 16:11, Psalms 84:10, Psalms 87, Colossians 1:10-23, Revelation 7:9-17, Revelation 21-22)
                  Help us to ever live it out now. (Matthew 5:14-16, Philippians 2:12-13, 1 Peter 2:9-12).       

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ He said to me: ‘It is done. I am The Alpha and The Omega, The Beginning and The End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. “ (Revelation 21:1-9)

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17)

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of The Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20-21)

 

Relient K- "Collapsible Lung" album review

Relient K- “Collapsible Lung” review

        Let me say a few things to preface this deal. I LOVE Relient K! I have been a fan of this band since its first major label album in 2000 and I still am. I have seen them in concert a couple of times and I’d LOVE to go see them play again. I LOVE all the albums and this one is certainly no exception. In short, I LOVE this album. This is an incredibly honest view of society today, of love and values and perhaps also a reflection of the spiritual journey the lead singer’s been through lately. As a rule, Matt Thiessen has most always written songs based on his own experiences and I would say that may well be what the songs on this album represent.
         In keeping with the last album released, no lyrics are included with the actual CD release. (Bummer- but oh well.) For those who don’t have the benefit of having the physical CD release, let me note a few things that may be of help to know. I know that the band apparently got a lot of outside help on this album in co-writing songs and such. I don’t know how much lyrics were brought in from outside writers or not, but here’s the breakdown according to the CD.
“Don’t Blink” by Matthew Hoopes and Matthew Thiessen
“Boomerang” by Matthew Thiessen, Evan Bogart and Ari Levine
“Lost Boy” by Matthew Thiessen, Greg Wattenberg, Matt Musto, Derek Fuhrman
“If I Could Take You Home” by Matthew Thiessen, Matthew Hoopes, Fernando Garribay
“Can’t Complain” by Matthew Thiessen, Brian Lee and Emily Wright
“Gloria” by Matthew Thiessen, Matthew Hoopes, Tim Pagnotta and Ari Levine
“PTL” by Matthew Thiessen, Caleb Owens and Matt Musto
“Disaster” by Matthew Thiessen
“When You Were My Baby” by Matthew Thiessen, Matthew Hoopes and Caleb Owens
“Sweeter” by Matthew Thiessen and Caleb Owens
“Collapsible Lung” by Matthew Thiessen and Matthew Hoopes

Once again, the band has a joint statement of thanks printed.
“We would like to thank God for the opportunity to make music. We would also like to sincerely thank our friends, families & loved ones, as well as every person involved in the making of this record.”

They still clearly thank God for all He has done and they clearly acknowledge His presence and working in the songs as well. Let me also say this- Relient K is still just a band and they’re just musicians trying to live their lives for Christ. And they sometimes fail as we all do. Thank God for His grace given to us through Jesus! So I don’t know all the details of all their lives and I don’t stand in judgment on them. I’m not going to try to speculate on what may or may not have been or is going on in their lives. I’m just going to try to look for clues in the song lyrics and see what each may be driving at- I could be wrong in my interpretation of course- and I certainly could be reading too much into things- but here are the things I pick up from the “Collapsible Lung” album. (I think it may be easiest to post the lyrics for each song for the purposes of analysis, so that is what I will do with this.)

“Don’t Blink” – I like that this is the first song on the album. I think it kicks things off well and perhaps is a throwback to where we left things at the end of the “Forget and Not Slow Down” album. I view this song as a statement of resolve; a song that makes a declarative statement- to forget and not slow down- but at the same time- don’t blink because you might miss life along the way. I think it’s perhaps also reflective of the singer’s plan to get back to where he was in following God before and trust that His forgiveness and grace will carry him forward once again.
       The lyrics are telling-

“Don't know where to go from here
My thoughts are tangled twisted fears
Been waiting a while now on the dawn
Seems like the sun may never come

I made my way through the darkest night
To the break of day on the other side
For some time the light's been creeping in
Now I'm feeling like I could trust again

You're the only Person who reminds me
Love is beautiful and true
Life is beautiful and new
Oh, You're the only Person who reminds me

Hold on now
Don't you blink or it's gone
I've been terrified of life for way too long
Oh, no now don't you blink or it's gone
In another life who knows what we'd become?

Love is beautiful and true
Life is beautiful and new

Been making plans and drawing maps
I plan to take the righteous path
And hope and pray it leads me back
To all the happiness I had

Been making lists and crossing off
Every kiss that wasn't love
And every word that stretched the truth
Like when she said she loved me
You're the only person who reminds me

Hold on now
Don't you blink or it's gone
I've been terrified of life for way too long
Oh, no now don't you blink or it's gone
In another life who knows what we'd become?

Hold on now
Don't you blink or it's gone
Oh oh oh oh
Oh, no now don't you blink or it's gone
In another life who knows what we'd become?

Love is beautiful and true
Life is beautiful and new

Been making lists and crossing off
Every kiss that wasn't love
And every word that stretched the truth
Like when she said she loved me”

-In the first two paragraphs, it is reminiscent to me of Psalms 23 –
 “I made my way through the darkest night
To the break of day on the other side
For some time the light's been creeping in
Now I'm feeling like I could trust again”
- “Yea though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff- they comfort me.” (Psalms 23:4)
Now, I could be off, but I really think this song (and album) is reflecting on the singer’s attempts to find meaning, peace and security in human relationships (particularly romantic boyfriend/girlfriend relationships)- and finding that even the best of human relationships fails. I think this is a song where he’s coming back to God and finding the incredibly true and hopeful realization that- after everyone else fails and abandons me- “You’re the only Person who reminds me Love is beautiful and true
Life is beautiful and new -Oh, You're the only Person who reminds me.” And of course, Jesus is Love. And He is beautiful and true and new. He’s the only One who can really give us true love and true life. Then we have an exhortation to hold on and not blink- but rather enjoy life because “The Lord giveth and The Lord taketh away- may The Name of The Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21) “In another life, who knows what we’d become?” –I think this line could work either way- possibly a reference to the new eternal life we’ll have with Jesus in Heaven, but also a reference to another life path where we walk with Jesus at the forefront of our relationship- and we could have a much better relationship with Him there in the center.
“Been making plans and drawing maps
I plan to take the righteous path
And hope and pray it leads me back
To all the happiness I had

Been making lists and crossing off
Every kiss that wasn't love
And every word that stretched the truth
Like when she said she loved me”

 

-Love these lines! I think this is where we see the singer’s resolve to “take the righteous path” – the one that leads to life instead of the broad one that leads to death. (See Matthew 7.) And he hopes and prays it will lead him back to all the happiness he had. And because of 1 John 1:9, we know that God is always willing to forgive us and take us back when we truly come to Him in repentance and confess our sins to Him- I think the close relationship with God is “the happiness” the singer had and taking “the righteous path” will definitely lead him back to it. I love that he is also casting off falsehood- including every kiss that wasn’t love and every word that stretched the truth. None of these women that he had shallow relationships with truly loved him- but the God who loved the whole world so much that He gave us Jesus to die on the cross and rise again to pay for our sins- still loves him dearly- and He’s the only One who truly loves him the most.
        So I see this song as a hopeful declaration of resolve- a song of trust in Jesus. :-)

“Boomerang”-  Now from this part of the album forward- this is where many people seem to have so many questions about the intent and meaning of the songs. However, I don’t hear anything sexually explicit or objectionable for that reason in these songs. And here is a key other thing I don’t hear in any of these songs- I don’t hear any of them advocating any of the things we know are wrong in these songs. If anything, they should serve as cautionary tales- just like when we read about King David and his adultery with Bathsheba, which led to his subsequent murder of her husband Uriah. (1 Kings 11) In fact, I would say one of the overriding themes of this album is, “Don’t make the same mistakes that I did- learn from what happened to me and make the right choices.” Look through this whole album and notice how many times the singer indicates that what he was doing was wrong and that he shouldn’t have been doing it (and neither should you.)   With that in mind, let’s look at the rest of the songs.

“Hey, I try to run away
But everywhere I turn, I turn around
And you're right back in my face
And everything you say
I can't get away from you
I just can't escape

Cause you're at my favorite bar
Your hoodie's in my car
The smell of your Chanel 5 won't die hard
Yeah I don't stand a chance
You're hanging with my friends
When I see you again that's when it starts

We break just like it ain't no thing
But we ridin' on a boomerang
Our love is like a rubber band
Snap back, snap back
Here we go again

Snap back, snap back
Here we go again
Snap back, snap back
Here we go again

Hey, already on the way
End up at your place when I should be driving home
Girl what was I thinking
Girl what was I drinking
Trying to tell myself that it can't be wrong

You were at my favorite bar
Your hoodie's in my car
The smell of your Chanel 5 won't die hard
Yeah I don't stand a chance
You're hanging with my friends
When I see you again that's when it starts

We break just like it ain't no thing
But we ridin' on a boomerang
Our love is like a rubber band
Snap back, snap back
Here we go again

Snap back, snap back
Here we go again
Snap back, snap back
Here we go again

We break just like it ain't no thing
But we ridin' on a boomerang
Our love is like a rubber band
Snap back, snap back
Here we go again

We break just like it ain't no thing
But we ridin' on a boomerang
Our love is like a rubber band
Snap back, snap back
Here we go again

We break just like it ain't no thing
But we ridin' on a boomerang
Our love is like a rubber band
Snap back, snap back
Here we go again”

-I think the chorus is the main kicker on this one. When you’re “riding on a boomerang” and your love “is like a rubber band” always snapping back- that’s not a good picture of love. Love is true and faithful. (See 1 Corinthians 13). It always perseveres and never fails.
But let’s be honest- her good looks are alluring. Her perfume- her clothes- everything about her. She’s hanging at the singer’s favorite hang-out with his friends. But then the singer says, “End up at your place when I should be driving home. Girl, what was I thinking? What was I drinking? – Trying to tell myself it can’t be wrong.”
He knows he shouldn’t be doing it- but yet he finds himself drawn in anyway (since “he can’t escape”.) And so he’s giving in- but he’s aware of the situation enough to know that it’s wrong and know that their love that keeps snapping back and forth is not a picture of real love.
(One last caveat on this, since it comes up again and is a sticking point for many Christians- yes, I wish he wasn’t drinking too-in general, I don’t think it’s a good idea. However, Jesus drank wine with His disciples- in fact, his first miracle recorded was turning water into wine. I choose to be a teetotaler myself- but I can’t judge anyone who chooses to imbibe. The Bible doesn’t say it’s wrong to drink alcohol- in fact, it even seems to encourage it in some places. (Proverbs 30 and 1 Timothy 5:23) However, The Bible does says that getting drunk is a sin- Ephesians 5:18.) So drink if you choose to do so- but don’t be a bad example or stumbling block for Christian brothers or unbelievers. And if you don’t believe in drinking- don’t judge those who choose to do so because of their freedom in Christ!) And again- he never advocates drinking in any case- but at least he’s honest enough to say this is the state he was at in the song- and from the context of the songs, he was probably using drinking to help heal the hurt in his heart- again, a hurt that only the Holy Ghost can heal.

“Lost Boy”-

Wow! The title alone evokes metaphorical references. And yes- I certainly have to mention Jesus’ parable of The Prodigal Son in Luke 15. (Remember that this parable comes after Christ’s parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin- and thus, this parable is also sometimes referred to as “The Lost Son”.) I think this is yet another startingly honest admittance- the singer was lost, having strayed off the narrow path. And he needed the Shepherd of our souls to pull him back to the righteous path.

“You had a baby you were seventeen years old
I was on the road trying to make it my home
You had a man but he wasn't no good to ya
I was with women I didn't know

Foot loose, Fancy free
Pretty lady won't you dance with me
'Cause one look from your eyes and
I knew that it was right this time

Before you came around
I couldn't figure out
Where I was going
I was wandering wandering
Wandering around
Before I found my way
I was running like a stray

And I was a lost boy
Just a lost boy
Before you came around

Sweet country baby you were singing at the airport
Raking in tips with the heel of your boot
I must have passed you by a hundred times
Before cupid saw it fit to let me dance with you

Foot loose, fancy free
Pretty lady won't you dance with me
'Cause one look from your eyes and
I knew that it was right this time

Before you came around
I couldn't figure out
Where I was going
I was wandering wandering
Wandering around
Before I found my way
I was running like a stray

And I was a lost boy
Just a lost boy
Before you came around
I was a lost boy
Just a lost boy

Before you came around
I couldn't figure out
Where I was going
I was wandering wandering
Wandering around
Before I found my way
I was running like a stray

And I was a lost boy
Just a lost boy

Before you came around
Before you came around
Before you came around

-Notice again that the singer freely admits he was “with women he didn’t know”. And though perhaps he thought this girl was the one and maybe he truly thought she was the right one, I get the feeling that he was left with disappointment once again. Of course, I also get the feeling that the chorus repeated the last time could be read as a statement to God- a statement of our lostness before He came around and found us. That’s a vulnerable statement to make- but a necessary one in our road to recovery and restoration and reconciliation with God.

“If I Could Take You Home”
-Here we have a song where the singer recounts yet another disappoint in relationships. And it seems like he’s saying though she’s his Katherine, he’ll be her Petruchio and tame her. After all, “if he could take you home”- then things would be different. Perhaps he could try to “be all that she needs”- but is she really all that he needs?


“I hear the words that you're telling me
Taking about all this tragedy
You've got everything
When you're close to me

You're all around
You're surrounding me
Intoxicated by the air you breathe
You've got everything
With me
Oh oh

Like broken pieces of a shattered dream
Or like a movie with a missing scene
You'd like you believe
I'm nothing special

But if I could take you home
If I could take you home
If I could take you home
I'll be all that you need

The trail of broken hearts you left behind
Should send me running girl
But I don't mind
It's not up to me
Where you sleep
oh oh

But you're so good at making casualties
Inflicting pain rather casually
It's easy to see
You'd do it to me
Oh oh

Like broken pieces of a shattered dream
Or like a movie with a missing scene
You'd like to believe
I'm nothing special

But if I could take you home
If I could take you home
If I could take you home
I'll be all that you need

If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
Oh whoa oh
You think I'm nothing special
But if I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)

Oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh
Oh whoa oh

If I could take you home
If I could take it slow(Oh whoa oh)
If I could let you know
If I could make you see
That I'll be all that you need (Oh whoa oh)
Oh whoa oh

You think I'm nothing special
But If I could take you home
If I could take you home
If I could take you home
I'll be all that you need

If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
If I could take it slow (Oh whoa oh)
If I could let you know (Oh whoa oh)
Oh whoa oh
You think I'm nothing special
But If I could take you home (Oh whoa oh)
Oh whoa oh
I'll be all that you need (Oh whoa oh)”

 

-I think it’s worth noting that the singer acknowledges that it’s “not up to him where she sleeps”. He even admits that she “inflicts pain so casually” and “leaves a trail of broken hearts behind her”. And on top of that- “she thinks he’s nothing special”. So why is he so wanting to take her home again? The false bravado and swagger here belies to me both a bit of naivete and some optimism that somehow he can be the one to make it work. Another song that seems destined to end in failure.

“Can’t Complain”

-Now this one is particularly interesting to me. On the surface, it seems to be conveying a Biblical message- and I would definitely agree with that part. “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” (Philippians 2:14) “Don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Jesus in Matthew 6). “Teach us to number the days aright, Lord.” (see Psalms 90:12)
There are a lot of other verses I could mention as well. This is a good, Biblical message in general in itself. However, maybe there’s something deeper past the surface…


“Looking at the cop in the rear view mirror
Probably should have stopped but the crosswalk was clear
I'll just imagine it's a ticket to a Broadway show

Looking at the clouds and they seem kinda funny
Probably gonna rain but my outlook is sunny
I'll just imagine that I'm laying out in Mexico

Cause I know that pleasures gotta come with pain
And I know that things won't always go my way
And I know that life is gonna suck some days

But I can't complain
I can't complain
Every days too short to let it go to waste

Now I can't complain
I can't complain
You gotta treat every day like a holiday

And I'm telling you
That I know some days I'm gonna stumble
And I know the cookie's gonna crumble
And I know that life is gonna suck some days
But I can't complain

Waiting on a never ending train at the crossing
Paying it no mind cause you just keep talking
We'll just imagine it's the good old days and take it slow

Spending Christmas Eve on the floor of the airport
Dying to get back to the people that I care for
Smiling just dreaming about my puppy in my bed back home

Cause I know that pleasures gotta come with pain
And I know that things won't always go my way
And I know that life is gonna suck some days

But I can't complain
I can't complain
Every days too short to let it go to waste

Now I can't complain
I can't complain
You gotta treat every day like a holiday

And I'm telling you
That I know some days I'm gonna stumble
And I know the cookie's gonna crumble
And I know that life is gonna suck some days

If you can't say nothing good
Don't say nothing
If you stop to think you could come up with something
That makes you feel so good when times are rough it's ok

I can't complain
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Don't let it go to waste

Now I can't complain
I can't complain
Every days too short to let it go to waste

Now I can't complain
I can't complain
You gotta treat every day like a holiday

And I'm telling you
That I know some days I'm gonna stumble
And I know the cookie's gonna crumble
And I know that life is gonna suck some days
But I can't complain”

-Well, in general it sounds like an optimistic tune to me and I like that. However, it could also be a tone of noncommital acceptance- something that says that things in life are going to just happen- and we can’t do anything about them- so we should just accept things with a shrug and a smile and move on. This amounts to a lackadaisical attitude to me and I don’t think that’s right. Don’t just accept that life has to be the way it is, full of personal failures and relationship disappointments. Jesus can put all of those relationships right! Don’t turn to apathy- turn to Him!
(Also, this song unfortunately uses a word I don’t like to use in that capacity and I’m sure you know which I mean. I wish they hadn’t but I know a number of people don’t find it to be such a bad word- and certainly not nearly on the level of a curse word. I’m not saying that it is- but I am saying that I wish they had used a word like “stink” instead- which conveys the same meaning without possible sexual connotations- of course, perhaps it’s appropriate for this album, in that case.)

“Gloria”
-Relient K showcases its trademark wit in this song. And what a great sense of irony! The word “gloria” itself is used in the title of two classic Christian songs- hymns of praise. (“Gloria in Excelsis Deo” [i.e. Glory to God in the highest] and “Gloria Patri”. [“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”] And this Gloria isn’t living up to her name in giving God glory with the way she lives her life, particularly in this relationship.

I never know whatcha
You're keeping me in the dark
You've got your fast moves and
You've got your one two's and
I could never let down my guard

You say you can never do better than me
Aye gloria what's come over ya
Why don't you teach me how to

Why don't you teach me how to love
Why don't you show me what's up
I got the shakes and your my drug
Why don't you teach me how to
Why don't you teach me how to fight
Cause when you're wrong you're always right
You've got a lot of nerve, I've got a lot to learn
Why don't you teach me how to
Why don't you teach me how to love

Telling lies, swatting kisses like their flies
Doing everything I can to survive
Keep me in the cold, raking me over the coals
You either freeze me or burn me alive

Cause You say you can never do better than me
Aye gloria, I'm kinda sore would ya
Why don't you keep me up

Why don't you teach me how to love
Why don't you show me what's up
I got the shakes and your my drug
Why don't you teach me how to
Why don't you teach me how to fight
Cause when you're wrong you're always right
You've got a lot of nerve, I've got a lot to learn
Why don't you teach me how to
Why don't you teach me how to love

I guess it's love, flower petals everywhere
I guess it's love, runnin' fingers through your hair
I guess it's love when you tell me what to wear
I guess it's love when you're goin' through my phone
I guess it's love when I can't go out alone
I guess it's love when you got me feelin' low
Why don't you teach me how to
Why don't you show me how to
Why don't you teach me how to

Why don't you teach me how to love
Why don't you show me what's up
I got the shakes and your my drug
Why don't you teach me how to
Why don't you teach me how to fight
Cause when you're wrong you're always right
You've got a lot of nerve, I've got a lot to learn
Why don't you show me how to
Why don't you teach me how to
Why don't you show me how to
Why don't you teach me how to love”

 

-I think the key to understanding this song is knowing that it’s meant to be sarcastic.

Gloria is “telling lies” and “keeping him in the dark”. Yet “she’s his drug”. So it must be love when she’s controlling and not trusting (going through his phone) and keeping him feeling low. The song at that point is really an antithesis of the picture of love God paints in 1 Corinthians 13.
This song showcases yet another relationship that is definitely not real love.

“PTL”

-Again we have a song title that seems to evoke Christian imagery. “PTL” is a fairly common abbreviation in many Christian denominations for “Praise The Lord”. I kinda wonder if both this and the last song title are meant to be ironic.

“There was a time when I was scared of nothing
Nothing can touch you if you don't look back
I walked away from every good thing that I had

By the time I met you it was 12 past midnight
Told you I'd be the best you never had
You said "Are you serious?"
I said like a heart attack

But it was far too late before I figured it out.
I never meant to be your, I never meant to be your
One night, one mistake.

I never meant to be your part-time lover
Then again I've never been a full-time man
Never thought it'd hurt so bad to see you with another
Guess I'm the fool that ya, ya think I am

I never called you like I know I should of
Thought I could save you for a rainy day
I bet the sun was shining when I let you slip away

But it was far too late before I figured it out
I bet the sun was shining, I never meant to be your
One night, one mistake

I never meant to be your part-time lover
Then again I've never been a full-time man
Never thought it'd hurt so bad to see you with another
Guess I'm the fool that ya, ya think I am

I never meant to be your part-time lover (part-time lover)
Then again I've never been a full-time man
Never thought it'd hurt so bad to see you with another
Guess I'm the fool that ya (Guess I'm the fool that ya)

I never meant to be your part-time lover
Then again I've never been a full-time man
Never thought it'd hurt so bad to see you with another
Guess I'm the fool that ya, ya think I am

I never meant to be your fool
I never meant to be your fool
I walked away from every good thing that I had”

- We can clearly see some of Matt Thiessen’s classic wordplay lyrics in the chorus here. “I never meant to be your part-time lover- Then again I’ve never been a full-time man”….
And then the singer goes on to admit that he guesses “he’s the fool that she thinks he is.” He “never meant to be her one night, one mistake.” And it hurts when he realizes that the relationship is not what he thought it was- it isn’t the committed full time thing he wants, especially when he “sees her with another”. And once again, he notes that he “walked away from every good thing that he had.”
But as David sought the restoration of his relationship with The Lord in Psalms 51 (and received it)- the singer can still walk back to his good relationship with The Lord as well- and of course, “every good thing” and “every perfect gift” comes from above- from The Lord. (as James 1:17 tells us.)

 

 

“Disaster”
-Okay, I don’t know how much more clear the theme can be made than in this title. The singer clearly says that his relationship with this girl “has disaster written all over it.” It’s a very honest confession here in this song.

 

“I was spending all my time falling in love
Should’ve known better, but it's so much fun when I'm with you
And there’s a missing person poster hanging up at the bar
Cause I, I've got a girl
I think we're in love
But oh for how long
It's got disaster written all over
So don't nobody show her
Our horoscope headline- disaster
Written all over it

Oh you didn't no no you didn't
Did you pull out the wires make a man out of me

I'm trying to figure out if life’s worth living without you
Hope I never have to
The stars could align or explode in the sky
Oh disaster

Baby, you look so sexy so what do I do when
We get home from church and the baby
Is in her room sleeping or watching a movie
You get closer to me
Oh this has disaster written all over it

I'm trying to figure out if life’s worth living without you
Hope I never have to
The stars could align or explode in the sky
If I already know about all the things that would bring us down
Then I'd react a bit faster
I'm averting disaster one day at a time

Disaster, disaster, disaster, disaster.

Won't you pull out the wires make a man out of me

I'm trying to figure out if life’s worth living without you
Hope I never have to
It could be disaster if I don't even try
If I already know about all the things that would bring us down
Then I'd react a bit faster
I'm averting disaster one day at a time

Disaster, disaster, disaster, disaster

-So even though the singer and this girl are still going to church, they’re coming home to a baby that may have been born out of wedlock. (That part isn’t exactly clear.) What is clear is that the singer says that the whole thing is a disaster. He’s trying to “avert it by reacting a bit faster”. That way, he can “avert disaster one day at a time”. Interestingly, he says he “spent all his time falling in love”. And once he found this girl, now “there’s a missing person poster hanging up at the bar”. So he goes from drowning his sorrows in beer to drowning his sorrows in a relationship with this girl- and he comes to the conclusion that it’s a disaster. When he’s “trying to figure out if life’s worth living without her” and “hopes he never has to”- I wonder if this line might also be reflective of trying to live life without God- and the answer is that nothing really satisfies without God. In fact, life without God is just a disaster. (see Psalms 32).

“When You Were My Baby”

-We have here a song of lament, where the singer sadly recalls how good things were “when she was his baby”- when he had a good relationship with this girl and everything felt right. I think this song is simply a song of lament for the good relationship he had when things were right with him and his girl and his God.

“I still remember what happened
Yeah, I know right where I was
The sky was looking overcast
On the outskirts of love

That's when you said keep on driving
Although the sun's gonna set
You said you had to see how far we could take this
Yeah, how far we could get

When you were my baby
Whoa-oh
Must've done something to change me
Whoa-oh
Cause nothing ever seemed to faze me
Till tonight
Thinking when you were my baby and the whole wide world was mine

I woke up this morning
Aching for you
Roll over, try to sleep it off
Till late afternoon
They say that it's better
If you love and lost
Maybe if I stay away from you
I'd be better off now

When you were my baby
Whoa-oh
Must've done something to change me
Whoa-oh
Cause nothing ever seemed to faze me
Till tonight
Thinking when you were my baby and the whole wide world was

Spinning around us
Trouble never found us
Wish I had it now
But the whole wide world
It never beams bright and
Never feels as right and
It's killing me tonight just thinking

When you were my baby
Whoa-oh
Must've done something to change me
Whoa-oh
Cause nothing ever seemed to faze me
Till tonight
Thinking when you were my baby the world

When you were my baby
Whoa-oh
Must've done something to change me
Whoa-oh
It never seemed to faze me
Till tonight
Thinking when you were my baby and the whole wide world was”

- I notice that “the whole wide world never beams bright and never feels as right”- when she is no longer the singer’s baby. Back then, “nothing seemed to faze him”, but now he’s having to face life without her. And again, we have a reminder of the emptiness of basing all your happiness and joy on a romantic relationship with a girl. Only God truly satisfies. (Psalms 42).

 

“Sweeter”
-This song really says it pretty well and plainly. The singer sings about this girl that is sweeter than sugar but still leaves a sour taste in your mouth. The problem is- the singer can’t see “the trouble he’s in” with this girl. And once again, we are reminded that a wrong relationship will just bring us heartache in the end.

 

“She looks good in your clothes
Climbing up the staircase
Back to bed you go again
Even when her eyes are closed
Can't keep from staring
Oh, the trouble you got in

She's a memory
She's an apparition,
Fogging up my vision
But I don't pay no mind

She's sweeter than sugar
Till the sun goes down
Don't allow her to sour
Just spit her out
Believe me, she will leave a bad taste in your mouth
Can't drink enough to wash her down

Wonder if she knows
That I know where she goes
When she says she's with her friends
Yeah, everything grows old
Can't try to stop it
All comes to a bitter end
But I don't pay no mind

She's sweeter than sugar
Till the sun goes down
Don't allow her to sour
Just spit her out
Believe me, she'll leave a bad taste in your mouth
Can't drink enough to wash her down
Wash her down

She's a memory
She's an apparition,
Fogging up my vision
But I don't pay no mind

She's sweeter than sugar
Till the sun goes down
Don't allow her to sour
Just spit her out
Believe me, she'll leave a bad taste in your mouth
Can't drink enough to wash her down
Wash her down”

-I think it’s interesting that the singer says “she’s an apparition fogging up my vision”. (Particularly since he makes a specific reference to The Holy Ghost in the following song- perhaps this is a comparison of the girl to another spirit- but here representing an evil spirit, rather than The Holy Spirit. I don’t mean to demonize the girl here, but just to make the comparison regarding the unBiblical relationship.) “Don’t allow her to sour- just spit her out. Believe me, she’ll leave a bad taste in your mouth- Can’t drink enough to wash her down.” Here we have a clear warning from the singer to stay away from such women and such relationships that don’t conform to the rules for sexuality that God set down in His Word. (Again, the drinking issue comes up here, but to be fair- that doesn’t have to refer to alcohol. Even if it does, it’s still true- you can’t drink enough alcohol to wash her down- or to remedy the heart situation.) The phrasing saying “she’ll leave a bad taste in your mouth” also brings to mind this truth from The Bible- “Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.” (Proverbs 20:17)


“Collapsible Lung”

-Here we have the conclusion of the matter. This last track on the album echoes the resolve of the first track (“Don’t Blink”). It’s a song of confession asking for God to extend His grace once more again. It’s an acknowledgement of how much we all need God and how nothing else really satisfies without Him.

“Between the miles of open road
I lost sight of what might matter the most
I stumbled into the great unknown and found
That time won't slow down

I'm getting by with my collapsible lung
And it's a good time 100% of the time
And I'm like a ladder with a missing rung
And it's a slow climb headed back to the sky
And I'm feelin' backwards when I'm trying the most
And I hope haven't heard the last words from The Holy Ghost
Cause I think that I'm supposed to be
Well on my way by now

I'll do the twist with my replaceable hips
And turn you right round
Then dip you down to the ground
And now I wanna grow old and rub your tired limbs
And take it easy
Until we wither away
Until we wither away

Between the miles of open road
I lost sight of what might matter the most
I stumbled into the great unknown and found
That time can't slow down

To take a breath and then take it in
To think of places I'll go I haven't been
To pour my heart into everything I've found
Time won't slow down

Feelin' backwards
And I hope haven't heard the last words
No, no, no
Cause I think that I'm supposed to be
Well on my way-eh-eh!
Eh eh!
Wooo'
To pour my heart into everything I found

Between the miles of open road
I lost sight of what might matter the most
I stumbled into the great unknown and found
That time won't slow down

To take a breath and then take it in
To think of places I'll go I haven't been”

 

-“Between the miles of open road”, the singer “stumbled into the great unknown” and “found that time won’t slow down”. Along the way, he “lost sight of what might matter the most”. I think this is a confession of how he fell away from God- from Who really matters the most. He’s “getting by with his collapsible lung”- an acknowledgement of the frailty of human beings. (Psalms 8). And though “it’s a slow climb back to the sky”- back to God- he keeps pressing on, even though he’s “feeling backwards when he’s trying the most”- and he “hopes he hasn’t heard the last words from The Holy Ghost”. He concludes that he “thinks he’s supposed to be well on his way by now.” When he mentions the part about “doing the twist with his replaceable hips”, I think he’s now talking about the image of a relationship he really wants to have- a lifelong commitment of marriage- to have the woman beside him who is his wife, who he can “grow old with and rub her tired limbs”- "until we wither away". (Until death do us part.). He wants “to pour his heart into everything he’s found”, “to take a breath and then take it in” and “to think of places he’ll go he hasn’t been”. I think this works on both the physical level as far as relationships here on Earth go, but also on the spiritual level- to the places he’ll go in his walk with Christ. That’s what really matters the most in both the first place and end place.
- Here then is the crux of the entire album, I think. ”Vanity! Vanity! Everything is vanity! Says the Preacher.” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). Everything is meaningless- without God. “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. ¹⁴ For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
This whole album is like a musical version of Ecclesiastes in so many ways for me. In the end, the singer is still holding to his faith in God and realizes that the only real satisfaction comes from obeying God and following Him. And I love the honesty of the musical journey that takes us to that point to realize that. Amen! Only Jesus satisfies. :-)

“That’s My Jam”

-And for the deep spiritual meaning of this song…….um, I don’t think there is any. It’s just plain fun! :-)
(Proverbs 12:25, 17:22)

 

“Turn up the record cause the song's just begun
I'm smashing pumpkins like it's November 1
Wish britney'd hit me one more time on the phone
So tired of counting crows with Mr. Jones
My sister hazel knows that it's all for you
Am I a blur or do you sing my song 2?

Ooh ooh ooh summertime
Ooh ooh ooh back in '99
Ooh ooh ooh ooh our first dance
Ooh ooh ooh that's my jam

Jane's addicted and Alice is in chains
U2 like to move me in mysterious ways
We're chasing waterfalls and wonder-walls
My jewel, you were meant for me so save my soul
Add seven Mary three plus 98 degrees
Eve 6 times 311, that's you and me

Ooh ooh ooh summertime
Ooh ooh ooh back in '99
Ooh ooh ooh ooh our first dance
Ooh ooh ooh that's my jam

This blessed union of collective souls
Is the only world we know
This heart-shaped candle box burns for you alone
You outta know

Ooh ooh ooh summertime
Ooh ooh ooh feelin' so sublime
Ooh ooh ooh ooh boy ii man
Ooh ooh ooh my pearl jam

Ooh ooh ooh summertime
Ooh ooh ooh back in '99
Ooh ooh ooh ooh take my hand
Ooh ooh ooh baby, you're my jam”