The Gospel: Christ died and rose from the dead three days later for sinners. Once we are "Gospelized" by our Lord, we shall have a heart for the poor.

Tim Keller: The Gospel and the Poor: A Case for Compassion from Here's Life Inner City on Vimeo.

This is 73 minutes long, just to warn you. But Tim Keller is worth listening to, let me tell you.

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18

"Give Peace A Chance" (Reposted, with additional thoughts, and photos)

[Paul and his band @ FedEx Field singing: 'Give Peace a Chance' 8-01-09]





I posted this particular post a couple years ago, and it came back to me as I was reflecting on the Paul McCartney concert I went to this past week.

Paul sang this famous song that John wrote: "Give Peace a Chance", and the crowd loved it. They were all standing, holding the peace sign up [the two fingers deal: which I never understood really] in the air swaying and singing: "All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance".

When I heard that, I thought, "The people here, for the most part, probably have no idea what genuine peace is, or where it can be found. They simply want all wars to end; all violence to cease; and everybody to just get along." Of course, there's nothing wrong with wanting that, but there's no substance to it, is there; and nothing you can grab hold of really.

Well, on to my re-post, and so without further eloquence, I leave you to it:

[From August 2007]

I've been reading through the book of Isaiah. Today I came to chapter 57, and the last verse says: "There is no peace, says God, to the wicked". And in chapter 48 the last verse reads: "There is no peace, says the LORD, unto the wicked".

The world is forever seeking peace: A peace according to their thinking, not God's. So the big problem is they seek it without the Lord.
Well, it ain't gonna happen. God says no peace for the wicked.

The world is looking for the wrong peace. John Lennon laid around in bed back in 1969 to protest against the war and for peace, with his wife Yoko Ono.
I watched a portion of a program the other night that featured John & Yoko's Bed-In for peace.
What I saw was sad. It's as if John Lennon, (who I really admire as a musician BTW), was saying, "Hey everybody, it's so easy, and up to now, we didn't understand, but listen to me, and we will have peace, we can do it, if you all listen to me, I figured it out".
And I think he really believed he was right. I thought, "Where does the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ the Lord, fit into your plan John?"
And of course, John didn't want the Prince of Peace. I "imagine" he would say Jesus is alright, but so is Krishna, and even no God is alright, "all we need is love", just love one another.
The problem is that John's definition of love, and of peace, is in big time opposition with the Lord's definition.
So who wins this debate?

Here's what the Lord says: "O that you would have listened to My commandments! then your peace would have been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea". Isaiah 48:18

Jesus declared that He is the One who grants peace. And it's not like the world's peace, which is empty and fleeting. Jesus' peace is eternal, and it's for all who cry out to Him, who confess their sins and ask for His mercy, which He loves to bestow upon all who call upon Him. It's the Cross He died on, which is the ultimate act of sacrificial love, and His rising from the dead, as His testimony to the world, that He is our peace, and the Prince of peace.
He makes peace between us and God. Jesus bore our sins, and endured the Father's wrath upon His broken body. His precious blood washed away our sins.
He grants peace to our hearts, and rest for our souls. If you have never known His peace, then cry out today for His forgiveness. Trust Him as your Lord and Savior. Confess your sins, and He will cleanse you. And then you will know this divine peace. There is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved. Only by the name of Jesus Christ. All other names and ways lead to perdition.

"Devils & Dust"

"Now every woman and every man
They want to take a righteous stand
Find the love that God wills
And the faith that He commands
I've got my finger on the trigger
And tonight faith just ain't enough
When I look inside my heart
There's just devils and dust

Well I've got God on my side
And I'm just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear's a dangerous thing
It can turn your heart black you can trust
It'll take your God filled soul
Fill it with devils and dust"

I heard Bruce talk about how he wrote this song about a soldier in Iraq. I think it's a great song. As I listened to it, I reflected on much of the song, knowing how much the Boss is against war, and how he conveys what's in his heart through phrases in his songs like: "Fear's a powerful thing
It can turn your heart black you can trust".

I thought to myself as i listened to this verse, "There's good fear, and bad fear, right?."

It's good to fear God.
It good to have a healthy fear of your Dad: And a healthy fear of the sensible laws established, such as not robbing a bank; not speeding down the highway when there's a police car behind you; etc.
But it's bad, to fear man. Jesus said, "Don't fear man who can kill your body, but rather fear Him, who can destroy both your body and soul in hell."

I would guess that Bruce and I would disagree on the subject of fear.
How I would love to discuss the Bible with him, but, it ain't gonna happen. Hey, that's alright. I'll be praying for Bruce to come to Christ, and His truth, and to the Cross. May as well pray big prayers, because we have a big God, don't we?

One quick side thought: I wish they would play this song on WRBS, our local "Christian" radio station. Well, actually, it's now 95.1 SHINE radio station. They play 100% CCM: 20 % which is good, and the rest mediocre to really bad, sorry to say. Well, that's my opinion, for what it's worth, which probably ain't much.

Paul McCartney @ FedEx Field

Patti and I had a nice time in the Sky Suite watching Paul play his music. [That's Patti on the left, and another fan named Jill on the right, and me in the middle taking photos]

 

It was enjoyable for the most part, but there were a couple knuckleheads there as well. There were two older women who were nice people really, but half way through the concert they started smoking a few joints. And this one guy near the end shouted, "I would seriously drink his sweat." I almost turned to that nut and said something, but I didn't.

But for the most part it was family friendly, and good.

I was thinking how this 67 year old man went for two and a half straight hours of playing bass, guitar, piano, mandolin, and even a ukulele, that George had given him, and thought, most young performers don't do this. And I liked how Paul did some reminiscing about the other Beatles, and even his late wife Linda.

He's a very pleasant sort of chap, with tremendous charisma, and exceptional talent. His band members were all expert musicians as well.
And he doesn't seem to have a "big head", as they say, about the whole thing.
I mean, to play a guitar in front of 70 some thousand people cheering for you; wouldn't that cause any of us to have a swelled head.

My next post I'll probably have some spiritual things to say about all this as well, or maybe not. But it seems I'm never able to not think of Christ and the kingdom of God in everything I do, or go through, or all the different circumstances in my life. Maybe it's just me being too spiritual; I don't know.

"O for a heart that never sins!"

That one thought struck me this morning, as I read through this hymn while listening to the melody.
How I hate that I put up with my sin, and sins. God surely does work within my heart, and renews my mind each day, but each day I still sin, and I hate it.

BUT, there is a day coming when Donald Sands will never sin again! Hallelujah! (I really mean that Hallelujah by the way.)
Until that Day I shall endeavor to live by faith, which means trust Christ, and to seek Him and His righteousness first with all my heart, mind, strength, and soul.

Thank You Lord for the Cross, for dying for me. Life is precious because you gave yourself for me Galatians 2:20.

THE ROSEATE HUES OF EARLY DAWN

"The roseate hues of early dawn, the brightness of the day,
The crimson of the sunset sky, how fast they fade away!
O for the pearly gates of Heav’n! O for the golden floor!
O for the Sun of Righteousness that setteth nevermore!

The highest hopes we cherish here, how fast they tire and faint!
How many a spot defiles the robe that wraps an earthly saint!
O for a heart that never sins! O for a soul washed white!
O for a voice to praise our King, nor weary day or night!

Here faith is ours, and heavenly hopes, and grace to lead us higher;
But there are perfectness and peace beyond our best desire.
O by Thy love and anguish, Lord, O by Thy life laid down,
Grant that we fall not from Thy grace, nor cast away our crown!" -Ce­cil F. Al­ex­an­der, 1853.