Don't Blame Jesus

Author Archive

Recently Ken and I were at a concert and one of the opening bands slipped in a couple of bars of “I’m Blue” by Eiffel 65, at which the crowd went wild. We thought for a second that they were going to do a cover of it, but they didn’t.

My kids like a few Eiffel 65 songs that I have shown them.

One that I love, and wish the video was in English is called, “Viaggia Insieme A Me” in Italian or “Follow Me” in English. It is a beautiful song either way.

The English lyrics are

“Follow me because I will lead the way

To the very end of the things I pray

And all that I know I will pass on

Until the day you will need me no more

I will take you to where you’ve never been before

And I’ll show you all of this colorful world

And when the moment comes that you will carry on

You, you’ll do the same

You will lead the game for another, another

Just like you.”

I like the Italian video as the dad teaches his son some life skills that he is able to use to turn enemies into his friends.

What are we teaching our kids? We only have so long with our kids, the next generation, and then it will be their turn. Will we have done a good enough job for their sake and those who come after them.

<– Video with Storyline in Italian.

<– Song in English with CD cover art

I was messing around on youtube recently and came across some Christian Punk that I used to listen to my first semester in Bible College. The song is called “Sliding Backwards” by Pat Nobody. The album was called Nobody Special.

Pat Nobody, if I understand correctly, is Pat Taylor, the younger brother of Joey Taylor of Undercover. For those that don’t know Undercover is one of the favorite bands of Ken and I.

I used to be into RC car racing and I had cut vinyl graphics across of hood of one of my cars saying, “No Sliding Backwards!” which had to do with this song.

Anyway men, we want to be moving forward with our faith and not sliding backwards.

You might also want to check out some of the other songs by Pat Nobody, like Burnt, Aint That Hard and Get Off The Air.

Richard

This is from my son, and I thought that I would share it.

He wrote me a note–

“Dear Dad, I believe that God is testing your faith. Try to stay on the path. Don’t go off the trail like Aaron with the Golden Calf. Use the Power of God to turn it into golden beef. Love, your son.”

Gotta love that!

I made mention to the lyrics of this song, in the latest Podcast.

When I See You — The Altar Boys

Sometimes when things get to me
That’s when I want to be
There right next to you
I know it will all come true
I’m still waiting for that day
When tears will be wiped away

(Chorus)
When I see You – face to face
Man, I tell you I just can’t wait
When I see You – and it’s said and done
Then You and I can be as one
I know it won’t be long, so I’m gonna keep holding on
I’m gonna do what He wants me to do,
Oh Lord, I wanna be with You
When I see You!

This world keeps moving faster
It’s heading for disaster
But, I’ve put my trust in You
Just like You want me to do
And nothing else can compare
When we’re taken up in the air

(Chorus)

(Bridge)
I’ll do anything so let me know what You want me to do…
All my hopes and everything will come alive,
Yea, they’ll come true
They’ll come true

(Chorus)

When I see You
Someday we’re gonna go away

This article has been floating around on the internet for a while. First time that I heard it, was from my Bible As Literature teacher in public High School in 1987. I wanted to get this information to you before Easter. Gives you something to meditate on this Holy Week.

A Physician’s View of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
By Dr. C. Truman Davis

About a decade ago, reading Jim Bishop’s The Day Christ Died, I realized that I had for years taken the Crucifixion more or less for granted — that I had grown callous to its horror by a too easy familiarity with the grim details and a too distant friendship with our Lord. It finally occurred to me that, though a physician, I didn’t even know the actual immediate cause of death. The Gospel writers don’t help us much on this point, because crucifixion and scourging were so common during their lifetime that they apparently considered a detailed description unnecessary.

So we have only the concise words of the Evangelists: “Pilate, having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to them to be crucified — and they crucified Him.” I have no competence to discuss the infinite psychic and spiritual suffering of the Incarnate God atoning for the sins of fallen man. But it seemed to me that as a physician I might pursue the physiological and anatomical aspects of our Lord’s passion in some detail.

What did the body of Jesus of Nazareth actually endure during those hours of torture? Read the rest of this entry »

This song was mentioned in podcast 17.

So many choices for a man to make,
So many ways that he can go,
But all the kingdoms in a thousand worlds,
Could not replace the peace I know.

The things of earth can never satisfy
The hunger deep in me.

Behold the Lamb of God,
Reaching out His nail-scarred hand.
He wants to lift you up,
Give you strength so you can stand.

It’s only natural for a man to dream,
To reach for stars above himself.
My life was cluttered with shattered dreams,

Before I learned to seek your will.

I gather pieces of a broken heart

and lay them at your feet.

Behold the Lamb of God,
Reaching out His nail-scarred hand.
He wants to lift you up,
Give you strength so you can stand.

You are the rain that falls on thirsty ground

And the light that opens windows in my soul

Behold the Lamb of God,
Reaching out His nail-scarred hand.
He wants to lift you up,
Give you strength so you can stand.

I want to bring you the best information possible for you to use.

Yesterday in the podcast, I mentioned a verse which was was trying to remember off the top of my head as I Peter 3:10 or 3:14  It is actually I Peter 4:10 and it is so good that we are going to do a podcast on it as well.

I Peter 4:10 (NIV) Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

I Peter 4:10 (NASB) As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

The correct quote from Eric Liddell, Scottish Olympic runner is “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast.  And when I run I feel His pleasure.”

I knew that it was “pleasure”, but I accidently said “glory” in my excitement in the section where we were dealing with glory.

I am a huge Eric Liddell fan.  If you have not seen the movie “Chariots of Fire” recently, I would encourage you to see it again.  And not just because I was missionary in Scotland, and love all things Scottish.

Richard

(Special Note from Ken) Being a WordPress Ninja I accidentally managed to delete the entire contents of the post while adding the link to the music.  Here are the lyrics again… sorry Rich.

Words and Music by Mike Stand

Chorus:
I see the worries of the world turning
Turning and tearing from the outside in
I see the worries of the world burning
Burning in a fire that will never end

Burn all the worries of the days gone by
Promises of gold that are empty lies
Burn all the pain and isolation
Living in a world that’s always changing
Isee the worries of thw world burning
Burning in a fire that will never end

I see the eyes of children crying
Their tears flow down in an endless rain
Tears of worry that fear tomorrow
Tears of pain felt yesterday

Their innocent lives stricken deaf by rage
Asking me question I can’t explain
I can only point to a savior’s love
I can only point to what He’s done
I see the worries of the world burning
Burning in a fire that will never end

The time has come for worries to cease
the time hac come for tears to end
The time has come to hold on to every ounce of faith
It’s all we have(it is enough)

Chorus

Here is a complete overview of the Altar Boys including the song World Burning.

It seems like so many of friends are going through difficult times right now. Well, let me share something that helps me and others. There is a great book called “Life’s Healing Choices” by John Baker. I think that many of you know about the recovery ministry that I ran in Weed, California. The program that I ran there was a chapter of the ministry that John Baker started, called “Celebrate Recovery.”

Some of you know some of the issues that I am dealing with, having to deal with hurts, and forgiveness, and I found the sixth chapter in “Life’s Healing Choices” really helpful. I have given out lots of copies to friends and had lots of comments from people about how the book is helpful.

Why is it helpful? Mainly because it gives you verse after verse of Scripture on how to deal with your hurts, habits and hang-ups. It also has great testimonies, of people who God has put their lives back together.

I don’t know how to recommend this book highly enough.

Ken and I were talking at church today. I know that some of you guys are quite the readers. Ken is going to see how we can link up to a book seller. That make it so that you can get some of the books that would help with your spiritual walk and we could get a little money back from the book seller to defray a little bit of the cost of the annual web hosting.

One book that I absolutely love is now available for free. It is called “Harvest” by Chuck Smith. Mike MacIntosh, was my pastor when I lived in San Diego. There is a chapter in Harvest written about him. It is about how God uses unlikely men.

Enjoy!