Ozzy Osbourne’s first album following his departure from Black Sabbath might be his best one. Based upon how many times I heard the Blizzard of Ozz playing 7 years later in college, this one album kickstarted Ozzy’s brand. Despite all of the sideshows of Ozzy’s career, the Blizzard of Ozz inspired me to find a similar sound in the Christian music industry.
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great! You are clothed with honor and majesty—Psalm 104:1
This quest finally ended in 1992 when I was introduced to the Last Train album by Holy Soldier. While there is only one Ozzy, Holy Soldier provides a similar heavy metal sound with biblically based lyrics. I could have selected a half dozen songs from Last Train, but Hallow’s Eve is the most popular. This genre may not be your cup of tea, but I hope you can share Holy Soldier with someone who does.
Over the course of my life, I worked a couple of jobs where the turnover rate was extremely high. Some people would last a month, others a week or so and the unhappy might walk out after a couple of hours. According to one of the disciples, suffering is what you should expect as follower of Jesus, Luke 10:1-11. Therefore, whether you like it or not, suffering is part of a typical Christian life.
For one is regarded favorably (is approved, acceptable, and thankworthy) if, as in the sight of God, he endures the pain of unjust suffering. 20 [After all] what [f]kind of glory [is there in it] if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you take it patiently? But if you bear patiently with suffering [which results] when you do right and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God, 1 Peter 2:19-20.
According to one of Jesus’ disciples, the pain of unjust suffering is part of the faith journey. Perhaps, Peter is referencing the private conversation with disciples in John 15:18 where Jesus reveals the source of this suffering. Nobody enjoys being hated as human nature places a desire inside of individuals to be liked. In the passage above, Peter alludes to suffering as a badge of honor as long as you do what is right.
Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same ([g]identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you, 1 Peter 5:9-10.
At the end of his letter to first century Christians, Peter brings back the topic of suffering. As if to suggest, “whether you like it or not,” suffering is part of the body of Christ. Prior to saying the world hated Him first, Jesus reminds the disciples of their call to love one another. Whenever anyone repays evil with good, it’s shocking. When a Christian embraces suffering for their faith, they will be able to fulfill the words of Solomon in Proverbs 25:21-22. This is your calling whether you like it or not.
The first artist to appear twice on SANS is Steve Wiggins. However, this time Steve isn’t alone, serving as the lead singer of Big Tent Revival. Since I’ve spent a majority of my life in the state of Delaware, I live in between two famous locations where revivals were held. Pike Creek and St. Georges each contained naturally amphitheater’s where preachers like George Whitfield led outdoor big tent meetings.
For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 6:23.
These big tent revivals during the first great awakening led to the creation of the Methodist Church. Named after John and Charles Wesley who were methodical in their Bible Study and prayers. As for today’s song, I could have chosen a few from Big Tent Revival’s Open All Nite Album. Yet, the lyrics of the Best Thing in Life comes right out of scripture. A free gift for all to receive.
While the apostle Paul provides a general classification of the acts of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21, other New Testament authors go into more specific aspects of wickedness. Jesus’ earthly brother refers to the process of temptation that wears down weakened souls, James 1:13-15. The disciple whom Jesus loved blames this on sensual desires, lustful eyes and pride in 1 John 2:15-17. These passages serve as warnings for Christians to be done with every trace of wickedness.
So be done with every trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind, 1 Peter 2:1.
The decision to become a Christian is like committing to a new diet. Whenever you make a transition from eating whatever you want to healthy or full vegan, taste will be one of the greatest obstacles. When I served as an elder at Red Lion, one of our members went off to a cancer treatment center. This particular facility used natural foods to make human bodies less acidic. In the case of my friend, after 6 months on a rigid diet, he became cancer free. Yet, his roommate was unable to alter his eating habits.
Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; 23 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], 24 And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another, Ephesians 4:22-25.
The apostle Paul applies a similar method to altering one’s lifestyle. Like a filthy kid playing in the mud all day, Paul urges new Christians to strip off their former nature. Whenever you hold on to bad habits and former addictions, traces of a wicked past will cling to your soul. This is when a divine intervention may be necessary. Like doing laundry once a week so that you can have clean clothes to wear, Christians need to practice Paul’s advice in Colossians 3:1-9 to remove your past and replace this with Jesus Christ.
Today’s selection made a powerful impact on my life. I was invited to attend a Lay Witness Mission at a Methodist Church in Friendship, Maryland. My spiritual mentor Ken Horne was in charge of high school and college leadership team. Lay Witness Missions are 3-day revivals to help spiritually rejuvenate a dead or dying church. On this particular weekend, I was asked to share my testimony during the Sunday service.
O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation! – Psalm 95:1
One of my best friends from high school had recently died of cancer. Maureen often asked why I was so happy in high school, but I was afraid to tell her about Jesus. In the Ray Boltz song, Feel the Nails, the lyrics talk about playing games. I played this song at the conclusion of my first sermon with a call to action of stop playing games with God. As the congregation heard the chorus to Feel the Nail, people were literally running to the altar. This is what happens when you feel the nails of your past sins.
Patience is one of my weakest traits. No matter how hard I try, I usually find myself in a hurry to get to somewhere. Slowing down and forced to travel at someone else’ pace isn’t my style. If patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:22, bearing patiently with suffering takes an added degree of faith. This is one of many areas where I still have a long way to go and mature spiritually.
[After all] what [f]kind of glory [is there in it] if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you take it patiently? But if you bear patiently with suffering [which results] when you do right and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God, 1 Peter 2:20.
In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis states that success is the process of arriving. Before you achieve any dream or goal in life, failure is one of many obstacles that you will have to endure. As you continue on the journey called life, you will be embarrassed, humiliated, and filled with disappointment on a weekly basis. Yet, if you keep the faith and bear patiently with suffering, God has called Christians to be faithful, not successful.
Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. 3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of [c]character (approved faith and [d]tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] [e]joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation, Romans 5:2-4.
In the passage above, the apostle Paul is essentially saying, “keep your eyes on the prize.” Like the words of Jesus’ earthly brother in James 1:2-4, your spiritual journey is never ending. Whenever you taste the agony of defeat, it’s by God’s grace that you can get right back up and stand again. If you can develop the mindset that every affliction, hardship, and trial is an opportunity for spiritual growth, it won’t be long before you too will be able to bear patiently with suffering.
The Violet Burning was one of the first Christian groups to add an alternative flavor to worship. I could have chosen a half dozen songs from their best album Strength. Yet, the Song of the Harlot comes right out of the Bible. As Passion Week begins, Mary Magdalene is led by the Holy Spirit to anoint Jesus’ feet with an expensive bottle of perfume. This selfless act is deemed a waste of money by Judas Iscariot.
Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume, John 12:3.
The Violet Burning uses the lyrics as a means to put yourself into this situation as if to ask, “who would you be in this story and why?” Would you play it safe, do what is socially acceptable or follow the Holy Spirit? Going against the flow takes guts and fortitude, especially if this means being cancelled by today’s culture. Therefore, don’t let stereotypes keep you powerless to act by remembering this harlot.
Fraternities and sororities are typically college groups that use Greek-letters to name their organization. The origin of fraternities in the United States began with the founding of The Phi Beta Kappa Society. On December 5, 1776, Phi Beta Kappa was launched at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. While movies like Animal House glorify fraternity life, the Bible speaks of a spiritual fraternity.
Show respect for all men [treat them honorably]. Love the brotherhood (the Christian fraternity of which Christ is the Head). Reverence God. Honor the emperor, 1 Peter 2:17.
The first semester of my freshman year in college was a blur. I pretended to be a Christian during and day and partied with a couple of friends from my dorm every weekend. For the first time in my life, I was one of the most popular people at school, getting invites to parties at a number of fraternities. When pledge week came around, it didn’t think it was necessary as I already had my crew to roll with and hang.
Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, [h]born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now. 10 Whoever loves his brother [believer] abides (lives) in the Light, and in It or in him there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin. 11 But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother [[i]in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes, 1 John 2:9-11.
When I returned for the Spring semester, half of my floor funked out. Feeling empty and ashamed, I decided to join as many Christian groups as possible, including the Black Student Union Bible Study. During a retreat on the campus of James Madison University, I rededicated my life to the Lord. Over the next four years, new friendships developed and prospered, welcoming me into the Fraternity of Christ.
As I begin the third week of this new feature, these next 7 days may be the greatest selection of inspirational songs to date. Today’s song comes from the Bryan Adams of Christian music, a group called the Kry. Before I talk about the lyrics of When You Die, I am issuing a disclaimer for the You Tube video as it’s extremely graphic in nature. I’m assuming the purpose is to prepare Christians for death.
Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money. 14 Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air], James 4:13-15.
You might need a tissue or two before you click the play button. Anyway, on the What About Now album, When You Die is immediately followed by What About Now, serving as a montage to consider your eternal destiny, 1 John 5:13. This is why I selected a version where both songs are played. While I haven’t thought much about my own funeral, this would definitely be a song to play on a video screen.
Every success organization has advisers, counselor, instructors, mentors and teachers to show new people the ropes of how things are done. These staff members educate and train newcomers so that no one is confused, gets lost or simply doesn’t know what to do. Jesus gathered together a group of twelve men, spent three years living with them and demonstrated a godly personal example to follow.
For even to this were you called [it is inseparable from your vocation]. For Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [His personal] example, so that you should follow in His footsteps. 22 He was guilty of no sin, neither was deceit (guile) ever found on His lips, 1 Peter 2:21-22.
One of the hardest aspects of becoming a Bible believing Christian is changing bad habits. As Jesus started traveling with these handpicked men, there were plenty of areas for improvement. The four Gospels are filled with accounts of Jesus addressing and confronting ungodly beliefs picked up by disciples over the course of their lives. Like Gene Hackman in Hoosiers, you have to break down your players before you build them back up.
When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly. 24 He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [g][as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed, 1 Peter 2:23-24.
Jesus wasn’t like modern day politicians who talk a good game. Rather, Jesus was the real deal who lived out the principles that he introduced to these 12 men. As the Passion Week began, Jesus began to open up about the suffering that He was about to face. Despite being falsely accused to a crime He didn’t commit, Jesus became obedient to death on a cross. Through the good, bad and ugly circumstances in life, Jesus provided a personal example to follow.
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