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.
Today’s artist is the Buddy Holly of Christian music. Rather than die in a plane crash like Holly, Rich Mullins was killed following a car accident at the peak of his popularity. If you were ever fortunately to see Rich Mullins live, he’s one of the greatest worship leaders ever. While some Christian artists are more talented musicians, Rich had a special way of worshipping the Lord.
The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing, Zephaniah 3:17.
Several of Rich Mullins songs incorporate the hammered dulcimer. This distinct song serves as an introduction for today’s song Creed. While the lyrics are something out of a traditional Catholic service, the hammered dulcimer brings energy to this song as you wait for the singing to begin. Like a congregation repeating the Apostles Creed together, hearing Creed reminds Christians of what they believe.
The term centered refers to an individual who is well balanced, confident, and serene. Meanwhile, resting is the act of ceasing work in order to relax, refresh oneself, and recover. In the book of Genesis, God laid out a plan for Israelites to rest once a week. Rather than lay in bed all day, the Sabbath is a day of worship where believers are centered on and place their trust in the Lord that God is in control.
Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God, 1 Peter 1:21.
One of my resolutions each year is to spend more time with God. While reading the Bible and prayer doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have a great day, it will improve your chances. I find that if I start my day by opening up the Bible first thing in the morning before I do anything else, my perspective is centered on God. Perhaps, this is what Jesus experienced in Mark 1:35-38, inspired to follow the Spirit’s calling.
For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors [f]peculiarly His own. 11 Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell], Hebrews 4:10-11.
As someone who weekly struggles with getting a full night of sleep, resting plays an integral role in my productivity. Anytime I wake up following a great night of sleep, I’m more energized and ready to go. Yet, if I stay up too late and barely get any sleep, I don’t get much done; if anything at all. This is why it’s important not only to be centered on God, but to rest in his strength as well, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
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