Oh Boy...

So I don't have a lot of time to elaborate and/or discuss. Here's some food for thought though.

"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, or the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."

~James 3: 14-16

I'm no economist, nor am I a historian; but isn't capitalism (especially laisse-faire capitalism) reliant upon competition, viz. selfish ambition (and most likely envy)?

Ouch, America. Ouch.

No, I'm NOT socialist.

:D

Reconcile the Word with the World? Psh...

So, in my study of Hebrews, James brought up a (brilliant) point. Take Hebrews 2:9.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Too often this verse is misunderstood. Many like to read this and think, "Oh good! Jesus died for me, now I don't have to die!"

False (I accredit that to you HB).

Jesus died so that you (and I) might have eternal life (Romans 5:21); it never said we're not going to die. (One of the reasons) Jesus died (is) so that he might taste death for everyone, viz. he might understand the Human Condition. We really have no excuse not to trust him; after all, he did go through the same trials we go through.

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
~vs. 18

So, no, Jesus did not die instead of us. He died so that we might trust him to be our savior. Of course, we wish He would just die so we wouldn't have to; none of us want to die. That doesn't change the fact that we're going to (see my quote by the Flaming Lips below, even the secular world knows this). And to quote my good friend (which is really where this post is amounting), "It's important our worldview doesn't teach us the Bible, the Bible must teach our worldview."

Brilliant! Too often do we try to fit the Bible into the world. The Word is God (John 1). Do not conform the creator of this world to this world! How selfish (and foolish) is that?! The world is meant to (and will) conform to Him, whether that pleases our prideful selves or not.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of you mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
~Romans 12:2

There's much joy to be had, ladies and gentlemen. For your sake, for His will, and for the advancement of His gospel, seek it out!

Genius!

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space -
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - Oh - Oh - Oh
Do You Realize - that everyone you know
Someday will die -

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round

Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize


~"Do You Realize??" The Flaming Lips from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots


Oh yeah, and who's the cutest?

Excerpt from Martin Luther's Wittemberg Gesangbuch

"Accordingly, as a good beginning and to encourage those who can do better, I and several others have brought together certain spiritual songs with a view to spreading abroad and setting in motion the holy Gospel which now, by the grace of God, has again emerged, so that we too may pride ourselves, as Moses does in his song, Exodus 15, that Christ is our strength and song and may not know anything to sing or to say, save Jesus Christ our Savior, as Paul says, 1 Corinthians 2.

These, further, are set for four voices for no other reason than that I wished that the young (who, apart from this, should and must be trained in music and in other proper arts) might have something to rid them of their love ditties and wanton songs and might, instead of these, learn wholesome things and thus yield willingly, as becomes them, to the good; also, because I am not of the opinion that all the arts shall be crushed to earth and perish through the Gospel, as some bigoted persons pretend, but would willingly see them all, and especially music, servants of him who gave and created them. So I pray that every pious Christian may bear with this and, should God grant him an equal or a greater talent, help to further it. Besides, unfortunately, the world is so lax and so forgetful in training and teaching its neglected young people that one might well encourage this first of all. God grant us his grace. Amen.”


Musicians are messengers. I find it to be quite a gift; quite a responsibility. Praise be to God!

Collaboration! Yes! Music! Awesome!

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