Tag: Jesus Christ

My Bucket List for Saturday

Five Things to Do Before Saturday’s Rapture (Maybe)

Whether or not Mr. Camping has done the math correctly could be possible.  Many things could possibly align and I certainly don’t have enough to figure this out.  So much publicity has been given to Saturday’s projected flight out.  And it definitely intrigues me that, the skeptics and unbelievers are having so much fun over Christians who are slowing down, and even stop in their tracks when they consider the reality of the rapture.

I’ve put down my personal bucket list.  It lists five things I plan to do, immediately.  Now, this is coming from a simple guy, with issues of course.  (To those closest to me– and yes, I am a born-again Christian! Lol.)

1)  Peel off all that blocks me from Jesus’ love and presence.  I want to be prepared to look him in his face without shame.

2)  Step up and begin to pray and praise.  To trust and not to fear. 

3) Draw closer to my wife. I want my children to know my love.  I want to know that they are preparing themselves.

4)  I want to leave behind this blog, notes, my library and Bibles (many contain notes) for anyone left behind who can get to them first.  I know this seems strange, but my strong suit has never been normalcy. Get them while you can.

And finally #5…

5)  Actually, I’m doing it right now.  I want to encourage you, to fortify you in the love and grace of our mutual Savior, Jesus Christ.  I want you to be ready to meet him. I want you to know this for sure. 

Will Jesus rapture his Church this Saturday?  I really can’t tell you that, he may come Friday, or even next Friday (or even next Saturday.)  But we must live with this truth—his return is imminent and soon, and then we should live like it.

I’m signing off, now.  “Here–there–or in the air.”

Classic CCM Spotlight on Glad

 GLAD is one of the pioneers of Christian pop/rock and a cappella music, having formed as a progressive rock group in 1972 and discovered a large audience for their a cappella music in 1988.

 Today, with over 1.5 million albums sold, they continue to perform concerts and release occasional recordings. As Contemporary Christian Music (CCM Magazine) described it, “GLAD’s elegant vocals helped set them apart from other pioneers of Contemporary Christian music. That vocal sound has since evolved into a complex, self-sustaining life form of its own…”   The GLAD sound is known for its tight harmonies and intricate arrangements with classical and jazz overtones. Some of their hits over the years have included “Be Ye Glad,” “Maker of My Heart,” “God is My Rock,” “The Easter Song,” “You Put This Love in My Heart,” and “Color Outside the Lines.

From a Wikipedia source

“Be Ye Glad” Lyrics

BE YE GLAD

Words and Music by M.K.Blanchard
© Gotz Music/Benson
(860) 673-5100

In these days of confused situations.
In these nights of a restless remorse,
When the heart and the soul of the nation,
lay wounded and cold as a corpse.
From the grave of the innocent Adam,
comes a song bringing joy to the sad.
Oh your cry has been heard and the ransom,
has been paid up in full, Be Ye Glad.

(Chorus)

Oh, Be Ye Glad, Be Ye Glad,
Every debt that you ever had
Has been paid up in full by the grace of the Lord,
Be Ye Glad, Be Ye Glad, Be Ye Glad.

From the dungeon a rumor is stirring.
You have heard it again and again.
But this time the cell keys are turning,
and outside there are faces of friends.
And though your body lay weary from wasting,
and your eyes show the sorrow they’ve had.
Oh the love that your heart is now tasting
has opened the gate, Be Ye Glad.

(Chorus)

So be like lights on the rim of the water,
giving hope in a storm sea of night.
Be a refuge amidst the slaughter,
for these fugitives in their flight.
For you are timeless and part of a puzzle.
You are winsome and young as a lad.
And there is no disease or no struggle,
that can pull you from God, Be Ye Glad.

(Chorus)

Great Links–

http://www.singers.com/glad.html

http://www.glad-pro.com/

 

CCM Classic Spotlight–Dallas Holm

Indeed a classic CCM from the Broken Believer music library.  This man has had a long run of over 40 years of music ministry.  His song, “Rise Again” took over the CCM charts for several months, winning the Dove Awards best song of the year in 1977.

Rise Again Lyrics

musician: Dallas Holm & Praise

Go ahead, drive the nails in My hands;
Laugh at me… where you stand.
Go ahead, and say it isn’t Me;
The day will come… when you will see.

(Refrain)
‘Cause I’ll rise…. again;
Ain’t no power on earth can keep Me down!
Yes, I’ll rise… again;
Death can’t keep Me in the ground.

Go ahead, mock My name;
My love for you is still the same.
Go ahead, and bury Me;
But very soon, I will be free!

(Refrain) (Instrumental bridge)

Go ahead, and say I’m dead and gone,
But you will see that you were wrong.
Go ahead, try to hide the Son;
But all will see that I’m the One!

(Final refrain)
‘Cause I’ll come again!
Ain’t no power on earth can keep me back!
Yes, I’ll come again;
Come to take My people back.

Dallas Holm’s official website:

http://www.dallasholm.com/servlet/StoreFront

The Miracle of Polaroid

I can distinctly remember seeing my first “instant” photo develop.  It was back in the dark ages of 1972.  It was a miracle!  Up to that time, you took pictures, but you had to wait a time for them to be processed.  It was an assumption that after a week you would finally receive those photos, developed and a bit expensive.

As I watched the Polaroid develop before my eyes, something happened to me.  Metaphorically a train was passing by, called technology, and I immediately jumped on board.  My family upbringing was pathetically poor, but that didn’t matter.  I was finally moving in a direction that made sense.  And we all were on a more equal footing.

Those early “instant” photos, starting from a glop of blue-grey would change into a pretty neat image, right before your eyes.  You did nothing, maybe you shook it in order to dry it quicker.  Within minutes something tangible would happen.  You would have a great photo of Uncle Willy.

I don’t want to be melodramatic, but I think we profoundly changed when we finally discovered the Polaroid instant camera.  Polaroid sold millions within months.  They couldn’t keep them in stores–they sold-out!  And yet, in retrospect it was just a baby-step into our technology of today.  Yet, it was the first step, and we would never be the same.

In the presence of the Lord God, we discover many moments like this.  He continually reveals himself in fresh and wondering ways.  He astonishes us with continually fresh and spiritually amazing ways.  As we come to know him, even deeper and more profound.  We stand in the driveway and watch our understanding develop.  It is a process that insists on staggering us.  He is not a novelty gadget, he is everlasting. We choose to wait on Him.