Gary Numan: "Are Friends Electric"

This debut hit by Tubeway  army launched lead singer Gary Numan's career. It was a huge 1979 hit in the UK but it never made its way to North America. Check it out here:

I love the part of the song where the protagonist walks into his room and realizes he left his friends in the hallway. It's only human to be distracted and make mistakes. I've often found myself in a room of my house, standing there and wondering why I'm standing there.

One classic account of forgetfulness happened in the life of Jacob's son Joseph. In Genesis 40:20-23 (Bible in Basic English), we read how this interpreter of dreams was left in prison for two years by the butler. "Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his servants; and he gave honour to the chief wine-servant and the chief bread-maker among the others. And he put the chief wine-servant back in his old place; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. But the chief bread-maker was put to death by hanging, as Joseph had said. But the wine-servant did not keep Joseph in mind or give a thought to him."

Israel had many occasions when they forgot God who brought them out of Egyptian bondage. Judges 3:7 (BBE) reads, "And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and put out of their minds the Lord their God, and became servants to the Baals and the Astartes."

Israel also took a long time to remember what Moses told them to do in Deuteronomy 25:19 (BBE). "So when the Lord your God has given you rest from all who are against you on every side, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage, see to it that the memory of Amalek is cut off from the earth; keep this in mind."

In order not to be forgotten, leaders often build structures and call them by their names. We read of one example in 2 Samuel 18:18 (BBE). "Now Absalom, before his death, had put up for himself a pillar in the king's valley, naming it after himself; for he said, 'I have no son to keep my name in memory:' and to this day it is named Absalom's pillar".

Most importantly, we must keep in mind what Christ told the church at Sardis. Revelation 3:3 (BBE) reminds us all, "Keep in mind, then, the teaching which was given to you, and be ruled by it and have a change of heart. If then you do not keep watch, I will come like a thief, and you will have no knowledge of the hour when I will come on you."

If Christ hasn't arrived by Thursday, I'll post about the perils of not paying respect to loyal workers.

Gary Numan: "Every Day I Die"

Gary Numan started out as a punk rocker but he soon adopted the synthesizer as his instrument of choice. He gained popularity in the UK  in 1979 and broke into the American market a year later with his hit, "Cars."

Check out this live performance of "Every Day I Die" here:

Believe it or not, we're meant to die daily but to ourselves and our worldly pleasures. As Paul wrote about his struggle with the flesh verses the resurrection of the new bodies in 1 Corinthians 15:31 (Bible in Basic English), "Yes, truly, by your pride in me, my brothers in Christ Jesus our Lord, my life is one long death."

Because we are made new in Christ, we have been set free from the slavery of sin. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:1 and 2 (BBE), "For this cause those who are in Christ Jesus will not be judged as sinners. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Paul further explained in Romans 8:13 (BBE) that it's sinful ways of thinking and acting which we must exterminate in our souls. "For if you go in the way of the flesh, death will come on you; but if by the Spirit you put to death the works of the body, you will have life."

And though we're free from the bondage of sin, we do occasionally give in to temptation. That's why Paul concluded in 2 Corinthians 7:1 (BBE), "Because God, then, will give us such rewards, dear brothers, let us make ourselves clean from all evil of flesh and spirit, and become completely holy in the fear of God."

And John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, stated in 1 John 3:16 (BBE) why we must slaughter all desires which are contrary to the new life which Christ gave us. "Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world."

This is the kind of dying we must do. May the Lord help you die to yourself and its destructive ways.

provided that Christ doesn't return by Saturday, I hope to post about avoiding mentally and spiritually ugly people.

Saturday Song: Gary Numan, "Cars"

Easter 2020 was one unique situation for Christians. Due to social distancing regulations, nobody could worship in church.

But enterprising pastors came up with a solution, namely holding services in parking lots. Tony Perkins of Washington Watch reports that Pastor Ernest Custalow preached to his congregation while they were parked in their vehicles at the lanes of Dominion Raceway.

British punk rock musician Gary Numan discovered the protection of his car when a crazed man attacked him on a London street. Gary had to drive on the sidewalk to avoid that lunatic.

Listen to the song which that incident inspired here.

What a blessing it is that we can worship God anywhere, any time, and facing any particular direction. We can kneel, stand, raise our hands to heaven, or whatever.

For example, we read of one saint's civil disobedience in Daniel 6:10 (BBE) which reads, "And Daniel, on hearing that the writing had been signed, went into his house; (now he had windows in his room on the roof opening in the direction of Jerusalem;) and three times a day he went down on his knees in prayer and praise before his God, as he had done before."

John 11:41 (BBE) shows how Jesus prayed when he raised Lazarus from the dead. "So they took away the stone. And Jesus, looking up to heaven, said, 'Father, I give praise to you for hearing me.'"

Paul was chained to a Roman Soldier when he wrote in 2 Timothy 1:3 (BBE), "I give praise to God, whose servant I have been, with a heart free from sin, from the time of my fathers, because in my prayers at all times the thought of you is with me, night and day."

These are but a few examples of how saints prayed in the past. So why not worship the Lord while parked at the church parking lot or a raceway?

Thanks to Roger Brannon of Tallahassee, Florida for indirectly inspiring this post.

On Monday, provided Christ doesn't return first, I hope to post about resurrection and the hope of a tree.