Saturday Song: O.M.D., "Radio Waves"

What a wonderful invention radio is. It brings us news and music wherever we are. And unlike television, we don't need to be staring at the receiver. That's why I'm often doing housework or just relaxing while I listen to my favourite oldies or Bible-teaching programs.

Listen to the song by O.M.D. here.


For many folks in Third World lands, radio is an essential link to the outside world. And for believers in countries where Christianity is forbidden, broadcasts from free countries help them grow in faith and understanding of the Bible.

We Christians are familiar with what theologians call The Great Commission. Mark 16:15 (KJV) is one verse where Christ gave this command. "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

Likewise, Paul wrote in Romans 10:14 (BBE), "But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher."

Thanks to broadcast ministries, such as Trans World Radio, people who would normally not hear the gospel can listen to preachers in the privacy of their own homes as they preach in their mother tongue.

Shortwave radio is especially effective in spreading Christ's good news. It can cross borders and reach folks thousands of miles away.

Radios these days don't cost much either. Better still, many have dynamos in them which can recharge an internal battery. Some also come equipped with solar panels. In the poorest villages, people can gather around a radio and hear the gospel for free.

Do you love radio and songs like this one. Feel free to reply. I've loved radio since I was a child and I doubt I'll ever quit listening for distant signals.

On Monday, I'll tackle the topic of why God is holy but we aren't.

Why Must We Baptize?

The first part of my answer is obvious. Christ commanded us to do so. Mark 16:15 (BBE) says, "And he said to them (his disciples), 'Go into all the world, and give the good news to everyone.'"

But why must people be baptized? Part of the answer is explained in the above verse. Baptism is the first act of outward obedience by a new believer. We see this demonstrated by an Ethiopian eunuch who believed Philip when he explained the gospel to him. Acts 8:36 and 37 (BBE) relates, "And while they were going on their way, they came to some water, and the Ethiopian said, 'See, here is water; why may I not have baptism?' And he gave orders for the carriage to be stopped, and the two of them went down into the water, and Philip gave him baptism."

Baptism is also symbolic of being buried and resurrected with Christ. Romans 6:3 and 4(BBE) says, "Or are you without the knowledge that all we who had baptism into Christ Jesus, had baptism into his death? We have been placed with him among the dead through baptism into death: so that as Christ came again from the dead by the glory of the Father, we, in the same way, might be living in new life."

Then there's Ephesians 4:5 (KJV). "One Lord, one faith, one baptism," By the way, this shows how unifying baptism is in relation to all believers. It would also make a great bumper sticker text.

Some new believers might be confused by the baptism done by John who was the forerunner of Christ. His baptism was done as an act of repentance. But the baptism Christ preached superceded John's as being an act of obedience. Luke 7:29 (BBE) reads, "And all the people, and the tax-farmers, to whom John had given baptism, when they had knowledge of these things, gave glory to God"

By the way, the very next verse shows that the Pharisees were disobedient even to John's baptism. They derided what Christ said, thinking they needed no repentance.

John knew his baptism was inferior to Christ's. He said in Mark 1:8 (BBE)that, "I have given you baptism with water, but he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit."

I'll be writing more about baptism, particularly the baptism of the Holy Spirit, in my next paperback called You Think You're Going to Heaven? It's something every serious Christian needs to understand.

On Saturday, I'll post about Billy Joel and his brilliantly-written song regarding history.

Saturday Song: The Dick van Dykes, "Chain Letter Massicre"

I feel confident that many of us are affronted by chain letter senders. They think we'll take time out of our busy days to forward their nonsense. It's easier now because we can copy and paste messages into e-mail and Facebook posts. Even so, it's still an imposition upon us by people we often don't know or even care to know.

I sympathize with the writer of this song. People used to send me all sorts of chain letters with the expectation that I'd send copies to my friends and pay the sender money. Back in the late eighties, this was a labourious task. I could borrow the photocopier at work but then I had to address envelopes and affix proper postage. In the end, I never got any responses from the friends I wrote or any cash wrapped securily in carbon paper.

Listen to The Dickvan Dykes here.

There's only one message worth passing on to friends and that's the gospel. We who follow Christ are commanded to do so. Look at what Mark 16:15 KJV) plainly says. "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

But some folks don't want to hear that they can be saved from hell. To them, they assume they're good enough and God will automatically open the gates wide for them. They oppose any presentation of the good news, which is what gospel means, and even persecute those who preach it.

But why should we Christians not proclaim such wonderful news. Look at what Paul, one of the most persecuted messengers of the Lord, said in Romans 1:16 (KJV). "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Furthermore, we have no excuse not to tell others about such a magnanimous gift. Look at what Paul wrote in Romans 10:15,( KJV) "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

So, what do you think of what this song and what I wrote? Please let me know in the comment box below.

On Monday, I'll be posting on how we need suffering in our lives.

Saturday Song: Anthony Moore, World Service

Ever since I discovered the joys of shortwave listening on the Pye table top radio at the school for the blind I attended, I've loved listening to foreign broadcasts in English. Tuning in stations from Japan, the USSR, and other lands thrilled me. Instead of going outside for recess, I searched the shortwave bands for distant signals.

Here Anthony Moore's "World Service" song here.

To me, shortwave radio has a glamour all its own. The thought of distant signals bouncing off the ionosphere and down to me fired my imagination. No wires or satellites were needed. All a person had to purchase was the radio.

This interest in the countries and peoples of the world has helped me identify with the Great Commission. Mark 16:15 (KJV) reads, "And he (Christ) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

By that, he meant anybody. Christianity isn't a white man's religion as some people suppose but an inclusive faith for all the world. It doesn't matter which country you're in or from wich ethnic background you came. All that is irrelevant. Belief in Christ and following him after repenting of your sins is the only requirement.

If you liked what I wrote and the song I chose, please let me know. Otherwise, have a great weekend anyway.

What Did Christ Do After He Rose?

Easter is over and it's on to the next event, or so it is with many people. In North America, it's Mother's Day. And as important as it is to recognize the hard work these women do in raising children, so should those folks who make disciples of all nations be recognized.

Christians are familiar with The Great Commission. Mark 16:15 (KJV) says, "And he (Christ) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." We understand the "go" part but many missionaries in the past have forgotten about discipleship.

Luke recorded what Christ was busy doing before his ascension. Acts 1:3 (KJV) states, "To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:"

And it wasn't just a handful of disciples who our Lord met after his resurrection. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:6 (KJV)  "After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep." The word "sleep" in this case means death.

Jesus had many things to teach his disciples before he ascended. They couldn't understand at first that his kingdom was spiritual in nature and that he came to save all who would repent and follow him throughout space and time. John 12:16 (KJV) explains, "These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him."

I also had many misunderstandings of what Christianity entailed. For this reason, I plan on writing my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? My hope is that I may save my readers from missing the mark and ending up in hell because of false teachers.

Do We Build the Church?

It seems that every congregation hears messages about how we need to make the church more seeker friendly. The music needs to be updated and the awkward passages in scripture regarding judgement must be kept out of the sermons. This, so many church elders think, will build the church and make unsaved people feel more comfortable. Is that really what we're supposed to do?

According to Jesus Christ, he's the one who will build his church. We merely go out and tell others about him and if they come, they come.

Look at what Christ said in Matthew 16:18 (KJV). "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Jesus had just asked who people said he, the Son of Man, was. Then he asked who they said he was. Peter answered that he was the Son of God. Jesus named him Peter, a little rock, and on the rock that he was the Christ, he would build his church.

But what are we to do? Christ told his disciples in Mark 16:15 (KJV), "And he said unto them, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.'" While we are to baptize and teach new disciples, it's up to Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, to bring people in to fill his church.

There was a time when I believed the fallacy that we needed to accommodate our church to the world rather than the world to the church. Now I know better.

I wrote about my growth in the Lord in a book called How I Was Razed. Visit Amazon to find out more about the wondrous work wrought in my life by Christ.

My thanks to John MacArthur for inspiring this blog post.