Saturday Song, The Beacon Street Union, "South End incident"

This is another song I discovered while shopping at a used record store. I'd never heard of this band but I took a chance on buying the disk. As things turned out, I loved the psychedelic sound and the compelling story of this song. Listen to it here:

I'm sure that any of us would be afraid if we witnessed a murder and we weren't sure if the killers saw us watching them. And though it's easier said than done, we do have one we can turn to in any crisis.

Saint Peter, no stranger to life-threatening situations, wrote in 1 Peter 5:6 and 7 (BBE), "For this cause make yourselves low under the strong hand of God, so that when the time comes you may be lifted up; Putting all your troubles on him, for he takes care of you."

Our Master also encourages us not to worry in Matthew 10:28 (BBE). "And have no fear of those who put to death the body, but are not able to put to death the soul. But have fear of him who has power to give soul and body to destruction in hell."

In the first century, many Christians were murdered by Romans and Pharisees alike. As Jesus warned in John 16:2 (BBE), "They will put you out of the Synagogues: yes, the time is coming when whoever puts you to death will have the belief that he is doing God's pleasure."

And thanks to the Apostle Paul, we have the assurance of stepping from life into the presence of our adored Master when we die. Philippians 1:21 (BBE) reads, "For to me life is Christ and death is profit."

For those who doubt that saints go straight to heaven, We have Saint John's vision in Revelation 6:9-11 (BBE) proving this. "And when the fifth stamp was undone, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been put to death for the word of God, and for the witness which they kept. And they gave a great cry, saying, 'How long will it be, O Ruler, holy and true, before you take your place as judge and give punishment for our blood to those on the earth?' And there was given to every one a white robe, and they were ordered to take their rest for a little time, till the number was complete of the other servants, their brothers, who would be put to death, even as they had been."

How nice that even if death comes, we don't just fade to black or sleep until the resurrection but dwell with Christ.

On Monday, if Christ doesn't return yet, I hope to post about why we must be mad at hell.

Who's Responsible for COVID-19?

We live in an unprecedented time. Never before has the entire economy of the world been shut down due to a virus. The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 15th and everything we once took for granted ended.

John MacArthur made an astute observation when he said that enemy countries could control others with fear. Not a single bullet needs to be fired. since humanity's biggest fear is death, people complied willingly with the WHO's shut-down order.

But death is no terror to us who follow Christ and belong to him. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:55 (BBE), "O death, where is your power? O death, where are your pains?"

Why isn't death a terror to us? We go to our eternal home and meet our beloved Lord and Master. As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21(BBE) about his work for the Lord, "For to me life is Christ and death is profit."

Paul further explained in 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 (BBE) that our spirits will wait in heaven for the resurrection. "For we are conscious that if this our tent of flesh is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in heaven. For in this we are crying in weariness, greatly desiring to be clothed with our house from heaven: So that our spirits may not be unclothed. For truly, we who are in this tent do give out cries of weariness, for the weight of care which is on us; not because we are desiring to be free from the body, but so that we may have our new body, and death may be overcome by life."

I realize that there are some theories floating around the Internet about who originated this epidemic. The most credible one I've heard is that a virology lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan allowed the virus to escape. At this point, nobody knows for sure if this was deliberate or an accident.

But we can take heart in that our Lord is with us in all circumstances. If we live, that's good. If we die, that's even better.

If Christ hasn't come by Saturday, I hope to post about a song called You're Not Alone" and how it applies to us Christians.

Our Hope is in the Lord

As I wrote on Monday, we have the wonderful privilege of placing our hope in the Lord. Psalms 31:23 and 24 (BBE) reminds us, "O have love for the Lord, all you his saints; for the Lord keeps safe from danger all those who are true to him, and gives the workers of pride their right reward. Put away fear and let your heart be strong, all you whose hope is in the Lord."

One seldomly quoted verse by preachers, at least that I've heard, is Nahum 1:7 (BBE). It reads, "The Lord is good, a strong place in the day of trouble; and he has knowledge of those who take him for their safe cover."

Another reassuring verse which I seldom hear quoted is Proverbs 30:5 (BBE). "Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him."

Pause also and meditate on what Psalms 62:8 (BBE) says. "Have faith in him at all times, you people; let your hearts go flowing out before him: God is our safe place. (Selah.)"

It's easier said than done but we can hold onto the Lord even in perilous times. As Psalms 37:40 (BBE) assures us, "And the Lord will be their help, and keep them safe: he will take them out of the hands of the evil-doers, and be their saviour, because they had faith in him."

Even when Death looms over us, we can take comfort in the Father's care. Job 13:15 KJV) was spoken by a man suffering deep physical and emotional distress. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him."

Even our deaths can bring glory to the Lord. The Apostle Paul sure knew that, having faced the Grim Reaper many times. As he wrote in Philippians 1:21 (BBE), "For to me life is Christ and death is profit."

While the world dreads death, we know we'll be home with the Lord. This is what helps go through whatever this world throws at us.

On Saturday, provided Christ doesn't come first, I hope to post about our ultimate friend: Christ.

Saturday Song: Badfinger, "It's Over"

I'm certain that any child would say that summer holidays are the best. For two whole months, there's no getting up early and going to school. Families usually plan their vacations for July or August since their children are out of school. And judging from all of the folks I know, the summer is when great family memories are made.

The British band, Badfinger, recorded a song about returning home. It resonates with me since I was sent to a residential school for blind and deaf children for six lonely years. Leaving that sterile institution for the freedom of summer vacation each June meant so much to me.

Hear Badfinger's song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mezhl2erFbc

A day will come when our enforced stay on this planet will be over. For many of us, our exit will be through the door of death. And unlike the folks who aren't believers in Christ, we don't fear it. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21 (BBE) that, "For to me life is Christ and death is profit."

Neither was Peter afraid of death. He wrote in 2 Peter 1:14 (BBE), regarding his decease, "For I am conscious that in a short time I will have to put off this tent of flesh, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me." He referred to what Christ told him after he rose from the dead.

But there are some of us who will be privileged to see Christ return in our own lifetime. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17  (BBE), "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are still living at the coming of the Lord, will not go before those who are sleeping. Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a word of authority, with the voice of the chief angel, with the sound of a horn: and the dead in Christ will come to life first; Then we who are still living will be taken up together with them into the clouds to see the Lord in the air: and so will we be for ever with the Lord."

Either way, we are assured of paradise. As Jesus told his disciples in John 14:2 (BBE), "In my Father's house are rooms enough; if it was not so, would I have said that I am going to make ready a place for you?
"

How wonderful then that we are headed for such a blissful rest. Life can be hard but we will receive our reward when we go to our eternal home.

On Monday, I'll tackle the subject of a startling fact I learned from an American preacher currently living in Zambia.