If you were cool in 1967, and into music, you probably know who LOVE is.
Sometimes referred to as Arthur Lee and LOVE, this Los Angeles based group
rocked the world that year with a real classic album, one referred to as their
Sgt. Pepper, “Forever Changes.” In a year where the music world was in a
renaissance of music, where The Monkees outsold the Beatles that year, think of
that for a minute, “Forever Changes” filled many FM stations airwaves, and with
good reason. The music was great, with instrumentals only the gifted could pull
off, and mystical lyrics, that today are still open to interpretation by the
listener. Find a copy, and sit back and enjoy. The last song, “You Set the
Scene” is a rock classic, you may have even heard it and didn’t know it. But
one line in another song, tells us “the news today will be the movies of
tomorrow...” How simple, yet how so true. Quick, what line from Justin Bieber
has gripped you? 45 years from now how will any of so-called music be
remembered? Certainly not classic....But music back then spoke with emotion,
crying out for help and desperation, or being so much in love that nothing else
mattered. Maybe Mark Twain said it better almost 100 years before 1967, “the
only thing worse than not falling in love is falling in love.” Not sure of what
label he was on, or of any lyric credits. So in the read the book while waiting
for the movie to come out spirit, just listen to the news, and have an accurate
forecast of the next movies. All courtesy of one Arthur Lee....
The beautiful weather here, I rode in Palm Springs yesterday where it was
80, reminds me how the Mama’s and Papa’s sang how they be “safe and warm, if I
was in LA...” and thank you Lord for So Cal weather. A ride taken on a new 2015
Tiger XRX, the first one in the US of A, and for an afternoon, my mind was
cleared and the road was the song. For over 200 miles, just me and God,
assisted by a new Tiger, with weather to match...who says there is no God? But
when arriving home it was back to reality, and out last night ministering at
Dustin Arms, I had to remind myself that my life is about ministry, and not a
mini-series. That trying to cope or help with the problems of everyone else
will consume me, and how much we need Jesus. One man who is on medication just
got back from Philadelphia and going to trial, having to live in a homeless
mission for two weeks until his SSI check arrived and he could come home. A
young mother with three children who has no visiting rights is excited because
the court may let her see them, her youngest at 10 months is starting to walk.
Another man is now a professor at the City College, and struggling to make the
change, while helping vets get through the VA paperwork. A fire in a room has
scared the tenant to death, and yet others fight alcohol, drugs, broken homes,
relationships, and just try to make it through the day. Two men with diabetes
have lost feet, yet not hope. They all can use a little bit of love, and
sometimes this mini-series of life can overwhelm the ministry we go to do. And
we must remember that Jesus changes the life, and that without a change
involving him, nothing will change. We know this, Jesus even told his disciples
this but yet they had trouble getting it, and they saw him every day. And could
ask questions....good thing he left his spirit so we can too. Yet many hear the
truth and reject it, no faith and it shows. They trust song lyrics before the
gospel.
Yet Jesus tells us that he will suffer at the hands of the chief priests,
elders, and teachers of he law. His disciples saw this, and they were there
when he went to the cross. This they saw, and believed, maybe not fully
understanding, but knowing what they saw. Yet they fell short when he told them
that after three days he would rise again...and then he did. And in almost
unbelief to them showed himself to over 500 people...he truly was risen! But if
Jesus suffered, we shall too, for we are his, but some day we will rise like he
did, we will be resurrected. But we must go through the process of persecution
he did, and we must die before we can be resurrected. But to live in Christ on
earth now, we must die to self, we must step out of the mini-series we call
life, and seek the cross, to see what was done there, how horrible it was, but
how beautiful it became. And is today.
Struggling with your faith, here is a faith builder. Jesus told us in this
world there will be tribulation. Having trouble in your mini-series of life?
Here is the proof of his word. So if you can accept the pain and suffering, why
do we struggle with the grace he promised? We were all dead because of sin and
Jesus is the way back, not a way, the way. We can relate to the suffering, and
many have come to Christ, yet we live like we are in the past. We need to live
like we are resurrected, we have already conquered death in him, and although
times are tough, each one is a reminder of how much we need him and be assured
that because he overcame, so shall we. And that we are, despite the
situations. If we just look to the cross and see him. Yet so many trip over
their crosses, when all Jesus tells us is to pick them up and follow him. He
knows...his life was one of ministry and not a mini-series. And although we
play it out like one, when we allow him to minister to us, we are changed. And
we can minister to others...it is called love. And only found in Jesus.
We will all go through a forever change some day, death will separate us
from our lives on earth. Let Jesus make that forever change in your life
today. Get over the suffering, the pain, and the all about me mini-series you
are caught up in. Here a new song, the song of Jesus. When Jesus rode into
Jerusalem to cries of “hosanna,” which means save now, after few days when the
Roman government was still in charge, when they still felt overwhelmed, when
they felt Jesus failed in their eyes for their wants, they then yelled “crucify
him!” Just because they didn’t get their way.....
Jesus is the way, and the way out of your mini-series. A way to be
ministered to, and be changed so you can minister to others. Making disciples
is what he calls it, equipping others to help others. Yet so many live life
like a scene from “Murder by Death,” where a blind butler is trying to
communicate with a deaf and dumb maid. Funny, but how true it can be in real
life. Some day your whole life will play out in heaven, but we forget how it is
playing out now for all to see. The way to the cross always leads to a new
direction, a new way, and new beginning and a resurrection. But on different
terms, it leads to freedom and having your soul put at rest. It leads to
Jesus...
It has been said that if you remember the sixties you weren’t there, but
Jesus has never forgotten you. And he was there, is here now, and will be
tomorrow. Ministering in the midst of your mini-series, showing you love when
all else fails. He is the forever change you have been looking for and he sets
the scene. And you cannot ever know love without him. It’s your choice how you
face the day, “good lord it’s morning,” or Good morning Lord.” Jesus is the way
out, pretty far out huh?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com