Lyrics & Influences Changed my life

Still in a nostalgic mood. Every once in a while I have to remind myself I'm a child of the 80's.

I don't know - I guess I've been thinking about what changed me and made me think as I do. I came across some old disks of the Resurrection Band from Jesus People USA (JPUSA). I know in late years they have come under some scrutiny - I have no comment about that. All I know is that Glenn Kaiser and Rez Band / JPUSA changed the way I look at faith and Christianity. They used to have a magazine, "Cornerstone". Each time it arrived it was like a breath of fresh air. They were one of the first influences on me to think of social action in an evangelical context. Today I came across some lyrics that I vividly remember from my youth. God really used songs like this to change me. I'm deeply indebted to JPUSA for the influence they had on me. Read the lyrics below - tell me they aren't great!

Stark/Spare 3:50

Rez Band - Mommy Don't Love Daddy Anymore - © 1981

Stark/spare and barely there
The ghetto moves beyond the knowledge
Or even consideration
Of the upper-middle riddles
That just don't care
Stark/spare an' tell me who cares
Slumming ain't the answer
To the cancer poverty
That so many of the poor
Slip into degree
Jesus walked among them
Pausing to refresh
Finally giving to the point of blood
To share their emptiness
Mark and Teresa (Mark Buntane and Mother Theresa)
Godspeed to you
Suffering in love
When you don't have too
And God have mercy
On the rest of us to
'Cause when we shut out the poor
Lord, we're shutting out you

Jesus walked among them
Pausing to refresh
Finally giving to the point of blood
To share their emptiness
And we must walk among them
For we can do no less
Than what the Saviour taught us
By his life and by his death
For the truth is on our tables
The crumbs are on our floors
We must give while we are able
Both Lazarus and our judge are at the door

From their third album, "Colours" I came across the below song. As I listened to it today it reminded me of the struggle against sin and for holiness in my life. This song impacted me in my teens, and still does now. How many of us live in the struggle - like the Apostle Paul recounts in Romans 7? Trying to find the balance between the struggle of sin and redemption/ freedom. Romans 8 waits for us declaring that there is freedom and release for those of us who are living the Kingdom life.

The Struggle
Rez Band - Colours © 1980

Sometimes You scare me by what You cause me to see
And I'm afraid of knowing who I am
Although You've changed me there's still a whole lot of old wineskin
And to open up would destroy the me
I'm afraid to show
One part of me doesn't want to grow
But I'm tired of this lingering winter
Tired of ground so hard and cold
Plow Your way through, I'm asking You to, Jesus
Lord, You're my only hope

Without You . . . I can't face myself

My pride wants me to hide inside myself
But I love You an' I don't want our love put on the shelf
I'm tired of fighting to be who I am
Jesus, make me what You want me to be
Because of You I desire reality
A love for You is what I'm dying to receive
Though I hate what I am I understand what You've promised me
You've promised me freedom in the truth
But I can only face myself when I've faced You
An' I'll be ready to face myself when I face You

I'm thankful for JPUSA, Rez, Keith Green, Loren Cunningham, Dan Sneed and others who made such a difference in my life. Also for old friends like Vann Hardin and Randy Zacharias (RIP) who turned me on to JPUSA, Keith and others who showed me how to be a 'New Kind of Christian".

YWAMers Praised for Faith and Leadership

The Denver Post reports on the memorial service at the Denver YWAM base: "We're going to celebrate a life, we're not accentuating a death," said Faith Bible Chapel pastor George Morrison, in opening a memorial service today for two people killed at a missionary training school in Arvada . The service is called "A Celebration of Life for Tiffany and Philip." Philip Crouse and Tiffany Johnson died Sunday when a gunman opened fire at the school's dormitory. Youth With a Mission director Peter Warren said today both Crouse and Johnson embodied the spirit of the group. First the service focused on Crouse . "Phil gave his life to Jesus Christ and was never the same again," said Zach, a friend of Johnson's who met him years ago at a youth ministry in Alaska. At the time, Crouse was tough and wouldn't let people get close to him. "Over the years, Phil became a humble, teachable, sweet guy" who was able to reach kids with rough e...

Non Profit Payday Loans?

Here's a recent New York Times article sent to me from Katie at NCHM on payday lending. I know that the NCUD / CTCU-EPA partnership is going to have to create the right program addressing the needs for short term lending for low income families. We don't have the answers yet, but it's definitely on our radar. APPLETON, Wis. — This city of 70,000 has five McDonald’s franchises, three Pizza Huts, four Starbucks shops — and 19 payday loan stores, brightly lighted storefronts with names like EZ Money and Check Into Cash that offer two-week loans without credit checks. Peggy Truckey, 53, knows the allure. Last year she owed nearly $1,300 to four of those stores, and was paying about $600 a month in finance fees alone. “I thought I was going to have to take a second job just to pay off the interest,” Ms. Truckey said. Then she heard about a new nonprofit program operated out of a Goodwill thrift store, one of several hundred lower-cost payday loan products that are now bein...

Samuel Liotti TV Interview about Obama's Nomination

Check this out this link! Samuel, his best friend Malik and other students at East Palo Alto Academy were interviewed on TV where they were asked about their views on Obama. The students has some interesting and revealing comments. With all the politics, it may be easy for some to overlook the significance and importance of the first truly viable African-American candidate for president. Obama's nomination to especially many young people in our community speaks volumes about who they are and what they can become. This is an exciting and important time in our history. Please join me in praying for both our candidates, but especially Obama. I've felt impressed that I should pray specifically for his safety during the next months. Follow the link and check out the interview! What about you? How significant do you feel is Obama's nomination?

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