Monday, June 14, 2010
I am a Patriot
There are about 5 blogs I've wanted to write for a while. I don't find these easy to write. It's hard to put into words what you are trying to capture that is going on inside one's soul. Words are so limited, pictures capture a bit more, a movie maybe a little more; but thoughts, feelings, experience, and the Spirit seem almost impossible sometimes. There is no way that what I write can be completely understood but now and then the Spirit of what is written may give you a revelation of what is being said. Maybe Romans 8:36,37 captures a little of what I am even trying to say here though this is in regard to prayer: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
I hear the Voice of the Lord in many ways, one common way for me is through music, much of it is "non-Christian" music. I believe everyone is looking for something and all men/women capture some truth from time to time and tap into the river of God, even if they don't know it. All of creation points towards Him, even evil points towards Him in a longing for what is good and just.
Here is a Jackson Browne link to song "I am a Patriot" (I prefer the album version from The Very Best of Jackson Browne): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saYvWAVmT_s
So when I first heard this song from Jackson Browne "I am a Patriot" (written by Little Steven), it seemed to capture something in the Spirit that spoke truth to me as well as guide me through some inner struggles I have within myself. With the current state of the nation I wonder what I should be doing. I've been to some tea parties, even went to Washington this past September 11th. May go back to the Lincoln memorial on 8/28. But even there I wasn't convinced to throw my hat in the ring and give the next few years of my life to that cause. My favorite sign in DC on 9/11 was the one that quoted Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD..." That I could support. But the left vs right, democrat vs republican, conservative vs liberal, something is not right there. Not one of those sides free and heal people's hearts to be who they were created to be. Now I lean right in thinking but but being right and being righteous are two different things. Some of the most obnoxious people can be factually correct but also have a heart of stone. I know no one who has it all figured out, and those who think they do may be the scariest of them all.
Little Steven wrote this song, I believe, in the early eighties under President Regan. He was concerned about the direction of the country back then. You can see him speak and then perform the song from this link recorded in 1984. There is profanity in it (which I believe lessens your case, but that is my thought, and yes I too have been know to drop a few profane words, not to my credit), but you can see where he was coming from in writing this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzguf7WBIM0
I happen to see his words of this song inspired but maybe not competely as he understood them. I do agree with about 85% of what he says. I hope we all agree with each other's freedom to speak what we believe.
Now in revisting the song today we have a completely different government running the country but the words of the song still apply just coming from the opposite end of the spectrum. I believe neither Democrats or Repulicans will save us, not even Capitalism. Communism is tied to the deaths of at least 70 million (of their own people) just last century, or Imperialism, which I honestly have not thought much of. For me I want minimal power in the hands of any government over it's people. For we are not the property of any government but the creation of God and that is where are rights are derived from. We are heading in the wrong direction here...
And the rivers shall open for the righteous...
And the rivers shall open for the righteous...
And the rivers shall open for the righteous someday...
I was walking with my brother,
And he wondered, oh how I am.
Said what I believe in my soul
Ain't what I see with my eyes,
And there's no turning back this time.
I am a patriot, and I love my country,
Because my country is all I know.
Wanna be with my family,
People who understand me.
I got no place else to go.
I was walking with my girlfriend.
She looked so fine, I said
"Baby, what's on your mind?"
Said I want to run like the lions
Released from their cages...
Released from the rages
Burning in my soul tonight.
I am a patriot, and I love my country,
Because my country is all I know.
And I ain't no communist,
And I ain't no socialist,
And I ain't no capitalist,
And I ain't no imperialist,
And I ain't no democrat,
Sure ain't no republican either,
I only know one party,
And that is freedom.
I am...I am...I am...
I am a patriot, and I love my country,
Because my country is all I know.
And the rivers shall open for the righteous,
And the rivers shall open for the righteous,
And the rivers shall open for the righteous someday...
Someday...someday...
Someday is today...
And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap." So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:13-17)
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luk 18:9-14)
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:38)
And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." (Rev 5:5)
On freedom:
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2Co 3:17)
So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed...
Hopefully we can drop the labels and look to Him who can set us free "to run like the lions, released from the cages, released from the rages burning in our souls..."
I hear the Voice of the Lord in many ways, one common way for me is through music, much of it is "non-Christian" music. I believe everyone is looking for something and all men/women capture some truth from time to time and tap into the river of God, even if they don't know it. All of creation points towards Him, even evil points towards Him in a longing for what is good and just.
Here is a Jackson Browne link to song "I am a Patriot" (I prefer the album version from The Very Best of Jackson Browne): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saYvWAVmT_s
So when I first heard this song from Jackson Browne "I am a Patriot" (written by Little Steven), it seemed to capture something in the Spirit that spoke truth to me as well as guide me through some inner struggles I have within myself. With the current state of the nation I wonder what I should be doing. I've been to some tea parties, even went to Washington this past September 11th. May go back to the Lincoln memorial on 8/28. But even there I wasn't convinced to throw my hat in the ring and give the next few years of my life to that cause. My favorite sign in DC on 9/11 was the one that quoted Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD..." That I could support. But the left vs right, democrat vs republican, conservative vs liberal, something is not right there. Not one of those sides free and heal people's hearts to be who they were created to be. Now I lean right in thinking but but being right and being righteous are two different things. Some of the most obnoxious people can be factually correct but also have a heart of stone. I know no one who has it all figured out, and those who think they do may be the scariest of them all.
Little Steven wrote this song, I believe, in the early eighties under President Regan. He was concerned about the direction of the country back then. You can see him speak and then perform the song from this link recorded in 1984. There is profanity in it (which I believe lessens your case, but that is my thought, and yes I too have been know to drop a few profane words, not to my credit), but you can see where he was coming from in writing this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzguf7WBIM0
I happen to see his words of this song inspired but maybe not competely as he understood them. I do agree with about 85% of what he says. I hope we all agree with each other's freedom to speak what we believe.
Now in revisting the song today we have a completely different government running the country but the words of the song still apply just coming from the opposite end of the spectrum. I believe neither Democrats or Repulicans will save us, not even Capitalism. Communism is tied to the deaths of at least 70 million (of their own people) just last century, or Imperialism, which I honestly have not thought much of. For me I want minimal power in the hands of any government over it's people. For we are not the property of any government but the creation of God and that is where are rights are derived from. We are heading in the wrong direction here...
And the rivers shall open for the righteous...
And the rivers shall open for the righteous...
And the rivers shall open for the righteous someday...
I was walking with my brother,
And he wondered, oh how I am.
Said what I believe in my soul
Ain't what I see with my eyes,
And there's no turning back this time.
I am a patriot, and I love my country,
Because my country is all I know.
Wanna be with my family,
People who understand me.
I got no place else to go.
I was walking with my girlfriend.
She looked so fine, I said
"Baby, what's on your mind?"
Said I want to run like the lions
Released from their cages...
Released from the rages
Burning in my soul tonight.
I am a patriot, and I love my country,
Because my country is all I know.
And I ain't no communist,
And I ain't no socialist,
And I ain't no capitalist,
And I ain't no imperialist,
And I ain't no democrat,
Sure ain't no republican either,
I only know one party,
And that is freedom.
I am...I am...I am...
I am a patriot, and I love my country,
Because my country is all I know.
And the rivers shall open for the righteous,
And the rivers shall open for the righteous,
And the rivers shall open for the righteous someday...
Someday...someday...
Someday is today...
And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap." So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:13-17)
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luk 18:9-14)
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:38)
And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." (Rev 5:5)
On freedom:
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2Co 3:17)
So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed...
Hopefully we can drop the labels and look to Him who can set us free "to run like the lions, released from the cages, released from the rages burning in our souls..."
