Staring at the Sun

I'm not the only one
starin' at the sun
Afraid of what you'd find
if you took a look inside
Not just deaf and dumb
I'm staring at the sun
Not the only one
who's happy to go blind
- 'Staring at the Sun' lyrics U2

Staring at the sun is not a bright idea because it can damage your eyes or even destroy your eyesight completely - "No one is immune to sunlight-related eye disorders. Every person, regardless of their background is susceptible to ocular damage from UV radiation that may lead to impaired vision." Source

But, if you still want to have a closer look at the sun, I can offer you a good alternative that is safe, cheap and 100% up-to-date. Just click here and see for yourself. And if you want to listen to U2 too... Be my guest and watch this eyeblinding (not really) video clip!

Still going strong: Peter Gabriel

Last night I went to a Peter Gabriel gig in Amsterdam, together with my brother & friend Rob. Under the darkening Ruysdael sky, we enjoyed some great music. The sun was low to the horizon and competing for our attention with the light show on stage. As late as 21:30pm God's powerful beamer projected a beautiful rainbow on the dark skies above Amsterdam. What a great sight and what a nice addition to an open air concert! This really was a night to remember.

Solsbury Hill is my favourite Peter Gabriel song. I don't claim to understand Gabriel's lyrics, but I think he is a great musician and a poetic songwriter. I like the fact that his lyrics are so fascinating and multi-interpretable. If I hear Solsbury Hill, I have to think about Jesus. And I'm not the only one - as you can see here. But I also like In Your Eyes - such a beautiful love song! (Original video for the song In Your Eyes from Peter Gabriel's SO album). Please let me know which PG songs - if any - you like best - and why.

Review in Oor - sorry, only in Dutch...

Inside, outside

Had to skip our own church service this morning to go to prison in Alphen aan den Rijn where our government is building the largest prison of the Netherlands. A part of this complex is already in use, the large new buildings are almost finished and they will accommodate 'illegal' foreigners. This is what it will look like when it is finished: Well, quite a nice, modern building, don't you think? Let me tell you, it's good to be on the outside - it's not so nice to be locked away inside, waiting for the day that you will be released again, hoping that there will be somebody waiting for you at the gate.

Together with some volunteers of our church I attend church services inside this prison once or twice a month. We make tea and coffee, sing classic hymns and modern praise & worship songs, listen to the sermon of the pastor and try to have a short talk with the inmates before they have to go back to their cells. I love being involved in this work and, although I don't like to miss out on our own church services, it truly is a blessing for me to take part in this prison ministry.

Together with a sister from my church I drove to prison this morning in my car. We listened to a CD with a sermon from our own pastor, he was talking about Naaman - an important Syrian general who was cured of leprosy by the God of Israel. From the outside this man looked strong, impressive and healthy, but under his uniform a terrible skin disease was slowly spreading. This high ranking soldier had to humble himself before God in order to get healed. (Read his story here).

The prison minister talked about another Bible story. In Mark 12:38-44 you can read about Jesus who is criticizing the scribes, "who love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts, who devour widow's houses, and for a pretense make long prayers..." Jesus is comparing these self righteous hypocrites to a poor widow who was selflessly giving away all that she had.

I looked around at the 'tough guys' who look like body builders - unapproachable, even intimidating. I looked at the pastor in his robe, I thought about the way I look from the outside and the way I really am on the inside. I had to go through the X-ray gate this morning before they allowed me to enter this prison. I know God sees right through me just like that. He knows that I need to be healed from the inside out and He is not impressed by outer appearances. It was good to go to church in prison today and learn some important lessons...

Yesterday I uploaded a video clip on this blog. You can watch and listen to it if you scroll way down to the bottom of this screen: ("the best song ever" - but that is just my humble opinion). Surprise, surprise... this morning we had some other visitors in prison, members of a Gospel band, and the first song they played was God of the Moon and Stars. (You can read Paul Field's lyrics here)

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
(1 Samuel 16:7)

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)

Fathers be good to your daughters

Love this song. Love my girls. Left: Pascalle (9), right: Sosha (12)Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Johnny Cash video HURT

"I expect my life to end pretty soon. You know, I'm 71 years old. I have great faith, though. I have unshakeable faith." Despite all the ups and way-downs of his long life, Johnny Cash says he has no regrets. "I used to," he says, "But I forgave myself. When God forgave me, I figured I'd better do it, too." (Source)

I really like this video from the late and great Johnny Cash. It is sad, but beautiful. Especially these words stuck with me:

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

Majestic song

I heard this beautiful song on BBC's Songs of Praise - last Sunday. The melody and the words stay with me and I am humming this song all day...

King of Kings, Majesty
God of heaven, living in me.
Gentle Saviour, closest friend
Strong deliverer, beginning and end
All within me falls at your throne:

Your Majesty, I can but bow
I lay my all before You now
In royal robes I don't deserve
I live to serve Your Majesty.

Earth and heaven worship You
God eternal, faithful and true
- who bought the nations, ransomed souls,
brought this sinner near to your throne.
All within me cries out in praise:

Your Majesty, I can but bow
I lay my all before You now
In royal robes I don't deserve
I live to serve Your Majesty.

(W&M Stuart Townsend)

Now what are you waiting for??

You don't know how many people I've met who have said to me "Keith, I agree that more people need to go to the mission field, but I've never heard God tell me to go." Well, the truth is that God has already told you to go in His Word. In fact, He commands you to go... "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." ( Mark 16:15) That's right... YOU ARE CALLED! In fact, if you don't go, you need a specific calling from God to stay home. Keith Green

"No one has the right to hear the Gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." Oswald J. Smith

Get out of your mind the idea of expecting God to come with compulsions and pleadings. When our Lord called His disciples there was no irresistible compulsion from outside. The quiet passionate insistence of His "Follow Me" was spoken to men with every power wide awake. Oswald Chambers

Here I Am, Send Me (Keith Green)

Oh lord, there’s just so much to be done.
Oh lord, so many souls to be won,
Oh lord, this world is falling apart,
Dying for love from a broken heart.

Here am I, send me, though there’s really not that much I can do.
What I have seems so small, but I want to give it all to you.

Oh lord, you said the harvest was great,
But lord, looks like the workers are late.
Its getting hard to understand,
How they ignore your great command.

Here am I, send me, though you said the ones who labor are few,
Still my heart hears the call, and I wanna give it all to you.

Oh, to reach the ones nobody does,
Give up my pride and even work in the mud,
I wanna be like those who spilled their blood,
And gave it like water to you.

Oh lord, there’s just so much to be done.
Oh lord, so many souls to be won,
It seem this world is falling apart,
Lord wont you send me?

Oh lord, there’s just so much to be done.
Oh lord, so many souls to be won,
Oh lord, this world is falling apart,
Crying for love from a broken heart.

Here am I, send me, though there’s really not that much I can do.
What I have seems so small, but I want to give it all to you.

Here am I, send me,
Though you said the ones you’ve chosen are few,
Still my heart hears you call,
And I wanna give it all to you.

Whom Shall I Fear?

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am Yours

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Lyrics by Mark Hall, Casting Crowns

Just love this song...