Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Fire on the Mountain" (The Marshall Tucker Band)






Welcome to Tuesday and the best blog on the planet...wait, that's a bit narcissistic...let's try again...Welcome to Tuesday and your favorite blog about music...no that's not quite right either...final answer...Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes where you are always sure to find great music and some insight that maybe, just maybe you had never considered before...yup that's it...print it!

Hi!  Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes!  We are sure glad you stopped by for this week's entry into the Tuesday Musical Notes world.  

'Round these parts we have come to surmise that Tuesday is 'bout near the best day of the week!  Back in the day when MTV actually showed music videos for all 24 hours of the day, new music releases came out on Tuesday.  It was a day for musicologists to be pannin' for the newest nuggets coming out of places like New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Memphis jus' to name a few.  Some of them releases went gold, others, well they didn't fare so well as they soon found themselves in the cut out bin with the fool's gold never to be heard from again.  

Those were the days.  Dependin' on the release and availability, you might even see a little fire on the mountain and lightnin' in the air as folks waited for their favorite music to hit record stores.  Yup, Tuesday's was a great day, and still are because you are here with us and we're talkin' 'bout some great music like today's feature song from The Marshall Tucker Band...


"Fire on the Mountain" is the first top 40 hit for the South Carolina based Marshall Tucker Band.  They are considered one of the innovators of Southern Rock and continue to tour with founding member, vocalist Doug Gray.  

The Marshall Tucker Band established the "Progressive Country" sound (country foundation with jazz improvisation built on top, according to founding member Toy Caldwell, "The Marshall Tucker Band" wikipedia.org).  Formed in 1972 by brothers Caldwell and his brother Tommy, The Marshall Tucker band has seen 7 singles hit The Hot 100, with 2, including "Fire on the Mountain" (peaking at #38), breaking into the top 40. (1977's "Heard it in a Love Song" went as far as 14 on US charts).  Their first hit single (topping out at #108) was "Can't You See" which was used in the opening and closing credits for the Kevin Costner 2008 movie Swing Vote.  "Can't You See" isn't featured in the trailer, but let's take a look any way as there's only 7 more days of the craziness that is the 2020 Presidential election after all...


"Can't You See" has continued to be utilized in the movies as recently as 2017's I, Tonya, about ice skater Tonya Harding.

"Fire on the Mountain" tells the story of what happened in many cases during the American Gold Rush in the western portion of the country.  In this instance, a family relocated to go stake their claim, only to see the father killed over a worthless mining and panning spot.  The writer of the song, George McCorkle, penned it for inclusion on his friend Charlie Daniel's November 28, 1974 record  Fire on the Mountain.   Daniels decined to use the song, but contributed his fiddle playing on the track.  

"Fire on the Mountain" further established The Marshall Tucker Band (named from a blind piano tuner with which the band rented a rehearsal space) as some of the pioneer's of the 70s Southern Rock scene.  They built on the foundation laid by  The Allman Brothers, and paved the way for Lynyrd Skynrd (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Simple Man" (Lynyrd Skynyrd)) and .38 Special (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Teacher, Teacher" (.38 Special))   

This classic song's chorus, "...Fire on the mountain, lightning in the air..." also reminds us of a scene with which we have discussed much lately.


After commandment number ten is given, the Israelites can not handle the idea of God speaking to them directly anymore, and there was way too much going on at the top of that mountain as far as they were concerned.  The begged Moses to ask God to stop speaking directly to them.  At this point, God decides to only speak directly to Moses, abating some of the fear of the Hebrews.  

Thus ends the first telling of the ten commandments.  Just in case you missed any of them let's recap:









9) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (lie) (Exodus 20:16 NASB;AMP;KJV, Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Liar" (Three Dog Night))


With God's guidance and the Ten Commandments as a moral and ethical code, the Israelites now had all they needed to insure success as they journeyed to the Promised Land.  But just like everything else God gives man, it gets turned inside, outside, upside-down, when humans get a hold of it.  By the time of Jesus, only 1300-1600 years later , the Jewish Law had grown from 10 commandments to 613 laws that the orthodox Jew would need to follow to be in good standing at the synagogue.  No one person could abide by all of the laws.  (lest we  judge, look what the United States has done with our own legal and ethical systems, also based off of the 10 commandments, in just 244 years)

Let's restate the obvious...No one person could abide by all of those laws. 

I don't know about you, but I havefound it very difficult to keep all of the original ten!  When Jesus began His public ministry, the 10 commandments had been convoluted, marginalized, and manipulated to what men wanted them to say.  Suddenly, the Torah was a book of "Don'ts!!!"  The original intent of the commandments was to provide freedom, not to shackle men with the burden of memorizing and abiding by a bunch of rules that in reality made very little difference to the lives they were leading.  Remember Jesus drills the 10 down to 2;  Love God, Love everybody else.  The Gospel of Jesus according to the tax collector turned apostle, Matthew, chapter 232, verses 36-40 NASB;AMP;KJV

The apostle Paul later emphasizes in his letter to the church in Galatia, the fact that Jesus came to insure the freedom that the ten commandments could never provide.  The apostle Paul's letter to the church in Galatia NASB;AMP;KJV  Notice how Paul contrasts the law as burdensome with following Jesus as being a release from that burden.  The ten commandments were given to us to let us know when we blow it, mess up, miss the mark, sin.  Jesus came to provide the forgiveness from those reminders of our sin.  Jesus came to die as a once and forever sacrifice for the sins that the ten commmandments remind us that we have.  If we turn away from those sins, and accept Jesus' forgiveness, then the ten commandments have done their job in providing us freedom.  If we choose to not accept Jesus sacrifice then we are like the young ruler spoken about in The Gospel of Jesus according to Matthew, chapter 19, verses 16-22 NASB;AMP;KJV, The Gospel of Jesus as written by the apostle Mark, chapter 10, verses 17-22 NASB;AMP;KJV, The Gospel of Jesus according to the Doctor turned apostle, Luke, Chapter 18, verses 18-23 NASB;AMP;KJV.  For a little deeper analysis of these passages the website compellingtruth.com provides an excellent elaboration: "Why did Jesus ask the rich young ruler about obeying the commandments? Can salvation come through obedience to commands?"- compelling truth.org

I don't blame the Israelites for having some trepidation when they saw fire on the mountain and lightning in the air.  They were afraid that they were about to be eliminated from the face of the earth because they were in contact with God.  The commandments that He had just given were already beginning to convict them of their unrighteousness.  I think I would have been pretty intimidated as well.  

Unfortunately, what God had said to them audibly didn't sink in very well as they needed to be repeated a couple of times.  More on that later...but for now take a moment and bask in the freedom that Jesus death, burial, resurrection and return gives us as believers and the fact that we are no longer shackled to 10 or 613 commandments to get close to God.  We have only 2.  

We need only believe in Jesus...pardner!

Serving HIM by Serving You,
randy
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Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Jessie's Girl" (Rick Springfield)


















Today on Tuesday's Musical Notes...  A song is chronicled.  Its lyrics will sometimes be quoted, other times referenced.  Its artist will be biographically analyzed with a few trivial tidbits being revealed. Then, when you least expect it, some life principle is exploded right in front of your face causing you to wonder..." what exactly have I gotten myself into..."  Buckle up your seatbelts and get set for the ride as Tuesday's Musical Notes launches...right...now...


"Jessie's Girl" spent 32 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100.  It was one of the slowest climbers up the charts in music history as it took 19 weeks to climb to its peak position where it stayed for 2 weeks.  It sat at the top position on the chart the day that MTV launched and its music video was subsequently played in the rotation of the new music video station.  

Rick Springfield won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for "Jessie's Girl" and the song, since its release 39 years ago, has been utilized in movies (Boogie Nights (1997), 13 Going on 30 (2004), Suicide Squad (2016)) and television (most notably Glee's "Laryngitis" episode (Jonathan Groff who played King George III in Hamilton was the "Jessie")).   

On August 21, 2020, the American Rock band  Coheed and Cambria released a hilarious sequel song to "Jessie's Girl" on their YouTube channel.  The aptly titled "Jessie Girl 2" features Rick Springfield on some vocals and in the video as well.  It takes a look at what happened when he got Jessie's girl.  The results may surprise you...


Certainly supports the notion, "Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it..."  

The original Rick Springfield song, "Jessie's Girl", depicts the intense desire to have something that belongs to someone else.  There is an ancient word that describes this desire, covetousness.  There is also an ancient admonition regarding this desire.  Once again, we go to the base of a mountain for this report...


Notice that the Amplified Bible explains covetousness as surpassing greed.  dictionary.com defines greed as an excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions.  The ancient Hebrew word here suggests that covetousness includes those actions taken when greed is not controlled.  

God saved a doozy of a commandment for the last one.  God is telling the Israelites that they individually and collectively are not to take actions to possess something they desire.  God starts His commandment with the instruction to not want another person's spouse. God affirms the marriage relationship in doing so.  He then segues into commanding them to not want the things that are owned by other individuals.  

Covetousness also takes the form of desiring to be like other nations for the Israelites.  Later in 1 Samuel, the nation cries out for a king to rule over them... as the other nations have.


Samuel was the last of the good judges. His sons were greedy and treacherous and were not ever going to be the leaders the nation needed to guide it.  Before Samuel died the nation clamored for him to appoint a king over them.  Even after Samuel describes to them what a king's rule will be like for them, they demand to have him appoint a king.  Why was God not enough for them?  Wouldn't God's communication and guidance be enough?  Apparently not.  Notice that the NASB tags on the "so we can be like other nations" line each time they implore Samuel to name a king.

Later, one of the kings of Israel becomes its worst example of breaking the tenth commandment.  This king was beloved by everyone, including God, and yet, he couldn't wait to get his arms around the wife of one of his mighty men.  And now, we return you to Scripture for the rest of the story...


Covetousness comes with a price...

The New Testament takes a different bend on the topic of coveting.  It shifts the focus from desiring physical objects to making the desire of our hearts be on becoming more like Jesus. 

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God AND His righteousness, then all these things shall be added unto you..."  a lle lu, alleluia...


Jesus says that we are to pursue God as well as His righteousness.  If we do that, we won't have time to be looking at anything other than God nor will have the need to covet anything as all those things will be added unto us.

Paul affirms this pursuit of God's righteousness in a letter to his protege Timothy:


Verse 11 of the above passage says that we should "flee" from those things which would cause us to take our focus off of loving God and loving other folks. While specifically referring to money in previous passages, the distractions could very easily be cars, houses, land, another man's wife, another man's servant, another man's donkey, or Jessie's girl.  Whatever keeps you from spending your time, talent, and treasure on becoming more like Jesus is potentially an object that you covet.  

God says "You shall not covet!".  God also says that we should pursue..."righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness."  These are the things that make us like Christ and are emblematic of our love for God and love for everybody else.  

So how do we battle the desire to keep up with the Jones'?  How do we defeat the lust in our hearts when our eyes look at our friend's spouse?  How do we collapse the welling up inside of us for our coworker's corner office?  Has lately something changed that ain't hard to define?  The answer is simple, the solution however takes some work...LOVE.

Jesus was the ultimate example of love.  

God is perfect.  Man is not.  To bridge the gap of this dissonance, God came to earth in human form and He willingly became a physical sacrifice for all the sins of the world.  That's right!  From the first bite of that forbidden fruit to that covetous thought you just had, Jesus died so we wouldn't be held accountable for that sin.  He did this because He loves us and wants us to have a relationship with Him forever.  He was willing to do anything to restore the perfect relationship He had with us at creation.  

Now, for those who believe that Jesus came via virgin birth, lived the only perfect human life, was tortured, crucified and died by the most heinous capital punishment known to ever be contrived, and then after being dead for 3 days came back to life, was seen in physical form by many of His followers and is returning someday to complete the restoration process, those folks can be counted among the redeemed, the saved, the born-again, the followers of The Way. 

For those who do not believe these things, there awaits an eternal separation from this Jesus who loves them.  

Friend, stop playing along with the charade.  Stop convincing yourself that there doesn't seem to be a reason to change!  This is a point that is definitely not moot.  Please seriously consider your motivations and the actions by which you go about gaining the things you possess.  Do they come to you through hard work or deception?  Do they come to you from a place of envy and greed or of love and joy?  Ultimately, have you overcome the evil kind of covetousness by the perfect love that Jesus provides? Are you pursuing God and His righteousness?  A place where love is the way it's supposed to be and contentment awaits ...

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,
randy 
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Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Liar" (Three Dog Night)














Say hello to Monday!  We hope your day is stinky!!!    I've typed on this computer, 'til I think I've broke my pinky!  

We're bringing you a blog about literature and art, we don't think its very good, not at all, not from the start.

So here we are a thinking about this snowy day, "let's just go back to bed, 'we've got no horns to play".   

So you must be thinking, "What is going on? I can't be reading this!" "Where's the joviality? Where's the Tuesday bliss?"  "Where's the Tuesday welcome?  Have you lost your head?"  "What is going on with you?"  Now, for real, be honest, Ain't that what you said? Ain't that what you said?  Ain't that what you said...


Let's try that again...  Welcome to Tuesday!  We hope you are having a spectacular day!  Welcome also to Tuesday's Musical Notes where music meets THE message!  You may have noticed a bit of a departure in the opening monologue.  Please forgive.  Well, yes the rhyming too, but mostly we beg your forgiveness for the above as each of those statements feature a mistruth, dishonesty, a distortion, or well, let's call it what it is...they are all lies!   It is indeed Tuesday.  My pinky is not broken.  This is a blog about music and we think its good.  It's cool but sunny today.  I have a bunch of musical instruments that I do like to play.  And that's the truth!!!  Welcome!

Originally written by Argent lead singer and guitarist, Russ Ballard, "Liar" was covered by the band Three Dog Night (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Black and White" (Three Dog Night)) who took the single all the way to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 49 years ago, this month. 

"Liar" was one of 2 top ten hits ("Joy to the World" written by actor/singer/songwriter Hoyt Axton went to #1) from the fourth studio album by the band.  A third song, "One Man Band" made the top 20.  The instrumental "Fire Eater" is the only song from the album written by the members of Three Dog Night. 

"Liar" takes the perspective of one who has been deceived throughout a relationship.  The lyric constantly places the former flame's statements at the forefront and confronts them about their deceit.  "Ain't that what you said?"  Going past the point of holding them accountable, the singer quickly calls them a name from which most folks want to shy away..."Liar! Liar!"  Yet another admonition pops into the memory...


Tuesday's Musical Notes has explored the topic of lying on a couple of occasions...Tuesday's Musical Notes -"Little Lies" (Fleetwood Mac), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Would I Lie to You?" (The Eurythmics)  While both instances describe lying as a bad thing, they don't complete the thought that God was attempting to make with the Israelites when He gave them the command against doing it.

What we do see from these blogs is that from a very early age, we are taught to tell the truth.  But even at that early age, do we actually tell the truth all the time?   If you observe even a precious baby's actions, they have learned how to lie before they can utter words.  This may seem harsh, but have you ever had a screaming baby, immediately stop wailing once they gain your attention?  Or worse yet, smile, coo, and giggle once they have their way?  Further exploration determines that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the precious little dears,  so why the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth (well if they have teeth)?  Because from conception, a baby is a human being and understands very quickly that deception can sometimes get them what they want.  This is only one of the reasons folks, yes even sweet little, cuddly babies, fabricate the truth.


Regardless of the motivation, God told us, as He did those who were in earshot at the base of Mt. Sinai, "do not bear false witness against your neighbor".  Every resource that we can find defines this Biblical language as "do not lie", "do not misrepresent the truth", "do not mislead others to thinking something is true, when it is not", etc.  

The converse of this command?  "Always tell the truth!"  Have you heard, especially lately and most assuredly in a Presidential election year, that the truth is relative?  Since the time of Jesus, the enemies of the truth have been echoing the question that Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea at Jesus' time, asked, "What is truth?"  John 18:28-38 NASB/AMP/KJV  In the asking of this question, they attempt to make truth to be relative to the circumstance, which is not the case.  Or perhaps you have heard that the truth means something different for everyone?  If you watch campaign ads, or political debate it can be difficult discerning what is true and what is a lie.  That is why it is incumbent on the voting public, which should be all of us, to do enough research to find out what is the truth and then vote.  Follow that up with loving folks enough that you don't get into conversations that can quickly turn into disagreements.  

Jesus covered the topic of truthfulness as He ministered here on earth.  As a part of His message in Matthew called The Beatitudes, Jesus says that we should always tell the truth by letting your "Yes" be "Yes" and your "No" be "No.  Notice Jesus never mentions here anything like about a  little white lie or gray area...The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew, chapter 5, verses 33-37 NASB/AMP/KJV  Jesus goes further about who is truth and who is the enemy of truth...The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple John, chapter 8, verses 31-44, NASB/AMP/KJV


So friend, do you tell the truth all the time?  Unfortunately, upon reflection of my life, I have not, do not, nor will probably not tell the truth all the time.  My goal is to have the utmost integrity and credibility with anything that I say or do.  I fail at that goal sometimes.  But that doesn't keep me from repenting from the mistake, learning the lesson I must learn, and not falling into the temptation to mislead in that way ever again.  Because I believe that the only way to God is through Jesus who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except by me..." (John 14:1-6 NASB/AMP/KJV) I can rest assured that even though I fail, Jesus will never call me out by saying "Liar, Liar"!

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Been Caught Stealing" (Jane's Addiction)


 














Welcome to Tuesday!  Sit back, relax.  The weather is finally cool enough for your morning coffee to warm you all over.  It's the time for blankets and throws, a warm fire, and a good book or blog.  It's the time of year where we anxiously anticipate the colors of the trees, the bite in the morning air, and college football's twist, turns, and touchdowns!!!   

Autumn and Spring are our favorite seasons at The Notes!  Here in Arkansas (did you see that the University of Arkansas Razorback football team won this past weekend?  Woo Pig Sooie!!!, maybe 2020 isn't so bad after all... ), the temperatures are perfect, and while there usually is some rainfall, this rain typically makes the sunny days all the sunnier.  There is only one thing that makes fall days less stellar, the stealing away of daylight as the days grow shorter.  Speaking of stealing...(did you like that segue?)


The 90s were a time when the genre of music known as "Alternative" blossomed.  Bands that would have once been considered only for independent labels, found themselves thrust into the spotlight and given record deals with the major music distribution services.  And like previous generations, it seemed these bands tried to find the most interesting names possible.  Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Portishead, Cake, Gin Blossoms, Smashmouth (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "All-Star" (Smash Mouth)), and Collective Soul (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Shine" (Collective Soul), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "December" (Collective Soul), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Blame" (Collective Soul)) to name just a few.  

Another group with a name catching moniker was one of the first bands to reach mainstream audiences with the alternative sound. This band was Jane's Addiction.  Formed by frontman Perry Farrell as a break off from his band Psi Com, Jane's Addiction has featured 10 musicians in its on-again/off-again history.  These instrumentalists included 2 members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, specifically Flea (bass guitar, trumpet (who knew?), and Dave Navarro (guitars and keys).  

Jane's Addiction quickly came into the spotlight as one of the pioneers of the burgeoning alternative sound.  Their first album, Nothing's Shocking has achieved Platinum status and the album that today's featured song comes from the double-platinum, Ritual de lo habitual.  

"Been Caught Stealing" hit #1 on Billboard's U.S. Modern Rock Charts, spending 4 weeks at the top spot.  It became the band's biggest-selling song. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, it is well known for "the best use of dog barks since Pet Sounds" (the 1966 album by The Beach Boys, (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Be True to Your School" (The Beach Boys), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Get Around" (The Beach Boys)).   It was assisted in its chart success by its award-winning (1991 Best Alternative Video at the MTV Video Music Awards) music video featured above which shows the band in various forms of stealing from a local store or bodega.  It seems like everyone in the video eventually gets in on the act of thievery.  I wonder where Jane's Addiction would have gotten the concept of everyone at some time or another being a thief???


As a reminder, in this instance, the Hebrews are hearing God audibly as He gives them the ten commandments.  He provides the Mosaic law to the new nation two additional times, both in written form, but in this case, the Israelites are hearing the voice of God.  Can you imagine that?  I believe I would be listening!!!

"Don't steal" joins the list of commandments that God provides no elaboration as He gives the ten commands to the children of Israel.  Notice that the commands to not commit murder, adultery, stealing, and lying all have no further explanation than their one statement.  This would cause one to think that these commandments would be very black and white.  But as man has in every instance so far, "stealing" has been justified over and over again as a means by which, sometimes even legally, one can take another's property.  God, with the Israelites listening at the base of Mt. Sinai, makes all instances of theft a sin.  

It is easy to become cynical in our modern times when we read about those who embezzle, either getting away with it or not receiving "just" punishment.  But before we are so quick to judge, have we looked in the mirror lately?  Remember, Jesus said that on 2 commands hang all of the others, "Love God, Love everyone else" (The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew, chapter 22, verse 36-40 NASB/AMP/KJV)  With this statement, Jesus affirms all of the Mosaic Law as He teaches that each law pertains to either our relationship with God or our relationship with each other.  To take someone's personal property, without buying or bartering for it, adversely affects our relationship with the person to which the property belonged.  This is not the way to show love.  Yet, we do it constantly.

Flashback to 1969 or 1970. You know, once when I was 5.   I was being raised in the church.  I knew that it was wrong to take anything that did not belong to me, yet the worst spanking I ever got came when I shoplifted a Seven Dwarfs candle from Howards Discount Store (a regional competitor of Wal*Mart,  who obviously failed to compete).  I had told my mother I wanted it.  She said "no".  So I took it and hid it under my coat until we got to the car.  Upon revealing that I had it, my sweet, petite, demure mother transformed.  Well, you can just imagine.  I was disciplined there in the parking lot and was made to go in and return it to the manager on duty and apologize.  Then I was disciplined even more when I got home.  Needless to say, since then, the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has failed to be a favorite Disney classic.  

Now, I know that I am not alone and many of you could probably tell a similar tale.  But even as adults, I fear we take things that are not ours and attempt to justify it.  It's just a simple fact.  "I don't make enough in my paycheck so I'll clock in a little early every day and go get a snack until its time for me to report to my station." You've just been caught stealing...  "They give us up to  $1 over/short every day on my register till when we do an audit, so I'll handle the money perfectly and take the $1 as a tip" You've just been caught stealing... "I really need to pay more on this credit card bill this month.  I saw the church's financial statement and they are getting along fine without my meager tithe..." You've just been caught stealing  "I really need a little break, no one is going to miss me if I don't go to church"  You've just been caught stealing...walk right through the door...

Since we've gone from preachin' to meddlin' we may as well say it.  You may be asking yourself, how is it stealing to not go to church?  As one who is created in the image of God, anytime we do something that takes away from Him and His glory, it is stealing.  Anytime we do not utilize a resource in which He has blessed us for His kingdom, it is stealing.  Anytime we don't attend His church for the purpose of glorifying His name and encouraging His people because we just don't have time, it is stealing.  Anytime we play priest, or scribe, instead of samaritan, it is stealing.

So if everyone is a thief, what hope do we have?  We have the hope of repentance.  We have the hope that as believers in Jesus' salvific nature, we are redeemed.  We have hope that we can have the strength to fight the temptation to steal, even if we are a cleptomaniac.  

God's perfect example of forgiveness for stealing happens when Jesus was crucified.  Jesus was tortured and nailed to a cross so you and I can be forgiven from all sin.  His goodness is given to us when we believe He did this for us.  In fact, His goodness being given is one of the last acts on this earth He did:  The Gospel of Jesus according to Dr. Luke, chapter 23, verses 32-43 NASB/AMP/KJV.  This man was being given the worst corporal punishment ever created for stealing, yet Jesus tells him that he will be in heaven because of his belief. 

Paul also provides a remedy for this particular sin and it's very simple.  Stop doing it!  Go find a job so you can provide for yourself AND have the resources to help someone in need when the time comes!!!  The Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesian church, chapter 4, verses 25-28 NASB/AMP/KJV  

Helping others should be our motivation, by doing so, we show our love of God and others.  And we do it just like that...

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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