Conversations About Faith

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‘I’m just a long-haired son of a sinner’

By Steven Brodsky

… sings Jelly Roll in “Son of a Sinner” (one of my favorite Jelly Roll songs):

We’re all children of sinners.

And all of us have sinned.

Nonetheless, God loves us.

Romans 5:8 KJV: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Posted 8-20-24

One thing that we can’t take back from the enemy

By Steven Brodsky

… unfortunately, is stolen time.

Our lives are short, like the lifespan of a vapor.

James 4:14: “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Time is valuable, including the time spent to write this column installment and the amount of time that readers will spend engaging with the installment.

God-willing, our time will be well-spent.

Take the time to watch (and enjoy!) this video:

Posted 8-14-24

Have you been redeemed?

By Steven Brodsky

… Hallelujah, if you, dear Entertainment, Culture and More column reader, have been redeemed.

For all of us to enjoy, Big Daddy Weave’s “Redeemed”:

Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Posted 8-12-24

Born-again-new?

By Steven Brodsky

… If you are are, dear reader, thank God (of course!).

2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Posted 8-9-24

Tribute Quartet will be performing a concert in Coleman Park (located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania) on Sunday, August 25, 2024

By Steven Brodsky

… The concert will start at 6:00 p.m.

There will be no admission charge.

Visit https://musicinthepark.net/event/tribute-quartet/ for additional information.

Tribute Quartet

Posted 8-9-24

Wouldn’t help the character of Mickey Newbury’s ‘The Thirty-third of August’ much

By Steven Brodsky

… were someone to tell him that today isn’t the thirty-third of August.

Willie Nelson’s cover of “The Thirty-third of August”:

The band (Newbury was likely referring to a Salvation Army band) “has packed up and gone” and the song character doesn’t have salvation.

The character’s condition may be preventing him from comprehending that today is the day of salvation, unfortunate as no one knows for certain if he or she will be alive to truly accept biblical salvation tomorrow, or in an hour from now.

2 Corinthians 6:2: “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

Questions about “the day of salvation”?

Some answers: https://www.gotquestions.org/today-is-the-day-of-salvation.html.

Posted 8-6-24

Tickets for the WJTL Kids Cookie Break Fest 2024 will become available on Monday, August 5, 2024 at 10 a.m.

By Steven Brodsky

… Kids Cookie Break Fest 2024 will celebrate 25 years of Kids Cookie Break with Lisa Landis on WJTL.

Kids Cookie Break Fest 2024 will take place on Saturday, August 24, 2024 at the Junction Center (located in Manheim, Pennsylvania). Two identical fun-filled programs are scheduled: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Visit Kids Cookie Break Fest 2024 – The Junction Center | WJTL for additional information.

WJTL FM 90.3 – Christ. Community. Music.WJTL Homepage | WJTL FM 90.3 – Christ. Community. Music.

Posted 8-4-24

A rescue story

By Steven Brodsky

… not unlike the rescue stories that some of this column’s readers have experienced:

Isaiah 12:2: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”

Have you asked God to become your salvation?

Posted 8-3-24

‘Don’t Stop Praying’

By Steven Brodsky:

… Matthew West’s song and a Bible verse:

1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.”

Have questions about praying without ceasing?

Some answers: https://www.gotquestions.org/pray-without-ceasing.html.

Posted 7-30-24

The lyric video for Ben Fuller’s “Don’t Let Me Forget” was released this morning

By Steven Brodsky

… “Don’t Let Me Forget” will remind followers of Jesus about things that should never be forgotten.

“Lord, don’t let me forget.”

Posted 7-26-24

Taking God at his word

By Steven Brodsky

… is the subject of the song in this video that Stephen McWhirter released yesterday:

Psalm 119:105: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Posted 7-24-24

Especially for column readers who want Jesus more than anything

By Steven Brodsky

… an embed of a video that was released this morning by Stephen McWhirter:

Posted 7-12-24

Every morning

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

… God’s mercies are new!

Lamentations 3:22-23: “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Posted 7-10-24

Continuing a theme of freedom

By Steven Brodsky

… though Independence Day 2024 has come and gone, with “No Longer Slaves,” performed by Zach Williams, and a Bible verse:

John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Posted 7-5-24

If you’ve found a friend in Jesus

By Steven Brodsky

… the lyrics of this song may tell your story also:

John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Posted 6-24-24

Shackled and unshackled listeners

By Steven Brodsky

… have been enjoying episodes of UNSHACKLED, the iconic radio drama show, since 1950.

Episodes of UNSHACKLED are accessible at: https://unshackled.org/on-demand/browse-all-programs/.

John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Posted 6-6-24

‘There’s joy in the house of the Lord’

By Steven Brodsky

… Yes, there is.

(Some of you will be experiencing the joy of the Lord this weekend.)

Questions?

Some answers: https://www.gotquestions.org/joy-of-the-Lord.html.

Posted 5-31-24

‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ – 1 Corinthians 15:55

By Steven Brodsky

… This video is embedded here especially for the miracle children who regularly visit the sections of the Entertainment, Culture and More column:

Posted 4-10-24

A life that is proof of what God can do

By Steven Brodsky

You may know people who’ve experienced God-enabled transformation similar to the kind that Stephen McWhirter sings about in “My Life Is Proof.”

I do.

Matthew 19:26 KJV: “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

Posted 4-4-24

It wasn’t you, nor was it me

By Steven Brodsky

… who made this tree:

Photo by Steven Brodsky

“Trees,” by Joyce Kilmer: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees.

The tree was photographed yesterday.

The Joyce Kilmer poem was published in August 1915.

About Joyce Kilmer: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/joyce-kilmer.

Posted 3-25-24

‘I have a future and it’s worth the living’

By Steven Brodsky

… a line from the lyrics of “Made For More” that pairs nicely with Jeremiah 29:11: Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. (biblehub.com).

Some of this column’s readers will be “singing hallelujah” this weekend.

Have a great weekend!

Posted 3-1-24

Need a reminder that the battle has already been won?

By Steven Brodsky

… If you do, you’ve come to the right place.

Psalm 63:4: “Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.”

Posted 2-19-24

Just as we are

By Steven Brodsky

One or more of these three songs and the invitation that underlies them will resonate with a number of Entertainment, Culture and More readers:

Just As I Am (youtube.com)

Crowder – Come As You Are (Music Video) (youtube.com)

Just As I Am (youtube.com)

Revelation 3:20 KJV: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Posted 1-21-24

‘But the cross says they’re wrong’

By Steven Brodsky

… thankfully.

Posted 12-4-23

‘Be still’

By Steven Brodsky

Photo by Steven Brodsky

Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Posted 11-10-23

Thrown out of church

By Steven Brodsky

… the character in “The Outlaw’s Prayer”:

I hope that he found a more hospitable place to worship and fellowship.

1 Samuel 16:7 comes to mind: “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Posted 3-30-23

Leonard Cohen and Billy Joe Shaver drew upon the same Bible verse

By Steven Brodsky

… The verse is Isaiah 64:6. As translated in the King James Version, the verse reads: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

I’m writing about Leonard Cohen’s “If It Be Your Will” and Billy Joe Shaver’s “If You Don’t Love Jesus.”

Most people who’ve heard the songs haven’t encountered the verse directly (and most of this column’s readers haven’t heard the Billy Joe Shaver song.)

In the Leonard Cohen song, Isaiah 64:6 is alluded to in the line: “In our rags of light, all dressed to kill.”

In the Billy Joe Shaver song, an allusion to the verse appears as: “Take your rotten rags of righteousness and stuff ’em up your self.”

“If It Be Your Will”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXoqQAvkLfQ&ab_channel=LeonardCohen-Topic.

“If You Don’t Love Jesus”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MbF0bc7iEs&ab_channel=Boofitts. The song is “strident,” as I described it during a radio interview that I did with Billy Joe Shaver a number of years ago.

Posted 8-2-21

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