GOD’S EDITORIALS

#92
MICHAEL BOLTON
LOVE IS A WONDERFUL THING

"Shadows fall
through the darkness you reach
as the hunger calls
then you run
to the passion that takes you over
no lookin’ back
the chance will never come again
you risk it all
for your dream
won’t let you go
still you’ve got the hunger
drivin’ you on
to your one desire
never deny your heart”
"THE HUNGER" - Michael Bolton, J. Cain

"Baby take a look at my face
tell me you don’t see what you started
no one’s gonna take your place
right here by my side
Baby, take a look at my face
you’re never gonna be broken-hearted
"TAKE A LOOK AT MY FACE" - Michael Bolton, M. Briley

"Soul of my soul, heart of my heart
the greatest treasure of my life
that’s what you are
soul of my soul, child of my heart
I love you more than you know”
"SOUL OF MY SOUL" - Michael Bolton, D. Warren, W. Afanasieff

"In the night, I hear you speak
turn around, you’re in my sleep
feel your hands inside my soul
you’re holding on and you won’t let go
I’ve tried running but there’s no escape
can’t bend them, and (I know) I can’t break these . . .
steel bars, wrapped all around me
I’ve been your prisoner since the day you found me
I’m bound forever, till the end of time
steel bars wrapped around this heart of mine”
"STEEL BARS" - Michael Bolton, B. Dylan

LOVE IS STILL A WONDERFUL THING, SON
LOVE WILL STILL SEE YOU THROUGH THE LOSSES
BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT LOSSES THIS DAY
THIS IS TRULY A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
FOR I WILL PRESENT TO YOU A PROPOSITION THAT YOU
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REFUSE
AS YOU WRITE YOUR SONGS AND LIVE THEM OUT THROUGH
YOUR VERY SOUL
YOU HAVE BECOME A SONG WRITER OF GREAT RENOWN
YOU LIVE FULLY AND WRITE FULLY
AND THEN SING IT TO THE WORLD
BUT WHAT IS MISSING?
IS THERE STILL MORE?
YOU BETCHA

I WILL BEGIN TO PUT A HUNGER
WITHIN YOU FOR MORE
MORE OF LIFE
MORE DEPTH
MORE INTENSITY
MORE . . . MORE . . . MORE
AND THROUGH THIS PURSUIT OF MORE
YOU WILL SEE MY FACE
YOU WILL BECOME SOUL OF MY SOUL
AS YOU GO DEEP WITHIN ME
AS THE SONGS THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN
HAVE BEEN OF YOUR EXPERIENCES
YOU WILL THEN BE ABLE TO WRITE ACCORDING
TO THE DEPTH OF MY SOUL

HAVE I CHOSEN THE RIGHT MAN?
YOU BETCHA
WHO ELSE KNOWS OF THOSE "STEEL BARS'
WRAPPED AROUND THE HEART
THAT JUST WON'T LET GO
THAT KEEP CALLING AND CALLING YOU
MY PRISONER OF THE HEART?
YOU WILL TRULY BE MY PRISONER DURING THIS TIME
FOR THE LOVE WHICH YOU FEEL FROM MY VERY HEART
WILL CAPTIVATE YOU
AS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD HAS
13 SONGS I WILL HAVE YOU WRITE
IT WILL BE A FORM OF A BALLAD WHEN IT IS COMPLETED
YOU HAVE WRITTEN OF HUMAN LOVE
BUT THERE IS MORE
THERE IS A LOVE DIVINE
THAT I WANT YOU TO WRITE ABOUT
AND THEN SING TO THE WORLD
WHY 13 SONGS?
IT'S A "BAKER'S DOZEN"
I WILL MAKE A COVENANT TO THIS WORLD
THROUGH THE SONGS
WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY THE NUMBER 12
AND OF COURSE, I WILL THROW IN ONE MORE
FOR GOOD MEASURE

DO NOT STRIVE, YOUNG MAN
DO NOT TRY TO CREATE
WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR ME CALLING YOUR NAME
AND THEN IT ALL BEGINS

SOUL OF MY SOUL
HEART OF MY HEART
THAT IS WHAT I WANT MY PEOPLE TO BE
AND YOU WILL SHOW THEM HOW

THE HUNGER WILL COME
YOU WILL SURELY SEE MY FACE
I WILL BRING YOU INTO THE DEPTHS OF ME
AND THE WORLD WILL
NEVER BE THE SAME

TRULY
"I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU KNOW"



#93
THE BEATLES
THE FIRST U.S. VISIT

"It was one of the greatest moments in the history of Show Business:
On the 7th of February, 1964, a plane carrying four young British musicians arrived in New York, destined to conquer the United States.”

AND HAS THERE EVER BEEN ANOTHER TIME LIKE THAT
OR A GROUP THAT SWEPT THE WORLD SO SWIFTLY?
"I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND"
"SHE LOVES YOU"
"I SAW HER STANDING THERE"
"ALL MY LOVING"
"I WANNA BE YOUR MAN"
ETC . . . ETC . . . ETC
SIMPLE SONGS
SIMPLE LYRICS
FOUR YOUNG MEN - A SMALL GROUP
TAKES THE WORLD BY STORM
WHAT DOES THAT REMIND YOU OF?
WELL . . . ACTUALLY, THERE IS LITTLE IN COMPARISON
OTHER GROUPS HAVE COME AND GONE THROUGH THE YEARS
THEY HAVE SUNG AND PASSED BY
GOLD RECORDS, YES
BUT NOT THE SAME MAGNITUDE AS THE BEATLES
WHAT WAS THE SECRET?
THEY WERE NEW AND FRESH
THEY WERE WILLING TO BE DIFFERENT
TO MOVE ABOUT
TO ROCK THE WORLD AND SING SWEET SONGS OF LOVE
THERE WILL COME A TIME ONCE AGAIN
WHEN THERE WILL BE GROUPS OF SIMPLE LYRICS
THEY WILL BE NEW AND FRESH
THEY WILL BE WILLING TO BE DIFFERENT
AND THEY WILL SURELY MOVE ABOUT

HAVE I CAUGHT YOUR ATTENTION?
ASK ME IF YOU ARE TO BE A PART OF THIS
NO MORE WILL BE REVEALED EXCEPT TO THOSE INVOLVED
SECRETS ARE MEANT TO BE KEPT
UNTIL A CERTAIN TIME IN HISTORY

THE BEATLES HAVE COME AND GONE
BUT THEIR MUSIC IS STILL WITH US AND ALWAYS WILL BE
WHAT IS TO COME WILL ALSO LAST TO THE END OF DAYS
AND BEYOND . . .


#94
STEVIE WONDER
SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE

"I am singing of tomorrow
I am singing of love”

"Leave a space for God to walk through the room
Stevie does”

"I believed that God would give me the songs, the music, the ideas
so I went out on faith.”

"I hope in the end, as is said, God knows our hearts
so I hope he will know my heart . . . ”

SING ON, SON
THE SONGS WILL CONTINUE TO COME
BUT I WILL REFINE THE VIEWPOINT
YOU WILL SEE IN THE COMING DAYS
STAY OPEN
FEAR NOTHING
I WILL NOT ONLY WALK THROUGH THE ROOM
BUT I WILL STAY WITH MY HAND UPON YOUR SHOULDER
AND WHISPER INTO YOUR EARS WHAT I WANT BROUGHT FORTH
IT WILL BE A SHEER JOY

THERE IS MORE THAN JUST FAITH AND GOOD WORKS
TO GET TO THAT "GOOD PLACE," SON
BUT THAT NEWS WILL COME, TOO
IN TIME

IN TIME
I WILL SHOW YOU
"THE KEY OF LIFE"
IN TIME

YOU ARE A WONDER, STEVIE
A SHEER WONDER OF DELIGHT
YOU ARE, INDEED, THE SUNSHINE OF MY LIFE!
I KNOW YOUR HEART VERY, VERY WELL
COME AND HAVE A TALK WITH ME . . .

"YOU ARE THE APPLE OF MY EYE
FOREVER YOU'LL STAY IN MY HEART
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE BEGINNING . . . "
AND IT IS . . .


#95
PHIL COLLINS
FACE VALUE

"I can feel it coming in the air tonight . . .
I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life”
"IN THE AIR TONIGHT - Phil Collins

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
THERE ARE PROBABLY MANY MEANINGS TO THIS SONG
FOR MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE
BUT I WILL TELL YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO ME

IT WILL SURELY BE A "MOMENT" WHEN PEOPLE TURN TO ME
AND ASK TO BE FILLED WITH MY FULLNESS
IN ORDER TO CREATE AND MAKE NEW
ALL THAT HAS GONE WRONG BY MAN'S REBELLION

MY SPIRIT COMES IN THE AIR AND
HOVERS ABOVE THE EARTH
ABOVE THE PEOPLE
MY SPIRIT IS AVAILABLE TO ALL
MY SPIRIT WAITS TO FILL EACH AND EVERY ONE
AND THAT IS THE MOMENT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
ALL MY LIFE

IT'S A SIMPLE THING
TAKE ME AT "FACE VALUE"
WHEN YOU SEE ME
YOU KNOW ME
ASK TO SEE MY FACE
ASK TO BE FILLED TO OVERFLOWING WITH MY SPIRIT
ASK FOR MY LOVE TO GIVE OUT TO THIS FORLORN WORLD
ASK FOR WISDOM
ASK FOR MY SOVEREIGN TOUCH UPON YOUR LIFE
JUST ASK . . .

COME ON, MAKE MY DAY!


#96
LED-ZEPPELIN
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

"I think this is a song of hope . . .
she’s buying the stairway to Heaven
There’s a sign on the wall
but she wants to be sure
sometimes words have two meanings”

HOW EXACTLY DO YOU BUY A STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN?
TO SOME, "HEAVEN" IS SIMPLY A FORM
OF ECSTASY IN THIS WORLD
PRODUCED BY PLEASURES ON THIS EARTH
BUT HOW LONG DOES THAT "HEAVEN" LAST?
IT ONLY LASTS UNTIL THE NEXT PLEASURABLE MOMENT
OR THE NEXT FIX
WHAT ELSE COULD THE MEANING BE?
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BUY YOUR WAY INTO HEAVEN?
MANY CHURCHES PREACH THIS SO THAT THEY CAN
PAD THEIR POCKETS
BUT I TELL YOU THE TRUTH
THE GOD OF THIS HEAVEN NEVER SEES
THE MONEY THEY COLLECT

WHY IS IT A STAIRWAY INSTEAD OF AN ELEVATOR?
IS ADVANCING INTO HEAVEN A WORK OF EFFORT
SIMILAR TO A CLIMB?
MANY CHURCHES TEACH THAT THE PATH TO HEAVEN
IS SIMPLY AN ELEVATOR RIDE
SAY THE WORDS - GET A TICKET - TAKE THE RIDE
BUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT
THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE
OF HEAVEN, IS FREE
I PAID FOR IT WITH MY OWN BLOOD UPON THE CROSS
BUT THERE IS ALSO A STAIRWAY FOR THOSE
WHO CHOOSE TO CONQUER
FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO SEE MY FACE
YOU CAN TAKE THE ELEVATOR RIDE WITH NO REWARDS
BUT ALSO, NO DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD
WHO BOUGHT YOUR LIFE
OR YOU CAN CLIMB EVER CLOSER, EVER DEEPER INTO MY PRESENCE
AS YOU CLIMB THIS STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
YOU WILL SOON FIND OUT THAT THE PATH IS DIFFICULT
AND YOU WILL HAVE TO LET GO OF MUCH TO CLIMB AND SURVIVE
THERE IS A STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
THERE TRULY IS
YOU DO BUY IT IN A FORM WITH YOUR OWN LIFE LAID DOWN
IT IS A CLIMB THAT IS WORTH EVERY EFFORT

FOR THOSE WHO CONQUER
I WILL CROWN!


#97
JOE COCKER LIVE
ACROSS FROM MIDNIGHT TOUR

"What would you do if I sang out of tune
would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song
I will try not to sing out of key
I want to get by with a little help from my friends
I will try with a little help from my friends
. . . I just keep trying with my friends”
"WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS" - Joe Cocker

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT
I WILL BE SINGING A "SONG" IN THESE END-TIMES
AND I REJECT NO ONE
ALL THOSE WHO COME TO ME WILL BE MY FRIENDS
AND I WILL SEND NONE OF THEM AWAY
WE MAY SING OUT OF KEY AT TIMES
WE MAY SING A SONG OF SORROW ON SOME DAYS
MY FRIENDS MAY FAIL AND FAIL AND FAIL
BUT AS LONG AS THEY COME BACK TO MY SIDE
I WILL NOT TURN THEM AWAY

IF ONLY YOU KNEW THE DEEP, UNDYING SORROW I FEEL
WHEN CHURCHES IN THIS DAY TURN AWAY MY PEOPLE
BECAUSE THE PEOPLE CAN'T "PERFORM"
THEY CAN'T FOLLOW ALL THE RULES
AND THE CHURCH'S PRIORITY IS HOW THEY LOOK
TO EVERYONE ELSE
BUT ME
THEY TRY TO COLLECT THE WEALTHY
THE WELL-DRESSED
THE COMPLIANT
BUT THEY WILL SURELY MISS OUT
ON MANY OF MY FRIENDS
IF YOU NOTICED IN DAYS PAST WHEN I WALKED THIS EARTH
I WAS TO BE FOUND AMONGST THE SINNERS AND THE PROSTITUTES
WHY?
BECAUSE THERE ARE NO RULES TO BE THEIR FRIENDS
THERE ARE NO JUDGMENTS
THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION
I WILL "HANG OUT" WITH MY FRIENDS IN THESE LAST DAYS
AND WOE UNTO YOU IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT MY FRIENDS
INTO YOUR HEARTS
EDITORIAL #14

WOE UNTO YOU

"I JUST KEEP TRYING WITH MY FRIENDS
I'LL JUST KEEP MOVING ON WITH MY FRIENDS . . . "


#98
FREEDOM SONG

"FREEDOM SONG" WAS NOT ACTUALLY A SONG
BUT A MOVIE DEPICTING THE CIVIL-RIGHTS MOVEMENT
IT WAS A MOVIE SHOWING THE PREJUDICES
OF ONE RACE TOWARD ANOTHER
IT WAS A MOVIE SHOWING WHAT PEOPLE
HAD TO ENDURE TO BRING FORTH FREEDOM
DOES THAT MAKE IT A SONG?
A SONG IS SOMETHING
THAT IS SUNG OVER AND OVER BY MANY
A SONG IS SOMETHING
THAT IS LEARNED FROM HEARING ANOTHER SING
A SONG IS SOMETHING
THAT GOES DEEP WITHIN YOUR HEART AND SOUL

WHEN ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE IMPRISONED
OTHERS WOULD COME TAKE THEIR PLACE AND CONTINUE THE "SONG"
IT WAS A "SONG" THAT HAD TO BE SUNG
A LONG TIME AND IN MANY PLACES
BEFORE CHANGES WERE MADE
I AM CREATING "SONGS"
MOVEMENTS THAT WILL CHANGE MANY THINGS
UPON THIS EARTH
I WILL GIVE YOU A "SONG" TO SING IF YOU ASK ME FOR ONE
YOU CAN BE THE FIRST TO SING THE "SONG"
YOU CAN BE THE FIRST TO CRY OUT FOR TRUE FREEDOM
NOT JUST RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
BUT FREEDOM FROM THIS CORRUPT WORLD
FREEDOM TO LIVE AS YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO LIVE
IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUTH
COME TO ME
AND I WILL GIVE YOU
A "SONG" TO SING


***
THIS WAS A SIMPLE WEEK, SERVANT OF THE MOST HIGH GOD
THIS WAS A WEEK OF STEPPING OUT AND FINDING ME TRUE TO MY WORD
YOUR WALKING SHOES RETIRED
YOU STEP DIFFERENTLY UPON THE LANDS
YOU STEP IN THE FORM OF TRANSLATIONS
HERE AND THERE I SEND YOU

NOT AS A CHILD TO WIN THE FAVOR OF THE PEOPLE
NOT AS A CHILD TO WARN THEM OF THEIR SINS
NOT AS A CHILD TO EVEN BLESS THEM WITH WORDS OF PROMISE

NO, YOU STEP UPON THE GROUNDS IN THE FORM OF A LION
A LION WHICH SUBDUES AND DEVOURS ALL THAT IS NOT OF MY KINGDOM
THE AUTHORITY HAS BEEN EARNED BY YOUR LIFE LAID DOWN
THE POWER HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU OVER THE YEARS
FOR YOU HAVE PROVEN TO BE TRUSTWORTHY
THE WORLD WILL CHANGE EACH TIME YOU ARE SENT TO A NEW PLACE
THIS IS NOT A WALK OF CALLING THE PEOPLE HOME TO ME
BUT IT IS A FLIGHT OF DESTROYING ALL THAT WILL NOT COME INTO ALIGNMENT
THE PEOPLE WERE GIVEN TIME TO REPENT
THEY WERE GIVEN TIME TO MAKE AMENDS AND CHANGE THEIR HEARTS
THEY WERE GIVEN WORDS TO EMBRACE
BUT TIME PLAYED OUT
AND THE HARVEST COMES
OH IT COMES ON THE WIND
AND THIS EARTH MUST BE READY
EVEN THE ROCKS CRY OUT FOR THE REDEMPTION OF MAN
HOW CAN THE PEOPLE BE SO DEAF?
CONTINUE ON IN THE WAY, FRIEND, FOR I AM WITH YOU IN POWER
IN MIGHT, IN STRENGTH, IN WISDOM, IN LIFE, IN BREATH
WITH A SWORD HELD HIGH TO DIVIDE THE WICKED FROM THE RIGHTEOUS
THE TIME IS NOW
YOU WILL NOT FAIL
THE LINE HAS ALREADY BEEN DRAWN
FOLLOW ME THROUGH THE LANDS
AND MAY THE PEOPLE KNOW
THAT IT IS LOVE THAT IS CONQUERING THE LAND
IT IS PURE LOVE
IT IS LOVE WHICH LAID UPON A CROSS AND BLED AND DIED
AND RETURNED TRIUMPHANT
IT IS THE LOVE OF THE SON FOR THE FATHER
IT IS THE LOVE, ALSO, OF A SERVANT FOR HER MASTER
IT IS LOVE
ONLY LOVE COULD BE THIS PURE
ONLY LOVE COULD BE THIS RIGHTEOUS
ONLY LOVE COULD TRULY CONQUER THE EVIL
ONLY LOVE
***


AS AN ADDED FEATURE:
EACH WEEK I WILL END THE EDITORIALS WITH A RIDDLE
ASK ME FOR THE ANSWER
FOR YOUR MIND WILL NEVER QUITE CONQUER
THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT
NEVER

A little boy sits quietly
while his teacher writes upon the board
The boy’s back is to the board
Before the teacher finishes the writing
the boy raises his hand to give the answer
Is his answer correct?


GOD'S EDITORIAL PAGE - WEEK 15