This week . . .
Gospel revelation on Jimmy Kimmel Live, a new album from Hillsong, Cambodian glory, and the solar eclipse of the century!
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Finding the Joshua Tree
U2 recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform their song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” from their famous album The Joshua Tree. This 20 year old song, which is known throughout the world, had always contained hidden Gospel roots, although they were always unclear and left to the interpretation of the listener. This time around, however, U2 added in new lyrics to make it clearer than ever what everyone is really “looking for.” Bono now sings out lyrics that proclaim, “I believe in the Kingdom come” and he goes on to talk about One who “carried the cross of my shame“.
The interview beforehand began with a lighthearted discussion about the famous photograph of the album cover — a tree in a desert. They then went into performing the song with the new lyrics and had Gospel singers join them. Behind them was the picture of the tree… The image could not be any clearer of the Tree of Calvary standing in the midst of a dry and weary land, where people are searching and searching and will never find what they’re looking for until they come to Yeshua’s Tree (the name of Jesus is the same as the modern “Joshua”).
There are already well over a million views on Jimmy Kimmel’s YouTube channel for the updated song. God continues to sing forth the Gospel to the nations!
Hillsong’s Wonder
Hillsong United has released a new album called “Wonder.” It contains themes of God’s goodness, the wonder of salvation, and the beauty of God’s creation. Hillsong continues to flow in the reformation and renaissance spirit that is at work in the world today. God is doing a new thing that is creative and points to His happy heart. The “new thing” is that which we’ve continued to compare to a “New Bus,” which continues to roll ahead steadily in 2017.
God’s glory in Cambodia on two fronts
Christianity Today has put out two separate stories about Cambodia which both need ample recognition… The first relates to how Cambodia’s child sex trafficking industry is dwindling (thank you Jesus), which is greatly due to the work of Christian organizations that have fought relentlessly against this injustice in the nation.
The second more recent article discusses a “miraculous moment” for Christians in Cambodia who were recently invited to have their first-ever meeting with the Prime Minister. Over 2500 pastors and leaders were invited to have a meeting with the elected leader of the nation. This is truly miraculous and beautiful, because only a few decades ago Christians were forced underground and were being killed left and right in the mostly Buddhist nation. Now Christianity is being given more freedom than ever. God is deeply at work in Cambodia, which is still rising from the ashes of communism and genocide.
The impending solar eclipse
On August 21, the “best total solar eclipse in a century” is going to shoot across the entire United States. Those in a path from Oregon eastward down to South Carolina will get to experience of full solar eclipse where for up to 2 minutes and 40 seconds day will turn into night and stars will appear as the moon completely blocks the sun. For those outside of this trajectory in the US, they will still get to experience of a partial solar eclipse.
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