Keith Green was young. He was a former child-rock star, having signed a 5 year contract with Decca Records at the age of 11 to be a rock singer. Just sixteen years later he would die in a plane crash. But in those years he completed his contract and became disillusioned with life. The sand of his hourglass of time was already more than two thirds gone when he came to faith. He found his way into drugs and a religious search that took him from his Jewish roots into and out of Buddhism and eventually to the foot of the cross of Christ. He bowed his knee to the Messiah and became one of the most passionate followers of Christ in the 20th century. His flame flashed and burned like a bonfire and we are all richer for it.
Keith was not a mature theologian. He had some odd interpretations of some Scripture. He was young, and it couldn’t have been otherwise.
He also had a quirky and sometimes awkward sense of humor and he was rough around the edges. He upset many in the early Christian music industry who wanted to package him as a commodity more than they wanted to platform the proclamation of his love for Christ. But his heart . . . his heart beat with passion for Christ.
I think it was after his second album, he started offering his albums and his concerts for free or on a donation basis only. He wasn’t interested in money. He was in love with Christ and he wanted every one to know HIM! And because of that he inspired most of the people who ever heard him, especially because he had the ability to fan into flame the fires of devotion in young believers hearts. The song title to the fourth song in the NO COMPROMISE album is a question. Keith asked it everyday of his Christian life. Maybe if we follwed Keith’s lead and asked it ourselves, God might do a work in our hearts and fan into a flame our passion for hurting people?
How Can They Live Without Jesus?
How can they live without Jesus
How can live without God’s love
How can they feel so at home down here
When there’s so much more up aboveThrowin’ away the things that matter
They hold on to things that don’t
The world has gone crazy
But soon maybe a lot more are gonna knowFor maybe they don’t understand it
Or maybe they just haven’t heard
Or maybe we’re not doin’ all we can
Living up to His holy word‘Cause phonies have come and wrongs been done
Even killing in Jesus name
And if you’ve been burned here’s what I’ve learned
The Lord’s not the one to blameFor He’s not just a religion
With steeples and bells
Or a salesman who will sell you
The things you just want to hearFor His love was such
That he suffered so much
To cause some of us
Just to follow, follow, ohSo many laughing at Jesus
While the funniest thing that He’s done
Is love this whole stubborn rebellious world
While their hate for Him just goes onAnd love just like that
Will bring him back
For the few He can call His friends
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