Hang Together or Hang Separate
Dave Andrews • August 2, 2021
A call to unite and to work together.
At the founding of our nation, when the Declaration of Independence from England was being signed, Benjamin Franklin reportedly said “We must hang together or surely we shall hang separate.” Whether Franklin said it or not, British power indeed did rise up to take back what they thought was rightfully theirs, and to crush the rebellion. But in the end, the underdog, the tenacious forces of the Continental Army would prevail. They were not perfect. They had their weaknesses. But they hung together at great expense to themselves, they stuck it out, they had their eyes on the prize, and fought the fight to secure a legacy of freedom for many generations to come.
After considering all the events of the last year and a half, it is with no hesitancy that we can easily say our nation is under attack at the very core…the heart. Politics have failed us, medicine and science have failed us, goods and services have failed us…all the things that we have gloried in as a nation have failed us. Those empty guides have left us wondering who we are, what happened to the heart of our nation, and when did it leave.
The failures of our recent way of life is not entirely a bad thing…if we can revive our heart as a country…a heart that was founded on Christ. You see, our founding fathers were clearly not alone (no matter what the modern history books say). God was with us. The last stanza of the Star Spangled Banner demonstrates what our founders knew…for a nation to succeed, we must have God’s blessing.
“Blest with vict'ry and peace may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - "In God is our trust,"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
As believers in Christ, we know that the Holy Spirit is the only one who can really change a heart. So if we want to see God’s blessing return, for the rampant immorality to wane, and for our nation to be greater than ever before, it is time for God’s people to mobilize with the message of Christ. It is a time to live boldly…speaking truth and proclaiming redemption, the Gospel. We are His servants and representatives in this nation…we may be the minority now, but the resources of the church are still vast…certainly vast enough! We CAN turn this nation around…if God is with us, and if He is proclaimed for the salvation of souls.
Ecclesiastes says there is a time and season for everything. There is a time to rest absolutely...but some of us have forgotten to do anything but that. There is also a time to work. Sunday is commonly our day of rest, but there are 6 other days of the week! In 2 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul warns us against being lazy…he goes so far as to tell the Thessalonians to not associate with the believers who are idle and disruptive. May we not ever be found among their number.
Just as we work, we should work together. KJOL has been encouraging ministries and churches to work together all year long…we are just crazy enough to think God’s people are stronger together. God's Word is our common ground. As the hate for Christian principles ramp up in our nation, we may just find that if we don’t hang together, we will hang separate. It happens in this day and age in other countries...and if God has removed His blessing...it can happen here too. We need to stick together.
This last week we started hearing reports of ministries and a few churches doing just that. And in addition, we had an amazing time seeing that in action, as various churches and ministries came together to put on a foster kid appreciation day for Project 127. I saw churches active, and a number of ministries doing what they do best. It was a major blessing as the local unreached were introduced to some hard working Jesus lovin’ Kingdom centered Christians!
Are you ready to sign Declaration 2.0? Are you ready to unite, to work hard, to live boldly, and to serve together? Our nation cannot succeed much longer without God’s rejuvenation. We are His servants. We stand on His Word. No more hiding. It’s time to get to work for the Kingdom.
-Dave Andrews
Station Manager
Chris Tomlin is debuting a new worship song this week which was written around 250 AD. It is being called The First Hymn . The papyrus text was found a century ago among ruins in Egypt, but it wasn’t until recently that Wheaton professor John Dickson realized the First Hymn should be put to modern music. Chris Tomlin teamed with Australian songwriter Ben Fielding (“What A Beautiful Name”, “Mighty to Save”) to craft a modern worship song using the actual words from the original text as translated by Dickson. It includes the earliest mention of the Trinity: Let all be silent, the shining stars not sound forth, all rushing rivers be stilled as we sing our hymn to the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit, as all powers cry out in answer Amen. Amen. Might, praise and glory forever to our God, the only giver of all good gifts. Amen. Amen. You can watch the debut performance from Fort Worth, Texas, on YouTube. Tomlin and Fielding are performing the song and the documentary this week at Biola University and at The Museum of the Bible.
Our April Spring Friendraiser is underway here at KJOL! If you’re new to KJOL, it’s probably not what you think! While most Christian radio stations rely on the ‘ol classic “Sharathon” model for raising funding (interrupting days of programming to beg), as we did for years…KJOL no longer raises funds that way! Instead, we simply rely on God to provide. And we just let you know of our need as it arises. You might ask, “With people moving in and out of the area, how do you let new listeners or people who have never given before know you have this need?” We came up with this Friend-Raiser idea just for that purpose! With the purpose of NOT interrupting programming or even begging annoyingly, we will simply make short quick announcements on the air from time to time in April, letting folks know we need new donors to take up the mantle of service with us. Not only do we need brand new donors, but we still need our faithful monthly and one-time supporters to continue in ministry with KJOL again for 2025. I can tell you from talking to our listeners behind the scenes, KJOL is making a very real and positive impact for God’s Kingdom in our community, as we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, the Word of God, and encourage Christians around the Western Slope and beyond every day. Each and every one of our supporters has a hand in that. A few highlights for 2025: · Our 2025 theme is Serving Him, By Serving You ; 1 Peter 4:10 · Our New Donor Goal is 30 brand new donors. · Brand New Donors in April with a gift of $25 or more will receive a KJOL branded Nalgene water bottle, graciously provided to us by a generous anonymous donor. · Past donors who make a gift in the month of April will receive a KJOL bookmark/ruler as a thank you gift for your continued faithfulness. · Everyone who donates to KJOL between April 1-29 will automatically be entered to win one of 5 pairs of general admission (both day) tickets to NightVision 2025 ! Our drawing will be held Wednesday, April 30th. Will you personally help provide this radio ministry to our community? When you give to KJOL in 2025, you will be serving our community and the Lord right there alongside of us! Thanks for praying about it. If the Lord leads, you can make a donation right here , respond to our recent mailing, add us to your bank’s bill-pay, or here’s our address: KJOL Radio, 1354 E. Sherwood Dr., Grand Junction, CO 81501 God bless you and thanks for your consideration! -Dave Andrews, KJOL Station Manager
Meet the artists behind three new songs featured on the KJOL Listener Pulse , and tell us what you think! Natalie Lane “All Joy” “ All Joy ” is the title cut of Colorado Springs native Natalie Lane’s debut album. She says joy became the theme of the entire album: “During open conversations with her collaborators, she realized they all had one thing in common: Everyone was going through very real, difficult things, but yet, they were all still managing to find joy and gratitude in the midst of life’s challenges.” I count it all joy when I run into trouble Count it all good when the bad days come ‘Cause I know that you’re always working And I know that you’re still not done So I’m gonna lift your praise through the trial Ain’t no storm gonna stop my voice ‘Cause I’ve lived some life And I’ve learned that I can always Count it all grace, Count it all joy Ryan Stephenson “Preach” Ryan Stephenson says he wrote Preach five years with his old college roommate, but he didn’t feel it was ready until now. His friend Matt Hammitt sings harmonies. “I hope this song is a encouragement for all of us, regardless of what we believe, to not just say things, but to live things, to practice what we preach.” I talk about grace I talk about love I talk about faith But some days I don’t have enough I talk about forgiveness Still learning how to give it Lord, I need your strength to live what I believe I want my life to preach Every breath, every beat I want my life to preach When I’m strong, when I’m weak Through valley lows and mountain highs Every moment testifies Further than my words could ever reach Lord, I want my life to preach Jamie MacDonald “Desperate” Jamie MacDonald grew up in Michigan and met Jesus at youth camp. But she had a troubled home environment and drifted away and fell into a life of partying and drugs. was difficult home life and She left home at 16, but in her 20s had a “wakeup call” and remembered what God had told her at camp. She began reading her Bible, “secretly attended church,” and did mission work. She now lives in Nashville. She says “There’s been so many moments where I’ve felt desperate. I feel like a lot of people get to that low place and don’t know how much God loves them. As my song says, ‘I’m not asking, I’m begging.’ It’s been cool to see God come through in some of my most Desperate prayers.” Oh God, I'm desperate Down on my knees Send help from heaven 'Cause that's what I need Redeem this wreckage Restore my peace I'm not asking, I'm begging Lord, come through for me I need heaven and I'm Desperate Desperate Oh, I need heaven, need heaven and I'm Desperate
You may have noticed we were unable to release an E-News flash last month…it’s been an odd year so far at KJOL! Not only have we been extremely busy here at the ministry, but Ken Andrews (my father and former KJOL Station Manager) and I (the current station manager) have been caring for my mother who has been battling aggressive cancer for well over a year. No doubt if you heard a recent Inside Report or prayed with Zane during Prayertime, you have heard about her condition, even though we didn’t mention her name at the time.
Some Of Our Favorite Songs of 2024 At the beginning of 2024 , I wrote about how KJOL has now surpassed 4000 songs in our library. And then during 2024, you heard another 167 new songs! Some of our favorites include: That’s My King , CeCe Winans --should have been “Song of the Year” How Great Thou Art , Matt Redman & Friends --75 th anniversary edition Heart & Flesh , Taya Smith & Leeland --a beautiful 6-minute appeal to God “My heart and flesh cry out for You” Now That I Know You , CAIN --“The change in me is plain to see, Now that I know You” Prodigal , Josiah Queen --His style may not suit everyone but somebody likes him: 300 million online streams in 2024! (See him at Nightvision in June) Don’t Stop Praying , Matthew West --one of Zane Matthews' favorite songs! And already in 2025 , there are some really fun new songs: Money Can’t Buy , Cochren & Co. --“You fill my life With something money can’t buy “ (Vote for this song in our Listener Pulse survey now!) Oh Death , Mercy Me --“Oh death you scared me to death Oh you ain’t my King though, Oh where did your sting go You ain’t nothin’ but a stone That my Savior rolled away” (don’t miss the video—it’s great!) Dalé (Praise) , Evan Egerer -- Dalé means “give it to him”. It is also a shout to motivate someone. “We give our praise to Yahweh, Dalé Nobody saves like God saves Don’t wait, Corre (run) to the One, come on, dalé ”
Michael Tait , the lead singer for the Newsboys , has left the group . His announcement came January 16, two days before the band was to start its world tour. Tait said his decision came after prayer and fasting, saying it came as a shock even to him. He added “although I am nervous about the future, I am excited about what it holds for both myself and the Newsboys, as we all seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” Adam Agee is the new lead singer . He had previously been the lead singer for the band Stellar Kart, and then became lead singer for Audio Adrenaline for two years, until they disbanded. In 2023, Agee joined the Newsboys on vocals and bass. Newsboys released a statement after Tait’s announcement, saying “As he walks into the next season of life, we are stepping into the next season of Newsboys. We want you to know that Newsboys isn’t going anywhere, we’re going everywhere!” Tait led a revival of the Newsboys when he joined 15 years ago, with chart topping albums such as Born Again and God’s Not Dead. The first release featuring Tait, in 2010, was “ One Shot ” from the “Born Again” album. After the Newsboys performed their first concert on the new tour, Agee posted on Instagram , “Had to step up to the microphone last night. [a reference to a Newsboys song ] When we found out a week ago that our leader singer Michael Tait was leaving the band, we asked ourselves a lot of questions about the future. We got together and worked hard to put on the best show we could last night. I’m excited about the future and everything God has in store for Newsboys.”
