Fridays With Alice (FWA) Turned 4!

FRIDAYS WITH ALICE TURNED 4!

Last week marked the 4th anniversary of “Fridays With Alice (FWA).” What started as a vision from God – to write a blog based on the music of Alice Cooper – has become a truly remarkable journey filled with Faith, Hope, and Love.

So many wonderful events, meetings, and conversations have occurred since this endeavor began. We are genuinely inspired by Alice & Sheryl, his band, his fans, and the process by which he writes and works with others in the business.

Alice is an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). As he states in an interview with Greg Laurie, “(Jesus) is everything!” (https://bit.ly/3SIO9Fz)

While it may seem or feel as if Alice is the driving force behind FWA, please know that he’s not. Alice is a vessel by which we point to Jesus Christ and declare that He is EVERYTHING!

That said, we’d like to celebrate the 4th anniversary of FWA by looking at one of Christ’s parables and asking a few questions.

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a hundred times more crop than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
    though hearing, they may not understand.’

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

A Lamp on a Stand

16 “No one lights a lamp, hides it in a clay jar, or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.” – Luke 8:1-18

There’s a lot to digest in this parable. Let’s first notice that verse 11 reveals that the ‘seed’ is the Word of God. Christ goes on to give four examples of a farmer scattering seeds.

• Wayside (Path) (verse 5, 12) – When the Word of God (seed) is shared with those along the ‘path,’ it is not received. The enemy has stolen God’s Word (or seed) from their heart. In turn, they deny Christ and the Love of their Creator. Simply put, there is no interest in knowing or accepting Christ.
• No Roots (Rock) (verse 6, 13) – When the Word of God (seed) is revealed to those cast on the ‘rock,’ it has no roots. Many believe in Jesus and His message but fail to do anything about it. Simply put, there is no engagement or application of His Word.
• Choked Out (Thorns) (verse 7, 14) – When the Word of God (seed) is scattered among the ‘thorns,’ it is choked out by the world. No room is left for God when we are overcome by worries, materialism, pleasures, etc. Simply put, the world has captured the hearts of those struggling to choose the Word instead of the world.
• Ripening (Good Soil) (verse 8, 15) – When the Word of God (seed) is placed in ‘good soil,’ it begins to germinate, and as it retains the ‘living water,’ it ripens. No matter the cost, Christ remains the cornerstone of this group. Simply put, through patience and perseverance, growth and understanding produce spiritual fruit.

Notice that the seed is the same in each scenario, yet the soil is different.

What type of soil are you in? Did you start in one type and wind up in another?

Did the winds of the Holy Spirit blow you from one of the first three into ‘good soil’?

Did a life-altering event lead you to ‘good soil’?

Did someone help you find that ‘good soil’?

These same types of questions could be asked in many different ways. However, the main question remains, “are you in good soil”?

In conclusion, we are honored that you have joined us on this journey. God’s Word is fascinating, and He has so much to say to us and show us throughout our lives.

Please know that these posts are Him speaking to all of us. We are reminded weekly that His Love, Mercy, and Grace are everlasting! We are grateful that Alice so willingly puts his faith on display so that we might see the transformation his life took as he began his life anew through Christ (Galatians 2:20).

Coop hits it on the head during his interviews with Greg Laurie (see the original discussion and post here). Christ is EVERYTHING!

We urge you to heed Alice’s words and discover a new way of living, thinking, and being. All it requires is desire – the desire to see things from a new perspective.

To see the words of Christ NOT as some authoritative mandate but instead as a message of Love – the Love of our Heavenly Father.

Each of Christ’s parables is unique, but they point back to the Word of God. May we come to know that Christ is the Living Word of God and He is  EVERYTHING!

That’s it for this week; enjoy the weekend, and catch you next Friday.

Until then, Keep Walkin’ in Faith and Rockin’ with Alice.