Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes where something a little "off" is always on. Today is a unique day! We get the opportunity to visit for a moment on the best day of the week. We get to visit about the best stuff of the week...or perhaps the best stuff of 50 years ago...Let's take a short trip back in time. Que the flashback music.......Here we are in 1965. What are some of your fond memories of that year? Lyndon Johnson is President. The Sound of Music premieres in New York. Mary Poppins wins 5 Oscars, one for "Chim Chim Cher-ee" as Best Song. Unfortunately, I don't remember any of that....I was 1!! These things and many more from '65 are still somewhat popular today. One of the most popular songs of the year would become the theme song for an iconic figure in popular music. So without further adieu...we must ask of you....an UNUSUAL sort of question...what's new pussycat? Whoa...
"It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones from the 1965 album Along Came Jones (It's Not Unusual)
"It's Not Unusual" has been used in television, movies and has been
covered by many groups, including a Christian band Five Iron
Frenzy. It is a song about unrequited love, a favorite theme of many
songs regardless of generation. I like the song for the brass
section that flows in and out of the lyric just at the right time. It
was the very first hit for Tom Jones, peaking at #10 in the US, and
launched a career that is still very active today.
I
wonder sometimes if Christians are "Unusual" enough? We have heard
many times that we need to be "in" the world but not "of" the world.
What exactly does that mean? Can we love songs that are in the "Weekly
Top 40" and not be considered "worldly"? Can we really have that
"social" drink and maintain our ability to witness to those who struggle
with a drinking addiction? Do we really believe that in the
marketplace of ideas that the life of Jesus and choosing to follow Him wins every time? While some of these questions are
difficult to answer, in looking through the Bible we quickly see that we are instructed
to be different because we have been delivered...
Exodus 19:5 King James Version of the Bible, Deuteronomy 14:2 KJV, Deuteronomy 26:18 KJV, Titus 2:14 KJV, and 1 Peter 2:9 all speak of those who have been
delivered by God, as being "peculiar" people, "unusual" people if you will. I am
very uncomfortable with being singled out as different. I think most people don't want their
"peculiarities" highlighted for everyone to see, so what are we to do as
Christians to become that "peculiar", that "unusual" people God has
delivered us to be? I think the key is in placing ourselves in a position for discipleship to occur.
What
does that look like? It certainly is not completed in a vacuum. Nor
is it accomplished through ritualistic feats of strength or tests. It
comes by putting aside "me" for the second, minute, hour, day,
week,month, year, lifetime...and through the power of Holy Spirit,
placing God at the forefront of all that we do. Is it possible to be
perfect like Jesus? Nope. Not in this world. However, we become more
like Jesus by communing with Him through Holy Spirit. This is the
process Jesus' disciples (Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and
Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus,
Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. After Judas Iscariot betrayed
Jesus and hung himself, Matthais was chosen to take his place) went
through as they followed Him during His teaching time on earth. Imagine how much you could learn from a person by spending every moment for 3 years with them. What characteristics of their life would become characteristics in your life? This is the discipleship process.
I recently read a great quote about discipleship from Mike Glenn,
Senior Pastor of the multi campus Brentwood Baptist Church in
Tennessee. He said, "The point of discipleship is not to know more
about Jesus. The point of discipleship is to know Jesus. Knowing Jesus
and knowing about Jesus are not the same thing." You see many people
know about Jesus. Muslims know about Jesus. Jewish folks know about
Jesus. Satanic demons know about Jesus and tremble in fear. But we
are "peculiar" by being Christians, because we not only know ABOUT
Jesus, but we KNOW
Jesus. We not only know facts, scripture, or history regarding Jesus, but we
have His Spirit, part of the Trinity, inside of us, changing us into His
likeness, making us different from the world, and yes causing us at times to be unusual in our perspective about the world. Ask yourself
this
question..."Do I know more factual information about Jesus than I know
how His Spirit is changing me daily?" It is much easier to know someone
by having a conversation with them rather than reading about them. Are
you setting aside a time to get to know Jesus? If not, start today.
Read His Word. Communicate with Him. Be still and know
Jesus. Find a church home that you can minister IN and be ministered TO. Fellowship with His people in a Sunday School Class or small
group. Find a Christian friend that can mentor you. You just
might find that it IS unusual...
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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