Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Right Place, Wrong Time" (Dr. John)

Welcome to the last Tuesday of September!  Another fall officially arrived last week!  Absolutely, without a doubt, this has to be our favorite time of the year!!! The colors, the smells, the ability to be outdoors without humidity, and the chill that comes (eventually) with the change in seasons, is part of the wonder and miracle that it is to live in our part of the world.  It seems that we are strategically positioned to get the best (and worst) that each of the seasons has to offer.  Some in the scientific world would attribute the colors of fall to the chemical changes of the plants as they go dormant, or the chill in the air being a direct result of the positioning of the sun as the earth has rotated on its axis.  While these are all logical explanations given our understanding of the universe, we choose the divine route and attribute the beauty of the seasonal change to an Almighty God who has us right where we need to be to experience his handiwork.  In His understanding and workings of the universe there is never an instant that He is known to be in the right place at the wrong time...

"Right Place, Wrong Time" by Dr. John from the 1973 album In The Right Place

 

or for you Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt/Matthew McConaughey/Steve Zahn fans:

Opening credits to the 2005 movie Sahara - "Right Place, Wrong Time" by Dr. John

He has 32 albums that credit him as "leader".  He has played on, produced, or been associated with another 25 recordings.  He was hired at the age of 16 (59 years ago) as a record producer for ACE records.  He is considered an icon by virtually every Rock-n-Roll icon that exists.  He has won 6 Grammy Awards (between 1989 and 2013) and in 2011 was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame.  He has had 2 albums (Gris Gris (#143), Dr. John's Gumbo (#402) on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums of All Time list. All of this for a fella that has only had 1 top ten hit and was kicked out of his Jesuit High School because the Jesuit fathers disapproved of his playing in night clubs (rumored to be the inspiration for today's featured song).  His name...Dr. John.

John Rabbennack was a product of the Third Ward in New Orleans, Louisiana.  His father ran an appliance store that sold records and his entire family were musically inclined.  He began his musical career over 60 years ago, becoming ensconced in the music that was and still is New Orleans.  Jazz, Zydeco, Vodoo chant and Funk would coalesce around the young man who would eventually become a studio musician legend.   His instrument of choice was the guitar until a gunshot damaged his left ring finger while defending a bandmate at a Mississippi gig.  After a brief flirtation with bass, Dr. John settled on the piano being his instrument of choice and trademark.  

"Right Place, Wrong Time" would be the only top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for the artist who remains one of those musicians that you have heard without realizing that you've heard him.  Today's song is a staple among movie soundtracks and "Oldies" stations.  Never considered a "One Hit Wonder", Dr. John has masterfully cultivated success around his lone "commercial" hit.  He sings the theme song for the PBS children's show Curious George.  He also opened the 2009 Disney film, The Princess and the Frog with "Down In New Orleans".  His 6 Grammys have all come after being clean and sober for over 25 years since his final stint in rehab for narcotic addiction in 1989.  Musta been the right place... right time...for the good Dr. who has been in the music industry in one form or another for a very long, long time.

Many of us have had our "right place, wrong time" moments.  Mine occurred just about this time of the year in 1982.  One of the biggest regrets of my life is not planting myself in a church as a freshman in college.  There were many fantastic places of worship in Fayetteville in 1982, yet I chose to betray my history of consistent church attendance while at the University.  One exception was an October morning when I had found a church that I thought I would like.  As the Sunday morning broke, I woke up and got ready for my first time in church in a long time.  Upon arrival at the church on the outskirts of town, I noticed that there were no other cars in the parking lot.  It didn't even seem as if any staff person had arrived yet, and while I knew I was early, I just blew it off and enjoyed the beauty of the morning.  (Yes, you can do that as an 18 year old boy!!!).  15 minutes passed, then 30.  At the 45 minute mark of waiting, I was done.  So I put the Camaro back on the road to the University of Arkansas.  My roommate was also a follower of Jesus and rarely missed meeting with a small group on Sunday morning. (Thanks for the example Dan!!!)  But when I arrived back in the basement dorm room, he was still in bed.  This I thought very curious.  Reality slowly crept into my time/space continuum as I realized that I had failed to "fall" back...The annual rite that is Daylight Savings Time had  captured its latest victim.  I had arrived at the church a full two hours before the services started!  I was in the right place...wrong time!!! (I renew my conviction to support any candidate for political office that will propose a law that abolishes Daylight Savings Time!)

The Bible has much to say about places and times.  

At the time it was happening, Joseph couldn't understand why his brothers would sell him as a slave. Even with his slave status he excelled wherever he went.  Because he would not succumb to the seduction of a Queen, he was thrown in prison on a trumped up accusation. Even through all of this he stood by his faith.  His whole life was a story of right place, wrong time, yet he eventually became the 2nd most powerful man in the Egyptian empire (read Joseph's entire story here:  Genesis 37-44 English Standard Version/ The Message Paraphrase of The Bible)

As Saul, he would persecute the followers of Jesus that constituted the early church.  His mission was to destroy the "cult" that had sprung up from the "blasphemer" Jesus.  He would stop at nothing to make sure that this religious insurrection against the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees, would be squashed and squashed quickly.  That was until he had his right place moment.  (you guessed it...read about it here:  Acts 7 - 9:31 ESV/The Message parallel)  

In 1 Corinthians 15:8, Paul even describes himself as "one untimely born" (1 Corinthians 15 ESV/The Message parallel).  The New King James Version reads this passage as "one born out of due time".  Definitely right place, wrong time.  Praise God that Paul was born in that wrong time.  Because of his bold proclamation of the Gospel during his missionary journeys, folks who are not of Jewish heritage were given the Good news of Jesus.  He was strategically placed at his "wrong time" to preach, teach and mentor. 

I suspect at this point the question needs to be asked...are you in the right place?  Need to say the right thing?  Head and heart in a bad place?  It doesn't take having brain salad surgery...just maybe the right trip....down a certain Roman road...

Romans 3:10-12 New King James Version/The Message parallel
Romans 3:23 NKJV/The Message parallel
Romans 6:23 NKJV/The Message parallel
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV/The Message parallelRomans 5:8 NKJV/The Message parallel
Romans 10:1-10 NKJV/The Message parallel
Romans 10:11-13 NKJV/The Message parallel
Romans 5:1 NKJV/The Message
Romans 8:1 NKJV/The Message parallel
John 3:16-17 NKJV/The Message parallel

"Savior" by Charles Billingsley and the Thomas Road Baptist Choir from 2010 (C) Red Tie Music, inc

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "When Will I Be Loved" (Linda Ronstadt)

Welcome back to Tuesday, the best day of the week!  This is Tuesday's Musical Notes coming at'cha with some hot platters and hip to the jive elucidation that will cause you to soar as we explore.  (Interpretation:   Welcome to Tuesday and the blog, Tuesday's Musical Notes. We have music and thought provoking conversation that is intellectually stimulating and spiritually engaging.)  This is the place that everybody wants to be...at the corner of Bb Major and The Psalms, where we not only shuffle on down with the slickest tunes in the land, but we do it with our hands in the hands of the Man....Welcome to Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!  Set your time machine back to 1975, when long hair and smooth groves were in and the lines of country and rock were blurred, we take you to the crossover hit of the year by the most popular artist of the 70's, Ms. Linda Ronstadt...sing it girl!

"When Will I Be Loved" by Linda Ronstadt from the 1974 album Heart Like A Wheel

 

In the summer of 1960, 2 brothers recorded a song that would go as high as #8 on the charts.  The Everly Brothers recorded "When Will I Be Loved", written by Phil Everly, on Cadence Records.  It became a hit the summer they signed with a different label, Warner Brothers, from which many of their most popular hits ("Cathy's Clown" (#1), 1960, "That's Old Fashioned" (#9), 1962, among others) came.  But it would be the 1975 hit by Linda Ronstadt that would take "When Will I Be Loved" to #2 and iconic status.

Her voice has been heard on over 120 albums (not all hers...).  She has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the world's best selling recording artists.  Stylistically, her music knows no genre boundaries.   The musicians that would eventually form their own band and become the Eagles were her backup band at one time.  She has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music history.  All of this combines to make Linda Ronstadt, one of the biggest acts in music.  She has won or been nominated for countless awards in music, television and the theater.  With an impressive 38 appearances on Billboard's Hot 100 (21 top 40 singles, 10 top 10singles, three #2 singles and the #1 smash hit "You're No Good"), Linda Ronstadt retired in 2011 and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in December of 2012.  April 2014 saw her inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

One would think that with throngs of adoring fans of all shapes, sizes and colors that an artist like Linda Ronstadt, would feel loved.  However, in a 1976 interview with Rolling Stone, Ronstadt said: "they haven't invented a word for that loneliness that everybody goes through on the road. The world is tearing by you, real fast, and all these people are looking at you. ..."   That loneliness is not just a trait of those who tour in a musical act all the time.  It is something that is felt by every person in their lives.  It comes as a realization that there has to be more than the existence we see during our lifetimes.  In most folks, this awareness of something missing is a cause for pause in their busy life.  The feel cheated, they fell mistreated.   During this pause, one might expect the question...."When will I be loved..."

 

For dedicated readers of Tuesday's Musical Notes, you recognize that this is the portion of the blog that we go to the Scripture to bring in a spiritual application to the feature song of the day.  If you're just tuning it, please understand that the Scripture to which we refer is the foundation for ANY discussion of love, and the greatest book every written on any subject, especially love,...The BIBLE.  Millions of folks around the world are skeptical of the truths found in the Bible.  Tuesday's Musical Notes affirms the inerrancy and authority of the Bible.  It is the context by which we write, and will always be where we turn to explain how there is a cure for the loneliness that so many feel.  It is also the topic of a fantastic book titled, God Breathed, by Josh McDowell.  And so with this in mind, we turn to the Bible to answer the question,

 "When Will I Be Loved?"

In the New King James Version of the Bible, the world "love" is used 500 times.  This treatment would indicate a certain amount of importance to the idea of love.  People all over the world know the passage, John 3:16 from the Bible.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Followers of Jesus hold this passage in great regard, for it defines the kind of love that so many are craving to cure the loneliness that only love can provide.  But as precious as John 3:16 is, stopping at the end of verse 16 denies the reader a detailing the "why" behind the love that would cause God to sacrifice His Son.  Take a moment and read this passage in complete context.  John 3:16-20 New King James Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase parallel.  The remainder of the passage goes into detail about the hopelessness that everyone in the world experiences prior to acknowledging what Jesus can do in their lives, if they accept the freedom and love that His sacrifice provides.  

Can we be honest and admit that we've all been cheated, mistreated, put down, pushed 'round, made blue and lied to.  Maybe we have even been on the committing end of these loveless actions.  Regardless, there is a way to be loved.   The Gospel Of John - English Standard Version of the Bible/The Message parallel, as well as The Gospel of Matthew - ESV/The Message, The Gospel of Mark - ESV/The Message and The Gospel of Luke - ESV/The Message  detail the life of the One who came to show us how loved we are.  His name is Jesus.  Since the foundation of the world, you have been loved, because God in His wisdom, provided a Way for our disobedience to be obliterated and our relationship with Him to be restored.  That Way, is Jesus.  

So, "When Will I Be Loved?"...friend there has never been a time when you weren't.... 

¹³ For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well. - Psalm 139:13-14 ESV


"Made To Love" from the 2007 album Portable Sounds by Toby Mac


"Til Tuesday,


Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Respect" (Aretha Franklin)

Greetings and Salutations.....(I really get tired of saying "Howdy gang!").  Welcome to the place of innovation, intonation, enunciation, and illumination.  It's Tuesday's Musical Notes, coming at you from email, blog, facebook, twitter, and even instagram!  

Welcome to the next change in the seasons as, at least here in Arkansas, cooler temperatures have set in and wait to see how God is going to paint the canvas of foliage that is fall in these here parts.  Last week we celebrated the life of Dean Jones, one of The Notes' favorite actors and Herbie's best friend.  In doing so, we did not take a look into yesteryear as our habit has been on the first Tuesday of each month.  We intend to correct that today as we take our look to the archives of Tuesday's Musical Notes, The Email ...from April of 2011, where we went down to Motown and visited the still reigning Queen of Soul....ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Aretha Franklin:

 

"Respect" from the 1967 album, I Never Loved A Man The Way I Loved You by Aretha Franklin

As the #5 song on Rolling Stones "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", "Respect", is one of R&B's most well known songs and a recurring performance enhancer for many an American Idol hopeful.  What you may not know is that Aretha Franklin didn't write or sing the song originally. The original recording was by R&B great Otis Redding. That's right, "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" and "Respect" came from the same writer.  The original had quite the role reversal from Aretha's later hit, but still lyrically speaks to an issue that plagues our society and our relationships with other believers...a seeming lack of basic respect for one another

"They'll let anybody in here!"  You've probably heard this statement as a frivolous, but harmless greeting many times.  I heard it recently and it touched a nerve.  I don't think of myself as one who is quick to get his feelings hurt, most people don't, but this just struck me wrong.  Maybe you have been in a similar situation.    You make plans to go to an event at the request of someone and then when you get there you are greeted with a mild insult.  While the intent is meant to be a humorous ice breaker or conversation starter, it still winds up as an insult or at the very least a sarcastic remark.  I even heard it in church the other night.  Here we are inviting a public in need of deliverance to come to an event and then they hear us, the delivered, jokingly remark to each other some bit of sarcasm meant to make others laugh.  I don't think God laughs at this.  How do we expect to impact the world when we don't treat each other with dignity and respect.  I'm not meaning we should call everybody "brother" Tom or "Sister" Sadie, but we really should be careful about the things that are said and how they are said. 

Before you think I'm in my palatial upstairs office and making it out to be my cloud, please understand that I am burdened by this because it is something of which I am guilty, even as one who claims the Name of Jesus on my life.  Upon reflection, it makes me sad that I thought so little of people.  If I have ever been callous to you in our greeting of one another, I ask your forgiveness.  "O be careful little mouth what you say..."

 

James 1 New King James Version/The Message Paraphrase parallel

 

The Bible has many examples of how we are to greet one another.  Many of Paul's letters describe simple but respectful greetings, 5 times in Romans 16 (NKJV/The Message) alone. We are instructed to greet one another with a "holy kiss" in 2 Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV/The Message), 1 Thessalonians 5:26 (NKJV/The Message), and 1 Peter 5:14 (NKJV/The Message).  What a shame that Christians have allowed a culture to degrade such an honorable practice into something that is considered "harassment".  It seems that we are only a few short years away from even a handshake being considered something unlawful. "O be careful little hands what you do..."

My mom used to tell me to swallow the hateful things that were about to come out of my mouth.  I made the mistake of telling her that doing so would give me a stomach ache.....needless to say it wasn't my stomach that was soon aching.  Her point was to not let anything come out that I could potentially regret saying.  In other words, look around and see who might be listening (even casually), think about what is about to come out of my mouth, and then ask this question..."With what I am about to say, do I show respect for the person I am talking to and do I represent the love of Jesus in what I am saying and how I am saying it, to the preChristian person who might just be listening in?"   

You never raise yourself up by putting someone else down.  And you certainly are not obeying the command to "love one another" by creating a joke at someone else's expense.  I think I heard a Redeemer say something to that effect in regards to servant leadership one time.  

Mark 9 NKJV/The Message  Matthew 18 NKJV/The Message

 

He was one who knew how to "show a little Respect..."

 

"Love One Another" by Michael W. Smith from the 1992 album Change Your World

    

 

'Til Tuesday,

 

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Love Bug (Herbie's Theme)" (George Bruns)

Welcome to Tuesday!!!  We hope you enjoyed your Labor Day weekend!  This weekend typically signals the end of summer.  With this transition, the temperatures fall, the length of having sunshine during the day gets shorter, and a "normalcy" sets into the schedules of most folks.  The Notes embraces this "normalcy" as it has really seemed to be a busy summer.  A routine can bring you back to focus, reduce the urgency, and perhaps even bring a little balance back to your life.  We appreciate the routine that many of you have of reading Tuesday's Musical Notes each week.  People from all over the world have joined in as we have taken a moment of their time to share things that we are passionate about.  THANK YOU!!!

Even in the face of normalcy and balance, a little chaos every once in a while can be a good thing.   Otherwise, life could become really, boring really fast.   This chaos can come in the form of friends, family and occasionally a VW Beetle...

The Love Bug (Herbie's Theme) by George Bruns from the 1968 movie The Love Bug starring Dean Jones

 

In 1968, an icon of the automobile world flashed, dashed, and skirted into the hearts of millions of people.  Herbie, the Love Bug raced onto the screen as a lighthearted distraction from the turbulence all around the world that defined the 60's.  It was one of the first motion pictures I can ever remember seeing.  We saw it at the Joy theater in Bald Knob, Arkansas.  Long gone are the movies that were shown there but the building still stands.  I remember it with fondness as my father's laughter resonated and seemingly became early surround sound for that small theater by the railroad tracks.  My dad's laughter was infectious.  The infection of his laughter competed with the equally contagious personality of Dean Jones cool portrayal of Jim Douglas, Herbie's driver.

Upon Herbie's arrival, Douglas' "normal" life of racing and crashing cars was thrown into chaos as the car that he got hustled into buying actually came to life.  The chaos continues for 4 theatrical sequels, a 1982 5 episode TV series,  and a 1997 made for TV movie sequel.  The chaotic world of Herbie would continue for Jim Douglas in Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo and as a tribute to the original, Jim Douglas makes a cameo in the '97 TV movie. 

 

Walt Disney himself recruited Dean Jones to be the foil for the Beetle with a personality.  Dean Jones television show, Ensign O'Toole, was the lead in for Disney's Wonderful World of Color on NBC.  Disney then ordered prints of the Jones' previous film work to preview for the possibility of a long term commitment.  That commitment was realized when Jones, who served in the United States Navy during the Korean War, would be a recurring actor for a decade at Disney Pictures after his starring role in the 1965 Disney classic That Darn Cat!  The Love Bug, however, would be the film for which he was best known.   

 

Off screen, Dean Jones lived the Hollywood personality lifestyle until 1986 when he came to know Jesus as Savior.  His life of chaos settled into a world of peace.  A recent Washington Post tribute article on Dean Jones details his convictions and charitable work after his conversion experience.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/03/how-disney-star-dean-jones-who-just-died-at-84-found-the-peace-of-christ/
 

Tragically, Dean Jones died on September 1, 2015 at the age of 84 due to Parkinson's disease.

 

Dictionary.com has 7 definitions for the word "peace".  The one that applies to most folks is, "freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquility; serenity".  This seems a difficult state of being for most people of the world.  The importance of an individual to have a sense of calm or peace far outweighs any of the geopolitical aspects of what the word peace describes.  True peace can only come from one source...Jesus.

 

"Peace" as a word is used 249 times in the New International Version of the Bible.  That makes it one of the most used words of the Bible.  It is a topic that our day and age so desperately needs, as hate seemingly is having a field day in our culture.  Jesus provides us with encouragement as He tells his disciples what their lives will be like without Him there.  John 14 - New International Version of The Bible/The Message Paraphrase parallel  The overriding encouragement is that with the coming of Holy Spirit, there is peace for followers of Jesus.  It is not a peace that is defined by the world, but one that was given from the foundation of world.  It is a peace that only those who follow Jesus can obtain, and a peace that will be magnified exponentially in the eternal kingdom to come. 

 

A "normal" life on this earth is replete with chaos.  A "normal" existence in heaven is replete with peace.  As followers of Jesus, we get to experience a taste of that peace amidst the chaos of this earthly experience.  THAT peace is reserved for those who are absolutely not "normal"...

 

"Redeemed" by Big Daddy Weave from the 2012 album Love Come To Life

 

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The William Tell Overture" (University of Arkansas Marching Razorback Band)

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Welcome to Tuesday and the 1st day of September!!!  We have been reserving the first Tuesday of every month to revisit some of The Notes that were only visioneered in email. Today, however, we depart from our normal first of the month programming so we may bring you this special presentation with limited commercial interruption.  So Welcome To Tuesday and Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!

If you've been reading Tuesday's Musical Notes for very long, you realize that September is one of our favorite months of the year.  As the long, hot summer draws to a close we say goodbye to the humidity that causes discomfort to even those with the coldest natures.  September usually brings relief from the stifling summer that occurs in our great state of Arkansas.  Not only does September bring relief from the heat, it brings relief from our drought of Razorback sporting events that are available to witness on television.  If you just happen to not be a fan of the crimson and white, please understand that Tuesday's Musical Notes harbors no ill will against you.  Yup, because we are Christians, we must also love Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and the remaining SEC fans.  Those of us who are old enough to remember the SouthWest Conference, even have to love the awful orange of Texas...sigh.  But for EVERYONE, it's Tuesday and time for a note or two about a beloved iconic musical interlude.  "Hi ho Silver Away!!!!"...and maybe a little bit of "Go Hogs" to boot!!!!

"William Tell Overture" from the Finale of the opera William Tell by Gioachina Rossini - performed by the University of Arkansas Marching Razorback Band

For 187 years, millions of people around the world have listened to this instantly recognizable theme from the finale in the opera William Tell. This Overture portion of the Finale actually lasts over twelve minutes and commemorates the Swiss army winning a victorious battle to liberate their homeland against oppression from Austria.  William Tell was the last original of 39 opera composed by Gioachina Rossini (The Barber of Seville).  The Overture from the Finale has been used in animated shorts, radio drama, television theme songs, and full length films as a part of their respective soundtracks.  For a generation of modern music lovers,  the "William Tell Overture" has been synonymous with the radio, television and movie versions, of The Lone Ranger.  (Even though the Johnny Depp/Armie Hammer vehicle was critically panned and disappointed at the box office, Tuesday's Musical Notes, holds that it was an entertaining while different retelling of the John Reid Texas Marshall story...and it features, you guessed it...The William Tell Overture at just the right moment).

More importantly, since the late 70's, the University of Arkansas Marching Razorback and Hogwild bands have been using the William Tell Overture as a rallying cry for the faithful fans at football and basketball events.  While other collegiate programs have utilized a form of the overture as a "spirit" song, none have captured the sense of urgency in the moment and increased enthusiasm generated by the U of A bands.  Striking its best "fight song" pose, the William Tell Overture at the University of Arkansas sporting events includes the cheer "Go Hogs!!!" as well as spelling out the name of the state we know and love...A-R-K-A-N-S-(boom, boom)-A-S!!!   As you can see by this week's music video, the fans tend to get whipped into a frenzy just at the time the team needs the boost.  The arranger of this particular version of William Tell was Jim Robken who was an assistant director of bands at the time for the U of A.  The Hogwild band was so popular at the time that local television station KATV did a feature story on the band and its leader.  For all of you RMB/Hogwild (Barnhill Arena) alums...

 

Hogwild Band feature - KATV special halftime broadcast feature

The all too familiar refrains of William Tell musically portray the victory at the height of the battle between the Swiss and Austrians.  All of us face battles.  Some get the exquisite opportunity to battle on a field with a football.  Others have seen the horrors that come with battles in actual wars.  We even may face struggles on the battlefield of our minds.  During any of these battles there is usually a soundtrack playing, probably not literally, but at least in the deep recesses of our mind.  These soundtracks can take on the theme of a rallying cry or a dirge.  It has been well said that we are in 1 of three battle stages at all times.  We are either coming out of, in the middle of, or just beginning the skirmishes that will make up an all out battle.  The question is not always how many of those skirmishes we win, but how we fight them.  What is our strategy? 

There is an excellent faith based film that just released called War Room.  It is a must see if you want the best strategy to understand how you must fight the battles that we all face.  It just happened to hit #2 at the box office this weekend, the best ever for a faith based film in limited release.  Here's the trailer:

 

War Room - Affirm Films in association with Sony Pictures

"Have you considered my servant, Job?".  This was a question posed from God to the enemy at the beginning of the book of poetry bearing the name of the main protagonist.  We've mentioned him before here at The Notes (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?")  If you think you've had a bad life, check out the 1st chapter of Job:  Job 1 English Standard Version/The Message Paraphrase  It seems that Job was going through some of the biggest battles of his life.  He lost EVERYTHING, well almost everything.  His wife and some of his friends were still around criticizing and opining about what he did or did not do to make God mad at him.  Job was placed in a situation that hopefully none of us will ever find ourselves, yet, he maintained his integrity and purity through having faith and confidence in the One thing he had left...his relationship with God.  42 chapters and several conversations between the friends, the wife, and Job, later we see Job having a final conversation with God.  When Job was sitting in a pile of ashes, with sores all over his body that were festering unmercifully, he received a very strong message from God that put everything into perspective.  Job 38 - ESV/The Message Parallel

 

Eventually being restored in his wealth as well as having many more children,  Job was delivered into victory because he was made to realize that it wasn't his fight to begin with.  God showed Job exactly who he (Job) was in comparison to who He (God) was.  Even though Job was described by God as  "none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil.",  Job was still a sinner that need God to fight for him.  He learned how to do battle the right way.  God had it all under control.  

 

Let me challenge you sometime soon to get a modern translation or paraphrase of the book of Job and read all 42 chapters.  Click on the link in the above paragraph if you would like to read it online.  Then ponder.  What battle stage are you currently in?  Are you fighting the wrong enemy?  Are you fighting in a way that is filled with integrity and purity?  Are you relying on the One who controls everything to fight for you?  Are you living a life of person that God could ask our adversary..."have you considered my servant (insert your name here)?".  "HI-HO Silver!!!"
  

"White Flag" the title cut from the 2012 album by Passion

Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

P.S. - "Go Hogs!!!  Beat UTEP!!!!"