Welcome
to Tuesday!!! Happy Independence Day!!! Today is an Incredible Day!!!
Why all the incredibility? On this Tuesday we get to enjoy Tuesday's
Musical Notes and celebrate our national independence from those who would tax us without rational reasoning... Wait, did we really get independent or just jump into a different kind of taxation without representation? But I digress...Today we celebrate with fireworks that represent the cannons red glare and bombs bursting in air. We celebrate with family and friends to remember good times and
eat good food. Your average American will celebrate without the hatred
of culturalism (you may know it better as the misnamed "racism", we are
all a part of the human race,Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Black and White"), without the disunity of political partisanship, and without fear of our government swooping in to stop our celebration. For the most part, peaceful gatherings will occur and as it is a non election year, very little political yammering will occur as folks, townships, cities, and states celebrate...living in America....ow!!! Knock out this!!!
You may not be able to understand a single lyric in any James Brown song, but you quickly understand the impact on the entertainment landscape of this singer, songwriter, drummer, dancer, record producer and band leader. James Brown brought funk on the world and the world would never be the same again.
He is considered the "Godfather of Soul" a title which is well deserved. For over six decades, James Brown danced and growled his way to superstardom. He recorded 63 studio albums, 49 compilation ("best of") albums, 15 live albums and released 144 singles. He was considered by many to be the hardest working man in the music industry. He holds the record for the most singles to hit Billboard's Hot 100 without ever having a #1. Today's featured song was his highest at #4. He ranks #7 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Times list.
James Brown's story is the epitome of the "American Dream". Abandoned by his mother as a child, he stayed in school until the sixth grade. His work ethic and talent would eventually land him in the lead singer position of the Gospel group, The Flames. The Flames soon transitioned to an R&B group and the result was the beginning of funk.
Fame and fortune took its toll on James Brown, he was constantly in the tabloid news, he was married 4 times, and acknowledged 9 nine children. He died of congestive heart failure complicated by pneumonia on Christmas Day 2006. His recordings, royalties and estate are still held up in the courts as his living heirs battle for the legacy that remains of Mr. Dynamite, The Godfather of Soul, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. James Brown.
James Brown's life and success could have only come to pass in one country on the planet. Without a doubt, The United States of America is a land of freedom, a land of opportunity, but is it a land flowing with milk and honey?
To many around the world, it would certainly seem that the United States is filled with luxury. These are the parts of
the world where the money we spend on a Grande double shot, could provide food for many days, if not weeks. I say this not to cause you to feel guilty, but provide perspective.
If you read the historical account of the nation of Israel, you will soon see that they provide a textbook lesson on the rollercoaster ride that wealth and prosperity can be. You see in the beginning of Israel as a group of nomadic shepherds (the sons of Jacob) who were treacherous and deceitful. But through God's plan and providence, a brother that they hated and thought gone forever would become one of the most powerful man in the world. After a few generations, Israel becomes slaves of the worst kind. They are destitute and completely dependent on the nation they once called home. (There is something eerily familiar about that part of their story...) They are liberated from their slavery by what can only be described as a movement of God. (Curious to know if God can be a God of wrath, just ask the ancient Egyptians). They are free, but disobedient and dissatisfied. God allows that wicked generation to die out and brings them to the land He had originally promised to Abraham. They settle in and decide they would rather have human leaders than be led by God. This leads to an era of war with surrounding nations and Israel eventually succeeds in becoming THE world power. The remainder of the Old Testament details a series of good, then bad, then really bad kings, who once again chose man's idolatry over God's supremacy. God eventually has enough and allows the nation of Israel to be conquered by the world powers that would cycle through, first Babylon, then Persia, then Rome.
Jump to the New Testament where Jesus is sent as a final sacrifice for the propitiation of every sin ever committed. Who needs a land flowing with milk and honey, when you can have the most powerful kind of freedom ever known (the freedom from your misdoings, your badness, your sin).
In America today, we celebrate freedom. we celebrate liberty. Yet by our lack of belief, obedience, and repentance, individually and collectively, to a certain extent we celebrate our sin.
Christians seem to place a high importance to the nationalism of our country. Are we more Christian because we are Patriotic or more Patriotic because we are Christians? This theme seemed to resonate through ought many social media posts. There were many churches around our nation this past weekend who celebrated America. Some of these services drew criticism from Christian folks. I don't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. I was on vacation this Sunday and was traveling this past Sunday to see relatives when many churches were holding their services. What struck me was not whether they were celebrating our freedom as Americans, or whether they were even celebrating their freedom from sin. As I was driving, I noticed many who were celebrating their freedom to chose not to be a part of either.
The Bible tells us that while God desires ALL to come to Him (1 Timothy 2:1-8 New International Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible parallel)
To our friends all over the world, please do not misunderstand me. I love America!!! I pray for our service men and woemn who are a presence of freedom wherever they may be stationed. I thank God for the United States of America. I will however make a valiant effort to never allow my love of country take the place of the love of my eternal home with Jesus.
Seems a shame that churches, Christian leaders and authors, and Christians spend the time debating patriotism when we should be preaching the Gospel and calling for repentance, our own, our friends who aren't believers, and our nations'...but I guess that's what it's like...living in America...
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
No comments:
Post a Comment