Welcome to Tuesday!!! The absolute best day of the week!!! Why, You may ask? Well let me explain. Of all the days of the week, Tuesday has the most normalcy. It is the one day of the week you can count on. Let's face it. Most folks don't enjoy Mondays. There is that "back to work" drudgery that hangs over this day like a little black rain cloud. The anticipation about Wednesday as "hump day" spoils this day as you are ready to get it over and be on the back side of the week. Thursday and Friday are toast in the list of days, because they are the precursors to the weekend and many wish them away to get to Saturday. Ah, Saturday. The one day of the week several can relax and enjoy life. They may even be able to catch up on chores or just spend it in the leisure activities they love the most. But alas, and alack, Saturday is limited by its 24 hour time frame. The only real challenger to Tuesday, is Sunday. If you are missing the opportunity that is Sunday to join with like minded folks in worship, you really are missing out. The sense of love and family in some congregations is the thing that gets us through the rest of the week. The drawback to Sunday? It too is over in 24 hours. If Sunday were to never end, well friend, that's heaven, the place where God, the Father, God, the Son (Jesus), God, the Holy Spirit will forever be glorified and worshiped. So you see, Tuesday really is the best day of the week!!! Welcome to it!
Many musical groups can trace their roots to the '60s. Some are still making records and touring today. If you think back to the music of your teenage years, you are sure to remember some of the groups that seemed as if they would continue to make music forever. We've mentioned a few of them in the musical notes. Bands like the Rolling Stones (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Sympathy for the Devil"), Chicago (most recently Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Get Away") , Earth Wind and Fire (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "September Song") , and Genesis (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Misunderstanding") are still around and touring. In fact, some of the largest money making rock and roll tours in the past decade have been with bands that have been around longer than some of Tuesday's Musical Notes patrons have been alive. These groups set a musical standard that continues to be mixed, re-mixed, synced, and sampled by artists that are up and coming today. By some measure you could say the artists of today look back and ask those great bands to "Show Me The Way".
"Show Me The Way" by Styx. From the October 1990 album Edge of the Century
Perhaps you have never heard of twin boys Chuck and John Panozzo, but if you were a teenager in the late '70s and early '80s I promise you have heard the music they created with their neighbor Dennis DeYoung. Round out the group with James Young and Tommy Shaw and you have the most successful incarnation of the band, Styx. The band started in the 1960's but didn't have chart success until 1975's "Lady" went to #6 on the charts. (Tommy Shaw would not join the band until 1976, a year after this first top ten single, nor would he be a part of the band when their last top ten single, today's feature song, charted. His contribution to Styx however cannot be denied...ever heard of "Renegade"?) This started a string of chart topping singles that took them all the way to 1991 making Styx one of a few groups or artists to have top ten hits in 3 decades.
The last top ten single for Styx was the #3 hit "Show Me The Way". It came out in December of 1990 and slowly moved up the charts. After it's release, it was mixed by DJ's with voice tracks of families who had soldiers serving in the 1st Gulf War. The song was a poignant tribute to the hope of the future for those families as well as our country. Ironically, it hit #3 after the Gulf War had ended in February of 1991.
Perhaps you have never heard of twin boys Chuck and John Panozzo, but if you were a teenager in the late '70s and early '80s I promise you have heard the music they created with their neighbor Dennis DeYoung. Round out the group with James Young and Tommy Shaw and you have the most successful incarnation of the band, Styx. The band started in the 1960's but didn't have chart success until 1975's "Lady" went to #6 on the charts. (Tommy Shaw would not join the band until 1976, a year after this first top ten single, nor would he be a part of the band when their last top ten single, today's feature song, charted. His contribution to Styx however cannot be denied...ever heard of "Renegade"?) This started a string of chart topping singles that took them all the way to 1991 making Styx one of a few groups or artists to have top ten hits in 3 decades.
The last top ten single for Styx was the #3 hit "Show Me The Way". It came out in December of 1990 and slowly moved up the charts. After it's release, it was mixed by DJ's with voice tracks of families who had soldiers serving in the 1st Gulf War. The song was a poignant tribute to the hope of the future for those families as well as our country. Ironically, it hit #3 after the Gulf War had ended in February of 1991.
Even 16 years after the Gulf War ended, the war against terrorism and conflicts in the Middle East continue. Servicemen and women are still serving the high ideals by which America was founded.
We continue to pray and salute those who are there today...
"Show Me The Way (Desert Shield)"
The Bible is replete with folks just like you and I asking, begging, or praying to God for to show us the way we should go in our lives. The Old Testament patriarchs continually prayed for direction. The Israelites needed God to physically show them the way as they wandered in the wilderness due to their lack of faith. Each of the prophets asked for guidance from God as their messages fell on deaf ears many times. The disciples sought the promised Comforter that Jesus said He would send to guide them after his return to the Father.
"Show Me The Way (Desert Shield)"
The Bible is replete with folks just like you and I asking, begging, or praying to God for to show us the way we should go in our lives. The Old Testament patriarchs continually prayed for direction. The Israelites needed God to physically show them the way as they wandered in the wilderness due to their lack of faith. Each of the prophets asked for guidance from God as their messages fell on deaf ears many times. The disciples sought the promised Comforter that Jesus said He would send to guide them after his return to the Father.
The New Testament church relied on the only Word of God they had (the Old Testament) for leadership and guidance. Far too many Christians lack leadership in their lives due to Biblical illiteracy. Here is a look at some of the statistics with regard to one of the greatest resources we have to show us the way: LifeWay Research: Americans Are Fond of the Bible, Don’t Actually Read It - April 25, 2017 - lifewayresearch.com
God's leadership in our lives is requested repeatedly in the Psalms, especially Psalms 119. If you get a chance read through it sometime this week. Here's a link: Psalm 119 - Christian Standard Bible/The Message paraphrase parallel In this passage and others throughout Psalms, over and over again, David asks God for guidance. "Show me Thy ways O Lord, teach me Thy paths" (25:4), and Psalm 25:5 says, "Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day." Psalm 25 CSB/The Message If David, who was the ruler of one of the greatest kingdoms in history, needed God to show him the right direction for his life, I suspect that is something I need DAILY as well. Perhaps it is something you need. The Bible indicates that as we ask for direction, God is faithful to provide it. Will you take a moment and pray this Psalm with me? Psalm 143:10 "Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness." ......and please "Show Me The Way".
"Revelation" - title track from the 2008 album by Third Day
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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