Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The Name Game" (Shirley Ellis)




The day it is Tuesday, so welcome on in!  You like reading blogs, so let us begin!  You've come to the place where it's safe to explore.  So explore and explore, there's insight galore!  Your favorite songs are all taken and twisted.  There are even some blogs that make your eyes misted.  So click on brave soul you never know what's next.  Put your phone down, read the blog, it's better than texts.  

Welcome to Tuesday, The Notes they are new!  There's always something special that's waiting for you!  Music and message all join in one place.  To bring out a grin or broad smile to your face.  It's the week before Halloween and The Notes they aren't spooky.  But we've featured a song that is kinda...well... kooky!  Enjoy and dig in, it's a blast from the past.  Featuring rhymes and some names, see how long you can last.  

Welcome to Tuesday, take off your coats.  It's time, yes it's time, for the Musical Notes!!!

This is a season that many dress up in costume and assume a different identity.  Some costumes are elaborate, others well, again, that's why you got a rock in your candy bucket.  It's at this time that the persona in which you regale yourself takes on a life of its own.  Be careful, stay in reality, don't get too caught up in your secret alternate personality.  At this time of year, you must guard against playing too closely to the name game...


Recorded in 1964, today's featured song by R&B singer Shirley Ellis has become a classic to generation after generation.  It made its way up the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at #3.  Not too bad for a song that is considered a "novelty" song.  

Even more important is the staying power of "The Name Game".  Parents and children's television programming have perpetuated it to enthusiastic music heirs as they attempt their own name in the rhyme.  Add to this, its continual inclusion in movies and television and you have a song that is repeated by the masses to the masses.  Here is our favorite movie rendition by a very young Tom Hanks...


This classic film features Tom Hanks and Shelly Long.  While The Money Pit is a funny movie, The Notes recommends caution if you choose to watch this movie, as it features some situations and language that are not child-friendly. 

The way that we associate with people is by knowing them by their name.  Without this individualistic moniker, we would lack identity.  There is much searching among our generation for identity.  People pay ancestry.com to research where they come from and who may be in their genealogical past. It seems important to some to connect with their heritage.   While our ancestors don't make us who we are, it is interesting to note similarities among ourselves and our great, greats.  

Names are an important thing to God.  As you study His Word, you see occasions where God chose to change the given name of someone who was to serve Him.  Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah,Jacob became Israel, and in the New Testament Saul became Paul.  The reason for the change is that in Biblical times, one's name reflected the character of the bearer or at least the character that the parent was hoping for from the child. It seems evident that the way we are identified has some importance to God.

Also, as you read through the Bible, you will notice that there are many names for God.  This was not a game developed by the writers of the Bible to have fun or confuse the reader, in fact, each of the names listed in the Bible for God, adds to the overall understanding of His character allowing us to know Him better.  948 Names and Titles of God - christiananswers.net

Finally, Bible scholars remind us that if a phrase or word are repeated, then they are a matter of import.  To that point, several popular translations of the Bible have the word "name" or its derivative over 1000 times. (American Standard Version, English Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Version, New King James Version, New Revised Standard Version, and the World English Version)  There is even one translation of the Bible that restores the Hebrew name of God in place of the English generics that populate many translations. biblegateway.com introduction to the Names of God version of the Bible   

In the very first chapter of the very first book of the Bible, God begins the process of identification by providing names to light and darkness.  (Genesis 1:3-5 The Message paraphrase of the Bible) God also mentions the placement of His Name on the forehead of those people who are His in the very last chapter of the very last book of His Word.  (Revelation 22:1-5 New International Version of the Bible)  

One of the most important conversations that God had with mankind is the one He had with Moses.  (Exodus 3 The Message/English Standard Version of the Bible/NIV)  God later provides a commandment to Moses regarding His name Exodus 20:7 The Message/ESV/KJV  It is a shame that in our modern culture, God's name is taken in vain a lot.  Think about it.  The G in OMG could stand for the word goodness, gracious, or any other number of words.  Here in fact is a list of words that begin with "g" for your utilization today: Words that start with G - wordfind.com  You're welcome!!!   To this day, Orthodox Jews will not speak the name Yahweh as it is considered to be too holy to say out loud.  

Later on, through the use of a parable, Jesus describes the relationship He has with those He calls His own.    (The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple John 10:1-18 The Message/ESV/KJV)  This passage details an intimacy that is hard to contemplate, given that Jesus was God.  Because of this incredible relationship, Jesus goes on to say in Luke that we have no reason to be afraid of anything.  We can go about our lives confidently because God is in control.  He knows us so well, that He knows the number of hairs on our head and the number of days we will have in our lifetime.  (The Gospel of Jesus according to Luke chapter 12 The Message/ESV/KJVJob 14:1-17 The Message/ESV/KJV)  

Finally, in the book of Revelation, names play a significant role in determining destination.  Revelation 21 The Message/ESV/KJV  Is your name in that book?  Want to know for sure that it is? 

To be confident that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life referred to in Revelation 21, you must believe.  Believe that Jesus was born via virgin birth (The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew 1:18-25 The Message/ESV/KJV), believe that His mission on earth was to provide a way that man could be with God upon death (John 14 The Message/ESV/KJV), believe that He died a physical death to implement that way (Matthew 27:32-56 The Message/ESV/KJV), believe His dead body was placed in a sealed tomb (John 19:18-42 The Message/ESV/KJV), believe that He came to life after 3 days (John 20 The Message/ESV/KJV), and believe that He now waits at the right hand of God to return for those who believe (The Gospel of Jesus according to Mark chapter 16).  To believe all of this, you must have faith (Hebrews chapter 11 The Message/ESV/KJV).  

God does not play any games in regards to His desire for you to be with Him in eternity future.  He draws every man, woman, boy, and girl to Himself through Holy Spirit.  The only unforgivable sin is committed when we don't respond affirmatively to that elicitation and embrace God through Holy Spirit and by Jesus' sacrifice.  

God already knows your name.  He knows every step you will take and every move you will make.  He knows the details of your life down to the smallest detail.  He now awaits for you to acknowledge His invitation and by faith become adopted into His family.  At that point, your name will be written in the Book of Life, never to be erased.  

So be confident dear friend.  His Word is so true.  He knows your name and He knows my name too.  His power and glory our names He secures.  When we believe on HIS Name, our lives will endure.


'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,
randy 




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