Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" (Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson, Laura Williams from The Lion King)

Hey there!  It's Tuesday, what a wonderful phrase!!!  Hey there!  It's Tuesday, ain't no passin' craze!  It means it's time for music, statistics, and fun!!  It's our problem-free...best day to be!!! Hey there! It's Tuesday!!!  Not our best opener, but you get the idea!

Welcome to Tuesday and another edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes!  This is the place where you never can tell what song will be featured, but you're sure to find something meaningful, even if it's not your favorite song.  So step right in, a be prepared to be pampered just like you were...well a King!

"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from the May 31, 1994 Soundtrack of The Lion King

Disney's fifth release of the period known as the Renaissance, The Lion King,  was a theatrical smash becoming the highest-grossing animated feature film after its initial run through theaters.  It would be sold out in video stores constantly upon its release.  It spawned 2 direct-to-video sequels, a television series based on the sidekicks Timon and Pumba, and most notably a Broadway musical that includes many of the songs from the original motion picture soundtrack.    

The award-winning soundtrack of 1994's smash Disney hit soared all the way to the #1 spot on Billboard's 200 album chart.  It continues to prove to be a fan favorite of Disney soundtrack fans.  All of the songs were written by Elton John (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (Elton John)) and Tim Rice.  They were scored by Han Zimmer (Han Zimmer discography - wikipedia.org).  This combination proved to be a trifecta as The Soundtrack won Academy Awards (Best Original Score, Best Original Songs "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"), Golden Globes (Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy), and Grammy Awards (Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Musical Album for Children, Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists).  

I don't know about you, but usually, the awards shows don't reflect the general public's view of a movie or music.  "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" while a really good song is not the one that my kids were singing in the back of our Mazda MPV.  Of course, "Hakuna Matata" was a favorite, but "I Just Can't Wait to be King" was the go-to when we really needed a  distraction via sing-a-long. There was something about it that had the whole car, yup adults included, singing along as Simba was laying out his plans for his kingly reign. 

Knowing the movie, we all remember that Simba's plans didn't work out exactly as he had planned.  That seems to be a fate held by kings who have grand ideas and conquests at the beginning of their reign only to see disaster loom ahead.

1 Samuel 8 - 31 New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel

Israel had gone through the period of the judges and had come to the conclusion it was time for them to be like the nations around them and have a king.  This was a direct reflection of the fact that they did not want to be obedient to the God who had brought them out of Egypt.  They asked the prophet, Samuel, to intervene on their behalf to God and ask Him for a king to rule over them.  Even after they were told how things would go down under the rule of a king, they demanded their own way.  God chose Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin, as the first King of Israel.  

By all human judgment, Saul was the right person to be chosen.  He was tall and handsome.  The Bible describes him as being the best-looking man in all of Israel (1 Samuel 9:2 NASB/AMP/KJV).   He was the ideal candidate in everyone's mind and more importantly he was the one God had appointed to be the first King.  

Saul was reluctant at first to become king.  This attitude changed once he began to see that God was on his side.  As long as Saul remained obedient and followed God's commands of leadership and battle, Saul's kingly reign flourished.  But as we have seen time and again in our walk through the Bible, mankind usually decides that his way is better than God's way.  Saul was no exception.

Saul had gone from having God's Spirit dwell in him at the times he needed it, to having that Spirit depart when he disobeyed.  What replaced God's Spirit was something that would plague Saul the rest of his life as he sought out the destruction of those who helped him most and even went so far as to consult a medium/spiritist to get advice from Samuel who had died  (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder)).  

Saul would go from being a popular king to being a mad tyrant who even sought to kill his own children.  This is what disobedience will do.  This is why repentance is so important.  Saul never repented to God for his disobedience.  Instead, he allowed arrogance to come in and take the place of where humbleness dwelt.  He allowed ambition to take the place of willingness to serve the people of Israel.  He allowed God's Spirit to depart and an evil spirit to come in.  All of this happened because he wouldn't cry out to God, confess that he had sinned against God, and change his ways. 

Saul's end was tragic.  He killed himself on the battlefield as he saw that his sons had been killed and the battle was lost.  All because he would not change.

What about you friend?  Even if you have given your life to God through Jesus you have moments of disobedience.  All of us do.  Even the other Saul in the Bible whose name got changed to Paul said that the very things he hated he ended up doing.  But God waits for you to confess that sin and turn away from it.  Don't allow that sin to be the thing that creates dissension in your relationship with God.

If you haven't given your life to God through Jesus, you can today.  Cry out to God.  Have a conversation with Him.  He's waiting.  He will forgive.  He will redeem and he will restore a relationship with you that He has been waiting to restore since you were born.  Don't let your selfishness keep you from heaven.  Don't let your ambition and arrogance get in the way of the life God has planned for you with Him.  Today is the day.  Make God the King of your life.

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,

randy 

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Tuesday's Musical Notes - "You Gotta Be" (Des'ree)

Hi there!  Welcome to Tuesday and another edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes!  This is the only place on the internet where popular music of all decades gets twisted and jumbled around to mean something absolutely different than what was originally intended.  This is the only place on the internet to get to know things about your favorite musical creators with a perspective never dreamed of by those musical creators.  This is the only place on the internet where you can see music videos as close to the original intent as possible AND not be bombarded by ads or programming that has nothing to do with music. Are you listening MTV? 
 

May I be blunt?  Tuesday's Musical Notes readers are a different breed of folks!  They have high standards of musical tastes and are open to new ways of interpreting lyrics.  They embrace ALL the forms of musical expression and they like to listen for that just-right riff, lick, or chord structure to provide a trip down memory lane.  In short, to read Tuesday's Musical Notes, you gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser...

"You Gotta Be" by Des'ree from the May 9, 1994 album I Ain't Movin'

Written by the producer of the track, Ashley Ingram, and Des'ree, "You Gotta Be" roared onto the 1994 charts peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying on the chart for an impressive 44 weeks.  The track proved so popular in late 94 and all through 95, it ranked #20 on the end of the year Billboard Hot 100 charts for 1995.  

"You Gotta Be" also is one of the only songs to have multiple versions hit those charts.  In total, 3 different singles of the song were released.  The original single was released in March of 1994.  The song was such a favorite on the radio a rerelease of the single occurred in February of 1995.  Due to its use in a series of 1999 Ford Focus commercials, the song received renewed interest and was released in a remixed version which peaked at #10 on charts in the UK.  ("Crowd" 1999 Ford Focus commercial).  

The song speaks about how you must be flexible in your approach to the day and even more so to the entirety of life.  There are times when you gotta be bad.  There are times when you gotta be bold.  There are times...well you get the picture.  

We see this flexibility played out in many of the lives of heroes in the Bible.  As we continue our journey, we look today at the entirety of the life of Samuel, the prophet.  

1 Samuel 1 - 1 Samuel 25:1 New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel

"Listen as your day unfolds, challenge what the future holds, try and keep your head up to the sky..."

As we've discussed before, Samuel was given at an early age to the supervision and instruction of Eli the priest of Israel.  This was done as the fulfillment of a promise made by his mother, Hannah.  During his time with Eli, Samuel was called by God to be a unique servant.  "...You gotta be bold..." From that point, Samuel was witness to some of the most prolific and sometimes horrendous events in the history of the Israelite nation.

"...you gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser...".  Samuel was considered by many to be the last judge of Israel.  While some of the previous judges we have encountered were more warrior and conquerer, Samuel found his role to be more of a judge in the terms we understand. This at times would find him being the "bad" guy to some as he judged disputes and told the people what God wanted them to do.    As one who had a special relationship with God, Samuel's abilities to discern and guide the nation established his credibility and prominence as the nation continued its transition between the judges and having a king.  

"...you gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger...".  Samuel was also a prophet.  This is the role for which most of Israel knew and related to Samuel.  His communion with God was established at an early age.  This placed Samuel as the one who would advise Israel in matters of religion and the nation's relationship with God.   Given what had just transpired through the time of the judges, being a prophet to this bunch would prove to be challenging as well.  

The Israelites had gone into the promised land and were now living among the peoples they had not conquered.  This conflicted with what God had told them and now the intermingling with those folks was becoming an issue. While they were satisfied with Samuel's leadership, they denied God's authority as king and began begging for a king to rule them.  Samuel warned against this attempt to be just like the surrounding nations (you know, their enemies!)  and told them of the calamity that awaited if they relied on any one person rather than God.  Even after the warnings, the Israelites continued to ask Samuel for a King.  

"...you gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together...".  At this point, Samuel shifts into permanent circuit preacher mode.  God tells Samuel to pick Saul as king. (Oh yeah, more on this to come!)  Samuel lays down the groove to Saul about how to be a good king and then Samuel then proceeds to traverse Israel as he fulfills all the roles to which God has called him.  Samuel comes in and out of the Saul narrative at moments of Saul's vulnerability and disobedience to provide wisdom and guidance.  Sometimes Saul heeds the mentoring, other times...not so much.

"...Herald what your mother said, read the books your father read, try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time..."

You see friend, Samuel's roles changed as God needed him to fulfill what was about to transpire.  Samuel had to be flexible in his moods and attitudes as God called him to be judge, prophet, and preacher.  Samuel couldn't have been one demeanor his entire life to successfully solve the puzzles God had ordained for him to figure out.  Samuel at times was frustrated, but God equipped him with a variety of emotions and perspectives to overcome those frustrations and be obedient.  

So what do you gotta be today?  First and foremost, you gotta be bad.  What?  Aren't we all already bad?  Yes, we are.  We are bad and in need of redemption!  So because of this badness, we gotta repent!   This will chafe some of you as you don't like to be told what to do.  However, it is the truth.  We all will live forever.  What your "forever" looks like depends on what you believe now.  Jesus died so that your relationship with God can be as tight as Samuel's was.  Jesus was buried and sealed in the ground.  Jesus did not stay in that sealed tomb.  He rose and was seen by many people after he had been in the ground three days.  He told His disciples (those who believe) that He was going to prepare a place for them.  Imagine what a place is like that is prepared by someone alive after being verified dead.  Repenting means turning away from the bad stuff you do (you know what that is) and turning toward Jesus and His forgiveness.  

Secondly, you gotta be bold.  Upon accepting Jesus' forgiveness, your eternal destination is heaven with Him.  This should excite us so much that we would want to tell everyone we know, in a variety of ways.  Sometimes this manifests itself in a vocal witness, other times it is demonstrated by the magnetic love and kindness you show to others.  Jesus said that the greatest commandments were that we were to love God and love everyone else (my paraphrase of The Gospel of Jesus according to the tax collector turned disciple, Matthew, chapter22:35-40 NASB/AMP/KJV)  

Finally, you gotta be wiser.  Your salvation is only the first part.  Just like we grow from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, our spiritual walk, our journey with Jesus must grow as well.  God has given us the entirety of the Bible to learn about His nature so we can emulate that in our lives.  No, none of us are perfect, only God is perfect, but as a believer, we are to work as hard as we can to imitate God.  This is challenging and can only be done by a constant appetite for God's Word and an intense love of God's people who mentor and guide us.  (The occasional reading of Tuesday's Musical Notes might help too...)

All I know is that love has already saved the day.  God sent Jesus.  Jesus died for us.  We must repent of our sins and make every day an attempt to become more and more like God.  That will look different each day.  But with God, we can be hard, we can be tough, we can be stronger.  Other days will require us to be cool, calm and keep things together in the face of adversity.  But like Samuel, we can have the faith to be whatever we need to be for the moment, because ultimately...love will save the day...

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by loving You,

randy

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Tuesday's Musical Notes - "So Far Away" (Carole King)

Hello there!  Welcome to Tuesday!  This is Tuesday's Musical Notes. (Imagine that James Earl Jones just read that last sentence...it makes a difference!) It is a blog about music with a perspective that you have never considered before.  It has music history, it has a music video, it has music lyrics, and so much more.

Thank you for spending the next few minutes reading about what may very well be one of your favorite songs.  Today's featured song isn't a favorite? Well, check out the archives to the left. They list all of our blogs by month.  Or you can just type in your favorite song title or group and you are sure to encounter the musical landscape that lies ahead. Just like a tapestry hanging on a wall the Musical Notes archives waits for you to take a glance.  Thanks again for being here!  

"So Far Away" by Carole King from the February 10, 1971 album Tapestry

In the late 60s, Carole King (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Feel the Earth Move" (Carole King), 

Tuesday's Musical Notes - "You've Got a Friend" (James Taylor)) and her husband at the time, Gerry Goffin, had become successful songwriters for many of that age's musical icons.  

In the early 70s, King began playing and recording her own songs.  Her first studio album, Writer, came in May of 1970 and didn't chart.  9 months later, her second album, Tapestry, would define her career and vault her to an iconic status all her own.  Tapestry continues to be the record holder on the Billboard 200 album chart for most consecutive weeks by a female artist.  It spent 302 uninterrupted weeks on the chart from April 10, 1971, to January 15, 1977, and then popped in and out of the chart for another 16 weeks all the way through 2011.  

3 singles were released from Tapestry. The single "I Feel the Earth Move"/ "It's Too Late" was released as a double "A" sided single and both songs went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The follow-up single was also a double "A" side. It featured today's song of the week  "So Far Away" and "Smackwater Jack". It peaked on the charts at #14.  Carole King's recording of "You've Got a Friend" which she wrote with James Taylor (who played on many of the tracks of Tapestry and would later take "You've Got a Friend" to #1) was the final single with the song "Beautiful" as its other "A" side. King's version of the song failed to chart.  

"So Far Away" expresses the pain of separation.  If you dig deeper into the lyrics you soon see that this distance is not only physical but perhaps shines the light on an emotional chasm that has developed between the folks in the relationship.  It seems that the further the distance the more distant the love that they feel for each other has become.  

Let's face it.  It is absolutely impossible to love someone you don't know.  It is hard to love folks that you know but don't encounter often.    It is difficult to maintain relationships when you lose track of one another.  I confess that many of my close college friends have segued to acquaintancehood now that we haven't seen each other in many years.  The digital revolution that we continue to see explode at our fingertips continues to make the pathways of communicating faster and easier, yet we fail to engage in reigniting those friendships and fanning the flames of meaningful relationships.  One would think that we would "catch up" on Facebook and other social media outlets, yet with a few exceptions, that hasn't happened.  Am I the only one to feel this way?  Why are these great, meaningful relationships so far away?

I am convicted that the biggest reason on my part is that I don't love these people enough to make the effort to get our relationship back.  

You may have noticed that we are taking a break from our Tuesday's Musical Notes journey through the Bible today.  More Samuel and the early dynasties of Israel next week.  I look forward to seeing you there...not literally, of course, just a figure of speech and English tool Mrs. Bettye taught me in high school...but I digress...

As many states and nations are seeing their populations vaccinated for Coronavirus, we are beginning to see a burgeoning of folks out and about.  This is so encouraging as we have spent around 18 months being so far away from those which we would normally have contact.  I don't know about you, but it seems as if I am restarting many relationships that existed before the pandemic, yet seem to be new now. 

 

The Gospel of Jesus according to the tax collector Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40 New American Standard Bible, The Amplified Bible, King James Version of the Bible parallel

The Gospel of Jesus according to the fisherman Peter's student. Mark, chapter 12, verses 28-34 NASB/AMP/KJV

Love God, love everyone else.  That is a paraphrase if you will of the Scripture above.  Jesus gives this in response to a question He was fielding regarding the topic of the greatest commandment.  Jesus says that all the 10 Commandments find their foundation in these two.  Hmmm.  Love God, love everyone else.  How in the world are we supposed to do that?

The Acts of the Apostles of Jesus, chapter 4. verses 32-37 NASB/AMP/KJV

The folks who comprised the first church did everything together as an expression of their love for God and love for each other.  While it may sound very much like some of the communes of the time frame of "So Far Away", these believers WANTED to be together all of the time.  They could not stand the idea of being far away from each other as they encouraged, taught, and worshipped together.  Hmm... do we see any of that today in our local church?

The apostle Paul's letter to the church in Galatia (Galatians), chapter 6, verses 1-10 NASB, AMP, KJV

This mentality of love and companionship was magnetic and it spread!  Finding tangible ways to express love to people is an attraction so strong, that the early believers in Jesus were willing to give up everything so that they could be together. This included their lives (by death sometimes, but more so by giving time and preference to other believers, this is also a way of giving your life for another).  

Folks who were not from Jerusalem, but experienced the love the new believers had for each other were drawn to that body and became believers themselves.  They eventually had to go back home and took their newfound faith and love with them and began tangibly expressing it to those of their hometowns.  

The apostle Paul's letter to the church in Rome, chapter 12 NASB/AMP/KJV

This passage continues to encourage believers to "prefer" others over themselves.  By presenting ourselves as "living sacrifices", we disavow what we want and do appreciable acts that demonstrate the love that God commands us to have.  

Fast forward to the church of today.  It is a church that has seen its members so far away from each other because of a global pandemic.  It is a church that perhaps has lost its first love. (The Revelation of Jesus Christ as written by the fisherman John, chapter 2 verses 2-4 NASB/AMP/KJV)  Personally, I think it is easy to blame this loss of love for each other on the pandemic.  I have been guilty of dismissing times with my church family because it was really nice to have the extra time for family and relaxing.  But is this being a living sacrifice?  Is this mentality of heart and mind compatible with loving God and loving everyone else?  Shouldn't we crave interaction with our church family so much that nothing stands in the way of our making it happen?

The letter to the Hebrew church, chapter 10, verses 19-25 NASB/AMP/KJV

Perhaps today is a day that you poked your head into Tuesday's Musical Notes land just because you dig on some Carole King.  Fantastic!  We're glad you are here!  But we want to tell you that there are people in a local church who want to tangibly express God's love to you.  Go this Sunday!  If you don't find love expressed, go somewhere else the next Sunday!  And so on, until you find that one place where God's love is expressed to you and His Spirit draws you.  Then say yes!  Yes to God's love.  Yes to Jesus' sacrifice.  Yes to Holy Spirit's comfort and love.  Become a part of that church and do what has been done for you.  Tangibly express your love for God by loving everyone, including and especially those who are "family" members at your church.  Find ways to use your talents and the gifting brought on by Holy Spirit to express love in ways that only you can.  Be there every time there is an opportunity!  Show the world the change that has come over you!

Perhaps today is a day where you as a believer feel so far away from your church family.  Unfortunately, the pandemic heightened that sense of distance for many of us.   Thankfully there is a cure.  "It would be so nice to see your face at my door"  Time together can and will close this gap.  Time spent together will increase the love you originally had for each other.  Small group opportunities abound throughout the week!  Quit waiting on someone else to schedule something, be the instigator!  Be as desperate to be with your small group and church family as those early believers were.  Discuss with those who live with you the occasions of inviting church members to your home!  Love them by getting to know them for the first time or all over again!!!  Use this time of coming back together from the pandemic as an excuse to reinforce love for one another and then keep meeting collectively!  Show the world that your church does not live up to the judgemental/critical moniker that has been given to her by her enemies.  Love God and love everyone else in magnetic ways.  Then step back and see what God will do.  You will soon find that your church will no longer be so far away...

'Til Tuesday,

Loving God by loving You,

randy

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Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Cry For Help" (Rick Astley)

 It happens every 7 days!  It's Tuesday ya'll!!!  Ya know what that means?  Well, yeah it means that there are only 3 days till the weekend.  Okay, we'll give you the fact that it isn't Monday too! But the best thing ever?  It's time for Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!

This is your weekly dive into groovy tunes, and great tales!  It is the plunge that takes you into terrific riffs and tantalizing reports!  It is the submergence into the deep refreshing waters of thoughtful lyric and thankful limerick!  It is the...okay, you get the idea!  It's the best day of the week with your favorite blog about music and The Message. 

 So let's get it started!  Hooray, it's Tuesday!!!  (Ok, I promise that was the last exuberant outburst...)

There's a reason for a sense of familiarity with the title of today's Musical Notes.  We featured a different song with the same title on May 26, 2020.  (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Cry For Help" (Hometown))  The title of the featured songs isn't the only similarity you may find with today's Notes. Before we get to all of that, let's push play on the video of today's song that features Rick Astley and Andre' Crouch's choir...

"Cry For Help" - the January 21, 1991 single by Rick Astley from the album Free

The first single from Rick Astley's third studio album, Free, would be the last of his top ten hits on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.  It peaked at #7 and saw the "Never Gonna Give You Up" artist fading as the decade transitioned.  That hasn't stopped Astley as he has produced 6 albums since Free, the most recent being 2019's The Best of Me, which featured a reimagined version of "Cry For Help".  

"Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley, from the 1987 album Whenever You Need Somebody

Ok, yeah we just did that...

Rick Astley remains relevant thanks to songs like "Cry for Help".  However, the internet has propelled the artist's longevity by taking his previous #1 smash, the aforementioned "Never Gonna Give You Up" and turning it into a viral sensation meme called a "Rick Roll". The Story of the Best Meme EVER: "Never Gonna Give You Up" & Rickrolling

Our focus today however is on "Cry for Help". It's a song that expresses the frustration that the singer feels as the woman he loves won't express her own emotions to him.  He feels helpless as the stoicism of his love overwhelms their relationship and he doesn't know exactly where he stands.  Have you ever felt that way in relationships?  Perhaps there have been seasons with the folks you interact with that make you feel like they are distant and won't truly express how they feel.  Maybe you are the one holding back as you navigate the relationship.  Regardless, we all have times where we want to be seemingly so introspective that those around us feel like we are sending up a cry for help.  This isn't a new aspect of relationships.  It's been going on since before prophets roamed the earth.

1 Samuel 4-7 New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel

In our previous "Cry For Help" we found the nation of Israel in bondage to the Egyptians as they cried out to God for deliverance.  God was faithful and provided Moses as the leader that would take them from their slavery into the freedom of the Promised Land.  

In today's focal passage we once again find the nation of Israel at their wit's end as they have been conquered by a neighboring land.  In this instance, they have lost the Ark of the Covenant (made at the time of Moses, and no it is NOT in a warehouse somewhere today...) to the Philistines and have seen their societal degradation begin to cause their downfall.  They have become so internally focused and selfish that they have followed after the gods of the surrounding nation.  They have shut the God who brought them to this land completely out and followed a path of seclusion from Him.  And like the subject of our featured song, their seclusion shouts out as a cry for help.  Then the real shouting begins as they realize the error of their ways.  They begin crying out for help with their voices and not just their actions.  God answers in the form of the prophet Samuel.  

The priests of Israel, Hophni and Phineas,  were killed in the battle where the Ark was taken by the Philistines.  When word of their deaths came to their father Eli (who had raised and trained Samuel) he was so overcome with grief that he fell over backward in his chair, breaking his neck.  Thus fulfilling the prophecy God had given to Eli about the priesthood being taken from his family.  

The Philistines soon learned that the God of the Hebrews would not contend with them as the presence of the Ark wreaked devastation on their land and idols.  They began their own cry for help to their diviners and priests and decided to send the Ark back to the Israelites.  

Everywhere the Ark would go, its reputation and devastation to the enemies of God surrounded it.  The folks who encountered the Ark cried for help as they shut down their desire for it to be in their presence. 

As the Ark gets returned to Israel, Samuel calls for a revival meeting. He had been raised amidst the corruption of Hophni and Phineas and the lackadaisical parenting of Eli.  God however had protected Samuel from these influences as a part of the blessing on Samuel's life that he had since his birth.  Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Trying to Love Two Women" (The Oak Ridge Boys) 

Samuel tells the Hebrews that they must repent and return to God.  They must strip away all the vestments of idol worship they had garnered and worship God and Him alone.  They must stop the selfishness and the isolating themselves from God in their lives that had permeated their society.  In this case, their cry for help involved action as much as it did pleas for assistance.  

God was once again faithful and saved Israel from the hands of the Philistines...but we soon see that Israel is unfaithful and they return to the wickedness that is even worse than at Samuel's day. More on that in the days to come...

Have you ever been at a point in your life where you just don't know where to turn?  It seems that your best efforts never seem to be good enough or pay off the rewards that you anticipated.  You feel like you are the only one who can handle your problems and you don't seem to be doing a very good job of it?  Today's Notes are meant to be a message of hope to you.  

No matter how you may have shut down to those around you there is a God who awaits your cry for help to Him. Your remoteness from friends, family and even God is your cry for help as you navigate your life.   The Bible attests to the myriad of times that God was faithful to people and nations who cried out to Him, repented or turned from the evil they were doing, and lived in obedience to His precepts.  He saved them from their travails and restored them to a life of abundance.  Perhaps this is a lesson that my country needs...perhaps this is a lesson that your country needs...but I digress.  

Maybe that is where you are right now.  You are crying for help, but you're not sure where to focus your pleas.  God is waiting.  He hears your cry. And He's waiting to mend the relationship between you and Him... He sent Jesus into the world as THE payment for the bad things (sin) you have done.  Jesus was tortured and died in the most horrific way ever invented so that our cry for help to God can be heard and our relationship with Him can be restored.  Believing that Jesus did this is the ONLY way to heaven, despite what you may hear.  

Today will you let your cry for help manifest itself by looking in the Bible?  Start with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  They describe Jesus and the way to restoration.  If you are more of a visual learner, stream the television series, The Chosen.  Regardless of how you cry out, do it today.  Don't continue in the malaise of singing...

"...a cry for help is all I need, all I need is a cry for help..." 

 

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by Loving You,

randy

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Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" (Mike + The Mechanics)

The Welcome

Hey there!  It's Tuesday and it's time for Tuesday's Musical Notes!  We're the blog where you can find your favorite songs in a totally different context.  We think you're gonna like it!  

The Monologue

We hope that you had a great weekend as we remembered those who have given "the final full measure of devotion" to our country.  Their sacrifice is always something we should keep at the forefront of our minds as we enjoy our 3 day weekends, barbeques, the kick-off to summer, and time with friends and family.  As we commemorate those heroes, we must also remember that regardless of the public perspective of the conflicts in which they were involved, they were victorious in their efforts!  How are we assured of their victory?  Our country remains a beacon of freedom, our people get to choose how they live their lives, and the American way of life is the envy of many around the world.  I claim that as a victory for those brave men and women!  From Tuesday's Musical Notes we salute you, pray for your families, and thank God for your sacrifice!  

The Set-Up

These brave men and women answered a call to service that no one can deny.  Believe it or not, everyone has some sort of call to something that their lives are driven toward.  Some folks don't even realize they are being called while others don't appear to be heeding the call as they just sit still (a calling in and of itself).  As we mature, the way we serve our calling can change.  How we attend the call on our lives adjusts as our resources, culture, and wisdom continue to grow.  Yet, the call never seems to leave.  

We are either running towards the calling or running from it.  Which are you doing?  That great philosopher Mike Rutherford asks a question that seems appropriate at this point.  "...Can you hear me?  Can you hear me running?  Can you hear me running, can you hear me calling you?..."

The Music Video

"Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" by Mike + The Mechanics from the October 5, 1985, self-titled album

The Background

The first track and single from the eponymous album Mike + The Mechanics (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "All I Need is a Miracle" (Mike + The Mechanics)) would solidify the band as a stalwart for the 80s.  The band was the brainchild of bassist Mike Rutherford from Genesis (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "No Reply at All" (Genesis), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Misunderstanding" (Genesis), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Follow You, Follow Me" (Genesis), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Invisible Touch" (Genesis)). Mike + The Mechanics featured a rotation of artists singing and playing the music which Rutherford wrote.  

Today's featured song was cowritten by B.A. Roberson (Also Cowriter of "The Living Years"  another single from the album) and would crack the top ten on Billboard's Hot 100, peaking at #6.  It was one of a trifecta of singles that would propel the album to #26 on the Billboard 200 album chart.  

"Silent Running" and "All I Need is a Miracle" were placed together in a concept video to gain more exposure to both songs.  As you can see above the videos were abbreviated to maintain time constraints for MTV and other broadcasters.  

The song was featured in the environmentally-conscious movie Choke Canyon (Choke Canyon trailer) (Nope, we didn't remember it either!).  

"Silent Running (On Dangerous Grounds)" futuristic message and vibe have given it an appeal that seems very timely in our current environment and also drives requests for the song on classic radio.  

Bible Time

"Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" is a song about following one's destiny or calling.  This is a theme that is constant throughout the Bible.  We have seen this in our escorting the lives of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses as we have continued our journey through the great stories of the Bible.  Last week, we introduced Samuel who was surrendered by his mother, Hannah, to the calling on his life.  Today we see that calling play out as Samuel begins to hear from God.  Shhh...Eli the elderly priest is sleeping...

1 Samuel 3 New American Standard Bible/The Amplified Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel

Right off the bat, we can see that the nation of Israel is in some deep trouble.  Since the time of Abraham, God had been relatively vocal to specific folks about the direction in which He wanted the nation to go.  After time and again of the nation's disobedience, God is beginning to pull back from the rebellious nation.   We open 1 Samuel 3 with the declaration that "...word from the Lord was rare in those days; visions were infrequent...".  This does not bode well.  Eli the priest had allowed his sons to corrupt the priesthood to the point that few people wanted to worship consistently.  God had determined that Eli's descendants would no longer be the lineage for the priesthood, nor would they live very long due to the demoralization of the office. 

God determined that the child Samuel would be the man to be a prophet and judge over Israel at a time when the Bible describes the nation in a state where "... everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25)  

According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Samuel would have been about 11 years old when he experienced the restless night we read about.  During the evening, God called Samuel.  What was Samuel's response?  He thought Eli was calling him.  I think it is very interesting that the society, even in the temple where Samuel was serving, had degraded to the point that they were not listening for God.  This shows just how far down the rabbit hole even the religious folks of the time had gone.  Hmmm....that seems vaguely familiar.    

Samuel gets the calling 3 times before Eli realizes what is happening.  Eli advises Samuel to engage the person calling him.  Samuel does and at the ripe old age of 11, Samuel gets blessed by God with a glimpse into the future.  Eli asks Samuel the next day what happened and after some hesitation, Samuel tells Eli the fate that is to become his family line.  Eli's response?     “He is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to Him.” 

Our story today is about Samuel's calling by God.  In a world where God was drawing away from his people, He calls a young man and shares a prophetic vision.  The religious leaders of the day were basically " 'que sera, sera" about the whole situation instead of following the example of Abraham and Moses who would cry out to God in repentance when confronted with their sin.  Eli was the religious leader of his time, yet he did not see the need to cry out to God in repentance and beg God to relent from the national punishment to come.  Eli's attitude of ambivalence and apathy demonstrates how far away the nation had actually gone.  ...what was right in his own eyes...

"Can you hear Me?..."

The Plea

It seems there are many similarities between our world and the world in which Samuel lived.  God at times seems to be silent when in reality, He is calling out to some that the religious elites would not consider as having a calling, much less a prophetic vision.  "Can you hear Me?"   

There is so much noise in our world that even those who attempt to be continually listening for God's calling find it difficult to hear Him.  That's why it is so important that we heed the words of Paul in making ourselves a living sacrifice every day (Romans 12:1-2 NASB/AMP/KJV).  Jesus also provides a daily lesson by instructing us in taking up our cross to follow Him (The Gospel of Jesus according to the tax collector Matthew, chapter 16, verses 24-27 NASB/AMP/KJV).  When we are focused on Jesus, the noise that can so easily distract us seems to fade and the voice of the One who is calling us can be heard loud and clear.  "Can you hear Me?"

So how do you hear God?  If you've never listened for Him, turn away from the noise that is in your life.  That noise is what the Bible calls "sin".  Listen for God as Holy Spirit, as He draws you to Himself!  If you are 11 or 111, God wants to have a restorative relationship with you!  He made the way for that to happen through Jesus dying on a cross.  "Can you hear Me?"  

Christian friend, every day of our lives provides the challenge for us to listen for God's calling.  His guidance and direction are so imperative to the abundant life He has promised us if we will turn down the noise that so easily besets us and turn up Holy Spirit as He speaks and directs.  "Can you hear Me?"

The Postlude

Today can be the day of salvation.  Today can be the day of drawing closer to God.  Today can be the day where you say, "Speak for Your servant is listening." Prepare to be given a vision that may not be very popular with those around you.  Prepare to accept the challenge that may be presented to you.  Prepare to love everyone that God brings to you.  And be prepared to hear Him calling...

"Can you hear Me calling you?"

'Til Tuesday,

Loving HIM by loving You,

randy

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