The Better Part, week #5

 

Here are this week's FB posts.  I pray they will touch you, as God touched me.

The Better part, Day #29:

Joh 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

Joh 14:17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

I had a short debate with an unbeliever- or should I say, a believer in a 'creator' that 'we can't know' but 'loves us all equally', but not a believer in 'God', 'Christianity', or 'religion'. I gave him some time since he seemed well thought, but in the end he had to say goodbye with one of Satan's oldest lies- questioning my faith by questioning my service. What he doesn't understand about the Holy Spirit (at least on page out of the book of things he didn't know) is that He gives each person a UNIQUE ministry that fits with the INDIVIDUAL gift He gives us. Don't let Satan and his truth-deprived followers convince you that you're no good because "you aren't helping the homeless" or any other such nonsense. As Pastor Jack Hibbs said today, the Holy Spirit will lead you to the ministry right for you.

 

 

The Better part, day #30:

Php 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK about these things. (emphasis mine)

I have mentioned the comfort I have drawn from various recent sermons on serving where God put me. But contained in these lessons- most particularly in those of David Jeremiah- is the concept of FOCUSING your mind on service and obedience to God. Now, if you were in my head, you would realize that a preponderance of my brain cells are trained to be UNfocused. This, then, is a big problem for me- bigger when the comfort side of those lessons tempt me to a "see, you're okay right where you are" attitude. And indeed today, something happened at work that could have totally tempted me to give up this post b/c of my being unqualified to talk about focus. But that's what 'serving where you are' is all about- Only someone with a tendency to un-focus could be heartfelt about just how important focusing is. Nice try, Satan, but I'm posting it anyway!

 

 

The Better part, Day #31:

Psa 119:Resh

153

Consider my affliction, and deliver me,

for I do not forget Your law.

154

Plead my cause, and defend me;

revive me according to Your word.

155

Salvation is far from the wicked,

for they do not seek Your statutes.

156

Great are Your compassions, O Lord;

revive me according to Your judgments.

157

Many are my persecutors and my enemies,

yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.

158

I behold the transgressors with disgust,

because they have not kept Your word.

159

Consider how I love Your precepts;

revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.

160

Your word is true from the beginning,

and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

Today was one of those "wake up to the endless drudgery of work" mornings, and knowing how the Lord feels about that, I asked Him to refresh me. The first thing on my morning reading was this passage. Note vv 154, 156, and 159- the "revive me" parts. You want to see how quickly God can answer an earnest prayer? Well, 154 -"according to Your Word"- was answered in the reading. 156- "according to Your judgments"- came on the ride in as I listened to Michael Yousef preaching on Colossians 3:23- "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters"- which covered that one. And finally, the lovingkindness part was delivered when a co-worker told me that her daughter in law was veeeeery close to making her a new grandma! All atheist arguments about "coincidences" and "chemical reactions" fall flat against this kind of love!

 

 

The Better part, Day #32:

Gen 16:2 And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

As Charles Stanley talked about this story and the motivations behind Abraham and Sarah's actions, I thought to myself how much this story tells us about GOD'S motivations.

- He's not motivated by time. He didn't care if the couple were 100 or 200, whether it happened today or 20 years from then.

- He's not motivated by societal norms. It made not one bit of difference to Him that Sarah's barrenness made people 'look down on her'.

- He's not motivated by our sin. He didn't throw the couple away because they decided to jump the gun.

- He's not motivated by impossibility. He makes the possible impossible and vice versa.

- He's not motivated by our plans, or our conception of His plan. Sarah thought He needed a "helping hand", but He didn't.

- He's not motivated by our doubt. When the two angels later came and told Abraham that the baby would arrive in one year, Sarah laughed- and then denied it. But guess when the baby arrived?

-He's not motivated by our pride. The Hagar/Sarah conflict that followed Ishmael's birth didn't change the timetable one bit.

He has a plan for our lives. And He'll accomplish it, right down to the second.

 

 

The Better part, day #33:

Just a simple quote, as best as I remember it:

"My heart breaks for those who look in the mirror in the morning and see only one person- instead of themselves and the person they COULD be through Jesus Christ."- Pastor Jack Hibbs

 

 

 

The Better Part, Day #34:

Another quote post...

"I wanted to be known as a 'friend of God', too... My logic was, God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever... and with all the Old Testament people (who were special to God) and all the New Testament people- if I wasn't that close to God, there wasn't something wrong with God, there was something wrong with ME." -Anne Graham Lotz

Point being, we should all be seeking to know Him better. If we keep asking, seeking, knocking, we should be getting closer to Him. And if we aren't feeling Him as a friend, perhaps we're not SEEKING Him as a friend.

 

 

The Better part, Day #35:

Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 

 

Rom 1:19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

Rom 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Two verses this time, because I have a nitpicky disagreement with Charles Stanley this morning. He was explaining the "conundrum" of the Trinity when it is not named AS SUCH in the Bible. One thing he said was, there's no philosophical A,B,C,D,E to explain it. I disagree. We are made IN GOD'S IMAGE- and if we have, in our imperfection, a mind to determine, a body to do, and a soul to inspire, why would God not be a much greater version of the same?

Then he said, "Is there an example in nature? No..." and I disagree there as well. Do we not have the sun, which we cannot look upon, but casts its light even through the clouds? Don't we have the earth, which we have physical connection with, which gives us all we need to live? And don't we have the atmosphere, which even Christ described the Spirit as 'like the wind'?

You ask me, the Trinity is evident anywhere you look!

Time Machine co-ordinates VICXLXVII66112958

 

Today we travel back to January 29th, 1958, the day a spree killer mentioned in Billy Joel's We Didn't Start The Fire- 19 year old Charles Starkweather- was captured.  Mainly because he didn't know how to work a parking brake, and partly because he couldn't take what he enjoyed dishing out:

 A bullet fired by Sheriff Earl Heflin shattered the windshield and flying glass cut Starkweather deep enough to cause bleeding. He stopped and surrendered. Heflin said, "He thought he was bleeding to death. That's why he stopped. That's the kind of yellow son of a bitch he is."

Noteworthy:  He didn't get invited to the Paul Newman/Joanne Woodward wedding that day...

"...and I don't care WHICH side of the family he's on!"

Welcome to Time Machine, back to 1958 and we're bringing Madonna with us!  Even though she's a shade under 200 days from being born- mama was about 12 weeks along.  But as we bring her from the 1980's- we DID get her from the 1980's, right?

Nardole:  Well, sir, it seems there was a little mix up... perhaps I should let her mother explain...

You brought her MOTHER?  Why would you bring her mother?

Mom:  Oh, you can't blame heem, eh?  He deen't know that I was planning on geeving my daughter the same name of mine...

Wait... YOUR name is Madonna, too?  And why do you have a French accent?

Yes, Madonna Louise, jus' like I'm gonna name this sweetie! (Pats belly.)  An' ze accent is because I am French Canadian.  I only married into Italy, see?

OKAY, then.  So let's back track a minute while I get my head straight here, and listen to this week's first M10 debut.  It's from a collection called Rarities 1970, so you know it's an old song I just now heard, but by an act I love!  Originally from their debut lp Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep, here's Scotland's Middle Of The Road...

Sally Carr and mates come in at #10 this week.

*************************************

All right, Mrs Ciccone...

Mom:  Call me Madonna!

Um, that just wouldn't feel right.  How about Mom?

Mom:  That's fine.

Mom, you're all filled in here on what happens on the show. This week, the Panel mainly went with 2 songs- out of a 20 song, 43 vote list- which means we ended up with 15 one vote wonders and only five had more than one, so those five are the finalists.  Would you like to read them off?

Of course, mon ami. Ze songs to choose from are...

The Silhouettes, Get A Job, which was ze numbear sept, I mean seven, song on Cashbox magazine.

Then it eez Billy Vaughn with Shine On Silvery Moon at #13...

That darling Pat Boone with Apreel Love at # # 8...

(NOTE: Please don't curse me, I learned French accents on ze... er, on Gilligan's Island...)

What was that?

Never mind.  Please, go on!

Très bien! Danny and ze Juniors were #1 with At Ze Hop...

And Monsieur Presley, here, was at numbear 41 with I Beg Of You.

Elvis: Say, you did a fine job, didn't she?

Yes, she did!  Come back anytime!

Merci Bien!

In the meantime, we have a second debut- and this one comes in all the way up at #6!  With their third time on ze... er, the M10 chart, here's Saintseneca...

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So here's something new- we start the 6D with a song!  Peaking at #38 in 1969, here's  "Vik Venus, Alias: Your Main Moon Man"...

This is actually Jack Spector, one of the djs most responsible for Beatlemania in America, from radio station WMCA.  Jack had a daughter named Sherry, and that's why best bud Bob Gaudio chose Sherry for the name of the Four Seasons' first big hit, after they tried out Peri (daughter of producer Bob Crewe's boss), Terri, and Jackie (after the First Lady).  The Four Seasons were originally the Four Lovers, and their only hit was a #61 called You're The Apple Of My Eye- a song given to them after the songwriter took Don't Be Cruel from them to give it to Elvis!

Son, I just can't hear them doin' that song!

Me either!  Now that songwriter was Otis Blackwell, and among the songs Otis wrote or co-wrote was the 6D victim, at #2 without a Panel vote- Jerry Lee Lewis and Great Balls Of Fire!

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Hey, Mom, you still here?

Right here, mon ami!

Well it's kind of become a tradition for the guest to do the segment where we name off the #1 songs in other English speaking countries- we call it, Overseas If You Please!

Zat eez very clevair!  I think, though, you should let my daughtair to do them...

Elvis:  That's right, son, we made up for the boo boo!  Right now, on Time Machine- here's Madonna!!!!!!!!!!!!

Madonna:  Hi, Chris!  And Momma, it's been so long... I was just a little girl...

Mom:  Oh, my, what a lovely lady you have become!

Elvis: (whispering) You wanna tell her about that 'lady' bit?

 (Chris, whispering) Bud, you died once already, do you really wanna do it again?

Madonna:  Boys, you wouldn't be misbehaving, would you?  Mama don't like boys that misbehave, do you?

Mom:  Not at all, Little Nonnie...

Not us!  Please, go right ahead!

Madonna:  Okay, so the #1 in England was Elvis and Jailhouse Rock...

Elvis:  Yes! Right in the Beatles' home town!

Madonna:  Now, Elvis...

E: Sorry, ma'am.

M:  That's better.  In Australia, it was Paul Anka's Diana.  Now, what's this say on Canada?  "Six choices?"

Well, Canada doesn't have a national chart yet, and six different songs got one vote each from our Canadian Panelists, so...

M:  Then figure out which ones didn't get mentioned on the rest of the show, and pick the one that charted highest!

Makes about as much sense as any, so... well, of the three that are still left, that leaves us with only one that actually charted here- and that would be Owen Bradley's Big Guitar, which made #46 on Billboard at some point, but I wasn't able to find out when...

Maybe you should look HARDER....

Okay, lemmee see... (Jeopardy theme plays through about four times)... it peaked at #32 on Cashbox on March 22nd...

E:  No wonder ya couldn't find it!

Mom:  Now dear, we need to go visit for a bit.  Let us leave these gentlemen to do their jobs.

M:  Okay, mama, don't preach!  It's all yours, guys!

See, even she does better song title gags than you do!

Shuddup an' give me the M10!

10- That's Pale Waves holdin' with Easy.

8- That's Jason Isbell making just the 13th song to hit 10 weeks or more, Dreamsicle dropping 3 spots.

7- Back ta back Saintseneca with Ladder Ta The Sun dropping from #2.

5- Firefall up one for A New Mexico.

4- 5 big notches up for El Michels an' Piyat Malik with Murkit Gem.

3- One more up for Elton John an' The Girl On Angel Pavement.

2- One more up for Lilly Hiatt an' Brightest Star.

An' the winnah and still champeen for a second week...

...Molly Parden an' Kitchen Table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, bud, and as for the Panel Picks...

Billy Vaughn, Pat Boone, and you got 16.2% between the three of you...

OUCH!

Danny and the Juniors got 23.2%...

And the winner, with a narrow 25.8% win....

...the Silhouettes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Say, is that Will Smith on the end?

I don't think so, Chris...

Wait, what?  Al, what are you doing here???

Gotcha!  It's just me wearing one of the rubber faces Rodney left that time!

Mrs. Ciccone?  Elvis is being bad again!!!!!

Wednesday Bible Study: The end of all things- Philippians

 

This might be the prize end chapter of the whole Bible right here!  So many famous teachings, balled into 23 verses!

1- The two women

Php 4:2  I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

There are different kinds of people in any church, and these two ladies- judging from their names- are at two extremes.  I did the study on their names a while back- Euodia means basically 'help along the road', where Syntyche is more or less 'a crashing together'.  Paul is aiming for unity here- being all on the same team, despite the different ways the Lord touches us.

2- Three cheers!

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

"Always" isn't just a throw in for Paul, as we will see moving on.

3- Anxiousness and peace

Php 4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This has been the most used gift Jesus has given me.  When I feel emotions welling up, I give it to Him... and if I then take my hands off the situation, He always gives me peace in my heart, without the circumstance changing a bit!

4- Think good thoughts

Php 4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

I've been bugging myself to memorize this all week, but actually, it's something I've learned (somewhat) to practice.  Negative thoughts are Satan's tool to cause discontentment.  I'm getting better at seeing this and chasing them out.

5- No matter what shape your stomach's in

Php 4:11  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Php 4:12  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Forgive the use of the old song title, but it fits.  This about seeing Christ beyond the circumstance, and still REJOICE.  Told ya we'd get back to that!

6- Not my strength

Php 4:13  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

See what I mean about all the famous teachings?  Paul really put an extra dose of, "If you hear nothing else" into this!

7- Others before self, why?

Php 4:15  And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.
Php 4:16  Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.
Php 4:17  Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.


He wants them to be generous for the reward they will receive from God.  

I think now, if it ever got to the point that Christians were being persecuted to the "hiding Bibles and beyond" point, this one page would be sufficient to carry around.  It's kind of like a Bible Multivitamin!

The Better part, week #4

 

This week's set of FB posts:

The Better part, day #22:

Php 4:17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

I have been hearing a lot about gifts since that pastor said, "God wants the person before He wants the gift. " On a morning where I scolded myself for asking about a Better part verse before even saying, "Good morning, Lord!", I come across this verse. Putting the gift first is like saying, "Gimme the clanging cymbal!" After reading 1 Cor. 13. It makes the adventure just a job, and skips the part where the gift also needs to grow ME.

 

 

The Better part, Day #23:

Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

Jer 1:6 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth."

Jer 1:7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Jer 1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD."

The part that touched my heart today: That God loves me the same today as He did the night before I was saved, and the same as He will on my deathbed. He loves me the same if I fulfill every bit of my potential in serving Him, and the same if I never make another step forward. His love is not about me; it's self-existent and self-sustaining. All part of changing this stubborn mindset from, "I need to do this", to "I WANT to do this."

 

 

The Better part, day# 24:

Isa 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

The year that King Uzziah died wasn't very good for Israel. All the good he had done, making his nation strong, prosperous, and peaceful, was about to go down the tubes because of a sin of arrogance. And yet, as Isaiah learned, God was still on the throne. He was still in charge.

And today, He's still in charge.

 

 

The Better part, Day # 25:

Isa 28:10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."

I have been... I don't know what exactly you would call it, lately. It seems that God has been teaching me a ton of stuff with a plan in mind, and to me, it seems like I should get it second-nature quick. But instead, my head is having a hard time taking it in. On a walk with Misty, it came to me: I'm like a guy in front of a massive pile of lumber, sheet rock, etc, holding a hammer and a hand saw, screaming, "God, why haven't I got this house built yet???" That's when Bible study paid off and I remembered this verse. Yes, He has a plan, and I need to take His time getting there.

 

 

The Better part, Day#26:

Luk 5:8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

Here is me and my struggle. I get so close to God, and all of the sudden, Satan's whispered fears remind me of my sinful condition. So instead of 'warning him away', like Peter did, I commit some sin seemingly to prove to both of us I'm not worthy. It's a LIE. This is what God is trying to hammer through my head, but I keep climbing back between the sin and the fear.

 

 

The Better part, day#27:

One end of the spectrum-

Isa 6:2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Isa 6:3 And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"

Isa 6:4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

The other end-

Psa 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise, because of thine enemies; that thou mightest put down the enemy and avenger.

Praise can be with the power of thunder, or with the laugh of a child. And they both shake the halls of Heaven the same.

 

The Better Part, day #28:

Mat 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

Mat 9:10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.

Mat 9:11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

Mat 9:12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

Mat 9:13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Though I put the whole passage in for context, I have one major and one minor point to bring up from it. Major point: Matthew (Levi) immediately throws a party with his workmates to introduce them to Jesus. Jesus was more than content with Matthew's first ministry being to his own home and to his workmates.

Minor point- the Pharisees followed them there to pick nits. No matter what your ministry, there will always be trolls. Last night I scrolled past the live feed of David Jeremiah's Saturday service, and most of the live comments were focusing not on him, but on a troll who, like Judas, was complaining about "all the money he sucks in". I didn't get involved, for a very good reason: Satan sent the troll to distract from the Word, and he was winning. He didn't need my help to distract more. If you want to follow Him, don't get distracted by trolls.

 

Time Machine Co-ordinates VICXLXVI66012285

 So we're going today to January 22, 1985...

Elvis:  We're WHUT?  What happened while I was on Vacation?

You can read about it on last week's show, buddy, everyone else did!  Anyway, we missed by one day the Great Freeze of 1985, when a polar express slammed the Midwest and Deep South.  And I do mean slammed!  Here are the Highs at 7 pm on Sunday the 20th and the lows at 7 am on the 21st:

We were stuck at -15 to -16 F (-26 to -28 C), but a lot of southern cities had extreme drops- for example, that one on the North Carolina coast that dropped 64 degrees in 12 hours!  By today, we were back in the low 20's, but geez!

Izzat right?  Nashville was -17?

It said that that the U of Tennessee campus got down to -24!  Makes me fee bad for whining about the 20's this week!  Anyway, we're here in 1985, with Guy Mitchell...

I just hope you're not making me go out in that!

I wouldn't make Elvis go out in that!  Anyway, we took a detour to 1985 to put a little more distance between when we came to 1958 last time, and today I'll do my best to give you a great show from a year that I had begun to abandon pop for country... of course, you can't see what was on this week's country charts because Billboard has a paywall (and all the Panel C&W charts are Canadian)... but anyway, let's lead things off with the first of 2 debuts this week!  At #10, another charter for Pale Waves...

*******************************************

So, I hear there's a story about how you got your name, Guy...

Yeah, back when Mitch Miller signed me to Columbia, some people say he gave me the stage name Guy Mitchell, say he told me,  "...my name is 'Mitchell' and you seem a nice 'guy', so we'll call you Guy Mitchell." Me, I don't rightly recollect why he didn't want me going by George Cernak.  I was 'George Romack' when I played with Audie Murphy on the 'Whisperin' Smith' TV show, so...

Well, Mitch was one of a kind, from what I understand... but I never realized how many shows you played in!

That was kind of a could have been, too... we had done 26 episodes of 'Whisperin' Smith', and they expected me to be the typical singing cowboy.  But I broke my darn arm, and couldn't play... kinda hard to sing, too.  So they suspended production till I healed up- but by that time NBC cancelled us.

That sucks. At least you had the singing career...

Well, sir, that was kind of fizzled out by then, too... I hadn't hit top 40 since '59, and 'Whisperin' Smith\' was in '61...

Ulp.  Okay, how about we just get to the music?  We had 12 contestants from 65 stations, and a funny coinkydink is that the same band got the big mover of the week and the 6D with 2 different songs!  But neither have to do with our finalists.  So, here's the list, Guy...

Yep.  Nice list.

Um, you want to read off the finalists?

Sure, I'm sorry.  Just kinda got depressed, lookin' back and all.  You might say...

Elvis:  Don't do it, Guy....

G:  ...you got me Singing The Blues!

E:  Man, that might be the worst song gag we EVER had on here!

At least the worst one not from you or Ringo Starr...

G:  Anyway, here's your finalists...

Wham at #16 on Cashbox with Careless Whisper...

Foreigner at #6 with I Want To Know What Love Is...

Madonna at the top with Like A Virgin...

(Crew and guest) Yeah, right!

Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins, Easy Lover at #10...

And Chicago with You're The Inspiration at #5!

Thanks, Guy!  And now... yes, Guy?

Well, I was kinda wondering, seeings as you let the last two guests do it...

You want to do the Overseas, If You Please?

Yessir.

Sure, why not?  So stay tuned for Guy with that in a bit, but first, our second debut at #9 is a bit different.  You remember El Michaels Affair from their own bits and production on The Shacks, including the main track to Strange Boy.  This week, he's producing a "Hindi Psych-pop" act named Piya Malik, and backing her on her new single!

And since EMA decided to hog all the credit on the video, here's Piya herself...

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This somewhat odd looking fellow is Syd Nathan, founder of King records, and its subsidiary Federal, which is where our story begins.  One of his prize signings was James Brown and the Fabulous Flames.  He and James had a love-hate relationship, and at least two of the hates for Syd were James's eventual biggest hits- the Live at the Apollo Theatre lp and the single Papa's Got A Brand New Bag.  Federal had a spate of legal difficulties and taste problems, not only with a young JB, but with a young vocal group who had a single they wanted to release and he rejected- the song was Only You (And You Alone) and the group was The Platters.  Because of the problems with Federal, a man whose name we've mentioned here not long ago- Buck Ram- took them to Mercury.  He was also managing the Penguins, who had just hit with Earth Angel on small label Dootone, and he swung a deal with Mercury that they would get the Penguins if they would also take the Platters. The Platters would net Mercury 19 top 40 hits, the Penguins 0.

Another act that recorded Earth Angel had similar problems with their original label and manager- a dude by the name of Maurice Starr- that led to their somewhat successful first lp netting each of the 5 members $1.87 each.  No such problems with new management, a new label, and that second lp for New Edition- their second single from it, the Ray Parker Jr- produced Mr Telephone Man was our big mover this week, from 57 to 41 for 16 spots- and the first single was at #3 without a Panel Vote- Cool It Down.

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Okay, Guy, letter rip!

Thank you, sir.  Now Australia and New Zealand both had the fundraising song Do They Know It's Christmas by Band-Aid at the top- it was #7 here this week.  Canada, like us, had Like A Virgin.  The UK had I Want To Know What Love Is, and South Africa, about 10 weeks behind us, had Stevie Wonder's I Just Called To Say I Love You.  Say, do you have charts from Croatia?  My folks came from Croatia... 

Sorry, I did look...

Aw, that's okay, hombre.

25 other countries, I can find...  Anyhow, here's the rest of this week's M10:

8- Ringo's Here's To The Nights tumbles 2.

7- Alkonost's Bird tumbles 3.

6- Firefall's A New Mexico climbs 1.

5- Jason Isbell, in week #9, falls from 3 to 5 with Dreamsicle.

4- Sir Elton up one with The Girl On Angel Pavement.

3- Our big mover is Lilly Hiatt's Brightest Star, from #9.

2- The three-week #1, Saintseneca's Ladder To The Sun, slips to #2.

And our new #1???

Credit ANCHR Magazine

...Molly Parden and Kitchen Table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And now, the Panel picks- Elvis, you want 'em?

Naw, I'll pick 'em up next time.  You might say I'm having a blue Christmas...

Well, you might if it was a month ago- nice try, though.

G:  I don't get it...

E:  Shut up, Guy!

AHEM.  So if you took Phil and Phil, you got 7.6%...

Chicago got you 10.7%...

Wham and Foreigner each got 15.4%...

Which means your winner- a rather substantial winner with 38.4%....

...Madonna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next week, the moment that you thought would never come!  Don't be surprised if the Lord returns before next Thursday, because Madonna's coming with us to 1958!

Wednesday Bible Study: The end of all things- Philemon

 

Imagine my surprise when I just saw that somehow I managed to schedule both parts of Peter's letters on the same day!  That must mean either somebody needed to hear about Peter this past week, or someone needed to read about Philemon this post.  Either way, I hope this bit-different take on Philemon is helpful.

You see, Philemon and Colossians were delivered at the same time and by the same people.  Let me set the stage here.  While Colossians was written for the Church as a whole, Philemon was sent to the man in the title specifically, as well as to his household- his wife Apphia and son Archippus, who as we learn had a lot to do with running the church from their household.  And it started with Paul praising the service of Philemon- and then explaining how his slave, Onesimus, had ran away, came to where Paul was, and was brought to faith.  Now Paul was sending him back, and asking Philemon to forgive and accept him back.  And it shouldn't seem a hard job to someone whose service to the saints has just been so highly praised.  But let's stop and think on two things here.

First, Onesimus RAN AWAY from Philemon.  Why is that?  Paul doesn't say; but I wonder if there is a clue in something Paul asked to be mentioned to Archippus:

Col 4:17  And say to Archippus, "See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord."

Is there also a problem with Philemon's SON?  I wonder, especially after just noting how this chapter in Colossians started:

Col 4:1  Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Which made me curious, and I backtracked a little more:

Col 3:18  Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Col 3:19  Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.
Col 3:20  Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Col 3:21  Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Col 3:22  Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

So, now I wonder if in spite of all his wonderful service to everyone else, that Philemon might not have been a prince in his own household.  Philemon is described as sharing the Gospel and refreshing the believers, and I doubt Paul says this in light flattery.  But... sometimes you can be busy outside the home and neglectful in it.  And Paul had very strict teachings on that, just ask Timothy:

1Ti 5:8  But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Perhaps Philemon had let things go out of balance at home.  Was he unintentionally discouraging Archippus?  Did he insensitively run Onesimus off?  Paul described Archippus as a 'fellow soldier'; but even a soldier needs encouragement.  Was Philemon too much of a General in the home?

We don't know.  But we can get a glimpse of the consequences.  Whether you are a believer or not, integrity involves being the same IN the home as you are OUTSIDE it.  Hopefully I'll remember this when I come home in a "Philemon mood."

The Better part, week #3

 This week's FB posts:

The Better part, Day #15:

Psa 109:3 They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause.

Psa 109:4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.

I'm looking at my FB feed and all the people encouraging me to up the stakes of hate by supporting this one or insulting that one. If I'm not responding, it's because of this right here. God has told me to be silent and know that He is God. He has told me to pray for my enemies. He has told me to follow in David's example, and here are David's words.

You go on with your memes. I have praying to do.

 

 

The Better part, day #16:

Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--

Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Eph 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

God has been encouraging me lately, on the principle of, "I want you to see what you ARE doing, so that you can see what you CAN do." And what more encouragement can you have than the verse that we always jump over to get to Eph 2:8-9- the verse that, as Charles Stanley pointed out today, tells us that we- the new person, saved by grace- IS SEATED, not will be, in the heavenly places! Makes sense, when you consider that we will (our perspective) be with God- and God is beyond time! For Him, we're there now!

 

The Better part, day #17:

Gen 40:21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.

Gen 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

Gen 40:23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Late last night, I heard a sermon based on the experiences of Joseph. And as I thought about it, I saw that a lot of my stress and a lot of my complaints are of a "That's not fair!" nature. One point, that you have to think about to see how it fits, the pastor made was that "God wants YOU before He wants your gifts." There was a million times Joseph could have said, "it's not fair"- including every day of the next 2 years. But God was working on something more important- Joseph's integrity. And when that integrity was honed to a fine edge, God used that gift to put Joseph at the summit of the world! If I want to "expand my territory", like Jabez prayed, I need to give to God permission to mold the character that is required.

 

 

The Better part, day # 18:

Job 36:5 "Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding.

Job 36:6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right.

Job 36:7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted.

After Charles Stanley surprised me a couple days back with Ephesians 2:7, in which we are told that being saved we are already seated in the heavenlies, this very same topic- which I admit had always blown right past me- became a theme. I heard it from Michael Youseff, I hit it in Psalms 113, and a reference there took me to yet another passage that bring it up- this one. Now, you can take that as, "Here's Paul spending time in prison by looking up obscure verses in Scripture to use." Or you can recognize what all the Pastors worth their salt tell you- the Bible is one interconnected story, written by dozens of men over thousands of years, and directed by the Holy Spirit. I know which side I choose.

 

 

The Better part, day #19:

Zec 3:2 And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?"

Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments.

Zec 3:4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments."

Zec 3:5 And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD was standing by.

All the reminders about already being seated in heaven, even though being stuck on earth and sinning, brought this passage about the High Priest Joshua getting cleaned before the Lord to mind. And it makes me think: Once we're saved, the worst Satan can do is splash mud on us. But God has our clean attire waiting up above.

 

 

The Better part, Day #20:

Psa 116:10 I believed, even when I spoke, "I am greatly afflicted";

Psa 116:11 I said in my alarm, "All mankind are liars."

Right now, there are probably a lot of 'political' Christians going through this. But there are three prominent points to be made. The first is in the beginning of this passage- "I believed, EVEN WHEN..." Believing with the same fervor when things are spiraling out of the control you never had is very important. God's still in control. Second is where this passage is sandwiched- between praising God for preserving us, and wondering how to possibly thank Him for that preservation. The third comes some verses later: Psa 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Not every help is going to result in a physical improvement; sometimes God cuts the thread. But if you are a saint, even that is a blessing.

 

The Better Part, Day #21:

Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Gen 1:2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Gen 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

Last night in my imagination, I was assembling an honest news team and explaining to them the difference between "their" truth and THE truth- and of course, I invited Juan Williams along to help them understand. I was explaining that it was like how 'science' tried so hard to establish themselves by 'proving' there didn't need to be a God for everything to exist, when the passage above clearly shows even the 'Big Bang.' Williams says, with his characteristic sneer, "Are you saying that YOU believe that the Big Bang equals 'let there be light'?" I said, "Yes, but here's what I'm trying to show you: You focus on the question that affects YOUR worldview, 'let there be light' equaling 'big bang', and totally miss the BIGGER item that this passage shows us- that the physical world was created BEFORE the universe, for how else could the planet have fit into all the 'goldilocks zones' that science tells us are necessary for life to exist? Seeing that would change your whole conception of things."

Later, I listened to a story- I won't go into details here- which showed me the key to applying this thought. It's not about what MAN can do; it's about what God can/has/will do through the agency of men. Trusting in what I can do, what I can see, short-changes the God who can do ALL.

 

Time Machine co-ordinates VICXLXV65911557

 

Well, we kind of land in the middle of things here in January 15th, 1957...

Oh yeah? What kinda things?

Well, two days ago, Wham-O made the first Frisbee... Yesterday, Humphrey Bogart passed away... And tomorrow, the early home of the Beatles, the Cavern Club in London, opened up!

Man, that's a shame about Bogey... Y'know, he and Bacall started the original Rat Pack, with Judy Garland, David Niven, and Frank...

I didn't until today... that's pretty neat!  What isn't quite so neat is how we have you on only three weeks, 1957 time, since you were last here!

Don't tell me we gotta pick between Sonny and Tab on Young Love again?

No, but Mr. James and Mr Hunter will be in the finals!  This week's chart is kinda messed up, so it'll be fun anyway, but I'd like to figure a way to get at least another week spread in these posts- make it a month different.

Well... How about, if next week you supposed to do 1958, right?  So do 1985, blame it on Elvis having dyslexia, and then come back!

Say, that's not bad... although the dyslexia is more believable if I have it!  Yeah!  Let's do that!  Next week will be 1985.  But this week...

Say, how 'bout we kick it off with some music, maestro?

Sure thing!  Here's our lone debut this week at #9- Introducing M10 rookie Lilly Hiatt!

*******************************************

So why don't we start off with all the messed up stuff about this week's chart?

Fine by me!  Lesseee here... One song that got a single vote was a tune by Micki Marlo called Little By Little.  She never made it onto the Cashbox chart, but would debut in about 3 weeks on Billboard... the version that charted on CB, by Nappy Brown, would debut next week... so either way, someone jumped the gun!

Next, we have a song that just dropped off the Billboard chart- though another act, Ivory Joe Hunter WAS charting with it on CB- Since I Met You Baby by Mindy Carson!  She peaked at #34 over next door.  Ironically, Sonny James would take this to #1 country in a dozen years.

And just for a little context here, CB has the combined versions of Young Love at #12 this week, while the separated versions on BB have Sonny at 19 an' Tab debuting at 60.

Good job, my friend.  Now this week we had a 15 song, 39 station Panel- and just like last year, Tab and Sonny are tied!  The question being- are they tied for the top or not?

Well now, you'd tell us if we were having another run off like last time- wouldn't you?

NOT necessarily!  Why don't you just go ahead and give us the OTHER finalists, besides Tab and Sonny!

Without a doubt! You can choose from Young Love A or B, as well as...

Harry Belafonte's Banana Boat (Day-O!) debuting at #31...

Russell Arms with Cinco Robles at #29...

The Tarriers and THEIR version of Banana Boat at #5...

Or Guy Mitchell's Singing The Blues at #1.  Say, not a big week for the top ten, was it!

Nope, #1 and #5 were all that made it!  Now, it's time for some unfinished business- my top ten Songs that were #1 on New Years Eve!

10- Cat's In The Cradle, Harry Chapin, the Cashbox #1 from 1975.

9- Walk Like An Egyptian, the Bangles, the 1987 BB #1...

8- The Tornadoes and Telstar from 1963.

7- Saturday Night, the Bay City Rollers, CB's 1976 topper.

6- David Seville with Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Christmas Song from 1959.

5- The Monkees and I'm A Believer from 1967.

4- Tennessee Ernie Ford and 16 Tons from 1956.

3- The Lion Sleeps Tonight, the Tokens from 1962, AKA my first NYE...

2- Simon and Garfunkel, The Sound Of Silence, the BB 1966 #1...

And my favorite of all the songs that were #1 on NYE, from 1971...

********************************************

Say, can I do that Overseas thing?  You let Rod Stewart do it...

Yeah, well Rod's been knighted, though...

Wha-a-at? But I've got three stars on the Walk of Fame!  My feet in the cement at Grauman's Chinese Theatre!  A lifetime achievement Grammy!

I'm just bustin' you, Dino!  Go right ahead!

That wasn't very nice... I was gonna make you an honorary Rat Packer, but fergit it, now!  Ah, well, here we go.  The UK got a vote for Singing The Blues, but by Tommy Steele and the Steelmen. Guy Mitchell was #2... in fact he was in and out of the top- for 6 weeks, in the middle of which we are at- he was either #1 or 2 there.

The Canadians didn't have an official chart, but four outta six stations voted for Guy, too.

Australia had Johnny Ray's Just Walking In The Rain- although Guy would be at the top in March.  I'm thinkin' we have us a great big hint here...

You COULD be right, Dino...  But we have a couple of things to get out of the way first! One of which is this week's 6D!

Did you know Fleetwood Mac was named for an instrumental song?  And no, you can't find it- I tried- but before founding the group, Peter Green was playing with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and John gave him some free studio time.  One of the tunes he recorded was an instrumental that he named after the guys that made up his rhythm section on the session- drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie.  At first they were a play-anything blues band, but in the short time between Peter's emerging talent and the drugs that would short circuit him and others in the original band, he wrote some beautiful guitar pieces like Albatross, which went to #1 twice in the UK.   Albatross, the story goes, was inspired by one of my top five all time instrumentals- Santo and Johnny's Sleepwalk, which was arranged by one Hutch Davie.  And Hutch Davie wrote the 6D victim at #2- Jim Lowe's The Green Door.  And... The Green Door may or may not have inspired recent issues of The Immortal Hulk...

***************************************************************

This week's remaining M10...

10- The former #1 for Matthew Sweet, At A Loss, falls 5.

8- Local Opener and Dent May hold at 8 with Show Your Love.

7- Firefall up a quick 3 with A New Mexico.

6- Same for Ringo Starr's Here's To The Nights.

5- Elton John bangs his way up one more spot with The Girl On Angel Pavement.

4- and 3- and 2- and 1 hold their spots:

4- Alkonost, Bird

3- Jason Isbell, Dreamsicle in its 8th week

2- Kitchen Table, Molly Parden

And 3 weeks at the top for....

...Saintseneca and Ladder To The Sun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey, let me do that final list!

Well, Elvis might get p.o.ed when he comes back from his birthday vacation... SURE!

All right!  So, the Banana Boats and Cinco Robles get you cinco por ciento... 5.1%, to be precise!

And the Young Lovers get you 15.3% each.... an' that means your winner, with 33% of the vote...

....Guy Mitchell an' Singin' The Blues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow.  What an enormous surprise.

Have a little enthusiasm, son!  You all be here next week when, God willing, poor Guy gets shanghaied to 1985!

Wednesday Bible Study: The end of all things- 2 Peter

 

In a recent couple of "The Better Part" posts, I mentioned how King Ahaz- and the people- and by analogy today's Church- threw out the TOOLS of worship.  One of those common Bible tools to help the understanding of a passage is the seven stairsteps: three up to the top, three back down, each opposing level having something to do with the other.  I see that in 2 Peter from v 3 to v 11:

2Pe 3:3  ...knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
2Pe 3:4  They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."
2Pe 3:5  For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,
2Pe 3:6  and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.
2Pe 3:7  But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
2Pe 3:8  But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
2Pe 3:11  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness...

Let me now take you to the stairs, one pair at a time.

Level one: VV3-4, V11

On the one side we have the scoffers, who disregard God by the simple tool of, "It's been 2 millennia, and he still hasn't shown up?"  I recently encountered this in a couple of people who argued from a book that said we wait in vain for Christ's return as "His judgment came in 70 AD when the Romans burned Jerusalem."  You don't have to deny God DIRECTLY to be a scoffer; all you have to do is IGNORE His word.

The step on the other side challenges you, given what God DID say in His Word, how should YOU see it, and act upon it?

Level two: VV 5-6; V 10

Here, the scoffers conveniently forget- or, in modern times, find excuses wrapped in science to not believe- that God judged this world once, one way, in the Flood; and promised to judge it again, this time in fire.  And it will be a swift judgment, and scoffers such as Peter is referencing, neither had time to repent at the first one-

Luk 17:26  Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.
Luk 17:27  They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:28  Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot--they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,
Luk 17:29  but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all--
Luk 17:30  so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

And they won't have the time when the last one falls.

Level Three: V7; V 9

Judgment is a promise; everything needed for it is ready to go.  The only thing holding them up is God's patience in getting every last soul who would know Him to know Him.

Keystone- V 8

The same concept that defied the two on FB and the author they followed- they didn't have God's perspective.  Too many times, so called intellectuals try to reduce God down to a bite-sized morsel they can understand.   Atheists DEMAND it as a condition of belief.  But the fact of the matter is, God is big, God is vast, and while He humbled Himself to become human to wash away our sins, He's not going to be humbled to suit the self-glorification of man.