daily java

Daily Java:

All these men were under the direction of their fathers as they made music at the house of the Lord. Their responsibilities included the playing of cymbals, harps, and lyres at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman reported directly to the king. They and their families were all trained in making music before the Lord, and each of them—288 in all—was an accomplished musician. The musicians were appointed to their term of service by means of sacred lots, without regard to whether they were young or old, teacher or student. (1 Chronicles 25:6-8)

Talk about a house band. This was the house band at the tabernacle when David was King.

When we were first baptized in the Spirit, we were looking for a church to go to during the week. I was pastoring a Disciples of Christ church in NW Missouri, but we wanted to find a place with a service during the week.

I called a church in St Joseph, MO, about 60 miles away, to ask him about their church. He told me several things, then he said the kicker. “We have blow-your-face-off music.”

I told Ella, I have to hear this. And they did.

They had a professional sounding band that played Petra-style rock and roll for their worship. Petra, of course, was a very popular Christian band at the time. This band played along that style and they were good.

We went to their Friday night service almost every week for a while. And it amazed me that you could have that many talented musicians in one church.

Of course, it was a big church, 1400 at the time. The musicians, for the most part, were on the staff so that they could go with the pastor when he went to other countries and the like.

But when I read this, I thought of them.

It has always been my dream to have a band that is good. I even have a name for it. LOP. Loud Obnoxious Praise. It is my firm conviction that good praise be energetic. After all, who wants tepid singing.

These people, here in 1 Chronicles 25, were praise teams and worship leaders. All were accomplished musicians and they played in twenty-four bands of twelve musicians. They made music at the house of the Lord. Probably, they sang scripture, psalms David had written, maybe just jammed for a while each day.

But one thing for sure, they sounded good.

And I would venture to say they were happy.

I believe the musical talent is a call from God. When one answers that call in God, the musician is happy. When he or she doesn’t, they are not, no matter how financially well off and successful they may be.

Think of all the talented musicians that have self-destructed. In my own generation, there was Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, others. Later there were people like Kurt Cobain and more. If they do not die from their excess, they soon become so burned out that they are almost unrecognizable, so bitter, so jaded.

It is because they are taking something that is holy and making it for other purposes. As the old song by Dire Straits with the phrase, “Money for nothin' and your chicks for free.”

When it is all about you, it soon becomes worthless. And the singers are always looking for a charity or something that they can do. And they never find the comfort of something greater than they are.

When it is about God, it is for something greater than you.

These people in 1 Chronicles were serving the greatest person in the universe: the Almighty God.

What a life, just singing all day, playing your instruments, praising.

daily java

Daily Java:

“To what can I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “How can I describe them? They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t weep.’ For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it. (Luke 7:31-37)

Some people are never happy, no matter what you do or how hard you try to satisfy them.

Almost any idea you have or any program you start, they find a fault with. Any new direction you go, they do not like. And they are also irritated that you are doing the same things over and over. Why don’t we try something new, they say.

Finally, it dawns on you that they just do not like anything. Above all, they do not like themselves and they are not real fond of the Lord, either.

What they like is complaining.

The people to whom Jesus is speaking didn’t like the asceticism of John the Baptizer. He was too strict for them. Jesus came and they didn’t like the fact that he had a good time at parties and hung around with people.

In other words, they just didn’t like anything. And if you had given them the task of formulating the kingdom of heaven, they would have argued in committees for years and never got anything accomplished.

So what is the answer? Just do what God sent you to do anyway.

There are people that are going to complain no matter what you do. the music is too loud, you can barely hear the music. The preaching is too long, it is too short. There are too many scriptures, there aren’t enough scriptures. The prayers are too long, they are too short. You do too much for people, you don’t do enough.

After a while, it dawns on you that people are never satisfied. And that is the result of not really having a relationship with Jesus. Instead, they have a relationship with themselves. When the relationship is with yourself, you are never satisfied, because that relationship is not satisfying. It can’t be.

The only way to be happy is through Jesus. When your relationship is with him, it will not matter how loud the music, how long the sermon or prayers. What will matter is that you are serving him and not yourself.

And you will be happy.