Traditions?

Traditions?

            Traditions are harmful when they are in conflict with God’s Word. Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”   However, St. Paul states in 2Thesalonians 2:15, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”  So, the New Testament writers only condemned traditions that were in conflict With Scripture—not all traditions. 

            Traditional music is harmful when it take the focus off of the main things (Cardinal doctrines) found in the Bible.  Matthew 23:23, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”  If traditional music is so shallow that it obscures the “weightier matters” then it is harmful to public worship.  However, worship leaders should not act as if traditional church music is the only music that is banal music.

A Platform for Personal Preference-part 3

A Platform for Personal Preference-part 3

            Does anyone but churches approach music from a prescriptive standpoint?  Could you imagine playing “Three Blind Mice” for a university piano entrance audition?  How far would you get?  Why do they consider it necessary to play something like a Beethoven piano sonata?  Why does a university prescribe what music is proper, suitable, and appropriate for an entrance exam?  The reason is that they believe in all of the above as well as profundity in music.  Most university piano professors actually believe that Beethoven’s sonatas are more profound than “Three Blind Mice”.  So, when it comes to wise choices for undergraduate or graduate study they prescribe which music is proper etc. for every student to perform.  Why?   It is because public universities believe that Music Matters.  They certainly believe in making wise choices and “Three Blind Mice” is simply not the appropriate music for undergraduate or graduate study. 

            To these professors music is most definitely an art form with standards of correctness.  Why shouldn’t Christian musicians have equally high expectations for church music?  Where did church musicians get the philosophy that there is no profundity in church music, no absolutes, and no standards of correctness or appropriateness?  Whether educating or edifying, there are absolutes in music.  Therefore it is possible to make wise and unwise choices of both.

 

Prayer for this Blog in March

Prayer for this Blog in March

            I want to thank You Lord and Father for the 110 countries that are a part of our blog family.  It is my sincere and earnest prayer let this blog will go around the world to places where I cannot go.  Lord, thank You that You are answering my prayer by guiding people from 110 countries to find and read my blog posts. Help me in 2016 as I prepare a post for each day to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  Only You know Lord who is out there ministering musically that needs a fresh anointing for musical ministry.  Help me to know which philosophical and devotional thoughts will help these busy pastors and musicians.  Lord, you know that I am not sure which aspects of music education and music ministry to write about that will stimulate and encourage the blog family.  Please anoint the blog, the blogger, and the blog readers during 2016. If it is your will I am asking that the number of page views will increase during each month. These things I ask in your great and wise and wonderful name.  Amen.

A Platform for Personal Preference-part 2

A Platform for Personal Preference-part 2

            Church music selections should line up to Bible principles of music in worship.  Choices should not be made solely on personal preference but rather what this style of music will do to the whole life of the individuals who worship with it.  From the time of Plato and Aristotle philosophers have believed, more or less, that good music would cause one to tend toward the moral virtues and that bad music would cause one to tend toward moral decadence.  

            So, we return to the question, “Does the church have the right and responsibility to prescribe what is best suited for music worship?”  Yes, the church has both.  How to go about making these choices has become difficult but that does not remove either the right or the responsibility of establishing standards for church music.

 

A Platform for Personal Preference-part 1

A Platform for Personal Preference-part 1

            Public music worship should not be a platform for the pastor’s or the minister of music’s personal tastes in music.  The assembly of believers does not gather to receive a music lesson on J. S. Bach or acapella choral techniques or to revisit the oratorios of Handel, Mendelssohn and Gounod.  Neither is the purpose of congregational singing to keep the hymns of Watts, Wesley and Fanny Crosby alive. Special singing is not an opportunity to fan the minister of music’s latent desire to sing bass in a famous southern gospel quartet or a country gospel band.  Richard S. Taylor sums up the matter quite well in his book A Return to Christian Culture,

            “The fact that some people may like this or that is not sufficient reason for the church to use it.  The church should lead the way in such standards, not objectly follow every fad and custom which happens to be “in” at the moment.  The Church has no business adopting the philosophy, “If you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em.”  We should be governed by basic and eternal principles.  There are music forms, whether secular or sacred, which create moods of pensiveness, or idealism, or awareness of beauty, of aspiration, and of holy joyousness.  There are forms of music which create moods of recklessness and sensual excitement.  Surely it doesn’t take much judgement to know which forms are most appropriate for religious function.”

 

 

He is Risen

He is Risen

Mark 16:5-6, “And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.  And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.”

            Today is Easter Sunday.  This is the day each year that we celebrate Christ’s resurrection.  One major differences in Christianity and other world religions is the fact that Christians serve and worship a Savior who is alive.  Other religions serve aa god or a plurality of gods who once lived and are now dead.

            So, He lives on this Easter morning!  Ad a Christian I can sing with Joy “I serve a risen Savior.  He’s in the world today.  I know that He is living, whatever men may say.”  The thing that makes all the difference is the witness of the Holy Spirit that “He lives within my heart.”  That is the reason that many Christians refer to this witness as a “know so salvation”. 

            The story of redemption is a wonderful story, but it wouldn’t mean very much to me if I had not experienced Christ’s saving power in my life!  Romans 8:16 attests to the fact that, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”  If God’s Spirit witnesses to your spirit this Easter Sunday that you are God’s child, you are blessed beyond all expectation!

Song for the Day  “He Lives” by Alfred H. Ackley

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 7

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 7

Luke 23:46, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”(Ps 31:5; Mt 27:50-51; Mark 15:37; John 19:30; 1Pe 2:23)

            The seventh saying of Jesus when He was being crucified was a statement of comital of His spirit into the hands of God the Father.  Jesus willingly left the portals of glory; became Emmanuel God with us; ministered to the needs of mankind; taught those who would listen; finished the work that the Father had given Him to do; suffered and now was about to die for the sins of the whole world.  As has been recorded in Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”  Surely Christ had done everything that He came to this earth to do as St. John 17:4 recorded “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”  Jesus was misunderstood and persecuted while He was on this earth.  He came to earth to, as Luke 24:7 explains, “…be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

            We know that Christ’s purpose for coming to this earth was to do His Father’s will when He said in John 4:34, “… My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”  We also know from Matthew 26:39 that Jesus was intent on doing the will of God the Father when he prayed in the garden, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”  Since the incarnate Christ was not only very God but also very man, from a human standpoint it was very difficult for Him to suffer and die on the cross of Calvary.  Nevertheless, He was obedient to His Father’s will.  None of us have anything to do during this Easter season that is as difficult as what Christ had to endure.  So, If you have been given a difficult spiritual task by Our heavenly Father, be assured that God’s grace will be sufficient to see you through that difficult task.

Song for the Day “God’s Great Grace”  by Floyd W. Hawkins

 

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 6

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 6

John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

            The sixth saying of Jesus when He was being crucified was, “It is finished”.  Albert Barnes stated in his commentary on the Book of John, “It is finished. The sufferings and agonies in redeeming man are over.  The work long contemplated, long promised, long expected by prophets and saints, and is done. The toils in the ministry, the persecutions and mockeries, and the pangs of the garden and the cross, are ended, and man is redeemed. What a wonderful declaration was this! How full of consolation to man! And how should this dying declaration of the Savior reach every heart and affect every soul!”

            In His letter to the Hebrews Paul explains in 10:3, “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”  Hebrews 7:25-27 further explains, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.”

Song for the Day “It is Finished” by Bill and Gloria Gaither

 

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 5

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 5

John 19:28, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

            The fifth saying of Jesus when He was being crucified was, “I thirst”.  Albert Barnes, in his commentary on the Gospel of John said, “Thirst was one of the most distressing circumstances attending the crucifixion.  The wounds were highly inflamed, and a raging fever was caused, usually, by the sufferings on the cross, and this was accompanied by insupportable thirst.”

            In His humanity, Christ suffered on the cross because of the lack of water.  The crown of thorns had caused His head to bleed; therefore, His body was in need of water. Also, the hours that He was exposed on the cross also had caused hydration; Hence, Jesus suffered because He was dehydrated.  Matthew 27:34 states that “They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.”  So, rather than giving him a drink of water they gave him oxos (3690) which was sour wine. From the prophesy in Psalm 69:21 we gain additional information about this mixture. “They gave me also gall (roshe 7219 probably an extract from the poppy seed) for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar (chomets 2558 probably sour wine) to drink.”  This mixture was obviously not what Jesus requested.

             Their intent was not mercy they gave him this potion to revive him in order to satisfy their curiosity.  Mt 27:48-49 And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.  The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.”

Song for the Day “Why Should He Love Me So?” by Robert Harkness

 

 

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 4

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 4

Matthew 27:46, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  Mark 15:34, “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

            The fourth saying of Jesus when He was being crucified was, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  Jesus understood while He was dying on that cruel cross on Golgotha’s hill that God the Father could not look upon as though it did not matter.  Egkataleipo (1459) which was used by both St. Matthew and St. Mark and it means “to leave behind or to desert”.  Adam Clarke sheds light on the meaning of this statement in His Commentary on Matthew. “Some suppose "that the divinity had now departed from Christ, and that his human nature was left unsupported to bear the punishment due to men for their sins. But this is by no means to be admitted, as it would deprive his sacrifice of its infinite merit, and consequently leave the sin of the world without an atonement.  Take deity away from any redeeming act of Christ, and redemption is ruined.” 

            Some writers consider that God abandoned Christ in the midst of His sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.  We know, at least, that God the Father required Jesus to pay the awful penalty for sin which was necessary in order for mankind to receive pardon.  Hebrews 9:22 explains, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”  Remission is translated from aphesis (859) which means freedom or deliverance from sin.  Praise God!  Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of the Whole world.  St. John (1:29) understood what Christ would later do on the cross when he stated,  “… Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Song for the Day “Jesus Paid It All” by Elvina M. Hall

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 3

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 3

John 19:26-27, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!  Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother.”

            The third saying of Jesus when He was being crucified was, “Woman, behold your son and son Behold your mother.”  The incarnate Jesus was very God but he was also very man.  He was the first born son and with that birthright came the responsibility of the care of His mother.  So, when He was suffering that cruel crucifixion, He took care to make sure that His earthly family relationships were taken care of properly.  If earthly family relationships meant that much to Jesus, surely Christian musicians must take care of their family relationships.

            Some Christian musicians get so busy serving God that he or she fails to care of their families.  When a musician makes the statement I cannot take care of my family properly because I must put my music ministry first, that musician is not following Christ’s example.  Always putting one’s music ministry first sounds very spiritual, but it actually is not if that musician’s family responsibilities are neglected.  Christ left each of us with a beautiful example of fulfilling the work of God and caring for family at the same time.

Song for the Day “Our Great Savior” by J. Wilbur Chapman

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 2

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 2

 Luke 23:43, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

            The second saying of Jesus when He was being crucified was, a statement granting pardon and salvation to the thief on the cross beside Him.  Rather than condemnation, Christ pardoned the penitent thief who was justly being crucified for his crimes.  The impenitent malefactor said, (Luke 23:39) “…If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.”  “But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  He then ask Christ, (Luke 23:42) “…Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”  This man had done wrong and was being crucified for his wrong doings.  In the last moments of his life He asked Christ for forgiveness and we know that Christ forgave him because Jesus said to him, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

            I marvel at Christ’s reply, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”  Even when Christ was suffering on the cross, He responded to the sinners request for forgiveness.  Oh, that God will make us more like Jesus.  May our prayer be that even when we suffer we will care for the souls and welfare of other people.  Surely, becoming more like Christ will include a genuine concern for the lost.  It is my prayer that God will cleanse me of all self-centeredness.

Song for the Day  “Others” by Charles D. Meigs

 

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 1

The Seven Last Sayings of Christ—part 1

Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

            The first saying of Christ when He is hard to understand Christ saying “forgive them” to those who had persecuted, falsely accused, and placed the sinless Christ on a cruel cross.  This was not an act merely to punish our Savior, but rather it was an unjust act of murder.  So, Christ freely forgave these men who hated him.

            Luke 23:33 states, “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.  Christ was crucified between two malefactors (kakourgos 2557) i.e. two criminals.  Our sinless Savior was humiliated by being placed between two criminals.  Luke 23:35, gives this vivid mental picture, “And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

            If that was not enough humiliation, Luke 23:35-37 said that “… the people stood beholding.  And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.  And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.”  It is no wonder that St John the revelator said in Revelations 5:12 “… Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

            One of the great messages left to Christian musicians by Christ when He was on the cross at Calvary was “forgive”.  Christ taught us to forgive others who have done us wrong!  Mathew 5:44 records the words of Jesus, “… Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”  Jesus did not say forgive if you feel like it, He simply said love and forgive.  You may not be able to forgive others within your own human strength, but God’s grace is sufficient enough to enable you to forgive. 

Song for the Day “Thou art Worthy” by Pauline Michael Mills

 

Finding and Doing God’s Will

            Finding and Doing God’s Will

            Today is my youngest daughter’s birthday.  I have been told that the name Rachelle comes from French origin and that it means a Lamb.  Certainly she has brought softness to our home.  By the term softness I do not mean that she is laid back or that she is not opinionated.  She has driven herself since she was in grade school.  I do not remember a time in her life when she was not goal oriented. 

            It is no wonder to me that she is a music educator in a Christian school.  Those who have read excerpts from her music philosophy  that I have posted on my Music Blog, have observed that she is goal oriented and that she believes that the Bible speaks to the subject of Christian music and musicing.  Since I have devoted years of my life to developing a Christocentric music philosophy, it gives me great pleasure to say happy birthday to her today.

              I am exceedingly blessed to be the father of four Children who have all given their hearts and lives to Jesus.  I am without the most unworthy father in the world to have children who have decided to follow Jesus.  Joshua stated (24:15) “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  One by one my children decided to let the LORD have control over their lives.  At an early age Rachelle gave her heart to the Lord. Many years later she came home from student teaching and calmly told me that, at least for now, she felt that God wanted her to teach in a Christian school.  SO, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my music educator daughter Rachelle—the reason that it is such a happy birthday for you today is that you have made the on-purpose choice to follow the will of God for your life

Lessons That Teaching Has Taught Me—part 6

Lessons That Teaching Has Taught Me—part 6 

            Fix the weak links. Too often, a student will get a piece fairly well learned, except a few places that seem to trip them up repeatedly.  I call these the weak link passages or measures.  The song is a series of measures, linked together.  Most of them are beautiful, but the weak measures bring down the quality of the whole piece.  To fix these, students have to learn to practice well. They have to identify and fix the tough spots.  They have to stop repeating the easy parts over and over and over - and find solutions for fixing the parts they aren't so good at yet.  Most of us probably don't have to think very long to apply this to a few weak measures in our own otherwise disciplined lives, yes?

The author Sarah Wolf Frey is a 20 year veteran of applied music teaching.  In her words “There are some ‘lessons’ that have become more and more true to me about life in general...”  This series is used by permission of the author.

 

 

Though for the Day

Though for the Day

            When I was a boy, my mother worked as a nurse’s aide at the local Hospital in Fort Scott Kansas.   My older brother Nathan and my dad did the morning milking and fed the cattle.  I had several chores to do like feeding the chickens and preparing our breakfast etc.  These routine chores and responsibilities were very important in the development of a personal discipline in my life.  Later, when I went away to college it was easy to get up early, prepare my breakfast etc.  One of the most important things that parents can teach a youth is to regularly practice on their own.

Lessons That Teaching Has Taught Me—part 5

Lessons That Teaching Has Taught Me—part 5

                One time, when we were studying Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline in our Sunday school class, one honest guy said…"My life is a series of times of great relaxation followed by great panic."   I’ve heard people say…"I’m just not the schedule type.  I like to fly by the seat of my pants."  But I have been there, done that, and found my pants generally on fire.  Those who say they have no schedule -- but their pants aren’t on fire--probably have rhythm in their life they don’t even realize it. I, on the other hand, have had to work very hard at finding rhythm and pacing.  You don’t have to have an elaborate schedule, but finding rhythm and pacing ourselves leaves us with more margin in our lives to enjoy life and God and everything.  Find a few things to do consistently.  Develop a basic rhythm and structure to your life, and you will breathe easier.

The author Sarah Wolf Frey is a 20 year veteran of applied music teaching.  In her words “There are some ‘lessons’ that have become more and more true to me about life in general...”  This series is used by permission of the author.

 

Though for the Day

Though for the Day

A poor sense of rhythm is often the greatest musical problem that college applied voice an choir students have as they enter college.  Christian parents who work with their children in the early years when they are developing musical syntax are helping these children to succeed in later life.

 

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 4

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 4 

            An often much overlooked necessity is studying music seriously.  It is no joke that “knowing is doing”.  A Christian cannot teach what he or she does not know.  In our highly educated world today it is ludicrous for one to try to instruct others in how to music and how to develop a music philosophy without as much as knowing the names of the lines and spaces.  Being a music consumer does not qualify one to instruct others in music.

            Christians must consider the whole of music.  This includes a long broad study or music which includes both sacred and secular music.  Everyone should have knowledge of classical, folk, pop, jazz, rock, country and a host of other types of music in order to converse intelligently with the generations to follow us as pastors, parents, and church musicians.  Anything less than music literacy and a general understanding of the performance practice of these styles will dwarf our possibilities of reaching our young people with a logical, reasonable, explainable, discussible, and practical philosophy of music.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

I have often told my college classes, “If parents get their children involved in music lessons at an early age it will give children a sense of purpose and worth.  A sense of self-worth is essential to a child’s healthy psychological development.”

 

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 3

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 3

            All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.  II Timothy 3:16

            If the Bible is accurate and inspired, and it most certainly is, all of the six hundred plus Scriptures referring to music are profitable to us today. This truth is attested to in II Timothy 3:16.  The problem is gaining a knowledge how they are profitable.  They teach us generally about musicing and especially the doctrine of how to make music unto God.  It will help us to avoid unwise choices in both sacred and secular music by providing us with reproof, correction and instruction.  It is not only negative with definite reproofs and corrections, but also positive with its instructions in righteousness.  No pastor, parent, Christian music minister or music educator is properly equipped to pass on our Christian music values to the next generation without a thorough knowledge of Bible music.

 

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

            A cultural blind spot in music is not being aware of the import one’s own musical behavior and practices. Many Christian musicians so not seem to realize that we all have cultural and spiritual blind spots.  It is not as easy as it may seem for a musician to recognize just what these blind spots are.  They are very similar to spiritual blind spots.  If we knew what they are they would not be blind spots.  For his reason we all need a musical mentor who has a personal relationship with Christ and has had a long broad study of music. 

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 2

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 2 

Unwise choices in music and cultural blind spots in the fine arts should not be equated with a person’s relationship to Christ.  Parents should not make statements like, “If you ever really come to know the Lord, you would not even like that music”.  Knowledge of biblical principles concerning music choices and likes and dislikes of styles of music are acquired skills not instantaneous gifts of the Spirit to the born-again Christian.  Christian purity and maturity are not one in the same.  A Christian musician may make unwise choices concerning music ministry as well as secular music selections and still be honestly trying to bring his or her life under the Lordship of Christ.  It seems that we are much more able to accept the fact that a Christian has made some very unwise credit card decisions than we are able to accept unwise music decisions.

How should Christians catechize young people concerning music?  First of all pastors, parents, music ministers, and Christian music educators should study music in the Bible thoroughly.  Since there are over 600 references to music in the Bible, there is much to be gained from a study of Bible music.  Remember that II Timothy 3:16-18 reminds us that:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

 

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

What is the cause of a lack of communication about music between one generation and another?  Why do young people and their parents often experience a musical generation gap which is often brought about by differences in musical tastes, values, and outlook?

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 1

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 1 

 I have often mentioned in my writing that pastors, parents, and music educators have a responsibility to pass our music values on to the next generation.  This process of attempting to instill the conservative music values in the lives of our children is many times a painful and unsuccessful endeavor.  Although we have a responsibility to share our values with the next generation, we must be sure that we do the right thing in the right way.

It is one thing for pastors, parents, music ministers, and Christian music educators to have strong beliefs concerning music but the passing of the baton to the next generation must be a “civil” process.  Long heated discussions ending in anger and tears seldom get the job done successfully.  Name calling and equating a young person’s musical tastes with their relationship to Jesus Christ is most regrettable. 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

We as Christian musicians all know that Jesus can meet all of our needs, but sometimes we find it much more difficult to believe that He will!

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised

Thou wilt all our burdens bear;

May we ever, Lord, be bringing

All to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright, unclouded,

There will be no need for prayer—

Rapture, praise, and endless worship

Will be our sweet portion there.

            There is no doubt it Jesus is the Christian musician’s dearest friend.  It is amazing that sometimes we forfeit the peace that comes when we take “everything to God in prayer”.  Our heavenly Father has mad provision for our every need to be met and this is made possible through prayer.  If you are “Cumbered with a load of care” today why not take your small and great problems to the out sure refuge. The last verse reminds us that, “Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear; May we ever, Lord, be bringing All to Thee in earnest prayer.”

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Many years ago my pastor R.E. Carroll told us, “serving Jesus Christ is not always hippity-hop over the top”.  Learning to execute a quality musical performance will definitely be laden with many “minor moments” of practice.  However, teaching children and young people to stay with it until they have overcome and perfected the music, also has, in the end, its “picardy 3^rd” ending.  GLW

 

Balance between Perfection & “Inspiration”—part 4

Balance between Perfection & “Inspiration”—part 4 

The Picardy 3^rd chord is awesome.     Simply put, the Picardy 3rd chord is a major chord (happy sound) at the end of a minor song (melancholy sound).  

Definition: .A Picardy third a major third in the final tonic chord of a composition written in a minor key.

Lesson learned?  Sometimes life is tough - really tough.  But it will be okay in the end.  God will take those minor chords and progress them perfectly into his Major plan.  Sometimes we just need to hold on for the Picardy 3rd.

The author Sarah Wolf Frey is my daughter who is a 20 year veteran of applied music teaching.  In her words “There are some ‘lessons’ that have become more and more true to me about life in general...”  This series is used by permission of the author.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

When I started my first job as a janitor at Mid America Business Forms when I was in college, one of my first tasks was to help the senior custodian to mop and wax the tile floors in the offices.  He observed my struggle with the mop for a while then he said, “Son you got to work the mop instead of lettin’ it work you.”  What he did next has stayed with me all these years.  He took my mop and began to let it glide over the tile floor.  He didn’t just tell me to work the mop—he showed me how to mop!  GLW

 

 

Balance between Perfection & “Inspiration”—part 3

Balance between Perfection & “Inspiration”—part 3 

            Life should be lived for pleasure.  Before you label me as a hedonist, hear me out on this one.  One of my all-time favorite musical terms is a piacere - meaning" at your own pleasure."

Definition: The Italian musical phrase a piacere indicates that some aspects of a song – such as tempo or dynamics – may be decided by the performer; lit. “to your pleasure/at will.” To your liking.

God Created this whole, gorgeous planet for His holy pleasure.  And He wants us also to work and create for our own pleasure - and for His! 

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. ~ Revelation 4:11 

So many times, it is easy to get so busy playing the notes that we forget to let the music really sing.  It has to have time to breathe in order to really be music.  One of my broken record statements is lessons is:  "Don’t let the music play you!  YOU play the music!!"  We must be purposeful in slowing down….We are so busy serving and obeying God, we miss much of Himself.

The author Sarah Wolf Frey is my daughter who is a 20 year veteran of applied music teaching.  In her words “There are some ‘lessons’ that have become more and more true to me about life in general...”  This series is used by permission of the author.

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

I am often puzzled at parents who are easily frustrated when their children struggle with musical concepts, but rush to their children’s aid when they stumble and fall on the stairs.  Abraham Lincoln had many political failures before he became president of the United States.  Children are going to play out of tune before thy play in tune.  They will play wrong notes before they play the right notes.  It is the responsibility of parents and music teachers to exhibit much patience with them when they practice.  GLW

Thank you for a Great Month of February

Thank you for a Great Month of February   

            This month was the 38^th month of my blog which contained devotional and philosophical thoughts for Christian musicians. I have written over 2,350 posts since this blog was started. There have been several times this year when I have experienced a certain amount of writer’s burnout.  However, I am praying that my posts in 2016 will stimulate both the regular and new blog members to remain faithful to their musical Ministeries. It is my continued prayer that each new post will bring honor to our heavenly Father in 2016.  My posts in the month of January were a mixture of philosophical and devotional topics.    

       Since we began on January 2 of 2013 we have received a total of over 66,000 page views with over 900 views in February which is about 300 fewer than we had in January of 2016.  Since I started this blog the page views have come from 110 different countries. 

            These views have come from Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Argentina, Armenia, Angola,  Aruba, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Colombia, Congo [DRC], Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong,  Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland (Republic of),  Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,  Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands (Antilles) New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru. Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Porto Rico, Qatar, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Turks & Caicos Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, USA and Zimbabwe. We would like to welcome Angola to our blog family.

             The ten countries with the most page views in June were: USA, Germany, France, China, Portugal, Ukraine, Romania, Indonesia, Brazil and Poland.

          If you are from a country that has had page views in the past 38 months and has been omitted from the 110 countries listed above, please email me your country’s name.  Please continue to pray with me that God will allow this Music Philosophy Blog to continue to go places where I will never have the opportunity to minister musically in person. Please pray for me, as I have mentioned before, I am in the process of writing a general music philosophy book and a devotional book for musicians. My philosophy book is now in the hands of the content editor. I would like to report that while I was in Ireland the editor and I were able to make some progress on the devotional book.

        I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to view my music philosophy blog during the month of January and a special thanks is in order to those countries that faithfully view this blog month after month.  Please continue to pray that God will guide each post and allow it to reach those who need encouragement to keep ministering for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  

The main reason that I started this Music Philosophy blog is that, although there is much music philosophy information on the net, not very much of it is from a biblical perspective.  Please share the blog address with your friends.   If you have an area of music or fine arts philosophy that troubles you, please feel free to let me know and I will include it in our discussions.  My email address is Garenlwolf@gmail.com.