Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 2

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 2

          God’s ways are higher than the ways of the world.  We, as Christian musicians, should notice that the world sells everything from food to liquor with sex.  The world uses man’s depraved nature and man’s natural sexual appetite for that matter, to present a multiplicity of products.  Why can’t Christians take advantage of man’s depraved nature and his natural sexual appetite for that matter to present the good news of the gospel?  The reason is that as Galatians 5:17 states, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

           The Galatian writer makes it very clear that the flesh and the sprit are contrary one to the other when verse seventeen tells us that the flesh lusts against the spirit.  The Bible teaches that the flesh and the spirit are not compatible.  It is a mystery to me that so many Christian musicians are determined to try to work them side by side as a team.  Placing the flesh and the spirit side by side is like placing a lion and a lamb in the same harness.  If one does, there is no doubt about it; the lion will eat the lamb.

          There is another reason that Christian musicians should not sell sacred things with sex.  It is deceitful to get people’s attention with sexual innuendoes and then hit them with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 1

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 1

          What many Christian musicians have forgotten is that direction determines destiny.  If you start west on I 70 from Indianapolis, you will not arrive in Columbus, Ohio, no matter how much you desire to go east to Columbus, Ohio.  Getting a crowd’s attention by emphasizing the flesh will by no means draw them to Christ.  If a performer maximizes the physical, by doing so he or she minimizes the spiritual.  If a performer sings religious music and at the same time draws attention to the flesh, he or she will get a message across to the audience, but this message will not be good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The reason one cannot successfully sell sacred things with the sensual is that the Bible states in Galatians 6:6-9 that it just won’t work.

          Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Thought for the Day

Certainly Christian Musicians should have discernment when it comes to musing unto God. However, a Christian musician’s perceived understandings of the proper way to music unto God should be firmly grounded in Bible principles of music and musicing.  Although the Bible is not an exhaustive source of musical truth, what it does teach is “true truth”. 

Review of Tim Fisher’s The Battle for Christian Music

Review of Tim Fisher’s The Battle for Christian Music

               This book is an excellent discussion about Christian music.  Although his work has been wrongly accused of being biased eisegesis, this accusation was made without scholarly basis.   The main argument presented has been that Fisher considers classical music to be God honoring and that such an argument is unfounded since such music was completely “completely foreign” to the Old and New Testament eras. Although musicologists are aware that classical music was not yet developed in ancient Israel, recent deciphering of the te’amim above and below the Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the entire OT have proven that the six and seven note diatonic scale did exist.  Furthermore, the deciphering of the ancient Hurrian song found in the ruins of Ugarit has been deciphered by Dr. Anne Kilmer et.al. has revealed a seven note diatonic scale with half steps between 3^rd and 4th and 7^th and 8^th degrees of the scale. This music also had a harmony part and a sound quite like what we have in our hymn books. So, perhaps Fisher’s accusers, being unaware of current scholarship, are incorrect in considering Fischer’s eisegesis in his book. 

          Every author writes from some philosophical viewpoint and from personal music perspective and preference. After all this is Fishers work so one should expect his work to be written from a personal perspective. I suggest that you give Fisher’s The Battle for Christian music a fair read rather than taking his accuser’s word as an excuse to ignore this excellent presentation.

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

        During the Christmas season church choirs perform the most loved and most performed Oratorio ever composed by any composer anywhere in the world in all the combined history of Western Music. It is not merely a series of scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, but rather it is an account of the plan of redemption fulfilled through our Savior Jesus Christ the Messiah i.e. “the anointed one,” “the chosen one”, or “Redeemer”.

        From the scholarly information that we have, Handel did not put the texts together.  Rather it was put together by an Englishman whose name was Charles Jennens.  I Messiah was composed in1741 in 24 days and was first performed on 13 April of that year in Dublin’s Musick Hall .  Contrary to popular myth, it was not composed as church music and was not performed first by Handel in a church but rather in a theatre for charitable purposes.  It was first performed in Dublin Ireland and Handel was the director. 

        One of the times that my wife and I visited Dublin, we visited one of the two cathedrals whose choir was involved in the early performances at the theatre in Dublin.  While we were there, I saw an old pipe organ console--there was a sign on it which read, “Handel played this organ”. 

        It is an honor to be involved in the performance of this great oratorio.  Handel painted the pictures of the Redeemer accurately.  If you are involved in a performance of this oratorio, make sure that you take time to take note of these beautiful musical pictures.  Do not get so involved in notes and rhythms and harmonies that you miss the message of our Redeemer who came to this earth and took on the form of a servant, suffered, died, and rose again victorious over death, hell, and the grave.

What Have You Promised God for 2019?

What Have You Promised God for 2019?

Psalm 61:8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

                Biblical scholars differ in their understanding of the Hebrew word shalam (7999).  Opinions include perform, fulfill, render, restore, peace, finish, pay, etc.  The context of each Hebrew thought caused the various exegetes to use the various English words.

                In the context of verse 8, which is a musical discourse, I believe that it was just to render shalam as perform.  You see that is what Christian musicians do.  They perform music!  Perform is not a word with negative connotations.  How Christians perform is what matters not merely that they perform, fulfill, or render their music unto God.  Any sinner can crank out a religious song.

                David performed his vows unto God by singing praise unto Elohiym (430) the supreme God.  This musician performed his vows unto God every day.  Every day David performed “unto thy name” as he praised the supreme God through musicing unto the plurality of Deity.  God’s creation (music) provided David the means of grace necessary to worship God.

                Christian musician have you made any vows unto God for this next year?  Have you promised God that you will give Him back all of the musical talent that he has given you to the best of your ability in 2019?  Will you endeavor to keep your promises to God by performing music unto God every opportunity that you are given in 2019?

Wise Men Came to Worship Christ

Wise Men Came to Worship Christ 

Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born on Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

       We do not know when the kings came to Jerusalem, or when they appeared at Joseph and Mary’s home.  It is generally believed that it was about a year after Christ’s birth.  There is much conjecture about just who these Eastern Magi were.  Many believe that they were astrologers and or philosophers.  There is some possibility that they were Jews of mixed descent who lived in distant lands and were knowledgeable of the Messianic prophesies in the Jewish Scrolls.  If so, then they would have believed that the time of Christ’s coming was at hand.

       Since they followed Christ’s star, there possible were astrologers among them –and thus the statement “We have followed his star”.  However, the thing that really mattered was that they traveled all those miles to worship Christ.  They believed that he was the “king” so they diligently sought after Him.  They believed that they would indeed find the Christ child.  Even more importantly it sees that they believed that He was the Messiah and that He was worthy of their worship.

       Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation." 

      Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born on Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” We do not know when the kings came to Jerusalem, or when they appeared at Joseph and Mary’s home.  It is generally believed that it was about a year after Christ’s birth.  There is much conjecture about just who these Eastern Magi were.  Many believe that they were astrologers and or philosophers.  There is some possibility that they were Jews of mixed descent who lived in distant lands and were knowledgeable of the Messianic prophesies in the Jewish Scrolls.  If so, then they would have believed that the time of Christ’s coming was at hand.   

       Since they followed Christ’s star, there possible were astrologers among them –and thus the statement “We have followed his star”.  However, the thing that really mattered was that they traveled all those miles to worship Christ.  They believed that he was the “king” so they diligently sought after Him.  They believed that they would indeed find the Christ child.  Even more importantly it sees that they believed that He was the Messiah and that He was worthy of their worship.     

       Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation

Prayer for the Day

I want to thank You Lord for being the living Christ.  Thank You for being the God who “is” and not merely one who “was”.   Thank you for making it possible for a Kansas farmer like me to come to a saving and sanctifying knowledge of You.  Thank you that You suffered without the gate to sanctify your people (Hebrews 13:12).  Thank You for Your great love and sacrifice in coming to dwell on earth and to dwell in my heart.  Amen.

Song of the Day “We Three Kings” by John H. Hopkins

Thought for the Day--Although many of my generation believe that seeking after Christ is a waste of time since they do not believe that He is truly God, I want to go on record as one “Baby Boomer” that is a seeker after Christ.

No Room for Jesus

No Room for Jesus

St. Luke2:7 states, And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

       Can you imagine that there was actually no room for the Son of God in the inn in Bethlehem?  Many times we as musicians have a hard time understanding why bad things happen to good people.  Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus were certainly good people.  Why did God the Father let Jesus, His only begotten son, be born in a cattle shelter which was perhaps a cave?  From our very finite understanding it would seem that there could have been at least a tiny room that no one was using.  However God the Father let His only son be born in obscurity and humility.  On this blessed day of days, we should remember that, regardless of our circumstances, most of us were not born in a place of humility like Jesus.

       Jesus didn’t let his surroundings and his humble birth ever affect His ministry.  Likewise, His earthly parents did not let the humility of the circumstances of Christ’s birth affect their vision of who Jesus was and their role in the accomplishment of the will of God.  Thank God for Mary and Joseph who did not let their situation deter them from obeying God that wonderful night long ago in Bethlehem.    

Prayer, Song, and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day

Lord, I want to tell You that I love and trust You right now on December 24th.  I know that You will never fail me or lead me astray.  Give me the courage and strength to keep on my journey of musicing for You.  I believe that You have placed me exactly where I am “for such a time as this”.  Please guide my musical ministry and help me to reach out to Your strong arms for protection.  Please guide me through the journey of life no matter where You lead me.  Lord, like Joseph I am willing to publically go on record that I trust your will and your path for me for the rest of my life.  I love You Lord.  Please help me to keep ministering musically for Your Glory. These things I bring to You because are worthy of all my feeble trust.  Amen.

Song for the Day “O Little Town of Bethlehem” by Phillips Brooks.

Thought for the Day--It is one thing to say that we trust God with the “Journey” but it is another thing to start walking!

The Long Journey to Bethlehem

The Long Journey to Bethlehem

          Luke 2:4-5 states, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”       The long trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem by Joseph and Mary was a journey of faith.  Caesar Augustus had decreed that all the people should be registered or “taxed”.  Joseph’s journey with Mary was not merely an act of obedience to Caesar Augustus, but also to God.  As we discussed yesterday, the angel had assured Joseph that he should not be afraid to accept Mary as his espoused wife.

       Now Mary and Joseph are on their journey toward Bethlehem the day before the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Joseph is not ashamed of Mary because he trusts he trusts God.  He is willing to sign the tax register and publically accept Mary as his espoused wife—going on record for all eternity that he trusts and believes God.

       On this the day before Christmas are you among the Christian musicians that trust God?  Are you willing to trust God with your life, your career, your future, and your music ministry?  Trust comes with implicit faith in god that He will guide you and protect you for the rest of your life.  Joseph’s implicit faith that the angel of God had told him the truth enabled him to take the long journey of faith to Bethlehem that day.  It will be by faith alone that you will enter the New Year knowing in your heart that God is saying to you “be not afraid”.

Prayer, Song, and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day

Lord, I thank You for Your faithfulness to me during this busy, busy season.  Thank You for helping me to feed your people with my little musical lunch.  Lord, it may have been small, but I gave it all to You.  Help me to remember that it was my responsibility to give 100%, and it was Your pleasure to feed the hungry people with my meager lunch.  Help me to keep believing your Word that encourages me that I am doing the will of the Father.  These things I am praying in your name.  Amen.

Song for the Day “O Come All Ye Faithful” Latin Hymn

Thought for the Day--Can God trust you like he did with Joseph to make right decisions? 

Joseph Was Truly Blessed

Joseph Was Truly Blessed

St Matthew 1:20 states, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

       Joseph was in terrible mental anguish.  If he put Mary away publically, the Jews would probably stone her to death.  So, he was contemplating putting her away privately.  He certainly needed to hear from God.  So, God sent his angel to assure Joseph that God was going to take care of Mary and himself. 

       Did you ever think of what would have happened if Joseph had failed God at this crucial time in the history of mankind?  What would have happened to Mary?   What would have happened to the baby Jesus who was not yet born of the Virgin Mary?  It is easy for us to postulate that God would not have let anything happen to the Baby Jesus, but it took the obedience of both Mary and Joseph for God to complete His perfect will.  If Joseph had not had a choice, I do not believe that his choice would have been recorded in the Holy Writ.

       Compared to Joseph’s choice, many of our choices in life seem somewhat insignificant.  At this time of Christmas, it behooves all Christian musicians to remember that our choices, no matter how small they seem, do matter.  If God could trust Joseph to make the right choice, surely He will help us to make right choices during this Christmas season.  Joseph was truly blessed because God could trust him to make the right decision.

       I know from experience that it is about this time in December that musicians go into depression.  We wish that our Christmas presentations would have been performed more accurately.  We can think of a thousand and one things that we could have done more efficiently.  However the Presentations are over and we are left with the “Christmas program blues”.  Look up! I believe God’s angel is saying to you “do not be afraid.  God has accepted your musical offering.”  It isn’t the grandness of our musical offerings that matter but it is the fact that we have given Him the best offering that we were capable of giving and that we offered it as an offering “in righteousness”.

Song, Thought, and Prayer for the Day

Song for the Day “Good Christian me Rejoice”  Latin Carol, 16th Century, translated by John Neale

Thought for the Day--Mary was truly blessed above all women to be chosen to bear the Christ Child.  She was blessed because God knew that she would be obedient to the will of God.  She was also blessed because she was obedient to God’s will.

Prayer for the Day 

I want to thank you Lord for placing all those music ministers out there in your kingdom to minister musically to those who experience the musicing of my choir and orchestra this Christmas.  May the words, melodies, and harmonies, that they produce bring honor to your matchless name.  Lord, help all those who are out there musicing for You this Christmas season to not become weary in well doing.  Help us all to be faithful to the task of telling the good news of Christ’s coming to those who attend worship services and sacred music productions this Christmas.  These things I am praying in your name.  Amen.       

Mary Was Truly Blessed

Mary Was Truly Blessed 

St Luke 1:28 states, “And the angel came unto her, and said, hail, thou art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

       Yesterday we talked about God preparing the way for Jesus’ coming by a man who was not afraid to proclaim the message of Christ.  Today we are going to consider the Virgin Mary who was not afraid to obey the angel of God who came to give her the assurance that the Lord was going to be with her and had chosen her to help prepare the way of Christ to bring salvation to sinful men and women in this sin cursed world.  What would have happened if she had been afraid to obey God?  God had planned that she should be blessed above all women.  However, she had to be obedient to the will of God in order to help fulfill the promise of god to all people.  The fulfillment of the gift of God through Christ Jesus was contingent on her obedience to God’s mysterious and wonderful plan.

       Chief musician you have been chosen to once again tell the wonderful story of Christ’s coming to earth to save sinful men and women.  Only eternity will reveal how important your obedience is to God’s strategic plan for bringing hope and salvation to post-modern and post post-modern men  and women who hear you and those who music with you during  this season.

Prayer, Song and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day

Lord, I want to thank You for sending John the Baptist to help prepare the way for the coming of Christ.  I want to thank you that you always seek out faithful men and women who are filled with the Holy spirit to proclaim your messenger.  Please help me as a Christian musician to minister with a passion that is only possible by the filling and power of the Holy Spirit.  Lord please fill with the dunamis of the Spirit today and throughout this Christmas season.  Please endue me with power so that I may seek out my “high mountain’ and proclaim the good news of your coming to earth to save sinful men and women in the twenty-first century.  These things I pray in confidence this morning.  Amen.

Song for the Day “Go tell it on the Mountain” by John W. Work Jr.

Thought for the Day--When a Christian musician comes to the philosophical understanding that God, in his great wisdom, has chosen to use holy men and women to music his message to a lost world, life and one’s musical ministry takes on much more significance and meaning.

God Uses Holy Men and Women at Christmas

God Uses Holy Men and Women at Christmas  

Malachi 3:1 states, “Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”

       Have you ever thought about the fact that God used a man to help prepare the way for His Son’s coming to dwell with us?  Why would god need john the Baptist to help prepare the people for Christ’s coming?  John was “the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Luke 3:4).  His message was, “there cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.  I indeed baptize you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (St Mark 1:7-8).  The prophet Malachi stated, “He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer an offering in righteousness (Malachi #:2-4).

       If we as Christian musicians have any hope of offering the lord musical offerings in “righteousness”, we must have our hearts purified by the cleansing baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is coming again and we as Christian musicians are called to help prepare this world to be ready spiritually for His coming.  God has, in his great wisdom, chosen us to go to a high mountain and tell the good news of Christ’s coming to save sinful men and women. It is the Christmas season any we will have the opportunity of give God a musical offering in righteousness and at the time minister to some folks that we may not see again until Easter Sunday morning.  We need to make sure that we are filled with God’s Spirit as we minister musically during this Christmas season.

Astrologers on a Journey of Faith

Astrologers on a Journey of Faith

Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?  for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

       These astrologers who were kings came from the east to worship Christ.  Before Christ was born in Bethlehem, these Gentile kings started their very long journey from the east.  They weren’t Jews, but somehow they knew about the ancient scrolls that contained prophesies of the birth of a Jewish king.  Somehow they must have read the Isaiah scroll that stated, “Arise shine for thy light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.  And the Gentiles shall come to the light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Isaiah 60:1-3).

       These Eastern kings understood the meaning of this passage from the Isaiah scroll in with a different understanding based upon their knowledge of the study of the stars.  Somehow when Christ’s star appeared in the heavens at night it sparked faith in them to seek out the Christ child and worship Him.

       If God can who spoke worlds into existence can call Gentile kings from the east to come to worship Christ, He can cause those in the community around your church to come to your Christmas presentation.  He can make it possible for them to hear the clear message that Christ came to earth to save sinful men and women from their sins.  Chief musician do not get discouraged.  It is your job to preach Christ crucified with your Christmas presentation and it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict men and women of their sin.  So, go tell it on the mountain top.  Tell them that Christ was born to forgive them of their sins.   You must take courage because you have a great job to do this Christmas season.

Prayer, Song and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day 

I thank you Lord for sending the wise men to seek and worship You long ago.  Help me to be a wise man and seek you today and throughout this Christmas season.  Help me to truly worship you during this Christmas season.  May I never lose the wonder of your journey to earth to save my soul from the fires of hell.  Thank you that you came all the way from heaven to find me and give me life everlasting.  These things I pray.  Amen.  

Song for the Day “Wonderful Story of Love” by J.M. Driver 

Thought for the Day--It is no joke that wise men still seek Christ.  Are you a seeker after God?

God Really Is with Us

God Really Is with Us

 Isaiah 7:14 states, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and thou shall call his name Immanuel.”

       St. Matthew 1:23 quotes Isaiah’s prophesy and further explains that Emmanuel means “God with us”.  To a people long ago who were in great darkness, God promised to send His son to be with us!  It was a long time after Isaiah’s prophesy before Christ was born, but god always keeps His promises.

       Christian musician be sure to remind everyone who takes part in your Christmas musical ministry that Christ’s coming to earth in space and time was a fulfillment of God’s promise to mankind that God really would come to earth to dwell with us.  Although you, as a music minister, may believe that all those who minister musically with you know all about the story of Christ’s coming to earth—tell them again! 

       I get blessed just thinking about the fact that God was and is with us.  We are not alone on this earth.  We may not be able to see Him, but we can experience His presence very, very near us at this time of Christmas.  Christ came to abide with us—not just visit us.  He came to tabernacle with his children.  Be sure to invite all who minister with you to experience Christ in a special way as they music unto Him.   That will make their musicing real and very special this Christmas season.

Thought and Scripture for the Day  

We should take advantage of this Christmas season to thank our heavenly Father for the plan of salvation.  We should not forget to be thankful that, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”

Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

God’s Clock Does Keep Perfect Time

God’s Clock Does Keep Perfect Time

       For centuries the world had needed a Savior.  Surely the people were in darkness and sin.  In these dark times God the father sent His only son to come to earth that were under the law.  God knew that the wages of sin is eternal death, but God also knew that only the giving of His son Jesus could bring eternal life to this sin cursed world.  All those who loved and served Jehovah that lived during Old Testament times looked forward to the coming of the Messiah.  They must have wondered why they were left without the promised Emanuel. 

       I cannot imagine what it would have been like to have been born during those dark times.  It is amazing to me that many of the Jewish church leaders, who knew the prophesies about the coming of Christ, were not looking for a Savior who would be born in obscurity, humility, and poverty in a stable in the little town of Bethlehem.

       But when God’s clock said that it was the right time, He sent His son to this earth so that we would be able to receive remission of sins and be adopted into the family of God.  Although we do not understand why the time was right for our Savior to be born, we know that he did come and that He came to save us from sin.  Praise God that His clock does keep perfect time.  Because it does, we are the benefactors of this great salvation.

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 6

     Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 6

          How is it possible to worship in the manner that John 4:24 teaches, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” when a post postmodern musician denies, or perhaps more accurately, dismisses the fact that the Bible teaches true truth about music and musicing?   John 4:24 states, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”  It appears that millennials have been caught up caught up in the enthusiasm of pneuma (4151) and have neglected aletheia (225).  A Christian musician is bound by the true truth that he or she is bound to conform all musicing to the verity of what God’s word teaches.

          1Corinthians 14:15 gives Christian musicians true truth about musicing unto
God when it asks the vital question, “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”  This Scripture gives two true truths about musicing.  The first truth is spirit (pneuma 4151) which teaches the truth that Christian musicians must have the guidance and anointing of the blessed Holy Spirit on their musicing.  This Bible principle of musicing infers a little musician who has a big God to guide and guard his or her musicing.  The second truth taught in this verse is truth (nous 3563) which teaches that the Christian musician must music unto God with the intellect, meaning and understanding.  All of these implications of what nous means connote that the Bible principle of musicing that there is true truth concerning how one musics unto God. (See My New Book—Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective pub. 2018)

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 5

      Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 5

          You may wonder how this new epistemology will play out in these millennials music philosophy and music praxis.  They will consider religious musicing as an event rather than an opportunity humbly come into God’s presence with singing and musicing.  The concept of the Chief musician musicing has morphed into a musician who is chief of his religious musicing.  The Bible principle of a skilled musician worshiping YHVH in the spirit of sharath (8334) i.e. one who worships in the spirit of a menial, has been lost in the plethora of confusion that now surrounds public worship.

          It appears that these post postmodern millennials do not resist worshiping the Creator of music, but they have been filled so full of religious musical humanism that the creature i.e. the created thing which is music gets lost in the fog of personal aggrandizement.  They have been mentored by Christian and secular musicians who believe that all musicing begins and ends with self.  They have ben mentored by those who believe that the highest goal of a musician is to develop his or her talents and display these talents before an audience—in this case a congregation of believers and seekers that many times are not knowledgeable of what they are worshiping.  The Bible In Basic English translates John 4:22A, “You give worship, but without knowledge of what you are worshipping…”  Such is the case of music ministers who are post postmoderns who have been lost in the trappings that now surround worship. (See My New Book—Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective pub. 2018)

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 4

     Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 4

          It is no surprise to me that secular music philosophers almost always exclude what the Bible teaches as viable information for a young musician to use in building a music philosophy.  Music philosophers are now acknowledging that postmodernism is no longer in vogue as a thought basis for building a philosophy.  I agree that postmodernism is “dead” and that millennials are looking beyond postmodernism for philosophical basis.  I call this new look at philosophy post postmodernism.  

          An understanding of postmodernism is important because this philosophical viewpoint has not considered what the Bible teaches about the nature and value music and musicing in the process of establishing a philosophical truth basis.  Remember that modernists considered that the Bible contains both truth and error so their truth basis was flawed.  Post postmodernism is experiencing further philosophical mutations in epistemology.  Therefore, it is not completely clear what truth basis, if any, they will espouse.  Since millennials are growing up with parents who do not consider Bible truths as the supreme authority, or to have any authority over their truth basis, these young musicians will most likely not be consider what the Bible teaches as a part of the establishment of this new epistemology.  (See My New Book—Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective pub. 2018)

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 3

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 3

            Some of my work in Church Music Matters may be utilized by an elementary music specialist who is teaching in a Christian school, but since it was largely a church music philosophy in Christian perspective, there were important aspects of the nature and value of teaching music and musicing that were not discussed.  Thus, I became aware of the need for a text that would be highly relevant to Christian music education philosophy

          Both Church Music Matters and my new book published in 2018 Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective will be useful to guide Bible College music majors who will teach music in Christian schools, and pastors who are or will be in charge of Christian schools in the development of a Bible based music education philosophy.   Hopefully, some Bible College music majors will eventually teach music in Bible colleges and Christian Universities.  It is my wish that these two companion philosophy books will serve as College music philosophy texts.

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 2

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 2

           So, somewhat reluctantly I began to gather material about music and musicing that considered current concerns of music philosophy.  It wasn’t very long until the outline for the book seemed to fall into place and my excitement with how to deal with these philosophical concerns began to build.  My burden was to consider the various concerns which secular music philosophers were writing about, and discuss them from a Christian perspective.  The reason I decided to discuss these issues and concerns of music philosophy from a Christian perspective was that, are almost universally they are not considered from a “faith basis” and most certainly not from a Bible basis.  Thus philosophical material was gathered that formed my new book Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective which is forthcoming later this year.

          The few Bible quotes or paraphrases given in scattered secular music philosophy books have, most of the time, not been specific enough to make them worth quoting.  Certainly, they have not, for the most part, considered what the Bible teaches about music and musicing to be authoritative truth, or what Francis Schafer has called “true truth” and what I term “true musical truth”.  Almost without exception secular music philosophers in the last 20^th century and now in this century have not considered what the Bible teaches to be an accurate source of information on which one could build a music philosophy. 

          Another concern that I have had for some time is that there is next to nothing published that will assist Bible college music majors and Christian music educators in developing a Bible based music education philosophy.  Christian musicians often not only think different things about music philosophy than secular music philosophers who do not love and serve Our Savior Jesus Christ, but they but also think differently about the nature and value of music education.  (See My New Book—Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective pub. 2018)

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 1

Developing a Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective—part 1

          Donald Hodges recently stated in his Book A Concise Survey of Music Philosophy, “Most Philosophy books omit the topic of religion.”(p, 17)   I have found his observation to be true over the half century since 1067 that I have seriously studied Music in the Bible and music philosophy.  After I wrote Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective in 1995, I realized even more fully that there was little written material on the subject of a Biblically based music philosophy.  I decided that my next writing task should be a church music book that would consider music philosophy for churches in this century.  So, I set about to prepare Church Music Matters, A Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective which was published in 2005. 

          I thought that this project would probably be my “Swan Song” since I was nearing retirement from Bible College music administration, classroom teaching, and choral and instrumental conducting.  However, after retirement I could not get away from the awesome reality that I had not covered several of the major issues of music philosophy that secular music philosophy books were and are considering.   Also, I had not specifically prepared material that directly concerned music education philosophy.  So the task before me began to take form. (See My New Book—Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective pub. 2018)

Will God protect His Musicians?

Will God protect His Musicians?  

       I Samuel 24, “and it came to pass, when Saul was returned from the Philistines, that it was told him saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.”  In the 27th Psalm “…David said in his heart, I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul…”  In a time of trouble David became convinced that Saul was going to succeed in his quest to kill him.  So, what did David do?  He went down to Gath in the Land of the Philistines. David made friends with King Lachish and lived in Ziklag because he did not trust God.  The result was that Ziklag was burned to the ground and their wives and children were kidnapped while David was out fighting for king Lachish. 

       If we are not careful we, as God’s ministers of music, will decide that someone is going to get us.  Like David, we will decide to give up and go live with the “Philistines”.  We will forget that God was able to protect David and He is also able to take care of us at our post of ministry.  God is able to even protect us from a wicked church boss.       Musician, look up, God is abundantly able to keep and protect you right where you are.  Hebrews 13:5b reminds us, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”  He can and will take care of you out there in “Smirgly Junction” where it seems like there is no one to help you.

       David went to Ziklag; Jonah ran from God’s call to Nineveh and got eaten by a big fish.  David thought and Jonah thought and it got them in trouble.  Quit thinking and start trusting.  If you have to think, think about God’s might, power, great love, and ability to keep and protect you. 

Prayer for the Day 

      I want to thank you LORD that many of my troubles do not come to “stay” but rather they merely “come to pass”.  LORD, forgive me for not trusting you.  You are big enough and wise enough to take care of my situation right now.  LORD please help me to trust you more.  You are able to keep the enemy of my soul from overcoming me.  Help me to be faithful exactly where you have placed me to minister musically to others.  This is my earnest prayer.  Amen. 

Song for the Day God Will Take Care of You  by Civilla D. Martin

Thought for the Day--If you are a Christian musician who is always developing a conspiracy theory, you will find that your physical and spiritual energy will be drained most of the time. 

Righteous is the Main Thing

           Righteous is the Main Thing

          Proverbs28:5 -6, “Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.  Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.”  It is a strange thought to some Christian musicians that wicked men and women do not understand God’s judgment.  Because God does not exact judgment at the end of each day, some musicians are duped by Satan into believing that sinners have it better in this life than Christians. 

          God’s Word attests to the fact that it is better to be righteous and poor than to be rich and perverse.  The reader should remember that I did not make this comparison but rather it was the inspired Word of God.  Rich people do not have to be perverse, but riches can buy many opportunities to experience perversion.  The Christian musician that does not possess much of this world’s goods should be advised of two things.  First, the righteous should concentrate on being righteous and second, should not fret over those who are perverse and also possibly rich.  The Christians responsibility is to walk carefully before God and his or her fellow man.  God will bring judgment on the wicked whether or not they understand that He will. 

Quote for the Day

 1Timothy 6:5-6 “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  But godliness with contentment is great gain.”  Remember to concentrate on being content every day.  That is the only way that you can keep the main thing the main thing.

Prayer and Thought for the Day

My precious Lord I want my life, my heart, and my actions to be pleasing in Your sight.  Help me to always be a good and faithful musical servant.  I know that it is not my might or power or worldly wisdom that my life will be pleasing unto You.  Help me to have the wisdom to ask You for Your wisdom.  Help me throughout this year to seek your will for my daily walk. Help me to concentrate on being righteous.  This I am asking in Your wise and wonderful name.  Amen.

Traditional Church Music—part 2

Traditional Church Music—part 2 

          Yesterday we considered traditional church music and its use in public worship.  Although traditional church music may at times be fraught with problems—so are many other styles of music that are now being used in public worship.  As nervous church leaders who are deeply involved in leader-shift are sweeping the worship service clean of those things like solid oak pulpits, grand pianos, organs, church steeples etc. all traditional church music is most often added to the pile.

          Many church musicians consider all traditional forms of church music to be the culprit responsible for all or most of the church’s problems.  Writers who are conservative are often accused of making sweeping generalities about current problems of music styles that are now being used in public worship. However, the removal of hymns, gospel hymns, gospel songs because they are no longer useful is a much more egregious sweeping generality.  So, every genre of music used as a concomitant to the good news of the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ must be individually evaluated as to its usefulness in the context of worship.

Traditional Church Music—part 1

Traditional Church Music—part 1

          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.  The word paradosis (3862) which was translated traditions is derived from paradidomi 3860 which means to instruct or transmit.  So, St. Paul was admonishing the Christians at Thessalonica to stand fast in these truths which had been transmitted to them.

          Traditional church music is harmful when it takes the focus off of the main things i.e. the “weightier matters” (Cardinal doctrines) found in the Bible or when it is partnered with confusing or incorrect doctrine.  Matthew 23:23, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, 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 capable of being banal music or an inadequate vehicle or the transmission of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To my Faithful Blog Readers

To my Faithful Blog Readers

          Some of my faithful readers have for many months read my thoughts on music. As I have said before, it is my desire that you now have greater insights into the Scriptures concerning music in the Bible.  Church musicians are not usually language scholars and, on the contrary, they have general tendency to avoid original language study concerning Bible music.

          All too many musicians' libraries consist of a host of volumes on music history, theory, literature, a few volumes of hymn stories, and their favorite hypnology text without a single concordance or lexicon to study the original Bible languages.  I hope that your word study appetite has been stimulated until you will at least invest in the standard works that are now keyed to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.

          As we are now more than half way through the second decade of this twenty-first century, every Christian musician needs to not only be prepared spiritually and musically, but also have a deep understanding of the significance of music in the Bible.  It is important that musicians be able to understand the music of the Bible in Christian perspective.  I Corinthians 2:12-13 states, "Now ye have received, not of the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that ye might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

          No music blog will be able to completely guide church musicians in the twenty-first century.  Only an understanding of what the Book of Books has to say about sacred music will serve as a guide for Christian musicians of the next century.  If my blog has stimulated you to study music in the Book of Books, the many hours that it has taken to prepare these posts have been well spent.

                                                            G.L.W.

I AM That I AM Created Music

I AM That I AM Created Music

          Earlier I said that God did not create music because He was destined to do so.  God did not create music because it was in His destiny or future.  God very clearly explained this to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”  God did not say, I was God in the past or I will be God in the future, but rather hayah asher hayah (1961, 834, 1961) which should be understood according to historic manuscripts translated by Dr. Clarke: “The Vulgate translates I am who am.  The Septuagint, I am he who exists.  The Syriac, the Persic, and the Chaldee preserve the original words without any gloss.”[i]  

               Therefore, God does not have a beginning or end, but rather, in His own words, He simply explains, “I AM”.  Because God “is” and always has had this permanence, He did not create music to complete anything.  He created music out of His Great wisdom and will.  This act of God’s sovereign will should be a reminder to finite musicians of the permanence and importance of music which God created out of his wisdom and perfect will.  It establishes and attests to the fact that God owns music; therefore it must always come under the Lordship Of Christ.  Christian musicians do not have rights concerning music, they only have responsibilities!

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[i] Clarke’s commentary, Vol. 1, p. by Adam Clarke, p. 306.

God Created-- Man Arranges

                                        God Created-- Man Arranges
                               (God out of perfection—Man out of imperfection)

               God truly created music. Although the word created is used loosely by many musicians, man never actually creates music or anything else for that matter.  God took nothing and made something--that something was music.  Music composers and arrangers only "construct"—they are only capable of "arranging"  or moving God's created musical building blocks into new artistic patterns. 

           A contractor who builds a building takes created materials and uses them to construct something.  He always takes "something" and constructs with these materials.  No matter how great a building a contractor constructs, or how much creative effort he exerts, what he puts together is not truly a creation.  We will not be able to discuss “creativeness” further in this discussion since it belongs under the topic “Creativity and the Christian Musician”.  These “creative” acts are not like God’s acts of real creation as recorded in the Genesis Record.  I will simply say here that a composer or arranger’s creative processes are much like the work of a Contractor.  They are only artistic efforts that produce artistic constructions—these creative efforts produce results that we call musical compositions.