Prayer, song and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day   

Lord I am asking You to give Your musical servant a wise and understanding heart in order that I may be able to lead those to whom I minister musically.  Help me to be able to lead them in to a deeper walk with You.  Lord, I confess that I am as a little child before you.  Please give me a greater understanding and passion to be a better music leader.  This I pray in Your name.  Amen.  

Song for the Day   “In the Service of the King” by A. H. Ackley   

Thought for the Day  

When in doubt, ask your heavenly father, He is wonderful, wise, and willing to guide you into musical truth.

Kings and Priests unto God

Kings and Priests unto God   

I Kings 3:7 & 9A states, “And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: And I am but a little child: I know not how to go out and come in.  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart.”  

    In this passage of Scripture, Solomon recognized that it was Jehovah Elohiym the sovereign, independent, eternal, supreme, eternal, living God who had placed him over the nation of Israel.  Sometimes Christian musicians forget that they are ultimately working for God.  Who placed you over your ministering responsibilities? 

       Do you consider that you are working for a high school principle who hired you to teach music or a church board who hired you to be a music minister?  Are you a church pianist who is working for the church that voted for you to be the church pianist? 

       Revelation 5:9-10 states, “And they sung a new song saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by his blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth.”  The Bible lesson is clear here that those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ are kings and priests or ministers UNTO GOD instead of men.

       As Gods servant you have the right to ask God to give you the wisdom to lead His people in musicing unto Him.  If you will confess those areas where you do not know how to go out or come in before Him, God will give you a “wise and understanding heart (Vs. 11).” 

Prayer, Song and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day  

Lord, I want to thank You for separating me to serve You with music.  Please help me to understand that You have trusted me with the responsibility to present Your message to men, women and children in the twenty-first century.  Give me a greater vision of the fact that my music ministry is a “sacred trust” and therefore, I am an obligated musical servant for as long as I live.  Please give me a greater passion for presenting Your Word, will, and way to people who hear my musicing and the musicing of the musicians that are “under my hands” for musicing.  These things I fervently ask of You my Lord and master.  Amen.   

Song for the Day   “Come Christians, Be committed” by E.B. Lloyd  

Thought for the Day  

Christian musicians who consider their musicing to be a sacred trust are obligated to continue to music unto God as long as they live and are physically able to perform their musical ministry.

Called to Music unto God

Called to Music unto God  

I Chronicles 25:1A states, “Moreover David and the captain of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals…”    

       There is no doubt about it the Levite musicians were called out, separated or appointed to prophesy with their musicing unto God.  Not only Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun but also their sons were called to present God’s message through the art of music.  Christian musician you are not called to merely perform and direct religious music or merely lead others in musical performance, but you are called to present God’s message through music.  In this sense you are called to “prophesy” i.e. to present God’s message to the people with the anointing and passion given to you by the Holy Spirit.

       Many Christian musicians have never been catechized in a theology of music ministry that espouses the biblically sound basis for the belief that musicians are actually called to “prophesy” in the same manner that pastors, evangelists and missionaries are called out by the Holy Spirit. All Christian musicians who are called out to music ministry are given the responsibility to serve God with their musicing.  These called out musicians must consider their musicing to be a “sacred trust”.

       Do you consider your musicing to be a sacred trust?  Do you understand that you have been separated by the Holy Ghost to serve God through the medium of music?  There is not a single reason to deny the fact that musicing unto God is a sacred trust.  Understanding the nature and value the import of being separated to serve God through the great god given art of music will go a long way in helping a Christian musician to understand the nature and value of his or her existence in this life.

Prayer, Song, and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day

I want to thank you Jesus for conferring with the Father on my behalf.  Please give me the needed mercy and grace in order that I may have sufficient help during this Christmas Season.  I know and You know that I must have your help if I am going to be an over-comer spiritually during this busy season.  Thank you again that you are right now sitting at the right hand of the Father making intercession for me.  These things I bring to You because although you have the power and right to condemn me, You are instead, praying for me.  I love you Lord.  Amen.  

Song for the Day “I Must Tell Jesus” by Elisha Hoffman  

Thought for the Day

I was always much more brave when my older brother Nathan was with me.  Don’t forget that Jesus your older brother is with you if you are a Christian.

Coming Boldly to God

Coming Boldly to God       

Hebrews 4:16 states, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”   

       Why are we admonished to come boldly unto Christ in our time of need?  We can come boldly unto Jesus because He is our high priest (vs. 15).  Romans 8:34 assures the believer that Christ who died for us is “at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us”. 

       Christ who has the power and authority to condemn us is sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for us with the Father.    Hebrews 9:24 explains further, “for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” 

       What does it mean that Christ makes intercession for us?  The Greek word enthugchano (1793) which has been translated intercession in Romans 8:34 signifies one who entreats or confers with another.  So, Christ is at this very moment in the presence of our heavenly Father conferring or entreating God the Father on our behalf. 

       Christian musician you can and should come boldly before the throne of grace in order that Christ may obtain mercy and grace for you.  In the middle of your busy December, with all the activities of the advent season, you can obtain God’s mercy just when you need it most.  It is a wonderful thing to know that you may also obtain abundant grace from your heavenly Father because Jesus is praying for you right now.  

       What will God’s grace do for you?  It will give you the precise help that you need to be an over-comer during this Christmas season.  Christian musician, our heavenly Father has made provision for you to make it through this exceedingly busy time of year—and for all the year through for that matter.  He has more than enough grace and mercy to take care of all of his children.  He is as close as the mention of His name.  However, you must remember to go to Him with your needs.

 

Prayer, Song, and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day     

I want to take time to praise you Lord for all the wonderful things You have done for me spiritually.  Please help me to realize how wonderful your gifts to me really are from day to day.  Help me to know how to love and trust You more and cause the enemy of my soul to flee at the sound of your inspired word.  These things I pray In your precious name.  Amen.  

Song for the Day “A closer Walk with Thee” by Haldor Lillenas.  

Thought for the Day 

When Satan comes around and begins to accuse and depress you read Scripture to Him.

 

"To the Saints and Faithful Brethren'

“To the Saints and faithful Brethren”  

Colossians 1:2 states, “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse:  Grace  be unto you  and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

       St Paul wrote to the saints and faithful brethren who lived at Colosse.  They were faithful saints.  You can also be a faithful saint in the twenty-first century. It is God’s grace that has made it possible for you a faithful music minister and a saint.  

       Like the Christians at Colosse your peace has come from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.  Think of it, God has made it possible for you to have faith, love, hope, grace and truth.  Through our heavenly Father you have knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding.  God has made it possible for you to have spiritual strength, power, patience, longsuffering, and joy.  God has delivered you from the power of darkness and has brought you into the kingdom of Christ through forgiveness of sins and redemption through the blood of Christ. 

       That long list of good things should cause you to smile out of at least one side of your mouth!  Surely you should recognize that God has provided for you in a marvelous manner out of His great spiritual storehouse.  Musicians are sensitive people who are prone to experience great highs and then plunge into the debts of despair emotionally.  If you are in an emotional low place, I suggest that you re-read the list of good things mentioned above that have been made a reality in your life.   If you are currently really depressed, perhaps you should read the list two or three times.  Invite Satan to listen while you read the list and as you read some of the precious promises in God’s Word.  I promise you that he will flee at the sound and reality of God’s inspired infallible Word.

Prasyer, Song, and Thought for the Day

Prayer for the Day

Lord, please destroy all the “kings” in my life so that I may be able to grasp a vision of You as “high and lifted up”.  Please cleanse everything in my life that would keep me from receiving a fresh vision of You and an accurate picture of my heart.  Please show me the worst of my condition now before it is too late to let you cleanse my heart of anything that is “king” or is capable of becoming “king” in my life.  These things I pray in your Great Name.  Amen.   

Song for the Day “Holy Spirit be My Guide” by Mildred Cope  

Thought for the Day   

When you envision God in your thoughts today, be sure that you see him” high and lifted up”.

 

A Vision of God

A Vision of God       

Isaiah 6:1 states, “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” 

       Isaiah dated his vision of God by remembering the year that king Uzziah died.  Many times we cannot see a vision of God until the kings in our life are gone.  Do you have anything that is “king” in your life that would keep you from seeing the Lord Adonay (136) who is the sovereign controller of the universe?  If so, the real king Adonay will not be able to be the sovereign king of your heart.

       When Isaiah saw a vision of who Adonay is, he was able to see himself in proper perspective.  Many church musicians not only have trouble seeing God high and lifted up and worthy of service and worship, but also have trouble seeing themselves  undone and needing the cleansing with the coals from off of the altar of God. 

       Do not let the following “kings”: self-righteousness, self-actualization, charisma, performance worship, glitz, glamour, self-aggrandizement, and self-preservation keep you from receiving a proper vision of Adonay who is the sovereign controller of the universe.  Remember that all the false kings of a musician’s life must be dead before he or she will be able to see a proper vision of God.