Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

            If God thought about music “in the beginning’ (and he most certainly did), and if God is “there” concerning music in this century, it is only logical to deduce that He still thinks about music.  Smaller minds serve a smaller God who is perhaps too busy to think about music and musicing today or just doesn’t care how we music unto Him.  After all haven’t we grown up as Christian musicians until we can do this job all by ourselves?  No we haven’t.  We need God and we specifically need the guidance of the Holy Spirit when we music unto God.  We also need the comfort and guiding power of what His written Word teaches us about music. 

 

Music Was an Act of Creation-part 2

Music Was an Act of Creation-part 2

            God thought Music into existence in his acts if creation.. Because God created everything, music did not come later. Its origin is not the result of causation by man’s actions.  Music was created in the original acts of creation—any other belief is faulty and opens the door to music being or becoming an autonomous art form.  Most of the references to music in the Bible are found after the Genesis record.  There is much that is still unknown about music in ancient Israel but that is not an indication that what the Bible has recorded about music in Ancient Israel is not important to Christian musicians today.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

            Those who summarily dismiss what the Bible has to say about music normally believe that when the Bible mentions music that this mention is really not really about music but rather about worship or diversity or anything but musical meaning.  Therefore, these misguided writers do not see any reason to place the music part of music under the lordship of Christ.  So, to them placing music and its beginning in the acts of a real creation is a superfluous exercise of over-zealous music philosophers.

 

Music Was an Act of Creation-part 1

Music Was an Act of Creation-part 1

            Was music made as a part of God’s objective acts of creation?  Again I remind us that as Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God created…”  We know from the words Elohiym bara eth (430,1254, 853)  in verse one that the supreme exceeding God absolutely made or created music from or of Himself.  Some Christian music philosophers have believed that since music is “of or from God” that it was always a part of His moral nature and therefore did not have to be created in His objective acts of creation.  They sometime use John 1:3, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” as support for their belief by saying that God made things that needed to be made but He did not need to make music so He did not make it.  This faulty belief is predicated on the theory that since music was already in, of, or from God, it was part of his moral nature at the time of the creation and therefore without need of His creative work. 

          Was music made as a part of God’s objective acts of creation?  Again I remind us that as Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God created…”  We know from the words Elohiym bara eth (430,1254, 853)  in verse one that the supreme exceeding God absolutely made or created music from or of Himself.  Some Christian music philosophers have believed that since music is “of or from God” that it was always a part of His moral nature and therefore did not have to be created in His objective acts of creation.  They sometime use John 1:3, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” as support for their belief by saying that God made things that needed to be made but He did not need to make music so He did not make it.  This faulty belief is predicated on the theory that since music was already in, of, or from God, it was part of his moral nature at the time of the creation and therefore without need of His creative work. 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

A fresh anointing from the blessed Holy Spirit will do more than anything else to ward off “burn out”.  Ephesians 5:17-19 teaches that Christian musicians should and should not do: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…”

 

More on Good and Faithful Musicians Part 6

More on Good and Faithful Musicians Part 6

            I believe that sacred musical performance that has been devoid of the characteristics which have been mentioned I  my earlier posts on “faithful Musicians” has been one of the reasons that so many Christian musicians becoming disillusioned with traditional sacred music.  One of the other reasons has been that some busy musicians have failed to seek the aid and anointing of the Holy Spirit upon their sacred musicing.  Therefore, I contend that a part of being a faithful servant (pistos doulos 4103, 1401) is being completely submissive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Furthermore, I believe that a part of faithful musical servanthood involves being as passionate, and being even more passionate, about sacred musicing than one is about secular musicing.

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

A Christian musician’s joy should exude from a holy heart life.  As early as Leviticus 20:7 God’s Word states, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.”  Also, this command is continued in 1Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

 

 

More on Good and Faithful Musicians Part 5

More on Good and Faithful Musicians Part 5 

            Nehemiah 8:10  states, ”Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  Psalm 89:15 states, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound [teruah 8643—great acclamation of joy]: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”  Psalm 149:1-2, “Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.  Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful [giyl, 1523] in their King.”  The word giyl is used in a great variety of applications in the OT but it most often connotes gladness and rejoicing.  These scriptures are only a few of the multitude of Scriptures that teach worshiping with much joy.

 Certainly the fact that the Bible repeatedly mentions singing with joy should encourage us to music with outward joy and emotion.  1Chronicles 15:16  states, “And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy [simchah, 8057-exceeding gladness and pleasure].”  Isaiah 12:2-3 states, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.  Therefore with joy [sasown, 8342—cheerfulness, gladness and mirth] shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”  Zepaniah 3:17 states, “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy [giyl, see above] over thee with singing [rinnah, 7440—singing with gladness and joy].”

 

Prayer for this Blog in February

Prayer for this Blog in February

            I want to thank You Lord and Father for the 108 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 108 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.

Thank you for a Great Month of Janruary

Thank you for a Great Month of January   
            Last month was the 37^th month of my blog which contained devotional and philosophical thoughts for Christian musicians. I have written over 2,238 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 65,030 page views with over 1,600 views in January which is about 50 fewer than we had in December of 2015.  Since I started this blog the page views have come from 108 different countries. 

            These views have come from Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Argentina, Armenia,  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, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Turks & Caicos Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, USA and Zimbabwe.

             The ten countries with the most page views in June were: USA, Russia, Germany, France, Portugal, Ukraine, China, Poland, Mexico, and India.

          If you are from a country that has had page views in the past 37 months and has been omitted from the 108 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.