Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Have you ever thought about how the seven note scale came into being?  It certainly does not seem possible that it came into being as a part of some “big bang”.  It makes much more sense that it was a part of God’s orderly and perfect creation.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Every Christian musician is either leading or is being led by someone else.  Who are you following musically?  What influence is your musicing leaving for this generation and the generations of the future?

 

Satan Has the Power to Pervert Music—part 3

Satan Has the Power to Pervert Music—part 3

            1 Peter 5:8-9 is the only place in Scripture where Christians are warned about abstinence, discretion, and discernment.   Eph 5:10b teaches (before the musical discourse in 5:19) that Christian musicians can resist the influence of Satan by “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.”  Ephesians 5:11 warns, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Furthermore, Ephesians 5:14 admonishes musicians, “… Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise (sophos 4680), Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Wherefore be ye not unwise (aphron 878), but understanding (suniemi 4920) what the will of the Lord is.”

            The words not unwise ( me aphron) connote being sure to not exhibit mindlessness but rather to have understanding (suniemi)  to put things together in order to be able to comprehend what God’s will is concerning musicing unto Him.  Scripture often warns Christians to be circumspect, wise, and discerning enough to not be deceived by Satin into falling into fellowship with what the world is doing.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

When modern music philosophy removed the need for discerning the difference between sacred and profane music, Satan effectively won the battle concerning the need for write choices of worship music.

 

Satan Has the Power to Pervert Music—part 2

Satan Has the Power to Pervert Music—part 2

            1Peter 5:8-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”  Yesterday we considered Satan’s ability to influence composers in the way they arrange the building blocks of music.  Today we will discuss what Christians can do to not let their music be influenced by Satan.  Part of the answer is found in the verses above from 1 Peter.

            Christian musicians must be sober (nepho 3525) and vigilant (gregoreuo 1127).  Nepho means to abstain or be discreet and gregoreuo means to keep awake or be watchful.  The reason that the admonishment above is necessary is that Satan is moving about trying to destroy all Christians.  I believe he “devours” Christian musician’s by destroying their spiritual musical discernment.  Once He has “swallowed up” their ability to differentiate between sacred and profane music, appropriate and inappropriate worship music he has won most of the battle for Christian music.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Have you ever thought about what 1Peter 5:8-9 means, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

 

Satan Has the Power to Pervert Music—part 1

 Satan Has the Power to Pervert Music—part 1

            Does Satan have the power to take God’s creation of music which Genesis 1:31 tells us was “very good” and rearrange it until it is no longer very good?  I believe the answer is yes!  Satan perverts many things that God created for His glory and our good.  For instance, when Satan twists sex into his perverted form it is no longer the wholesome wonderful thing that God created for us.  Since we know this, why do we struggle with the concept that Satan can pervert music?  It is the work of Satan to twist, pervert, and destroy the original work of God’s creation.  That is what Satan does!  So, any praxial view purporting that all music is good, no matter how it is arranged, is a faulty view.

            Can we trust Satan?  The answer is "yes we most definitely can".  We can trust him to always be Satan!  He never takes the day off.  I believe he is very busy working on music.  Can we trust the music that he works on or influences musicians who arrange the building blocks of music (which belong to God)?  Yes, we can.  We can trust that his perverse influence will permeate it.

            You may ask, "Is it easy to always tell whether Satan has influenced the building blocks?"  No.  "Why?" II Corinthians 11:2-3 warns us, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel: for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  So what can Christians do to not let their music be influenced by Satan?  Tomorrow we will discuss this important topic further.

 

Thought, Song, and rayer for the Day

Thought for the Day

All Christians were once dead in “trespasses and sins; now they are alive in Christ Jesus.  That fact alone is reason enough to give God all of our worship.

Song for the Day I Give all to You by Larnelle Harris

Prayer for the Day

 I Thank You Lord for being a jealous God.  I know that You love me because You are jealous about my worship.  I am thankful every time I think about the fact that You care about a Kansas farmer like me.  You did not have to love me because I was and am not worthy of Your coming to suffer and die for my awful sins—but you did simply because you love me.  Thank You for all that I know (and all that I do not know) that you have done for me.  Amen.

We Worship a Jealous God—part 2

We Worship a Jealous God—part 2

              Ephesians 2:1-7 reminds Christians,  “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

            It is no wonder that Jesus Christ our Savior is jealous of our worship.  He is our God and continually shows Himself strong in our behalf.  Furthermore, it is no wonder that He warned that His justice will visit “the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me”.  Seekers in this century must be warned that hating God is not without cause and effect. The act of worshiping anything or any “god” is an action of hate toward God and will be punished in this life and in the life to come.  The most seeker sensitive Christian is one who will tell the unchurched that God demands, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

 

Thought, Song, and Prayer for the Day

Thought for the Day

God has the right to be jealous of what and whom we worship because He alone is worthy of a Christian’s worship.

Song for the Day Give Thanks by Henry Smith

Prayer for the Day

My precious Lord I am asking you to help me to not let anything come between my soul and Your presence.  I do not want to put any of the things of this world cause me to fail to worship You with all that is un me. I know that the things of this life that charm me the most are capable of robbing You of my attention and affection.  I honestly do not want anything to cause my love toward you to grow cold.  Please accept my worship and help me to keep it sincere and whole-hearted.  These petitions I bring to You out of a heart of love.  Amen.