MUSIC!!

If you've read one of my blog posts or more, you know I am so all about music. God speaks to me through His Word and He speaks to me through music , specifically: anointed music He has gifted others to write, compose and publish for the edifying of the Body and for ministering to hearts and lives all over His world. It seems no matter what the situation in life. God has ALWAYS (please note I use this word SO sparingly and carefully) sung a song over my spirit while placing a Scripture in my mind. There have ben a few Scriptures which He has led me to put to music for my children, but it has never been what I would call a "gift" or a "Calling" to write songs.For the times that I needed point specific Scriptures set to music which my children and I could sing, God was, of course, faithful. As the leader of our praise team at church I spend a lot of time listening to music that we as a small body can learn and sing together. Some music while AWESOME to praise God with when I am alone , just does not always "work" for a small group. Even songs that sound wonderful in my little computer corner while I worship to Youtube videos or my CCLI web site and others to edit music into keys and octaves our body can comfortably sing, are just not so awesome when I bring them to our team or to our body. So I keep listening and praying and singing and learning. Some music while it may get a lot of play time on Christian radio stations, says little or nothing of substance or has a melody so (what my mother would refer to as ) Johnny-one-note" that if there is a message, its lost in itself. Some tunes, while having awesome lyrics and message, offend Christians who hold a personal "Strong Christian music genre" belief. To lead praise and worship is to be mindful of those things while still being responsible for not simply "leading the singing" but for LEADING GOD'S PEOPLE IN WORSHIP and IN PRAISE...there is also a responsibility to teach worship as well. I take all of that so seriously. Studying music this week involved studying 2 Timothy 2:14-17. My children learned this passage for AWANA club over the years and as a result it is a passage which comes quicky to my mind as well. "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" forms the acronym AWANA but the passage goes deeper for me as I pray over praise and worship in our church services. I posted seveal versions of this passage because of the semantic differences, but the jist in them all is to study to show MYSELF approved, use MY words wisely, not to cause strife in the worship service by pushing "my own agenda" of musical preferences or of worship style. For me this involves not offending with music I know will likely distract worshippers from the Object of worship. By that I mean music which in repetition of phrases or notes, by difficult note progressions, maybe meter of the music with the words, could possibly foster an irritating or distracting , even critical spirit, rather than one where worshippers desire to move into a closer place of worship within their spirits toward our Heavenly Father. AND YET in all that, there are some wonderful spiritual truths that God has led me to share, in spite of musical "difficulty" or "genre" and HE MOVED AND HE MINISTERED, and brought glory to His name through "hard" or "different" styles of music. God's challenge to me has been to be open to exactly what He wants me to present, or not present. When I sing the words "I'm coming back to the Heart of worship and its all about You its all about You Jesus, I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it" I want to be so sensitive to not limiting our worship by my own thoughts of "Oh they won't like this one!" or "This will be easy." Truly I do not want to be an ashamed worker or one who limits God and what HE wants to do through or to me. Please read 2 Timothy 2: 14-16 and see what new truth or rekindled older truth God might impress upon your heart about the "work" He has given you?
New King James Version (NKJV)
14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

14Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.
15Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
16But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

The Message (MSG)
14-18Repeat these basic essentials over and over to God's people. Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won't be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they're not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul.
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Contemporary English Version (CEV)
14Don't let anyone forget these things. And with God as your witness, you must warn them not to argue about words. These arguments don't help anyone. In fact, they ruin everyone who listens to them. 15Do your best to win God's approval as a worker who doesn't need to be ashamed and who teaches only the true message. 16Keep away from worthless and useless talk. It only leads people farther away from God. 17That sort of talk is like a sore that won't heal.

My friend Tami shared today with our prayer group a list of songs she has on her iPod. I have to admit I don't know a lot of them, but I have purposed in my heart to listen to the old and the new music, learn more, share more, listen to more...........be in the presence of more worship music from this really cool list along with lots of scripture!!


How He Loves 7:58 John Mark McMillan The Song Inside the Sounds of Breaking Down

God of This City 4:58 Chris Tomlin Hello Love

Jesus Messiah 4:49 Chris Tomlin Hello Love

The More I Seek You 4:14 Gateway Worship Living for You

Knees to the Earth 4:46 Passion Sacred Revolution

Call On Jesus 4:56 Nicole C. Mullen Talk About It

Kindness/Give Us Clean Hands 6:08 Passion Worship Band One Day Live

Captured 6:48 Alberto & Kimberly Rivera Captured

Shine 3:50 Alberto & Kimberly Rivera Captured

I Still Believe 4:35 Jeremy Camp WOW Hits 2004 [Disc 2]

Famous One 4:17 Chris Tomlin WOW Worship [Disc One]

Once Again 3:33 Matt Redman & Tim Hughes WOW Worship [Disc One]

Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?/Delirious? 6:21 Delirious? WOW Worship [Disc 2]

Hosanna 6:17 Hillsong Saviour King [Live]

The Father's Song 4:05 Matt Redman Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs Of Matt Redman

All the Earth 6:17 Passion Sacred Revolution

How Deep The Father's Love For Us 3:54 Joy Williams WOW Worship [Disc One]

Power In The Blood 3:42 Bart Millard Hymned No. 1

I Will Run 5:32 Misty Edwards Always On His Mind

I Am Yours 7:27 Misty Edwards Always On His Mind

All That I Want 5:48 Misty Edwards Eternity

Finally I Surrender 4:06 Misty Edwards Relentless

My Soul Longs for You 5:58 Misty Edwards Relentless

You Won't Relent 4:57 Misty Edwards Relentless

All Consuming Fire 3:23 Misty Edwards Relentless

Waiting for the Rain 3:49 Misty Edwards Unplugged

Give Me Your Eyes 3:53 Brandon Heath What If We

I Will Rise 5:01 Chris Tomlin Hello Love

Waging War 5:20 Cece Winans Thy Kingdom Come

Happy Day 6:42 Kim Walker Your Love Never Fails

Dove's Eyes 2:32 Misty Edwards Relentless

Homeward Bound 3:54 Kristene Mueller Those Who Dream

Your Love Never Fails 7:58 Chris Quilala Your Love Never Fails

Where You Go I Go 7:44 Kim Walker Your Love Never Fails

A Little Longer 4:11 Brian and Jenn Johnson We Believe

In Your Presence 5:06 Jason Upton Beautiful People

Price of Love 4:24 Heather Clark Collect the Years

Healer 5:07 Kari Jobe Kari Jobe

Yours Forever 3:40 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Your Name High 5:22 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Arms Open Wide 6:02 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

You Hold Me Now 8:28 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Soon 5:48 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Tear Down the Walls 10:23 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Oh You Bring 7:03 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Desert Song 4:41 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

King of All Days 6:19 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

More Than Anything 3:54 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

No Reason to Hide 4:43 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Freedom Is Here 5:40 Hillsong United A_CROSS // The_EARTH: Tear Down the Walls

Perfect People 3:39 Natalie Grant Relentless

More Beautiful You 3:51 Jonny Diaz More Beautiful You

The Words I Would Say 3:19 Sidewalk Prophets These Simple Truths

My Soul Longs for You 7:12 Various Artists Onething Live

Always On His Mind 11:09 Misty Edwards Onething Live

Restoration 10:19 David Brymer Onething Live

City On Our Knees 4:33 tobyMac City On Our Knees - Single

Let Heaven Shout (feat. Kristene Mueller) 4:47 Bethel Live Here Is Love

My Soul Sings (feat. Brian Johnson) 4:29 Bethel Live Here Is Love

I Found a Love (feat. Jenn Johnson) 6:13 Bethel Live Here Is Love

King of Wonders (feat. Chris Quilala) 4:29 Bethel Live Here Is Love

Your Presence (feat. Jenn Johnson) 7:46 Bethel Live Here Is Love

You Make Me Happy (Spontaneous) [feat. Jenn Johnson] 4:42 Bethel Live Here Is Love

What Does It Sound Like (feat. Brian Johnson) 8:44 Bethel Live Here Is Love

Healer (feat. Leah Valenzuela) 5:34 Bethel Live Here Is Love

I Need You More (feat. Kim Walker Smith) 10:00 Bethel Live Here Is Love

Worthy Is the Lamb (feat. Brian Johnson) 5:23 Bethel Live Here Is Love

Here Is Love (feat. Brian Johnson) 8:51 Bethel Live Here Is Love