Christian Music

[DavidM]

Time spent singing music to God is such an important part of fellowship with God. It fills my heart and mind with so much love and peace. I can really feel a connection with God and it is so precious. I remember it took more than a year after I was saved before I could really start to join in and love to sing at church. Now it is the measuring rod that I measure all other music against. If secular music can’t elicit at least a positive emotion then I feel almost as if I am defiling this gift of music God has given. If Christian music can’t bring me into the presence of God I start to feel the same way.

What makes Christian music good? To me the #1 thing has to involve and you have to hear the crowd sing. The next thing is that the lead singer has to be fully aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit and allow him to work by not showboating and responding to the crowd. The instrument players must do the same. There is a natural ebb and flow to praise that you can witness by reading Revelation 4-5. The best music and worship services I have been to have been aware of this. Of course Christ has to be the center and focus with everything submitting to him.

I think if you listen to these two songs you will know exactly what I am talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST1RD2LzMkM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo5XcKAbCW0

[Edwin]

I like the old familiar Christian songs. I like many of the choruses that have been around for many years also. Some of the new Christian music is good as well, but I prefer the old myself. Years also the church we attend had two services that were each different from the other. The first service was called traditional, and they had the piano, as well as a few other instruments, including my bass trombone. They sang the older hymns/songs, and it was enjoyed by more of the older church attenders. They had another service that they called comtemporary with more of the modern songs/choruses in it. More of the younger church attenders went to that service. We preferred the traditional service. We moved away and didn't attend there for 14 years, and when we returned they had gone to 2 identical services which were more like the contemporary services. I stil prefer the older songs/hymns/choruses to the more modern ones, but that is just my personal taste, which is also shared by my wife, Carol. Some of it is getting to know the newer music, and getting comfortable with it. We still do not know a lot of the music that they are singing. It is okay that they have drums and guitars, but I think they should have the piano being played as well!

[crisipicada]

Time spent singing music to God is such an important part of fellowship with God. It fills my heart and mind with so much love and peace. I can really feel a connection with God and it is so precious. I remember it took more than a year after I was saved before I could really start to join in and love to sing at church. Now it is the measuring rod that I measure all other music against. If secular music can’t elicit at least a positive emotion then I feel almost as if I am defiling this gift of music God has given. If Christian music can’t bring me into the presence of God I start to feel the same way.

What makes Christian music good? To me the #1 thing has to involve and you have to hear the crowd sing. The next thing is that the lead singer has to be fully aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit and allow him to work by not showboating and responding to the crowd. The instrument players must do the same. There is a natural ebb and flow to praise that you can witness by reading Revelation 4-5. The best music and worship services I have been to have been aware of this. Of course Christ has to be the center and focus with everything submitting to him.

I think if you listen to these two songs you will know exactly what I am talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST1RD2LzMkM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo5XcKAbCW0

Me too, I am listening christian music in fact before I go to bed I am listening christian music and it is good for the soul. Very refreshing and reminding me the Lord's goodness.

[Edwin]

Yes, Crisi and DavidM, Christian music ministers to the soul! Carol spends a lot of her time listening to Bill and Gloria Gaither, and others who sing with them. She really enjoys that. Now that I am so busy digging in my cellar Carol has more freedom to listen to her music because I can't afford to spend that much time playing the piano, but look out when August comes, I will be back on that piano! The work is hard, slow, and can be discouraging, making me wonder if I will make my goal, but I am just going to keep digging, and believing!

[DavidM]

One thing that is so great is that, for me at least, is that it is another proof I am genuinely saved. Before I was saved my music tastes were quite different. I used to listen to so much heavy metal. The heavier the better. I have since went through and thrown away almost my entire cd collection because I can't stand to listen to it anymore. I still have some here and there that aren't offensive, but wow what a complete 180.

[Edwin]

You are right, DavidM, in that your tastes and desires do change after you become a Christian. Literally old things pass away and all becomes new. You have a new life with changed desires. I think you are right about that heavy metal, as you just lose a desire to listen to that stuff when you become a Christian. A 180 is what happens when you become a Christain. I know that was true for my parents when they became Christians. My Dad had things that were part of his old life before becoming a Christian, and I only heard about them because I think they became Christians before I was born. There is nothing to compare to good Christian music to comfort you, lift you up, and encourage you in your life!

[Edwin]

eI just finished playing the song/hymn book, "Worship and Rejoice." Carol doesn't like the book because it has too many new songs/hymns in it, and they write some of the newer music with different sounds that we are accustomed to, and it doesn't sound good to Carol's ears. There are some old songs to, but many new ones. There are 749 songs in the book. Since I have been working hard, digging in the cellar, my right hand loses feeling, and I often can only play 2 songs, then I have to quit, take a break to allow the feeling to return in my hand. Since May I have concentrated on digging, and I have played very little of the time, but I must get that digging finished, and then after that I will play the piano more!

Carol's cousin gave me a hymn/song book, "Old Camp Meeting Songs," by Albert Ott. He was the director of "The Old Camp Meeting Programs." He was also the Pastor of Bethel Temple in Dallas, Texas in years gone by. The book does not even have a date in it that I can find, and it is really old! It has an interesting address: Albert Ott, Box 25, (not many boxed in Dallas, Texas at that time, I guess!) Dallas 1 Texas. Each book costs 25 cents, and you can buy 100 of them for $25.00!!!! I found a couple of the songs dated 1943, so it is not as old as I thought, but it looks old. I actually have books from the early 1900s, and some from the late 1800s. But it is a wonderful book. On the cover it says, "Sing until the Lord, O ye Saints," Psa. 30:4;, and "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," with a picture of a church, a radio, and an elderly woman listening to "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," being played on the radio, with her open Bible on the table!

[DavidM]

I like the "What a friend we have in Jesus" song, Edwin. I listen to the one from the Gospel Time Band which is bluegrass. I love banjos and such.

Don't get me wrong. I still listen to a lot of secular music, but my tastes are much more conservative now. That's a relative statement, though. I'm sure some stuff I would turn on would be too much for some Sometimes I go back and try to listen to the old stuff and I find myself saying "OMG I can't believe that song said that"

Another real good song is "My Deliverer" from Rick Elias.

[Edwin]

I like blue grass, and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" would sound good in blue grass. I like the banjos and the blue grass instruments also. I was going take a blue grass appreciation class with the college a few years ago, but they canceled for lack of interest. I still have the materials, so if they have not changed materials I may take that class yet.

We listen to mostly Christian music, but we listen to some other music sometimes. Much of the secular music can have lyrics in it that we don't agree with.

I don't remember listening to "My Deliverer." Music is good I think.

[Edwin]

Since I can't work I am playing the piano now. I just finished playing two songs/hymns. One is "Just Over In the Glory-Land," which is a beautiful old song. The other that I played was "Hold to God's Unchanging Hand." That is a beautiful old song as well, but I don't remember ever having heard it before, but I love it. It has a great message and a wonderful tune as well!