BT6: The Lord can teach us His unlimited skill by His Spirit to far surpass ours

 

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When the Lord started showing me how “useless and worthless the flesh is” as Jesus said in John 6:63, exactly because my “might and power” wasn’t even “a drop in the bucket” compared to His infinite enabling-power of the Spirit, I started learning how to Spirit-drums-practice without being conscientious about my skill and professionalism.  That’s when I began to get Spirit-baptized with so much joy of the Holy Spirit as I explored my drum books, DVDs, and many drum publications, or when I just played from my feeling of worshipful adoration and gratitude, so much so that I thought I would burst!  I also heard Him talk to me so many times during my Spirit-drums-practice that I had to keep a journal in my drum room, and many things have changed in my life since, like many God-Messages, Drum-Declarations, even in tongues!

 

The Lord told me, “That intense curiosity to explore, that adventure to learn, and that incredible joy you feel is actually Me, just as I felt when I invented music over eons of time, and I am sharing this with you during your discovery.  I share this with you so that you will enjoy it together with Me, and so that you will get to know Me.”  Gratitude and worship is a natural result of such communion!

 

 

 

Look UP to get your Skill:

 

 

 

 

 

The irony is that my skill level has increased profoundly because I love feeling so much joy and prophetically seeing/hearing/feeling from God, so much that I long to go into my drum room to experience more!  Spending time writing this BLOG sometimes is very hard because I’d rather be in my practice room, but I know I’ve been given so much insight about music that I can share with you here and also so much about drumming that I can share with my students.  For more about practicing music & drums by the Spirit, see the Spirit-Music-Practice and Spirit-Drums-Practice pages.

 

As Christian musicians, once you have been “taught by God” (a) even through Body-of-Christ ministry, you can apply this to your music-group practice and learn even more – see the Meet-Ups page.  Once you gain confidence there, you can learn to do this publicly to the saved and unsaved.  But be patient with yourself because as children of God we need to crawl, then walk, then run, and then fly!  Also review the Might and Power, Promised Spirit, and Spirit-Power pages. <Notes> a) John 6:45; 1 Thessalonians 4:9.

 

 

Thank YOU for visiting:  Skill – BT6:  The Lord can teach us His skill by His Spirit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entertainment of the saints by skilled professionals on a stage

 

 

 

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Skillful or professional  “might and power” flesh turns the “assembly of the saints, the separated-ones (a), the Church of ‘called-out ones’” (b) who were meant to be a fully-functioning (c), ministering Body-of-Christ, into just another of the world’s many “entertaining shows” by a special few, talented paid, professional, skilled “ministers” (see Coaches & Factilitators) – the “entertainment of the saints,” not much different than a Christian concert!  In fact, many mega-churches have turned their “worship services” into Christian concerts with million-dollar sound and lighting systems.  I know because I’ve played for many of them in Tucson Arizona over many years.  <Notes> a) hagios, b) ekklesia, c) Romans 12:4.

 

Is our “ministry on stage” really projecting or reflecting God’s idea of the Church as a family of equals around a dinner table for intimate koinonia fellowship, or the world’s idea of watching sport heroes or rock stars perform.  Are assemblies like attending business board meetings? I’ve actually been in church services that used the Robert’s rules of order to discuss their finances, building projects, and other worldly matters all “in the name/authority of Christ!” Has the Church been “conformed to the image of the world” (a)? Has it simply “conformed to the desires of our former ignorance” (b)? Is this just another form of “loving the world or the things of the world” (c)?  But this borrowing from the world builds The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit. <Notes> a) Romans 12:2, b) 1 Peter 1:14, c) 1 John 2:15.

 

By focusing everybody’s attention forward to few people on stage, does this really help us “fix/gaze our wide-open eye on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our trusting-relying-faith” (a)?  How many family dinner tables are designed to stare at one person while they eat and stare at the backs of everybody else’s heads while you do?  Since the only 2 universally-binding entole commandments in the NT are “trusting-relying-faith (b) in Christ and/coupled unconditionally-loving reciprocally one another” (c), aren’t we disobeying this mandate by putting so much trusting-relying-faith (b) in a 1 or 2 skilled professional people or even a small team to simply “equip” us?  Aren’t we NOT “discerning of the Lord’s Body” (d) and NOT “unconditionally-loving one another” when because the “ball-hogging” of the “equippers” has actually kept the “saints doing the work of the ministry to build up the Body-of-Christ” from actually happening (e) – see Coaches & Facilitators? <Notes> a) Hebrews 12:2, b) pistis: relational conviction in trusting reliance, c) 1 John 3:23, d) 1 Corinthians 11:29, e) Ephesians 4:12.

 

Are we elevating a few skilled professional people “over” the Body-of-Christ when Paul says that “everyone among you is absolutely in fact not to think of himself more highly than he ought to . . . for as in the one Body-of-Christ we have many members (a) that do not have the same function (b) . . . members one of/belonging reciprocally to another” (c), “needing one another . . . that there may be absolutely in fact no division in the Body (d), but that the members may have THE SAME CARE for one another” (e), therefore we are to “submit/yield/subject to one another reciprocally out of reverence for Christ” (f), “bearing with one another in unconditional-love” (g). <Notes> a) “not one, but many” – 1 Corinthians 12:14, 19, b) praxis: functions, sustained activities, deeds, and/or responsibilities, c) Romans 12:3-4, d) isn’t “clergy vs. laity” a major division?, e) 1 Corinthians 12:21-26, f) Ephesians 5:21, g) Ephesians 4:2.

But if we put a few skilled or professional people “in the spotlight” on a stage to “minister” – when they were just supposed to be Coaches and Facilitators – or put them on stage to perform for the rest of us to watch and clap, how in the world does this fit with anything Paul just talked about?  And aren’t we then showing partiality or favoritism toward these few when we know God doesn’t (a).  Aren’t we supposed to “do absolutely in fact nothing from partiality” (b) as “we hold onto The Trusting-Relying-Faith in our Lord” (c), lest we “commit sin and be convicted by the Torah Law of conditional-favor as sinners” (d)? <Notes> a) Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25, b) 1 Timothy 5:21, c) James 2:1, d) James 2:9.

 

Has our focus on 1 pastor/shepherd teaching from the bible, even from the OT, just brought the Church back into “ministry by the means of the old (a) way of the gramma letter (b) instead of the completely different-in-kind ‘New’ Way of the Spirit” (c)? Are we falling back into religion’s special rules from a special graphe book of scripture (d) of gnosis info-knowledge written in gramma letters read and taught in special buildings with special furniture, special statues, by special people with special titles of authority dressed in special clothes, taught using special speech or wisdom, and even treat some foods and days as special? It sure seems like much of churchianity is just so many divisions showing partiality and favoritism! <Notes> a) palaios: antiquated, worn out, b) gramma: the sacred writings of God, c) Romans 7:6.

 

Or are we simply “all brethren” so that “nobody in possibility is to be called Father, Leader, or Teacher” (a) because there is “only ONE Head over all things for the Church” (b)? Are we really “in possibility doing nothing from self-ambition or conceit, but in lowliness counting ALL others more significant than ourselves” (c)?  Or will the structure and format of our churches be just like the world’s “greatest to least” hierarchal structures, even when the completely different-in-kind New Covenant promises that “ALL of My people shall actually mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know (d) Me from the least to the greatest” (e) and even when Jesus says, “You know that the ‘great ones’ of the world exercise authority over the world’s people, but it absolutely in fact shall not actually be so among you, for whoever would be ‘great’ (f) among you, actually ongoingly should be you-all’s servant (g)” (h) or “the slave (i) of everyone” (j) or “I strongly urge they be as the younger and/coupled he that is presently/ongoingly chief-leading (k) as those who are presently/ongoingly serving (l) (m) – this is not an option, it’s an imperative, and a reality that is to be done on earth as it is in heaven!  See Least Among You. <Notes> a) Matthew 23:8-10 – see Teach One Another – BT10, b) Ephesians 1:22, c) Philippians 2:3, d) eido, e) Hebrews 8:11 citing Jeremiah 31:34, f) megas, g) deaconos, h) Matthew 20:25-27, i) duolos, j) Mark 10:42-45, k) hegeomai, l) diakoneo, m) Luke 22:25-27.

 

As Christian musicians, shouldn’t we move past “entertainment of the saints” as skilled or professional musicians, by surrendering our prideful talents and get rid of the stage-audience structure & format with its thousands and sometimes millions of dollars used to produce great sound and lighting?  The “Come Together” passages all say that the music is to be shared by everybody through the Spirit even spontaneously.  If we are all “in the band” and all “in the ministry,” then there is no need for a stage or amplification or lighting.  Just think how the churches could use all that money to really minister to real needs?  Who said hundreds or thousands have to figure out how to hear 1, 2, or just a few people?  Only traditions of men!  Only pride and the desire for financial success!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Body-of-Christ Ministry absolutely does NOT rely on skill and professionalism

 

 

 

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Requiring Christians to teach, preach, play music, or in any other ways serve God “skillfully” like paid “professionals” is exactly the “might and power” that God condemned in Zechariah 4:6’s prophecy for the completely different-in-kind New Covenant.  It is just as much “out from the flesh” or “of natural man” as any sensual sin is.  Do we not agree with Paul: “I know that absolutely nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh” (a), which is the very reason why Jesus says: “The flesh is of no help at all – it is the Spirit who gives genuine-life (b)” (c)?  The prideful flesh places our trusting-relying-faith (d) in the wrong place – on man’s own “might and power” abilities or actions instead of Spirit-power (e). But pride in your “might and power,” whether religious or not, is still from the world and defiles us and makes us God’s enemy (f). <Notes> a) Romans 7:18, b) zoe, c) John 6:63, d) pistis: relational conviction of trusting reliance, e) dunamis, f) 1 John 2:16; Mark 7:21- 23; 2 Timothy 4:6; Proverbs 3:34 cited by 1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6.

 

Pride trusts and relies solely on one’s own skills or internal “power” and external products or “might” from them, whether it is pre-determine church liturgies throughout the year or man’s pre-composed words and music written with “gramma letters in ink on paper” (a) – see Logos Word of God – BT20, sitting on a music stand or a podium or I-pad for the so-called “ministers” (b) to be glued to.  Instead, doesn’t the NT tell us to put our trusting-relying-faith (c) in the fresh, new, spontaneous, anointed, prophetic, directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words of God and/coupled the Spirit-power (d) to guide or direct the evangelist, shepherd/pastor, teacher, musician, or other grace-gift servant “in that very hour” to “say and do” what the Spirit wants?  Isn’t that what the NT says to do!  <Notes> a) 2 Corinthians 3:3, 7; 2 John 1:12; 3 John 1:13, b) Ephesians 4:12, c) pistis: relational conviction of trusting reliance, d) dunamis.

 

That’s why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray and/also psalm (a) by the means of the Spirit or tongues (b) as well as by the means of the mind.” Paul says that “by the nous mind” relies on “fruitful productivity” with is internal ability, but “by the Spirit” does not (b), especially since nous not only means the “conscious-thinking, understanding, word-forming mind” but also the “inward, unconscious soul and spirit of man” or “inner man” – see the 2-parts and 3-parts of man on the Identity page.  <Notes> a) psallo:  “hit, twang, pluck, or twitch” out a song with/without singing, b) v. 14.

 

But here Paul is contrasting his “understanding mind” with the indwelling Spirit where his “mind is ‘unfruitful’ because it simply can’t do what it normally does – to understand his conversational-prayer or psalming – because it is in tongues, which speak mysteries to God unless interpreted.  Paul understands that placing emphasis only on “conversational-prayer/psalming of the mind” is a slippery slope, because it still places emphasis on performance FOR God and our control of this FOR God to please Him.  That’s the OT religion!  The inner man’s “soul” (a) isn’t just our reasoning thought, but emotions and will-power per the Identity page.  That is exactly the “inherent power” (b) that is the problem in the “might and power!” of the old covenant!  It loves to “work” for God, boast in it, and judge others that aren’t working as hard as you!  <Notes> a) psyche, b) ishcus.

 

This is exactly the problem with the OT works of righteousness through obedience to commandments.  The Pharisees taught it, tried to obey it and miserably failed, but then hypocritically judged others, “binding burdens on men that they were not willing to carry” (a).  Remember how busy Martha was working for Jesus, trying to please Jesus, and criticizing Mary for not helping but just sitting there listening to Jesus teach?  But Jesus said that what Mary was doing was actually “the better portion” (b)!  I actually heard a preacher at Vineyard Connections in Tucson, Arizona say that Martha was more mature in her trusting-relying-faith because she was serving the Lord, so that’s what we should all be doing, implying that “busyness” is what really mattered! Talk about distorting the bible to get people to do what you want! <Notes> a) Matthew 23:4, cf. Paul’s rebuke of Peter in Galatians 2:11-14, b) Luke 10:38-42.

 

“Routinely speaking to one another” (f) or “teaching and admonishing (e) one another” (a) is a Body-of-Christ ministry, not a one-man show, or for a “team of professionals” – see Teach One Another and Coaches & Facilitators.  In Ephesians 5:18-19, the “party” Christians are to be involved in isn’t a drunken party, but one that is “by the means of psalms (b), hymns (c), and pneumatikos Spirit-kind-of odes (d),” which are the natural result of Paul’s strong urging (imperative case) to “routinely being filled by the means of the Spirit” in v. 18 – see Spirit-Baptism.  Some think that v. 19 is the “means” of v. 18, but likely the routine-action participles of v. 19 are describing the “party” that Paul wants Christians to be a part, a result of not getting drunk on wine but on the Holy Spirit!  <Notes> a) Colossians 3:16, b) psalmos: “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” out songs with/without singing, c) pre-composed, acapella songs pre-composed, acapella songs, d) hymns or psalms, e) noutheteo: ‘placing in the mind of’ – urgent reasoning by instruction and warning, f) Ephesians 5:19.

 

All of this Body-of-Christ ministry “by the Spirit” is supposed to be a “reciprocal one-another” Body-of-Christ experience, not by the human fleshly efforts of a “music-ministry team” or the “one-man show” you so often see in churches nowadays!  Sure some of this music can NOT ONLY be precomposed ahead of time (thus the terms “hymns” and “psalms”).  However, the “composing” then should have also been given by the Spirit to make it Spirit-kind-of music, but it’s clear that Paul is saying there is a unique, 3^rd kind they could ALL bring – Spirit-kind-of odes, which likely are spontaneous hymns and psalms where “the mind is not fruitful or understanding” exactly because they are generated by the Spirit, just like with tongues!  Again, so many churches get stuck with the first 2 kinds, which actually can be generated solely from the flesh just as easily as solely from the Spirit, but for sure many musicians and churches rarely get to the 3^rd kind – “the close encounter of the 3^rd kind,” which is spontaneous by the means of the Spirit – see “New Song” and “Joyful Noise” on the Spontaneous page.

 

As Christian musicians, requiring “skills and professionalism” from worship musicians is contrary to the move away from the “might and power” of the Old Testament to the “by My Spirit” of the completely different-in-kind New Covenant.  It is just as much “flesh” as any other sin and completely rejected by God, even if we do it FOR God.  Flesh still produces flesh and Spirit produces Spirit, for they oppose each other.  “You can’t perfect by the flesh what was begun in the Spirit.”  The NT tells us repeatedly to surrender ourselves, even our understanding mind, to the control of the Holy Spirit, even in our pray and worship!  God isn’t impressed by our works but willingness to listen at His feet.  Ministry is meant to be a “party” under the possession of the Spirit, where everyone is involved, not just a few “skilled professionals.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doesn’t the OT teach musicians to be skilled and professional?

 

 

 

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Make sure you really understand the “Not by might and power” page.  I’ve known many skilled and professional musicians that played every note on their music stand perfectly “in devoted service for the Lord,” but they didn’t know the first thing about abandoned worship of the Lord or worshipful, conversational-prayer with the Lord.  I fear “their sacrifice” may have been worthless to the Lord, for “to draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools – for they absolutely in fact do not know that they are doing evil” (a), for “I desire steadfast, unconditionally-love and not sacrifice, the genuine, experiential, discerning, wise, relational dea’th/epignosis knowing of God rather than burnt offerings” (b) – see New Covenant Ways – BT16 for discernment. I’m sure that is why Jesus said in John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the genuine worshipers shall worship the Father [dative case: by the means of the singular Holy] Spirit and [dative: by the means of the singular] Truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him MUST worship [dative: by the means of the singular Holy] Spirit and [dative: by the means of the singular] Truth.”  For a Christian, it really comes down to where we place our trusting-relying-faith – on ourselves, others, or the Lord. <Notes> a) Ecclesiastes 5:1, b) Hosea 6:6.

 

Christian musicians have been erroneously taught from the OT that God wants them to be skilled and professional in the completely different-in-kind New Covenant.  Not only is “borrowing” from the OT the faulty foundation of The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit, but distorting it is even worse!  Careful translation of the original languages and reading these so-called “proof texts” in context causes them to ALL fall apart.

 

For example, 1 Chronicles 15:16-22, 25:1-8, and 2 Chronicles 34:12 doesn’t actually promote human musical “expertise” to qualify leaders for worship service, but they simply say that these selected musicians “understood it” or were “informed” or “had musical ability” or “had intelligence,” just as other better translations have noted.  That’s what the Hebrew and Greek texts actually say!  We find out elsewhere that it was actually the Lord who powerfully-enabled them to perform so beautifully, not music lessons taught by mere human beings!  More details below.

 

Translations like “skilled, talented, accomplished, experts, masters, or teachers” are wholly misleading and are likely biased since many bible translators are highly trained and educated employees of major academic universities.  They have a vested interest with their choice of words!  However, the original languages and context have nothing to do with “natural aptitude, skill, or professionalism” but only about something “learned through the 5 senses.”  It’s preposterous to assume that human teachers were the source of such supernatural ability!  And worse is the King James Version that says these musicians were “cunning!”  Furthermore, it really didn’t matter what their natural skill level was or how professional there were because their duties were determined by the casting of lots, which was their way of insuring that the choice of musicians was independent of their natural “might and power” but left solely up to God’s Spirit.  If you think “throwing dice” is just a game of chance or just a silly OT practice, why did the apostles cast lots in Acts 1:26 to add Matthias to the 12 apostles after Judas hung himself?  Let’s look at these verses in more detail below.

 

In 1 Chronicles 15:16-22, “[King] David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.  . . . The singers . . . were to sound bronze cymbals; Zechariah, [plus other specified men] were to play harps . . . but Mattithiah, [plus other specified men] were to lead with lyres . . . Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music should yasar direct/discipline/admonish the music, for he biyn/sunetos understood it.”

 

The Hebrew word biyn means “was caused to understand or was taught it” but the Septuagint Greek sunetos is an adjective of noun meaning “was an understanding one,” derived from the noun sunesis “simply meaning understanding by ‘connecting the dots’.”  These words are often used in the NT negatively for ‘connect-the-dots’ rational human understanding through sequitur inductive reasoning, that is, the “power” of “might and power.”  But it’s also used positively in the NT for the supernatural understanding of God that is often non-sequitur that “thwarts the sunesis rational understanding of the sunetos understanding ones” (a).  We cannot presume that this leader got his understanding from his own training or logical reasoning, but should actually conclude from the context that it was supernaturally endowed-power!

We also can’t presume that this leader “instructed” the Levites as some have erroneously translated yasar.  I’ve worked under a lot of orchestral, concert, and theater conductors and none of them except my frustrated grade and high school conductors spent much time at all actually training the musicians – it was up to our private lessons.  It actually would be an insult to professional musicians to single them out in front of other musicians.  No!  You are expected to take private lessons, practice, and come prepared.  You may get lucky and be able to ask questions after rehearsal, but not for long!  <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 1:19.

 

It’ a crying shame that only five translations had “biyn, sunetos” correct with the translation “understood,” while 2 others went with “had understanding,” and 3 others were somewhat close with “was well-informed, was able, or for this musical ability.” So at least they left it up to you to figure out what kind of “understanding” they had.  Anointed musicians know!  However, many bibles go off the deep end by inserting words into the simple definition:  21 had “was skillful,” and 1 bible each had one of the following:  “able to instruct, a skilled musician, because of his skill in music, selected for his skill, ability to do something well, expertise, good at singing, good at it, highly skilled, very knowledgeable, was very good at it, expert at it, was a master, very gifted musician, was very wise, is intelligent.” It’s pretty darn sad when 78% of the translations felt they had to add something to the text that the word doesn’t even mean!  Can you see how error and “winds of doctrine” get started in the Church?  Do you think this is God’s idea?

 

In 1 Chronicles 25:1-8, “[King] David and the chiefs of the [Levitical priesthood] service also set apart for the [liturgical] service (a) the sons of . . . (four named men) . . . who should naba/apophtheggomai prophesy (b) with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was . . . (a list of men) . . . and the father Jeduthun [all] who naba/apophtheggomai prophesied (b) with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord . . .  God had given Heman 14 sons and 3 daughters . . . under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the Lord (a) with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the [liturgical] service of the house (a) of God.  . . . The number of them along with their brothers, who were lamad/didasko trained/taught in singing to the Lord, all who were biyn/suniemi caused to understand were 288. And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.”  <Notes> a) in David’s tabernacle, v. 23:26, b) naba: divinely speak; apophtheggomai: speak out ‘brightly’ as with dignified elevated speech.

The Hebrew for “trained” is lamad, meaning “trained or goaded to learn.”  The Greek didasko means “to learn or instruct.”  As in 1 Chronicles 15:16-22 above, the Hebrew for “caused to understand” is biyn and the Greek is suniemi both simply means to “was caused to understand through ‘connect-the-dots’ reasoning.”  Considering the context is about prophesying, it’s a presumption that they were “trained/taught” and that their “understanding” came only through mere human instruction – see Prophetic Rhema!  Again, not too many translations got either of these 2 words right.  See below for the KJV’s use for the 288 who were “cunning.”  What’s the problem here with these translators?  Do they have a vested interest in promoting human teaching?

 

In 2 Chronicles 34:12 “The Levites, all who were biyn, suniemi understanding with instruments of music, supervised the burden-bearers and directed all who did work in every kind of [liturgical] service.”  Again, it’s absolutely wrong to presume that they were “taught or trained to be experts” by men or even that they were inherently “intelligent” or “skilled.”  This implies that they were superior because of their “learned understanding or intelligence” and that they were therefore somehow humanly “special” by their fleshly “might and power.”

 

Many translations simply followed older translations that said “skilled” or “skillful.”  If you look in old dictionaries like the 1611 King James Version used, it defines “skilled” as “Having familiar knowledge united with readiness and dexterity in the application of it, or familiarly acquainted with.”  That certainly was the meaning in 1611.  However, today “skilled” means much more than this, such as:  “Having or showing the knowledge, ability, or training to perform a certain activity or task well, based on knowledge or experience; showing expertise.”  So you can see that “well” and “expertise” were not part of the 1611 definition of “skilled” and certainly not the ancient biblical words biyn or sunesis!  And neither was “talented,” as some bibles said, where “talented” is defined as “having a natural aptitude or skill for something.”  The original biyn or sunesis words have nothing to do with this but only something that is “understood through ‘connect-the-dots’ reasoning” without any mention of where this comes from, though in context, it’s clear it is supernatural and not naturally learned!  The biblical words also say nothing about “very good, accomplished, experts, masters, or teachers!”  Why do bible add stuff that simply is NOT there?

 

Now, why in the world did 1 Chronicles 25:7 from above in the King James Version deviate from it own translation of “skilled” in the other verses to “cunning” here in this one for the 288, resulting in even more confusion?  Again, we know from the Hebrew biyn and the Greek suniemi that it simply means “caused to understand.”  However, in 1611 the word “cunning” meant:  “Knowing; skillful; experienced; well-instructed.  It is applied to all kinds of knowledge, but generally and appropriately, to the skill and dexterity of artificers, or the knowledge acquired by experience.”  You can see that some parts of “cunning” do sort of fit the meaning of biyn/suniemi “caused to understand,” such as: “knowing, skillful, experienced, instructed, knowledgeable,” but it begs the question where this came from.  Too many of these translations imply that is was through their own practice or instruction from other human beings.  But the context implies this was a supernatural endowment!  Worse, “cunning” today something totally different:  “having or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or evasion.”  Can you see how the KJV can be very misleading, especially today!  And again, why would human qualifications on a resume matter if they were going to cast lots for their duties anyway?

 

It’s very frustrating that so many translations are either careless or misleading in their choice of words, or maybe so old that their word choices are then misleading today – which makes us careless for relying on such old translations!  And then there are the issues of hidden doctrinal bias and underlying agendas that very clearly affect translator’s word choices, as we’ve seen with the doctrine of “Cessationism” – see the Spirit-Baptism – BT3 page.

 

The moral of the story is that you really can’t trust much of what you read from any source, even your favorite bible, and it would behoove us all to check 50 translations on www.biblegateway.com to see if variant meanings “throw up a red flag” to warrant further investigation using the bible tools on the Bible Info page.  Then there’s the much simpler, childlike, more reliable way to learn – and that is to learn directly from the “One Teacher” BT10 page.

 

As Christian musicians, should we be building our theology about worship from English versions of Old Testament verses, especially 78% of the translations on key worship texts are really far off from the original languages and often quite misleading?  Shouldn’t we be looking at those who actually were unbiased and did their homework to be accurate?  Shouldn’t we also be reading in context, which solves most misunderstandings?  These “key or proof texts” for “skilled and professional” playing of music for God are no such thing.  They simply speak of musical understanding and instruction and the context makes it clear that this is very likely supernaturally acquired or endowed by the Holy Spirit, and thus has nothing to do with “human information or instruction, skill, talent, ability, accomplishment, professionalism, expertise, or mastership.”  David worship doesn’t have anything to do with perfecting our “might and power” FOR God, but about complete surrender to God so that He “causes us to have understanding and we are instructed” by Him so that He gets ALL the credit!  It has nothing to do with human teaching but about divine prophecy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Requiring skill and professionalism shows favoritism or partiality

 

 

 

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Since favoritism or partiality goes against God’s nature (a), why are His people then showing this when we are even told not to (b)?  In Jeremiah 31:31-34 (c), God no longer favors a top-down hierarchy of the “greatest [teachers] to the least among you” to disseminate the knowledge of God through scripture as He did through the teaching of Moses, Aaron, his sons, the Levites, the men of the other tribes, then the women, children, and finally the servants and slaves.  But now under the completely different-in-kind New Covenant, God explicitly warns: “Absolutely no longer in fact shall every person teach his neighbor or [even] his family members to ‘experientially, relationally ginosko know Yahweh.’”  This has the force of a command to stop teaching!  Why is this no longer necessary, since they were previously commanded to do this teaching?  Because God states a fact:  “For they shall actually ALL eido mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know Me.”  This is absolutely not through book-learning but is a term used most often for revelation through directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words, dreams, and visions!  But here’s another radical diversion from the previous “knowing of God” through the teaching of scripture – the completely different-in-kind New Covenant Way is “from the least of them to the greatest, declares Yahweh.”  Praise the Lord that He starts the revelation process from the bottom and works His way up!  <Notes> a) Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9, b) 1 Timothy 5:21, James 2:1, 9, c) cited by Hebrews 8:8-12, 10:16-17.

 

Who are usually the last to “get it” in any revival?  The “skilled and professionals” running the churches!  Jesus explained the reason:  “The [so-called] ‘lasts’ shall actually be firsts and the [so-called] ‘firsts’ shall actually be lasts” (a) and “He who is [so-called] least among you all is the one who is actually great” (b).  Jesus had to sternly rebuke His disciples several times because they were trying to create a hierarchy of importance and authority among themselves.  He told them that this idea of firsts, rulers, lords, great ones, etc. and having authority over others is the way of the unbelieving world (c), but “this actually, ongoingly is absolutely in fact not to be so among you, for whoever desires to be ‘great’ among you must become a person’s servant, and whoever desires to be ‘first’ among you must be a person’s slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (d) and “Rather, let the [so-called] ‘greatest’ among you become as the neos youngest, and the [so-called] hegeomai ‘leader’ (e) as one who serves” (f).  You won’t hear many churches preach any of this!  I’ve written much more about the terms for leadership under “Coaches and Facilitators.”  Other than Jesus’ example, which should be good enough, why should we be “as the youngest?” <Notes> a) Matthew 19:30, 20:8, 16; Mark 9:35, 10:31; Luke 13:30, b) Luke 9:48, c) Paul also reveals that the demonic realms are organized as such:  Ephesians 6:12, d) Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45, e) hegeomai means “chief-leader” but in the NT the dominant characteristic-meaning was to “humbly esteeming others more significantly than yourselves,” so in no way does it mean to exert authority or rule over others in the world’s use of the word, f) Luke 22:25-27.

 

In John 13:33 Jesus comforted His worried disciples by calling them teknion “little children,” which are “deeply-loved infants or very little children” who likely haven’t even learned how to read, let alone become “wise or learned” through the world’s methods of study!  They are still learning from their parents!  The apostle John, the closest to Jesus’ heart, often referred to Christians as “little children” as did the apostle Paul, because as “innocents” they were susceptible to deception and persecution from the world and its religions around them (a), even false teaching that they weren’t forgiven unless they followed the Torah Law of conditional-favor (b), being swayed to not trust Christ’s forgiveness (c), by swayed by the Greek philosophy of dualism that sin doesn’t affect the spirit (d), being swayed to also be unloving to fellow Christians (e).  However, as “little children” of God they “have already conquered them (the false teachers persecuting them) because the One who is in them is greater than the one who is in the world” (f), thus the importance of “meno abiding/dwelling/remaining in Him” (g) so they will “have confidence . . . when He comes back” (h). See A 11-21-2021 Vision about Meno abiding. <Notes> a) 1 John 5:21; Galatians 4:8-19, b) 1 John 2:12, c) 1 John 2:1, d) 1 John 3:7, e) 1 John 3:18, f) 1 John 4:4, g) John 6:56, 8:31, 15:4; 1 John 2:10, 24, 27, 3:6, 4:13, 16, h) 1 John 2:28.

 

Jesus also uses the term nepios (a) for “an infant, a simple-minded, unlearned, unenlightened, or immature person.”  They are clearly not adults because they don’t talk, think, or reason like adults (b)!  They aren’t old enough to claim their inheritance, in that respect no different than a household slaves . . . still enslaved to the elementary forces/principles of this world (c).  They may even still be nursing from their mothers (d), but they may have been old enough to be indoctrinated, even by teachers of the Torah Law of conditional-favor that the Pharisees strove to reach (e)!  Even the apostle Paul had to speak a different way to unbelieving “people of the flesh” but also to “infants in Christ” who just came out from the unbelieving world, differently than how he would speak to “people of the Spirit” (f), so Paul calls these “infants” to grow up:  “So we are no longer in possibility to be infants tossed back and forth [as with waves] and carried/driven by every violent wind of teaching by the dice-playing deception/cheating of men by trickery/craftiness towards the end of being fraudulent cunning.  <Notes> a) Matthew 11:25, 21:16; Luke 10:21, b) 1 Corinthians 13:11, c) Galatians 4:1-3, d) 1 Thessalonians 2:7; Hebrews 5:13, e) Romans 2:20, f) 1 Corinthian 3:1.

 

Yet, in Matthew 11:25 and Luke 10:21, after rebuking cities that rejected His logos gospel message of The Truth, Jesus talks about His disciples whom “the Son chooses to reveal the Father to.”  Jesus thanked the Father “because you have definitely/wholly kept hidden/secret these things (a) from the ‘sophia wise and sunestos connect-the-dots understanding ones’ but revealed (b) them to nepios infants.”  It was these “infants” that were crying out in the temple courts “Hosanna to the Son of David” as Jesus entered Jerusalem shortly before His death (c).  Jesus in dexplained to His disciples (d) why the masses got vague parables taught to them yet specifics were taught to the disciples:  “Because it is given unto you to experientially, relationally ginosko know the mysteries/secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but this is not given to them (the masses).”  It’s all about “ginosko experiential, relational knowledge” versus “gnosis book-learning, factual, info-knowledge” – the masses are content with the latter, but those who press in closer and hang around longer will get the former!  And this ginosko knowledge doesn’t come from logical sunesis ‘connect-the-dots’ understanding through reading and study but through the Spirit’s revelation!  Paul’s “gospel and preaching of Jesus Christ is down-from/according-to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages, but NOW it has been manifestly declared and also through the prophetic scriptures have been declared to all the nations.”  Throughout all of Paul’s writings to Jews, he only uses the prophetic scriptures to point to Jesus!  <Notes> a) the gospel truths about Jesus, b) unveil to manifest, c) Matthew 21:15-16, d) Matthew 13:11, Mark 4:11, and Luke 8:10.

 

Clearly the Lord favors “infants” that haven’t even learned the scriptures as the teachers of the Torah Law of conditional-favor endeavored to indoctrinate with scripture.  The irony was that the deception actually was coming from these teachers of scripture – that’s what tossed them around like the waves and violent wind.  All religions have sacred books that their teachers use to indoctrinate people by.  The Jews were attacking Christians with the scriptures!  The Greek philosophers attacked Christians with their ‘special’ writings!  But if Christians can remain “innocent as infants” of these sources of confusion, and instead listen closely to the Spirit of Christ, then they will have grown up!  Because “the things” about the Kingdom are revealed by the Holy Spirit – they aren’t learned any other way!  “Infants” aren’t expected to have skill or professionalism but to listen to their Father in order to learn!

 

As Christian musicians, aren’t we supposed to be like little children, even infants, in order to have the secrets of the kingdom revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, instead of trying to be like Pharisees and scribes to learn about God through studying the scriptures?  Especially since these “secrets are kept hidden from them” despite their study?  If we require others to be like these bible students, described as false teachers because they distract from “the simplicity of devotion to Christ,” aren’t we showing partiality against “the least among you” that God actually considers as “firsts and the greater?”  And isn’t it true that the “skilled and professional” churchmen are usually the last in every revival “to get onboard” with the move of the Holy Spirit?  Do you also want to be last?  Religious people always make knowing God complicated!  We need to keep it simple just as a little child learns from their parents!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing with Skill and Professionalism is just another “wind of doctrine”

 

 

 

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I just can’t find anywhere in the bible any emphasis on individual skill and professionalism or comparing ourselves with others.  Every so-called “proof text” people have sent me over the years to justify playing with skill and professionalism turns out to be another “wind of doctrine” started from some poorly translated bible to justify people’s actions, completely unsupported by careful analysis of the text from the original languages and context, other related verses, and early Church history!  I also find it interesting that so many people pull verses from the Old Testament (OT) to prove their doctrine, when we have seen from the Conversational-Prayer and New Covenant Way pages that the NT and early Church restricted use of the OT scripture to prophecies of Christ and the completely different-in-kind New Covenant, and warned against teachers using the gramma writings collected into graphe scripture of the old covenant, especially the Torah Law of conditional-favor.

 

So much of this talk about skill and professionalism is just us judging ourselves or others by outward appearance, even though God looks at the heart (a).  So much of this is just the “cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches that choke out the logos gospel message so that it becomes unfruitful” (b) because some musicians Christian music solely to make money, so they double whammy themselves!  So much of this is really just the “desires of the sarx flesh including . . . the pride of life that is absolutely not in fact from the Father but is from this world” (c).  But Jesus includes “pride” in the list of “evil things that come from within, out of the heart of man, that defile a person” (d).  And the Apostle Paul says “In the last days, people will become lovers of self, . . . proud and arrogant” (e).  Both the Apostle Peter and James quote Proverbs 3:34 “God oppose (f) the proud, but gives unconditional-favor-of-grace to the humble (g)” (h).  So much of this is just the “might and power” of the old covenant’s “antiquated” way of serving God (i).  So much of this is just a rigid obsession with our own plans, programs, and schedules, saying: “Today or tomorrow we will  . . . [accomplish such and such] . . . yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (m).  So much of this is just showing favoritism or partiality to the “wise and learned” at the exclusion of the “little children” (j) or the other “least among us“ (k).  But God shows no partiality, so why should we (l)?  So much of this is just the “nations seeking [and striving after] all these things [we say we need], but our Heavenly Father knows that we need them.  Instead we should seek [and strive after] first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and [trust that] all these things will be added to us.  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow” – like being a skilled and professional musician good enough to play in church. (n). <Notes> a) 1 Sam 16:7, b) Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19, c) 1 John 2:16, d) Mark 7:21-23, e) 2 Timothy 4:6, f) stands firmly against, g) the lowly who are teachable, h) 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6, i) Zechariah 4:6, Romans 7:6, j) Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21-23, k) Jeremiah 31:34; Matthew 25:40-45, l) Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6, Ephesians 6:9; 1 Timothy 5:21; James 2:1, 9, m) James 4:13-14, n) Matthew 6:32-34.

 

As Christian musicians, what have you heard taught to you?  Have you really researched to see if this is legitimate?  Have your actually heard from the Lord otherwise?  It sure seems from the info above, there are a lot of things working against this “required skill and professionalism” theory, and the other BLOG links on the Skill page will dig even deeper.  Well you can start commenting on this page below!