Spontaneous – BT7

 

 

 

 

 

What is a ‘New Song’ and why should Christians being “singing and psalming” them?

 

 

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The Hebrew OT uses the phrase chadash shiyr and the Greek OT atos kainos for this “New Song” anointed, prophetic, and spontaneous music that exactly corresponds with Paul’s Spirit-kind-of odes in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 for Christians!  The Hebrew chadash and Greek kainos for “New” means “fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior,” just as with the New Covenant over the old covenant.  The Greek atos means “a song, especially a lyric ode (hymn or psalm), where the Hebrew shiyr adds more of the idea of praise.”  These are praise songs, whether instrumental or not, completely unlike any other praise song that has come before, very much like an invention is not awarded a patent unless it is unique, not borrowing anything before it, thus never having been used before – and it implies that it is superior!  That’s one “packed” word!  The Church’s borrowing from the old is the key foundational problem of The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit in the Church today!

 

The world, including the Jews and the Church to follow, have always had pre-composed psalms (a) and hymns (b) for a very long time – they are near as “old” as time and very much “used.”  They may even be praise songs.  If we are really blessed, they may be “God-breathed” or inspired during the time they were composed, and thus anointed and prophetic!  But an anointed, prophetic “New Song” succeeds these, having never been heard before, improvised on the spot as spontaneous music, making it superior to anything before it!  <Notes> a) psalmos: “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” out songs with/without singing, b) acapella, vocal-only songs.

 

This is exactly the same language used for the “New Covenantand everywhere this term “New” is used. God says it not only succeeds the old covenant in time, it is completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, and thus an invention of His that shares nothing with what came before, never before used, unheard of, and superior!  After extensive study and visions, that’s exactly what God showed me – nothing in the inferior box called “old covenant” is in the superior box called “New Covenant” – nothing!

 

And nothing in the superior “New Praise Songs” box is in the older inferior “psalms and hymns” box – it really is fresh!  Then shouldn’t this be our ultimate goal?  Let’s examine what these superior “New Praise Songs” are that God’s people are to ado sing or psalm to God’s praise in each assembly of the saints in addition to the old “psalms and hymns” in order to “routinely conversationally speak, teach, and admonish one another” that is associated with “being routinely filled to completion by the means of the Spirit” in order to be “in the will of the Lord” and for the “logos gospel message of Christ to dwell in you richly” per Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16.

 

Psalms 33:1-3 “Righteous ones, routinely shout/play joyfully (a: yatab, kalos) in/by/with Yahweh . . . give thanks to (f) Yahweh with the lyre/harp; Be psalming (b) to Him with the harp of 10 strings!  Sing to the praise of (c) Him a New (d) Praise Song (e); psalming (b) beautifully and joyfully in harmonious completeness (a) on the strings with loud shouts.”  Although one of the meanings here of yatab is “to do well, skillfully, or thoroughly,” this is not the dominant meaning nor does it fit the context, and so the Greek kalos more accurately describes this as “attractively good, beautiful, harmoniously, praiseworthy in a way that motivates others to embrace what is lovely.”  Yes, joy and beauty are inter-related!  The context isn’t about personal skill to bring ourselves praise, nor does it even insinuate that our skills bring praise to/FOR God, but that being made righteous by God’s unconditional-favor-of-grace, we shout with joy, we throw our hands out toward Him in surrendering confession and worship, and also that we are praising Him joyfully in harmonious peace with Him and others.  We cannot forget the emphasis or thrust of a passage and end up “majoring in the minors.”  The passage doesn’t tell where the “beautifully and joyfully in harmonious peacefulness” comes from, but it sure does NOT imply it comes from hours of practicing “in the flesh.”  However, it does tell about our attitude and focus – praising God’s with great joy!  Doesn’t this sound close to some Charismatic worship services? <Notes> a) yatab, kalos, b) zamar; psallo is to play a psalm: “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” a song with/without singing, c) shiyr, ado, d) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, e) shiyr, atos, f) yadah, exomologeo:  hold out or throw your hands to confess, to worship.

 

Psalms 96:1-9 “Oh sing to the praise of (a) Yahweh a New Praise Song (b); Sing to the praise of (a) Yahweh . . . Sing to Yahweh, bless His name; tell of His salvation . . . Declare His glory . . . Yahweh is greatly to be praised; Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength . . . Ascribe to Yahweh glory due His name . . . Worship Yahweh in the splendor of holiness.” <Notes> a) shiyr, ado, b) chadash shiyr, kainos atos.

 

Psalms 98:1-6 “Oh sing to the praise of (a) Yahweh a New Praise Song (b) for He has done marvelous things! . . . Shout out/howl joyfully like a battle cry to (c) Yahweh, all the earth; break/burst forth in loud, joyful sound (d) with joyful shouting (e) with “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” songs with/without singing (f).”  The Greek has “Sing to the praise of (g) and/coupled jump with exceeding joy (h) and/coupled psalming (i).  Be psalming (j) to Yahweh with the lyre/harp, with the lyre/harp and the sound/voice of psalms (k)!  With trumpet and the sound of the horn, shout out/howl joyfully like a battle cry to (c) before the King Yahweh.” <Notes> a) shiyr, ado, b) chadash shiyr, kainos atos, c) ruwa’, alalazo, d) patsach, e) ranan, f) zamar, psalmos, g) ado, h) agalliao, i) psallo, j) zamar, psallo, k) zimrah, psalmos.

 

Psalms 144:1-9 “Blessed by Yahweh, my Rock . . . He is my steadfast love and my Fortress, my Stronghold and my Deliverer . . . I will sing to the praise of (a) [You] a New Praise Song (b) to you, O God; upon a 10-stringed harp/lyre I will be psalming (c) to you.” <Notes> a) shiyr, ado, b) chadash shiyr, kainos atos, c) zamar, psallo.

 

Psalms 149:1-9 “Shine forth clamorous, foolish-looking, boastful, adoring praise to Yahweh (a)!  Sing to the praise of (b) Yahweh a New Praise Song (c), His hymn of thank-offering, honor, or praise (d) in the assembly of the godly!  Let Israel brighten/cheer up/rejoice (e) in their Maker; let the children of Zion spin around with joy/rejoicing (f) or in the LXX: jump with exceeding joy (g) in their King!  Shine forth clamorous, foolish-looking, boastful, adoring praise to (h) or LXX: sing praises of thanksgiving to honor (o) His name with dancing, psalming (i) to Him with tambourine and harp/lyre! . . . Let the pious/saints to jump for joy/rejoice (j) in glory; let them shout and jump with exceeding joy (k) on their sleeping beds.  Let the lifted up praises (l) or height/high things (m) of God be in their throats . . . Shine forth clamorous, foolish-looking, boastful, adoring praise to Yahweh (n)!” <Notes> a) halal YHWH, allelouia, b) shiyr, ado, c) chadash shiyr, kainos atos, d) t’hillah, ainesis, e) samach, euphraino, f) giyl, g) agalliao, h) halal, i) zamar, psallo, j) ‘alaz, k) ranan, agalliao, l) rowmam, m) LXX: uqwseiv, n) halal YHWH, allelouia, o) aineo.

 

Isaiah 42:10-12 “Sing a hymn to the praise of (a) Yahweh a New Praise Song/Hymn (b), His hymn of thank-offering, honor, praise or glorification (c) from the end of the earth . . . let the habitants of Sela lift up (d) [their voices] or make joyful (e), let them exultingly screech or cry out from feeling (f) from the mountain tops.  Let them give glory/honor to Yahweh, and declare His hymn or good tidings/report of thank-offering, honor, or praise (g) in the coastlands.”  <Notes> a) shiyr, humneo, b) chadash shiyr, kainos humnos, c) t’hillah, doxazo, d) nasa’, e) LXX: euphraino, f) tsavach, boao, g) t’hillah, anangello.

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT6

 

 

 

 

 

Spirit-kind-of odes are superior, spontaneous, prophetic ‘New Songs’ for worship!

 

 

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I just love the Helps Word-Studies definition for odes from www.biblehub.com:  “This word is used in the NT for spontaneous, impromptu (unrehearsed) melodies of praise – not merely sung about [or FOR] God but TO God from a Spirit-filled heart.  Spirit-inspired songs minister to God and exhort/encourage others, giving testimony about the living God to other worshipers.”  Man, after all the study I’ve done on this topic, they absolutely nailed it!

 

As important as Spirit-composed hymns and psalms were once upon a time, especially when they are now sung/played as praise to God from a grateful heart by Spirit-filled, anointed, prophetic singers and/or instrumentalists, other than these 2, there is still a completely different-in-kind, superior New (a) Song ode that we should all embrace.  This is what I call the “Close Encounter of the 3rd Kind” of Church worship music and it’s far superior by definition!  <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior.

 

Paul only uses the Greek word meizon “greater” (a) once regarding the greater importance of prophesying in the Church assembly rather than speaking in Spirit-kind-of tongues without interpretation, because the Church assembly, instead of the individual as with tongues, is more apt to be built up or edified.  Tongues are only useful to others in a Church setting if their speaking to the assembly is also interpreted by themselves or others so that a revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching by God can then be understood and interacted with so that all can learn together and be encouraged (b).  So generally speaking prophecy in the Church is of “greater importance,” thus Paul’s urging to “zealously desire the grace-gifts, but more so that you may prophesy” (c). <Notes> a) meizon, the comparative adjective of megas for great:  context defines if larger or great in size, age, number, abundance, importance or eminence or majesty, notability, arrogance, strength, sacredness, excellence, splendidness, etc., b) 1 Corinthians 14:5-6, 26-31, c) 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39.

 

So why is Spirit-kind-of odes of hymns and psalms superior by the definition of kainos?  Remember that God doesn’t just want to take the same-old-same-old and somehow make it better, certainly not be taking an old dirty man and putting fresh clean clothes on him!  No!  He creates a New kainos Man and then gives him New kainos Clothes, the robes of Christ’s righteousness.  God doesn’t take old, fleshly songs and spruces them up for sacred Church music!  He even has a better plan than taking previous, fresh rain or spring water that once fell from Him but then has been sitting in a pond or broken cistern, which makes it no longer “living,” and somehow making it better by freshly raining into it or replenishing it with spring water, thus by adding more “living water” to it to dilute the stagnant water.  Sure, He can do that!  Yes, old anointed hymns and psalms can be reinfused by anointed singers and musicians!  And certainly Paul says there is a place for this.  Anointed Old Testament worship also had this.  We can see the later disdain God had for “going through the motions” worship that originally was fresh, spontaneous, prophetic, and anointed in the time of David!

 

But Spirit-kind-of odes are superior for the same reason prophecy is of “greater importance!”  Because anointed music that is also spontaneous in/by/with the Spirit right on the spot is also prophetic – that’s right, it communicates the directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words of God to us as a grace-gift of prophecy and through us as a service and finally to others to effectually work in them for the common good (a).  That is also Paul’s reasoning in 1 Corinthians 14 above!  It’s not about you!  Yes, the Lord wants to bless you, inspire your composing and playing to make it anointed! Yes! Yes! Yes!  And this SpiritMusicMeetups BLOG website needs to fully explore this together in fellowship with others!  But God wants to speak through your mouth and your instrument to others to effectually work in their lives.  Every Body-of-Christ ministry passage speaks of this!  That is the whole point of every passage that speaks of the grace-gifts of the Spirit!  And that’s exactly what prophecy is intended for – to build up the Body-of-Christ! <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.

 

Now below we will find that this superior, greater, Spirit-kind-of ode or anointed New Song is still prophetic whether one prophetic word is sung or not!  Remember Spirit-kind-of odes include Spirit-kind-of psalms and they need not have even one word sung by definition!  The ultimate purpose of SpiritMusicMeetups is to move anointed musicians into prophetic, spontaneous music!  After you read those pages and what’s below you will be itching to start!

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT5

 

 

 

 

 

What are “Spirit-kind-of odes” or “New odes” that Christians are to share in their gatherings?

 

 

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Paul says that “Spirit-kind-of odes are one of three types of music Christians are to “routinely be conversationally speaking (k) reciprocally to yourselves . . . routinely singing/praising (a) and/coupled psalming (b) in your hearts to the Lord” (c) or “routinely teaching (d) and/coupled admonishing (e) reciprocally one another in all wisdom . . . routinely singing/praising (a) with unconditional-favor-of-grace (f) in/by/with your hearts to the Lord” (g).  Clearly “conversationally speaking, teaching, and admonishing reciprocally one another in all wisdom” in this context (h) takes the form of “praise-singing or psalming with instruments from our hearts to the Lord,” and this is all associated to “being routinely filled by the Holy Spirit instead of getting drunk on wine” for a genuine Christian “party” (i) and “having the logos gospel message of Christ dwelling in us richly” (j).  Although this is a “party,” the focus of singing and playing is not to entertain an audience but directed toward the Lord.  This is not just a performance from our heads but singing/praising in/by/with our hearts. <Notes> a) ado, b) psallo, c) Ephesians 5:19, d) didasko: see Teach One Another, e) noutheteo: ‘placing in the mind of’ – urgent reasoning by instruction and warning, f) here we are to be aware of/recognize “grace in/by/with your hearts,” and naturally our response would be thanksgiving expressed through “singing/praising in/by/with” those same “grateful hearts,” g) Colossians 3:16, h) other texts speak of many more grace-gifts and activities, i) Ephesians 5:18 – see Spirit-Baptism, j) Colossians 3:16, k) laleo: conversational words emphasizing the social aspect.

 

Now that we have the direction and attitude right, how are these 3 types of music different for Christian worship? We know that hymns are pre-composed acapella “without instrumentation” songs and psalms are pre-composed instrumental songs, and that we are exhorted to not only insure that these were originally composed in/by/with the Spirit instead of the flesh’s “might and power,” but that these hymns and psalms are to be routinely “plucked” as praise from our thankful hearts to the Lord.  This really covers the anointed composers and anointed singing and playing of these compositions.  So that covers 2 types of music, but what about the 3rd kind?

 

The 3rd kind is completely different-in-kind than pre-composed hymns and psalms.  Paul says it’s an ode, but this general term just means “hymn or psalm,” so by itself, Paul would be extremely repetitive:  “conversationally speaking reciprocally to yourselves hymns, psalms, and/also hymns and psalms.”  Clearly Paul has something different in mind, so he uses the adjective pneumatikos to clarify what kind of odes, thus best translated Spirit-kind-of odes.

 

So what does Paul mean by “hymns and psalms and pneumatikos Spirit-kind-of odes” in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16?  Context defines every word, especially the immediate context.  Earlier in Ephesian 1:3 Paul speaks of “every pneumatikos Spirit-kind-of blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ that we have been blessed by.”  In verse 5:18 the Christian “party” is to be started by “routinely, passively being filled by the Holy Spirit,” which is what Spirit-Baptism is.  Now that’s context!  Similarly, earlier in Colossians 1:9 Paul unceasingly intercedes for Christians to be filled with the genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of God will in/by/with all (pas as ‘each of kind of’) pneumatikos Spirit-kind-of sophia wisdom and sunesis connect-the-dots understanding.”  Clearly these odes are uniquely related to the Holy Spirit’s actions and not man’s actions.

 

This is especially clear in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 where Paul spends 3 chapters talking about the various actions of the Spirit and how to flow with them.  But here Paul says that he chose to both be proseuchomai conversationally-praying and/also psalming (a) not only with the understanding of his mind, but also without it by doing so in tongues by the means of the Spirit, thus speaking mysteries [to his mind] unto God.  Paul could have just as easily used the normal word for acapella singing which is humneo (b), but instead he uses psalming (d), which is more inclusive in that instrumental ‘psalm’ music can be played with or without the singing.  <Notes> a) Yes, Paul may be singing along to other musicians or himself playing, b) singing hymns: Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26; Acts 16:25; Hebrews 2:12, d) psallo:  “hit, twang, pluck, or twitch” out a song with/without singing to create a psalm.

 

This psallo ‘psalming’ is a much broader term than ‘hymning,’ allowing instrumental worship with or without singing, but here Paul directly links this “psalming” to speaking in tongues or more broadly to being controlled by the Spirit without the understanding of the mind being fruitful or productive!  Interestingly the OT prophecy from Psalms 18:49 cited in Romans 15:9 about the Gentiles glorifying God for His mercy naturally speaks of ‘psalming’ instead of the more restrictive ‘hymning.’  The very Jewish writer in James 5:13 also speaks of “psalming if you feel joyful.”  We see that same connection to the Christian “party” in Ephesians 5:18-19 above where it is directly related to routinely being filled by the Holy Spirit – and the dominant “flavor” of the singular fruit of the Spirit’s unconditional love is joy per Galatians 5:22!  Can you see how all this is connected?  Paul’s use of ‘psalming’ in regards to the Holy Spirit taking control of the person to speak or play through them could be made even clearer if you he wrote pneumatikos psallo, thus Spirit-kind-of psalming.  However, this is unnecessarily because the traditional understanding of psalms is that they were composed by the Spirit and meant to be performed that way!  This brings us closer to understanding what Spirit-kind-of odes means.  Odes by themselves doesn’t have that historical understanding of inspiration, so Paul needs to use the qualifier pneumatikos.

 

The verb form of ode is ado, which is very significant!  Ado means “to praise by singing or chanting, the lyrical emotion of a devout and grateful heart,” but we know that odes includes both hymns and psalms!  Paul uses ado as “the lyrical emotion of a devout/grateful heart” of singing/praising as the common element of hymns, psalms, and Spirit-kind-of odes in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 above, whether a word is even sung!  Remember that psalms need not be sung, yet they can still express “lyrical emotion!”  Every anointed, prophetic musician will tell you they can feel the Spirit within them “singing” through their instrument, even without vocals, to express “the lyrical emotion of a devout/grateful heart.”  In fact, “ado singing and/coupled psalming in your hearts to God” in Ephesians 5:19 are coupled together!  The only other 3 places that use ado in the NT are from Revelation 5:9 and 14:3 about singing/praising completely different-in-kind, superior New (a) odes, which may have to do with the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb in Revelation 15:3.  It’s no coincidence then that ado is used in the OT for singing/praising a completely different-in-kind, superior New (a) ode (b).  So everywhere ado is used, it is in connection with odes because they are Greek forms of each other!  And this has to do with hymns and psalms that are completely different-in-kind, superior (a) to other types of hymns and psalms. <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior – see New Covenant, b) Psalms 33:3, 96:1, 98:1; 144:9, 149:1; Isaiah 42:10.

 

So how are these “New odes” different-in-kind?  Because they are Spirit-kind-of (a), controlled by the Spirit without the mind having to understand them, making the mind unfruitful and thus not the one producing the fruit or results, just like with tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 above!  Tongues are produced through a person without them understanding in their mind what is being said.  Even as I’m writing I’m periodically proseuchomai conversationally-praying in tongues because my mind doesn’t have to keep track of the Spirit’s words.  When I play my drums, I can often feel myself insides singing/praising the Lord.  Since psalming primarily means “to pluck,” it may very well be that we are “plucking” our heart-strings when we are “psalming to the Lord.”  The same thing can happen for you while you are playing your instrument!  You can even be totally focused on singing/praising (b) and/coupled “plucking” to the Lord from your grateful heart and not even be thinking about how to play your instrument AT ALL, and yet the Spirit will play right through you the most kalos beautiful/joyful music you have ever heard in your life!  And what is produced is absolutely not someone else’s pre-composed hymns or psalms that you are ‘singing/praising and psalming” in/by/with the Spirit, but completely different-in-kind and superiorly New (c).  Thus Spirit-kind-of psalming from 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 is  clearly an aspect of Spirit-kind-of singing/praising (b) and/coupled psalming that produces Spirit-kind-of odes, which is exactly the completely different-in-kind “New (c) Songs” spoken of in the OT and NT.  Now can you see how this all comes together? <Notes> a) pneumatikos, b) ado, c) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior.

 

I’ve found that after proseuchomai conversationally-praying/singing in tongues throughout the day as I do anything and everything, and doing this for a day or two, I will have a ton of directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words, visions, and dreams!  I encourage you to get Spirit-baptized over and over, routinely being filled to overflowing, “let go” of the mind’s “might and power” that wants to be in control by “understanding everything and being fruitful,” and instead by trusting-relying-faith (a) “let God” have control by proseuchomai conversationally-praying and singing/psalming by the Spirit’s power, even in tongues in your mouth or head!  <Notes> a) pistis: relational conviction of trusting reliance.

 

Let’s not put God in a box, because by definition prophecy does not need to involve words.  A picture given by God is just as prophetic because it reveals the mind/heart of God, and we all know that “a picture is worth a 1000 words” – I’d say 10,000 words!  Every musician knows that music is just another language, frequencies arranged to convey meaning, just as many languages are not only picture-based but also music-based so that tone differences change the meaning of identical-looking words.  So even if a musician isn’t proseuchomai conversationally-praying in tongues unto God or even under his breath while they are playing, the Spirit can just as easily be communicating the mind/heart of God to people through the arrangements of frequencies that their inward man may understand even if their human mind doesn’t, and so the music is still prophetic, and still communicating the directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words of God!  What really matters is if the anointing of God is on the musician and the music, or is not!

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT4

 

 

 

 

 

What about sacred songs performed in/by/with the flesh?

 

 

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What about hymns and psalms originally pre-composed in/by/with the Spirit but then performed in/by/with the flesh?  See also Prophetic-Rhema-BT7:  Can God use Christian music that isn’t prophetic?  There’s 1000s of songs originally written by absolutely anointed, prophetic musicians, which were originally such a blessing to the Church.  But now they are being performed in/by/with the natural flesh’s might and power,” performed by both saved and unsaved musicians!  Of course this is natural for the unsaved musician and they know of no other way:  “The natural person absolutely in fact does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and/coupled he is absolutely in fact not able to understand them because they are Spirit-kind-of discerned” – see New Covenant Ways – BT16.  We all were like them once – “we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just like the rest of mankind” (a).  So, there is absolutely no way these secular musicians can play these anointed, prophetic songs in an anointed, prophetic way – unless God supernaturally intervenes like the donkey rebuking the false prophet Balaam (b). <Notes> a) Ephesians 2:3, b) Numbers 22:28.

 

The entire NT also warns Christians of “walking down-from/according-to the flesh” (a), which means Christian musicians can actually end up playing anointed, prophetic songs in/by/with the flesh, and the solution is simply to stop doing this and instead “walk by the Spirit” (b).  Christians are called to make vital decisions that affect their lives and ministries!  I’ve devoted a whole page to this “might and power” type of ministry called “Not by might nor power” (c), which is actually the foundational problem of The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit, foundational because it was “borrowed” from the old covenant of works that was all done in/by/with the flesh! <Notes> a) 2 Corinthians 10:2; Romans 8:5, 12-13, b) Galatians 5:16, c) Zechariah 4:6.

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT3

 

 

 

 

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What about singing/playing “in/by/with flesh” songs in Church?

 

 

 If these “hymns and psalms” are composed in/by/with the natural man’s flesh ormight and power,” it’s probably not God’s first choice to include this in Church worship music!  Why?  They are from 2 entirely different worlds that just don’t mix.  “What is born of flesh is ongoingly flesh and/coupled that which is born of the Spirit is ongoingly Spirit” (a), and “What koinonia fellowship has light with darkness” (b)?  And “the cravings of the flesh are against the Spirit and/coupled the cravings of the Spirit are against the flesh, for they are opposed to each other to keep you from doing/accomplishing the things you want to do” (c).  This is like trying to mix Torah Law of conditional-favor with unconditional-favor-of-grace, like the old covenant versus the New Covenant, and like old wineskins trying to hold New wine – both are destroyed!  Secular music played for God by Christian musicians is simply self-deceived religion, and it destroys both secular and worship music!  It’s self-deception if you think you can play in/by/with the Spirit for God something created from and for the kingdom of darkness.  Yet, I’ve seen so many Christians go down this path, a slippery slope that ultimately ruined them!  What you really end up doing is playing these songs in/by/with the flesh for God or to please and honor God, but this is still religion because “the flesh absolutely in fact profits nothing” (d). <Notes> a) John 3:6, b) 2 Corinthians 6:14, c) Galatians 5:17, d) John 6:63

 

But what about God being able to ‘turn lemons into lemonade,’ or turn “what was meant for evil into good” (a), or that “all things work together for good to those who are called down-from/according-to His purpose” (b)?  Both of these verses are talking about trials, tribulations, and persecutions against God’s people.  I don’t think we can easily apply them to our voluntary choice to use “stones” from the world around us, “stones” that actually turn out to be those building The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit’s move in our churches!  Is it possible that God can make the “stones cry out from the wall” (c) – even praise to the Lord (d)?  Yes, but the plan was for Christ’s disciples to praise the Lord (e) and “little children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ . . . for ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have ordained praise.’”  That’s God’s plan, not rocks! <Notes> a) Genesis 50:20, b) Romans 8:28, c) Habakkuk 2:11, d) Luke 19:40, e) Luke 19:39.

 

Does “singing and/coupled psalming in your heart unto the Lord,” which is coupled to “speaking (c) reciprocally to yourselves (d) in psalms and/coupled hymns and/coupled Spirit-kind-of odes,” then make all kinds of “psalms, hymns, and Spirit-kind-of odes” perfectly justified?  Does that mean I can take the #1 evil song The Oath by Mercyful Fate, which has lyrics taken from a black mass, which is basically a love song to Satan, and if I take this song and “sing and/or psalm this unto the Lord from my heart,” then is it now “acceptable worship” to the Lord?  No!  Paul explains what is “acceptable to God” in Romans 12:1, “presenting your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your logical/rational worship-service (e).”  What does he mean by that?  Verse 2 explains:  “I strongly urge you to not in possibility be ongoingly conformed (f) this world but instead be ongoingly metamorphically transformed by the renewing (a) of your mind so that you may ongoingly scrutinize (b) what is that good and/coupled acceptable and/coupled perfect will of God.”  For more about discernment – see New Covenant Ways – BT16. <Notes> a) ana + kainosis: completely different-in-kind inward renovation, b) dokimazo: test, examine, or discern to demonstrate or prove something is acceptable, genuine, approved, good, and approved, c) laleo: conversational words emphasizing the social aspect, d) one another reciprocally, e) liturgy, f) pressed into the mold of.

 

The Lord is calling us to leave the world behind, not to still hold onto it and somehow “redeem it for God by singing/playing for God,” right?  I’ve heard this latter argument too many times!  James 4:4-5 says, “Do you not know that philia friendship with the world is enmity with God?  So whoever decides to be the world’s philos friend makes himself God’s enemy.”  Ephesians 5:11 says “I strongly urge you to have in possibility no sharing/partnership with (a) the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose their wrong (b) – that’s our apologetics to this world, not quoting from Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict!  Our lives are not supposed to blend in with the world in agreement with “deeds that produce no fruit for God” (c), but be so completely different-in-kind that our “light” exposes the ‘wrong’ in them!  But “if the so-called light in you is actually darkness, how great is that darkness” (d)?  Jesus is talking to deceived people who think that what they are doing for God is actually “light!”  That was the religion of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, but I fear that it’s the religion of much of church-ianity! <Notes> a) sugkoinoneo, b) elegcho: correct/convince with solid, compelling evidence, c) John 15:2-4, d) Matthew 6:23, e) philia, philio:  fond friendship – see Fellowship.

 

But some will say:  “But my secular song doesn’t have evil lyrics, or they are neutral, or even positive, or it’s purely an instrumental song!  Why can’t I sing/psalm this to the Lord from my heart and thus make it ‘acceptable worship’ to the Lord?”  However, there is no “sliding scale” of flesh from 1-10, G-rated to X-rated.  Once it’s flesh, it’s flesh!  Just as there is no “sliding scale” of the Spirit – it’s either Holy Spirit or it’s not!  If any of it is flesh, it’s simply not Spirit, and vice-versa.

 

A “New (a) Song” (b) is not just new-in-time or younger, it’s completely different-in-kind, unique, and superior by definition!  You can’t take a rotten tomato and make it better!  Replacing it with a green tomato doesn’t help either because in time it will also become a rotten tomato since it’s still a tomato.  No, if you want something superior then you have to instead choose something completely different-in-kind.  Now a Twinkie isn’t superior in nutrition but it is in shelf-life – the world’s oldest open Twinkie for 40 years looks almost the same as a new one!  The Lord isn’t concerned so much about what is is new or old in time, but whether it is completely new-in-kind! <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9, 14:3.

 

You really can’t take a “made in Communist China” product and somehow make it better in the USA and then call it “made in the Democratically-Free United State of America,” because that is still called a knock off!”  It’s still a “fake!”  It’s like putting USA shoelaces on a China shoe and calling it “made in the USA.”  This is fraud!  But that’s what Christians are trying to do with secular songs, sung or instrumental, when they now claim these are sacred/holy songs because they are “singing/playing them to the Lord from their heart.”  This is fraud!  Flesh is flesh no matter what wrapping paper you put on it, even if you believe you can make it somehow “Spirit.” It is inappropriate and ineffective to use when “worshipping the Lord in/by [singular] Spirit and/coupled [singular] Truth, which My Father is seeking such people to worship Him” (a).  This “borrowing” from the flesh is not “by [singular] Truth,” exactly because it’s not “in the realm” or “by the means” of the Spirit.  Oh, you can say that it is all you want, but deceiving yourself doesn’t make it The Truth.  This “borrowing” stones from the world for God and for your church is exactly what is building The Great Wall that is quenching the Holy Spirit.  <Notes> a) John 4:23.

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT2

 

 

 

 

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Is it to be anointed, prophetic, and spontaneous or nothing at all?

 

 

No!  Paul understood that there is room for using your mind to understand what is going on instead of instead of just being ‘clueless’ as the Spirit takes over.  As beneficial as speaking in Spirit-given tongues is in building oneself up (a) because these are unto God, uttering mysteries in/by/with the Spirit (b), and even when we proseuchomai conversationally-pray in/by/with a tongue, then the Spirit belonging to/inside us proseuchomai conversationally-prays so that our minds are unfruitful (g) (c), even if Paul gives thanks to God (d), even if he thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than all of them (e), and even if he wanted them all to thus speak in tongues (f), Paul still didn’t completely abandon himself entirely to “turning off the use of his mind’s understanding.”  How so?  <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 14:4, b) v. 14:2, c) v. 14:14, d) v. 14:16, e) v. 14:18, f) v. 14:5, g) without advantage to us.

 

Look what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “What am I to do? I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray by the Spirit, moreover I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray with the mind (c); and/also I will psalm (a) by the means of the Spirit (b), moreover I will psalm (a) by the means of the mind (c).”  We know from 1 Corinthians 14:2, 14 that Paul’s idea of “proseuchomai conversationally-praying and psalming by the means of the Spirit” most likely meant in tongues where the “mind is without understanding” because “in/by/with the Spirit he utters mysteries to God.”  Paul isn’t saying to throw out his mind entirely by doing these in/by/with the Spirit mor to only use his mind.  It’s not either-or but both-and!  <Notes> a) psallo: “hit, twang, pluck, or twitch” out a song with/without singing, b) context: without the mind’s understanding, being a mystery unto God, c) nous: with the mind’s understanding.

 

The definite article “the” with “Spirit” used above in the dative case is used frequently throughout Paul’s writings as “by the means of the Holy Spirit,” so it is not accurate to translate this “by or with my spirit” especially since there is absolutely no genitive “of me!”  And the same goes true for “the mind!”  It also would make no sense to say, “I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray and psalm with both my spirit and my mind,” because Paul routinely, as all Jews do, treats “mind” (a) as not only the “conscious, intellectual thinking, understanding, and word-forming mind” but also the “complete inward hidden man, including the unconscious soul (b) and the spirit of man,” which separates man into 2 parts – mind/heart/inner man + body (c).  So, why would Paul say, “I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray and psalm with both my spirit and my mind (d)?”  Isn’t that redundant?  No!  Paul isn’t pitting the human spirit’s efforts against the human mind’s efforts. <Notes> a) nous, b) intellect, emotions, will, c) see Identity, d) intellect, emotions, will, and spirit.

 

Paul is simply saying he will rely on both the Holy Spirit and the human mind when proseuchomai conversationally-praying and psalming.  Although Paul is talking in the first person (“I”), he is still giving this teaching to ALL Christians, using himself as an example.  That’s why there is no genitive “of me.”  The immediate and larger context shows clearly that the issue is “proseuchomai conversationally-praying or psalming” by Spirit-power rather than by a Christian’s own “might and power” efforts and understanding.  There is something uniquely special about proseuchomai conversationally-praying and psalming in/by/with Spirit-power!  Some, like myself, see a likely connection between these 2 verses and “worshiping by [singular] Spirit and [singular] Truth” that Jesus calls all Christians to in John 4:23.

 

However, the problem you see throughout much of Church history is that Christians usually follow the either-or model and promptly throw out the “in/by/with the Spirit” part, because it’s really much easier to revert back to the natural man’s flesh or “might and power (ischus)” of which the mind’s understanding and will-power are 2 key elements of the soul’s (psyche) flesh with their own power (ischus) (e).  When you exclude the Spirit by favoring the mind, you are definitely “quenching the Spirit” (a), which usually shows up as not “earnestly desiring or being zealous to prophesy” and “forbidding speaking in tongues” (b). The Catholic Church systematically hunted down, persecuted, and stamped out the charismata grace-gifts around 200 AD, even though several prominent bishops and theologians argued for them, and few churches have embraced them ever since, and mock those who do!  However, you will see all of the grace-gifts prominently reappear during every single revival.  If error occurs in the Church, it’s rarely ever by going too far in the realm of the Spirit, but too far into the flesh!  So as a worship musician there is certainly a place for pre-composed hymns (c) and a place for pre-composed psalms (d). <Notes> a) 1 Thessalonians 5:19, b) 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39, c) songs without instruments, d) instrumental music with or without singing, e) see the 2 and 3 parts of man in the Identity page.

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT1

 

 

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

 

What is spontaneous music and why are we supremely promoting it?

 

 

“Spontaneous music,” whether it is anointed and prophetic because it is a Spirit-kind-of ode or a completely different-in-kind New (a) Song, or it is simply created by man’s “might and power” resources and ability, is defined as “music performed or occurring as a result of sudden inner impulse or inclination and without premeditation or external stimulus,” per the Oxford English and Spanish Dictionary.  It’s really no different than “musical improvisation or extemporization, which is the creative activity of immediate ‘in the moment’ musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians. Another definition is a performance given extempore without planning or preparation, but also to play or sing extemporaneously, by inventing variations on a melody or creating new melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. Improvisation is a major part of blues, rock, jazz, and jazz fusion. . . . Throughout the Western art music tradition (b) . . . improvisation was a valued skill . . . And some contemporary composers of the 20th and 21st century have increasingly included improvisation.  In Indian, Iranian, Afghan, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi classical music, the raga is the melodic framework for improvisation and composition. They even have computer algorithms to improvise on existing music,” all per Wikipedia.  <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods.

 

The common element of all this is the greater degree of musical skill needed to improvise effectively.  Christopher Sutton of Musical U says, “Learning to improvise is a long-term mission, one which will push you to your musical limits and then beyond,” and Sabrina Young echoes:  “Like any musical skill, improvisation is not a magical gift.  It takes practice and simply the art of doing – the more you improvise, the more confident and accurately you will play, and the more confident and accurate, the better you will improvise,” and James Stinton adds:  “The ability to improvise music is not some magical prowess bestowed on a select few by a muse above.  Rather, it is a skill that can be learned through practice.”  However, Eric from “Jazzadvice” says, “Jazz improvisation is hard . . . and why that’s a good thing!  . . . They (Jazz greats) had to go into their practice room every day and do their best to improve.  And the truth is, you’re no different.”  Everybody agrees it requires skill, but some say that little children can learn this early on in their musical experience.  But others admit that it can be extremely complicated!  No matter what your viewpoint, this certainly requires more resources and ability, and likely more of it than playing pre-composed, planned-out music!

 

However, for the Christian musician do we want to be stuck with just improvisation with the rest of the world?  Absolutely not!  Read the next BLOG, because the answer is to make your “New Song” a “Spirit-kind-of Ode” by having it become Anointed and Prophetic!

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous