Today’s Devotional – October 19th (Heaven’s Idols, Part 2, ‘Choosing Appropriate Music’)

By admin On September 15th, 2014

 

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Today’s Devotional – October 19th

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‘Choosing Appropriate Music’

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Sebastian_Bach

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“All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hubbub.”

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Quote: Johann Sebastian Bach (courtesy-www.goodreads.com)

Picture: bach – hausmann – Wikipedia – US public domain

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Suppose that Jesus and His Father, along with a Holy Angel, were going to come to your house https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hunt_Light_of_the_World.jpgfor dinner tonight, and make an assessment as to just how you have been doing with your Christian life! And if that wasn’t enough, they even requested that you provide some nice music to listen to, after dinner.

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And so, you frantically went through your collection of music, trying to decide just what Jesus and His Father and the Holy Angel might like to listen to. 

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And then, as the hour drew near, you got your house in order, and everything perfectly set in place!

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Finally, at the appointed hour, you heard somebody knocking at the front door…

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chamber door – Robert-Breyer-Renaissance-Portal-wikimedia-US-public-domain

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.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_exclamation_mark.svg

Well, perhaps you should have already decided this question long ago, the very first time that you chose the kinds of music which you desire to listen to!

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Exclamation Mark – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES                                               

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:At_a_loss.svg

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The subject of music is a very touchy subject, especially since the Bible does not make any hard and fast rules.

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But the Bible does lay down principles. And those principles can apply to various aspects of everyday life.

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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License

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GAMBLING

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For instance, the Bible does not expressly condemn gambling. But there are a number of principles laid down in Scripture which can very easily apply to gambling.

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One such principle is found in Proverbs… “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” Proverbs 13:11

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And so, this above proverb reveals that wealth obtained by frivolous means (such as gambling) will not be blessed by the LORD.

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Poker Room – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License

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APPLYING BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES TO MUSIC

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Likewise music, though not specifically defined in the Bible, can be easily defined by merely applying general principles http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PaulT.jpgfound in God’s Word.

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For example, the Bible says… “Be ye followers of me (Paul), even as I also am of Christ.” 1st Corinthians 11:1

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So now we have a principle which should cause us to study everything we can in Paul’s writings, in hopes of gaining a greater and greater insight into Paul’s life, so that we can better follow his sterling example!

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Paul the Apostle – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – public domain

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HOLINESS OF CHRIST!

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Jesus said… And ye shall be holy unto Me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine.” Leviticus 20:26

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So here we see that holiness should mark our lives, just as Jesus was and as He is… holy! Thus, our great desire should be to conform our lives to Christ’s holiness. Therefore, should we desire to study every aspect of holiness, so that our lives might be holy, even as Christ is holy!

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Listen… “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Hebrews 12:14  

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Transfiguration – Bloch – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain

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“FOR I AM THE LORD: I CHANGE NOT!”

Malachi 3:6

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We humans are a very fickle and changeable race of people! Fads and fashions come and go, even as the seasons change!

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DavidtheShepherdBoy.jpg

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But Heaven is not like us! No, Heaven operates on timeless and unchangeable principles.

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Oh yes, God is a lover of variety! And we must not think that Heaven will be boring or monotonous! And there may be different styles of music there.

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For instance, while there may be great celestial choirs, singing great swelling strains in Heaven, and yet we also read of David, alone with his harp, singing soft praises to God!

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And the Bible speaks of, “…psalms and hymns and spiritual (sacred) songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” Colossians 3:16

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But even though there are varieties of music, there will not be all the fads and crazes that we so often see here!

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David Playing Harp www.thebiblerevival.com US public domain

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HEAVEN’S WISDOM

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So now we have a few principles, which should apply to all aspects of our lives.

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But here’s another principle… “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17

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Now this above verse speaks of purity, and being full of good fruits. And so, not only should the words be pure, but the music should likewise be pure, if it is to convey the wisdom of Heaven. (And don’t miss the two words, “gentle” and “peaceable”, either!)

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And we must keep in mind that music is a language, which can easily convey many sentiments and emotions! Thus, as a language, music can speak of things pure and holy, or it can speak of things sensual, earthly, and unholy!

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ABOVE PICTURE – winter – Orion the Good Shepherd – www.signsofheaven.org

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CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!

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Now here is another principle which is so powerful… “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/Pictures/The%20Early%20Church%20Artwork/target8.htmllive; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:” Galatians 2:20.

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This above verse is a testimony by Paul, that he was so dead-to-self, that it was no longer Paul, but Christ living out His life through Paul!

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And the more that we submit our will to Christ, the more that Christ might live out His holy life through us!

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And so, I need to ask myself the question: “What would Christ do, if He were in my situation?” In other words, what kind of conversations would Christ engage in? What manner of dealings with others would He engage in? How would Christ eat? What kind of music would Christ listen to? Which places would He go, or not go?

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Paul Shipwrecked – Acts 27:41-44 – www.lavistachurchofchrist.org – Public Domain

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STRONG DELUSION

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“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:” 2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12

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God’s Word is a “two-edged sword” (see Hebrews 4:12).

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That is, it cuts to save, or it cuts to destroy. And so, there are many tests in the Bible which reveal the motives of the heart.

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And each individual Bible student will be required to make choices, as to which road to take: the road that leads Heavenward or the one that leads Earthward. 

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ONLY TOTAL DEVOTION WILL FIND HIM

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God left us two role-models in the Bible: Jesus and Paul. And if we have any question about how we are to speak, do, or say (or sing), all we have to do is to look at Christ! Or at Paul!

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-06831.jpg

But God has also given us the Bible, and so we must keep studying that Book, with the express desire to become like Jesus in every way!

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Listen… “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

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Only a total devotion to finding out all we can about our great God and Savior will result in the discovery of the true Christ. Any sort of compromised life will lead us into self-deception, confusion, and ultimate destruction!

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – public domain

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HIDING GOD’S WORD IN OUR HEART!

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Well, these are just a few examples of how the Christian is to apply the principles laid down by God, in His Word, to the kinds of music that glorify God.

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And for those who encounter difficult questions or need to make perplexing decisions, the more we have hidden God’s Word in our heart, the easier it is to discern between good and evil!

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Listen… “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent” John 17:3

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heinrich_Seufferheld_Betendes_Maedchen_opus_16,1_1893.pngTODAY’S PRAYER…

Dear Lord, Help me to glorify Thee in all that I think, say, and do…and in the music I listen to…

Woman praying – Heinrich Seufferheld – 1893 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Running The Christian Race (Part 3, Sensual Music)”

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

.picture - soldiers of the cross - armor up!

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

 

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REVELATION 12 WRITTEN IN HEAVEN

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“And there appeared a great wonder (or sign) in heaven; a woman…And there appeared another wonder (sign) in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads…And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God…And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” Rev. 12:1, 3, 6, 15

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Here is a sketch of this Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12. This is the Winter Constellations of Signs Of Heaven. Besides Orion and his Horse, we also see pictured in this sketch, the Dragon of Revelation 12

.winter constellations

This Revelation 12 Woman Constellation is fleeing. As you can see, the Dragon Constellation is spewing a flood of water in her direction, as is written… “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” Rev. 12:15. This wave of water represents Satan’s lies, and his false teachers who tell those lies.

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GOD’S MESSAGE: FLEE!!

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Beholding the Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation in winter, it seems that God is trying to get a very important message across to His people: that His Church is to flee! But what are they to flee from? Well, you can go to the article titled “The Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12 Constellation”

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WINTER CONSTELLATIONS-SEEN IN FALL: This sketch to the right is how this constellation group appears in the eastern sky in fall. This is the four primary constellations of the Winter Constellations. They can be seen in this position, in the late fall above the eastern horizon. The Woman of Revelation 12 is commonly called Ursa Major or The Big Dipper and appears in the north. Orion the Soldier is the at the bottom is to the south of the Woman. The The Dragon of Revelation Constellation’s mouth is The Hyades Cluster, and the tip of his tail is Pleiades, and his Wave of Water is primarily the Auriga constellation. The Glorious Horse Constellation head is of Perseus Constellation and his rear end is Cassiopeia Constellation.

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SHE’S FLEEING TO THE MOUNTAINS

Constellation- Woman of Revelation 12 flees to the mountains Mark 13:14

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But beside the dragon, is she fleeing from anything else?

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The opening verse in this article, is a passage which is found in three of the gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

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Here is that passage again… “But when ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:” Mark 13:14.

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OK, so God’s people are to flee from the Abomination of Desolation. But what is the Abomination of Desolation? And how does this wave of water coming out of the Dragon’s mouth tie in with the Abomination of Desolation?

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ABOVE PICTURE – winter Constellations – Woman of Revelation 12 (Ursa Major) flees to the mountains – Mark 13:14 – Dragon comprised of Hyades, Pleiades, etc…Valley of Decision mountain comprised of Cassiopeia, etc… (This is not a star-chart, but merely a concept picture since this mountain is not in this position, but is actually in the fall months)

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book_magnify2.svg

READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Fleeing to the Mountains: The Abomination in the Church, Part 1”

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FMSC_Staff_Trip_2011_-_Food_Distribution_(6384089759).jpg

TOMORROW:

“October 20th (Christian Humanitarianism)”

FMSC Staff Trip 2011 – Food Distribution – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. 

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THIS IS STUDY #290 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain

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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on the provided image credit link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing names, details, and tags, and all other necessary info on any particular photo. 

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