What's in your Jukebox? :)

[bishopbiscuits]

Hello Deep Waters! 

.............I began thinking about individual tastes in music. The music we listen to helps us to create a mood or environment. And also reinforces our beliefs about many things in our lives.
.............What do you prefer? I'll give my answer soon

[Gracious]

Hello... BIIISSHHUUP!!!


I whole-heartedly agree with you when you shared:

"...The music we listen to helps us to create a mood or environment. And also reinforces our beliefs about many things in our lives..."

As my faith-walk, and my religious study increase...I find my spirit sub-consciously drawn closer to "THE GOSPEL" and the music that is born of "IT"!!!

I am learning to guard "with great spiritual vigor", the gates to my soul, even when listening to "inspirational music" (that often is categorized as "Gospel music")...because of where GOD is positioning me in HIS vineyard; if the WORD of GOD is NOT made manifest in "IT" (either directly or inferred even) ... I shut down (meaning, I either turn it off or walk away from it)...this is simply my own personal preference...Amen?

Now, don't get me wrong...I, as I'm sure most of us, grew up listening to secular music. "ALL" of my experiences up to and including secular music, have impelled me to where I am in "Christ" today...and for this I am grateful!!!

How myopic it would be, to deem all music that does not mention the words JESUS, THE CROSS, and or CALVERY...to be of the devil (as many "Christians" do), especially since "JAZZ" (as we know it today) was born of the "BLUES", which was born of the "BLACK CHURCH"    

An Aside:
(JAZZ = the ONLY "PURE" musical art form...birthed in this country...AND...of the African, also holding special emphasis on the "AFRICAN DRUM"!!!
Too, from this original art form, came Bee-bop, Country-Western, R&B, Funk, Hip-hop, etc... AND the ageless pioneer song that changed the canvas for Gospel music as we know it today... Edwin Hawkins' "Oh Happy Day"...which almost got him "excommunicated???" from da' C.O.G.I.C, da' CATHOLIC & da' BAPTIST chuuurch...  LOL   )


All in all, I believe that GOD has made many types of music to honor HIM, and we do when we praise HIM with "IT" in our homes, on our jobs, in our cars...churches...temples...and mosques...etc!!!

Psalm 150 (KJV)
(The purpose for the "MINISTRY" of vocal and or instrumental music)

  1Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

   2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

   3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

   4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

   5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

  6Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.


Gracious[/color]

[Shulamitegrl]

Wow Gracious! THat was a very enlightened response.  Sounds like your gifting is a musical one, like me!

I do mostly listen to Christian music because it encourages and supports what I'm living for and that is to bring glory and honor to Jesus...

But there are times when I'm in enviroments beyond my control whereby they are playing secular music and my Dad is a big jazz lover too...

But my preference is P&W! It helps me stay focused on what's truly important and it keeps my heart broken before the Lord so when I do fall short my heart is sensitive to my sin and quick to repent. 

[bishopbiscuits]

Hello Deep Waters!

..........My original message was:

.............I began thinking about individual tastes in music. The music we listen to helps us to create a mood or environment. And also reinforces our beliefs about many things in our lives.
.............What do you prefer? I'll give my answer soon

...........And Gracious hit on one of the thoughts behind this post when she wrote:

Now, don't get me wrong...I, as I'm sure most of us, grew up listening to secular music. "ALL" of my experiences up to and including secular music, have impelled me to where I am in "Christ" today...and for this I am grateful!!!

How myopic it would be, to deem all music that does not mention the words JESUS, THE CROSS, and or CALVERY...to be of the devil

............Over the years, my listening habits have changed from time to time. And I was not sure how to put my musical history and music in general into perspective. Do I choose to ignore the past and act like I never heard of the Jackson five? (for instance) Act like my musical life began and ended with gospel/Christian music? And with what grain of salt do I take music that I don't find offensive, but is lacking in the sense that it does not display any elements that speak directly to relationship with God?
.............Here are my thoughts:(please feel free to add your own )

My POV:


........The music we choose to listen to helps us to create a mood or environment. An atmosphere for the spirit and mind.
........It also helps us to:

...      focus on a particular line of thought or feeling
...       influence how we "see" life
...      reinforce what we think/believe
...      communicate and receive communication on multiple levels


........Music that we are receptive to can be like water to us. We can surround ourselves in it, consume it for our bodies,  use it as a tool, or just marvel at its many forms.
........When someone chooses to use their musical talent, they tend to have a message that they want to convey. What messages do we choose to entertain? And how do we interpret the message that is being sent?
........I believe that there is such a thing as appropriate music for the various aspects of life.  I believe that we have a right to individual tastes. However, we must not be careless of the message or messenger in our selection of music.
......... Also, I  believe that it is absolutely necessary in this day and time to have music of your own for personal devotions that leads you toward God, His presence, and His power.   Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
...........I believe that it can be good to understand what draws you to different artists or their music. (  And if your choices in music in any way seem to draw you more into yourself and others and away from intimacy with God, you may have a need that should be revealed so that you recognise the area that needs to be submitted to Him.)
...........So, I don't turn my nose up at music just because it's not Christ -directed. In fact, I can appreciate some of the various talents displayed in the different genres of music I've experienced. But I am careful about what I choose to listen to. What I choose to listen to becomes also what I will meditate on for a while. And when it comes to the spiritual warfare that we're in, we have to watch what we allow into our hearts and minds.

P.S. Isn't it weird if all of a sudden you are humming a song that you never planned to learn? 

[Gracious]

My Shulamitegrl SISTA':

Sho' U RIGHT!!!

That IS where GOD has gifted me

P&W is my THANG too...for the SAME reasons...I guess we do KNOW THE SPIRIT...BY THE SPIRIT!!!...AMEN?

One mo' TING' ,

(And this may be going off-topic...please forgive me bro' BISHOP   )

...But, isn't it strange that when we trust GOD enough to walk in an anoited area ... HE opens our eyes to MORE doors, holding other gifts (through which, we are to walk) that minister to HIS people???

Hmmmmmmmmm...GOD is SOOOOO REAL & UNPREDICTABLE & AWESOME !!!

Gracious