"...speaking to one another is psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs..."

 ^{Ephesians 5:}

 ¹⁵  " Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹  submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Hey ya'll, (all 8 of my followers, thanks for being there for me).  So, This is my first post in almost a year.  Between computer problems and life getting in the way, I just haven't gotten around to doing...I need to get back in the habit.

Shortly after I remembered I could now access my blog, I realized I had something weighing on my heart worth writing about.  Music.  Who doesn't like music.  It is probably the biggest growing industry in the world.  New formats, new artists, new songs, etc.  But what doesn't change is the effect music has on us.  Music is an art that touches everyone.  Not everyone digs Picasso,  Andrew Lloyd Webber, Hemingway, Frost, or Hollywood; but who doesn't listen to/ sing along to some kind of music.  Music is an art that reaches the soul.  And, frankly, I think God did that on purpose.  Singing is a natural emotional response.  We hum and whistle almost without thinking about it when we are in the right mood.  We sing lullabies to children.  And hymns at funerals.  Music is a universal thing.  Every culture has it in some form.  

So What?

I've been thinking a lot lately about the music I listen to.  On road, doing homework, working out, etc.  So much of today's contemporary music is about 3 basic topics. 1) Alcohol 2) Sex/Lust 3) A combination of 1 and 2.  And, I am ashamed to say, some of the songs I sing loud and know all the words to are like these.  It's sad.  Something that is so beautiful, and given by God to both express our deepest thoughts and to move our hearts is so wrapped up in Fornication, Idolatry, and Debauchery.

 It breaks my heart to realize that Christ-followers, myself included, have this so infused in our lives that we don't even think twice when Usher sings, "She's all up on me screamin' 'Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!".  And we sing along!!  ...I sing along.  How is that edifying my soul?  


I'll do you one better...How is that glorifying God????


I opened this blog with Ephesians 5:15-21 and here are just a few things to pull out of here:


1) Be wise as you walk through life.  Self expounding..
2) Don't waste time in the senseless things of this life, but make the most of your time doing things that eternally beneficial.  How much time do we waste on things that tear down our own spirits and destroy our effectiveness in reaching out to others?  Romans 8 is all about our lives reflecting what our minds dwell on...I'll blog about that passage soon I'm sure.  
3) Spend time in God's word understanding how to be more like Him!
4) Don't waste time in self indulgence, nor finding your inner-self in the things of this world
     RATHER....
5) Find yourself through the Spirit of the Most High God!  Let Him fill your life with all the pleasure and joy you can possibly handle!  And it is eternal, never ending, true joy.
6) Let us (not only on Sundays!!!) be filled with so much Godly emotion that we are filled with songs of praise that encourage each other in Him!! (Ah, the tie in)  Don't waste time with the music that makes sin look even more appealing than it already is!!!  Sing and make music that points to God, glorifies Him, and encourages the world.  I don't know how you feel about "Christian Rock"/ "Whatever they are calling contemporary Christian Music these days"  But I love it, maybe I'll write one day about my reasoning on that.  But this is one of the reasons.  It gives me music that I not only dont have to feel ashamed about, but it overtly praises God...and we (I) need more of that in my life.
7)  Submit to one another...We are servants of God and therefore servants of each other.  Let's not do things, listen to things, watch things, etc, that are going to discourage our brothers and sister; or even encourage sinners in their sin.  


Grace and Peace to all,
Harris