Quote from Forum Archives on December 21, 2000, 12:25 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Today, I'd like to share a message with you from two of my
favorite writers. They are favorites for completely different
reasons. The first is my dear brother in Christ, Larry Davies.
Do you know that Larry and I have never actually met in person.
Yet, I would say, and I am sure that Larry would agree with me,
that we have a spiritual unity and agreement on a remarkable
number of topics. We also share a similar sense of humor. I
love sharing Larry's works, and few weeks go by when I do not
share at least one or two of them with you.

The second message is one from one of my favorite writers about
music. The reason I like Bob Kauflin so much is because he gets
right to the issue about why we sing in church - singing is one
of the primary worship forms. This is particularly true at
Christmas time, where many things we remember in worship come out
of our musical experience. Bob has been writing a series, where
he discusses the importance of both the traditional hymns and the
contemporary music choruses. It comes down to one simple thing:
does the music reflect, in a meaningful way, the things we
believe, or is it simply our tradition and practice? I would
argue that while we often do things out of tradition, the
tradition must have significant meaning to us, or else it is
useless, and even detrimental to our experience.

Bob reminds us of the relevance of music in his series, "Worship
Matters". You can find his worship music series at
www.crosswalk.com. As you probably also know, you can
find Larry Davies' Web site at
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com. I am fond of both of these
men of God, and I encourage you to visit their Web sites, and
perhaps one day even sending them a message of encouragement.
They write these sites for us because they love us and want each
of us to experience the fullness. glory, and love of God, and to
worship Him because of who He is and what He has done.

Dear Lord,

Thank You for the gift of Your Word and also for the gift of
music. I pray that You would use Your Word to strengthen and
encourage our hearts today, but I also pray that we, in turn,
would use the same mechanisms - the Word and music, to express
our appreciation back to You. Amen.

You are mighty
You are Holy
You are awesome in Your Power

You have risen
You have conquered
You have beaten the power of death

Hallelujah! We will rejoice!
Hallelujah! We will rejoice!

(from Vineyard Music)

Gloria, in excelsis deo
Gloria, in excelsis deo

(Latin words from the Christmas Carol, Angels We Have Heard On
High)

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive all glory and praise...

(Words from Revelation, also put to music)

Brother Brian

From: "Sowing Seeds Ministry" <sowseeds@nesbeonline.com>
Subject: Christmas 2000: Memories" Sowing Seeds Devotion December 21, 2000

Sowing Seeds Ministry wishes you the best Christmas ever. May
you find peace and comfort. May you see the Christ child. Merry
Christmas!

Old Favorites: Past Christmas devotions:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/christma.htm
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/christma1.htm

Sowing Seeds of Faith'

Christmas 2000:Memories
Larry Davies

Some things change while others stay the same but Christmas'
Well, Christmas is forever! For that simple promise, I am
grateful. Why? Because in the midst of worldly chaos, it is
comforting to know Christmas continues to show God's love
through Jesus' birth. Here are my 2000 Christmas Memories.

Tacky Lights: For me, Christmas always starts with lights- lots
of lights. What can I say? I grew up in Virginia Beach, home
base of the original 'Tacky Light' tour. I have an interesting
theory: Brighter lights on the outside mean brighter, happier
families inside. If true- our family is very happy!

Who will be President? For thirty-seven days a nation waited
breathlessly. In the end, the majority ruled five to four:
judges rather than voters. As frustrating as the whole process
seemed, it could have been much worse. Maybe Al Gore said it
best: 'I don't agree with the court's decision but I accept it!'

Christmas Parties: I learned a new tradition called 'Dirty
Santa.' The tackiest gifts imaginable were opened and traded. My
wife received a backscratcher. I got a can of body spray. We
also sang a new version of 12 Days of Christmas with a salute to
Florida: '12 lawyers filing, 11 judges judging, 10 legal
rulings, 9 reporters guessing, 8 spokesmen whining, 7
politicians babbling, 6 disenfranchised voters'?

International Ministry Starts over Breakfast: Thanks to the
enthusiasm of a young Korean pastor named Peter Jung and his
family, several representatives gathered to pray and combine
resources to reach out for God to a rapidly growing
international population. They came from various nationalities,
churches and groups who as Peter said: 'God is working among us
and guiding us to His melting pot.'

Children's Pageant: What is Christmas without children in
bathrobes proclaiming, 'I bring you good news of great joy for
everyone! The Savior - yes the Messiah, the Lord has been born
tonight in Bethlehem'' Meanwhile two angels are shoving over who
stands in front, baby Jesus is passed over everyone's head to a
waiting mother with a fresh diaper and a shepherd wanders from
the group.

Death on a Bridge: Two teenagers died when they were bumped from
a railroad trestle by a Norfolk Southern freight train.
Miraculously, another survived thanks to a dramatic rescue. 'I
wish we could have saved the others,' a rescuer said. 'Now there
are two families without their kids for Christmas.'

'A Night at the Inn' We were greeted at the door by young
waiters and seated at our table. On stage were musicians and
jugglers along with the innkeeper' s family and several guests.
In between food servings we sang Christmas carols and watched
the drama of Christ's birth unfold as if we were there.

Divorce Recovery Group Graduates: Several months ago, they were
brokenhearted individuals who shared the tragedy of divorce. As
each one told their stories, God's Holy Spirit began to stir
within the room and a miracle of healing began. Tonight, they
were a group of friends, laughing and celebrating their
graduation with a Christmas party. Next week, they are all going
out to eat together. After that?

Christmas Cantata: Music can be the gateway to the soul but not
always at rehearsals. For some reason, Cantata's seldom sound
right until the proper time. Is it because God's Holy Spirit
takes over turning an ordinary performance into inspired
worship? I like that answer. Speaking of taking over, one choir
member was taken over by the flu, turned green and was led away.
There is always something'

Something else happened during our Christmas events. People
attended who had not been to church in long while. Why? Maybe
some had simply been too busy? Some didn't think church was very
important? A few were angry at the church or the preacher or
God? Some were struggling with serious faith issues? Yet during
Christmas, they came back. Whether looking for answers or
seeking comfort at Christmas, people often come back. Such is
the power of God at Christmas.

Some things change while others stay the same but Christmas?
Christmas is forever! Praise God! May your Christmas be filled
with precious memories. May Christmas strengthen your
relationship with God. After all, Jesus is the reason for the
season. Merry Christmas!

<www.sowingseedsoffaith.com>

More Than 3,700 Subscribers & Growing

=======================================================

Subject: Worship Matters -- Sing to Reflect God's Glory
From: Crosswalk.com <newsletters@crosswalk.com>

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WORSHIP MATTERS, with Bob Kauflin of PDI Ministries
www.pdinet.org/

Visit the Spiritual Life Channel on Crosswalk.com:
spiritual.crosswalk.com

Sing to Reflect God's Glory

We've seen that singing helps us remember and meditate
on God's Word. We've also looked at singing as a means
of responding fully to God. But singing is much more
than a means to some other end, however worthy. When
done as an act of worship, singing is an end in itself.
Such singing does, of course, declare God's glory, but
have you ever considered that it also reflects God's
glory? I believe there are at least three ways in which
this takes place.

First, singing reflects God's glory for He Himself
sings.

Did you know that all three members of the Trinity
create song? Zephaniah 3:17, speaking of the Father,
reads: "He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice
over you with singing." Hebrews 2:12 quotes Psalm 22,
where the Son of God sings the Father's praise in the
midst of the congregation. In Ephesians 5:18-19 we are
told that being filled with the Holy Spirit inspires
songs in the heart of each believer. This is one reason
why we often sense God's presence in a more pronounced
way when we gather to sing His praises. The Holy Spirit
is in our midst inspiring our songs!

Second, singing reflects God's glory as Author of all
music.

As Creator, God is the ultimate author of all
creativity. He created music -- melody, harmony, rhythm,
timbre, and texture -- for His glory, and is the true
source of every creative idea in music. No one has ever
conceived a musical idea God did not originate. No one
ever will.

So, no matter how sophisticated, cultured, current, or
excellent our singing may be, we must never think that
God is impressed or surprised. But at the same time, any
sincere attempt to glorify Him through song brings Him
pleasure -- because, however pale or distorted, it is a
genuine reflection of His vast, immeasurable creativity.
(If it seems at all odd to you that God would delight in
a reflection of some aspect of Himself, let me encourage
you to read John Piper's book, The Pleasures of God:
Meditations on God's Delight in Being God.)

How God loves it when we are edified and stirred by the
sounds He has given us. Just as the making of a chair or
an airplane reflects God's wisdom as the master builder,
so singing reflects His glory as the master musician.

Finally, singing reflects God's glory because it is a
foretaste of the eternal glory yet to come.

Revelation gives us a breathtaking picture of the
singing around the throne by the heavenly creatures, the
24 elders, countless angels, and the redeemed. When we
read about the worship described in Revelation, our
hearts cry out, "I want to do that!" What a joy to sing
of God's ultimate triumph and outworking of His
redemptive purposes in Christ, even before those events
have been fully seen. We sing as though the last chapter
has been written -- because it has been.

I'll save the last column in this series for a look at
the kind of singing we might look forward to in heaven
... of which all our singing on earth is but a
foretaste.

For His Glory,

Bob

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=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
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