Discipleship | A People for His Name

Bible Reading Report for 2022

December 31, 2022

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.

I praise God that He allowed me to read through the Bible in 2022, read the New Testament twice, and read Psalms, Jude, and Revelation five times.

I have now made it through the Psalms 88 times. Lord willing, I would like to read the Psalms twelve times in 2023 to get to 100 times through this incomparable book!

Photo by Marion Shires. Used by permission.

In Bible reading

Book Update 12.31.22

December 31, 2022

I have been studying what the Bible teaches about music for more than 11 years now. I have also been working for several years on writing my book The Battle for Kingdom Music: A Call to Worldwide Consecration.

On December 23, I began an extended time off from work. My goals for this time were to do at least 30 hours of work on my book and read the Psalms through twice while doing so to saturate my mind with God’s own thoughts about music.

This morning, I finished my second time going through the Psalms since December 22!

This afternoon, I finished working 30 hours on my book since December 23! God has given me tremendous progress on my book during this time!

It seems that I am getting close to having the rough draft of the book done. Lord willing, I hope to complete the book and have it published by September 2023.

Praise God for His faithfulness!

In CCM, Christian Books, Ministry, Music

Five Key Requirements for Acceptable Kinds of Instrumental Music Used in Corporate Worship

December 17, 2022

Does God accept for use in corporate worship all kinds of instrumental music or are there some kinds of instrumental worship that He accepts and some that He does not? How many kinds of instrumental music does God accept for use in corporate worship?

To answer these questions properly, we must carefully consider five key requirements for a kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

Not Sinful

For any kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship, it must not be sinful. Most Christians hold that there are no kinds of instrumental music that are themselves sinful.

Not Prohibited

To be acceptable for use in corporate worship, a kind of instrumental music must also not be prohibited by God. Most Christians hold that there are no kinds of instrumental music that God has prohibited for use in corporate worship.

Lawful

It is not enough that a kind of instrumental music not be sinful and not be prohibited. It must also be lawful for use in corporate worship. Many Christians in effect seem to believe that all kinds of instrumental music are lawful for use in corporate worship.

Expedient

Just because a kind of music is not sinful, not prohibited, and is lawful does not mean that it is expedient (cf. 1 Cor. 10:23a). For a kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship it must be both lawful and expedient.

Edifying

In order for any kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship, it must not just be lawful and expedient. It must also be edifying (cf. 1 Cor. 10:23b).

Conclusion

Scripture plainly teaches that not all things that are lawful are expedient. It also teaches plainly that not all things that are lawful are edifying.

Applying these truths to the realm of kinds of instrumental music, we learn that even if it were true that all kinds of instrumental music are lawful, it still would not be true that all kinds of instrumental music are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

Because only the kinds of instrumental music that are not sinful, not prohibited, lawful, expedient, and edifying are acceptable to God for use in worship, we can be certain that it is not true that all kinds of instrumental music are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

In CCM, Interpretation, Theology

Solomon, Hiram, and the Worship Music Debates

November 29, 2022

In building the temple of God, king Solomon employed a skillful craftsman from Tyre whose father was not an Israelite:

1 Kings 7:13 And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 14 He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

Because Solomon used such a man to build the very house of God, some might try to argue from that fact to say that we should also use all kinds of instrumental music of unbelievers to worship God in our churches.

Would you agree or disagree with using such reasoning from what Scripture reveals about what Solomon did in building the temple?

In CCM, Music, Theology

“Rock music is a neutral force. . . . This is an occult concept”

November 10, 2022

Tonight, I read a quote that I find very interesting:

4.) Rock music is a neutral force. It can be either good or bad, depending on how you use it.

This is an occult concept, not a Christian one. The witchcraft doctrine of “The Force” says that there is a neutral power within all of nature which can be directed by the person controlling it. For example, witchcraft can be either good or evil, depending on whether it’s white or black. Actually, both powers come from the same source — Satan. What does the Bible say? In Genesis 1:31, when God looked on all of His creation, He said, “Behold, it was very GOOD.” No neutral ground with God! According to “The Force” theory, good or evil is in the eye of the beholder. Thus, the concept of Christian Rock cannot be scripturally sound. C-Rockers are so desperate to defend their music, they have even resorted to the use of occultic principles in their vain attempts to do so.

–Jeff Godwin, Dancing with Demons: The Music’s Real Master, 233-234

Thoughts?

In CCM, Quotes

Is Rock Music Like Things Offered to Idols?

November 7, 2022

It seems to me that many believers today hold that we should regard rock music as being like things that people offer to idols. I would like to appeal to the brethren who hold such views to consider carefully the following line of reasoning.

Crucial Teaching about Certain Things Offered to Idols

Through the apostle Paul, God provides the most extensive treatment of issues concerning certain things offered to idols (1 Cor. 8:1-11:1). Specifically, concerning meat offered to idols, Paul says,

1 Corinthians 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

We must note carefully what exactly Paul teaches here. Paul says that meat does not commend us to God (1 Cor. 8:8a).

He explains that teaching to mean that those who eat meat offered to idols are not better (off) than those who do not (1 Cor. 8:8b). He also explains that those who do not eat meat offered to idols are not worse (off) than those who do eat meat offered to idols (1 Cor. 8:8c).

Applying Paul’s Teaching to Rock Music

If it is legitimate to hold that rock music is like meat offered to idols, applying Paul’s teaching here to rock music would teach us that rock music does not commend us to God.

Specifically, if we were to play or listen to rock music, we would not be better (off) than those who do not play or listen to rock music. Moreover, if we were not to play or listen to rock music, we would not be worse (off) than those who play or listen to rock music.

If these views are correct, anyone who holds that rock music is like things offered to idols must hold that playing or listening to rock music does not make a believer better (off) than not playing or listening to rock music.

In addition, he would then have to hold that churches that use rock music in worship are not better (off) than churches that do not. He would also have to hold that churches that do not use rock music in worship are not worse (off) than those who do use rock music in worship.

Conclusion

If you hold that rock music is like things offered to idols, do you also hold to the points that are the necessary consequences of holding that rock music is like things offered to idols? If you do not also hold to these points that are the necessary consequences of holding that view, I urge you to reconsider your belief that rock music is like things offered to idols.

See my post Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM for much more biblical information about issues concerning what music God accepts in corporate worship.

In CCM, Exposition, Interpretation, Music, Theology

Have There Ever Been Any Musical Instruments That Were and Are Unacceptable for Use in Corporate Worship?

October 31, 2022

Have there been any physical objects, whether manmade or not, that have been used as musical instruments that have been and are unacceptable for use in corporate worship?

Here are some possible considerations that we must think through biblically:

1. A drum that has multiple horns on it that signify that it is dedicated to demons and used to interact with them

2. A drum that has a humanly indecipherable inscription on it that in actuality expresses praises to Satan

3. A drum that has been used in human sacrifices and has been consecrated for that use by the application of sacrificial human blood to one or more parts of the instrument

4. A drum intentionally shaped in some manner so that one or more parts of it are like human private parts

5. A drum “decorated” with one or more engraved images of “one-finger salutes” or some other vulgar symbol, graphic, etc.

6. A drum that has occult symbols engraved on it

7. A drum that is a real human skull or is shaped like a human skull

On Singing, Dancing, and Playing Instruments in Scripture

Assigned Musical Meanings and Christian Use of Rock Music

We Must Reject a Man-Centered Understanding and Practice of Music

In Music

Jeff Godwin on Rock Music

October 24, 2022

There is one rule we should never forget. Rock is Rock is Rock is Rock. Whether it’s called “Soft” Rock, “Acid” Rock, “Punk” Rock or “Christian” Rock, we are still dealing with music more ancient than the classics. Rooted in the Druid demon worship of Celtic England, and baptized in voodoo ceremonies of Africa and the Caribbean, Satan’s rock rules the world.

–Jeff Godwin, Dancing with Demons: The Music’s Real Master, 8

Please Note: My sharing of this quoted material does not mean that I endorse all the content of this work, all the views of the author of this work or all the content and views that he expresses in this or in any of his other works. It does not mean that I agree with everything that he says and holds in this work or anywhere else.

See my post Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM for much more biblical information about issues concerning what music God accepts in corporate worship.

In CCM, Quotes

Does Skillfulness in Ministering Music to God Still Matter?

October 17, 2022

Scripture makes clear that God required that those who ministered music to Him in His temple be skillful in playing and singing music to Him:

Psalm 33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

1 Chronicles 15:22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.

Of course, those who ministered such music to Him had to do so with a right heart toward God for it to be acceptable to Him (Josh. 22:5; 1 Sam. 12:20, 24; Isa. 29:13; Matt. 15:8).

Why, then, do some or perhaps even many believers today hold that skillfulness in ministering music to God no longer matters and that all that God requires from His people today is that they have a right heart when ministering music to Him?

In Music, Theology

Bible Reading Order 2022

October 8, 2022

It has been many years now since I have read the Bible through in its canonical order from Genesis to Revelation. Instead, I have kept track of what I have read each year to make sure I read all the books by the end of the year in whatever order I end up reading them.

This morning, I decided to chart my reading order for 2022. Beginning on January 1, I finished the Bible on August 26 and finished reading the books in the following order:

Year	2022
Book No.	Name	Chapters	Date Completed	Book No.	Name	Chapters	Date Completed
19	Psalms	150	108	56	Tit	3	719
1	Gen	50	127	57	Philem	1	719
20	Prov	31	131	58	Heb	13	721
9	1 Sam	31	211	24	Jer	52	722
2	Exod	40	225	59	Jam	5	722
23	Isa	66	307	25	Lam	5	723
10	2 Sam	24	314	60	1 Pet	5	724
44	Acts	28	320	61	2 Pet	3	724
13	1 Chron	29	407	62	1 John	5	726
45	Rom	16	412	63	2 John	1	726
3	Lev	27	417	64	3 John	1	726
66	Rev	22	418	65	Jude	1	726
11	1 Kings	22	420	6	Josh	24	729
46	1 Cor	16	503	43	John	21	802
47	2 Cor	13	514	7	Judg	21	805
12	2 Kings	25	523	8	Ruth	4	805
14	2 Chron	36	524	26	Ezek	48	810
4	Num	36	602	27	Dan	12	810
40	Matt	28	607	28	Hos	14	811
18	Job	42	612	29	Joel	3	812
48	Gal	6	612	30	Amos	9	813
49	Eph	6	620	31	Obad	1	814
21	Eccl	12	623	32	Jonah	4	814
41	Mark	16	623	33	Mic	7	815
5	Deut	34	626	34	Nah	3	815
50	Phil	4	630	35	Hab	3	816
22	Song	8	701	36	Zeph	3	816
42	Luke	24	715	37	Hag	2	817
51	Col	4	715	38	Zec	14	820
52	1 Thess	5	715	17	Esth	10	821
53	2 Thess	3	715	15	Ezra	10	823
54	1 Tim	6	718	16	Neh	13	826
55	2 Tim	4	718	39	Mal	4	826

NOTES:

1. I have been reading the Bible through each year for many years now in a similar fashion and approach reading it through in whatever order I want to read the books instead of reading them through in consecutive canonical order.

2. Instead of using the traditional date notation, I came up with the idea of multiplying the number of the month by 100 and then adding to it the number of the day of the month.

For example, 701 means July 1 because July 1 is the first day of the 7th month (7*100 + 1 = 701). I devised and used this system because it makes working with and sorting the dates easier in Excel.

3. Because I often have been reading multiple books at the same time, the completion dates for the various books do not necessarily signify that I read the entirety of a book before beginning the next book that I have listed as completed after it.

For example, here’s what I read during the first ten days of the year:

101 Gen. 1-3

102 Gen. 4-11; Ps. 1-12

103 Ps. 13-29; 30-36; 37-40; 41-50

104 Ps. 51-67; 68-76

105 Ps. 77-84

106 Ps. 85-101

107 Ps. 102-110

108 Ps. 116-150

109 Ps. 135-150; Prov. 1

110 Gen. 12-14; Prov. 2-9; etc.

In Bible reading

Archives For Discipleship

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Not Sinful

Not Prohibited

Lawful

Expedient

Edifying

Conclusion

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Crucial Teaching about Certain Things Offered to Idols

Applying Paul’s Teaching to Rock Music

Conclusion

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