Appleton, WI Evening

Had an amazing time with new and old friends last night at Rushing Wind Bikers Church in Appleton, WI.

Pastor Tommy and band, crew and all the peeps who came were really kind to Wendi and I and my father in law Curt. Just a great evening of chat, music and Word together.

I met Tommy at Sturgis Bike Week this year and he had asked if I could come up for a visit. When I realized we would be on vacation just a bit over an hour from them it seemed good to take part of the one day to hang out together and it worked out.

I brought some solo songs, several on cigarbox guitar and diddley bows, then we jammed on 4 tunes of mine they had rehearsed. A great band and a fun night, a pretty full house and a lot of good chats with friends.

After the show we had a great look at the lunar eclipse too.

No matter when- we are always closer to seeing Jesus face-to-face.

“People get ready” for sure!

As always, thanks for stopping by 🙂 -Glenn

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Vacation

Quite a few people in the western world are privileged enough they can take a vacation most years or at least every other year. Many cannot as so much depends upon the economy, job, health and the like.

In British English the term is “holiday” and most summers a great many people in Europe and slightly beyond take about 2 1/2 months and travel, head for beaches, forests, mountains or otherwise just get away for a bit to relax, enjoy sport, rest and perhaps family.

Reality is that most of the world never has such an option due to their economic situation, poverty or just getting by.

This year our own schedule and funds are such that we are blessed to have saved up just enough and had time to do a week, though for years two weeks vacation was our norm.

We are at a lake in Wisconsin mostly to ourselves, very fun for our families, kids and grandkids.

We have access to several boats and are loving the lake as you can see.

One pic here is taken in the sun room which is surrounded by glass doors and windows. I love it. Two of our three daughters and their families and my father-in-law, Wendi and I and a friend were able to chip in and do this- blessed!

The weather is due to be excellent all week and has been the past 3 days- cool nights good for bonfires, warm, sunny, slightly breezy days. So nice to rest!

My sweet wife just baked home-made bread and breadsticks and one of my daughters and sons-in-law are making a dinner to enjoy. Wow.

I have been able to take grandkids in the canoe, kayak and do a little yard-sale shopping with my father-in-law. Very restful time.

Sleeping until we wake up is a treat too.

Last night the family did s’mores around the bonfire, sang worship songs and for a change, at night in Wisconsin the bugs did not participate, ha! They usually eat me alive so this is truly cool.

I do appreciate God in His grace giving us times to rest and refresh- and regardless of time or finances we can have that. I am also very thankful for a week with the family in this beautiful place.

Here you see the glass table in the sun room, fresh breadsticks cooling in the towel, scrabble game, Wendi has her knitting all around, the deck and lake outside. This is my morning devo spot, evening devo with Wendi.

Each night a large flock of geese honk and fly directly overhead.The fish are not biting just now -but they will 🙂

Thanks for stopping by my blog! -Glenn

WWJB?

Who would Jesus BLAST?!

Simply because Jesus says hard things does not give myself nor anyone else the “carte blanche” to say or write hard things. Punch in the mouth nasty things go beyond that.

Three nights past a well-esteemed and very intelligent friend posted a personal lament about the “shoot ’em with a mouse” click-and-post ignorant, vitriolic and un-substantiated rubbish via social media- you guessed it, all about political candidates. Nothing new about this, but it’s so early in the election process.

I recently shared how Billy Graham lamented preaching too harshly in his younger days, and that I also carry that personal regret.

Been thinking more and more about Jeremiah- a lamenting dude who is sometimes called “the weeping prophet”. He spoke hard words about Israel’s sin but the man truly
-loved- Israel and deeply loved the living God of Israel. I agree with him… and Him.

Last Sunday’s message (which my brilliant wife Wendi and our friend Tammy Perlmutter brought to us) was on the second chapter of John. The clarity of God’s grace was huge (water into wine, old to new attitudes, law to the Christ Who is “full of grace and truth”, the living fulfillment of the law for all who believe). It also states His outrage (Jesus at Passover Who made the whip and knocked over the moneychanger’s tables).

The scriptures command “Be angry but sin not.” Indeed one can be quite angry but not in such an attitude that God would consider it truly sinful, wrong, hurtful -nothing close to wishing ill on your enemies whom Jesus commands us to love. Wow. Re-read that please.

As I age I realize my testosterone level as a male is likely be ebbing some but beyond that I have spent many, many hours studying The Bible and can say with experience that “the anger of humans does not work the righteousness of God”. When it comes to politics, and for that matter inter-church or church-to-church relations all over the world, it seems plenty of us aren’t “getting” this very well!

Then to the internet and a regular stream of, to be blunt, verbal puke. Violent barfing of every sort done -by Christians- as though we all have both right and responsibility to scream our guts out at our “enemies”.

When I was much younger often fell very much into “outrage mode”. As I look back over the years I wonder exactly how many hearts were turned toward God, toward the love and kindness of Jesus, toward surrender to the Holy Spirit as opposed to some (at least) feeling like I was trying to “throat-punch” them into this or that?

Sometimes it’s key words, sometimes a sentence or two. Sometimes it’s the tone of voice and/or the facial expressions, over-all body language. All or some mix of these can really turn people AWAY from the love and truly Good News of Christ.

Hey, all of these come up in communication with your wife, husband, kids, other family members, someone at school, work, church, band, right?

So when someone blasts in social or other media it can really kick people in the face.

How many are “converted” by shooting sludge at high-velocity? My guess is very few if any… while you’re simply playing to the stands, preaching to the choir, your buds and buddettes cheering you on from the cheap seats with “YEAAAAAAAHHHH, COOK THEM LOUSY JOKERS”! Only you’re your own worst enemy when it comes to winning in terms of making new converts… to anything or anyone really. Certainly true if we are talking about winning people to the true Jesus.

Consider:

Shall we ask God to rain down fire on them Lord? They’re not with our group!

A soft answer turns away wrath

Put all anger, wrath and malice away from you

Blessed are the peacemakers

Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword

God is not mocked- that which you sow you shall also reap

Note that all of the above are direct quotes from scripture, all have to do with right communication and right relationships.

As I listened to the morning message my thoughts turned to the reality that you can count on about one hand the number of times where Jesus “blasts” people.

In most every case it had to do with religious hypocrites interested in power and position, fearful Jesus would wreck their hold on political strength and more, His popular influence among the people. This is the case throughout all four Gospels.

Further, consider from the Book of Proverbs- “Faithful are the wounds of a friend but perverse are the kisses of an enemy.”

If one truly has a genuine faith, authentic relationship with Jesus Christ, whatever “wounds” come directly from Him are more like disciplines to bring us to spiritual maturity in the blessing of His character being formed in us, not to slap us down or jam us into a form we were not created for.

In other words, at times He brings a stinging medicine to heal us out of compassion for us. This is based in His love for us, not to merely win an argument or a verbal “wrestling match”! How very unlike sinful humans, no?

On the other hand, you may well think someone is your “friend” when in fact if you disagree with them on anything of consequence, kisses turn to flying fists and sometimes that’s the end of the relationship. With apologies to Alice Cooper, no more Mr. nice guy ‘eh?

On the one hand it’s easy to beat a drum and trash talk, something quite another to speak truth IN LOVE and from a motive of God’s actual love for a person or people group. When you’re in “more heat than light” mode it’s always easier to draw and pull the trigger rather than take a breath and consider your own attitude in the process of communicating. Man do I ever know such sin- and have repented often due to it.

All this to say the key and core commandment (not option) throughout the Word of God given by God, Father, Son, Spirit and the many Old and New Testament writers, apostles and prophets is this: LOVE. Love God, love neighbor -not “agree on every point”, rather “love”.

Does that sound like what you or I say, type in Facebook, Twitter, WordPress etc., podcast or put load into YouTube? Does it sound like those you routinely watch on tv, listen to on radio or via the Web?

These are questions I ask myself with some regularity as my first concern is learning to better love with thoughts, words and action, not just “put ’em in their place”.

As long as we live we can continue to grow in His grace and learn to love others as we ought to. Sadly, sometimes, we merely vomit and hit “send”. God help us!

I believe these are things worth considering.

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn

Not Getting Lost in the Woods

The old phrase “lost in the woods” applies to all of us at various times.

But for me yesterday it didn’t, thanks to the sun, a good compass and paying attention.

Knowing and walking with Jesus can sometimes be a lot like moving through the woods, even unfamiliar places at times.

The same 3 points apply: keeping your eyes on the Son, careful attention to Him, His Word (a surer compass I know not of!) and attentiveness to His desires even beyond our perceived needs. I spend some of these trips just sitting, praying, watching and listening.

So my dear Father-in-law Curt and I have taken these day trips every so often. Restful, fun and we both enjoy taking and exchanging pics from different areas in each forest we visit. I sometimes get a little hunting in, he is just about ready to do some fishing again and I may join him in that. Regardless, nature’s beauty is a tonic to us both.

Both of us were raised in Wisconsin, boys who love the woods, new sights and sounds, a bit of adventure.

Here are just a few shots from my phone taken yesterday in central Illinois in Matthiessen State Park on/near the Vermilion River.

Tell you what, I walked up and down a lot of  steep ridges, in and out of valleys, about 4-5 miles… so exercise was also had 🙂

And sometimes you see really strange stuff in the woods. Somebody reading this will know, but on a trail out to meet Curt I walked up on this. Errr…

Living in inner-city Chicago is a gift to me, but so is nature and times like these.

Climbing up and down with a pack was at times a bit warm, but most of the day I was under the trees, a cool breeze blew through and really it was quite nice. About a ten minute cool rain fell just as I left the woods which I enjoyed it sort of half-sitting beneath one of the few trees near the road. Its leaves had already turned mostly red with a bit of yellow. Beautiful.

And my fave season- Autumn -is just around the corner… yahoo!

Thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

GK Solo Blues & Jammin’ w. Friends- Appleton, WI

Sunday September 27 6:30pm

Rescue Shop Biker’s Church Fox Valley

1110 Oneida St., Appleton, WI 54915

Web: https://www.facebook.com/rescueshopfoxvalley

Phone: 920.931.2632

Street Encounters

As I walked to a local pharmacy to pick up my wife’s prescriptions yesterday I met a group of three of a different sort of “pharmacy workers” in the street.

There are all kinds of street culture in our inner-city Chicago neighborhood and while I don’t do it one-hundred percent of the time I often say something when someone might be open to a kind “Hello” and even a bit of a witness for the One I love.

Often interesting little chats happen like that.

So as I was about to walk past and somewhat through the little group I noticed they were checking me out.

In our neighborhood and in this particular context, they may have seen me do a street concert or the church I work with (Jesus People Ev. Covenant) may have provided them or a family member or friend some service of some sort. We help people with housing needs (a large shelter) food, clothing and other support services (senior’s living facility) and so on.

This to say they may have either recognized me as part of JP or as “an old hippie” may have figured I might be a potential client.

So the obvious leader met eyes with me as I was moving along the sidewalk and when I got right up to him I simply said with a smile “You do know Jesus loves you?” which is of course a bit unusual to hear anywhere.

So the other two chuckled a bit and the apparent leader said with a slight smirk “Where IS he, I ain’t seen Him around here?”

I smiled and immediately heard myself respond with “He’s anywhere you want Him to be… but He ain’t you and He ain’t me.” And that was that.

No more chatter, I walked on and got my wife’s legal medical drugs and they continued to traffic the other sort in the street.

Now, understand, I fully understand the risk of contact. I also understand the risk of having none- with God, that is.

I also understand that people have to make “a living” and that sometimes due to a -lot- of personal, family and societal issues making a living ain’t much of a living and can contribute to plenty of pain and misery, even death.

Sin is the gift that keeps on giving, so to speak.

But as I walked into the pharmacy I thought about what I’d said a bit more.

See, being a musician who writes songs, therefore a lyricist, and also interacting in the street brings one to exchanges like “Where is HE, HE ain’t you and HE ain’t ME”.

But the truth of my statement is core and I always consider my lyrics from many angles before deciding to change or publish them.

Is is true that He IS even when we don’t recognize Him being around or near us? Is God for real?

Jesus is more for real than any of us, more immediate “in the moment” than I think we would often like Him to be.

Further, I asked myself if my reply was just a quick come-back or what??

It’s true- Jesus is risen, real and omnipresent whether we believe He is or not.

It is also true that we may not WANT Him to be, but our faith, lack of faith, obedience or disobedience doesn’t cancel out the truth of His immediate presence.

Lots of scripture is clear on this fact. Even something such as “The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good”. Yep.

And then I thought “He’s WHEREVER you WANT Him to be”. Really?

There is a very true sense in which He even stands “at the door” and knocks. IF we open the door He enters. Or not.

From my earliest days of faith I heard it taught “The Holy Spirit is a Gentleman. He came upon Jesus as a dove. He will not kick the door down”.

It is written “Whosoever WILL, let him come, take the water of life freely”. What about whosoever won’t?

We resist God the Holy Spirit every single time we sin.

Indeed, if you don’t want Jesus to be in your life, there is an actual sense in which He will respect that and you then live with the consequences. Well… if you call that living. I don’t, but this is a point where you and I might just plain ol’ disagree.

There is a time to speak and a time to remain silent.

I find myself in situations like this where I am nearly certain God wants to remind people of His love and the fact that HE IS whether they want to wish Him or explain Him away or not.

I think I read somewhere His followers are to be “salt and light”.

Things to consider as you walk.

As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

Somebody STOP Me… naaahhhhh :)

I suppose I could help myself but why -when I get to build stuff with throw-away materials, use my creative imagination and just have fun building, then playing little guitars, in particular one-string “diddley bows” like this one!

I love doing cool stuff with little, and when travelling in particular love something you can just toss in a bag or on your shoulder and go.

A couple nights ago my wife was occupied with a movie she wanted to see, but the flick wasn’t my “cup of tea”.

I found myself inspired to use an hour building what you see here, tweaking it a bit and yahoo 🙂

In building all sort of cigar box, found-object and frankenstein guitars I had never attempted “the SHORTEST playable little diddley-bow slide guitar that still gives a full two octaves worth of notes”. Now I have.

Made a couple of mistakes. Then again there are almost always “workarounds”, several ways of getting the same basic thing accomplished.

Like I didn’t mount the neck properly cuz I’m right-handed… and the Altoids tin is upside-down when I play. No biggie.

Then, I realized after carefully pre-drilling all the holes that the one for my flat head screw serving as a “bridge” was so nice and tight that to get it out would crack the 5/8th inch dowel serving as a neck which proceeds inside right to the tail end of the tin.

The mounting of the flat head screw used as a “nut” is fine, but the “bridge” wood screw ended up on a bit of an angle which meant when I moved my little slide (cut from a piece of electrical conduit, smoothed on a brass wheel) up and down on the string, it deadened the sound rather than allowing the string to sing out. That’s because of the angle. What to do?

I had that long bolt/nut combo you see which tightened snugly between the string hole and the “bridge” nut, and in that it’s thickness makes it higher than the wood screw… which helps holds it tightly in place between the string and screw, perfecto!

I added the two little eye screws for a string/strap and tuned the .016 plain guitar string to E. Two full octaves of coolness!

Adding red electrical tape (matching the Altoids tin… HEY DERE!!:) and a pickup (packing taped to the back of the tin of course) means you can laugh -but it made my day if not week.

She is a total of 18 1/4 inches long head to tail with a 15 1/4 scale (bridge-to-nut). Basic eyebolt with wingnut “tuner”, piezo pickup on the back. Sure, could have mounted the pickup inside but it’s one of my portables, so I can take it off and put it on another git if needed.

Between a personal reading time and the next day’s full eye exam, I decided when I got home to just sit and play this little honey for a bit. All that together inspired a little tune. Ya just never know until you give it a go!

As always, thanks for stopping by, -Glenn

CONTACT LENS by glenn kaiser

We don’t know the day or the hour
Or exactly when
Some say we’re all just crazy
I say I got me a friend
Sticks closer than a brother
Death won’t tear us apart
I live in Him
He lives in me
Love Him with all a my heart

A sound like you never heard before
Louder than the roar of the sea
An’ this ol’ world will roll up like a scroll
An’ every eye shall see

You ain’t got to believe
Think whatever you like
Truth doesn’t change by one degree
Be it day or night
Early, in the mornin’
Or late in the midnight hour
A shout will be heard
Call it absurd
Doubt every bit of the power

Will be a sound like you never heard before
Louder than the roar of the sea
An’ this ol’ world will roll up like a scroll
An’ every eye shall see

9-11 …15

As my friend Eric just wrote a powerful verse on this I “liked” in Facebook, I just simply wanted to say this:

My prayers and condolences to all remembering loved ones involved in the horrid tragedy of the 9/11 attacks.

My sincere thanks to our first responders, police and military around the world. Praying for you regularly.

Further, sincere prayers that authentic Christians might not only remember but manifest a different “9” that I find it extremely hard to link to the attitude and all-too-often response to the ugly, sinful attacks of terrorism as well as other forms of brutality in our world:

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-control

Love of neighbor is a command of Christ that goes counter to so much within us.

God have mercy on this and all nations!

His, yours,

-Glenn

Marriage Troubles -Now What?!!

I’ve lost count of the many conversations my wife and I have had with married couples in distress. Of course issues arise no matter the couple or the details.

A recent conversation with a Christian bro. led to this blog, and in that the same core issues pop up again and again, I thought it might be good to pass the following along.

I fully understand several reasons -why- those not walking with the risen Christ would mock, laugh and simply toss what I am about to write in the garbage. I also get that there are believers who will write what I say off as not applicable to them.

I also understand a little bit about a lasting marriage committment which many in the world, including Christians, seem to take rather lightly if not a full-on joke these days.

So be it.

This is for those who are asking for help in seeking to live as authentic, loving disciples of Jesus Christ in married life. Elements may or may not ring true to anybody, be they people of faith or not- but here it is.

I don’t pretend to be God, nor perfect and sinless, nor to always fully walk in love and taking my own advice, but for the most part I can say by God’s grace I have lived by what I am about to write.

Know this: sadly, plenty of more loving, wise, Christ-following leaders and non-leaders than you or I have trashed their relationships with their spouse and at times their church or ministry, day-job, etc., because they blew off the following suggestions as mere law, too legalistic, too binding, old-school, not applicable to -them- and -their situation- and in general, “the Spirit led me”.

One more clarifying disclaimer: THIS IS NOT GOD’S WORD, rather the words of a man who understands sin and temptation in the context of real-world choices and a lifetime (at writing, 43 years) of marriage as well as ministry to broken people as a broken person myself.

–Pray together before a disagreement turns to a blow-out -fight the problem rather than attacking one another

–Take turns reading a daily devotional together… yes, DAILY where the Bible is key and perhaps a married-couple devo brings you both to sober care for your relationship (this is a “DUHHH” that plenty of otherwise Christian couples just shoot themselves in the foot by not doing together) Wendi and I have been using an old, in-your-face rocker called “The One Year Devotions For Couples” by David and Teresa Ferguson, and in fact are in our second year reading through this nightly -no games and about 90 percent AMEN

–Take cautious care about being alone with someone who is not your spouse -you may never be tempted to go beyond right relationship but they may be… this is rarely planned but happens all the time

–When at all possible have someone else with you, take care how often you meet and do so in public spaces

–Quietly direct the person in question to someone else to help meet their need/s -emotional entanglement leads to unscriptural behavior all too often whether opposite or same-sex attraction, understand the risks of sin are real

–If you think or they say you are their ONLY link to Jesus and their only true friend, you both have a problem -on the surface it may be true, but both of you need Jesus more than you need codependence and a possible divorce due to your lack of faith and sensible boundaries

–Due to porn, private chat rooms and other stumbling blocks or perhaps outright addictions, use the Internet in a public space (there are plenty of excellent web resources to help protect us from web nonsense such as xxxchurch.com, etc.) -use them accordingly

–Pray, find one or two godly couples (Bible knowing, loving people with both sense and guts) to build an accountability where either and both you and your spouse can text, phone, meet face-to-face for prayer and help when conflicts seem unresolvable between you as a couple

–Unresolved conflicts and lack of genuine accountability often bring one or both spouses to places of temptation as frustration sets us up for emotional, spiritual, mental and even physical attack of various sorts

–Self medicating takes different forms for different peeps but the focus is no longer God and one another, it’s self and that only adds problems to the problem

–If either of you “acts out” in unscriptural ways, choosing to not hold a grudge, to honestly apologize -and- forgive from the heart is massively important -take steps you can both “sign off on” to keep your relationship to your spouse second only to your relationship to Jesus Christ

These are guidelines, not absolutes, but we have absolutely been blessed by them.

Have I ever felt bad or needed to repent before God, my wife and others that I took such a stand? Never. Not. Even. Once.

Have my wife and I ever had to deal with struggle and mess due to not living by these guidelines? Yep.

Things to consider for Christ-honoring marital faithfulness.

As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

Worship- At Core, HOW?!

I have often voiced a play on words- my own being “Worship the Lord and if necessary, use music”. But HOW? Paul offers much in Ephesians 5 in only two verses. He further gives much the same though not identical input in Colossians 3.16.

A pastor friend of mine recently asked my input on something related to the following verses. As they are so core to what many of us do (or should be doing) in our faith, and as I have often studied and taught on them I thought it might be good to share.

I find these two verses in themselves incredibly rich. If you follow Jesus and love your fellow believers I expect you do/will too!

Paul writes in a letter to Christians in Ephesus:

Ephesians 5
v18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, v19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord

Though I thought it was extreme, over-the-top, I did hear a speaker who some years ago emphasized feeling good by singing worship songs to God. That is, if you want to FEEL the presence of the Spirit of God (I would say maybe it is, maybe it’s endorphins, maybe both… and I am indeed not joking) then sing praises. That’s what He said.

Though I often feel what I believe is the manifest presence of the Spirit, at times it’s during singing or playing, at times it’s when I see a sunset, sometimes when I have read a portion of The Bible, and sometimes when all is in complete silence and I may just be thinking about the Lord and/or His blessings in my life.

BUT- I don’t “worship to feel Him near” and so I cannot agree that we do X to simply get Y. We worship God for Himself, for Who He IS, not whether we get a buzz from doing so! It’s not “it”, but HIM, the Person of God Whom we must seek and honor (a key Bible meaning of the word “worship”). Feelings or none, it’s about Him.

Having said all this, of course we at times feel a deep and overwhelming joy as we sense His immediate presence, and this is likely why Paul says “Don’t go to alcohol to feel good, for intoxication”, because drunkenness can lead to bad judgment and outright sin.

Instead “or RATHER than that, instead DO THIS”: be FILLED.

Some argue being filled with God the Holy Spirit is better rendered “be BEING filled” so it is not a one-off, one-time experience but an ongoing relationship with God, being conscious and intentional about coming to Him and interacting WITH Him. I think this is indeed what the text is saying.

All of this is “vertical” stuff, and it calls me back to the commands of Jesus- “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength”.

Now comes the “horizontal”- “And the second most important commandment is this: you shall love your neighbor as yourself”.

“Speaking to one another” is not thought of as worship, but in fact when we write, sing or listen to songs with lyrics we are by default being taught, teaching, influencing one another on some level. Ultimately this is also an act of worship for we turn to God and encourage others to do likewise when we sing or influence others to do so.

We may not (or the worship leader or team may not) be gifted by the Spirit as teacher/s but that is simply part of what is happening unless the music is purely instrumental and no lyrics are involved. Even then we have both the act of worship and the influence pointing toward Him… unless the worship leader or team or choir or people in general are simply “going through the motions” or “by rote” without heart intent toward God.

Note, even -then- genuine, authentic worship may very well be taking place. It is 99 percent impossible to judge rightly (discern) whether this or the other person is focused on the Lord or not during a time of worship so be very careful with your own attitude. Nor is it about the music itself, whether or not YOU think it is.

On the point of teaching, how do we “love one another” with the lyrics? How much ought we to care about God’s Word/s (The Bible) when we write, choose songs and sing, teaching and sharing those songs with others? There is a responsibility of love as well as a communion with God the Holy Spirit in the very process of singing.

There is a fair bit of disagreement or shall I say in the positive, somewhat broad interpretation on the definition of “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” throughout the churches. Yet, if we take it at face value, most of us are familiar with the Book of Psalms, with what we refer to as hymns, and spiritual songs might be something as varied as a spontaneous, Spirit-led (we hope!) song or even a U2 tune, say, “October”.

Spiritually truthful, edifying lyrics in line with scripture whether actual scripture is being sung or not, regardless of song -style-, volume, with or without instruments sung from our hearts toward God while also respecting and caring for one another, this is the “home-run” of worship when music is involved. God is glorified in this!

Notice “sing”. Simple, but sometimes overlooked: singing is a command in scripture, not an option. Be it “a joyful noise” or a lament (the larger portion of the Psalms happen to be laments) so whether in a major or minor key, we sing AND make music (lyrics, melody, rhythm, songs) TO God and also ABOUT God and with love and care for one another.

Is this all about technique? Is it about musical skill? This portion of text makes no argument toward that, but other parts of scripture indeed do. Yet here the issue cited is “from your heart”, then “to the Lord”.

It’s not about you. Or me. Or even us, in that sense. It’s about HIM!!!

We worship Him (as Jesus said) as He wishes, “in spirit and in truth”, from the “heart”. Genuine worship, not singing by rote nor looking around allowing our minds to wander, focused on everyone and anything BUT Him.

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the Holy Spirit.
19 Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices and instruments and making melody with all your heart to the Lord

May this be my heart, my life and my example.

Thanks for stopping by! -Glenn