I have not listened to music for many years. This has been especially true since I have been living by myself in a motorhome for the last ten years, and before that when I was at the Macon Rescue Mission for three years. Sure, I have had brief interludes with music, but they were very brief. I always found it to be more pleasurable to live without the distraction of music in my life.
Now that I am getting back into music, I am discovering why it was such a distraction. When I wrote last that I was getting some music off of Ebay, I had ordered some of it, but it had not arrived yet. The 450 CDs that I ordered of Christian music were still to come in. When they arrived it was time to sort through them and choose which ones to keep. I assumed that the Christian music would provide less good tunes to keep than the Classical, Jazz, or Instrumental of different types, and I was right about that. I kept perhaps 1 out of each 15 CDs that I listened to, and the ones I kept were just to listen to. That may sound logical for music Cds, but I really needed to give them a good listening.
Keith Green
When I was new to listening to Christian music, Keith Green was the man for me. Sure, there were other singers such as Chuck Girard, Michael Omartian, 2nd Chapter of Acts, Honeytree, etc.. If I wanted a clear view of what God was doing, I would get out my Keith Green albums. He had a prophets heart. I could count on God speaking to my heart as I listened to these songs.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s Contemporary Christian Music was largely an amalgamation of secular Rock music. True, it was some of the lighter Rock music unless one got into Petra or Larry Norman, but it was Rock. Even Keith Green’s music was of the Rock variety. I used to think that the message of the music was what made it what it was. I thought the sound of it was merely the sound of it (unless of course, it was Hard Rock). It has taken me quite a few years to adjust my sense of hearing to the things Yahweh likes, and I still don’t think I am there yet.
I am not yet ready to share what is Sacred music and what is not, what is acceptable for the Christian to listen to and what is not. I need to hear from Yahweh to get a clearer word from Him. I do appreciate those who are patiently waiting. I have a lot of music to listen to, and to hear from the Lord on. I will be posting a treatise as soon as the Lord gives it to me. I would appreciate as many as are willing to pray that I might hear from Yahweh concerning music. Nothing is impersonal to Him. Everything has a place in His kingdom, or Satan’s. Much is in the heart of the one listening.
On another note (pardon the pun), I would like to speak about my recovery. It was back at the beginning of May that I had a stroke. I am doing better as each month passes. I can see improvement in a lot of things. My right hand has needed the most improvement, and it is coming along. I got out the Frisbees the other day and I threw them with a friend. I could only back up about a third of the distance I normally could throw. My strength and timing in my hand are impacted by the stroke. I could get the Frisbee to the target, however. This is quite an improvement. I could not throw anything with my right hand some months ago.
I am continuing to take two walks each day. It has not rained now in over two months. I have not seen it so dry here before. The dirt roads should be called dust roads. They leave a cloud if a car goes by. Just this week I have begun taking Champ on my evening walk. He pulls quite hard, and I still use a cane for balance. I carry his leash in my right hand. He is doing pretty well. Girlfriend, my other dog, goes with me on both walks. She doesn’t require a leash. She comes right over to me and sits at my feet if a car is coming.
I appreciate those who do not require that I write too much, though I am getting much better at writing, and it is not so hard now. It still takes some effort for I am about half as fast as I was before. Thanks to all of those who continue to support me and the ministry I perform. I continue to send out 250 newsletters to men in prison every other week.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Music is composed of various frequencies of sound energy, which when bought into harmony, can produce the most melodious and pleasing sensations to one’s hearing. Sound frequencies exist within and without our normal range of perception. So it is with light energy. There are various frequencies which produce the variety of colors within our perception. As with sound, light frequencies also exist outside of our ability to physically perceive such light energy. When light energy is brought into harmony, into coherence as within a laser, within the visible spectrum of light, the intense, beautiful and powerful colors that can be produced can be just as pleasing to our visual perception as is the melodious music to our hearing perception. And so I wonder, Brother Herrin, if our thought energy, which also exists in various frequencies, can also be brought into harmony with the thought energy of our Creator. I wonder if the prayerful attitude causes our thought energy to become more focused, more ‘melodious’ to our creator, so that our ability to spiritually communicate with Him is increased. I wonder if the power to ‘believe and not doubt’ when we pray, brings into our physical realm the focused, creative energy and healing power of the Creator Himself, so that things which are not, become as if they were. And then they are so. And this make me wonder if our believing prayers are just as beautiful to our Creator, as is the melodious harmony of sound we can enjoy in our music.
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