Mining Secular Music for Biblical Nuggets
- Thread starter GWH
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I am attending a church because of good preaching, but I barely tolerate the music.
Call me a dinosaur, but I miss these songs that encouraged me to walk the aisle:
Just as I Am
I Surrender All
Trust and Obey
Softly and Tenderly
Have Thine Own Way Lord
Any old fogies have another favorite?
Call me a dinosaur, but I miss these songs that encouraged me to walk the aisle:
Just as I Am
I Surrender All
Trust and Obey
Softly and Tenderly
Have Thine Own Way Lord
Any old fogies have another favorite?
Here is a song the love of the Lord inspired that encourages walking the aisle to heaven with Jesus.
https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/the-power-of-love
https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/the-power-of-love
Do you old folks remember this secular song by the Hollies?
The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where?
Who knows where?
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go
His welfare is my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share?
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
He's my brother
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where?
Who knows where?
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
So on we go
His welfare is my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there
For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another
It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share?
And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
He's my brother
He ain't heavy, he's my brother
I would like y'all to be aware that my concept album titled "Pilgrimage" is available at the link below.
It consists of para-Christian songs describing various aspects of the earthly sojourn, including hope for heaven,
visions of hell, Paul's desire to visit Rome, selling our souls, missing a soulmate, contemplating dying, feeling alone,
being rescued by Jesus, rejoicing when redeemed, celebrating the Spirit and praising God for Eve in Eden.
https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrimage-2
I pray it will bless the hearts of listeners.
It consists of para-Christian songs describing various aspects of the earthly sojourn, including hope for heaven,
visions of hell, Paul's desire to visit Rome, selling our souls, missing a soulmate, contemplating dying, feeling alone,
being rescued by Jesus, rejoicing when redeemed, celebrating the Spirit and praising God for Eve in Eden.
https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrimage-2
I pray it will bless the hearts of listeners.
Yes I remember this one.
A workmate of mine died in a hit and run and I and some colleagues went to his funeral.
I remember this song and it cut me to the core. They didn't play this at the funeral though, they played something else to do with ashes (he was cremated I heard, we didn't go to the burial)
But I listened to this before the funeral. It reminded me of him. Even though he wasn't my actual biological brother, he tried to be a brother to everyone he met. I found out at the funeral that he was adopted as a baby to UK parents. He was born in NZ and returned to find his roots.
I read a Proverb at his funeral and I had never spoken in public before, people were invited to speak. It was like God wanted me to say something because he was looking for Him when he passed. It was Proverbs 17:17
I apologise GWH for taking so long to reply to your thread. I will have a listen this week and have some feedback for you.
I went to another funeral the other week of my across the road neighbour, at her church, and they played/ we sung The Old Rugged Cross.
We also had Psalm 23. There was one other hymn I can't recall right now.
The pallbearers walked out to My way by Frank Sinatra.
I think a lot of us can go through hell even on earth right now so it's not really something you can avoid, however Christians have the strength to overcome because we have the Lord. We definitely have our trials and tribulations. If not early on in life, then later.
My neighbour was like Mrs Santa Claus. Loving, generous, and the one who baked all the biscuits and muffins for everyone in the neighbourhood. She was also a bit of a character, and always had a twinkle in her eye and a great sense of humour.
I went to another funeral the other week of my across the road neighbour, at her church, and they played/ we sung The Old Rugged Cross.
We also had Psalm 23. There was one other hymn I can't recall right now.
The pallbearers walked out to My way by Frank Sinatra.
I think a lot of us can go through hell even on earth right now so it's not really something you can avoid, however Christians have the strength to overcome because we have the Lord. We definitely have our trials and tribulations. If not early on in life, then later.
My neighbour was like Mrs Santa Claus. Loving, generous, and the one who baked all the biscuits and muffins for everyone in the neighbourhood. She was also a bit of a character, and always had a twinkle in her eye and a great sense of humour.
I can see why Pro. 17:17 goes along with "...He's My Brother." It is interesting that there is so much wisdom in Proverbs that is compatible with NT teachings but not much cited that I am aware, including the following:
Pro. 11:22. A beautiful woman with an ugly character is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
Pro. 13:24. “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who love him is careful to discipline him.”
Pro. 15:11. God knows our hearts or thoughts and motives. Pro. 16:2 says “motives are weighed by the Lord”, and Pro. 17:3 says “the Lord tests the heart.”
Pro. 16:18. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Jesus said (in Matt. 23:12) “whoever exalts himself will be humbled.” The irony of this truth is that pride is the main temptation for those who are rather spiritually mature. They may become proud of how humble they are! Paul says (in 2Cor. 12:7) that he was given a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him from getting conceited. So, we should have humility, which is manifested by teachability (Pro. 11:2, “with humility comes wisdom), and never think we know it all and stop wanting to learn. As Pro. 16:19-20 says, “Better to be lowly in spirit… Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers.”
Pro. 18:18. “Casting the lot settles disputes.” It is true that in some situations it is appropriate to let chance decide who goes first, such as in football games. While the teaching of Pro. 16:33 is problematic, flipping a coin is a useful technique for resolve a tie regarding mundane issues.
Pro. 19:2. “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge.” In churches, the participants come from various denominational backgrounds and have different ways of doing things, but we should remember that services and sermons need to have both zeal or emotion and knowledge or teaching.
Pro. 20:1. “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler.” May we follow the NT equivalent of this verse, Eph. 5:18 “Do not get drunk [high] on wine [or drug], which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled [happy, relaxed] with the Spirit”.
Pro. 22:6. “Train a child in the way he [or she] should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Training means modeling or practicing what we preach, so that a child has no good or valid reason to rebel against the parents.
Pro. 24:23-25. “To show partiality in judging is not good: Whoever says to the guilty, ‘You are innocent’, peoples will curse him… but it will go well with those who convict the guilty.”
I am looking forward to sharing music the Lord has blessed me with and hope you find it edifying. Not very many folks seem to like music as much as I do. There is little participation on the Christian Music forum.
I listened to this masterpiece last night, and it is my favorite Zeppelin album. It's filled with love songs including "In the Evening" that showcases their awesome rock-n-roll slam dunk knock you on your rear end jamming, "Fool in the Rain" is one of their best with a bluesy/jazzy flavor, and "All of My Love" which is one of the greatest love ballads of the classic rock era.
Every tune on this album is a hit, and the lyrics and expression can be turned into wonderful praises to our Lord. For example from "All of My Love":
[Verse 1]
Should I fall out of love, my fire in the light
To chase a feather in the wind
Within the glow that weaves a cloak of delight
There moves a thread that has no end
[Verse 2]
For many hours and days that pass ever soon
The tides have caused the flame to dim
At last, the arm is straight, the hand to the loom
Is this to end or just begin?
[Chorus]
All of my love, all of my love
Oh, all of my love to you [Lord], now
All of my love, all of my love
Oh, all of my love to you [Lord], now
[Verse 3]
The cup is raised, the toast is made yet again
One voice is clear above the din
Proud Aryan, one word, my will to sustain
For me, the cloth once more to spin
Put this tune on loud, sing along and express the love poetry to God, and let us know how it feels.
For me - divine.
Changing a few words of a secular song to give it a spiritual or moral meaning that is para-Christian is what I call redeeming a song,
which is what I did with this one:
https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/track/redeemed
Can you guess which Beatles song was redeemed?
Glad you like it.
That was a good guess. Are you familiar with their most popular song in 1968?
Correct! Not sure how this will work but here is a line by line comparison:
Hey Jude, don't make it bad.//Dear God, when I was bad
Take a sad song and make it better.// You took my sad song, and made it better
Remember to let her into your heart,//The minute I let you into my heart
Then you can start to make it better.//That was the start of making it better.
Hey Jude, don't be afraid.//Dear Lord, lend me your love
You were made to go out and get her.//Teach me compassion for all my brethren
The minute you let her under your skin,//The minute I let you under my skin
Then you begin to make it better//Then I begin to love them better.
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain,//And any time I feel the pain, I'll call your name,
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.//Why carry the world upon my shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool//For now I know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.//Ignoring your peace, your love, the gospel.
Hey Jude, don't let me down.//Jesus, I won't let you down
You have found her, now go and get her.//You have loved me, now I will love everyone
Remember to let her into your heart,//The minute I let you into my heart
Then you can start to make it better.//That was the start of loving them better.
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin,//Oh put hate out and let love in, Jesus, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with.//I'm ready for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do,//And don't you know that it's just you, Jesus, you'll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.//The moment you came loving had meaning.
Hey Jude, don't make it bad.//Dear God, I’m no longer sad;
Take a sad song and make it better.//got your glad song, and I feel better,
Remember to let her under your skin,//The minute I let you into my heart,
Then you'll begin to make it//that was the start of making life better.
Dear Lord, I’ve been redeemed; got your love song, and life is better,
The minute I called upon your name, then I became, better, better, better, Oh!…
[[Better better better better better better, oh.
Na na na nananana, nannana, hey Jude...]]
When I became redeemed, heaven it seemed, dear God…
When Jesus entered my heart, that was the start, dear Lord…
When I became redeemed, heaven it seemed, dear God…
When I called on your name, then I became, redeemed.
So glad you enjoyed it. Perhaps you would like the rest of my album about the pilgrimage through life. Here are the liner notes to enhance enjoyment.
1. "Wouldn't It Be Fine?" (a folksy tune) imagines a happy and peaceful world via metaphors including a song for everyone, a book worth reading twice and the sound from earth of one good time, but it asks a surprising question at the end.
2. "From Paul to the Proud" (in the gypsy genre) answers that question with a paraphrase of Romans 1:1-2:9a, which describes a corrupt and condemned world.
3. "Late Last Night (Revelation)" (heavy metal) describes in detail the hell mentioned by Paul. Satan is the king of chaos cited in "Wouldn't It Be Fine", and hate names the answer to the question it asks.
4. "Until Set Free" (a slow ballad) also answers that question with "sin" as symbolized by a woman who sold her soul because of lust; she is us. Her choice alludes to the road of life diverging or crossing a bridge because of the price that is paid: spiritual death.
5. "Once Upon a Time" (another slow ballad) is sung by the woman's soulmate, who would have loved her forever, but after trying to reach her, his heart crossed the bridge of no return.
6. "Someday" (the slowest ballad) contemplates dying, perhaps in the near future, and departing from one's soulmate,
dreaming of the day when love will be renewed in the eternal heavenly garden of Eden.
7. "When You're Alone" (thrash metal genre) portrays the agitated mental state of someone who has never found love, who feels alone and despondent, having no desire to live.
8. "The Power of Love" (Indian genre, with a sitar) describes the despondent one without love as discovering being loved by Jesus and rescued from meaningless existence, replacing nightmares with visions of the heavenly Garden.
9. "Spirit of the Lord" (Negro Spiritual genre) rejoices because of blessings bestowed by the Holy Spirit.
10. "Redeemed" (redeems "Hey Jude" in the Japanese genre) also rejoices because of being blessed with a better life by divine love.
11. "Ode to a Young Woman" (slow ballad) is a sort of bookend, a postlude that alludes to the prelude, in which a young man rejoices because God made Eve in Eden (a soulmate until set free in heaven).
Here is the link:
https://groovykerygma.bandcamp.com/album/pilgrimage-2