My eyes fell upon an interesting Tube music-related video, Everything Music, hosted by a very interesting man named Rick Beato. In the video, he interviews a beautiful and flamboyant female bass player from Mumbai, India named Mohini Dey.
It took a small portion of my afternoon, listening to Mohini sharing many and great details of how she rose to stellar status as a world renowned bass player. She named a host of famous players who she toured with and I was amazed at the energy and focus she possessed.
The very next day, another video piqued my interest. A beautiful female guitarist with knee length dreadlocks was dueling with a male guitarist. I had to watch this and I was not disappointed! After my curiosity was satiated, I suddenly wondered why both gals mentioned not a word of praise or acknowledgment that their incredible talents were from God. That got me thinking deeply about the origin and purpose of music and the reasons why and how its effects so influenced people’s hearts and emotions..
I was introduced to the magical and mesmerizing world of ,music the day a classmate brought in her Elton John record. I was only familiar hearing my mom’s German Oompa band and my dad’s salsa albums. Soon after hearing my classmates record, I heard about and followed great rock legends Aerosmith, Heart, Bad Company and of course led Zeppelin. I was unaware of the rock star lifestyle of drugs, sex and riotous living, because I was so focused on honing my won talents to become a fashion designer and rock singer.
So here I am a mature woman of God, an ordained worship minister-Psalmist and singer-songwriter, recording and producing sacred, inspirational and social-conscious albums. Though I’ve always dreamed of touring and working with top-notch players and producers ( and never went beyond the local level), I have been blessed to have learned to refine my craft and ears to excellence in my playing and performing. I have also given priority to my other gift: writing,
As my relationship with God and Christ has evolved to deep intimacy, they’ve given me some insight regarding the demise of musical icons and how their lives influenced and impacted our young people. In my introspecting and journaling, I’ve become increasingly disturbed by our youth’s diminished potential. I recently viewed a video a prayer warrior friend sent me, showing a of a horde of violent young men leaping and then stomping a police car. Several joined him, screaming vulgarities and acting like a herd a rabied monkeys. I shook my head in great sadness, wondering what parental upbringing they had and what music they listened to.
This is the same feeling I felt after watching an Eminem video years ago. Eminem lambasted his own mother, spewing expletives and being downright hateful. Words suddenly came to my head and I quickly grabbed a pencil to write the lyrics for a song I wrote and recorded,, which became Cool City. Please listen closely to the words for they speak of a young person whose desire was to be cool and glorified and wasted his life through drugs and violence. .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=puubN8-GF1Y
Parents, grandparents, teachers and politicians, the negative trends which have seduced most of our precious young people are killing them!
It disturbs me to realize that we, (God’s people) have not not been the salt of the earth, as influencers and repulsing evil and decadence. Many of us have become little more than imitators and imposters, regurgitating the antics, ideologies music styles of secular business moguls, music artists and sports stars.
Okay, we can’t deny the charisma and transcendent creativity of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix Janis Joplin, Prince, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Katy Perry and many others. Many of these artists , as youngsters, first expressed their gift from God in church. So what caused them to deviate from God’s special call and to end up dead from an overdose or suicide?
Over the several decades of living for Christ and focusing my music gift to positively influence young people and anyone hurting, I’ve learned a few things about satan and his evil devises. He is a deceiver and a liar and only the Holy Spirit can educate and protect us from veering from God’s plan and divine destiny.
Young people, please carefully read this blog and listen closely to The Holy Spirit whispering to your heart. Decide to make the adjustments you need to be healthy, successful and divinely guided by the most high God, Jehovah. Looking for fame, fortune and a bevy of admirers to share your bed each night?. You may eventually attain glory and wealth, but I assure you, when you keel over from a Fentanyl or heroine overdose, you will find yourself , in a horrific place and screaming in torment for eternity! When you are tempted and seduced by satan’s lies, continually asked yourself, “Where will this action or decision lead me?” And if you choose to run away in the opposite direction, know that God’s plan for you is always excellent.
That goes for Christian and worship artists also. Don’t be deceived into thinking that because you’re offered a record deal with a Christian label , (run by secular moguls who have no interest in furthering the Gospel or influencing people’s lives for Christ) you are in good hands. Most will require you to make a covenant with satan. The Christian music industry is riddled with corruption, hypocrisy, narcissism and abject filth, Even famous worship artists (and famous pastors and bishops) are being exposed for other-godly lifestyles and activities.
Jehovah God created ,music and downloads His glorious gift to his creation, in the hope of us worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. Music is powerful and can change the course or destiny of a person for good or for bad. God also crowned us with the second most glorious gift, (in my opinion) our brain! Having a sound mind enables us to think soberly and weigh the consequences of our decisions, Young people need to learn to navigate their brain with God’s word, (the Holy Scriptures). A good place to begin is the book of proverbs.
Proverbs 0:10 Aramaic translation: The beginning of wisdom is the awe of LORD JEHOVAH and the knowledge of the Righteous Ones is understanding;
That all being said, God created us to be conduits, watering the world with His grace, compassion and inventiveness. Why do we Christians copy the works and inventions of the non-believers? ZOOM is so convenient, (while we are being spied on) and where are the innovative computer techs who can create our own Christ network and social media platforms (bigger than Face Book)? I know there are many Spirit-filled business people who are billionaires and they should be networking and joining forces to create our own sanctified platforms, networks and entertainment enterprises. We Christians must untether ourselves from satan’s entrapments. Ungodly music, films and TV which promote promiscuity, drugs and greed are satan’s snares which drag people into the abyss of death.
A good start to begin the healing process of our damaged youth is to teach them to connect to Christ for divine inventions, creativity and music-art trends which powerfully transforms the fabric of our society. Let’s decide today to be trendsetters and forge new divine frontiers of of excellence and purity for our young people and the next generation!
I will be delving and sharing more deeply about music’s powerful influence in my next blog, The Lure. Consider Following me here. God Bless you!