No compromise

[Janet842]

Have any of you been through this?

I was put through a major period of conviction and repentance about a year ago over things in my possession that I didn't purchase: CDs that friends had gifted me off their recordings (who knows where they got them), copied sheet music, mp3's that I didn't buy, computer software that wasn't mine, fonts that weren't mine - pretty much everything in my house that I hadn't purchased I had to get rid of. I even had to drop out of a brass quintet I was playing in because almost all the charts were supplied by the tuba player (not a Christian). He had "bootlegged" them (why not just call it stealing?) over a lifetime of playing in quintets across the nation.

It's no excuse really, but many of the "habits" I had gotten into were set before I became a Christian. That doesn't keep me from being amazed at how blind I was to what I was doing. The whole process ultimately cost me a lot - and I don't mean in just money. I really miss the quintet people and the fun I had with them.

When I quit the group I didn't tell anyone but the other Christian (the French horn player) why. I didn't want them to feel like I was judging them because of the personal choices I was making. The French horn player still plays with them.

I'd rather be right before the Lord, but I really have to wonder why my life gets reamed out and hers doesn't? I don't believe God has different standards for different people, so stuff like this really puzzles me.

 

[LeadWorship]

It's very much the same with Churchs. I've found that many churches don't know what CCLI is, and they use power point to display lyrics and just find their music online. I agree with your last statement: I'd rather be right before the Lord. God honors faithfulness and He desires purity. If you know you're in the wrong, get right. Our church as been blessed because of it.

 

[talitha]

Janet, God deals with the things in each of our lives in a different order, depending upon what is best for each person and for the people he or she influences. For example, some people are delivered from smoking the instant they are saved, but my husband still struggles with it even after coming onto the mission field. That's why we need to remain clean before the Lord without judging others. But you know that. And you're right. Why does he ream you out and not others? It's because of your calling, your destiny, and your relationship with Him. He can entrust this to you, and I'm sure you have already reaped some of the benefits in your walk with Him.

I'm in an odd situation on the mission field because many things are not available to us here, and I feel okay with how we're doing things. I know that in the world of worship music most people want their music to be used and are not after the money. Those that are more into the business of it are copy-right protecting their things and not allowing them to be published in resources like HigherPraise and eChords. That's frustrating for me, but hey, they are where they are in the Lord too.

LW, I really like your signature. I want to live like that, and I want to one day be a part of a church that lives by that and doesn't just want to be a HillSong clone or a Bethel clone in their sound.

blessings
tal

 

[Janet842]

At my church, I noticed a few charts that were stamped with the name of a different church - possibly the former church of our music pastor? All those charts disappeared when our interim stepped in. So, I wonder if that's part of the reason God moved him along. (God called him to a different church.)

Our new pastor starts with us tomorrow evening, so it's a whole new season for us in music soon!

 

[WandererOfTheWastes]

unauthorized duplication =/= stealing.