Scripture Songs Help Keep Us Close to God

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

By CHERYL ROGERS

I never was very good at memorizing chunks of text, so remembering Scripture didn't come easily for me -- at least not until God began giving me Scripture songs!

It happened in the aftermath of the tragic World Trade Center attacks in 2001.

On December 18, the anniversary of my earthly father's death, God gave me my first melody. My dad had always encouraged my sister and I to write songs, so it piqued my interest, to say the least.

Well, after I sang one of the songs in my church's talent show, God gave me so many melodies I put together a CD. The songs kept coming, so I put together some more CDs.

Do you know what I discovered? Well, it's what other folks have learned, too. Committing things to music makes them easy to remember.

While it had been hard for me to remember Scriptures before, now I got many chunks of Scripture memorized, without really trying. Just developing the songs, I went through a phase of repetition. I would sing the song over and over again working up the melody and practicing the singing. I would work on an arrangement, then I'd practice the song some more.

By the time the song was recorded, I had memorized most, if not all, of the Scriptures.
I consider the songs prayers and began praying God's promises in them over my life. Sometimes the truth of God's word would manifest itself as I sang the song, or played the CD.

One day I was walking along the beach and there was this piece of glass in my path -- just as I sang "no weapon formed against you shall prosper," a song lyric from Isaiah 54:17. Another day, I was driving down the interstate and there was garbage in the road. I saw it kind of late, but successfully swerved out of the way in our Miata as my Victory! CD was playing "no weapon formed against you shall prosper!"

Another time I was driving near our home when a sheriff's deputy pulled in front of me. He was going slow; I had to use my breaks because I was traveling a bit over the speed limit. Meanwhile on the CD player the words of my song "God Will Hear Me" were playing: "I will bear the indignation of the Lord for I have sinned," from Micah 7.

I followed the deputy at what seemed like a snail's pace, grateful this time I did not get a ticket.

A few days later, I was in nearly the same spot, with the same song playing in my CD player, and there was a gorgeous rainbow!

Another interesting time was when I sang "I Will Give Thanks to You" from Psalm 30 in my church's talent show. Gosh, they gave us all thank you certificates for participating in the talent show, when I should have thanked them for giving me a chance to sing my song.

At the show, I proclaimed healing from a goiter. (God is healing me from a failed business I started in 1990. I closed the business when I became too sick to run it.)
God has used the songs to communicate with me, to heal me, and to teach me Scriptures I probably couldn't, or wouldn't, have ever memorized.

As I was well into the recording of my second and third CDs, which I did in tandem, I realized the songs had given me a much better grip on the Scriptures than I had ever had before. I would try to explain a biblical lesson and realize I had done a song on it!

Others have had similar experiences with Bible songs.

"One of the coolest things Scripture songs have done for me is that I have actually heard the Holy Spirit bring these songs to my head/heart when going through various trials and temptations in life," says Timothy Harris, a partner with Ted Warren in WordSong Entertainment.

WordSong produces Scripture songs in a cinematic style.

"I believe in the power of God's word. If we can slip our music or rock opera into the mainstream entertainment machinery, many lives will be transformed by the hearing of God's word," says Lionel De Leon, president and founder of Messenger Project, a non-profit corporation promoting the Bible through music.

Finding God: Biblical Answers to Questions about Our Maker an ebook by your lensmaster Cheryl Rogers, is a book you can use to share your with in God. The ebook answers basic questions like who is God, who is Jesus, what God expects from us, how to find God and how to accept the gift of salvation.

"I came to know God as the result of a serious illness," says Cheryl, "so I know what it's like to go to church and wonder if my prayers are being heard."

When Cheryl surrendered her life to God, he healed her and changed her life. "Now i have dedicated myself to sharing the knowledge of God with others," she says. "I write to encourage others to seek God and stay connected to his Word."

Finding God: Biblical Answers to Questions about Our Maker is available free for a limited time at New Christian Books Online Store and at Smashwords.com using the coupon code SQ34D at checkout.

Open Your Hymnal: Devotions That Harmonize Scripture With Song by Denise Loock. $2.95 from Smashwords.com
Do you ever catch yourself singing a song in church without paying attention to the words? Open Your Hymnal is a collection of thirty devotions that transport the wisdom of classic hymns and gospel songs into the twenty-first century. Introduce yourself to the rich spiritual heritage that hymnals contain or gain a new perspective on songs you've sung since childhood.

Learn more about the Holy Spirit with Scriptural Pattern of The Holy Spirit

Scriptural Pattern of The Holy Spirit by Rodney Mire. $5.99 from Smashwords.com
The Holy Spirit dwells in us 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We should find out everything we can about this Spirit. God gives us the Holy Spirit as a gift. All we need to do is receive and enjoy.

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Just Like Jonah Wail Tales is a book about kids who makes bad choices, but turn to God and receive his mercy. These modern day stories, dealing with issues like young teen relationships, school elections, and sickness, help youngsters relate Bible principles to their own lives.

Commiserate with the protagonist who suffers, then talks candidly with their maker and emerges changed -- determined to be obedient and do what God says. The results are dramatic, with major change occurring in each child.

"These stories are ficititious, but they accurately portray God as a loving father willing to help us as soon as we are ready to receive that help," says Cheryl Rogers, the book's author.

Download a free preview here.

I Can See Christian Storybook Treasury, a new book to help build your family's faith in God, is a unique Christian storybook that dispels doubts as children grow. This new book features stories aimed at toddlers, young children, older children, preteens and teens, teaching them what they need to know about a God they cannot see.

From the first story, I Can See God's ABCs, each chapter delivers age-appropriate answers to questions about God that children have. I Can See God's ABCs shows children that God made the apples, the bears, the cats and the dogs -- in short, our world and us. It tells us we can learn about God from the things he has made.

From there, children learn about where to find God, in the love of their friends and even pets. I Can See Christian Storybook Treasury also includes the biblical reasons for reading and studying the Bible, why Jesus came to Earth and why Jesus had to die.

"It is my goal to help parents share their faith with their children," says author Cheryl Rogers. "I believe connecting children with God can spare them the needless grief caused by disobedience."

Cheryl came to know God as an adult through a serious illness. When she surrendered her life to him, he healed her! A former newspaper reporter, Cheryl has written Just Like Jonah Wail Tales teaching preteens and teens the importance of obedience to God and Fast Track to Victory, A Christian Guidbook, a devotions book teaching the biblical truths we need to walk in victory over hatred, pride, bitterness and other enemies.

New Christian Books Online Magazine is a free publication featuring announcements about new Christian books that build the kingdom of God. Read about the latest uplifting releases, catch standalone book previews and reviews, plus read features of interest to the Christian reading and writing communities.

New Christian Books Online Magazine, published by Christian author Cheryl Rogers (your lensmaster), accepts submissions from Christian writers. Click on "Register" at the bottom left of the magazine front under "Login." After you receive your password by email, you will be able to login and upload content to the Wordpress blog. All content must be approved before going live. Learn more about contributing to this magazine by clicking on "Submissions" at the magazine's homepage.