Contextual Reading (song)

Note: Though I didn't really write anything with a Christmas theme for the blog this year, these next three entries were all written in some ways as gifts for others, so consider them as Christmas presents to remember the Giver of all good gifts Who gave us the very best when He sent Christ that first Christmas to save us all from our sins. Merry Christmas! Praise God for His love. :-)

There are lots of preachers out there telling us and selling us all kinds of takes on God and the Gospel. Jesus said there would be false teachers who would come and we must be ready to see through and past them to the only real Gospel that Jesus Himself taught. (See Matthew 24) One of the best ways to defend against such mars on Christ's teachings is to engage in His Word and read it in the right context. This means reading The Bible with the Holy Spirit's guidance, first of all. Ask Him to be leading you in reading it right. Keep in mind the time and place the Scriptures were written and to whom they were originally written- and read the passages immediately before and after the passage you're reading- and then ask Him to help you see how they fit to our lives today. This song is largely inspired by one of my friends who has studied a lot on these things in seminary and has continually been an encouragement and reminder to employ contextual reading. (Hence the line referencing my friend Thaddeus- "When you get Thad preaching, you get contextual reading." ;-) Check out his awesome contextual readings and analyses of the Scriptures at his "Liberating Lions" blog that I have linked to on this site.)

"Contextual Reading"
(parody of "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 6/26/2016)
(Romans 16:17-18, Luke 24, John 16:3, book of Jude, 2 Peter 3:14-18, John 14:15-31, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, 1 Timothy 6:3-6, 1 Timothy 1:3-7, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Galatians 1:6-10)

Get up, get up, read up, read up
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!

Be wary now- (of) prophets falsified
(Ohh!)
They're saying that God judges like sin's nothing
He's just all-loving
And all peeps, we can go in all roads there
To Heaven; Scripture says "Wrong there!"

And when I get bad teaching
(I) use contextual reading
(Con)textual reading; and Spirit
Makes me read it right

Helper, just teach and guide
Spirit-filled reading, baby, does good for me
Spirit-filled reading enlightens- that's good for me

Whenever bad dudes drop bad doctrine
Then my devotional's 1st. Timothy- I read 6:3
They know nothing of The Truth
They can get a word quarrel on and rile you up, baby

And Holy Ghost, You'll be there to just lead me
('Cause) Folks love to give, baby, bad teaching
But they don't know the thing they're dealing
Ohh- you can tell that, darling- use contextual reading

Get up, read up, get up, read up
Galatians 1 verse 9
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Those fake dudes get fried

Baby, we've gotta check this warning
Just read 1:7 1st. Timothy
They teach 8:9 (Two) 2 Corinthians-
Says Name, claim- God's giving earthly riches

And when we get bad teaching
(We) use contextual reading
Spirit-filled reading- it guides our read
It reveals these lines pack such a punch
Helps to go read the lines- after and previous

Contextual reading takes in geography
Contextual reading knows culture and history
Takes all God's teachings and He grows us rich spiritually (Oh!)

He took control and saved my soul
Now I've got the mind of Christ; 2:16 1 Corinthians
I'll be reading right
Take the medicine, open up and let Him in
And when you are saved, Christ opens for you what Scriptures say

Get up, read up, get up, read up
24 Luke tonight
Wake up, read up, wake up, read up
32- that line

1 Corinthians 2:13, mate

(So) When you get bad teaching
Use contextual reading
And when you get Thad preaching
(You) get contextual reading
I want my contextual reading, darling
Or it all goes wrong
Spirit-filled reading, darling
Teach me in 14 John
Please don't extrapolate
Read it good- stay on same page

Keturah, Wife-maid (Song)

Note: Here's an apologetics-based entry from the archives about a very well known Biblical patriarch and a part of his life that probably is not nearly as well known. And it is a point of contention some skeptics raise; this song addresses that and offers reasons to trust the Biblical account.
.............................................................................

Okay- and this next one dips back into some ‘70s Americana! There’s been an infomercial I’ve seen filled with classic songs from the classic and legendary song and storytellers of the ‘70s and I love listening to it just to see the vintage clips and listen to the music. And the subject of this song dips back in time as well to differentiate different word usages from different times- and it explains how when God wrote His Book- He didn’t make any errors! So venture down through this ditty and reacquaint yourselves with one of the lesser known folks in The Bible. (This was also sort of a belated birthday gift for a friend from Sunday School since her name inspired it.)

“Keturah, Wife-maid”
copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/25/2011
(parody of “Ventura Highway” by America
)
(Genesis 24:67, Genesis 25:1-11, 1 Chronicles 1:28-34, Isaiah 40:8, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
(I’m gonna recommend a good Bible commentary like Matthew Henry’s for this one too. ;-) Check this site- http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=6&article=804)

You remember Abraham
Walking down the aisle
Married so long ago to Sarah, so
Some people say records don’t look good, you know
If you care to know

Keturah wifey- Genesis line
25:1 ponder
But writes- 1 Chronicles- concubine
1:32, you know

‘Cause the meaning is throwing humans here
Who make claims surrounding, “Who’s right here?”
Seems they’re trying for error
And they say, “Your Scripture’s in error, in error!”

Did di di di dit…………………..

Wishin’ it’d all fall apart
Debating to throw God away
Sorry boy, but you can’t win- the Truth remains
In time maybe Abe remarries
Changed her name
There’s no problem- just the same
Keturah’s wife and Abe’s concubine
In the days of (the) fathers
The words are different than king times
So she was both, you know

But to Sarah, well Kitty’s no compare
Abe still gave gifts for her kids right there
Eastbound riding postal mail
Allegations listed, au contraire- God won’t err!

Did di di di dit……………………..

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