Journaling in Song: Speak to Me Music Born by the Spirit

Mark Virkler's picture

By Steve Beukema, Ph.D., Worship Director - Pathfinder Church, Portage, MI

I’m a left-brained person.  I make my career as a scientist, and I’m also a musician and worship director at my church.  A couple weeks ago Dr. Mark Virkler came to my church to teach a weekend seminar on Hearing God’s Voice

I had been studying his teaching before the seminar so that I could get the most out of the weekend he was here.  My pastor put a bug in my ear to possibly write a worship song for the seminar.  So, being the left-brained person that I am, I took notes from the CWG website, I wrote down key words, phrases, and ideas, and I tried to put them together in a logical, yet poetic way.  The end result?  I stared at the notes for quite a while without writing a single lyric!  Then I took a phrase, “I keep looking”, and, tuning to flow, within about 20 seconds I had the first verse written.  Without any plan of how to proceed, I kept writing and the chorus suddenly appeared on my paper.  I was thrilled!  I sat by the keyboard and looked at the words, and I just started playing the music to it, without much of any thought to what it should sound like.  It just happened!  So I recorded a quick demo version of it and went to bed.

A couple nights later I sat down, thinking the song was finished with one verse and a chorus, and wondered what it would be like if I could add another verse.  I quieted myself down, fixed my eyes on Jesus, tuned to flow, and I wrote the second and third verse.  Ok, so it didn’t rhyme perfectly when I wrote from flow, but the basic ideas and thoughts came from flow.

I presented the song to my choir at Pathfinder Church, telling them the story of this song, and explaining that it was still in draft form and could change.  From my choir I received confirmation: “This song is from the Holy Spirit—don’t change a thing.”  My faith was boosted, but still, being the left-brained person I am, I noticed that verses 2 and 3 had a similar verbal structure, and that verse 1 comprised a different pattern.  I rationally thought that I had to change verse 1, which had the originally inspired words to the song, so that it would match the pattern of verses 2 and 3.  I made several attempts to change it.  I tried to make it fit the pattern of the rest of the song.  Then God spoke to me: “These are not your words.  These are My words.  These are the words that I want in this song.”  Ok, Lord, here is Your song….

Contact info: worship@pathfinderchurch.com

 

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Anonymous's picture

I was there at the conferendce when we sang this song the very 1st time. I didn't know it had just been given to you and thought, now how were they able to find the most perfect music..... I had never heard that song before and it really put the entire room into a heart of readiness to hear Gods Voice. I should have realized where I was and who it really came from........God was in that place. It was so awesome that you let God speak to you through your music... and help the rest of us prepare our hearts to hear Him. So I wonder if Mark will pick this up for his
Theme Song as I think it is perfect.

Thank you
Kathy Phillips

Anonymous's picture

This is a beautiful song. It immediately puts you into the presence of Lord during training and meditation. Thank you.

Tammie

Anonymous's picture

When Steve first played the song and I heard the words I was instantly in The Lords presence. I am fairly new to the choir and I know how intense our choir director is in teaching us songs for the choir so it was exciting for me to hear about this song that was given to him from the Lord. It was my heart, my prayer and my desire to always be able to hear from the Lord during my quiet times, and here I was listning to how the Lord was telling us that He wants you to seek Him, His Heart, His wisdom, and His love for us. It was as I was praising God for how perfect this song would be for when Mark would be teaching on hearing God's Voice, that He told me to tell Steve "Not to change a thing, this is from the Holy Spirit!" and others agreed and Steve did just that! Every time I listen to the song I get this picture in my mind of the Lord using this song all over the world bringing many into His presence for the very first time. Years ago I was at what was called the "Fathers day revival" at the Brownsvill church in Pencecola Fla. where I had been invited down to join in the innercession room to pray for the next service. During the service a young girl sang a song the Lord had given her, I believe it was called The Mercey Seat, as she sang it people began to weep all over the congregation and praise God, His presence was so strong that people could not stand but only kneel or prostrate them selfs in reverance. I saw this picture in my mind as we begain to sing His song, I saw annother revival, only this one became the last one, the one that would come before Christs return for His Bride. I am totaly right brained and left handed and many things are difficult for me, like numbers, and many other everyday things that most people don't have to think about. It was'nt intell Marks drawings on Right brain left brain that I realized why it has been easier for me to focus on the Lord, His Word, and His Presence. Being blessed with ADHD has made me realize that God's light can shine threw cracked pots, easier than ones that have not been broken. Thank you Steve for being obedient to God's voice, and writting a song for us to all draw closer to hearing God's voice. In Christ, Suzy Stewart

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