"The Gospel According to Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys"

"The Gospel According to Brian Wilson

& The Beach Boys"

Phil Miglioratti

Wouldn't it be nice, now that Brian has done several solo albums, toured with Pet Sounds, presented SMiLE, and released a happy and holy Christmas album, if he would release a Gospel album? He already has enough tracks from songs previously released that could be "covered" in a Gospel-style sound. Some have been written with a Gospel-feel, others, in my opinion, have lyrics that can be applied to a typical Gospel-message. 

What an alive-album this would make ..."Gospel is like a fever-you catch it . . . " Brian Wilson 

*Disclaimer: Though Brian has been quoted as saying "I’m not religious, but I’ve always liked Jesus Christ. I like what Jesus Christ stood for and what his vibrations were all about," [quoted @ http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2005_12_01_prayforsurfblog_archive.html ] ... in no way am I claiming that Brian Wilson or the Beach Boys agree with any of my applications of their lyrics, my beliefs regarding the Bible or Christianity, or my conclusions about the lyrics of any of the songs I've identified. 

*Apologia: I am utilizing "Gospel" in its common musical and biblical understandings: >Gospel Music (noun) - highly emotional evangelical vocal music that originated among African American Christians in the southern United States and was a strong influence in the development of soul music. Also called gospel. >Gospel (noun) - 1) The teachings of Jesus Christ and the story of his life. 2. Something believed to be absolutely and unquestionably true. Source: Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. *Key: 

OK, here is the line-up of tunes I'd suggest for "The Gospel According to Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys!" 

•OUR PRAYER PFS: A capella sounds of praise ... Human voices; heavenly sounds ... Gotta start with the proper focus ~ Inward and Upward! >Let be and be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10 (Amplified Bible) 

•MEANT FOR YOU "As I sit and close my eyes there's peace in my mind and I'm hoping that you'll find it too. And these feelings in my heart I know are meant for you." PFS: Gospel always has an evangelistic flavor: "I hope you find the peace that I have found..." >Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-8 New Living Translation (NLT) 

•PATH OF LIFE "Walking down the path of life, I feel His presence day and night." >You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful. Contemporary English Version (CEV) Psalm 16:11 "Touch me heal me wash my sins away; Touch me heal me wash my sins away." >And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.' Acts 22:16 "Every night, I will pray; I'll be good, everyday; Give me hope, Hope and pray." >So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 New Living Translation (NLT) 

•LOVE AND MERCY "I was sittin' in a crummy movie with my hands on my chin; Oh the violence that occurs seems like we never win. Love and mercy that's what you need tonight. So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight." PFS: The gospel is possible because of a loving God who prefers mercy over judgment! >Know, recognize, and understand ... that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9 Amplified Bible (AMP) >They refused to listen and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and full of unfailing love and mercy. You did not abandon them, Nehemiah 9:17 New Living Translation (NLT) >But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and mercy; I will worship toward and at Your holy temple in reverent fear and awe of You. Psalm 5:7 Amplified Bible (AMP) >Return [to my relief], O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of Your steadfast love and mercy. Psalm 6:4 (AMP) >He redeems you from hell--saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy--a paradise crown. Psalm 103:4 The Message (MSG) >In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years. Isaiah 63:9 (NLT) >Therefore return to your God! Hold fast to love and mercy, to righteousness and justice, and wait [expectantly] for your God continually! Hosea 12:6 Amplified Bible (AMP) >There Is Only One Good News: "I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way." Galatians 1:6 New Living Translation (NLT) 

•SAIL ON SAILOR "Life is an unsettled ocean, unrelenting; never ending, never caring; always needing, even bleeding. Sail on sailor!" >Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple. (Jesus in Luke 14:27) Amplified Bible (AMP) See also the story of Jonah, tossed overboard and rescued (eventually) by God. 

•HE COME DOWN "Jesus came down to save the world from sin, Sayin' 'Seek ye first the kingdom within'." PFS: Tough call for me. The sound and style are definitely Gospel and "Jesus came down to save the world from sin" is the Christian Gospel in a nutshell (see Luke 19:10) ... but the actual text is: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 633), an entirely different meaning and message. Ultimately the song is a tribute to a Maharishi-meditation, Krishna-consciousness. Jesus is included in the pantheon but certainly identified as the Christ; God's agent of salvation, i.e. the Gospel ("There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them." Acts 4:12). So, hard to include it; difficult to ignore it. Gospel-styled workout that doesn't seem to uplift as much as it should. [Cited on http://cabinessence.net] >Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, "Who do the people say I am?" 'Some say "John the Baptizer,' they said. 'Others say Elijah.' Still others say "one of the prophets.'" He then asked, "And you--what are you saying about me? Who am I?" Peter gave the answer: "You are the Christ, the Messiah." Mark 8:27-30 (The Message) >Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (NIV) >For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. 2 Corinthians 5:19 (New Living Translation) 

•THIS WHOLE WORLD "Late at night I think about the love of this whole world; Lots of different people everywhere." >For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. Gospel of John 3:16-17 •ADD SOME MUSIC "The Sunday morning Gospel is good for the soul." >Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. Ephesians 5:19 New Living Translation (NLT) 

•BREAK AWAY "I can break away to a better life where the shackles never hold me down. I'm gonna make a way for each happy day as my life turns around." PFS: The first time I heard this when it was released as a single, it made me think of someone who has had a change of mind, heart and will; the biblical word for repentance. It take courage to see ourselves as we truly are and change. >Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets. 2 Corinthians 7:10 The Message (MSG) 

•'TIL I DIE "I'm a cork on the ocean, floating over the raging sea How deep is the ocean? How deep is the ocean? I lost my way . . .Hey hey hey "I'm a rock in a landslide, rolling over the mountainside How deep is the valley? How deep is the valley? It kills my soul . . . Hey hey hey "I'm a leaf on a windy day; pretty soon I'll be blown away How long will the wind blow? How long will the wind blow? Ohhhh . . . Until I die . . . These things I'll be until I die..." 'Til I Die is simply a masterpiece, one of the simplest but most eloquent statements of the human condition, while the title track is also an outstanding combination of music and lyric. [Cited in http://cabinessence.net] >Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men! Psalm 89:47 (NIV) >Everything under the sun is meaningless, like chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14 (NLT) >So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 2:17 (NASB) 

•IN MY ROOM "There's a world where I can go and tell my secrets to ... lock out all my worries and my fears ... Lie awake and pray..." PFS: Where we began is a good place to conclude; lie awake and pray. In My Room shows both the beauty as well as a deep pain and loneliness that is the hallmark of Brian's best music. [Cited in http://cabinessence.net] >...and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20 (NIV) >Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2 >I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns. Philippians 1:8-9 >I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God Ephesians 3:16-19 >I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Philemon 1:6 *

BONUS CUTS* •YOU NEED A MESS OF HELP TO STAND ALONE PFS: The Gospel message is seen and heard in the cross; everyone needs help, especially with salvation. •BE STILL Life is meant to be beautiful. Be still and know the Creator... •WAKE THE WORLD >[ A psalm of David. A song. ] My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my soul! Psalm 108:1 (NLT) {OK ... What did I miss? What do you think? Comment below or email them to me: phil@nppn.org

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