Creative

D avid Baronis new book, Creative in the Image of God, reveals a D av i d B a r o n i

C reative in the Image of God

secret that hides in plain sight - the creative process flows from the One
Who is The Creator. Yes, of course, Creator = creative; I knew that. But
Davids book makes the idea rise up from the page, come alive, and sing
right into the heart of the reader. I love Davids confident view of the
magnificence and unending splendor of our Creator.
Maybe the greatest gift of this book is its call to remember who we are.
We dont need new ideas or new forms or even new songs as much as
we need to remember Who He is and, therefore, who we are.
Ed Chinn

D avid Baroni is one of the most creative psalmists Ive met. This book
coolriverpub.com
in the

Image
of God
is written from deep unto deep that is, the depths of creativity in his
soul is calling to the creativity in your soul. Dont just read this book,
drink it. Let it awaken new artistry from the depths of your spirit,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bob Sorge, Author,
bobsorge.com

D avid Baroni is a musician,

songwriter, author, husband, father and
grandfather. He is also a record producer
and conference speaker. His songs have been
recorded by Michael W. Smith, Selah, Debbie
Boone, Ron Kenoly, Alvin Slaughter, and many
others. David is an observer of culture and a
D av i d B a r o n i

student of the unseen things of the Spirit. He

has shared his unique ministry in 30 nations.

For more information please visit

davidbaroni.com
 Creative
D avid Baronis new book, Creative in the Image of God, reveals a D av i d B a r o n i

C reative in the Image of God

secret that hides in plain sight - the creative process flows from the One
Who is The Creator. Yes, of course, Creator = creative; I knew that. But
Davids book makes the idea rise up from the page, come alive, and sing
right into the heart of the reader. I love Davids confident view of the
magnificence and unending splendor of our Creator.
Maybe the greatest gift of this book is its call to remember who we are.
We dont need new ideas or new forms or even new songs as much as
we need to remember Who He is and, therefore, who we are.
Ed Chinn

D avid Baroni is one of the most creative psalmists Ive met. This book
coolriverpub.com
in the

Image
of God
is written from deep unto deep that is, the depths of creativity in his
soul is calling to the creativity in your soul. Dont just read this book,
drink it. Let it awaken new artistry from the depths of your spirit,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bob Sorge, Author,
bobsorge.com

D avid Baroni is a musician,

songwriter, author, husband, father and
grandfather. He is also a record producer
and conference speaker. His songs have been
recorded by Michael W. Smith, Selah, Debbie
Boone, Ron Kenoly, Alvin Slaughter, and many
others. David is an observer of culture and a
D av i d B a r o n i

student of the unseen things of the Spirit. He

has shared his unique ministry in 30 nations.

For more information please visit

davidbaroni.com
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
By David P. Baroni
Copyright 2015 By Kingdomsongs Inc.
davidbaroni.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical,
photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of any audio recording. No part of this
book is to be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or otherwise published or copied for
private use without the written permission of the author.

Book cover and page design by Shannon Crowley,

Treasure Image & Publishing - TreasureImagePublishing.com

2
 PRAISE FOR CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
AND DAVID BARONI

David Baroni is one of the most creative psalmists Ive met. This
book is written from deep unto deep that is, the depths of
creativity in his soul is calling to the creativity in your soul. Dont
just read this book, drink it. Let it awaken new artistry from the
depths of your spirit, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bob Sorge, author
bobsorge.com

David Baronis new book, Creative in the Image of God, reveals

a secret that hides in plain sight the creative process flows from
the One Who is The Creator. Yes, of course, Creator = creative; I
knew that. But Davids book makes the idea rise up from the page,
come alive, and sing right into the heart of the reader. I love
David's confident view of the magnificence and unending splendor
of our Creator.

Maybe the greatest gift of this book is its call to remember who we
are. We dont need new ideas or new forms or even new songs as
much as we need to remember Who He is and, therefore, who we
are.
Ed Chinn
coolriverpub.com

3
The free-flowing style of Davids music is like a breath of fresh air
to a true worshiper. This book will encourage the reader to new
depths and dimensions of creative worship just like his incredible
music!
Michael Hopkins
Pastor, European Missionary

David Baroni's book reflects the creativity that has made him a
beloved songwriter and worship leader to thousands who have
basked in the new perspectives of spirituality he provided. He gets
it that the gospel is the greatest narrative ever and that reality is
based on it. To know David and Rita is to love them. They are real
people who face real human challenges with a real God who loves
them. Read and enjoy.
Dudley Hall
President, Kerygma Ventures
Euless, Texas

David Baroni is a worship leader who presses people closer to the

Character of God. I've experienced this for years - as have many
others - who've been guided by him in worship and song. Now, in
Creative In The Image of God, he shares personal stories and
divine insights he's gleaned from his journey that will stir you to
lean further into the heart of The Lover of Your Soul! It has the
feel of learning under the direct tutelage of a seasoned worshipper.
Be warned: applying what's in it's pages will make you a freer,
more creative and even dangerous worshipper of the Almighty
God!
Dave Buehring
Lionshare Founder & President

4
I met David and Rita in 1985. David was leading worship for a
David Wilkerson Crusade my church was hosting in Elizabeth,
N.J. As a worship leader I was captivated by what I heard. David
was more than a singer, he was more than a musician, he was a
modern day Psalmist. I was introduced to the Song of the Lord
thru David's ministry. "Creative In The Image Of God" takes us on
a journey past the written song of man, to the spontaneous new
song written by the heart of the Father.
Wayne Tate
Pastor, Manna Church

I met David about 15 years ago. Of course, his music had before
then made a great impact on my life. One thing thats clearly
exemplified in Davids ministry is that he is clearly one person who
has learnt to have God teach his hands to play. Refreshingly, he
just gives expression to the inaudible thoughts of Jehovah. Its
therefore not surprising that he will write Creative in the image of
God. David has lived out every thought written here, and that is
what makes this book worth reading.
Wale Adenuga
Pastor, Worship Leader, Lagos, Nigeria

David, the Psalmist, has once again used His words and melodies
to paint a picture of creativity in this book. We have always been
pioneers for open Heaven in worship. We are blessed to be on that
same journey with David and his family. The stories and truths in
these pages will bless others as they worship Christ in freedom and
victory.
Pastors Clint and Elizabeth Knowles
Hackleburg Community Church, Hackleburg, AL

5
Before having the privilege of David's friendship, I met him
through his songs! His songs reflect his personality; a raw authentic
passion for God and His Kingdom! This book is a reflection of that
personality; invariably David shares some keys to a wholesome
relationship with God through his own Christian walk. This book
is a must read for all who seek an intimate walk with the Lord".
Femi Obaweya
Pastor Lagos, Nigeria

I have known David and Rita Baroni for almost 20 years. They
have ministered in our church many times over those years, each
time bringing a wonderful presence of the Lord with them. Their
story is an amazing grace to hear.

Creativity is a trademark of the music that comes from Davids

heart. His latest book is a great testament to the creative nature of
God. From his description of Eden, the Lion King, and many other
pictures, you can quickly catch a glimpse into Gods creative ways,
and His overwhelming desire for us to live a life filled with
creativity.

David writes, The Spirit of God is depicted as a River, not a series

of locks and dams. Living on the Tennessee River, I found this
statement to precisely describe what happens in the Body of Christ
when we attempt to hold captive Gods creativity. You cannot
contain Gods creative nature. It is a constant flow on which we
should learn to ride.

Thank you, David, for giving us your insight into the release of
God into your life. May many others experience their Manitoba

6
moment when the creative nature of God invades our otherwise
mundane lives.
Dudley Harris
Worship Pastor, Christ Chapel, Florence, Alabama

David has an amazingly gifted adeptness for communicating

through lyrics and music. The words spoken through both his
music and his books come from deep within his heart, and are an
outflow of his intimacy and relationship with his Heavenly Father.
He has an incredible way of knowing where I live, and propelling
me forward into worship. His simplistic way of communicating
Gods love gives a depth of understanding and a revelation as to the
awesomeness of God. David is truly a gift.... and I am honored to
call him my friend.
George McLaughlin
Presiding Bishop
South Carolina Churches of God of Prophecy

7
8
 Table of Contents
Before The Beginning... ..............................................11

In The Beginning... ........................................................15

Naturally Supernatural............................................31

The Gift of Imagination ...........................................35

Prophetic Encounters ...............................................39

Lessons from The Lion King ...................................51

Orphanity ...........................................................................55

Taste and See: Interacting With God ..............63

The Creative Power of Praise .................................77

Making It Practical ..................................................... 85

Songs in The Silence....................................................93

A Tale of Two Songs ....................................................95

Freedom to Be Ourselves ....................................... 103

The Gift of Emotions ............................................... 111

Threefold Progressions ........................................ 115

Behold...The New Has Come ................................. 141

The Glory ......................................................................... 155

9
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

10
 Before The Beginning...

A few years ago I was sharing some of my songs in

a worship gathering in Athens, Greece. There were
twenty-two different languages spoken by the people
who had gathered. Though we had translators for three
of the languages, I only speak English, and I was
growing frustrated at my inability to communicate.
Then I received an impression from the Holy Spirit:
David, stop talking, and tell the people that you are
going to just play (and not sing) a new song as I inspire
you. I will use the music to whisper to the deep places
in the hearts of these people through this new song
from Me. So I obeyed (thats a BIG part of effectively
being creative) and told the folks to close their eyes and
listen for the Voice and the Sounds of God.

Then I began to play the keyboard. (I like that we

call it playing.) In my mind, my spirit, my imagination,
I could hear the music that I believe was inspired from
Heaven, and as best I could, I reproduced what I heard

11
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

by moving my fingers on the keyboard. As I finished a

musical phrase, I would hear the next one, and the
music just flowed like that for probably five or six
minutes. It was exciting, fresh, alive, and I believe,
supernatural!

After that meeting, several came up to me and told

me that they had heard the Voice of the Lord speak to
them through the music. Some had visions that they
shared. One lady told me she saw herself as a little
child in a field with other children, dancing and
laughing with Jesus.

That encounter with the Holy Spirit and using my

imagination inspired me to record a whole ongoing
series of spontaneous musical compositions called
FingerPaintings. Also, as I travel and minister I try to
facilitate moments like that in most of my concerts,
moments of vulnerability and opportunity for God to
flow through me in a new song.

Sometimes I also spontaneously begin to sing a

new song as well. The Book of Psalms says that the
streams of God are full of water. Jesus said, Whoever
believes on Me, out of your innermost being shall flow

12
 Before The Beginning...

rivers of living water. He was speaking about the Holy

Spirit, Whom Jesus gives to whoever believes in Him.

God, the Creator, is the Source of Creativity. God

gives us the grace and the faith to wade in the water, to
realize that He is trustworthy, and eventually, with
child-like abandon, to jump in the River and let the
River of Life flow through us! Let's go back to the
beginning to start on this adventure.

13
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

14
 In The Beginning...

God created the heavens and the earth. Right after

the Bible gives the when and the who there is an action
initiated by God. He created. One of the Names of God
is Creator. By definition, a Creator creates. Only five
words into the scripture and God is doing His thing:
being creative. He creates merely by speaking! He
says,Let there be light, and light scatters the
darkness. He speaks, and the waters and the spheres in
the heavens come forth and take their rightful places.
He uses His voice and the earth brings forth grass and
trees and fruit and animals of every sort.

GOD, THE CREATOR, CREATES.

I love the fact that some theologians believe that

God not only spoke the universe into being, He
actually sang into the nothing-ness to bring about
creation. That concept intrigues and inspires me as a
singer/songwriter, a musician who is passionate about

15
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

the power of words and of music. I am an ardent

believer in the power of song. To think that the One
Who had no beginning, Who Is, Whose Name is I Am
That I Am, was the originator of song, and indeed
creativity itself intrigues and delights me.

To understand more of what it means to be

creative and to see that we are indeed created in the
image of God, it is vital that we go back to the front,
back to the beginning, to the Genesis revelation. Let
these words from the first three verses of the Bible
paint the panorama:

In the beginning God created the heavens

and the earth. The earth was formless and
void, and darkness was over the surface of
the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving
over the surface of the waters. Then God
said, Let there be light; and there was
light (Genesis 1:1-3 NAS).

Some translations use the words chaos, barrenness,

or emptiness for the words formless and void and
darkness. The Holy Spirit brooded, hovered, and
waited in expectation over the emptiness, chaos, and
barrenness. Waiting for what?

16
 In The Beginning...

WAITING FOR THE FATHER TO SPEAK.

WAITING FOR THE CREATING!

In this passage about beginnings we see the

marvelous cooperation of the Trinity: God the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. God, the Father, sent the Son -
His Voice, His Word, Jesus. The Holy Spirit then
applied the Word to the darkness... and there was
LIGHT!

Then came the delirious and delightful progression

of creation. God spoke... and there was a separation of
the waters above from the waters below. God spoke...
and dry land appeared. God spoke... and the earth
sprouted vegetation. God sent the Word... and there
were lights in the heavens. God spoke... and the waters
teemed with living creatures while birds filled the skies.
God said... and the earth began to bring forth living
creatures. And God said, It's all good.

Then came time for God's crowning creation:

mankind. He could have merely said (or sung) the
words, Let there be man, and it would have
happened. But God didn't do it that way.

17
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

No, He got down in the dirt. The Mighty God got

up close and personal, down and dirty, to form the
highest order of created being to walk the earth.

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust

from the ground and breathed into His
nostrils the breath of life, and the man
became a living creature (Genesis 2:7 ESV).

This was personal attention from the Creator of

the Universe!

God also personally planted the place He had

chosen for Adam and Eve to live, The Garden of Eden.
Instead of speaking, He put on His gardening gloves
and began planting.

From the original Hebrew symbols that make up

the word, Dr. Myles Munroe gives us an enlightening
definition of the word Eden:

Eden is a spot or place for the moment

where there is an open door to the
delightful heavenly Presence of God.

Dr. Munroe tells us that everything that was made

has an ideal purpose and an ideal environment. Fish

18
 In The Beginning...

were made to create more fish, to display the diversity

and creativity of God, and to be food for man and for
other fish and creatures. The ideal environment of fish
is the water. If you take a fish out of its ideal
environment, it begins to malfunction and will die
unless it is restored back to its natural habitat. Plants
were made to give forth oxygen, to provide food, to
look and smell beautiful, and to reproduce (create)
other plants. Most plants live in the soil and are
nourished by the sun, rain, and earth. If you remove a
plant from its ideal environment, it begins to wither
(malfunction), and it will die unless it is replanted.

Human beings have a purpose and an ideal

environment as well. About 400 years ago some very
smart church leaders got together to discuss the main
purpose of mankind. After days of pondering, praying
together, and discussing, these learned individuals
formulated a one-sentence answer to the question,
Why are we here? in what we now call the
Westminster Confession:

The chief end of man is to worship God

and enjoy Him forever.

19
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

God empowered humans with His blessing, and

gave mankind our purpose when he placed us in the
garden of Eden.

God blessed them; and God said to them,

Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth,
and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the
sea and over the birds of the sky and over
every living thing that moves on the earth
(Genesis 1:28 NAS).

In order to fulfill our purpose, we must live in the

right environment. The ideal place for human beings
to live and flourish is Eden, specifically the Presence of
God. Remember, Eden is a spot or place for the
moment where there is an open door to the delightful
Heavenly Presence of God. Eden is Heaven on earth.
Eden is home. Eden is 24/7 in the Presence of our
loving Creator, Father God!

Let's take a look at each of the phrases that make

up the definition of Eden.

20
 In The Beginning...

A SPOT OR PLACE...

An actual physical and spiritual place of

connection. Human beings who have been regenerated
by faith in Jesus Christ are bi-dimensional beings. We
live in two dimensions at once: the physical realm
(that's obvious) and the spiritual realm (not so
obvious).

Speaking of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John,

And the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us, and we have seen His glory, glory
as of the only Son from the Father, full of
grace and truth (John 1:14 ESV).

In 1 John 1 he writes,
That which was from the beginning, which
we have heard, which we have seen with
our eyes, which we looked upon and have
touched with our hands, concerning the
word of life - the life was made manifest,
and we have seen it... (1 John 1:1, 2a ESV).

There is no question that the spiritual also became

physical. Jesus Christ came to earth and became one
hundred percent human, including the physical realm,
without surrendering His divinity (and yet choosing

21
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

not to operate in it*). Jesus, very God of very God,

became a human being. The Word was made flesh.

Yes, Eden is a real place; though thankfully it's not

relegated to a garden somewhere in the Middle East.
By faith, Eden can be anywhere you and God are!

FOR THE MOMENT...

I love the fact that God's Name is I AM, not I Was

or even I Will Be. He is the God of the here and now;
though, of course, He always was and He always will
be. Many people spend most of their time waiting for
things to get better. They either live in hope or dread of
the future, or they live in regret, longing to return to
the glory days of their past. I have been guilty of both.
Now I am determined by the grace of God to be
present in the present in His Presence!

*
I find it fascinating and telling that Jesus (though He is God, was God,
and ever will be God) took upon Himself the body of a human being
and also became 100% human, forever to be both God and Man. As He
walked upon the earth, He didn't do a single miracle out of the power of
His divinity, out of His Godness, but, as a man was totally dependent
on the Father and the Holy Spirit (John 5:30). Jesus lived on earth as a
man - a new man - yielded to the Purposes of His Father, and, in so
doing, showed us how to live in His life, not in our own strength.

22
 In The Beginning...

Heaven is not far away. The Hebrews believed that

heaven was another dimension that co-existed with
and in the current physical dimension. In other words,
when the people who were around in the days of Jesus'
earthly incarnation heard a voice from the heavens
saying, This is my beloved son in whom I am well
pleased, the voice came from the heavenly dimension
that was all around them! We don't have to wait until
we die to be in the presence of God! Indeed, as we shall
see, by the grace of God through the sacrificial death,
resurrection, and ascension, and through the sending
of the Holy Spirit, not only do we have access to live in
the Presence of God, but also the Presence of God lives
in us!

WHERE THERE IS AN OPEN DOOR...

Access! We now have access into the Presence of

the Creator! When Jesus died on the cross, the heavy
veil in the temple that separated the holy place from
the holy of holies was torn supernaturally from top to
bottom!

23
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Before the Lamb of God, Jesus, was crucified, only

the High priest could enter the holy of holies, and that
happened only once a year. Thank God that through
the blood sacrifice of the Perfect Lamb, our sins were
and are forgiven. Through God's incredible love we
can now come into the throne room, into the holy of
holies of the Most High God, the Creator of the
Universe!

It bears repeating that not only can we come into

the Presence and live there; the Presence of God comes
into us! Not only can we come to the throne room; we
are the throne room!

TO THE DELIGHTFUL HEAVENLY

PRESENCE OF GOD...

I agree with the authors and preachers who speak

of the renewed focus on the goodness of God. I know
that God is a whole lot better than I used to think He
was. Being creative in the image of God means that we
get to enjoy God! Many of us gape in awe at incredible
sculptures, architecture, paintings, dance, acrobatics,
and films. We are moved by novelists, film makers,

24
 In The Beginning...

playwrights, bloggers, and musicians. If mere human

beings can delight us so, imagine getting to know the
One who designed those designers!

I want to apologize on behalf of those of us who

have depicted God as a stodgy, harsh curmudgeon, or
much worse, have sometimes portrayed the Master
Artist/Musician/Writer/ Inventor as...

boring.

Nothing could be further from the truth!

HOLY HOLY HOLY

My friend Steve Fry, who is an extremely gifted

and creative person, was prayerfully musing about the
passage in the book of Revelation Chapter 4 where the
living creatures rest not day and night, forever and ever
before the throne of God crying, Holy, holy, holy, is
the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to
come.

In honesty he asked the Lord: God, I could

envision saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty

25
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

for 30 minutes, or maybe taking some double espresso

shots and determining that for the whole day I would
say, Holy, holy holy, but wouldn't saying, Holy holy
holy day and night forever and ever get a little...
boring?

Steve thought he heard the Father chuckle as God

answered Him: Steve, any time you think something
about me is boring, trust me, the problem is with your
understanding of Me; for nothing about me is boring.
Then the Lord showed him that every time the living
creatures cried Holy, they were responding to God
revealing another facet of His character and
personality to them. They see His goodness and
respond Holy! He, who delights to reveal Himself to
those who seek Him, shows those living creatures His
wisdom, and again they ecstatically respond: Holy!
On and on this sacred unveiling goes. God is so big, so
vast, so wonderful that it takes eternity to discover His
infiniteness. We overuse the word, awesome these
days, but that, my friend, is AWESOME!

I will say it yet again: Eden is a spot or place for the

moment where there is an open door to the delightful
heavenly Presence of God! We were created to live in

26
 In The Beginning...

the Presence of God, eating from the tree of Life (Jesus)

and drawing our breath, our inspiration, and our
purpose from Him.

Of course we know that Adam and Eve blew it,

disobeyed God, and ate of the one tree that they were
forbidden to partake of: the tree of the Knowledge of
Good and Evil. They sinned and forfeited the life of
dependence on God and instead became dependent on
their own resources. In the words of a preacher friend:
Before the fall, man had no self-preservation instinct.
He didn't need one, because God was right there
providing for every need, as a loving Father for His
children. Then man sinned and we developed the
curse of a fear-based existence: self-sufficiency. I call it
fear-based because, though we may not acknowledge
it, we instinctively recognize that our own sufficiency
will never be enough.

Thus, though we may go to extreme measures to

distract ourselves from reality, we live with the dread
of our own inadequacy. Though it may be
subconscious, that fear permeates our thoughts, our
lives, our relationships... our very beings. We were

27
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

banished from the place of His Presence and have been

looking for Him, and looking for home, ever since.

Thanks be to God; that's not the end of the story!

Jesus Christ, the Word of God, came and lived on earth
as a man. Again from the gospel of John:

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt

among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of
the only begotten from the Father, full of
grace and truth (John 1:14 NAS).

Jesus Christ lived life as a man, totally dependent

on His Heavenly Father. He humbled Himself and died
on a cruel cross as the perfect sacrifice to bring
forgiveness and to reconcile to God those who believe
in Him. He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven,
and sent the Holy Spirit to live in the ones who are
now His brothers and sisters. Because of Christ in us,
we who believe are now a new species! We are a new
creation, sons and daughters of the Most High God.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is

a new creation. The old has passed
away; behold, the new has come
(2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)

28
 In The Beginning...

What has all this got to do with being creative?

Everything! You see, we were created in the image of
God who is the Creator with a capitol C. Even
though through sin we forfeited for a time our purpose
and ideal environment, God in His love and mercy
sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to make the
way for us to get back to Eden, to be who we were
originally created to be: sons and daughters of God,
little c creators!

Maybe sometimes you, like me, have thought that

if we could have been there and literally, physically
walked and talked with God in the garden, then we
would have had it made.

In fact, we actually have it better than our first

parents. Adam and Eve, before the fall, walked and
talked with God in the cool of the day.

Now, because of who we are in Christ, we have

become a new race, a new species! We not only can
walk and talk with God; we walk and talk in God! We
live in Him, and He, through the Holy Spirit, lives in
us. This is incredible: an everlasting relationship with

29
CREATIVE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

the Living God, the Creator, and an open door giving

us access to the unlimited Source of creativity!

30