WHY SHOULD THE DEVIL HAVE ALL THE GOOD MUSIC

This was the 8th message in the Heart of Worship series. It was the 2nd week in a row that we dealt with the specific issue of music. I was feeling a lot of pressure coming into this series, and especially as we got specific about music; because I know how passionate people are about this issue and how much weight people put on every word spoken from a pastor about it. However, I believed it was crucial that we dealt head on with the music issue, especially in terms of our motivations and heart attitudes.

WHY SHOULD THE DEVIL HAVE ALL THE GOOD MUSIC?
Colossians 3:12-17

Please turn in your Bible to Lamentations, chapter 1. We have been reviewing a working definition on worship during our Heart of Worship message series. Does anyone think they know it by now?

“Worship is responding to who God is and what He has done by giving ourselves completely to Him.”

Last week, we saw that in the Bible and in today’s world, music is used in almost every area of life. If you think about it for a moment, you will realize that you encounter music almost everywhere you go in our society today. If you call a company, listen to a computer answering service, and get put on hold; then, it is likely you are listening to music. Get in your car, you have the chance to listen to the radio, tapes or Cd’s. Now, there is satellite radio, where you can get hundreds of options. If you watch TV or movies, you know that music is used to introduce the show, used during the shows and at the end. Go to a basketball game down at the Q, and you will hear music almost constantly – not just before the game or at halftime and not just during commercial breaks. Walk into most public buildings and somewhere in that building, music is probably playing. There are some people that cannot stand to be without their music, so wherever they go, they have their CD player or Ipod playing. Music is powerful. Advertisers know that. Businesses understand this. And most churches around the world today will be using music as a part of their worship to our God.

Therefore, music is also controversial. Most people have strong opinions about what music they like and what music absolutely drives them crazy. We have those opinions personally, when it comes to what we choose to listen to. We have those opinions when we are subjected to music when we are elsewhere. And, we have those opinions when we enter the church. In fact, we sometimes have stronger opinions about the music played in church than any other area of life where music might be played. And, in many ways people who have strong opinions about style of music in church normally fall into one of two camps. A fictional story I read illustrates this:

Old farmer Joe went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. “Well”, said the farmer, “it was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.” “Praise choruses?” said his wife. “What are those”? “Oh, they’re o.k. they are sort of like hymns, only different,” said the farmer. “Well, what’s the difference?” asked his wife.

Joe said, “Well, it’s like this – if I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn’ – well, that would be a hymn. If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

“Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh Martha, Martha, Martha,
The cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows,
The black and white cows, the cows, cows, cows
Are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
The corn, corn, corn.

“Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus.”

The next weekend, his nephew, a young, new Christian from the city came to visit his Uncle Joe and Aunt Martha. He attended their local church in the small town. When he went home his mother asked him how it was. “Well”, said the young man, “it was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of praise choruses.” “Hymns?” asked his mother . “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re okay. They are sort of like praise choruses, only different,” said the young man. “Well, what’s the difference?” asked his mother. The young man said, “Well, it’s like this – if Uncle Joe were to say to his wife, Martha, the cows are in the corn’ – well, that would be a praise chorus. If on the other hand, he were to say to her:

“Oh Martha, dear Martha, hearest thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense
Hearkenest they in God’s sun or His rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to the bright shining day by and by
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn
Where no vicious animals make my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.”

“Then if he were to do only verses one, three and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn.”

That fictional story reminds us that we all have differing perspectives when it comes to worship music in the church. And, hopefully we can all agree that those perspectives are based largely on our own backgrounds and preferences. We have come to appreciate a certain style, and when we experience something different, we tend to see our style as simple and normal and see the other style as strange.

James Dobson once admitted on his “Focus on the Family” program that, “Of all the subjects we’ve ever covered in this radio program, from abortion to pornography to whatever, the most controversial subject we’ve ever dealt with is music. You can make people mad about music more quickly than anything else.”

If you have been around churches long enough, then you know this is true. Bring up music in a discussion, and fasten your seatbelt, because it might be a rough, interesting ride. People are passionate and opinionated about this topic. But, for those of us who love God with all of our hearts and have the desire, first and foremost to honor Him with our life worship which includes music, we must ask:

What does the Bible say? Does the Bible tell us what music to play, how to sing, what instruments to use, and what style to worship with? What does the Bible tell us about music in worship? Those are great and important questions.

There are more than 575 references to praise, singing, and music in the Bible. At the very center of the Bible is a 150 song hymnal known as the Psalms. Music is important and used in many ways, as we saw last week. Let me answer several questions as the Scriptures reveal a ton of information about how music was utilized:

What does God have to do with music?
God is seen as one who sings:
Zephaniah 3:17 – “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Not exactly the way we would normally picture God. But, it illustrates how connected God is to this issue of music.

Who was the first human musician mentioned in the Bible?
You have probably heard someone called the Father of Rock and Roll; or the Father of Blues. But, in the first book of the Bible, we have the father of those who played the first instruments ever:
Genesis 4:21 – “His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.”

Where does the music ultimately come from?
Job 35:10 – “…God my maker, who gives songs in the night.”

When God provided deliverance for His people, what was a common response?
People responded with music in praise to God:
Exodus 14:31 – “Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.”

Exodus 15:1,20,21 – “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD…Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them: Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”

When God delivered Israel through the judge Deborah and the leader Barak, they sang a song of praise to God:
Judges 5:3 – “…I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

There are many examples of this type of responsive praise in the Bible.

How did God use music in the days of law?
To instruct His people of His truths
God instructed Moses to use music in his ministry:
Deuteronomy 31:19 – “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel.”

How was David, the man after God’s own heart, connected to worship music?
He appointed musicians for worship:
I Chronicles 6:31 – “These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD…”

In fact, they were always available when needed:
I Chronicles 9:33 - “Now these, the singers, the heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites, were in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were on duty day and night.”

He invented instruments:
Amos 6:5 – “Who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music.”

He wrote songs as prayers:
II Samuel 22:1 – “And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.”

David’s son Solomon was a prolific song writer:
I Kings 4:32 – “He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.”

David challenged God’s people to use music as a testimony to non-believers:
I Chronicles 16:23,24 – “Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!”

What kinds of group singing took place in the Bible?
Solo – Miriam
Duet – Deborah and Barak; Paul and Silas (Acts 16)
Women’s chorus:
· I Samuel 18:6,7 – “As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated…”

Men’s Chorus – The men David appointed (I Chronicles 25)
Congregational singing – Exodus 15:1ff – Song of Moses
Choirs:
· David’s Tabernacle Choir – I Chronicles 16:7 – “Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the LORD by Asaph and his brothers.”
· Solomon’s Temple Choir – II Chronicles 5:12,13 – “And all the Levitical singers…with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD…”
· Zerubbabel’s Temple Choir – Ezra 2:65 – “…And they had 200 male and female singers.”

What Instruments were used for worship in the Bible?
Human voice
Strings:
· Lyre – (a plucked string instrument, U-shaped, several different string configurations)
· Lute (like a guitar with a pear-shaped body and a flat front),
· Psaltery (stringed instrument that can be plucked or bowed),
· Harp

Wind:
· Shofar (a ram’s horn)
· Trumpet
· Flute
· Bagpipe

Percussion:
· Tambourine (Timbrel)
· Cymbal
· Castanets
· The Hand Drum

Several of these are mentioned together in:
II Samuel 6:5 - “And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.”

Let’s read together the last Psalm. The last praise song of this great biblical hymnbook. How do these Psalms end? By encouraging God’s people to praise Him with all that they have. Let’s stand and read this together. This side, including the balcony, you read the first line of each verse, and this side, you respond with the second line. Let’s read it as David wrote it – with a plea to God’s people to respond with all they have in their worship.

Warren Wiersbe: “Music confronts the whole person – mind, heart and will; and demands some kind of response.”

Psalm 150
1 – Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary;

Praise him in his mighty heavens!

2 – Praise him for his mighty deeds;

Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

3 – Praise him with trumpet sound;

Praise him with lute and harp!

4 – Praise him with tambourine and dance;

Praise him with strings and pipe!

5 – Praise him with sounding cymbals;

Praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

{Let’s say this last verse all together in unison}

6 – Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!

This Psalm is a reminder that worship is what we have been thinking about with our working definition: responding to who God is and what He has done by giving ourselves completely to Him. In this Psalm, based on all God has done, God’s people were to use their voices and all kinds of instruments and their bodies in order to praise God with all they had! Do you think it was quiet worship? Do you think it was somber worship? Do you think there was any emotion involved? Give all of yourself in your worship.

So, we have seen some of what is included in the Bible when it comes to biblical worship. But, what about us today? Another question:

What instruments are we supposed to use in worship today if we are to honor God?
You are in Lamentations, chapter 1. Let’s look there.

Uh. …I can’t find it. I’m sorry, it’s in Revelation, chapter 1. I get those mixed up all the time. Please turn to the last book of the Bible, Revelation 1. What instruments are we supposed to use in worship today if we are to honor God? Where is it? I apologize. I’m usually fairly prepared for my messages. Well, if you don’t mind, let’s move on to the next question…

What style of music are we supposed to use in worship today if we are to honor God?
Please turn in your Bible to back one book to Jude, verse 14. That doesn’t seem to say anything about the style of music we are to use does it? Jude, Jude…It must be John – I John I believe. Turn back just a few books to I John, chapter 1 and verse 14. Well…this is depressing. There is no verse 14.

Do you get my point? These are the types of answers we would love for the Scriptures to address. God, what does your Word say about the specific instruments we are supposed to use, the specific musical style we are supposed to worship with, and there are many other specific questions about worship we would like a chapter and verse to address, aren’t there? But, guess what: The Bible doesn’t give us those answers. Why not?

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe the Bible is somehow incompetent or that God forgot something when He inspired them. I believe God did this on purpose.
Some churches because of the Bible’s silence on the details, believe no music should be used. Some believe only acapella singing is allowed. Some believe we should only worship as they did in the Psalms or in the Reformation time period; or however their particular church has always worshiped.

Frankly, I’m not sure God cares what instruments or style are used in worship. If He did, He would specifically address it. Certain ones were used in Hebrew worship, and other styles and instrumentation have been used in Roman society, Greek culture, the early church, the Reformation, and in different parts of the world in 2007. And that is o.k. The things God is concerned about are the heart attitude in which we worship, and our motivations. He tells us about all these types of instruments and different kinds of music that were used, but does not make it a local church mandate to do it a certain way – don’t we have an awesome, creative, diverse God? And He loves to be worshiped in creative, diverse ways! Imagine that! He has given His church an incredible amount of freedom in deciding how to use music to worship Him in today’s culture and particular church setting. What a blessing – what an opportunity!

Please turn in your Bible to Colossians 3. In the Bible in front of you, it is page 1021 or 1047.

And we are able to enjoy music, even if it comes from people outside our own circles of worship. We sing songs from people we would disagree with doctrinally or practically. We love to sing songs that began in other denominations or religions:
Methodist: Christ the Lord is Risen today
Anglican: Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Roman Catholic: Jesus the very thought of thee
Classical Beethoven: Joyful Joyful we adore thee

We are told that Johann Sebastian Bach often put the letters SDG on his compositions, signifying Soli Deo Gloria, “to God alone be the glory.”

The truth is: The Devil doesn’t have the good music. God is the creator of all good things, including music.

James 1:17 – “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…”

This is a reminder that God is the creator of all things and the giver of all good things, including music. Some people wrongly assume that certain things came from the Devil, such as shouting, dancing, war, percussion instruments and sex. But, all of these were created and used by God in order to glorify Him. What happens is that sinful man gets a hold of these things and then uses them selfishly, for his own purposes and not for God’s glory. The same can be said of music.

In the Scriptures and in the world today, you have music used for worshiping God, and music used for worshiping other gods; or for indulging in sinful pleasures.

And just because some music does not fall into the category of a Psalm, Hymn or spiritual song, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is the Devil’s music.

There are those who believe that only songs with definitive Christian words or a certain type of musical style are pleasing to God. But, that is not true. Truth, even if it does not mention God’s name, is still God’s truth. Truth, even spoken by someone who is not a follower of Christ, is still God’s truth. God is the author and Father of truth and Satan is the Father of lies:

John 8:44 – “The Devil...there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

If you find a song or group of songs that speak lies against God’s truth, then you have found the Devil’s music.

So, the Old Testament Bible times passed on, and as time passed, the need for new songs came with it:
Psalm 96:1 – “Oh sing to the LORD a new song…”

Dr. Milo Thompson, in his work – Ministry of Music said: “It seems the Hebrews preserved their old songs, sang contemporary songs, and looked forward to the composition of yet unwritten new songs. In other words, the Old Testament Psalms, which someone has referred to as Israel’s hymnbook, display the same respect for variety and tradition that the New Testament affirms. The Psalms span about a thousand years, dating back to Moses (about 1400 B.C.), to David (c. 1000 B.C.), to the post-exilic period (c. 400 B.C.), and still others call for a “new song.”
However, there are always going to be those who oppose the new music. A pastor put this list together of:

Ten Reasons that Contemporary Music is Harmful
1. It is too new, like an unknown language
2. It is not as melodious as the more established style
3. It is impossible to learn all of the new songs
4. The new music creates disturbances and causes people to act in an indecent and disorderly manner
5. It places too much emphasis on instruments rather than godly lyrics
6. The lyrics are often wordly, even blasphemous
7. It is not needed, since preceding generations have gone to heaven without it.
8. It is a scheme to make money
9. It monopolizes the Christian’s time
10. These new musicians are young upstarts, and some of them are lewd and loose persons

Many people might say Amen to that! Contemporary music is harmful, especially if we allow it in the church. Well, guess what:These ten reasons were stated by a prominent American pastor in 1723 against the use of hymns!

The word contemporary music gets thrown around today as a part of the music wars. But, what cannot be forgotten is that contemporary music simply refers to the music of today. And in 1723, the music of today were the new hymns. And it shouldn’t be too difficult for us to understand that in every century and generation, the new music, whether it was hymns or today’s praise music, is going to be criticized, simply because it is new.

It has been said that Charles Spurgeon, the great English pastor, despised the contemporary worship songs of his day – the same songs we now revere.

John Wesley said: “I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels… provided they are neither heard nor seen.” That’s great. [repeat]

Warren Wiersbe wrote: “Christians in the first 3 centuries prohibited the playing of flutes in their worship services because flute music was identified with pagan cults.

Dr. Milo Thompson wrote – “Many of the instruments commonly used in churches today such as pianos, pipe organs, electronic organs, flutes, and so forth, were once widely considered worldly and even heretical. And yet as new instruments or musical innovations are introduced, such as the MIDI keyboard and discs, electric guitars, or background tapes, they are being resisted by some of today’s church as worldly and even heretical.”

“The use of popular tunes from secular sources in England and Europe for the writing of spiritual music created a considerable stir of antagonism, dissent, and rejection in the Church, and yet these same hymns are revered by today’s Church.
· John Calvin hired two secular songwriters of his day to put his theology to music. The Queen of England was so incensed by these “vulgar tunes” that she derisively referred to them as Calvin’s “Geneva jigs!”
· Wesley’s compilation, Hymns on the great Festivals and Other Occasions, contained twenty-four tunes by a German comic opera composer.

David Jeremiah – My Heart’s Desire – “Hymns that seem normal and churchy to us might surprise us by their origins. Martin Luther and others actually took common everyday melodies and redeemed them with the truth of God’s Word. We must always be willing to wrap the age-old truths in the best of brand-new packages.”

See if don’t recognize the tune that John plays; but listen for how this tune is used for praise and worship to our God.

John Jacobs special

This is just one current day example of taking a melody familiar to many in the secular world and using it to a greater degree for God’s glory by turning it into a song of praise.

Rick Warren – Purpose Driven Life – “Perhaps most impossible to believe, Handel’s Messiah was widely condemned as vulgar theater by the church men of his day. Like the criticism of today’s contemporary choruses, the Messiah was panned for having too much repetition and not enough message – it contains nearly one hundred repetitions of Hallelujah.”

But, of course, the debate is not just about the lyrics, but also about the instrumentation. Our types of churches normally have the standard piano and organ as the main instruments that are played every week. But, not only are these instruments not mentioned in the Scripture, they are also instruments that were once seen as worldly. Can you believe it?

Steve Miller, in his work: The Contemporary Christian Music Debate: Worldly Compromise or Agent of Renewal , wrote– “The organ as we know it has been traced to the hydraulic or water organ of the third century B.C., possibly invented by Ktesibius, an Alexandrian engineer. It became popular and accompanied outdoor events such as circuses and gladiator combats. This early organ may even have accompanied the slaughter of early Christians in the Roman arena.

Not until the thirteenth century was the organ incorporated into the Mass, but even then it was not without its opponents. By the time of the Reformation the organ was quite at home in the Catholic Church. Yet the association of the instrument with Catholicism gave it a bad reputation among some of the reformers, who promptly condemned its use. The magistrates in Zurich decreed in 1525 that there should be no more playing of organs in the city and in the churches. Soon thereafter, the organ of the Great Minister was broken into pieces.

Calvin shunned the instrument, and through his influence, many organs were destroyed in succeeding years. The instrument’s banishment was so complete that by 1727 only one organ could be found in all the churches of Scotland. The eminent Cotton Mather (1663-1728, pastor of Boston’s North Church and prolific writer) argued that if organs were permitted, other instruments would later be acceptable, and then dancing would follow!”

Dr. Milo Thompson – “An interesting side note is that one of the few places you can still hear a pipe organ is in church. What should that say to us? It is appropriate for the church to use any musical instruments, background tapes, and other innovations of the current time frame in a biblically acceptable manner. This can be done without violating theology or becoming sin and it will relate to today’s generation.”

Last week we read one of the key texts about music in the New Testament: Ephesians 5:15-21. This morning, let’s read a similar text:

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

We have the same three kinds of worship music listed here, which in principle, serve as a help for us. These were sung in the early church: “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs…” We dealt with this last week. This tells us that Paul was consistent when listing variety to be used in worship to different groups of churches in two separate cities – Ephesus and Collosae.

There are a couple of principles that come from this passage, however, that I would like to use in suggesting how we can apply God’s truth to our worship music discussion:

SO WHAT?
1. The Bible must be the basis for any worship music and discussion.
Let’s not forget this. Paul said: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” in the context of worship music. So, this reminds us that when we sing, whatever we sing, our songs must be in line with the Bible. It doesn’t mean that the song has to be a direct quote out of the Scriptures or that the instruments have to be listed in the Bible, but that it fits in the context and principles that are taught in the Scriptures. Part of what worship is about, as Paul said, is “teaching” the Word of God. And when we talk about music, our discussion must be in the context of what the Bible does say about music, not what it doesn’t say! It is partly, as Paul says, about “admonishing one another.”

Let’s back up to see the context in which this verse appears:

Colossians 3:12-15
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

You might be wondering: Uh, Greg did you get the wrong passage again. What in the world does this have to do with the issue of worship music in the church? Well, the truth is: God chooses not to give us a lot of details of what instruments or style we must use in order to honor Him in our worship services. What He does address is heart attitude; which, as we have been sharing with you throughout this Heart of Worship Series, is more important than anything else when it comes to worship.

Here, in the context of what we will read about music in verse 16, these verses remind us of some very important heart issues that relate to how we deal with all of life’s issues, including the topic of worship music. So, what God is specific about when it comes to music, is how to treat one another when dealing with this issue. Let’s consider these applications:

SO WHAT?
In the area of worship music participation and discussion, I will:
2. Be patient in listening to understand the other person’s heart
Patience is crucial when it comes to music issues. Don’t just listen to the other person’s opinion, thinking about your response; and then when they take a breath, you go on the attack, explaining why your opinion of worship music is right and they are wrong. Be patient – Listen – and listen to the person’s heart, truly trying to understand where that person is coming from; and appreciate where they are.

3. Participate in and talk about worship music with humility, compassion and love.

We read about these character qualities in verse 12. If we will think about being humble, truly caring for the other person and demonstrating Christ like love, it will make a huge difference in how these disagreements and discussions go.

4. Strive for unity, pursue peace, and readily offer forgiveness.

Paul says, here in these verses, that our love for one another is to “bind us together in perfect harmony” (using a musical reference); and he reminds us we were called to be “one body” which is an issue of unity. So, as we deal with worship music issues, as you participate in special music, playing instruments, the worship team, the choir or just singing with us in the congregation and listening to the music, we are to remember that we are a part of the body of Christ, and we are to be unified in what is most important – representing God’s love and grace.

We are to pursue peace whenever possible, even as it concerns music; and when someone offends us, sins against us in this area, we are to do what Christ did for us: forgive them – every time, immediately, without holding a grudge or tearing them down. This is not easy, but this is what God has called us to do. How are you doing in this area?

Finally, let’s look at the context on the other side of verse 16:
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

No, the Bible doesn’t tell us the details of the worship music we are to use and how to do it. But, it does tell us this that can be applied to the area of musical worship:

5. Enjoy the variety of music and participate with joyful thanksgiving

This is the best advice I can give you in this area, when it comes to applying the biblical principles. Don’t waste your time criticizing or boycotting certain songs or styles. Give yourself to it. Enjoy it. Give all of your praise to God in every song that is played or sung. If you will do this without complaining, you will honor God in your musical worship and in your life worship. All the music we use, along with all the instrumentation, is God’s gift for us to turn back in praise to Him – let’s do it and let’s do it joyfully with thanksgiving to God!

Let’s pray.