It is good
There was a discussion sometime back at a Bible study group I went to and
it never quite happened the way it should have at least in my thoughts.
The discussion was why should we as Christians listen to Christian music?
Logically if you claim to follow Christ you should be praising him.
Your walk with God is a bit off if you don’t. Trust me, I’ve been
there. I have found it hard to be thankful at times with things I’ve been
through. I’m trying to get better. My counselor even told me “The
goal is to get you praising God once again.” It’s quite an undertaking
for someone trying to give you Godly counseling to get your eyes off yourself
and back on to God. I haven’t been the easiest of patients. I’m a
work in progress. I’m blogging again which is an achievement. But
speaking of chicken fried steak, at least once a year I see this meme and it’s
stupid if you ask me. “Why do people listen to Christmas music early,
because no one has ever really written a good thanksgiving song.” Here’s
the stupidity in this thought. There are thousands of songs about
thankfulness for the Christians. How about the old hymn Great is thy
faithfulness? If people listen to Christian music, they would realize
this. People of God try and do and should be praising God all year round
and not just on one day. I’ve even blogged before around Christmas that
Hark the Herald Angels Sing is a Christmas song that takes you from the birth
of Jesus to the resurrection in one song if you listen to all the verses.
So back to my start of this. Why should a Christian be praising God
and listening to Christian music? I’m going to give you a few short
reasons. Perspective shift. You get your attention off you and back
on to God. Are you having a bad day? Praise God with music.
You won’t like it at first, but you need to change your focus. Been
there. Read the Psalms because 90% of the chapters start with a complaint
and then a perspective shift back to God. Read your Bible you’ll see it’s
true. God can use the lyrics to teach you. It has happened more
times to me than I can count. God commands us to praise him. He
gives us plenty of reasons to praise him. You’re still breathing, aren’t
you? That brings me to another stupid meme shared by church people that
says. “It’s Sunday I can’t wait to get my praise on”. My thoughts
with this one have always been. Why are you waiting to only praise God on
Sunday? What were you doing the rest of the week? Some of you may
complain about stuff that falls under the category of Christian music.
Evaluate the lyrics. If it doesn’t match up with the Bible, then
don’t listen to it. You don’t have to bash every style of music and
artist. I say that because I’ve been around those types of church people.
I’ve been in those debates, and it pushes some people away. Not
everyone is going to listen to the same type of music you do, so relax.
As long as they are honoring God with their lives that’s what’s
important. For those who want to complain about music styles Larry Norman
already addressed this years ago when he asked, “Why should the Devil have all
the good music?” God created music but along the way Satan perverted it.
Again, examine the lyrics against what the Bible says and see if they
honor God. I’m not here blogging for that debate about musical styles
been there done that seen too many church people get hung up on the wrong sides
of it. I’ve been personally attacked for listening to stuff with a guitar
and drums. I’ve even been told that one particular musician is the only
Biblically correct singer to the point that I refuse to listen to that artist
because I disagree with those people’s statement. God can and does use
more than one musician just like he can use us all in unique ways. Don’t
limit what God can use to reach people. He doesn’t fit in a box.
See those are needless arguments some people get hung up on. With this blog
I’m urging you to Praise God. It’s called encouragement. Something
I’m called to do that I’ve had a hard time doing lately.
Psalm 92:1-5
“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the
music of the ten stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make
me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
How great are your works, O Lord, how profound are your thoughts!”
The first three words answer why we should sing and praise God. “It
is good.” Boom mic drop! That was something my parents told my
after my life fell apart last year. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to
do.” I had said. My dad told me to do the next right thing.
Praise God. It made no sense. Bottom falls out of your life.
Praise God, seek Him. Some days the hardest thing I do is to pick
up my Bible and read it or to put on some Christian music and listen to the
words, but I do it. I’m trying to make better choices each day.
Psalm 100:1
“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.”
It doesn’t specify what musical instrument you use or genre of music. It
just says make a joyful noise unto the Lord. You don’t even have to sing
good. Praise God! That’s what you’re called to do. The only thing
I’m trying to drive home in all this is we all need to be praising God every
day. When I do these blog things I
always leave links to music so you know you have a chance to praise God. It’s kinda what I’ve been hinting at and
talking about this whole time. It’s not
rocket science it really isn’t. That’s
it! In the wrestling world this would be
your “Go home” line of the promo. Get
busy praising God because He deserves it and that’s the next right thing to
do.
Made to worship by Chris Tomlin
Praise the Lord by the Imperials
Sing your praise to the Lord by Rich Mullins
Turn your eyes by Point of Grace
Great is thy faithfulness by Carrie Underwood
He’s got the whole world by Christy Nockels
