Sing to the LORD

Sing to the LORD


Do you sing to the LORD? I mean really sing – from your heart, from your soul, with passion and conviction!

Many people think of the Book of Psalms when it comes to singing in the Bible.

• Psalm 59:16-17 But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.
• Psalm 66:4 All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah
• Psalm 92:1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;

But there is so much more! Heartfelt singing is a vital part of a healthy relationship with God.

In the Bible, we see:

Various People Who Sing to the LORD

Moses’ song of praise after Israel crossed the Red Sea

• Exodus 15:1-2 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! 2 The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

Miriam and the women of Israel echoing part of Moses’ song

• Exodus 15:20-21 Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And Miriam answered them: “Sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!”

Isaiah sang to God of His provision for Israel, their failings and His judgment

• Isaiah 5:1 Now let me sing to my Well-beloved A song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard: My Well-beloved has a vineyard On a very fruitful hill.

Habakkuk’s hymn of faith and rejoicing when facing disaster

• Habakkuk 3:17-19 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.

Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn after celebrating the Passover meal together

• Matthew 26:28-30 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Paul and Silas sang hymns in prison after being beaten

• Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Significant Provisions in Support of Those Who

Sing to the LORD

David

• 1 Chronicles 15:16 Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.

Solomon

• 1 Kings 10:12 And the king made steps of the almug wood for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers. There never again came such almug wood, nor has the like been seen to this day.

Nehemiah

• Nehemiah 12:31 So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate.

Numerous Proclamations for Us to Sing to the LORD

• Psalm 98:1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
• Psalm 98:4 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
• Isaiah 12:5 Sing to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth.
• Ephesians 5:18-19 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
• Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
• James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

Sincere expressions of worship, confession, regret, joy, desperation, lament, thanksgiving, requests, and so much more are found throughout the Word of God. However, singing to the LORD in response to these profound experiences, emotions and environments encountered in life may not come naturally to all who love Him. But as with so many areas of our walk with Him, we must rely on His Spirit to enable, empower and encourage us to glorify our God and King.

Honesty, I struggle with this greatly. Although I love to sing, sometimes my singing isn't coming from my heart. Instead of responding to Him, praising Him, crying out to Him, confessing to Him, relying on Him, etc., I am just enjoying the act of singing, the music and/or hearing others sing.

Oh, how I long to sincerely sing to the LORD!

Prayer

Gracious Father, how I appreciate your patience with me and tolerance of me. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will work in me to enable, empower and encourage me to glorify You in songs of worship, brokenness, need and whatever else You desire. I pray for Your loving work in the lives of all those who love You. I beg You to save those who have not surrendered to Your truth and Your love. I pray these things in Christ’s name. Amen.

The Odd Couple

The Odd Couple


Some people say that opposites attract. You know that saying, right? Like the couple where one person is outgoing and the other is very shy. Or when one likes to stay around the house and the other is always itching to get out and go somewhere. Well, I am not so sure I agree that opposites attract. I believe that successful relationships are more dependent on the shared values of patience, kindness, selflessness, respect, commitment, forgiveness, etc. as expressed in the Bible (see 1 Corinthians chapter 13).

Within all followers of Jesus Christ, there are two opposite natures. These natures are not attracted to each other – they differ in every way and each wants complete control. They are constantly battling to dominate our thoughts, desires, actions and words. These two natures are our flesh (the sinful desires, passions and attitudes that define our human nature apart from God) and our spirit (the supernatural union of our nonphysical essence and the Holy Spirit of God living within us).

• Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
• Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

The Bible explicitly declares the opposing natures of the flesh and the spirit.

• Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
• Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

So why doesn’t God do away with our sinful human nature when we surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? The Bible states that we are new creations in Christ.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

How awesome it would be to live with no desire or inclination to sin!

Or would it?

I would never claim or pretend to fully comprehend the mind, nature and depth of God as presented in His Word. It’s quite the opposite. The longer I know Him and the more I learn, the more questions I have. But this I know, in His infinite and perfect wisdom, God chose and ordained that His children must deal with the odd couple of flesh and spirit from the moment of salvation until the end of mortal life. And since He is all-knowing and all-powerful, I know He did this by design.

• Romans 8:5 those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
• Galatians 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

I believe that part of the reason He did this is choice. Just as God would never force a person to surrender their lives to Him, He does not force those who do surrender to Him to live a Godly life. Each person must decide how they will live. For God or against Him. Serving and honoring Him or rebelling against Him.

• Romans 8:13-14 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
• Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

How does a perfectly programmed robot that has no choice but to obey bring glory to God? It can’t.

• Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
• John 6:66-67 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

The church of Jesus Christ is not calling

the lost people of this world to perfection in this life.

We are calling them to trust Him for salvation.

We are calling them to surrender all they are to Him.

We are calling them to love, obey and follow Him.

We are calling them to make choices that honor Him.

The first choice a person makes to honor God is to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. As part of our spiritual rebirth, the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence in us and is the guarantee of our eternal life in Heaven.

• John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
• Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

From then on, it is a life of choices; you have to deal with the reality of the odd couple inside you moment-by-moment and day-by-day. Will I obey Him? Will I wait for Him? Will I respond to His Word and the promptings of His Spirit? Will I reject my human nature? Will I give Him the glory for my victories and confess my failures to Him?

• Romans 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
• Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
• Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

What choices do you need to make?


Prayer

Father, I praise You for Your wisdom, love, patience, knowledge, plans and so much more. I also thank You for giving us choice! Please Father, draw many to You through salvation in Jesus. I pray for those who haven’t decided to follow Jesus. I pray that Your Word and Your Spirit will lead them to the right choice. I pray for those who have given their lives to You. May they make choices every day that bear witness to the new creation they are in Jesus. I pray all these things by choice, and in the name of Jesus. Amen.