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Worship Matters The practice, priorities, and privilege of worshiping God http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.24.25416.1.1698058 August 17, 2004 Choosing Music to Glorify God By Bob Kauflin, Sovereign Grace Ministries We've finished our brief series on the Meaning of Music. I hope you found at least some of it helpful. Now comes the all-important task of applying what we've learned. How do we make wise choices about the music we buy, or play, or listen to, or hear live? While granting that music is a gift from God and morally neutral in itself, how do we maintain our guard against any ungodly cultural influences and the deceitfulness of our own hearts? Here are some guidelines: * * * * * * * * * * * * ADVERTISEMENT * * * * * * * * * * * Switchfoot, The Beautiful Letdown: Limited Edition with Bonus DVD now available at your local Christian retailer, while supplies last. Bonus DVD featuring videos, rare performances and tracks. Available Now with only .99 shipping. http://l.salemweb.net/emicmg0704b/wm/081704/ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1. Start on your knees and allow God to deal with your heart. Many conflicts over music persist because we focus on externals instead of addressing root issues. Here are some questions you might ask yourself: a. In what situations do you listen to music most frequently (At night? When feeling "down?" While driving? When doing homework? Other times?) Has your desire to listen to music in any of those situations had a sinful motivation? b. Has the music you listen to caused strife or division with your family or friends? In what ways? c. How varied is your musical diet? Can you think of any examples where your attitude toward those who don't share your musical tastes has been condescending or arrogant? 2. Identify your motivations for listening to music. Listed below are five "stages of musical desire" that many Christians pass through. Can you find yourself in this list somewhere? a. I'm going to listen to whatever I want (no matter who cares or why!) b. I'm going to listen to whatever I can (... as long as I can avoid getting caught). c. I really wish I could listen to whatever I want (and it's a constant struggle to not be able to play certain kinds of music). d. I don't want to listen to anything that could be harmful for me or others. e. I want to listen to music that glorifies God through edifying me and those around me. Have you seen yet that you ought to be phasing out of your life any listening that isn't motivated by a desire to honor God? 3. Take time to listen to music that seems foreign to you, but which others genuinely enjoy (borrow CDs and tapes rather than making illegal copies!) Ask people you trust for recommendations. Ask people you're not sure you trust, too! Who can say what you'll discover! Even if you decide you don't want to listen to a particular style of music, your understanding will broaden. Developing our taste for varied musical styles helps us more fully appreciate God's multi-faceted creation and gifts. "God deliver us from the paltry, narrowing notion that our little tiny zone of music making [or musical preferences] says it all." (Harold Best, Making Giraffes 101, CCM Magazine, July 1998) 4. Finally, take a stand against the mindless listening that is so prevalent in our culture. Take time to sit and listen to music. It takes reflection to discover the majestic depth of a symphony, the genuine joy of jazz, the quiet calm of chant, or the energetic enthusiasm of rock. Music will always be with us, even as we gather to worship the One Who sits on the throne and the Lamb. Let's not make the mistake of overestimating or underestimating its significance, but always seek to use it for the glory of the One Who gave it to us in the first place. Hope you'll stay with us as we begin a series on the goals of corporate worship. For His Glory, Bob Recommended Resources: Rooted in the gospel of grace. At Celebration East, we gathered to worship the Savior and to be immersed in biblical teaching and fellowship. In main-session messages from C.J. Mahaney and Mark Dever, and in breakout sessions with Mike Bullmore and Carolyn Mahaney, we looked upon the suffering Savior of Isaiah 53, crushed for our iniquities. Individual messages or the entire series are available on the Sovereign Grace Store. http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.24.25416.2.1698058 Songs for the Cross Centered Life... you can think of it as a soundtrack to the book. What C.J. Mahaney's little, orange book did in print, this worship CD does in 14 songs, capturing the message of the gospel and directing our worshipful attention to the Savior. The CD is now available for purchase on the Sovereign Grace Store. http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.24.25416.3.1698058 What does it mean to be charismatic? How - and why - are we to pursue God's active presence, the infilling of the Spirit, and the full range of God's spiritual gifts? These messages help clarify the charismatic dimension of Christianity, a vitally important but often misunderstood aspect of the faith. http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.24.25416.4.1698058 ____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________ * This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. To unsubscribe from this newsletter immediately, simply click on the link below. If this link is not clickable, simply cut and paste it into the address bar of your browser. http://www.salememail.com/unsub/24/1698058.aspx * Copyright � 2004 Salem Web Network and its Content Providers. 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