Doxology

I’m currently rehearsing with the Nashville Symphony Chorus to prepare a wonderful Oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn called “Elijah”.  Because of that, I’ve been living much in my private devotions in 1 Kings 17 to 2 Kings 2 which chronicles the ministry of this great prophet.  One scene that

Felix Mendelssohn

I’m particularly taken by is found in Chpt. 18 in the “showdown” (if you will) between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. I found this post I wrote almost exactly three years ago in which I referred to that scene in a post out of Ps. 22 dealing with the whole idea of God “inhabiting” our praise.  I added a few thoughts to it. Enjoy!

“God inhabits the praises of Israel”.  What does that verse (Psalm 22:3) actually mean? Does it mean that God’s presence is produced by our praise? Does it mean that it is God Who generates our praise? (It the word “inhabit” used only in the King James Version, by the way.)

First of all, context is everything! Let’s look at the verses leading into this commonly-used verse:

1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?
Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.

God-led Worship

2 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest.
3 Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers trusted;
They trusted and You delivered them.
5 To You they cried out and were delivered;
In You they trusted and were not disappointed.
Ps 22:1-5 NASU (Bold mine)

We can see upon looking at this text that this is immediately a Psalm written by David in the midst of great trial and can certainly speak to any believer also under times of despair. But there is also another far greater application of this Psalm. It is an amazing prophesy of Christ on the cross—so much so, that, according to John MacArthur, in the early church, some referred to it as the “Fifth Gospel”.

With that in mind, it is extremely important to read it from a God-centered perspective. The Psalmist begins with a statement that is from his perspective. It might be paraphrased something like this “Where are you at, God? It seems as though you have left me!” (Of course, we know that when Christ declared the opening line of this Psalm it was because God had left Him—which was possibly the most terrible aspect of Christ’s penal substitutionary atonement!)

The second verse continues on in that the Psalmist is waiting on a response. “God, I am calling on You day and night and yet it is as if You are not hearing me!” But it is the beginning of the third verse that begins to teach us what the end of verse 3 really is saying: it is the word “Yet”.

Even though I might be prone to think that God is centered on what I do and how much I call (and we ARE commanded and exorted to call on the Lord—don’t get me wrong) to get His attention, it’s not about that. Even though I might conversely believe that all that I am doing is NOT getting His attention, the scriptures remind me that, in spite of that, YET “You are holy”! God is not like man! God is in a category all by His glorious Self.  God does not think like I do! Isn’t that wonderful news?

He continues, and this phrase in which we are focusing gives proper context: God is in charge of it all. He is in charge of praise, He is in charge of circumstance, He is in charge of solutions. God is sovereign!!

Secondly, we see from the translation above, that the word usually referred to as “inhabits” in the King James Version (which I underlined) is the Hebrew word “yashab” which means “enthroned” or “seated upon”. The implications for this word mean that God rules over and evaluates and administrates. Therefore, the context of that verse (Ps. 22:3) is pointing to God as the object of praises, the generator of praises, the basis of praises, and the judge of all praises. It does not mean that God is generated BY praises.

There is a massive and all-important difference. If you believe that God’s presence is generated BY praises, then you might, even though well-intentioned, be much closer to spiritism than you are to biblical worship. I realize that is a very strong statement. (And it most certainly points to the importance of proper translations!) It was the prophets of Baal who led worship with this mindset in the stand-off with the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 18:20-40). They believed that is was getting their false god’s attention and creating their god’s presence that was the key to their success.  That’s why they would cry louder and louder and even cut themselves until their blood gushed out (v. 28).  Talk about manipulation!

However, if you recognize that praises come FROM God and are produced BY God and it is His grace that creates in us a regenerate heart through which (by faith) we express those praises, then you are much more in line with the proper context of this verse and all of scripture. Any view of worship that sets God up as the one dependent upon the worshiper is a dangerous one and does not stand up to overwhelming teachings in scripture to the contrary.  Notice that Elijah was let by the word of the Lord in what his worship (1 Kings 18:31, 36).  The prophets of Baal were led by their own devices in their worship.

To say it again, biblical worship is a response to God’s action and word in getting to us.  Pagan and false-religion worship is rooted in man’s schemes and devices and creations to get to God.  On Mt. Carmel the prophets of Baal cut themselves to get their god’s attention.  On Mt. Calvary God cut His Son to get our attention. 

To stay in balance and avoid quietism (“Let go and let God”) and fatalism (“Why do anything?”) we still must still do something (“What says the scriptures?”).  But our obedience to the scriptures to make petitions, to make requests, and to declare His praises must have God’s sovereignty and supremacy in full view. Perish the thought that in a church service, we are inviting God to join us!  God is the initiator (the “Alpha”) and the completer (the “Omega”) of worship.  Brother Music Minister, make sure that you clarify this in your music ministry!

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I’m old school I guess.  I just can’t get into listening to Christmas music for Christmas’ sake until after Thanksgiving.  (I have to listen to Christmas music for church music’s sake during the summer but that doesn’t count.)  I was listening to a local radio station the other day and the old classic Andy Williams’ song “Little Altar Boy” came on.  In my mind, it captures the scene of a man who is desperate from possibly drunkeness or other addictive sins and runs to a Christmas Eve mass to find rest for his soul. I couldn’t help but be struck by the lyrics:

Little altar boy, I wonder could you pray for me?

Little altar boy, for I have gone astray

What must I do to be holy like you?

Little altar boy, oh, let me hear you pray

Little altar boy, I wonder, could you ask our Lord

Ask him, alter boy, to take my sins away

What must I do to be holy like you?

Little altar boy, please let me hear you pray

Lift up your voice and send a sing a prayer above

Help me rejoice and fill that prayer with love

Now I know my life has been all wrong

Lift up your voice and help a sinner be strong

Little altar boy, I wonder, could you pray for me?

Could you tell our Lord, I’m gonna change my way today?

What must I do to be holy like you?

Little altar boy, oh, let me hear you pray

Is there a song anywhere that captures a lost man’s desire to fix his own heart through improving his own performance?  Can you see the fact that the “singer” knows that he has not measured up to God’s righteous standard (“I have gone astray”, “take my sins away” “my life has been all wrong”)? Can you also see the “singer’s” knowledge of needing the righteousness of another (“what can I do to be holy like you”)?

Unfortunately, the “singer” never embraces the truth that he already has Another Who has already made the way for him to be “holy”.  Also, notice the “singer’s” false notion that the “holiness” of the altar boy was sufficient to save—God forbid!  Because the subject never turns savingly to look on the merits of Jesus’ meritorious work (even though he seems to in that he asks the altar boy to ask Jesus to “take my sins away”–a lost man must deal directly with Christ, not through another) we can glean that the subject’s self-assessment isn’t Holy Spirit-wrought conviction but is sorrow that leads to death (2 Cor. 7:10).  How unfortunate for all in this place.  Let us make sure this Christmas season to find someone who needs to hear the truth that they can indeed be “holy like you” but that “you” is the One and Only Savior, Jesus Christ.

Here is the song:

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If there’s one band out there I greatly enjoy, it’s Third Day.  And for full disclosure’s sake, we do several of their songs as congregationals at Grace Life Church, including “Your Love Oh Lord” and “Children Of God”.  However, I was a bit disappointed the other day when I heard this particular song on the radio.  It seems to be another in a long line of songs that just don’t say enough.  Much of that has to do with trying to be marketable to wider audiences.  But I wonder how much of it has to do with being ashamed of the gospel?

Here are the lyrics (you can listen to the song on YouTube here).

Well, late one night, she started to cry and thought he ain’t coming home
She was tired of the lies, tired of the fight, but she didn’t want to see him go
She fell on her knees and said, “I haven’t prayed since I was young
But Lord above I need a miracle”

(Chorus)
Well no matter who you are and no matter what you’ve done
There will come a time when you can’t make it on your own
And in your hour of desperation
Know you’re not the only one, praying
Lord above, I need a miracle
I need a miracle

He lost his job and all he had in the fall of ’09
Now he feared the worst, that he would lose his children and his wife
So he drove down deep into the woods and thought he’d end it all
And prayed, “Lord above, I need a miracle”

In your hour of desperation
Know you’re not the only one, praying
Lord above, I need a miracle
I need a miracle

Several questions I have about this song:

*Are they endorsing the fact that having this life’s problems is the main problem?

*How are they defining this miracle?  Is it God drawing a soul into seeing the depth of their sin?

*Where is the preaching of the gospel in this equation?

*Does the songwriter understand the difference between God-wrought conviction and felt needs?

*Are they trying to say that the girl in the first verse is a born-again believer (even though she hadn’t “prayed since she was young”)?

*Could the song not have better clarity with the characters as to their lostness?

*I totally agree with the song in that God uses trials and hardships to get our attention but what is the miracle that the characters in the song found?

*How many of these problems listed in the song were self-inflicted?  The bible deals much more with change of behavior to see situations improve than it does supernatural intervention (especially if these characters are believers).

*Does this song just cater to a victim’s mentality?

I totally understand that people going through great trials calls for empathy from the Church.  However, overlooking an individual’s contribution to those trials is not being true to the Bible.  Believers should be holding one hand out to be held by the suffering individual while in the other hand presenting God’s solutions to them from His Word.  Having heart-felt emotions for those in dire circumstances and even doing service ministry to those in need is only a part of the healing.  Being reconciled to God through the gospel is the foundation for all healing.

All I ask is that Christian bands and songwriters be very specific even though the demands for artistic aesthetics are at play.  When writing songs that are expressly Christian, including a ministry element, then art is created for God’s sake and not art’s sake.  Fidelity to the revealed will of God as found in the holy scriptures is paramount paling in comparison to iTunes sales.

Brother Music Minister, I believe that this song is way too ambiguous to use in a church service.  I will keep listening to Third Day but will have to skip over this song.

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In today’s radio interview we talk about an example of a great newer song, “Blessings” by Laura Story.

Click HERE to listen!

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Here’s a re-vamped post from a couple of years ago.  I thought it worth sharing again.

Have you ever considered the source of praise? Have you ever thought about who generates those words, thoughts, songs, and acts of worship to God?

To attempt to answer these questions, let us look at one of the most amazing moments in all of scripture.

Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” And He said, ” I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” Ex 33:18-19 NASU

Can you imagine how euphoric, how terrifying, how incredible this moment must have been for Moses? We are so blessed that God chose to include it in scripture. He does so to tell us some very important truths.

God Is Sovereign
Of course you can say, “But it was Moses’ request to which God responded!” Well, yes and no. It was Moses who made the request, but it was God at work in Moses that caused Moses to make such a request. You also must notice all of the “I will” in what God says. It was God Who called Moses to the mountain in the first place. It was God Who took the initiative with Moses—not the other way around.

God Is Sovereign Over Himself
God did not say “I will pass before you”. He does not even say “My goodness will pass before you”. He says “I MYSELF will make all My goodness pass before you”. Have you ever considered the infinite Self-control of God? What if you had perfect self-control? Have you ever met anyone with flawless self-control?

Tiger Woods became a billionaire because he had unparalleled self-control over his golf game…..But he is lost out with advertisers and the public now that it is apparent that he didn’t have that same self-control in his private life. (Whether or not he returns to the elite place where he once was remains to be seen.)  Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Ga. 5:23). However, who can claim that they have had absolute self-control other than God?

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Here’s the radio spot we did with WSTS 100.9 FM in Fairmont, NC this week.  We deal with defining worship. 

Click on the link below to listen

TWT-5.15.12

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The longer I lead congregational singing, the more I wrestle with this subject.  It’s not a matter of right vs. wrong.  It’s a matter of better vs. best.  Is it best to use singular nouns or plural nouns in our congregational singing?  You might not have ever considered such a question.  To be honest, I’ve not thought about it at all until the last few years.  However, there are a few good reasons why such a question must be asked.

Most of the New Testament is written to groups not individuals.  I understand that the Psalms (which is our most basic songbook model) primarily uses singular nouns.  That cannot be ignored.  However, after Jesus’ death and resurrection we see much more imperatives to corporate bodies than singular people.  There are exceptions of course (see Paul’s letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon—although it was actually written to three people) but the four Gospels, Acts, Revelation, and most of the rest of the Pauline Epistles are written with a corporate mindset.  As my pastor says “All theology is local church theology”.

America is an individualistic culture.  From a sociological viewpoint, most believers in this country are bent towards shutting out the rest of the congregation in church services rather than letting them in.  I firmly believe that the success of many Charismatic movements has flourished in this country because of their emphasis on the individualistic worship experience (remember, I IS a Charismatic—don’t throw stones at me my friends).  So any direction we can take in our song services to point back to the corporate experience rather than the individualistic one—in order to stay in balance—would be a welcome act.

The words we use shape our thinking.  There’s little doubting that a person’s language not only reflects their thinking (Luke 6:45) but also influences it (Zeph. 3:9).  (Here is one article dealing with this subject.)  One only needs to do a basic study into the careful handling of words and language in the holy scriptures to see this importance.  To dip back into the sociological realm for a moment, I recall one study that showed that most men in prison have names that are most easily mocked and ridiculed.  Racism is most easily inflicted by the sinful use of language.  In short, the relationship between the heart’s affects on language and language’s effect on the heart cannot be separated.

In my next post, I will look at practical examples of the use of singular and plural nouns in song services.

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…We won’t sing it at Grace Life Church.  I humbly submit that this should be the mantra of any church’s Music Program.  If the lyrics of a song cannot be read in a sermon and stand up to the doctrinal integrity of the preaching standards with scripture as the foundation then it should not be sung at all.

It is the holy responsibility of every Pastor to preach the unadulterated, immutable, infallible Word of God, with the Gospel of Jesus Christ being central.  A church must accurately proclaim the core doctrinal principles (One true God, Jesus as the only Son of God and Way to Salvation, the virgin birth, depravity of man, etc.) in order for true conversion to take place.  (For a clear understanding on what I’m talking about, click here to see our church’s Statement of Faith.) Like my pastor says it, “If you don’t have conversion right, nothing else matters!”

If that is taking place in your church, then you, as the Music Minister, have a wonderful opportunity to be an extension of that preaching in singing about it!  I am so very blessed here at our church to work with a pulpit that has such deep, rich, glorious truth coming from it. I’ve got to do all I can just to keep up!  Our church has been so wonderfully trained to look at the messages of the songs that we sing, to glory in the depth of that message, to not primarily look to a song style or flavor or the Top 20 Countdown to stay culturally relevant.  Most importantly, true, biblical conversions have occurred here so that our congregation rejoices in singing truth.  Music is not the focal point, God as He knows Himself to be is.

Once you have tasted of the richness of the depth of the Gospel, primarily displayed in the redemption of fallen man, singing about anything else just doesn’t seem worth it.  I know many churches that sing more about healing and deliverance, more about wealth and prosperity, more about spiritual warfare and kingdom dominion.  Those things aren’t wrong as much as they are lesser subjects!  As a Music Minister (in a biblically healthy church) stick to the most glorious, most powerful, most rich subject—that of a holy, perfect, complete, majestic God saving wretched, fallen, dead, God-hating man by providing His perfect, matchless, glorious Son by making Him to be sin for us!

I’ve lead songs about heaven, about “victory”, about gardens and mountains and rivers, about family, about the Church, about nations and governments, about prayer, about sun, moon, and stars, about worship, about singing.  Nothing compares to redemption, the cross, the blood, the curse of man and the ultimate saving of man.  Build your song services around that theme.  Yes, throw in some of the other songs occasionally but make sure your congregation sings about the glory of redemption.  You can do that even if not much of that subject is preached from your pulpit!

Brother Music Minister, be a theologian first and a musician second.

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Most of the time, it’s rather easy to know not to mess with a wolf.  But if a wolf shows up clothed as a sheep, it may take a bit more wisdom and knowledge to protect oneself.  In this day and age as a follower of Christ it’s rather easy to know not to pay attention to the satanic bible and to avoid hanging out at strip clubs.  However, when a song is played on Christian radio it can be much more deceptive as to whether or not to embrace what a song’s lyrics are saying.

Such is the case with today’s example of a song.  To be honest, I’m going to try my best to treat it with love and humility (how do we ever know if we are really doing THAT?)  I’m sure that the artist (Mikeschair) has good intentions and is hopefully a true follower of Jesus.  That does not excuse unbiblical lyrics.  Here they are:

You might be the wife, waiting up at night
You might be the man, struggling to provide
Feeling like it’s hopeless
Maybe you’re the son, who chose a broken road
Maybe you’re the girl, thinking you’ll end up alone
Praying God can you hear me?
Oh God are you listening?

Am I more than flesh and bone?
Am I really something beautiful?
Yeah I wanna believe, I wanna believe that
I’m not just some wandering soul
That you don’t see and you don’t know
Yeah I wanna believe, Jesus help me believe that I
Am someone worth dying for

I know you’ve heard the truth that God has set you free
But you think you’re the one that grace could never reach
So you just keep asking, oh what everybody’s asking

Am I more than flesh and bone?
Am I really something beautiful?
Yeah I wanna believe, I wanna believe that

I’m not just some wandering soul
That you don’t see and you don’t know
Yeah I wanna believe, Jesus help me believe that I
Am someone worth dying for?

You’re worth it, you can’t earn it
yeah the cross has proven
That you’re sacred and blameless
Your life has purpose

You are more than flesh and bone
Can’t you see you’re something beautiful
Yeah you gotta believe, you gotta believe
He wants you to see, He wants you to see
That you’re not just some wandering soul
That can’t be seen and can’t be known
Yeah you gotta believe, you gotta believe that you
Are someone worth dying for

You can hear and watch the song here

I hope these guys are not wolves

.

I like how the song reaches out to everyone.  Jesus certainly did that (Matt. 11:28).  His gospel call is for anyone who will come (and we know that if one comes it is God Who caused them to come (John 6:44)— an antinomy).  But this song also says something else.  It supposes that Christ went to the cross because you and I had inherent worth and value.  When did Jesus ever say that?

In fact, the scriptures say the opposite.  It says that we are enemies and hostile towards God (Romans 8:7).  It says that Jesus came not to do His own will but the Father’s (John 5:30; 6:40).  The cross proves that we were without worth (Isaiah 64:6) and needed someone of infinite worth to be our substitute.  It does nothing to prove that we had any worth (Phil. 3:8);.  If we had inherent worth, we could redeem ourselves.  We wouldn’t need Jesus.  God forbid!

The point of the gospel is to display God’s great love to people who were the most unlikely objects of grace.  If a sermon or a song appeals to the listener to look within and find worth then it minimizes the cross and the matchless worth and beauty of God’s Savior.

I challenge anyone to find a scene in the scriptures where Jesus interacted with an individual and showed them their need for a Savior by building up their own value and worth.  You won’t be able to find it.  If you can, I stand corrected.  In fact, He shows us our need for a Savior by illuminating our sinfulness and lack of any worth—not because He likes to beat us down but because it is the truth—and then points us to His saving work by which we become objects of grace (rather than objects of wrath).

The truth is, my main problem before I was born-again was that I thought I had LOTS of worth.  I loved myself to the point of hating everyone else.  I’m so grateful that the gospel worked mightily in me and Jesus showed me that the only value I had was an infinite account of debt towards a holy God Who was standing ready to make me pay forever and ever in eternal punishment.  He then enabled me to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and I now have lost my life and value in Him!

On another note, this song doesn’t seem to be reaching out to the lost.  It seems to be speaking more to folks who have professed Jesus, have failed God, and don’t see how God could forgive them (who doesn’t identify with that?)  So you may say “You’re talking apples and oranges”.  No I’m not.  The Apostle Paul would say from Galatians that if we were saved by no merit of our own, why would we look to our own merit to continue in our walk with Jesus? (Gal. 3:3)  If you are a professing believer, your source of victory is to continue to look to the limitless love and grace of Jesus and not your own value.  Our worth is found in the Alpha and Omega not in our first and last name.

This song is correct in that it says that we “can’t earn it”.  Amen!  It is correct in saying that we are “sacred and blameless”.  Absolutely.  But it is only through Jesus and His merit.  We will never find a place of rest by looking to ourselves.  We must always and forever focus on Christ to find hope and to know that God truly is listening (Heb. 12:2).  This song seems to de-value God’s Champion.  I don’t believe, from the overwhelming evidence of scripture, that He would like that.

Brother Music Minister, please know your bible and please don’t use this song in your church.

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Chris Vacher, Canadian Music Minister

Chris Vacher, an internet friend of mine, asked me to be a part of a series of guest bloggers at his blog, dealing with why a particular song (of my choosing) is resonating with the congregation at Grace Life Church.  Here is the first portion of the blog entry:

“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God Who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim
Hallelujah what a Savior

Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned He stood
Sealed my pardon with His blood
Hallelujah what a Savior

Guilty, vile, and helpless, we
Spotless Lamb of God was He
Full atonement! Can it be?
Hallelujah what A Savior

Lifted up was He to die
“It is finished” was His cry
Now in heav’n exalted high
Hallelujah what a Savior

When He comes, our glorious King
All His ransomed home to bring
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah what a Savior

Chris asked me to write about why this particular hymn is meaningful to our congregation. I have several reasons why but there is one overarching reason: this song declares the gospel. At Grace Life Church, the lyrics that we sing must meet the same standards at the preaching. If a song’s lyrics cannot be spoken from the pulpit in a sermon, then we will not sing it.

To be more specific, here are reasons why these lyrics speak of the gospel:

It speaks of the exclusivity of Jesus. Jesus was the Son of God Who came to us (verse 1). If Jesus was not the only begotten Son of God and unique in category then we are still without hope in our sins. His infinite worth was the only sufficient payment for those for whom He died. It also is only Jesus Who is highly exalted (v. 4) (Phil 2:9)

It speaks of the sinfulness of man. Words such as “ruined sinners” and “guilty, vile, and helpless” to describe us are true to scripture (Rom. 3:19; 3:23; 5:6; Phil. 3:21; James 2:10). Too many songs in contemporary contexts avoid this assessment of man. Pre-conversion, man doesn’t have a “God-shaped hole” in his heart—he has a heart that is dead to God and needs a new one (Eph. 2:1-3; Ezek. 36:26). In other words, God’s perfect holiness and justice demands a penalty payment.

You can read the rest of the blog entry here.

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