The Power of Music

By: Larry Yarber 

"And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him" (1st Samuel 16:23).

Music is a powerful tool capable of producing much evil or much good. Saul's servants used music to calm Saul's troubled spirit (1st Samuel 16:14-16). Music aided to Israel's shameful debauchery when Moses was in the mount receiving the law of God, "And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.  ...  And when Moses saw that the people were naked; ( for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me.... "  (Exodus 32:18 and Exodus 32:25-26).

Music has the power to shape the minds of an individual and/or a nation. Andrew Fletcher said, "Give me the making of the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws." The English Poet Carlyle wrote, "Let me make the songs of the people, and you shall make its laws." Aristotle stated, "Emotions of any kind are produced by melody and rhythm" and "Music has the power to form character." Finally, (Chris Stein, People Magazine, May 21, 1979) retorted, "Everybody takes it for granted rock and roll is synonymous with sex." [all of the above quotes are from the tract - Music Shapes Thinking An Expose' of Rock Music - Max Patterson].

Christians are told to guard their use of language, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29). And, "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth" (Colossians 3:8). And again, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:  ...  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead" (1st Peter 4:3 and v-5). Lasciviousness is defined by the (American College Dictionary) - "1. inclined to lust; wanton or lewd. 2. inciting to lust or wantonness." Is it any wonder that a nation, who's music is composed of filthy language, nasty insinuations, and lasciviousness; has lost its moral compass and is overrun with sexual promiscuity and perversion?

To the contrary, God uses music in a positive manner. Vocal music is used in the church to teach, admonish, and praise, "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" (Colossians 3:16), and "Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee" (Hebrews 2:12). James penned, " ... Is any merry? Let him sing psalms" (James 5:13). And, the wise man said, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones" (Proverbs 17:22). The music which God has chosen and given to his people is both constructive and beneficial but that of the world is detrimental and destructive.

May we ever be aware of the music we use and listen to knowing music has the power to shape our lives.

Rock

By: Kevin Rutherford 

            Jesus built the church upon a rock. The large, heavy, stable, immovable rock upon which the church is built could not be the pebble of a man called Peter. The massive stone foundation upon which the church is built is the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16-18). Being the Son of God He has authority to build the church (Matthew 28:18). No man has the authority to do so. A man who builds his own church is building on sand. One who plants his own church based upon his own doctrines will someday find his church uprooted by God (Matthew 15:1-20; i.e. v. 13).

            Jesus built His church upon a rock. What are you building your life upon? Those who are not obedient to Christ are building their lives upon sand. They may even claim to be following Christ, but when they refuse to obey the Father they are lost, and they are on an unstable sandy foundation (Matthew 7:21-29). The only way for you to build your life upon a rock-solid foundation is to obey Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:24, 25).

            If I am building my life upon the rock of obedience to Christ, then I am going to be one who is in the church which was built upon the rock. All people who refuse to obey Christ are on sand. Only those in the church built upon the rock, and who are obedient to Christ are on solid ground. They are the only ones who will be saved (Matthew 7). But doesn’t this mean most people are going to be lost? Yes (Matthew 7:13, 14).