Day Twenty three  -  Appreciate Worship

Ephesians 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

                  On day nine we were looking at appreciating different types of worship that met needs in different people.  We asked you to write down the words to an old hymn.  Today,  we will look at appreciating a new song,  a song that we have just learned.  There is nothing wrong with a new song.  We read, 

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

                 This is a song that we will all have to learn.  Fortunately, we will all have an easy time learning it,  and we will all be able to sing.  Our voices are designed to praise Him,  and in heaven that praise will be perfected  (Matthew 21:16).  It will be marvelous to be in the heavenly choir and have voices that can sing the notes of the songs that praise Him! 

                 It is a joy and privilege to be able to sing songs of praise.  There is a difference between hymns,  psalms and songs.  But there is one great similarity.  If they are songs that are sung to the Lord in praise,  then they are spiritual songs and they are sung through the filling of the Holy Spirit  (verse 18).  The context of the spiritual songs is the filling of the Spirit.  One of the outpourings of the Spirit is singing!  When we sing through the filling of the Spirit,  the songs will be filled with “love,  joy,  peace,  longsuffering,  gentleness,  goodness, faith,  meekness,  temperance”  because that is the fruit of the Spirit.  Do the words of the songs you sing bring joy and peace and love into your life?  If they don’t bring these things,  then the songs may not be spiritual songs.  

An Exercise to increase my Faith  -  Take a recent chorus or praise song that we have learned and write down the words of that song.  Take a moment to look at the words that bring praise to God.  What words show the glory of God’s character?  What words help you praise Him?  Are there words that show love, joy, peace, that show evidence of the power of God's Spirit?  Here is a song we have just learned.

 I once was lost in darkest night,

Yet though I knew the way.

The sin that promised joy and life

Had led me to the grave.

I had no hope that You would own

A rebel to Your will.

And if You had not loved me first,

I would refuse you still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race,

Indifferent to the cost,

You looked upon my helpless state

And led me to the cross.

And I beheld God’s love displayed,

You suffered in my place.

You bore the wrath reserved for me,

Now all I know is grace.

Now Lord I would be Yours alone,

And live so all might see

The strength to follow Your commands

Could never come from me.

O Father, use my ransomed life

In any way You choose,

And let my song forever be

My only boast is You.