Shoulder To Shoulder #1342 -- 6/13/23 ------ "Is Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? (Part 14) -- God Sets Us To Singing"
"Standing Together, Shoulder To Shoulder, As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1342 -- 6/13/23
Title: "Is Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? (Part 14) -- God Sets Us To Singing"
My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Seeker:
Greetings again, this time from 8,500 feet up in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona. Today's letter must be important to at least one person because I began writing it nearly two weeks ago, and am just now able to finish it. Kicking off our Summer season here in Greer, some 5th wheel issues that had to be resolved, and a few days of being under the weather (either altitude sickness, or food poisoning -- or a little of both) have kept me overwhelmingly preoccupied. Finally today, after an already long day, I think I can get it finished and on its way to you.
We began our Summer ministry here June 4th, and I will be writing to you from this beautiful valley most of the time between now and the end of September. Perhaps three or four times I will write instead from Yuma as we must return there for a few days each month for various appointments and obligations.
The final week in Yuma was packed with creating a faux wall of book cases in the new Arizona Room, moving at least some of the furniture pieces into the two sections, getting all the outside things off the pallets to safer storage areas, and packing for our journey to Greer. We didn't arrive until this past Thursday, so we've been here less than a week at this writing.
Our first service was June 4th, and, thanks to our wonderful God, it started off with a bang. Even though only a few families were here yet, it was a joyous time. We even had six first-timers. The second Sunday saw our attendance up, and again we had at least three first-timers, including a man who shared his broken heart with us regarding some critical family matters. Some of our men gathered around him and laid hands on him as I led the congregation in prayer. It was an important time both for him and for us. I spoke on "Finding The God You Need To Know For Turbulent Times". When we concluded the service singing, "How Great Thou Art", our beautiful worship leader, Diane, broke down and simply could not sing as we sang verse three:
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and tied to take away my sin.
Even though the service got off to a horrible beginning with the audio system breaking down, music mishaps, and other distractions, God pulled it all together when this brother shared his broken heart with us. As I listened, and watched the people respond to him, I thought, "No wonder we've had such a fragmented start to the service! This is what we need. This is how church should be as a norm!" And God reminded me again of how important this ministry He has given us really is, and why we need to keep going until He tells us otherwise.
Greer Chapel has been serving the Greer community during Summer months since 1995 when Jo Ann's sister and her husband began chapel services. Not only is Greer very different from Yuma topographically and weather wise from Yuma 400+ miles to the west, but the Chapel is quite different -- much smaller numerically and with more short-term attenders than Chapel de Oro in Yuma where we will sometimes run as high as 200 people on a given Sunday. Greer, on the other hand, usually runs at peak season in the 50's and 60's.
About two weeks prior to our arrival in Greer I finally felt God had given me the theme for the season -- "Unwavering Assurance For Uncertain Days”. It seems to me that our current culture in America is one of chaotic uncertainty -- a culture that has clearly lost all sense of morality, completely confused over what is and is not truth, and which direction to choose.
As I searched God's heart for the series, the phrase from the Bible, "that you may know" kept coming to mind. It was obvious to me that God wants us to know -- beyond any doubt -- what is true and what is not. It is not His intent that His people be perplexed or confused over what is happening around them, what is happening to them, or how they can cope with this spirit of confusion, rebellion, and self-destruction that is dragging our nation into the abyss of utter depravity.
Curiosity led me to explore other related phrases -- phrases such as "so that you may know", "so that you will know", "you know", "I know", etc.. Though not surprised at the number of references pertaining to God wanting us to know something, I was still amazed to find well over 200 times where Scripture assures us that we can know and comprehend certain biblical principles that will enable us to face the memories of the past, the circumstances of the present, and the hope of the future.
My first sermon was based on Paul's stunning statement to Timothy after all the hardship he had faced that there was a confident "knowing" that had taken him through it all -- "I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day" (II Tim 1:12). We looked at II Timothy 1:1-14, "Developing Steadfast Hardness For Inevitable Hardships". Even with all the times I have read Paul's letters to young pastors Timothy and Titus, I was still enriched this time by fresh truths the Holy Spirit opened to our hearts. I'm looking forward to what He will show us these next four months, as we seek greater levels of assurance, courage, and strength for what lies ahead. We certainly need it all.
If you care to watch a video of that sermon, you can find a raw unedited copy at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM6lMaCKoQg. God really opened up some meaningful insight to me, and my understanding of the relationship between seasoned Paul and young Timothy made the truths even more potent to my own heart. Also a raw unedited version o this past sermon, based on Isaiah 43:1-13 and Heb 11:6, can be seen at https://youtu.be/dx05gF7B0vc . I'm so far behind in editing and refining videos that I don't think I'll ever catch up -- but someday those will be posted on another outlet.
Just as I wrote in my last letter, praying for and experiencing revival is a real fight. The last thing the enemy wants is for you and me to experience a time of great refreshing from the Holy Spirit that results in rekindling our passion and zeal. Whether or not you have personally been changed from what I've shared in this series, I will probably never know. I do know, however, that God has done some fresh work in my own heart as a result of what I've written thus far. Perhaps that has been the whole point of the series -- just stirring my own heart up for the spirit of revival and awakening as I have experienced in the past. We certainly need such a sweep of God's atmospheric presence among His people.
Unless the Lord directs otherwise, I think there are only two or three more principles I want to address before moving on to something else. Today's study, in the meantime, is one that is close to my heart. Memories of times of great praise and worship flood my mind. Having received my college education in vocal music and having served as worship leader in numerous churches before I began preaching, music is still an important part of my life -- primarily because it is one of the three primary ways by which we worship.
So, today, I want to share some thoughts about what happens when revival sets God's people to singing. I know of not a single instance where revival came and it did not impact their singing. Worshiping God in exalted praise and thanksgiving by way of music is always a litmus test of the true depth and purity of any revival movement. I'll share those thoughts right after you take a quick look at . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ TV Icon Is Now With the Lord: Founder of CBN, Pat Robertson died Thursday at age 93. https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/bptoolbox/pat-robertson-broadcaster-who-helped-make-religion-central-to-gop-politics-dies-at-93/ .
+ Global Persecution of Christians:
In North Korea: -- They are even giving life imprisonment to an infant because of the possession of a Bible. Go to https://www.theblaze.com/news/state-department-details-horrific-persecution-of-christians-in-north-korea .
+ A Profoundly Bold Witness: I stumbled onto last night's "Fox News Tonight" program (I think that's the name), and watched Harris Faulkner give one of the most profound and bold witness to our national need for God that I've heard from any news source. And please don't think I am taking a shot at a party or our president. Faulkner's assessment was clearly intended to focus on the spiritual causes and the spiritual need we have. If you want your spirits lifted, watch this: -- https://www.foxnews.com/video/6328868007112 .
+ Muslims Meeting Jesus in Dreams at "Alarming Rate": Reports of Muslims having dreams in which Jesus appears to them are not unusual. It has been happening for decades. I personally know several who came to Christ as a result of such dreams. It appears, however, that such encounters are increasing at rates causing Muslim clerics to be greatly disturbed. Here's a recent report: -- https://www.charismanews.com/world/92454-ag-missionaries-muslims-encountering-jesus-in-dreams-at-alarming-rate .
+ Recent Archaeological Discovery: Here's a great article that helps shed light on God's declaration that He takes no pleasure in burn offerings or the offering up of ram and goats. Thousands of mummified rams heads were discovered a few months ago at the Temple of Ramesses II. WHY so many??? For an interesting read, go to https://www.patternsofevidence.com/2023/06/09/thousands-of-mummified-rams-heads-found-in-temple-of-ramesses/?triplesource=klaviyo&_kx=Es6BOom38-pDLtwNu2YOYsfiLCC3pv6OK4wsYKHbKFU%3D.WEfJdA .
+ Should California Be Written Off?: It seems that just about the time one thinks California's political system can't do something worse, they do it. Is it time to write California off as a lost cause? Go to https://firebrand.news/breaking-california-bill-would-charge-any-parent-who-doesnt-affirm-transgenderism-with-child-abuse/?seyid=70638 .
QUOTES FOR THE DAY
> "You have to expect spiritual warfare whenever you stand up for righteousness or call attention to basic values. It's just a matter of light battling the darkness. But the light wins every time. You can't throw enough darkness on light to put it out." -- Thomas Kincaid
> "This will not silence me. When they want me to be silenced, it just means I need to speak louder." -- Riley Gaines
> "Religion is a fairy tale for those afraid of the dark." -- Dr. Stephen Hawkins, Cambridge Physicist
"Atheism is a fairy tale for those afraid of the light." -- Dr. John Lennox, Oxford Mathematician
> "When the Church Failed to speak, it lost its Freedom to speak." -- Unknown
> "God loves music! The Bible mentions music and singing hundreds of times. After all, the Book of Psalms is a song book. Music comes from God, and when we participate in it – whether by writing, performing, or even just listening – we are giving a gift back to God." -- ChristianQuotes.com
> "A revived church is a singing church. When you experience revival, you cannot keep from singing; you cannot hold it in." -- Unknown
> "I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being." -- The Psalmist (Psalm 104:33_
> "Worship is an inward feeling and outward action that reflects the worth of God." -- John Piper
> "For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy." -- The Psalmist (Psalm 92:4)
> ""When God brings revival, He sets his people to singing." -- Anonymous
> "Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us." -- Martin Luther
> "It is impossible to keep from singing when revival comes. A revived heart causes one to sing, and a revived heart changes what it sings about. Its central focus turns to God -- His attributes, His power, and His goodness. If there is no such singing, there is no true revival." -- T. Allen Robburts
> " And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart." -- Apostle Paul (Ephesians 5:18-19)
CHRISTIANS ARE A SINGING PEOPLE:
From the earliest days of the Church, Christians have been a singing people. The same has been true with the Jewish faith. Perhaps the reason for this is found in the contention that "Music is the language of the soul." Whatever may be the case, we know that, according to both scripture, archaeological discoveries, and the research of ancient manuscripts, that music has always been an expression of the thoughts of mankind. Evangelist Byron Foxx, in a blog entitled What God's Revival Music Does, began by stating, . . .
'Music has a key role, not just in society, but in the hearts of God’s people. The first mention of music in the Bible is in Genesis 4:21 where we read that, 'Jubal. . .was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.' There are hundreds of references throughout the Bible about music. In Revelation 5:12 we learn of the scene in heaven around God’s throne where multitudes of saints and angels are singing, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.' . . . . The usual purpose of music in the believer’s heart is to praise and glorify God."
If you study other religions, you will find that very little of their music is designed to do that. Much of it focuses on man, and not so much on that religion's god. As far as I can tell, almost all music of other religions consists of chants, dirges, and/or rhythm patterns that focus on man, appeal to man, and stir up man's inner passions.
Most of it has little comprehensive lyrics, but rather, repeats a word or phrase over and over and over. There is almost no melody line, and much of it can be sung with merely two or three notes rather than a full scale of pitches. And, much of it depends more on rhythm and cadence than it does on lyrics, melody, or harmony.Almost none of it is music of praise to their god. I am certainly no authority on the matter, so I may be entirely wrong.
I don't now if you'd ever thought about it or not, but the difference between music to the gods and music to God is dramatically stark. Judeo-Christian music is in a class all of its own, and it has been that way from the very beginning. The music of the Jewish people, generally built on the pentatonic scale had both melody and meaning to it. Whether it was celebratory or repentant, it had substance. The chants used in the early church centuries, whether we like them or not, had substance and focused on praise, worship, confession, or repentance.
Even when the Gregorian chants gave way to what we call the classics written by people like Bach and his organ, Handel and his guitars, ad infinitum, they were directed either toward God or toward what man needed to do in order to be right with him.
But, it seems that there was a time when Christian music took a major shift, and that was through the music of people like Isaac Watts and Martin Luther. It was seemingly at that point that the lyrics emerged as the most important ingredient in Christian music. What was being sung became more important than how it was being sung.
I have no interest in becoming too technical in today's letter, but I do need to make this point: music consists of lyrics, melody, harmony, meter, time, and rhythm. One of the simplest ways to gauge the intent and value of any Christian song is to try to discern which of those six elements is dominant in the song. The lyrics should ALWAYS be the dominant element in any Christian song, no matter the genre'.
You don't have to be a musical or theological genius to know that much of the Christian music that has been written the past thirty or forty years has been lacking in that necessity. Many of the songs have extraordinarily weak lyrics with little or no meaning, and many of them are "me" or "experience" oriented. I still remember our conversation with Ron and Pat Owens in October, 2003 in Richmond, VA, when he pointed out the fact that when the composers of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries wrote, the did so with their Bibles open before them. That makes a huge difference.
Other of our newer Christian music is known for having no melody -- you cannot have a recognizable and singable melody using only three or four notes out of an octave. You need at least five (the pentatonic scale), and it helps to have even more. A song with a melody line using only two, three, or four notes is more like a dirge or a chant -- not a melodic song that expresses deep heartfelt passion. Then there are songs where lyrics and genre' simply do not match, and other songs where the dominant feature is the rhythm or the time, both of which appeal more to the human senses -- and even sensuality -- than to the heart. In those, the the spirit of man is deafened by the noises of emotional or sensual passions driven by the beat.
There is much more to be said about the matter, but this is not a thesis on Christian hymnody. To make the point, let me simply suggest that you try to envision dancing to a Strauss waltz played in the style of a John Philip Sousa march. It won't work. The bottom line is that music that God can bless in times of revival will be music that features lyrics that center on the Triune Godhead, and not so much on man or his experiences. That is a unique characteristic of music that is sung and played in times of genuine revival.
SONGS THAT REVIVE -- REVIVAL THAT SINGS:
In a word, when revival comes, particularly in a corporate setting, it will be impossible to keep people from singing. In the most recent Asbury awakening last February, the three most dominant features were prayer, the expression of love, -- and singing. And almost all of the singing was praise to God. Almost no songs were centered on "me" or on some kind of experience. Whether it was a song of quiet meditation or one of enthusiastic noisy praise, it was almost entirely focused on God -- His majesty, His glory, His works, His goodness, His mercy.
You know me -- my curiosity became uncontrollable on this topic, so I did a little research and discovered the following: The words, "Song"is found 83 times, "Sing" is used120 times, "Singing" another17 times, "Sang" also 17 times, "Songs" an additional 26 times, "Sung" 2 times, and "Sings" another 2 times. That's a total of nearly 265 times.
Add to that, then, other musical terms -- "music" 12 times, musician/s, 3 times, musical 12 times, and references to various musical instruments (lyre, timbrel, cymbal, horns, trumpets, harps, etc.) literally hundreds of times, and it leaves no doubt that the people of God were to be known for their praise and worship through music -- both instrumental but particularly vocal.
There are numerous Biblical examples and scripture of revival and singing. For just one example, you have the very first song actually recorded in the Bible, and one of the earliest occasions of revival among God's people was when God delivered Israel from Pharaoh's army, and on the other side of the Res Sea. It is a song that gives us the first hint of singing's primary purpose -- that of praising God. It also happens to be the last song in the Bible, sung by the 144,000 saints in Revelation 15. It is recorded, . . .
"Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said, .I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will extol Him'!" (Exod 15:1-2).
A second example of many: when Hezekiah replaced wicked Ahaz as king and cleansed the temple, revival broke out, and musical praise was expressed:
"Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song to the LORD also began with the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. And all the congregation worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshiped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped." (II Chron 29:27-30)
This scenario can be found repeatedly in the Old Testament. As far as I can tell, every Old Testament revival except the revival in Nineveh under Jonah's ministry was characterized by musical praise and thanksgiving. Even then, we cannot say that there was no musical celebration in Nineveh just because it isn't mentioned in the Bible.
In the New Testament there are numerous expressions that link revival, the Holy Spirit, and music together. Paul particularly pointed that out to both the Ephesian and Colossian believers. Case in point:
"So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Eph 5:17-21)
" 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." (Col 3:16).
All of this type of evidence quickly throws a kink in lots of the "Christian" music we use. Too much of it relates to what happened to us, how we feel, what we want, what we plan to do, -- or even what we want God to do. None of that has the remotest connection to praising and glorifying God. And it certainly is not characteristic of how God's people sing when they experience real revival.
In a 2014 article entitled, All The Songs in the Bible, Jeffrey Kranz stated, . . .
"The Bible isn’t a songbook, but did you know there are at least 185 songs in the Bible? Battles, coronations, funerals, cities being sacked, and seas splitting up -- you can find songs in the Bible for all kinds of occasions. Granted, 150 of these songs are in the book of Psalms, which actually is a songbook written by many Israelite leaders over the centuries. Six more of these songs come from the other two songbooks of the Bible: Song of Solomon and Lamentations. But you can find 35ish more songs, chants, dirges, and hymns scattered across the Old and New Testaments. (I say 35ish because some of those songs are very similar to Psalms, and other pieces of poetry may or may not have been sung.)"
I found Kranz' blog to be exceptionally informative, and recommend you take time to read it. Check it out at https://overviewbible.com/bible-songs/.
PRAISE IS FITTING:
It is worth noting that, throughout the exodus of Israel, God instructed Moses to place the musicians at the very head of the processional. Praise and worship led the way. Praise was the "point man" on every step of their journey. When Jericho fell, music accompanied their marching around the city walls. Praise was the "tip of the spear" that led to Jericho's collapse. When Gideon defeated the Midianites, the blast of trumpets terrified them and they fled in disarray. Praise was the "weapon of choice" that caused the enemy to flee in disarray. The largest book in the Bible is the Book of the Psalms the "Book of Songs". The longest chapter in the Bible is a song with 176 verses (Psalm 119). The book, Song of Solomon, was often called "The Song of All Songs" because it described in caressing and intimate detail the love between a husband and wife.
In the Book of Psalms are 150 amazing songs written by David, Korah, the sons of Korah, Asaph, and others. Each one is designed to direct the reader, singer, or listener toward God Himself. Even those many songs where the writer describes national crisis or personal shame or heartache, the focus is always on God. So, it should come as no surprise that when revival breaks out, music becomes a prominent element -- especially the music of singing. While instrumental music can express mood, it is vocal music that expressed thoughts.
The word "sing" appears 120 times in 99 verses scattered throughout the Bible. "Song" appears 83 times, "songs" appears 26 times, "sings" is found but twice, one of which declares, "By transgression an evil man is ensnared, But the righteous sings and rejoices." (Prov 29:6). The word, "sang" appears 17 times, and "singing" another 17. That's a total of 265 times that singing is identified, recorded, or urged. Along with the hundreds of other references to musical instruments, you get the idea that music is integral to the life of the Christian. It is a gift to all mankind, but particularly to believers -- it provides a way to express the heart and thoughts of the Christian, sometime struggling with his own words but finding fulfillment in the words God gave to another.
In fact, the last song found in the Old Testament ties music to revival. Habakkuk was a prophet burdened down with the sin of his own people, his confusion over how God was judging his enemies, and his fear over how God might judge Israel. Only three chapters long, Habakkuk draws his thoughts toward a conclusion by writing (and probably singing) a psalm that both praises God and also begs for His compassion, declaring, . . .
"LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear.
O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years,
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy."
So, when we study the issue of revivals and spiritual awakenings, music has to be considered as a dominant feature. It is an integral part of revival. I don't know of a single revival in history, whether person, local, or territorial, that did not have music -- and specifically singing -- at its core. If we do not understand that, we will often misunderstand what is happening within the context of a movement of revival, be it during a personal quiet time, within the confines of a local congregation, expressed in the setting of an evangelistic crusade, or a territorial movement. Perhaps that is one reason -- maybe even a primary reason -- why Christian music is so often an issue of great controversy in the Body of Christ -- old vs. new, traditional vs. contemporary, classics vs southern gospel, ad nauseum.
Maybe it's time to stop arguing and fighting -- and just sing to the Lord. When it comes to great revivals, music is always there. One of the most frequently quoted scripture is Psalm 85:6 -- a song!
“Wilt Thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in Thee?”
While music -- particularly singing -- is part of revival movements, it indeed becomes one of the most controversial issues of many revival movements. The controversies, as I just mentioned, generally surface around one or more of three elements -- the genre', the lyrics, or the musician/s. People will discount the music because it is "not my style of music", the lyrics are either doctrinally in error or superficial or "me" centered, or the character or reputation of the musician is questionable.
It should not surprise us that such controversy would arise over such a beloved expression of praise, thanksgiving, and confession. Satan will stir up the dust surrounding revival any way he can in order to discredit it or squelch it. And music and its outward expressions are often what he latches on to in order to discredit what God is doing. Far too many revivals -- particularly local church revival movements -- have been prematurely executed simply because of the music. Christians should know better. -- but many don't.
Guard your heart that you do not allow Satan to do that. Music is indeed the language of the soul, and when God touches the hearts of people with revival, He always sets His people to singing. Christians are surely a singing people. Even poetry is part of that expression, as is reading scripture aloud.
What is a poem? One person said a poem is simply a song without musical notes. Almost every song you and I know began as a poem in some form. Paul described the Corinthians as being his "epistle" or "letter" or "incomplete poem", written in his heart (II Corinthians 3:2). The Greek word is "po-ema" which means, "incomplete symphonic poem". It is a musical term. Rarely does a composer write the music score first and then try to put words to the music. He begins with the words.
THE NATURE OF REVIVAL MUSIC:
So, what is it that sets music during times of revival apart from all other occasions when Christian music is sung or played? I don't know that I can really articulate that -- even fully understand it, let alone describe it. You can hear or sing a great scripture song, hymn, or praise song one day and it doesn't move you one iota, but the next day or next service it brings you to tears -- or to your knees before the Throne of God. You have probably experienced the difference personally.
Certain songs move me all the time, no matter the circumstances, but other times some of the most inspired songs ever written will leave me essentially unaffected. It was a great song, but it didn't speak to me that particular occasion. But, things change when God is present in times of revival. Whether it is a personal intimate time of revival during quiet time, or in a large corporate gathering of believers worshiping the Lord, a spirit of revival changes the music.
It isn't so much that music brings revival -- though sometimes I suppose that happens -- but it is that revival changes the music. Perhaps it is better said that revival changes the person singing the music. All I know is that, during times of revival -- be it personal or corporate -- something happens to our singing or playing. About the best I can do to describe it is to point to these factors that seem to be evident.
In order to be transparent about the following, I acknowledge that much of the following has come as the result of the blog by Evangelist Byron Foxx that I mentioned earlier. Some, but not all, of the points came directly from his article, but the ensuing thoughts are mine. First, . . .
1. Music that revives us Will be Inspired, Anointed, and Directed by the Holy Spirit. After all, that is part of the role of the Holy Spirit. Not only has the song been written by the Holy Spirit's directing, but it will have been selected, anointed, and sung at an appropriate time through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit touches the song, the musician, and the audience. It is impossible to separate such music from the Holy Spirit.
". . . do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; . . ." (Eph 5:17-18)
As a former worship leader of many years, I can tell you that it is incredibly easy to sing an otherwise wonderful song for the wrong reason, at the wrong time, for the wrong motive, and do it all in the energy of the flesh. During times of revival, music is lifted to the highest level it can reach this side of heaven itself.
2. Music that revives us Will Proclaim Biblical Truth. This is one factor that sets great Christian music apart from just good -- or mediocre' -- or poor -- or terrible -- Christian music. Remember that statement by Ron Owens? -- the old hymn writers wrote music with their Bibles open. It's true. This is why it is so important to check the lyrics of a song before anything else.
"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.” (Col 3:16).
Many people don't realize that for hundreds of years, the only songbooks Christians had available were songs containing only scripture and no real music. Because Latin was the accepted language of the early institutionalized Church, all hymns were in Latin, usually in "chant" form, and (since the average church member didn't know Latin, were sung by priests and specially selected singers and choirs. It soon became a rather boring non-participatory liturgy of the Roman Church.
However, with the Protestant Reformation, things changed. In his book, The Gospel in Hymns, Albert E. Bailey pointed this out, stating, . . .
"Martin Luther replaced the Latin choir hymn with the German congregational hymn, but in Great Britain the versified psalms held sway for two centuries before hymns of 'human composure' came into use in churches."
Bailey went on to write, . . .
"When Henry VIII of England used his divorce from Catherine of Aragon as a lever to pry the English Church loose from the grip of Rome, he too [like Luther] threw away Latin hymns, but unlike Luther he put nothing in their place. Under the influence of John Calvin, the theologian, . . . the newly founded Anglican and Scottish Churches rejected all hymns of 'human composure' but allowed the people to sing Biblical Psalms made metrical."
At one time I collected old songbooks and had a few like that. The early Christians did what their predecessors did -- they sang scripture, primarily the Book of Psalms. This became known as "Psalmody", and was the music of choice in the Church, written by people such as Milton, Baxter, Bunyan.
Then, along came men like Luther, Isaac Watts and others who immersed themselves in God's Word, and that focus on scripture clearly reflected in their hymns. Because of their scriptural veracity written in the common man's language, they soon became profoundly popular, especially with the colonists in the new land of America. Soon thereafter, John and Charles Wesley added their biblically sound music -- and out of this lineage of writers and others like them came the music that undergirded the First Great Awakening.
In a very real way, I suppose you can say that "revival music" or "the music of revival" was born during the First Great Awakening and clearly staked off its place in American church music. Because of the centrality of the Bible in its lyrics, the music of revivals, therefore, will tell you the truth because its precepts are based so strongly on the scripture.
However, there is an enormous amount of "Christian" music -- both classics and contemporary -- that are entirely void of any biblical truth. They are based on feelings, sentimentalism, emotions, "me-ism", and/or experiences. You can tell the difference immediately. And certain composers are known for how they systematically write music out of one of those sectors or another -- and their music reveals their hearts.
More than once I have been a service where a song had been selected by the worship leader that absolutely did not fit the atmosphere or occasion -- it was totally out of place. When that happens, immature Christians will become derailed, mature Christians will become alarmed, and the Holy Spirit will be quenched.
It’s so important that churches sing songs that are doctrinally pure. The music that we sing must be as pure as the message from the pulpit. There is no room for compromise! There is much work to be done by many contemporary writers in this area -- especially if they truly desire revival to come. Music is crucial to protracted revival, and one reason for that is because so much of it is Bible based and hopefully scripturally accurate and true.
3. Music that revives us Will Focus on Jesus. If we understand the message of the Gospel, we will see how obvious this should be. I understand the idea of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but the kind of music that generally prevails during times of revival will be that which exalts Christ in all His glory.
"“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32).
Some of my favorite "praise" songs really "push the boundary" in this area because they draw too much attention to the performer/s, the Holy Spirit, or something else. With a considerable degree of sheepishness and embarrassment I confess that during my earlier days as a worship leader, my focus was on singing "accurately", "precisely", -- and "loudly. Sadly, I apparently was a worship leader for the sake of performance and position, and not for the sake of Jesus. Just recently I read an article by a music evangelist who apparently suffers from the same problem, because he talked on an on about how important it was for people to "sing at the top of your voices as loud as you can" if they really wanted to be blessed.
How absurd!
Singing during times of revival will ultimately point directly toward Jesus Christ -- not "loudness!" -- but rather, Who He is, What He has done, What He offers, How one can know Him personally, and How one can walk with Him -- and talk with Him -- daily. The main topic of our music should be the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m not sure who they’re singing about in much of the so-called Christian music today.
4. Music that revives us Will Major on Both Praise and Confession. If the right kind of music is used in times of revival, the people will praise and exalt the Lord, and in doing so, will be drawn to see their need for God's mercy and forgiveness. The word "confession" means "to agree with" or "to say the same thing". You will rarely praise someone with whom you disagree, and you will seldom disagree with someone whom you praise. Confession and praise are inseparable.
So it is with God; you cannot praise Him without confessing -- agreeing with Him -- whatever the Holy Spirit brings to the surface, and you will never confess and repent without that confession resulting in praising Him. The kind of music, then, that can both generate revival and emanate from revival is music that focuses on praise and confession. It is no accident that, by the Holy Spirit's editorial skills, the last seven final Psalms in the Book of Psalms are songs pf praise and thanksgiving.
" I will sing a new song to You, O God; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, Who gives salvation to kings, Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword." (Ps 144:9-10).
" I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever." (Ps 145:1-2)
"Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being." (Ps 146:1-2)
"Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant and praise is becoming. . . . Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite." (Ps 147:1,5)
"Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created." (Ps 148:1-5)
" Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre. For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, . . ." (Ps 149:1-6)
"Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!" (Ps 150:1-6)
Yes, when you examine music of revivals, it will inevitably be music of praise and/or confession.
5. Music that revives us Will Motivate Us To Obedience. One of the major characteristics of revivals is that people are motivated to respond to the Holy Spirit's prompting in some way. Often it is a song that serves as the "trigger" to release obedience. I think of many songs that have been used in revival to cause us to obey. They can be found in every era of Christian music, and in every genre'. For example, "I Will Serve Thee", "Trust and Obey", "Song For The Nations", "Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow", "So Send I You", "I Surrender All", "Oceans", "Available", etc.
Here's the point: -- if a song is used to draw you closer into Christ, then it can also send you out with the good news of Christ. If a song is used to convict you of some sin, it can also be used to cause you to repent. I personally think that any work of the Holy Spirit that does not result in some kind of obedient response has a flaw of some kind. Either the work of the Holy Spirit was not real but was the work of the flesh, or you were not really changed.
6. Music that revives us Will Touch the Hearts of those who are listening. There are always three individuals involved in music that revives -- The Holy Spirit, the one singing, and the one listening. You and I have probably both sung and heard great songs of revival in various styles and in numerous settings. The indicator of a song's impact is its the response of the listener. Any Christian music that doesn't trigger a positive response of some kind exposes a problem -- two problems, in fact. Either the music is not being shared in the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit, or the one/s listening is/are resisting what God is trying to do.
As I have been thinking about and writing today's letter, it has occurred to me that music that is used during times of great revival actually serves a dual purpose. In a sense, it has a "priestly" role in that such music causes us to "stand before the Lord" in praise, adoration, and worship. Two scriptures illustrate that purpose:
"Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the LORD; . . ." (Gen 19:27)
"So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the LORD.'' (Lev 9:5)
Those are the moments we are most prone to remember -- those times when music brought us into the Lord's presence to do nothing more than just worship Him. God had inspired others before us and beside us to write such songs that helped break down the barriers we felt stood between us and the Lord. We found ourselves, instead, in His presence -- songs such as, . . .
"O, come into the King's chamber
And worship before His throne.
O, come into the King's chamber,
And His glories shall be shown.
O, come into His holy presence,
And magnify His name.
O, come into the King's chamber,
You will never be the same."
Or . . .
"This is holy ground; we're standing on holy ground.
For The Lord Is Here, And Where He Is Is Holy.
This Is Holy Ground, We’re Standing On Holy Ground.
For The Lord Is Here, And Where He Is Is Holy."
In churches I pastored, we often sang those two songs, followed by . . .
"We are standing on holy ground.
And I know that there are angels all around.
Let us praise Jesus now,
For we are standing in His presence on holy ground."
When one is drawn by the Holy Spirit into a sense of being in God's presence, it not only brings one into a posture of genuine worship, but such music also takes on something of a prophet's role in which the music speaks to us from God Himself. A priest stands before God in behalf of the people, but a prophet stands before the people in God's behalf. As such, music -- especially during times of revival -- also does a powerful work in the life of the believer. For example, . . .
1) It will bring a sense of Conviction to our hearts regarding something we need to address -- perhaps some sin, some broken relationship, or some kind of action we need to take. Also, . . .
2) It will motivate us to a new level of Commitment. It will not be an "I will try harder" for the Lord decision, but rather, "I surrender more fully" before the Lord.
3) It will move us to a greater depth of Consecration. In other words, we will experience a stronger awareness of being set aside exclusively for God and living a life of deeper purity and holiness. (Sanctification, Consecration, and Holiness refer essentially to the same thing.) It is not what we can do for God, but what God will do to us -- if we yield to Him.
4) It will draw us into richer times of personal Communion. God's presence and "realness" will become more immediate and more intimate. He will not seem so "distant" to us, but we will be aware of His reality and his nearness to us.
5) It will offer us assurances of His personal Comfort. The music will sooth our troubled spirits and bring us assurance of His love and the refreshing relief that He is comforting us with His "everything will be alright" words to our innermost being. He will speak peace to our souls.
Finally, . . .
7. Music that revives us will be sung from within our spirits to the Lord, and into our spirits by the Lord. One of the greatest evidences of God's presence will be an internal evidence -- and that more often than not shows strongest in our singing. It's not so much "what" we are singing, but "how" and "why" we are singing. How is the music being reflected in us? Is the music affecting our feet, -- our hands, -- our feelings, -- or our spirits? Is the music coming from our spirits, -- or is it coming from our emotions, or attitudes -- or our bodies?
For me personally, this is one of the more troubling characteristics of today's church -- W-A-Y T-O-O M-U-C-H of what we do is not in the slightest spiritual in nature. It focuses too much on "doing", on "thinking" or on "feeling" something. It is "soulish" in nature instead of being truly spiritual. That fact doesn't make me mad, but it surely makes me sad. I wonder how many people settle for -- especially in times of great revival -- settling for simply being physically animated or emotionally stimulated, and go away thinking that they had a genuine spiritual moment with God.
Music that revives us will focus on "all of the above" that we've already considered, and if we are moved emotionally to tears, joy, or laughter, or if we are moved to clap our hands, tap our feet, dance, or lift our hands, those will all be preceded by how God touched our innermost being first. And, when we are so touched by the Holy Spirit, then our spirits want to express that touch through our minds, our feelings, and our bodies -- but NOT the other way around.
One of the saddest conditions of many of today's churches is soulishness -- and their thinking it is spiritual. It should not be that way, but we are so inoculated with settling for the world's and flesh's view of worship and revival that we seldom see the difference.
A church that is experiencing real revival will have vibrant music -- especially singing -- in it! A revived church cannot keep from singing. And you can tell whether or not it has experienced true revival by listening to its singing. When the Lord is atmospherically present, people sing. They can do nothing less.
FINALLY:
Many years ago, thanks to a good friend, Joel Ragains, I learned the biblical pattern for congregational worship. I have shared it before in my letters. It is particularly true when it comes to worship during times of revival. It is found in Psalm 100: . . .
"Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. (Ps 100:1-5).
Perhaps you could use the following progression that leads us into God's presence:
1. Celebration -- telling each other how awesome God is. Eventually you'll shift your focus to God with . . .
2. Thanksgiving -- thanking God for everything He has done. But, eventually you'll move on to . . .
3. Praise -- adoring Him for Who He is. This will lead you into . . .
4. Intimate worship -- coming into His presence just to bow down and worship Him.
I don't know what you think about Christian music, and I hope I've not been too detailed in today's letter. But, I do not know of a single time of spiritual awakening and revival that was not accompanied by this wonderful gift from God -- music. It is one of the best means God uses to revive us and bring us back to new spiritual life.
One of my favorite "songs" is Psalm 40. God radically changed my life with this song during my sophomore year in college at Grand Canyon College.
"I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD." (Psalm 40:1-3).
This is what God does in times of revival -- He sets us to singing.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
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Copyright June, 2023
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
If this letter has blessed you, feel free to forward it or copy from it, with proper credits, to any and all you wish.