MUSIC




I love music. God loves music. You probably love music. Music can be good, and it can be bad. Just like words: some are good, and some are bad (i.e. curse words). Let's now look at this subject.


-good music-

Psalm 149:1/ Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assemble of the saints.

Psalm 149:3/ Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

Psalm 149:6/ May the praise of God be in their mouths..."


Psalm 150 talks about music as well. Music that brings God glory is good. That is good music. Just as dancing can be a good thing, it can also be bad. Dancing needs to be done with the right intent of the heart, and not with lust and other bad thoughts. God wants us to sing him praises and use music to proclaim your thankfulness.



-bad music-

I listen to Christian music. All types of Christian music: Contemporary, Alternative, Rock, Gospel. I also like Classical music. I don't listen to secular music (worldy music). Now, I am not saying that all of the music played on secular radio stations is bad, but most of it is. It is not so much as the beat of the music, but the words of the music. Music should glorify God.

Colossians 3:16-17/ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

I love this example:
Say I am having a rough day, and I get home from school and turn the radio on. I am depressed enough as it is. I listen to the latest hit Country song. Like most Country music this basically happened: A man's wife leaves him, his dog dies, and he is trying to make a living at a local gas station that can only pay him $2.15 an hour... Pretty depressing, huh? Well, how do you think this song would make me feel when I am pretty aggrivated already at how the day went? It would make me feel depressed and angry... Now how has this music helped and benefitted me? Not a bit.

Music is an influence. It can make you compromise your beliefs if it is bad. If it curses it can influence you to curse. If it talks of sex then it can influence you to think that sex is alright.

When you listen to music you focus on it. So if the music we are listening to is bad then we are focusing on bad things. (see Philippians 4:8)

I had a television, computer, and a radio in my room. The television these days is almost totally trash. Well, I decided that I would take the television out of my room, since it didn't help me. The computer (which I am typing on now) was beneficial. My radio also benefited me, because the Christian music I listened to made me feel a lot better. It is most helpful when I am struggling in life. So, now the only major luxuries that I have in my room is a computer and a radio. Why, did I take the television out of my room? Why do I not listen to secular music?

Hebrews 12:1-3/ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right had of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I throw off the entanglements of this world's desires and clothe myself with godly desires in the hope of living most effectively for God. I use the music I listen to to be a tool to help me in my walk with Christ, and to not be a thorn in my foot.

If you are truly serious about living all for God then you will, without hesitation, throw off the hindrance of worldy music and focus yourself on praises to God. I have done it, and you can too. Believe me, there are all sorts of Christian music. You can replace your secular music with relativly the same beat, but with Christian lyrics. When you give your music to God, then you will be blessed with so much more! It is just a choice you have to make. Do you want your music to be godly, or "tolerable"? I choose godly. What do you choose?