Before looking at the New Testament Scriptures for further analysis of worship-related passages, a concise summary of what we have discussed so far is in order.
First of all, I have established the fact that I am discussing only the corporate worship of God by the Church on the Sabbath. Quite simply, regulations for the Sunday morning worship service.
We have seen that Scripture is very vocal on the issue of how God is to be worshipped, and it is also clear that there are certain required elements of worship which are explicitly defined. There are also circumstances of worship that are not as clearly defined or not defined at all, left to the liberty of any particular body of believers.
Next, we examined nearly every major Old Testament text related to corporate worship and regulations for worship. We have done this in order to establish a basic understanding of the foundation upon which the worship regulations of the New Testament build. We learned that without a proper understanding of the God of the Old Testament, we will never understand Jesus Christ in the New Testament, as they are one in the same and their attributes and desires never change.
Finally, we studied why it is not only acceptable, but preferred, to use the Book of Psalms as the sole source of all worship to God. We know this because they contain the very Words of God Himself and also cover the entire spectrum of human emotions. There is no modern worship song capable of being written by a mere human being today that could ever speak to one's heart with the same amount of relevance and sincerity as the songs contained within the Book of Psalms.
Now then, as we approach the New Testament, a few theological implications must first be addressed and understood.
First of all, at the time of Jesus Christ´s arrival as the Messiah of Israel, the Jewish people had all but rejected the proper ways of not only worshipping the Lord, but also in obeying His Law. They had become, generally speaking, apostate as a people.
Through constant occupation, exile, and further occupation, the Israelites had lost much of the faith and hope they previously had in their Lord to save and protect them. They twisted the Law through their self-righteous oral law and became hypocritical in an attempt to be justified through the works of the Law (rather than through faith, as their father´s Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David).
Throughout the Old Testament, we read of the future hope the Jews had in their salvation. Despite what the classic dispensationalists erroneously claim, Israel´s hope and salvation did not center around their temporal freedom from slavery in Egypt, but rather in a spiritual/eternal salvation from God through the promised seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18), in whom they were justified by a faith leading to good works (Galatians 3:24; James 2:21). This seed, of course, is Jesus Christ, who is called "the Son of Abraham" in the very first verse of the New Testament.
It is simply a matter of Scriptural fact that the Israelites of the Old Testament looked forward to a future glorification and spiritual salvation from God´s wrath in eternity, just as Christians do (Hab 1:12; Exo 3:6; Matt 22:23-32; Luke 20:27-38; Matt 8:11; 27:52-53; Deut 33:3; Gen 47:9; 49:18; Num 23:10; Psa 34:21-22; 69:28; 73:16-17; 55:22-23; 30:5; 97:10; 112:6; 116:15; 39:5-6,12; 103:17; 102:25-28; Prov 10:7; Isa 51:6; Heb 11:9-10; 13-16; Acts 3:25; 7:5; 15:8; Ezek 28:10; 31:18; 32:19; Job 13:15; 19:25-27; Isa 66:22-24; Dan 12:1-2).
It is the clear teaching of Scripture that the Jews of the Old Testament and the Christians of the New Testament are all one, in Christ. Everyone who is a believer and justified by faith is no different than Abraham or any of the other Old Testament saints who were living according to the hope they had in the promised seed who would crush Satan (Genesis 3:15), and ring in the new age of God´s grace as fully revealed in the New Covenant.
This might leave some of us to wonder, "œThen what is so new about the New Covenant?" This is a wonderful question with a wonderful answer. The best place to see this outlined is in Hebrews 8. The author of Hebrews is establishing the significance of the New Covenant as compared to the Old Covenant in this chapter:
8:11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, "˜Know the Lord,´
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
This is one of the most confused portions of Hebrews. We know that, based on the teaching of the Old Testament, there was never any kind of "teaching" going on where people would go up to others and say "Hey you! Know the Lord!" So then, what is this verse referring to? This is, in fact, a basic tenet of the entire purpose of the New Covenant and why it is a more glorious covenant than the Old Covenant (2 Corinthians 3).
In the Old Covenant, the believers (those of faith like Abraham) did not personally know the Lord in the way we can through Christ revealed.
They were not presented with the capability of having a personal relationship with Him, nor could they look to Him and see how He acts or thinks. Of course, they had the Law of Moses to point them to the life which Christ would lead, but they were not able to witness Christ in the midst of persecution, trial, and ministry as we can today through the testimony of the early Church and the gospels.
God was, in many respects, a mystery to the Old Testament believers. The only tangible relationship they had with the Lord was in the form of the ceremonial and sacrificial ordinances of the Mosaic Law. Since we are now aware that the ordinances of animal sacrifice, instrumental praise, incense and burnt offerings, grain offerings, and even the Mosaic Law itself were "shadows" of Christ (Hebrews 8:5; 10:1), pointing to the life and work of Christ that would be fulfilled through his life, death, and resurrection, "once for all" at "œthe end of the age" (Romans 6:10; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 7:27; 9:12,26; 10:1,10; Jude 3), for all of God's people whether Jew or Gentile, we can come to a proper conclusion about what this passage is trying to teach us.
Through the coming of Christ and His ministry as our High priest (and now King through His Great Commission [Matthew 28:18-20] mandate to plunder the kingdom of satan with His gospel [cg. Matthew 12:29]), these ceremonial ordinances have no value any longer, for all New Covenant believers can truly know the Lord. We can have a deep and personal relationship with God almighty through our Mediator Jesus Christ, who has finally been revealed to us in the flesh, conquering death and Sin once for all.
We can see, in Jesus´ life, death, and resurrection, what it means to live a life of perfect obedience to God, even to the point of death. We can see what it really means to have faith, according to God's design. We see the great pain and suffering which Christ endured for the forgiveness of our sins through His purposeful Atonement. In effect, we no longer need to teach one another to "know the Lord" because we can now see the Lord our God, through Jesus Christ, our Mediator.
Christ is the perfect fulfillment of all the "shadows" of the Old Covenant Law, giving us a complete picture of God and His gracious covenant with us, as His chosen people; the Israel of God. From little children in the church to old men, we may all, through Christ, know the Lord. There is no longer a rigid, cold relationship with God through ordinances and sacrifices. Now there is a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This is the better promise of the better covenant, not a new type of salvation.
The author of Hebrews continues:
8:12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more."
It should not need mentioning that all true Old Covenant believers, along with all true New Covenant believers, shared in the forgiveness of sins and absolution through the atonement of Jesus Christ, our perfect High Priest and King. This is, then, nothing new in the New Covenant.
Finally, the last verse of chapter eight in Hebrews makes the "newness" of the New Covenant, as being related to the ordinances and worship of the believers within the covenant, quite clear:
8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
The Temple worship and its sacrificial ordinances are ready to "vanish away." This occurs with a sense of finality in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, God's final judgment against rebellious Israel. While many Jews perished in their rebellion against both the Lord in crucifying their Messiah and the oppressive Roman occupation, the followers of Jesus Christ escaped and were spared, per His instructions (Matthew 24). The new ways of worship in the New Covenant are coming into full effect and realization, causing the Old Covenant ways to "vanish away." It is the end of the Old Covenant age and the beginning of the New Covenant age.
We can clearly see that the new aspect of the New Covenant, as presented in the epistle to the Hebrews, is largely related to the worship and observation of the covenant community (i.e. the Church), not the inward spiritual condition of the true believers within the covenant community, as that has remained the same. Paul tells us this fact in Galatians 3:9 quite plainly:
9 Â So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Keeping all of this in mind, it is now possible to examine the Scriptural texts within the New Testament that speak of worship and how it is to be done within the New Covenant Church. We can hopefully accomplish this by studying them in their proper context and with clear understanding.
Matthew 4:10
4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "œBe gone, Satan! For it is written, "œ"˜You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.´"
This simple text shows us clearly that Christ did in fact command us to worship the Lord with His coming. Nothing has changed. God is to be worshipped as Lord and we are to serve Him alone, not ourselves and our own interests. Neither should we attempt to serve other people or their interests, unless it is done in the proper context of Christian love and under a banner of truth, for our God is a Jealous God.
Matthew 15:3-9
15:3Â He answered them, "œAnd why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
4 Â For God commanded, "˜Honor your father and your mother,´ and, "˜Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.´
5 Â But you say, "˜If anyone tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God,
6 he need not honor his father.´ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
7Â You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 "œ"˜This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9Â in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.´"
Jesus makes a very important point for us in this discourse. Very often, we have the tendency to forsake the commandments and statutes of the Lord for the sake of our own traditions, teaching and defending them as if they were the very commandments of God. We can easily "œmake void the word of God" for the sake of our traditions, Jesus warns us. Unless our heart is truly focused on the Lord, our worship is meaningless. Our "œgood intentions" are really not "œgood enough" for God, as He is the one who judges if our intentions are truly good (Proverbs 16:2; Hebrews 4:12), based on His Word and our reverence for Him. The Bible clearly teaches us that the intentions of our heart is always that of evil, by nature (Genesis 6:5; 8:21). Only through submission to God´s commandments are we capable of doing anything proper in His sight; and even this is through the righteousness of Christ, and not ourselves.
John 4:21-26
4:21 Â Jesus said to her, "œWoman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
22Â You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
23Â But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
24Â God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
25Â The woman said to him, "œI know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things."
26Â Jesus said to her, "œI who speak to you am he."
Jesus, in His conversation with the woman at the well, tells us much about worship in the New Covenant. First of all, He rightly prophecies that a time is coming when Jerusalem will no longer be the place of worship to God, for God´s people will be found in all the nations of the earth and the Temple will be destroyed within a generation of their conversation. Secondly, God desires us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. How can we worship God in truth unless we worship Him through His own Word, which is the only truth without mixture of error on all matters of faith and righteousness?
Matthew 26:30
26:30 After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
After the Lord´s Supper was instituted, they sang a hymn (Psalm 113-118, the "œHallel") together a cappella. Christ preached the Word in this setting and they prayed together, as well. This was no less than an institution of how New Covenant worship was to be conducted, in its most basic form. Christ has shown us that the ways of worshipping in the synagogues has not changed with any significance. However, His sacrifice has made the Lord's Supper a new facet of our worship together as believers in Him, replacing the Passover celebration. They did not bring flutes or harps to this worship setting because they were not sacrificing animals.
Romans 12:1-2
12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
If we can now recall the single word definition of worship given earlier in this treatise ("Obedience"), here we see the justification of such a definition. Our very bodies are to be presented to God as worship - as living sacrifices - through the conforming of our will and mind to that of the Lord´s. We do this through obedience to His Word and commandments. True worship of God in the New Covenant is centered around discerning and obeying the will of God, doing "œwhat is good and acceptable and perfect" in His sight. Obedience.
When our churches begin to change the way we worship, for the sake of attracting a crowd or enticing unbelievers to come be a part of our services, we are most assuredly not seeking to do what is "good and acceptable and perfect" in the Lord's sight. We are letting the world and its cultural changes dictate how we conduct our worship services, rather than conforming to the will of God, and seeking to change the world. We are letting the unbelievers change the Church rather than having the Church change the unbelievers.
The worship of God in His Church is something that is to be taken seriously and treated with a great deal of reverence. Rather than violating the commandments of God to entice crowds of unbelievers to come into our churches, we should be going out into the world and fulfilling the Great Commission as our Lord and Savior intended. We should be building relationships with unbelievers, proclaiming the truth of the gospel to everyone we encounter, and praying for the lifting of the veil from the eyes of the unsaved everywhere. This is our mandate and mission as the Christian Church, not changing the Church in order to cop out of doing the hard work the Lord commanded us to do.
1 Corinthians 14:15,26
14:15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
We learn from Paul here that under the New Covenant administration, the key emphasis in worship is edification; that is, teaching one another and building one another up through what is being done in worship. Singing for worship is mentioned (Psalms being the content of what is sung), but there is no mention of using instruments at all.
The focus and emphasis of Paul in regards to worship is edification and understanding. God does not want us to worship Him in an unintelligible way. How is a person being edified and built up in the Lord through listening to instruments? There is no doctrinal or practical content to music. It cannot edify us or teach us the ways of the Lord, nor can it bring us closer together as a congregation, apart from doing so in a new age, existential manner, where we are merely emotionally affected by the music being played. This is not the way we are taught to worship; it is not about our feelings or emotions, which are unstable and unreliable. It is about Truth, edification, and giving all of the glory to our God through simple obedience.
Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
These are some of the most blatantly positive institutions found in the New Testament regarding worshipping the Lord with song, and absolutely nothing is said pertaining to the use of instruments. Nothing. It is simply not found in the New Testament. It is highly significant there is no mention whatsoever of instruments being used in worship under the New Covenant, whereas, throughout the descriptions of Temple worship under the Old Covenant, there is much mention of their use during sacrifice alone.
We read in these verses that we are to make melody with "our heart to the Lord", not with instruments. The joy of our salvation contained within our hearts is our music to the Lord. We do not need instruments to speak for us, for the grace of God's salvation is sufficient to make a beautiful song of praise.
The Greek word psalmos has been said by some to always be defined "œto pluck an instrument." However, this simple reduction of a word does not hold up when we see it used throughout Holy Scripture, especially in the Greek Septuagint when it is sometimes used with a qualification following that states "œwith instruments" and other times "œwithout instruments". Why use a word that means to sing "with instruments" and then redundantly proclaim "with instruments" again? Or, even more strange, why use a word that means to sing "with instruments" and then qualify that with "without instruments?"
Simple reductions of Greek words to their root does not always yield results that are accurate. In fact, just as equal a definition of the word is "a pious song, psalm." In the context of Ephesians and Colossians, that is the obvious interpretation, and every English Bible translation has made that clear through their rendering of the word.
Many, when reading these verses which say to sing "œpsalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" come to the conclusion that we are to sing psalms from the Book of Psalms, hymns from the Baptist Hymnal, and praise choruses and other contemporary songs from any given Christian source.
Pause for a moment and think about that conclusion.
Am I the only one laughing? I would hope not, for such a ridiculous form of eisogesis not only holds in contempt the authority of Scripture but insults the intelligence of believers everywhere.
The Holy Scriptures were not, despite popular belief (at least based on practice in recent years), written in the United States of America a few years ago!
The Bible was written by various authors, at various historical times, from various historical places, with various cultural traditions, and various meanings for words and phrases we now have different understandings of and meanings for.
The only way we can have a prayer to understand the Bible with any significance is to read it within a proper context. Not only must we look at any given verse´s immediate context, but also the context of that verse within the entire "œbook" of the Bible, the context of that book within the Testament in which it is found, and the context of that verse within the entirety of Holy Scripture. On top of all of this, we must, in some cases, make use of the original languages in which Scripture was written, so as to understand a deeper or more clear meaning behind particular verses. Finally, we must also take into consideration the time in history when the verse and "œbook" were written.
With all of this in mind, what exactly is meant by Paul when he writes "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs?" This is, surprisingly, easier to understand than it might seem.
First of all, we must come to grips with the fact that the common "œBible" of all Greek-speaking Jews at this time (of which Paul of Tarsus was one) was the Septuagint (or "œLXX" for short). The LXX was the 3rd century B.C. translation of the Old Testament and deuterocanonical books from Hebrew into Greek. The LXX is quoted more often than the Hebrew Old Testament by the authors of the New Testament, especially by Paul. We know this is true, because there are many discernable and easily noticable grammatical differences between the LXX and the Hebrew Old Testament (but no major or significant departures in content or theology).
This has all been mentioned in order to say this: In the LXX translation of the Old Testament, the very translation both Paul and Jesus Christ quoted and taught from on a regular basis, the Book of Psalms contains three primary descriptions for any given psalm within the book; that is, the titles of psalm, hymn, and song. Some Psalms are even prefaced with more than one of these terms, and, in fact, some are prefaced with all three! Psalm 76 in the LXX is prefaced with:
"For the end, among the Hymns, A Psalm for Asaph; a Song for the Assyrian".
Even in our English translations of Scripture, we can see this taking place. For example, Psalm 108 contains the preface:
"A Song. A Psalm of David."
The fact of the matter is, these terms are used to describe different types of worship songs found within the Book of Psalms as a whole (which is itself a compilation of five different books of praise songs). A hymn is a type of psalm and song. A psalm is a type of song and can be a hymn. A song can be a hymn, a psalm, or another type of song.
Additionally, it is significant to note that an equally viable and correct rendering of both Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 is, "spiritual psalms, spiritual hymns, and spiritual songs." What is implied here is divine inspiration, not simply songs of a spiritual nature or intention.
Of this matter, Edward Lohse says:
"The adjectival expression "˜prompted by the Spirit´ (pneumatikais) refers materially to all three terms"
Colossians and Philemon, (ET, Philadelphia 1971), p. 151.
Also, R. Schnackenburg says:
"[the adjective pneumatikais] characterises all that the congregation sings as being inspired or produced by the Spirit"
Ephesians (ET, Edinburgh 1991), p. 238.
"¨
Finally, it is also worth mentioning that the usage of the Greek word pneumatikais throughout the New Testament unanimously refers to something as having been originated from the Holy Spirit. There is only one exception found in the New Testament, where the evil spirit of Satan is the spirit of origin being mentioned (Ephesians 6:12).
Philippians 3:2-3
3:2 Â Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
3 For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh
Those who "œworship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus" put "no confidence in the flesh." This means self-righteousness based on one's own piety or good works, which are done in vain. We are justified by faith that produces obedience, not by the works of the Law.
Colossians 2:16-19
2:16 Â Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
17 Â These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
18  Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
19 Â and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
We don´t worship God through asceticism (denying one´s self of any worldly enjoyment for the sake of an enhanced state of spiritual holiness and perfection) or through revering or praising of angels (Revelation 22:9). I am often shocked at the great emphasis on the work of angels and demons in our churches today, with little to no emphasis on the sovereignty of God over all things. What perversion of the truth and blatant disregard for the clear teaching of Scripture this is.
Hebrews 9:1
9:1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.
Since the "œfirst covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness" (the Temple), we can rightfully infer that the current covenant, the New Covenant, has regulations for worship (as we have examined and will continue to examine thoroughly) and "an earthly place of holiness"; that is, the holy universal Church, the body of Christ (cg. Romans 12:1-2).
Hebrews 12:28-29
12:28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
29 Â for our God is a consuming fire.
We are finally seeing the culmination of our journey through Scripture. We read here in this passage in Hebrews that since we have been brought into "œa kingdom that cannot be shaken" (the kingdom of heaven), we are indebted to giving "acceptable worship" to God, "œwith reverence and awe," not with apathy, creativity, or the imaginations of man.
Why are we to worship God in this way, more specifically? Because, "œour God is a consuming fire." I am certain that if Aaron were alive at the time this epistle were written, and he read this verse, a recollection of the death of his two sons, Nahab and Abihu, would slap him squarely in the face.
It should slap us in the face, also, seeing so clearly now that our God has not changed His attitude towards worship, and we have been living in clear rebellion against His commandments for so long in the greater majority of evangelical Christianity.
Hebrews 13:15
13:15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Our praise to God is described as a sacrifice. However, no longer is it a sacrifice with animals, incense, grain offerings, and instruments, but one with our lips in praise. We are told to leave the camp behind (Hebrews 13:13) and no longer worship according to the sacrificial Temple ordinances of the Old Covenant.
Revelation 5:8
5:8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
There is not any clear warrant for the use of instruments in New Covenant worship, aside from this verse in Revelation. Many will claim that here we find a "œheavenly pattern" of worship and living that should be applied to our "œearthly pattern." However, this does not hold up, logically.
For example, we would not be able to marry on earth, as it is not done in heaven. Nor would we be able to conduct civil government on earth, as a Theocracy would be the only valid form of government allowed by God.
We must keep in mind that these are symbolic visions which John is receiving from Jesus Christ. The Church cannot implement practices of heavenly worship into earthly worship without going back to the form of worship done under the abolished Old Covenant in some way, making Christ's sacrifice to be void.
Are we to cast crowns before the Lord? Are we to use lamps? Are we to reconstruct the Temple and the Ark of the Covenant and build a sea of glass? Are we to burn incense before God?
The book of Revelation is a highly symbolic vision never meant to be taken as a pattern for earthly worship. John is the only human saint present in this vision, and he does not participate at all with these acts of "worship" he is describing. If John, being an Apostle, does not participate, neither should we!
Furthermore, if the book of Revelation gives warrant for the use of instruments, we must only be allowed to use the instruments described in the book; that is, harps and trumpets. No organs, pianos, guitars, or any other types of instruments would be allowed.
The book of Revelation used as a pattern for earthly worship would also give warrant to the use of drama in worship, as it is one dramatic presentation after another. The invalidity of such a claim becomes quite apparent when thought all the way through.
To sing the Psalms and read of how, under the Old Covenant, the believers were forced to make sacrifices, offer up incense, dance, use instruments, etc. for worship, we should joy in the fact and reality of the fulfillment of such sacrificial means of worship in Jesus Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. We should also joy in the fact and reality of our complete salvation, in Him. We sing praise to God, making melody with the grace that is in our hearts, not with instruments.
Joy in the New Covenant is not to be based on our circumstances, but on the completeness and assuredness of our Salvation in Christ Jesus.
Worship should come as a natural result from the joy in our hearts, given to us by God as our Savior.
Where is our joy in life? If our Christian joy is based only on circumstances and feelings and specific settings (as in, being free to do whatever we please in what we consider as worship), we will never truly understand the freeness of God´s grace and the joy of our salvation. All things we do should focus on the grace and glory of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. In Him we live, and move, and have our being. He is the beginning and the end. Without keeping a proper focus on His great works and righteousness, we will always be falling short of the truth, being focused on ourselves and, in all respects, living as idol worshippers.
In and through Jesus Christ our Mediator, we have a joy that no person and no circumstance can ever take away! May He receive all the proper praise and glory forever and ever.
Singing is a destraction for me having to hear my own voice, in the privacy of my room, I can give glory from the heart much better with the guitar, not that I'm good at that either, but sounds better than my singing. [/quote]
