Make a Joyful Noise

Music has been around since the dawn of time.

As God created the universe, an angelic choir sang praises and shouted for joy (Job 38:4-7). Early humans invented string and wind  instruments like the lyre and pipe (Gen. 4:21). And the young shepherd David was skilled at playing the lyre (1 Sam. 16:16).

Whenever God’s people made pilgrimage to Jerusalem, they sang (Pss. 120-34). A whole book of the Bible is an ancient song book (Psalms). Another is a love song (Song of Solomon). And yet another is a funeral song (Lamentations).

In the New Testament, we hear Jesus and His disciples singing a hymn right before His betrayal and arrest (Matt. 26:30). Paul urges the church to sing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16). And best of all, heaven will be full of joyful music and songs of victory forever (Rev. 5:8-14).

The April edition of our church newsletter is hot off the press and all about music and worship. You can pick up a copy during our worship service this morning, or click here to subscribe to our online edition. We hope you enjoy it, and that it inspires you to make a joyful noise to the Lord (Ps. 95:1)!

 Photo credit: anitakhart

Take a look in the mirror

Mirrors are an everyday part of life. We have them in our bedrooms, bathrooms, purses, and cars. They're in homes, offices, schools, and restaurants. Some are to help us with grooming and appearance. Others are for safety, or to add light, or to give the illusion that a room is bigger than it actually is.

It doesn't hurt to do a quick check in the mirror from time to time and make sure everything's OK (no broccoli in the teeth, please!). But whenever we prepare to worship God, and particularly when we prepare for the Lord’s Table, it's essential to look in a mirror. Not just a physical mirror out of concern for what others might think of our outward appearance. But a spiritual mirror out of a concern for what God will see at our inward appearance.

This is precisely what Paul has in mind in 1 Corinthians 11:28. "So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup." This speaks of a critical examination, a careful inspection, or putting to the test. The Puritan Thomas Watson describes it this way:

It is the setting up a court of conscience and keeping a register there that by a strict scrutiny a man may see how matters stand between God and his soul. It is a spiritual inquisition, a heart-anatomy, whereby a man takes his heart in pieces, as a watch, and sees what is defective therein. It is a dialogue with one's self.

A couple weeks ago, in my sermon on 1 Corinthians 11:27-34, I gave three suggestions of how you might go about self-examination. Why not use one of these methods in preparation for Sunday, or before the next time you take the Lord's Supper?

1. A five-point inspection. Mark 12:30–31 says "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these." Do an inspection in each of these areas of your life:

• Heart (my inner life, choices, emotions, words)
• Soul (my spiritual disciplines, walk with God)
• Mind (my thought life, dreams, hopes, goals)
• Strength (my body, including stewardship of my time, talents, treasure)
• Neighbor (family, church, coworkers, friends, enemies)

2. A Bible passage. Pick a passage of Scripture and do a thorough inventory of your life. Do you meet up to God's standard of holiness? Where are you falling short?

• Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
• Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)
• A Description of the Godly (Psalm 15)
• Qualifications of a Church Leader (1 Timothy 3)
• Criteria for a Widow Indeed (1 Timothy 5:9-10)
• An Excellent Wife (Proverbs 31)
• Wisdom from Above (James 3:13-18)
• Characteristics of Love (1 Corinthians 13)
• The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10)

3. A personal list. Use a list from a man or woman of God who has walked with God in times past. For a fresh approach to self-examination, meditate on Jonathan Edwards' 70 Resolutions, or use these questions, found in George Whitfield's diary. He would ask them of himself at the close of each day.

Have I...

• been fervent in private prayer?
• used set hours of prayer? (1 hour in morning, 1 hour at noon, and 1 hour in the evening)?
• used spontaneous outburst of prayer in supplication, intercession, praise and thanksgiving every hour?
• after or before every deliberate conversation or action, considered how it might lead to God’s glory?
• after enjoying any pleasure, immediately given thanks?
• planned my day so as to not waste time?
• been responsible and thoughtful in everything?
• been zealous in my work and active in doing what good I could?
• been meek, cheerful, gracious in everything I said or did?
• been proud, vain, impure, or jealous of others?
• thoughtful in eating and drinking? thankful? self-controlled
• taken time for giving thanks (according to Law’s rules)?
• been diligent in studies?
• thought or spoken unkindly to anyone?
• confessed all sins?

While I do check my heart regularly and seek to heed the Spirit's conviction in my life, I must confess I've never looked in the mirror with this kind of systematic approach before. But I look forward to using these methods more in the future.

What method do you use for self-examination? Feel free to leave a note below.

Photo credit: Rairen

New Hymns album streaming for free

For a limited time, you can listen to the entire Hymns III album by the band Page CXVI. Enjoy!

Kids worship CDs

Last week in our parenting class, I mentioned a couple great resources for children’s music. Here’s some more information:

1. Seeds Family Worship

Seeds Family Worship was planted when worship leader Jason Houser was asked to write some songs to help kids remember the verses from his church’s summer Bible school. Jason began writing songs and singing them for the kids and families at church. The songs were well-crafted, catchy, and taken straight from scripture. Families liked them. . . a lot.

From just a handful of songs, Seeds Family Worship was planted – providing God’s Word set to music for thousands of families all over the world. We are gladdened by stories of worship times at home, scripture memorized, and object lessons taught using Seeds songs. The fifth Seeds Family Worship album – The Power of Encouragement – has just released. In total, Seeds has grown to 58 portions of scripture set to music!

You can stream and sample some of the songs online for free. You can purchase their CDs (there are 5 of them) here. And thanks to the Girl Talk blog, you can download one of their songs for free. (All this info was cut and paste from Justin Taylor’s blog, Between Two Worlds)

2. Sovereign Grace Music

Sometimes, kids songs can get annoying, being endlessly played in the car or at home. But I find these songs enjoyable for a long time, even after several repeated listenings.

Sovereign Grace currently has two kids albums out right now. Click to learn more about their Awesome God album or the To Be Like Jesus album (which highlights a different fruit of the Spirit in each song).

They are just finishing up a third album, “Walking with the Wise.” Bob Kauflin writes, “First, a little info. As the title suggests, this album will be 13 songs based on the book of Proverbs, with titles like Lazy Bones, A Cheerful Heart, To Tell the Truth, and Trust in the Lord. We try to aim our kids’ albums at  a 6-10 year old audience, although we’ve been told that older and younger children, and even parents, enjoy them, too. Since we’re aware that not every 6-10 year old who will be singing these songs has actually trusted in Christ and turned from their sins, most of the songs are more instructional in nature and are meant to teach truth as well as express a heart to follow the Lord. We also try to weave in the centrality of Christ and the gospel so that the songs don’t end up simply encouraging a moralistic response. You know, “Just do the right things and you’ll be a Christian.”

If you join their Facebook fan page, sometimes you get free downloads and sneak peaks of new Sovereign Grace albums.

A special event for Yucca Valley graduates

The following article appeared in today's Hi Desert Star. As a member of our local Pastors Fellowship, I have been honored to support and be part of this service the past few years.

Everyone is invited, and I encourage you to attend. This year, one of our own church families will be having a graduating senior. We are praying this will be a great opportunity to praise the Lord and honor our local graduates.

YUCCA VALLEY - Graduating seniors from Yucca Valley area high schools and their families are invited to attend  a baccalaureate ceremony at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Yucca Valley High School multipurpose room.

Graduates should arrive by 3:45 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Basin Wide Evangelical Ministerial Fellowship and organized by the 2010 Baccalaureate Committee.

The baccalaureate is a Christ-centered celebration to honor the graduating seniors and their hard work, commitment and accomplishments throughout their high school careers.

Dress is nice casual and a dessert reception will follow the ceremony.
Music will be provided by a youth worship team consisting of several graduating seniors.

The main speaker will be 1977 Yucca Valley High School graduate and athletic star Shawn Nelson. Currently city manager for Temecula, Nelson will focus his message around two main points: live a significant life and don't lose heart.

The Yucca Valley High School New Life Club, Yucca Valley EV Free Church, Hi-Desert Star, Copper Mountain Broadcasting and Z107.7 have provided support for the event.

Are hymns still relevant in our worship?

Some songs are composed in a sudden gush of inspiration. But others spring from a deep well of personal experience. The song “Abide with Me” is one of those. It was written by an Anglican pastor named Henry Lyte who knew what it means to abide with Jesus in life’s darkest moments.

For almost 25 years, Lyte had pastored the blue collar sailor families of Devonshire, England, in spite of his poor health. Finally, his tuberculosis and other ailments became intolerable, and doctors instructed him to move to a milder climate. In 1847, Lyte prepared for his final sermon. Some friends begged him not to preach, warning that his health was simply too poor. But on September 4, 1847, with the help of his parishioners, Henry Lyte ascended to his pulpit for the last time.

As Lyte stood, he said, “Oh, brethren, I stand here before you today, as alive from the dead, if I may hope to impress upon you and get you to prepare for that solemn hour which must come to all. I plead with you to become acquainted with the changeless Christ and His death.” As the sermon concluded, amid great tears, Lyte celebrated one final communion with his flock, and then left for France where he died from a seizure soon after.

During those final days in Devonshire, Lyte wrote one of our most treasured hymns, “Abide with Me.” It was composed by a man who knew the shortness of life, the pain of suffering, and the comfort of Jesus Christ. The final verse is a wonderful prayer of hope: “Hold Thou Thy word before my closing eyes. Shine thru the gloom and point me to the skies; heav’n’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee—In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.”

Stained by blood, sweat, and tears, such hymns have withstood the test of time and are still worthy of our worship services today. A band called Page CXVI (‘one-sixteen’) is arranging these great hymns of the faith into a fresh, new style for a younger generation. We invite you to hear their music at First Southern Baptist on Friday, May 14. Our free BBQ begins at 6 pm. Please join us.

This article first appeared as a Minister's Message in our local newspaper, the Hi Desert Star.

Photo credit: mondays child

Concert promo video

If you haven't seen this yet, here's a promo video for our Spring Concert on Friday, May 14. A new local band Iam Sailboat will open up the night with a worship set and a few of their own songs. Then, Page CXVI will take the stage. Page CXVI has gotten a lot of well-deserved attention in the past week with the release of their second album. We're privileged to be hosting them live on May 14, starting with a free BBQ at 6 pm. Hope you can join us.

Free album from Page CXVI

This week, you can download for free the entire Hymns I album by the band Page CXVI ('one-sixteen'). Songs include:

• Come Thou Fount
• In Christ Alone
• My Jesus I Love Thee
• When I Survey The Wonderful Cross
• Nothing But the Blood
• Solid Rock
• Joy

Their brand new Hymns II album is also on sale now through their website. The first album was good, but I think I like the second album even better. "How Great Thou Art" has long been one of my favorite songs, and their arrangement beautifully complements the lyrics. Other songs on the second album include:

• Praise to the Lord
• Jesus I Am Resting, Resting
• Rock of Ages
• Abide With Me
• Battle Hymn of the Republic
• Doxology

We're very privileged to have this band playing at our Spring Concert in just a couple weeks, on May 14! If you're in the Yucca Valley or Palm Springs area, we invite you to join us for a great night of music and worship.

Page CXVI new hymn album

Here's an exciting update from the Page CXVI band. (We'll be hosting them at our Spring Concert on May 14, 2010. Hope you can join us!)

We are 1 week away from the release of the new Hymns Album!

This will be the 1st of 4 new Page CXVI hymn albums released over the next 2 years. We are already well into the recording process for the rest of the albums and can’t wait to spread the hymns to churches around the world.

You will be able to purchase the new album on April 27th and pre-order physical copies that will be sent out May 4th. Wholesale orders for your churches bookstore will also be available at a discounted rate through the website as well. All downloads will include the official chord charts with correct CCLI numbers for each song.

If you have friends who have not heard of Page CXVI they will have a chance to download the first hymns album for one week starting April 27th.

Drum roll please. And now for the song list for the new album...

1. How Great Thou Art
2. Praise To The Lord
3. Jesus I Am Resting, Resting
4. Rock Of Ages
5. Abide With Me
6. Battle Hymn Of The Republic
7. Doxology

A big thanks to those who have helped us with this project:

Producer/Engineer - David Wilton
Engineer - Chris Coleman
Mixing Engineer - Jason Lehning
Mastering - Jim DeMain/Yes Master
Page CXVI
Twitter - @PageCXVI

Spring concert - May 14

On Friday, May 14, First Southern Baptist will host a spring concert featuring the band Page CXVI ("one-sixteen"). The night will include free food, music, prizes, chalk art, and a bounce house. It's an outdoor event for the whole family.

Page CXVI is a project to make the great hymns of the faith more accessible and known again. You can listen and download their first Hymns album here. A second album is just about to be released, and I expect some of their new songs will be played at our concert.

Help us spread the word by sharing this post with others, or forwarding it to a friend. We also have a big stack of postcard invitations at the church that you are welcome to take from. Help us reach as many people in our community as possible, and then join us Friday, May 14 for a night to remember.

You can now RSVP on our Facebook event page.

Here's one sample song by Page CXVI:

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Preparing for worship

Several folks have suggested we take the final few minutes before our Sunday service to quietly prepare our hearts for worship. I really like this idea, and here’s why.

Bob Kauflin, in his book Worship Matters, says,

In the Bible, when various people encountered God’s presence, they were never flippant or casual. At Mount Sinai the Israelites ‘were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off’ (Ex. 20:18). Seeing God’s throne, Isaiah cried out, ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’ (Is. 6:5). When John encountered the risen Christ in his vision of heaven, he ‘fell at his feet as though dead’ (Rev. 1:17).

Reverence is essential to worship. Because ‘our God is a consuming fire,’ we are to ‘offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe’ (Heb. 12:28-29).

It’s not natural on Sunday morning to approach the Lord with reverence and awe. We won't do it if we slip in late or let our minds are passive. Sleeping in, rushing about, scarfing down breakfast, getting ourselves and the kids ready, finalizing ministry plans, driving to church. All of these can distract us from approaching the Lord with reverence and awe. I’m convinced that Satan doubles his efforts on Sunday mornings to get us anxious and flustered – anything to keep our minds off Christ.

So, to better prepare our hearts before the Lord, we encourage you starting this Sunday to take the final minutes before our service to focus and quietly prepare yourself for worship. You may find it helpful to open your Bible, bow your head, and use the A-C-T-S method of prayer: A – adoration and praise to God through Christ. C – confession of your sin before Him. T – thanksgiving for who God is, His past acts, and His future promises. S – supplication for the Spirit to bless our worship leaders, our order of service, and all attenders this morning.

So join us this Sunday in the sanctuary. Anticipate the great privilege we have of encountering God’s presence. Please do enjoy great fellowship with your church family before and after the service. But at 10:25, let’s all do our best to be in our seats, preparing our hearts to encounter a holy God.

Worship wars

Ed Stetzer has a must-read article on worship. Here's an excerpt:

In many churches where a worship war is brewing or is in outright conflict, one group perceives themselves to be pushing forward toward the next generation (relevance) while another is trying to pull back to a once-honored method (reverence). One group thinks contemporary music or a more casual style will suit the modern generation and appeal more to the lost. Meanwhile the other group thinks all of that is just worldly compromise and, furthermore, arrogant to casually dismiss the styles that have served the church well, in some cases, for hundreds of years.

When either of these scenarios occurs it is usually because we have elevated our preferences to the level of principles. We are "taking a stand" for something important: our own comfort, convenience, and concerns. And all the while we're trying to give God his due or the lost people in the pew it turns out we're really just making worship about us.

He calls for both sides to do a heart check. You can read the whole thing here.

Augustine on God

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) was an early church father and one of the greatest theologians in church history. In his autobiographical work Confessions, he gives this beautiful glimpse into our mysterious and majestic God:

Most high, utterly good, utterly powerful, most omnipotent, most merciful and most just, deeply hidden yet most intimately present, perfection of both beauty and strength, stable and incomprehensible, immutable and yet changing all things, never new, never old, making everything new and 'leading' the proud 'to be old without their knowledge' (Job 9:5); always active, always in repose, gathering to yourself but not in need, supporting and filling and protecting, creating and nurturing and bringing to maturity, searching even though to you nothing is lacking: you love without burning, you are jealous in a way that is free of anxiety, you 'repent' (Gen. 6:6) without pain of regret, you are wrathful and remain tranquil. You will a change without any change in your design. You recover what you find, yet have never lost. Never in any need, you rejoice in your gains (Lk. 15:7); you are never avaricious, yet you require interest (Mt. 25:27). We pay you more than you require so as to make you our debtor, yet who has anything which does not belong to you? (1 Cor. 4:7). You pay off debts, though owing nothing to anyone; you cancel debts and incur no loss. But in these words what have I said, my God, my life, my holy sweetness? What has anyone achieved in words when he speaks of you? Yet woe to those who are silent about you because, though loquacious with verbosity, they have nothing to say. (Confessions, p. 5)

From heaven above to earth I come

Around 1535, the great Reformer Martin Luther wrote a hymn for his five-year-old son, Hans. It was apparently sung during the an­nu­al Christ­mas Eve fes­ti­val at the Lu­ther home. A man (dressed as an an­gel) would descend from a staircase and sing the open­ing verses. Then the child­ren and other guests would greet the heavenly messenger beginning with the verse, “Now let us all, with gladsome cheer.” May these beautiful words draw us to Jesus this Christmas.

From Heaven above to earth I come,
To bear good news to every home;
Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
Whereof I now will say and sing.

To you, this night, is born a Child
Of Mary, chosen mother mild;
This tender Child of lowly birth,
Shall be the joy of all your earth.

’Tis Christ our God, who far on high
Had heard your sad and bitter cry;
Himself will your Salvation be,
Himself from sin will make you free.

He brings those blessings long ago
Prepared by God for all below;
That in His heavenly kingdom blest
You may with us forever rest.

These are the tokens ye shall mark,
The swaddling clothes and manger dark;
There shall ye find the young Child laid,
By Whom the heavens and earth were made.

Now let us all, with gladsome cheer,
Follow the shepherds, and draw near
To see this wondrous Gift of God,
Who hath His own dear Son bestowed.

Give heed, my heart, lift up thine eyes!
What is it in yon manger lies?
Who is this Child, so young and fair?
The blessed Christ Child lieth there!

Welcome to earth, Thou noble Guest,
Through Whom e’en wicked men are blest!
Thou com’st to share our misery,
What can we render, Lord, to Thee!

Ah, Lord, who hast created all,
How hast Thou made Thee weak and small,
To lie upon the coarse dry grass,
The food of humble ox and ass.

Were earth a thousand times as fair,
Beset with gold and jewels rare,
She yet were far too poor to be
A narrow cradle, Lord, for Thee.

For velvets soft and silken stuff
Thou hast but hay and straw so rough,
Whereon Thou King, so rich and great,
As ’twere Thy heaven, art throned in state.

Thus hath it pleased Thee to make plain
The truth to us, poor fools and vain,
That this world’s honor, wealth and might
Are naught and worthless in Thy sight.

Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,
Here in my poor heart’s inmost shrine,
That I may evermore be Thine.

My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep,
I too must sing, with joyful tongue,
That sweetest ancient cradle song.

Glory to God in highest Heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given,
While angels sing, with pious mirth,
A glad New Year to all the earth.