Overcoming Sin - Cont.

A Closer Walk With God

Overcoming Sin - Cont.

Having introduced the problem and two ways to help in overcoming sin we will continue by looking at two additional ways to help in our problem. We will start with a third, exercise "self-control". Remember, it becomes sin when we yield to action in fulfilling our sinful desires. If we can control ourselves so as to not yield, then we can overcome sin! How does the Christian exercise self-control? Self-control is but one aspect of the "fruit of the Spirit" - Ga 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." When we become Christians, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives - Ac 2:38 "And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."; 5:32 "And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."' The Spirit is God's instrumental agent by which He imparts strength to us - Ep 3:16 "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,". Strengthened by the Spirit, we are able to "put to death the deeds of the body" - Ro 8: 12-13 "So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." As Paul said: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." - Ph 4:13. It is through faith in God's Word that the Christian believes that he has this divine help - Ep 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,". It is certainly proper to pray for it, as Paul did in behalf of the Ephesians - Ep 3:16 "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,". But equally important, to act upon it, trusting that you are not alone as you try to do God's will - Ph 2:12-13 "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." As an exercise commercial once said: Just do it! The Christian, then, has no excuse for yielding to a temptation - 1 Co 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." But there may be times when we don't take advantage of the strength God provides through His Spirit, and we sin; what then?

Fourth, if necessary, obtain "forgiveness". Remember that sin is victorious when it results in punishment. But if we obtain forgiveness through the blood of Christ, we can avoid that punishment and thereby still overcome sin! - 1 Jn 2:1-2 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." Yes, Christ is truly the "propitiation" for our sins! By His blood, we were forgiven of past sins when united with Him in baptism - Ac 2:38; 22:16; Re 1:5. By His blood, we can be forgiven of present sins when we repent, pray, and confess our sins to God - Ac 8:22; 1 Jn 1:9. At any time the Christian can overcome sins that were committed, by repenting and confessing them to God!

Here are some observations about overcoming sin. If you noticed carefully, you should have seen that at each of the four points in the development of sin, God is able and willing to help us overcome sin!

God helps us to "control our desires" by providing His Word to renew our minds.

God helps us to "limit the opportunities" through His Providence as we pray for such.

God helps us to "exercise self-control" over our actions through His Spirit strengthening the inner man.

God helps us to "obtain forgiveness" through His Son's blood as we repent and pray.

-- Isn't the grace of God wonderful? - 2 Th 3:3 "But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."; 1 Co 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

In this discussion we have concentrated on "sins of commission". That is, sins we commit by overt action on our part. There are also "sins of omission". Sins which come from failing to do what is right - Ja 4:17 "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." Overcoming these sins is similar... Change our desires so we want to do what is right. Exercise self-control so we act as we should when we have the opportunity. When guilty of sins of omission, obtain forgiveness in the same way.

In learning the four points at which we may overcome sin, don't think that we can simply wait until we reach the fourth point to act... That is, to just go ahead and sin, then ask God for forgiveness. There are several reasons why we should not do this:

1) In baptism, we were freed from the power of sin, and should now present ourselves to God as servants of righteousness - see Ro 6:1-23.

2) Though we can receive forgiveness for sin, we might still suffer the "temporal" consequences of sins - Ga 6:7-9 "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

3) If we allow sin to deceive us so as to become "hardened", we may get to the point of sinning "willfully" and lose our salvation! - He 3:12-14 "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end."; 10:26-31 "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." So don't take the grace of God lightly and attempt to abuse it!

How much better it would be to praise God for His grace, and use it to overcome sin in our lives! May the promise found in Ja 1:12 help motivate us to do so:

"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

Some questions to stimulate your thinking.

Are you engaged in a daily Bible study program which will help you develop the proper kind of desires?

Do you "watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation"?

Do you avoid circumstances and companions that you know would entice you to sin?

Do you pray that God will strengthen you "by His Spirit in the inner man"?

Do you ask God daily to forgive your sins, and to help you overcome sin in your life?

Overcoming Sin

A Closer Walk With God

Overcoming Sin

A wonderful blessing we receive when we become Christians is the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. At our baptism, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all past sins. Compare Ac 22:16 "And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'" with Re 1:5 "and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood." This does not mean that our problem with sin is over... We still sin at times - 1 Jn 1:8 "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.", 10 "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Satan does his best to cause us to sin - 1 Pe 5:8 "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." If we are to maintain a close walk with God, and ultimately receive the riches of glory He has prepared for us, we must overcome the problem of sin in two ways:

By sinning less and less - 1 Jn 2:1a "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin."

By knowing what to do when we do sin - 1 Jn 2:1b-2 "But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

This lesson is concerned with helping us see how sin develops, and how to overcome sin with its terrible consequences.

To overcome sin, we need to understand how it develops. The Bible outlines the development of sin in Ja 1:12-15 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. The first stage of sin is temptation. In Ja 1:14 (see above), we see that "temptation" includes two things. First we see desire (some translations say "lust", suggesting a strong desire for something). Then we see enticement (an opportunity and encouragement to satisfy the desire). Putting it in the form of a simple equation: Temptation = Desire + Opportunity. To illustrate: a small boy is tempted to steal some cookies when he wants (desire) them and has an occasion (opportunity) to take them. The temptation becomes stronger if he wants them badly, and has a good chance of getting them without being seen. Note: At this stage in the development of sin, actual sin has not yet been committed. It is not a sin to be "tempted". For Jesus Himself was "tempted as we are, yet without sin" - He 4:15; 2:18.

The second stage is sin itself. "When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin" - Ja 1:15. It becomes sin when we act and yield to the temptation. Thus sin involves the added step of some sort of action on our part. Again, in the form of a simple equation: Sin = Desire + Opportunity + Action.

The third stage involves the consequences of unrepented and unforgiven sin: "Death". "And sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" - Ja 1:15. The "death" spoken here refers to spiritual separation from God. This separation occurs first in this life - Isa 59:2 "but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. If we die physically in this state, then we will experience the "second death", which involves eternal punishment! - Re 21:8 "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."'

Putting all this into a final equation: Desire + Opportunity + Action + No Forgiveness = Death

Let's note some observations about the development of sin. Sin will have overcome us if we receive the "final punishment" of Re 21:8. But we will have overcome sin if we can avoid this punishment and experience the glories God has prepared for His children! How can we be sure to overcome sin? By stopping its development at any one of the four points leading to the final punishment!

Now let's examine how this may be done, how to overcome. First, change our "desires". Since this is where the process of sin begins, it is the best place for us to begin. Bear in mind that it is a part of Christian growth to change our desires - Ro 12:1-2 "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. 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."; Ga 5:24 "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." How do we change our desires? Notice that the Word of God has always been instrumental in helping people overcome sin - Psa 119:11 "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."; Mt 4:3-10 "And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"

To see how the Word of God can change our desires as we read of God's love, longsuffering and mercy, we desire to serve Him - Psa 116:12-14 "What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people." As we read of sin and its damnable consequences, we come to hate it! - Psa 119:104 "Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." So the more we study God's Word, the less likely we will have the desire to sin, thereby beginning to overcome sin by "nipping it in the bud"! But changing our desires takes time; while engaged in the process of changing our desires, what else can we do?

Second, limit our "opportunities". Remember, we are tempted only when there is both desire and opportunity. So while we work on changing our desires, we should limit the opportunities to fulfill wrongful desires. This can be done by asking for God's providential help, as Jesus taught - Mt 6:13 "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."; 26:41 "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."' We can cooperate with God by purposely avoiding situations that might excite wrongful desires like following the example of David - Psa 101:3-4 "I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil." And we can follow the example of Job - Job 31:1 '"I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?" We can cooperate with God by avoiding those whose evil behavior encourages us to sin with them. Again, David sets a good example - Psa 101:6-7 "I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me. No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes." Paul also adds his warning - 1 Co 15:33 "Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."' But we will unlikely remove every desire and opportunity to sin in this life, what then? When we continue this lesson we will look at two more ways we can work to overcome sin.

Growing in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ

A Closer Walk With God

Growing In The Knowledge Of Jesus Christ

An important element in having a closer walk with God is fulfilling the command given by the apostle

Peter in 2 Pe 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." What does it mean to "grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"? How can we be sure that we are growing in this "knowledge"? Peter has defined what is meant to grow in the knowledge of Christ, and his definition is found in 2 Pe 1:2-11. In this lesson, we shall: look more closely at what is involved in "growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ" and consider the reasons why we should desire to grow in this "knowledge".

Let's look at what it means to in the knowledge of Jesus, noting the development of eight graces that Peter writes of in 2 Pe 1:2-11. These "graces" are listed in 2 Pe 1:5-7. Briefly defined, faith is "conviction, strong assurance", virtue is "moral excellence, goodness", knowledge is "correct insight", self-control is "self-discipline", perseverance is "bearing up under trials", godliness is "godly character out of devotion to God", brotherly kindness is "love toward brethren", and love is "active goodwill toward others". Now note carefully 2 Pe 1:8 "For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." We must "abound" in these eight graces. Only then can it be said that we are "growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ" It is more than simply increasing our "intellectual" knowledge of Jesus! Such knowledge has a place, but it is just one of the graces necessary. Peter is talking about growing in a fuller and personal knowledge of Jesus Christ! Which comes by developing the "Christ-like" attributes listed in this passage. The more we grow in these "graces", the more we really "know" Jesus (for He is the perfect personification of these "graces"). That it involves more than intellectual knowledge is also evident from the Greek word used for knowledge in 2 Pe 1:2-3,8. The word is epignosis {ep-ig'-no-sis}, meaning "to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly, to know accurately, know well" (Thayer). Such knowledge comes only as we demonstrate these "Christ-like graces" in our lives.

These graces are in conjunction with each other. Notice the word "add" (or "supply, supplement") in 2 Pe 1:5 "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,". Before each grace mentioned, the word is implied. The word in Greek is epichoregeo {ep-ee-khor-ayg-eh'-o}; "Originally, to found and support a chorus, to lead a choir, to keep in tune"; "Then, to supply or provide". This word suggests the idea of "each grace working in harmony with the others to produce an overall effect". Notice also the preposition "to" (or "in") in 2 Pe 1:5-7. This implies "each grace is to temper and make perfect the grace that goes before it". To illustrate this point:

1) "to knowledge (add) self-control" - the grace of self-control enables one to apply properly the knowledge one has.

2) "to self-control (add) perseverance" - self-control in turn needs the quality of perseverance to be consistent day after day.

Therefore each grace is necessary! They must all be developed in conjunction with each other. We cannot be selective and just pick the ones we like and leave others behind.

Notice the repeated use of the word "diligence" - 2 Pe 1:5,10. It means "earnestness, zeal, sometimes with haste". To grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ requires much effort. We do not "accidentally" or "naturally" develop these graces! If we are not careful, we may be like the teacher in the following illustration:

In his book Folk Psalms of Faith, Ray Stedman tells a story of a woman who had been a school teacher for 25 years. When she heard about a job that would mean a promotion, she applied for the position. However, someone who had been teaching for only one year was hired instead. She went to the principal and asked why. The principal responded, "I'm sorry, but you haven't had 25 years of experience as you claim; you've had only one year's experience 25 times." During that whole time

the teacher had not improved.

We may have been Christians for a number of years; but unless we "add" to our faith these Christ-like qualities with all "diligence", we are simply repeating the first year over and over again!

Is the effort worth it? In the context of this passage (2 Pe 1:2-11) Peter provides five reasons why we

should "give all diligence" to grow in this knowledge of Jesus Christ... Grace and peace are multiplied. Grace and peace are common forms of greeting in the New Testament. Grace - a greeting which requests God's unmerited favor upon the person addressed. Peace - a greeting requesting the natural result of God's favor. Note that these two blessings are "multiplied" in the knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Pe 1:2 "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." All men experience God's favor and its result to some degree - Mt 5:45 "so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." But only in Christ can one enjoy the "fulness" of God's favor and peace - Ep 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,"; Ph 4:6-7 "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" -- If you desire God's grace and peace to be "multiplied" in your life, it is through the knowledge (epignosis) of Jesus Christ; in other words, as you become more like Him!

We note that God provides all things pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge (epignosis) of Him who called us to glory and virtue - 2 Pe 1:3 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,". "Life" in this context refers to our spiritual life and well-being. "Godliness" refers to the pious conduct which comes out of devotion to God. Only as we grow in this knowledge do we enjoy the true, full life available by God's divine power! Which includes "exceedingly great and precious promises" - 2 Pe 1:4a "by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises,". Which enables us to be "partakers of the divine nature" - 2 Pe 1:4b. Which can free us from the "corruption that is in the world through lust" - 2 Pe 1:4c. -- If we desire to have all that God offers related to life and godliness, it comes as we develop the Christ-like character!

Spiritual "myopia" and "amnesia" can be avoided. Our religion is "shortsighted" if we are not growing in the knowledge of Jesus! - 2 Pe 1:9a "For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind,". For what is the ultimate objective of being a Christian? Is it not to become like Christ? - also note Ro 8:29 "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."; Co 3:9-11 "Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." As we have seen, this is what it really means to grow in the knowledge of Christ. Failure to so grow indicates we have forgotten why we were redeemed by the blood of Christ in the first place! - 2 Pe 1:9b "having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins." To have our sins forgiven, yes... But also to become what He wants us to be - like His Son! -- Unless we want to be guilty of forgetfulness and shortsightedness, we need to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Peter says "if you do these things you will never stumble" - 2 Pe 1:10. If you are diligent to make your calling and election sure. If you add to your faith virtue, etc. If you abound in these eight graces. This does not mean we will never sin - 1 Jn 1:8,10 "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." - "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." The word "stumble" in Greek means "to fall into misery, become wretched; for example. the loss of salvation" (Thayer) we will never stumble so as to fall short of our ultimate salvation! -- But this assurance is true only if we are "giving all diligence" to grow in the knowledge of Christ and thereby "making our calling and election sure".

By "making our calling and election sure" there is an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom. This "everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" - 2 Pe 1:11. Is the "heavenly kingdom" referred to by Paul in 2 Ti 4:18 "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen." In other words, the ultimate destiny of the redeemed! What is meant by the idea of an "abundant entrance"? "You may be able to enter, not as having escaped from a shipwreck, or from fire, but as it were in triumph." (Bengel). By possessing the eight graces, we will be able to live victoriously in this life and to joyously anticipate what lies ahead - 2 Ti 4:6-8 "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."

These five reasons should sufficiently motivate us to be diligent in growing in the knowledge of Jesus

Christ. Give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, and have a closer walk with God, by making every effort to add these "graces" to our lives! Or have we forgotten that we were purged from our old sins? We have, if we are apathetic in our desire to grow in these "graces"! If so, we need to repent and pray for forgiveness!

The following are some questions to stimulate your thinking...

Which of these "graces" do you think you have developed best?

In which are you most lacking?

Do you feel you are making progress in the "knowledge of Jesus Christ"?

If not, what can you do to begin making progress?

The Joy of Singing - Cont.

A Closer Walk With God

The Joy Of Singing - Cont.

When done properly, singing can be a wonderful blessing; but how can we get the most out of singing?In order to get more out of our singing we must engage the "mind" as we sing. Remember, singing is "teaching and admonishing one another". This assumes that we understand what we sing. We must be careful that our enjoyment of singing is not like how many people enjoy their popular music (liking the music without necessarily understanding the words). Therefore, give careful attention to the words of the song.

We must also engage the "heart" as we sing. When we sing, we must do so "with grace in our hearts" - Co 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." We must also be "making melody in your heart" - Ep 5:19 "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,". This assumes that we involve our emotions as we sing! To sing without emotion (without grace in our hearts) will be evident in our countenances! - Pro 15:13 "A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed." To sing without emotion is hypocritical, and condemned by Jesus! - Mt 15:7-8 "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;". So as we sing, do so with both the emotions of the heart and the understanding of the mind.

In a further effort to assure that we experience the "joy of singing", consider some questions to evaluate your singing. Do you limit the sphere of your singing? Is your singing limited just to the public assemblies? Or do you utilize opportunities to sing at other times with others, or even alone? Singing, like prayer, ought to be spontaneous, arising whenever the circumstances call for it - Ac 16:25 "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,"; Ps 34:1-3 "I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!"

Is there a lack of emotion in your singing? Remember, singing is to involve the heart. And not with just "some" heart, but as in all that we do for the Lord, with '"all" our hearts! - Mt 22:37 "And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." When it comes time to praise the Lord, it should not be done "halfheartedly". Remember Mt 15:7-9 "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" "It is a great sign of mediocrity to praise always moderately." - Vauvenargues. Not all may be talented in voice, but all can and should bless the Lord with their "whole being"! - Psa 103:1 "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Do you understand what you are singing? Again, singing must also involve the mind. Some songs, though sounding beautiful, can be so complicated as to hinder understanding. The musical arrangement can be such that one spends more time concentrating on the notes rather than the words. The pace of the song can be so fast that we don't absorb the meaning of the words. The words used may be unusual and not understood by the average singer. Song leaders can perform a valuable service by being careful in the songs they select to lead. Carefully introducing songs that may be new to the congregation. Taking a moment to explain the meaning of the song or unusual words in it. But the ultimate responsibility falls on us who sing, so we should make every effort to understand what we are singing.

Do you stress musical harmony to the detriment of New Testament singing? Fortunately, God stresses making melody in our hearts over making harmony with our voices. In a natural desire to offer beautiful praise, do you discourage those who might not have trained voices but still love to praise God with their whole being? I have occasionally seen some Christians give a criticizing look at others who sang "off key". But the emphasis should be on praising God in heart and mind, and not how it may sound to the human ear!

Do you hinder your own singing by where you sit? Sitting alone or spread out naturally discourages many from singing as they might otherwise. People become more involved, are more uplifted, edify others better, when they sit together and close to the song leader. One of the first steps to better singing is to sit with others who love to sing!

Have we lost the joy of singing? I believe that if we could see ourselves as song leaders do, we might be constrained to say "yes"! But I hope that by reminding ourselves of the purpose of singing and how to get more out of it, we might rekindle this act of worship which can do so much for our walk with God! May David's attitude, a man after God's own heart, describe our own: "I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." - Psa 104:33. " Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful." - Ps 147:1.

The following are some questions to stimulate your thinking.

Which is more important when we sing, how we sound or how we feel?

Are we really teaching and admonishing one another in song if we just whisper or mouth the words?

Do we sing because we are happy, or are we happy because we sing?

Do you sing praises to God by yourself throughout the week?

Does your family ever sing spiritual songs together (for example, while traveling in the car)?

Which is more unscriptural, singing with mechanical instruments, or singing without engaging the instrument of the heart?