Come before His presence with singing

Sing like Caruso, like an angel, like a frog;

Like a monotone, a quadrophone, a gramaphone, a megaphone.

Sing like the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, the Vienna Boys Choir, the Oak Ridge

Sing like Elvis, like Garth, like Patti – but sing!

Sing your doctrine:

Sing that the Lord, He is God

Sing that it is He that has made us in His image.

INTERESTING COUNTRY MUSIC TITLES The Best of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

"Mama Get the Hammer (There's a Fly on Papa's Head)"

"You're the Reason Our Kids Are So Ugly"

"It Ain't Love, but It Ain't Bad"

"I Don't Know Whether to Come Home or Go Crazy"

(not to be confused with:) "I Don't Know Whether to Kill Myself or Go Bowling"

"You Stuck My Heart In An Old Tin Can and Shot It Off A Log"

"Why Do You Believe Me When I Tell You That I Love You, When You know That I've Been

A Liar All My life?"

My sister brought her daughter a really nice Baby Grand Piano for her birthday. A few weeks later, I asked my sister how her daughter was doing.
"Oh," she said, "I persuaded her to switch to a clarinet."
"How come?" I asked.
"Because," my sister answered, "with a clarinet, she can’t sing."

J. S. BACH'S MUSICAL PRAYERS Terry Mattingly The Lookout 11/5/2000

Last summer marked another J. S. Bach anniversary, with the 250^th anniversary of his death in 1750. How big is Bach? Teldec is celebrating by releasing a complete set of his works - a suitcase containing 1200 compositions on 153 CDs. This is a body of music so complex that some of its mysteries weren't discovered until the computer age.

Patrick Kavanaugh, leader of the Christian performing Artists' Fellowship in Haymarket, Virginia says "It sounds almost ridiculous to have to say it, but Bach didn't just write complex difficult music. He wrote gloriously beautiful music, some of the most beautiful music ever composed by anyone… His music is cerebral, it's spiritual and it's gorgeous. He did it all."

Most scholars - secular and religious - would even agree on why Bach wrote what he wrote. From all indications, the composer was a devout Lutheran and frequently annotated his manuscripts with initials such as "J.J." for "Jesu Juva (Help me, Jesus)," and ended them with "S.D.G." for "Soli Deo gloria (To God alone, the glory)." Many of his masterworks were based on Scripture, hymns, and classic Christian poetry.

But Bach also used an ancient technique called "gematria," in which letters of the alphabet are assigned numerical values. This allows the composer to use intervals and the number of notes in a melody to make symbolic references to the specific biblical words and doctrines. Bach also inserted musical references to his own name.

Some examples of numerology in Bach's work are obvious, such as the 10 repetitions of the melody in "These are the holy 10 commandments." But then there are musical elements centering on the number three, for the Trinity, and four, for the New Testament Gospels. The number 12 represented the apostles. The list goes on and on.

Bach was astonishingly busy, especially when he was a civil servant charged with overseeing the music in four Leipzig churches. He was married twice, a widower once, and had 20 children. He taught music lessons and Latin classes. He rehearsed and performed his own organ works and directed the local boys choirs. Yet, the Bach - Gesellschaft company has published 65 volumes of music, even though experts believe at least half of Bach's works are missing.

Many scholars have asked: When did Bach find time to compose? But Kavanaugh is fascinated with another question: When did Bach find time to pray. Both question's may have the same answer.

"Perhaps all of the symbolic numbers and patterns were something Bach did as a kind of meditation," said Kavanaugh. "This may have been his own personal way of worshiping God."

Recently I heard someone tell a story about the experiences of the Freedom Riders in the American South during the '50s and '60s and their struggle for civil rights. The story was a vivid illustration of how life changes when Jesus has the last word, when Jesus is King.
When the Freedom Riders traveled through the South staging their sit-ins and marches and protests, they were often arrested and jailed. The guardians of racial segregation and the status quo were not going to let them have the last word. While in jail the Freedom Riders were often treated poorly and brutally in order to break their spirits. They were deprived of food or given lousy food. Noise was blasted and lights were flashed all day and night to keep them from resting. Sometimes even some of their mattresses were removed in order that all would not have a place to sleep.
For a while it seemed to work. Their spirits were drained and discouraged, but never broken. It happened more than once and in more than one jail. Eventually the jail would begin to rock and swing to sounds of gospel singing. What began as a few weak voices would grow into a thundering and defiant chorus. The Freedom Riders would sing of their faith and their freedom. Sometimes they would even press their remaining mattresses out of their cells between the bars as they shouted, "You can take our mattresses, but you can't take our souls!"

NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com, November, 2000

In 1607, a German by the name of Martin Reinkardht wrote: "Now Thank We All Our God." In the year that Rinkardht wrote that hymn it is interesting to note that over 6000 persons in his German village, including his wife and his children, died of pestilence. Yet, in the midst of that
catastrophic social and personal loss Reinkardht set down to pen this great hymn of praise: Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices.' The Christian faith affirms that in the
midst of everything--in death, in loss, in hardship--we are to turn to God in praise.

BEER DRINKING HYMN

Centuries ago, Martin Luther walks into a tavern in Germany, and he hears that tune and he says to himself: "That's a melody that will connect with people. I will put Christian words to it and it will get into their hearts." And he did. It even sounds like a beer drinking song, doesn't it.

BAD INSTRUMENT("Historical Perspectives" p. 8 of Ministry Mag.)

It is a well-known fact that the introduction of "new" instruments also created turmoil in the church. Such was the situation in a late eighteenth century New England church that had been offered an organ in 1713 by the treasurer of Harvard University, but turned it down. The general opinion was that "if organs were permitted, other instruments would soon follow, and then there would come dancing."

Finally "the Brattle Street Church surrendered to the inevitable and decided to have an organ, but even after the order had been sent to England and the instrument was on its way, the congregation was torn with bitter strife. One wealthy member besought with tears that the house of God be not desecrated, promising to refund the entire cost of the organ if the evil thing might be thrown to the bottom of Boston harbor. But gradually opposition subsided."

When Luther began writing his hymns, the church had - for the most part, - stopped congregational singing altogether. For nearly 1000 years all singing had been performed by professional choirs and singers. Congregational singing had been banned by the Council of Laodicea in AD 367. Luther's hymns caused quite a stir. In fact, Luther's enemies declared that he had destroyed more souls by his hymns than by his writings and speeches

Did you know that "How Great Thou Art" and "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" were not well known in the United States until the 1950’s? Then there were the songs added in the 70’s and 80’s such as "There’s Something About That Name," "Awesome God," and "How Majestic Is Thy Name."

It takes fifteen months of instruction at the Pentagon's School of Music to turn out a bandleader but merely thirteen months to train a jet pilot.

THEY HATED MUSIC Pulpit Resource, July-Sept. 1982

Ayatollah Khomeini, the tyrant of Iran declared "music is no different from opium" and he banned music from Iranian airwaves. Khomeini said: "If you want your country to be independent, you must turn radio and television into educational institutions and eliminate music. Music makes the brain inactive."

The ayatollah was not the only philosopher to cock a suspicious ear toward music. Plato is the founding father of the anti-music department. Like the ayatollah, Plato thought that music lulled the best part of the soul into "relaxing its guard." Music, he maintained, gratifies the emotions and thus weakens and distracts the good citizen.

In between Plato and Khomeini stands Augustine, yet another anti-music man. Augustine was most severe on his own susceptibility to a "clear voice with suitable modulation." Pronouncing the "delights of the ear" to be a "contentment of the flesh," Augustine recommended that the "whole melody of sweet music" be "banished from my ears, and the Church’s too."

Charlotte Elliott was 45 years old, & an invalid. She was living at Westfield Lodge, in Brighton, England. Her brother, the Rev. H.V. Elliott was arranging a bazaar to raise money to aid in the building of a college where the daughters of poor clergy might be educated at low expense. Miss Elliott, being ill & unable to assist in the final preparations, lay on her bed, feeling sorry for herself. She felt so useless.
On the following day, when all of the other members of the family were at the opening of the bazaar, a feeling of peace & contentment suddenly came over her. She realized that God had accepted her just as she was. She didn't have to DO anything...except be open to God's unconditional love for her. In gratitude, she wrote a hymn, "Just as I Am Without One Plea...."

DO YOU HAVE A SONG? Leadership, Vol. 3 no. 1

Donald Hustead once wrote: "Somehow about 40% of churchgoers seem to have picked up the idea that ‘singing in church is for singers.’

The truth is that ‘singing is for believers.’ The relevant question is not, ‘Do you have a voice?’ but "Do you have a song?’"

A mother overheard her little 3 yr. old girl singing in the living room to the tune of the chorus "I love you Lord and I lift my voice…" but her daughter’s version was "I love you Lord and I lift my noise!"

HOW AND WHY DO WE SING? Christian Standard 2/20/2000 p. 3

A few years ago I attended a church service during which ! was seated on the platform. As we were singing "At Calvary," I noticed a man who had just been released from the hospital after sustaining a stroke. This was his first worship service since coming home.

He was trying to sing. He wanted to sing. But the words would not come easily. It was difficult for him to keep up with the tempo. ! could sense his frustration because he obviously wanted to participate and could not.

Then I thought of my own response.

How often do I simply go through the motions of a worship service-not singing when I could, not entering wholeheartedly into the praise of God? Do I realize the blessing that. I have in being able to sing-and pray-and meditate-and concentrate? Do I participate meaningfully in each service?

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHORUSES & HYMNS

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns."
"Praise choruses," said his wife, "What are those?"

"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.
"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.
The farmer said, "Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you: 'Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well, that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus."

As luck would have it, the exact same Sunday a young, new Christian from the city church attended the small town church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the young man, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead
of regular songs."
"Hymns," said his wife, "What are those?"
"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like regular songs, only different," said the young man.
"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.
The young man said, "Well it's like this - If I were to say to you, 'Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well, that would be a regular song. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Then, if I were to do only verses one, three and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn."

A farmer went to church one Sunday as he usually did - but his wife was sick and couldn’t go with him. When he got home his wife asked him how everything went.

He said "just fine. But they introduced some new kind of singing they call choruses."

"What are choruses?" she asked

"Well, honey, "he replied, "it’s kind of like this… Singing a hymn is like my telling you that I’m going out to the barn to milk the cows. Singing a chorus is kind of like my saying I’m going out to the barn to milk the brown cows, the brown cows, the brown cows… and I’m going to milk the white cows the white cows the white cows….

George Faull tells about the time his son Kendall was teaching at a family camp and the subject of music came up. Kendall apparently said that if he visited a black church in Detroit and the congregation sang Rap music in praise of God that he could enjoy that – God would be praised by that.

His class was noticeable offended by that remark.

Kendall sat and looked at his audience for a second and then said: "Do you realize how hypocritical that is?"

He said "Folks I want you to think of all the people that have ever lived/ all the cultures that have ever existed – the Chinese, Mexican, Spanish, Russian, American Indians/ people from the 1^st century church/ middle ages/ reformation. Now think of all those people from all those cultures and all their varied manner of music. Do you really think that when you get to heaven that only songs they’re going to sing up there will be from the Song book you grew up with?

MUSIC TO STRENGTHEN THE BODY & MIND Don Campbell, founder of Institute for Music, Health and Education - Bottom Line –Tomorrow Sept 1998 p. 9

Although much of the power of music remains mysterious, researchers continue to learn about its effects on the mind and body.

By stimulating the auditory nerves, sounds create brain messages that ripple through the body, influencing muscle tone, equilibrium and joint flexibility. The organized sounds of music literally orchestrate physical activity into strong, coherent rhythms. If you have exercised to music, you have a sense of this.

But music also impacts physiology on a deep, basic level. The human heartbeat is especially attuned to sound – changes in tempo and volume act as natural pacemakers. Breathing slows down or speeds up along with the music.

Important: The cells of your body respond to music. A study at Michigan State University found that just 15 minutes of listening could increase levels of immune chemicals – vital to protect against disease. Release of cortisol (the "stress hormone") dropped by up to 25%.

Music has a direct effect on the function of the brain. It can slow down and equalize brain waves to create a meditative state… or it can energize brain waves, quickening, the thinking process and enhancing creativity.

Increasingly, doctors and hospitals tap the healing power of music to ease pain. A study of 408 patients with severe headaches and neurological disorders reported that those who listened to concert music for 6 months needed less medication than a control group who didn’t listen to music.

Patients who listened to just 15 minutes of slow, rich, soothing music before surgery required as much as half the usual dose of sedatives and painkillers after the operation. Lutheran Hospital in Denver, provides a 24 hour video channel of images and fine music to help patients relax and heal faster.

The well-known ability of music to reduce tension and ease anxiety has been confirmed by scientific studies. A paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that when surgeons listened their favorite music while operating (classical compositions, jazz and folk songs were chosen), their blood pressure was lower, their pulse was slower, and they could think more quickly and accurately.

Not only does music create a more pleasant work environment, it boosts productivity, too. Ninety minutes of light classical music increased copyediting accuracy by 21% in a University of Washington study. Efficiency rose nearly 20% after a 9 month office music program at Mississippi Power and Light.

I Surrender All I Surrender Some

There Shall Be Shower of Blessing There Shall Be Sprinkles of Blessing

Fill My Cup, Lord Fill My Spoon Lord

Oh, How I Love Jesus Oh, How I Like Jesus

He's Everything To Me He's Quite A Bit To Me

I Love To Tell The Story I Love To Talk About Telling The Story

Take My Life And Let It Be Take My Life And Then Let Me Be

It Is No Secret What God Can Do It Is My Secret What God Can Do

There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today There Is Scattered Cloudiness In My Soul Today

We Are One In The Spirit We Are One In The Bond Of Our Denomination

Onward Christian Soldiers Onward Christian Reserves

Where He Leads Me I Will Follow Where He Leads Me I Will Consider Following

Just As I Am Just As I Pretend To Be

Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus Stand Up, Stand Up (But Keep Your Arms Down)

When The Saints Go Marching In When The Saints Go Sneaking In

Annanias and Sapphira got together and conspired

a plot to cheat the church and get ahead

The knew God's will but didn't do it tried to cheat the Holy Spirit

Peter prophesied and then they both dropped dead

CHORUS: God loves a cheerful giver, give Him all you've got

He loves to see you smiling when you're in an awful spot

So when the odds are up against you

And you don't know what to do

Praise God, He loves you and He will see you through

The singing of a hymn should be a great experience for Christians. A hymn can be a prayer, a testimony, praise, or an invitation to others. Many of us apparently don't take the words we sing very seriously.

We sing "Sweet Hour of Prayer' and pray only a few minutes each day.

We sing "Onward Christian Soldiers" and wait to be drafted.

We sing "Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" and don't use the ones we have to speak for Christ.

We sing "Blest Be the Tie" and let the slightest offense sever it.

We sing "I Love to Tell the Story" and seldom mention Jesus to anybody.

We sing "Serve the Lord with Gladness" and gripe about all we have to do.

We sing "Cast Thy Burden on the Lord" and then worry ourselves into a nervous breakdown.

We sing "The Whole Wide World for Jesus" and never invite our next-door neighbor to church.

In his book "Psalms of the Heart," George Sweeting illustrated a great truth from the experience of two Moody Bible Institute graduates, John and Elaine Beekman. God called them to missionary work among the Chol Indians of southern Mexico. Sweeting reports that they rode mules and traveled by dugout canoes to reach this tribe. They labored 25 years with other missionaries to translate the New Testament into the language of the Chol Indians. Today the Chol Church is thriving. More than 12,000 Christians make up the Chol Christian community, which is financially self-supporting. What's interesting is that when the missionaries came, the Chol Indians didn't know how to sing. With the coming of the gospel, however, the believers in the tribe became known as "the singers". "They love to sing now," Sweeting commented, "because they have something to sing about."

SCIENCE OF SINGING Vitality Digest June 1995

Good news for shower singers. Singing helps reduce your stress because it forces you to breathe deeply and use your lungs to full capacity. This relaxes the body and helps lower

you blood pressure. - Roger Thies, Associate Professor of physiology University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City.

Stille Nacht, hei-li-ge Nacht!

Alles schlaft, einsam wacht

Nur das traute, hoch heilige Paar.

Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,

Schlaf in himmlishcer ruh'! Schlaf in himmlischer ruh'!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!

Hirten erst kund gemacht

Durch der Engel Halleluja,

Tont es laut von fern und nah:

Christ, der Retter, ist da, Christ, der Retter, is da!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!

Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht

Lieb' aus deinem gottlichen Mund,

Da uns schlagt die rettende Stund'

Christ, in deiner Geburt, Christ in deiner Geburt!

STORY OF "THERE'S WITHIN MY HEART A MELODY" Pulpit Helps p.16 3/93

God can bring fresh praise out of both tragedy and glory, as illustrated by this story about a favorite hymn. Luther Bridgers began preaching at age 17 while he was a student at Asbury College in Kentucky. He was a young Methodist minister of unusual zeal and evangelism. In 1910 the future looked bright for the 26 yr. old preacher, who by then had a young wife and 3 children. The Bridgers were visiting Mrs. Bridgers' parents at Harrodsburg, KY. After the family retired for the night, a neighbor noticed flames coming from the house He roused Mrs. Bridgers parents and Luther, but the rest of the family members were beyond reach. The young preacher lost his wife and children.

In the awful days of sorrow that followed, Luther remembered that God offered songs of comfort in the night (Ps. 42:8) and would never forsake him. It was during this period that Luther wrote the words and music that we sing so many times:

"There's within my heart a melody/ Jesus whispers sweet and low/ fear not I am with thee, peace be still/ in all of life's ebb and flow."

In he 4th stanza he referred to his own experience: "Tho sometimes he leads through waters deep/ trials fall across the way..."

In the darkest night, in the depths of despair, God gave an inward song to Luther Bridgers that blesses millions. Out of a pit of grief came a song of blessing.