A Song For Sunday #3 - I'm A Child of the King

Once I was clothed in the rags of my sin,
Wretched and poor, lost and lonely within.
But with wondrous compassion, the King of all kings,
In pity and love, took me under His wings.

CHORUS:
Oh, yes, oh yes, I'm a child of the King
His royal blood now flows in my veins.
And I who was wretched and poor now can sing
Praise God, praise God, I'm a child of the King.

Now I'm a child with a Heavenly home,
My Holy Father has made me His own.
And I'm cleansed by His blood, and I'm clothed in His love,
And some day I'll sing with the angels above.

A Song For Sunday #2 - He Touched Me

Shackled by a heavy burden,
'Neath a load of guilt and shame;
Then the hand of Jesus touched me,
And now I am no longer the same.

Chorus:
He touched me, Oh, He touched me,
And oh, the joy that floods my soul;
Something happened, and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.

Since I met this blessed Saviour,
Since He cleansed and made me whole;
I will never cease to praise Him,
I'll shout it while eternity rolls.

A Song for Sunday #1 - The Winning Side

I have noticed several other blogs posting a hymn or a gospel song on Sundays and I have decided to follow suite...at least for a while. This first song in my series is a beutiful tribute to the wonderful, matchless grace that God has shown to this unworthy sinner. I struggled in my sin to find a place in this world until Jesus came along and shed his love abroad in my heart! He took me from a position of loss and heartache and placed me in a brand new family of love and victory. He placed me on the winning side!

Once I drifted out in sin, had no hope nor joy within
And my soul was burdened down with pride (with sinful pride)
Then my Savior came along and He showed me I was wrong
Now I know I'm on the winning side (the winning side)

Chorus:
Well I am on the winning side, Yes I am on the winning side
Out in sin no more will I abide (no more in sin abide)
I've enlisted in the fight for the cause of truth and right
Praise the Lord I'm on the winning side. (the winning side)

From the straight and narrow way I was drifting every day
Out upon the waters deep and wide (so deep and wide)
But it all is over now, glory light is on my brow
And my soul is on the winning side (the winning side)

I will never have a fear for my Lord is ever near
And in Him so often I confide (in Him confide)
He's the keeper of my soul since I gave Him full control
And He placed me on the winning side (the winning side)

Three Zones Of Musical Communication

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;"
~ Ephesians 5:19

In a previous article, The Language Of Music, we established that music is a language. We established that music can speak to us or influence us. We established that music is a universal language, or that it speaks to people of all languages. We established that music influences us whether we want it to or not.

Because music is a channel of communication, it can speak to us across the three levels or three zones of communication. Let me explain.

1. Social Zone - Social statements that we would make in public would be considered the social zone. This type of communication would be characterized by individuals standing at least three or four feet away from one another speaking about topics with no regard for who else may hear them. For example, as you pass someone in church, you will shake their hand and say "Hello. How are you?" This public statement would be considered a part of the social zone of communication.

2. Personal Zone - Personal statements that we would make to a friend or a close acquaintance on a level in which we do not want others to hear would be considered the personal zone. This type of communication would be characterized by individuals standing between one and three feet away from one another. For example, you may pull your son aside from the crowd and say, "Son, How would you like to go out for ice cream after church today?" This personal statement is not intended for the entire group, but rather only for your son. This is a part of the personal zone of communication.

3. Intimate Zone - Intimate statements that we would make to a spouse or to one of our children in a manner in which we would not speak to others would be considered the intimate zone. This type of communication would be characterized by individuals standing so close that they are either touching or within a foot of the person being spoken to. For example, you may pull your son close to you, give him a hug and whisper, "I love you son. You behaved very good today." You would not hug just anyone or whisper your love to just anyone except the few people who are allowed into the intimate zone.

When we hear someone sing, they invite us into a social interaction. This social interaction will take place in one of the three zones of communication.

At church you will sing congregational songs where we all join in and sing together in the social zone. There are also, however, some songs that speak to you on a very personal basis. Songs that may invite you to make a personal commitment to or decision for Christ.

There is also the third zone of communication that the music of the world very often invites you into...this is the intimate zone. Most people, we will never have an intimate conversation with. This zone is almost entirely reserved for our family. However, there are singers who will take a microphone and act as if it is their lover. By doing this, they will invade into your intimate zone without you wanting it to happen. This style of singing is a violation of your intimate zone.

The world will step into the intimate zone intentially because they understand that by having their listeners experience that intimate or lover relationship they will sell their albums. There are even some gospel singers who, though singing the words of God, sing in such a way as to invite you into an intimate communication with them.This style of singing is wrong and has no business in church at all. If there is any right place for this kind of singing, it would be at home between and man and his wife. There is simply no way to justify this style of musical communication in any other setting...especially in church!

We need to keep the music in our churches in the social or personal zone, but we must never allow it to slip into the intimate zone. We must examine every bit of music that we allow into our lives and into our churches and be sure that it is pleasing to God. We must take the time to understand the difference between good music and bad music.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
Col. 3:16-17

The Language Of Music

Music is a language. English is a language. Spanish is a language. Chinese is a language. I could say to you in English, "Clap your hands," and you would know to put your hands together. If I spoke the languages, I could say the same in Spanish or Chinese. I can say the same in music. For Example, when you hear the song "Give Me That Old Time Religion" in a lively fashion, it is as if you are subconsciously being instructed to clap your hands. Music speaks to the emotions in such a way as to influence our behavior. Music can instruct us and tell us what to do just as in any other language.

Evidently music is important to God, because he tells us to speak to ourselves, or influence ourselves, with songs and hymns and spiritual songs.

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;"
~ Ephesians 5:19

First, music is a universal language. There are some rock stars and musicians that can sing in English but are able to travel to foreign lands and, by singing in English, sing in a language that the people do not understand.

Second, music speaks to our heart and our spirit which affects our behavior. Rather than just struggling through each day, trying my best to serve God, I want to have a zeal and an excitement about life. By allowing good music to influence me, my level of joy can be directly influenced to increase. For example, consider the example of Saul in the Old Testament.

"And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him."
~ I Samuel 16:23

You may say, "Music doesn't affect me." The Bible says that it does!

Third, music affects us whether we want it to or not. Because music is a language, it speaks to us and gives us instruction. When we hear instruction, we can choose whether to follow that instruction or not to follow it. Music either tells us to calm down, get going, get excited, be immoral, and many other things. The marketing industries have understood this principle for years. For example, if you go to a ball game there is music designed to get you excited. If you go to a restaurant, there will be music there. If you go to a shopping mall, there is music there. Why? Because they understand that music influences us whether we want it to or not.

Music influences or controls our emotions which eventually affect our behavior. In this regard, music can be used for good or for bad. This is why it is so important to determine the difference between music that will help us spiritually or music that will hurt us spiritually.