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Moral Sympathy and Spiritual Confusion
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod, the ultimate source of good music, designed His creatures with the ability to produce and enjoy it. He intended music to be true, inspiring, thankful, joyous, positive, and good in every way. From the creation of the earth, as recorded in Job 38:4-7, millions of angels joyfully sang when God laid the foundations, demonstrating music's divine origin. In the Bible, particularly in the Psalms, songs were written for musical accompaniment, reflecting God's inspiration, as seen with David, who described himself as a God-anointed singer in Psalms 40:3, and Solomon, who composed over a thousand songs as noted in I Kings 4:32. God Himself composed songs as a witness to His people, instructing Moses in Deuteronomy 31:19-22 to teach a song to the Israelites, ensuring its repetition would embed it in their hearts and minds for generations. Music played a central role in ancient Israel's life, marking every facet of history and emotion with songs for greetings, farewells, marriages, burials, war, and return, as well as romantic, working, and entertainment songs. In worship, music was at the heart of temple services, with grand celebrations involving choirs, trumpets, and instruments, as described in Nehemiah 12:27-43 and II Chronicles 5:12-13, glorifying God with overwhelming joy. The Psalms, especially Psalm 150, command the use of music to praise God, with over 100 references emphasizing this purpose, directing all creation to sing in His honor. Ephesians 5:19-21 and Colossians 3:15-17 further encourage believers to speak and sing to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, making melody in their hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always to God the Father through Jesus Christ. These passages highlight music as an expression of the Spirit's fullness, aligning with the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, and others—as a guide for developing righteous tastes in music. Thus, music, when aligned with God's will, becomes a powerful means of worship and gratitude.
The Song of Moses
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWhen we are changed into spirit beings, we, as the first fruits, will again be involved in making music, singing a new song before the throne of God.
Exalt With Music
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughMusic has an intense power to stimulate the emotions, trigger the imagination, set the mood of services, and serves as a teaching vehicle for instruction.
Psalms: Book Five (Part One): Psalms for the Winter Blues
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWinter is a time of cold, darkness, and sadness. As many as 10% of people in northern areas have Seasonal Affective Disorder. The Psalms for winter can help.
The Christian Walk (Part Four): Mutual Submission in Godly Fear
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAmericans have a hard time submitting to authority and like to consider themselves as sovereigns, having the last say over anything including church doctrine.