Daily Encouragement

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Friday, April 29, 2005

"A New Song"

"Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the saints" (Psalm 149:1).

CCLI is a company that provides music copyright clearance for churches and ministries. Many of you have seen the small copyright notice with a CCLI license on an overhead or PowerPoint slide. It's used by churches all over the world.

Several years ago I was inquiring about an upgrade to a software program I use that is a directory of over 7,500 Christian songs. The sales rep. informed me their online SongSelect database has over 80,000 Christian songs. That was five years ago and consider how many songs have been written since then! And I wonder just how many songs have been written for the Lord through the ages that aren't even in this database!

God's people in the Bible sang both old and new songs. The daily portion encourages singing a "new song". But the worship leaders under King Jehoshaphat, who lived many years after King David, repeated David's common refrain, "Give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever" (2 Chronicles 20:21).

I like both new and old music. I'm grateful for the sense of heritage that an old hymn like "The Old Rugged Cross" brings and for the vigor of a recently penned song like "Here I am to worship." I encourage you to have an appreciation for both types, while acknowledging we all have our preferences in style. The older songs, particularly classic hymns, remind us that our expression of faith is not merely a passing fad. The newer songs remind us that God is still actively at work in His plan of redemption today and gifting His people to write new songs.

I can't sing well but I can sure whistle and you're just as likely to hear me whistling "Holy, Holy, Holy", as "Draw me Close", and I'm spiritually blessed by both of them. New songs for the Lord are being written all the time and will continue till our Lord returns. And then amazingly we'll be hearing some new music in heaven (Revelation 14:3). Thank God for the gift of music! As you gather with other believers this weekend sing "His praise in the assembly of the saints."

Be encouraged today,

Stephen C. Weber

Note from Brooksyne: One of the most natural ways of learning truths from God's Word and their application to our everyday lives is by singing and memorizing the hymns. I also enjoy and learn a great deal from studying hymn backgrounds. There are quite a few books written that help us see everyday people who were inspired by God to write about what He was doing in their lives as they applied His truths to their Christian walk. Contemporary writers speak of what God is doing today applying the style and language of our day. In the past few weeks Ester has come home from school with a few songs (poems) she has written. She's had a burden for a dear friend of ours who is very critical with cancer and has written a couple songs for her. That's the beauty of music because it is the very expression of the heart. I've worn the pages of a book "Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions". Mr. Osbeck writes a devotional based upon the hymn background and ties it into that period of history. I've been enriched and challenged spiritually when I read from this book.

Today I have an all day meeting assisting the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and CBMC with a business leadership meeting. Thus the message will be sent out much earlier than usual.

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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