Sing

There are so many verses and passages in the book of Psalms that deal with the effectiveness of
music. In Psalm 96, we read this:
1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.

Music is an important part of the worship experience - now, as it's been stated, worship isn't just music, but music can be a part of worship, contributing to our walk with God being strengthened and our experience of the presence of God to be deepened.  As we engage with God through music, it can be a tool by which our spirits are lifted and perhaps even impacted by spiritual principles.  Music is a container, a carrier, of messages and can impact moods, and God can use it for our good.

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Ephesians 5 emphasizes the importance of singing before the Lord:
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

On Faith Radio on a regular basis, not only do we provide over 15 hours of music each day, but we also make you aware of various events, including concerts, that are being held within, and sometimes even outside, the Faith Radio terrestrial coverage area.

And, there's a new study that shows that going to concerts can actually impact the length of a person's life!

This is from the Independent website out of the U.K., which declares:

According to a new study by O2 - which owns some of the largest music venues in the UK - alongside Goldsmith University's Associate Lecturer Patrick Fagan, regularly attending live shows can help expand your lifespan.

The study says that 20 minutes at a show "can lead to a 21 percent increase in that feeling of well-being."

The article goes on to state:

 "Combining all of our findings with O2's research, we arrive at a prescription of a gig a fortnight which could pave the way for almost a decade more years of life," Fagan explained.

A fortnight, by the way, is 14 days.

The story also says:

Results showed that people who attended gigs had an increase of 25 percent in feelings of self worth and closeness to others and a 75 percent increase in mental stimulation.

While the study found that Brits preferred going to concerts instead of listening to music at home, music in general has been found to increase happiness.

Here are examples cited:

In 2013, research in Finland determined that "children who took part in singing classes had higher satisfaction rates at school."

A study by a team at University of Missouri published research in The Journal of Positive Psychology stating that joyful music had a "significantly positive effect" on good health.

Here is research that is consistent with what the Bible prescribed.  According to Bible Study Tools, in the New King James translation, the word, "sing" is found 99 times in the Scriptures, and the word, "song," is there 193 times!  We are encouraged in Scripture to participating in "singing and making melody in your heart."

This survey can remind us of several important elements.  First of all, God is pleased with music that honors Him; after all, He is the Creator and the inventor of music.  He has come up with the concept, and it's a powerful communicator of information, as well as an entity that can affect our emotions.  Even instrumental music can transmit a variety of different moods.  So, music is something that God has intended for our good - and of course, there are those that would use it for other purposes.  All in all, there is something about it that connects with the soul - so many are drawn to it and it becomes an instrumental (no pun intended) part of our lives.

And, I believe, there is a connection between the music we listen to and what impacts our minds.  If we expose ourselves to content that can drag us down or influence us adversely, contained within song lyrics, it can negatively impact our spiritual walk with Christ.  Likewise, the words of life and hope contained within music that carries a message consistent with Scripture can encourage and edify us.  We have to be discerning, selective, with respect to our song choices.

And, the concert experience or exposure to live music - well, as this study found, there are benefits there.  We can leave a Christian concert feeling lifted up, and we can enjoy the fellowship with other believers and the joy of the corporate experience.  And, in a sense, we have the capability to enjoy a mini-concert experience in our weekly worship services, and can be challenged to really enter in to God's presence as we sing songs that testify to His greatness.   We can make it our aim to incorporate worship through song - individually and collectively - as we grow in the Lord.  And, the music we offer on Faith Radio is designed to enhance your experience with Him.