RUSSELL SANDERS

1-24-2025

OUR WORSHIP IN MUSIC

_____________________

There is a church denomination that sings only in a cappella [with no musical accompaniment]. They do not allow any form of musical instruments in their church. They believe it is unscriptural since they do not see instruments of worship used in the church [building] in the New Testament. However, the lack of mention of musical instruments does not mean they were not used. Such thinking is an unfounded human assumption.

It is clear from the Old Testament that God loves the sound of musical instruments along with the sound of our voices in praise. Psalm 150 makes that very clear. It says that we are to praise him [vocally] along with the trumpets, the psaltery, harps, timbrels, cymbals, organs, and stringed instruments.

To say that what God loved in the Old Testament is now disallowed in the New Testament church is an absurd assertion. He will love and accept our praises any way that we give it.

Psalm 150:6 says, “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.” [Read Psalm 150] That applies not only to we, the people, but also to the herbs, plants, and trees of the field, and the animal kingdom.

God does not limit the ways we can praise him, so why does that denomination limit their people’s privilege of praising and singing with instruments. Their human reasoning is not based upon scripture.  

Singing with musical accompaniment is one of the most precious means of worship. I will choose to sing a cappella and I will sing with musical instruments. I will sing in whatever manner the Spirit moves me to worship God.

HELEN SANDERS

1-24-2025

HAND-ME-DOWNS

_________________________

Like so many others, I grew up in a home that was very modest. You could say that we were poor as far as money goes, and things, although we were rich in love.

I came across a picture taken of me when I was about five and it brought back some memories. I was the youngest of four children, and all my clothes were what one might call hand-me-downs. We could not afford new clothes. I inherited my older brother’s blue jeans, shirts and socks and shoes. If you look at the picture closely you will see that my socks never stayed put. I was constantly having to pull them up.  They had already been worn when I received them, and they were either too big or too small. Although there were no holes in them, and they were clean, they never stayed up on my legs.

As I was thinking about hand-me-downs, and don’t get me wrong, I was thankful for everything that I had, it made me realize that there are more than one kind of hand-me-downs. There are spiritual hand-me-downs too.

These spiritual hand-me-downs are often traditions of men rather than the scripture. They are ideas that are passed along.  These ideas like my socks just don’t “fit” and when tested against scripture, do not “stay up” for long. They instead are someone else’s opinion of what the scriptures say and often are not accurate.

God doesn’t want us to rely on spiritual hand-me-downs. He wants us to learn from him and always have it fresh or new. Yes, we learn from the Pastor, Teacher, Apostle, Evangelist, and Prophet, but God wants to talk to us one on one.

When we learn things from God ourselves by reading the scriptures and praying, they always “fit.” They are a “matched fit.” He does not want us to settle for someone else’s socks that just do not fit. He wants to dress each of us in his robe of righteousness and talk to us like he talked to Moses. Face to Face! He knows exactly what we need to hear and will speak to us if we listen.

You may be poor in the natural, or experienced poverty, but you do not have to be poor spiritually. God wants to gift you and supply every need that you have. The scriptures tell us in Psalm 37:4, that when we delight ourselves in the Lord that He will give us the desires of our heart. 

He has a new pair of spiritual socks waiting for you. Ask Him for them.

APOSTLE PAT MURRAY

PROPHETIC EXHORTATION

Just know that it’s HOW you REACT to the BETRAYAL you’ve experienced; That will determine IF the BETRAYAL becomes a hard lesson LEARNED...Or if it will cause you to become LETHALLY BURNED. Just always stay on guard and be aware for it is up to you as to HOW things will end up going for you. So remember the choice is in your hands and it’s in your heart. Yes, the time has come for you to prayerfully and ever so carefully make the right decision for your present and for your future.

 Be a Soldier! HCC

Stand up, stand up, be a soldier of the Cross

Of Christ. Stand up for the truth, stand up for

What is right. Where is it, you ask? Your Bible

Tells you so. All just written in the pages,

Centuries, centuries ago. From the beginning

To the end, God is here with us. Our Savior,

Redeemer, friend, so kind and good he is to us.

Keep us strong and resolute, let us persevere

Each day. Keep looking to our Jesus, be soldiers,

Of the Cross and read your Bible, yes, each day.

To see more of HCC's beautiful poems on YouTube click here