When All Of God's Singers Get Home 3 of 3

Acts 16
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

How do we communicate with God? And how does God communicate with us? How do we communicate with other Christians? One way is through music. God gives us the gift to sing, and we sing our hearts out. Then again, sometires it's just good to hear an old gospel song.

An Example
The church I go to, I love the singing, I can feel the Spirit in the singing. And, it's just a small group of saved sinners, God fearing I'm sure, and a piano.

Another example
My my mother had Altzhimers in her later years. In her last year we would watch the Gaithers on TV. I'll never know for sure, she didn't have much of a mind, but I think this was one of her favorite Gaither songs.

WHEN ALL OF GOD'S SINGERS GET HOME
Luther G. Presley; Virgil O. Stamps (Gaither Homecoming Hour)

What a song of delight in that City so bright
Will be wafted 'neath Heaven's fair dome!
How the ransomed will raise happy songs in His praise,
When all of God's singers get home!

When all of God's singers get home,
Where never a sorrow will come;
There'll be "no place like home,"
When all of God's singers get home.

As We sing here on earth, songs of sadness or mirth,
'Tis a foretaste of rapture to come.
But our joy can't compare with the glory up there,
When all of God's singers get home!

Having overcome sin, "Hallelujah, AMEN!"
Will be heard in that land o'er the foam;
Every heart will be light and each face will be bright--
When all of God's singers get home!

Question
What does God really think of Southern Gospel Music?

When All Of God's Singers Come Home (1 Of 3)

Acts 16
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

There certainly is a lot going on in your life, before you get the call, before you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Big things, little things, events, family influences, work influences, conversations, odd daily routines. And, some of these things are spiritual and edifying and comforting. Some of these things seem to be nudging you toward your redemption.

Growing up, living in the North, we were not allowed to forget our Eastern North Carolina roots.  And, you might say, we revelled in our roots, and in particular our Primitive Baptist roots and what seemed to be quaint customs: Baptism in the river, very strict no-nonsense living, foot-washing and A Capella singing.

And now, with the internet, you are just a click away from your spiritual past. Here are some samples of A Capella singing:

There'll Be No Sorrow There
Amazing Grace

It's like peering into heaven....

When All Of God's Singers Come Home (2 Of 2)

Acts 16

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them,

There certainly is a lot going on in your life, before you get the call, before you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  Big things, little things, events, family influences, work influences, conversations, odd daily routines.  And, some of these things are spiritual and edifying and comforting.  Some of these things seem to be nudging you toward your redemption.

Every Sunday for eight years, before I went off to college, I sat in the pew from which this picture was taken. I loved church music, and oh I loved that organ. It was like a member of the family, a brother or a sister. The church was Methodist, with a grand and glorious view of God's grace.

And so, how did I finally find my spiritual home and God's truth in a small Independent Fundamental Baptist church? In Northern New Jersey? I think the expression is: I have no earthly idea.  I guess the answer is the wonder of the working of the Holy Spirit.

 Here is the organ from the view of the music director, Dr. Austin C. Lovelace.  

....the wonder of the working of the Holy Spirit....

Jesus And The Jews (Pharisees)

John 8
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

In this chapter Jesus has a lengthy discussion with the Pharisees. Above he comments on these Pharisees, these sons of Abraham. His condemnation is harsh.

The apostle Paul continues the discussion of the Jews in the book of Romans.

Romans 9
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Truth Of The Call

John 6
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

This is the truth, as I understand it and as I have experienced it.

Jamieson Faussett Brown
draw him--by an internal and efficacious operation; though by all the means of rational conviction, and in a way altogether consonant to their moral nature.

The Holy Spirit

John 14
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Holy Spirit can pass by you, like a warm breeze. The Holy Spirit can, from time to time, fill you. The Holy Spirit can dwell in you.

I remember the day that I first knew that the Holy Spirit "shall be in you."

More From John 14
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Preaching

Philippians 1
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

This passage suggests some conflict among the Philippians, possibly involving self-seeking Judaizing, but conflict just the same. I personally, would never underestimate the harm that can come from contentious preaching.

But, in the end, Paul's conclusion is, if they preach Jesus, they are acceptable:

Philippians 1
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

Daily, Righteous Life

Romans 14
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Here, Paul warns us that we are spoken evil of because of the little, insignificant, stupid things we do.  Things, however, that somehow get noticed.

After we are saved, we must learn to be Christian.  To me, passages that help us to live a daily, righteous, humble life are most important.  This is a simple, clear doctrine that each and every one of us can understand and, hopefully, joyfully accept.

What Is Important?

Romans 14
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

In this chapter Paul continues to discuss the subject of the righteousness of the law versus the righteousness of faith. It is about Hebrew ceremonial activities and the Christian liberty from these activities.

In passing, Paul seems to suggest that weak Christians are those who follow Hebrew dietary and feast day laws, and strong Christians are those who exercise Christian liberty and do not follow those laws of Moses. I sense that the issue of weak Christians versus strong Christians is not very important.

So, what is important?

More From Romans 14
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

The Messiah Returns

Isaiah 63
1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

This chapter is about the grand return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  

More From Isaiah 63
3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

And this is about the works of Jesus, the Messiah, and his vengeance. The people who were "none for me" are the grapes that He tramples. Their blood stains His garments.

Whoa.....

I guess Christ has many names.  Here it is Christ, the avenger.  And that's alright.  But, my first thought of Christ will always be Christ, the reconciler.