The following is a letter I sent to be published on a few (web blogs) and I hope it to be read by many people and persuade them to sing the words of the Lord and not the commandments of men.

Examine the hymn books in the churches and try the spirits whether they be of God

Bill

Why and How to retain the Lord's words in your heart

 

What is the best way to retain the Lord's words in our heart? 

 

1). Write the words on a small 3 by 5 paper and carry them and make an (audio) record of the words with your voice.

 

2). Then rehearse the words out loud which are written while at the same time hearing the record of your own voice.

 

3). Rehearse the words often with the purpose of putting your own melody to the words.

 

4). Then make a record of you singing the words and play the record of you singing the precepts while you sing along with the record. 

 

Consider how many of us learn the A, B, C's. Once the song is learned, can any one ever fail to remember their a, b, c's? 

 

Keep singing the words in the precept over and over again.

You will soon be ready to rehearse the counsel of the Lord's heart and sing the words of the Lord throughout the day.

 

Then teach your children and loved ones the scriptures in song and they too will retain the LORD's words in their heart and will have the talent to be instant

and able to rehearse the pure words of the LORD in the ears of those that both need to be saved and those that seek the spiritual water of salvation. 

 

I put a melody to many scriptures and the very first statutes I taught my children to sing over 30 years ago was Isaiah 9 line 6;

and my daughter told me after she learned the words and the song:  (I feel so clean!)  

The following are only a few precepts they learned:

 

Isaiah 9:

[6] For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

 

Psalm 19:

[7] The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 

[8] The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 

[9] The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

[10] More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

[11] Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

 

Proverbs 4:

[4] He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 

 

Psalm 119:

[54] Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. 

 

Colossians 3:

[16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 

 

Romans 8:

[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Acts 4:

[10] Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

[11] This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 

[12] Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

Psalm 40:

[1] I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 

[2] He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 

[3] And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 

 

Proverbs 6:

[20] My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 

[21] Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. 

[22] When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. 

[23] For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

 

Why do this?

 

John 3:

[3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 1:

[23] Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Luke 8:

[11]  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

James 1:

[18] Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James 1:

[21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

 

 

(Singing the commandments of men, (the thoughts of men and not of God) is a vain worship of the LORD and is of no profit to those that hear such words.)

 

Mark 7:

[6] He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

[7] Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

[8] For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

[9] And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

 

Ephesians 5:

[6] Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

 

Matthew 12:

[33] Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 

[34] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 

[35] A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 

[36]  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

[37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

 

(Singing man's words are of the flesh and not of the spirit of God. 

Learn the meaning of: (the will of my Father) and you will never sing the words of fleshly men.

Examine the words found in the hymn books and if they are not the word of God then sing the words in the book of the Lord.)  

 

Understand the will of my Father which is in heaven:

 

Matthew 7:

[21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

John 7:

[17] If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 

[18] He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

 

(Remember Psalm 119 line 54 and Colossians 3 line 16 and know every precept of every line in the whole book is a Psalm to be sung.  Singing the words of the LORD is to worship the God in spirit and in truth and will also edify hearers of the law to all those in the congregation.)

 

Isaiah 30: 

[1] Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:     

[2] That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!  

[3] Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

 

John 6:

[63] It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

1 Corinthians 2: 

[1] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 

[2] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

 

Philippians 3:

[1] Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 

[2] Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 

[3] For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

 

Psalm 119:

  [1]  Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

  [2]   Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

  [3]  They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

  [4]  Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

  [5]  O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

  [6]  Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

  [7]  I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

  [8]   I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

  [9]  Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

[10]  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

[11]  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 

1 Corinthians 15: 

[1] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  

[2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 

[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 

[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

 

Psalm 1:

[1] Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.   

[2] But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 

[3] And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

[4] The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 

[5] Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 

[6] For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

 

2 Timothy 4:

[1] I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 

[2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.  

[3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 

[4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 

[5] But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.