MUSIC This morning, I was chilling with a cup of coffee while scrolling through Facebook. I came across a video of an elementary school class lip sync performing as the Jackson 5. It made me smile. I thought of all the generations who did not have the pleasure of the Jackson 5’s performances. Then I thought of how tragically sad Michael Jackson’s life became. I was quite a fan of his music until 1988 when I stopped listening to secular music. In fact, I was a fan of much of the 197080s music. Going to the club to dance was my favorite pastime. Anytime I come across a documentary of singers from those decades, I am quick to watch. At the end, I am always befallen by sadness. Most all have had lives which I would not wish on anyone. If you pay attention, quite a lot of musicians have difficult lives behind the scenes. Just to name a few whose music I consumed and some I did not: Michael Jackson (already noted), Elvis Presley, George Michael, Boy George, the Bee Gees, Andy Gibb, The Go-Go’s, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Prince, and Tom Petty. Friends, we are not created to be in the spotlight. We cannot handle it. We are created for God, not for man. We are created to be the “praise of His glory” not our own. “ He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved… to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory… In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:5,6,12,13,14). When we attempt to operate outside of our purpose, we are on our own. It requires our operating in our own strength and knowledge. What help is there for those without Christ? No wonder they live lives of addiction and multiple marriages. No matter the circumstances in one’s life whether it be wealth, comfort, health, or difficulties; without Jesus it is tragic! Music is a gift from God to mankind. No verse expresses this better than 1 Samuel 16:23, “ So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.” Wemust not abuse such a gift. I hope I may be allowed to speak frankly here… no pun intended later in this article. I am a critic of music even in some churches. This is humorous considering three of my closest friends have been worship leaders/music ministers. For one thing, I do not like having award shows for those in Christian music. Why should we award one person/group over another, when all are hopefully operating in their gifts and callings. Jesus’ ministers should not be in a popularity contest. They should be playing to an audience of one. Their jobs are not to play for me, but to lead me to minister to God. They are the modern-day Levites. “Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the Lord” (Deut. 21:5a). I do not believe it to be the heart of our Father to pit Christian musicians against one another. Who are we to say one musician is better than another? Each has his place. I know this is lengthy, but I must inject it. “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,’ it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,’ it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; or again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those membersof the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:14f). The Dove Award show was last night. You may have heard that Forrest Frank announced he will no longer attend award shows. In part, he stated that “the trophy is our salvation.” Amen, brother. I can call him that because I see his heart. It is for Jesus. What has happened to Christian music? Worship concert ticket costs are outrageous. I just looked it up. Depending on the venue, they range from $40 to $1000. I do understand a venue costs money. I do understand the crew/band costs money. But do we really need booms, expensive flashing lights, fog machines, and other special effects? Doesn’t the music speak for itself? Many say it draws the unsaved. Do the unsaved spend $100 on a ticket to music of which they have no interest? When I was living in sin, I was overcome with appreciation for a friend who got us tickets to see Lisa & Cult Jam. Do you think I would have spent that money on a Christian event? No. I told you I am a critic. Listen, you will find few people who love an opportunity to worship Jesus more than me. When I can get deep in worship, it is just Holy Spirit and I. I am an expressive worshipper. I was not always that way. I was worshipping at home one night when the Lord asked me why I worship differently in private. He then told me to worship the same at church. He said, “Someone else may need to see your love for me.” I then realize my passion for Christ may draw someone else to Him. Yet, Churches dim the lights during worship. I feel they are trying to set an atmosphere, but we are children of the light! “For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness” (1 Thes. 5:5). Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” So, I ask, do worship teams need to be traveling concerts? There are some worship leaders going to parks and ministering for free. Funny, they are the ones being fought the hardest by those in darkness. Music is beautiful when used by God for His purpose. It is tragic when used by darkness. I challenge my brothers and sisters in the Lord to ask Holy Spirit to give you discernment concerning music both in and out of the Church. I also challenge you to ask Him to guide your prayer life concerning public figures. In all humility, I share with you that I pray daily for the salvation of certain famous individuals. When led, I also pray for the salvation of criminals including murderers, athletes, musicians, and other well known to the public. Again in all humility, I was led to pray for Deion Sanders’ salvation when he was playing football for the Atlanta Falcons. A few years later, he came to know Jesus as his Savior. I have seen the fruit of my prayers. God allowed me the privilege of partaking in that salvation in some small discrete way. I share this because it brought me to wonder who prayed for me in my lost years other than my mother. Do they even know the fruit of their prayers? We may all be surprised when we arrive in Heaven. If we fail to follow the unction of Holy Spirit in our prayers and worship, we will certainly miss the mark. The world is a sad place. Even as I write, a High School classmate of mine is being eulogized. What I know about her after I moved away, is horribly sad. Jesus “came that they may have life, and haveit abundantly” (John 10:10b). Jesus is Life! The world can have abundant life in Jesus, but it starts with our prayers. It continues with our expressions of our passion for Jesus through worship. It also continues with our lives matching our speech. I do not have all the solutions. I cannot go to worship leaders to redirect them back to that which glorifies God. I do not have access to the fallen ministers of our day. What I can do is pray. What I can do is obey God in my daily life. What I can do is be the teacher of His Word He called me to be. What I can do is be “The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly” (Eccl 12:10). I CAN TELL THE TRUTH. After all, it seems to be a rare commodity in today’s society. Won’t you join myself and men like Forrest Frank to express the Truth and pray? u GLAD TIDINGS 7 DECEMBER 2025 Signs of Life from The King's Highway Evangelistic Ministries SARA GOLDSTEIN
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