Mercy and Truth Have Met Together; Righteousness and Peace Have Kissed.
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What must people do to receive God's mercy? Can we have mercy and peace with God without following truth and righteousness? What if we say it does not matter how we worship or what church we attend as long as we believe in God? How do the psalms compare God to idols and false gods?

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Singing, Creation, Children, and Instrumental Music
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Babies, singing, and creation: Why do children love singing?Why do babies love singing even more than instrumental music? Why is singing important in worship? What does this show about creation?

From birth, every child loves to hear singing. Have you ever wondered why?

Our God-Given Ability to Appreciate Vocal Music

An article in a creationist magazine describes a study of MRI scans of the human brain. They determined there is a “unique area of the brain, which appears purpose-built to analyze singing” (not just to analyze sound or even music in general, but specifically vocal music).

“The results showed that ‘the response to sung music was substantially and significantly higher than the sum of the response to speech and instrumental music.’ … Research indicates that it’s a top-down ‘hard-wired’ capability…” given even to infants.*
To paraphrase, all people are born with a God-given ability to recognize, appreciate, and respond favorably to vocal music. From birth, not only can we distinguish singing from speaking and from instrumental music, but we give a “significantly higher” response to vocal music than to speech or to instrumental music.

Some Applications

This explains the reaction of babies and children to vocal music.

Why do parents sing lullabies to lull babies to sleep? When babies and small children are upset, why does singing help calm them down? Why do many little children go around singing much of the day? Why is it that the part of our worship that interests children most is the singing?

The answer is that God created them that way. They are “hardwired” so singing holds their interest more effectively than talking to them or playing instrumental music!

The New Testament instructs vocal music in worship.

Ephesians 5:19 – Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

Colossians 3:16 – … teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

We do speak the word of God in worship, but the only music that the New Testament authorizes is singing. Why did God include singing but not instrumental music?

We should obey God’s commands regardless of whether we understand why He gave them, but sometimes information helps us understand why. And one reason God may have chosen singing in worship is that He hardwired every one of us to focus on vocal music even above instrumental music.

Our special appreciation for singing is often used for evil.

2 Corinthians 11:14,15 – For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness…

Anything good that God ever made, Satan seeks ways to pervert it for evil. Much modern music promotes evil by using the human tendency to appreciate singing.

God’s people must use discretion to “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9).

We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
Birds can sing, but they do not write new songs. Of all God’s creatures, only humans invent new songs, teach them to others, and communicate them in writing. Only people have this ability formed in us from creation so we can appreciate the music that only humans can make.

We did not evolve from lower animals as some teach. We were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26,27).

*https://www.icr.org/article/13....745/?utm_source=phpl (11/5/2022)

(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2025; gospelway.com

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April 4 - April 9 – Bible Study Questions – Psalms 85,86
Please read Psalms 85,86 and answer the following questions.
1. Read Psalm 85 and summarize its theme. What blessings had God given to His people in the past – 85:1-3?
2. What request did the people make in 85:4-7? (Think: How do you explain the relationship between verses 4-7 and verses 1-3?)
3. What confidence does the poet express about God’s response in 85:8-11?
4. Application: What lessons can we learn about forgiveness from these verses?
5. What blessings will God-give in the end – 85:12,13?
6. Read Psalm 86 and summarize its theme. What reasons does the poet give in 86:1-3 why God should hear his prayer?
7. What response does he hope to receive from God, and what reasons does he give for this confidence – 86:4-7?
8. Special Assignment: How does God compare to other gods – 86:8-10? How do we know who is the true God? How should people respond?
9. What commitments does the poet make to God in 86:11-13?
10. What problem does the poet have according to 86:14,15? How does he compare his enemies to God?
11. What concluding request does the poet make, and how should this affect his enemies – 86:16,17?
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Better to Be a Doorkeeper in God's House than Dwell in the Tents of Wickedness.
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Why were enemies of Israel also considered enemies of God? How do some people today act as enemies of God? How important should worshiping God be to God's people? Should we prefer other activities above our desire to honor God?

Video Bible study at
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Bible study presented by David E. Pratte. Learn Jesus' teaching at https://gospelway.com #biblestudy #videobiblestudy #christianity

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Learning about Wisdom from the Wisest Man
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The purpose of this study is to learn what Solomon said in Proverbs about wisdom.

1 Kings 3:9-12 – God asked Solomon what blessing he wanted. He chose _______________

The Value of Wisdom

Proverbs 8:10,11 – Solomon said wisdom was more valuable than _____________________

If you could choose between Bible wisdom or millions of dollars, which would you choose?

Why Wisdom Is Essential

8:18,19 – The value of wisdom is in its “fruit”: the benefits it can have in your life.

Wisdom is essential to do God’s will.

8:18 – With wisdom comes ________________________.

2:10-12,20 – Wisdom delivers you from ________ so you may walk in _________________

Wisdom means knowing and using God’s will properly. Foolishness refers to ways contrary to God’s will. Wisdom is valuable because you cannot please God unless you know and do His will.

This is the introduction of a Bible study worksheet. It is accompanied by an outline with correct answers. To see the whole study, go to https://biblestudylessons.com/outlines



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Learn Jesus' Teaching: Study Bible Truth
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Free Bible study lessons, courses, workbooks, class books, commentaries, e-books, guides, aids, sermons, helps, and other Christian materials written by David E. Pratte. See our site at https://biblestudylessons.com We also have printed publications for sale at https://gospelway.com/sales

No teaching presented here is ever intended or should ever be construed to in any way incite or encourage personal vengeance or physical violence against any person.

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