Treasuring Christ: a singalong approach

Several months ago I stumbled upon a sermon by John Piper on desiringgod.org.  The title of the sermon was “Total Abstinence and Church Membership.”, and focused sharply on the issue of alcohol.  His conclusion: “We engage…to seek God’s help in abstaining from all drugs, food, drink, and practices which bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize our own or another’s faith.”

I can not stress enough how our behaviors and practices can jeopardize our own faith.  It has been a difficult struggle for me personally, to abandon my love affair with secular music.  And I pray that at some point in time, listening to artists whose music is not good for my soul will begin to literally make me feel sick.

But until then, I’ve been struggling to find Christ-exalting music to replace my secular iTunes library.  I was helped to do just that when I was significantly influenced by this vital thought (also from Piper):

The question to ask about possible behaviors is: How will this help me treasure Christ more? How will it help me show that I do treasure Christ? How will it help me know Christ or display Christ? The Bible says, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)… How can I portray God as glorious in this action? How can I enjoy making much of him in this behavior?
(John Piper, “Don’t Waste Your Life”)

I have been attempting to write this thought on my heart and doorposts and meditate on it when I walk, sit, or lie down much like God commanded in Deuteronomy 6:

“5You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

I will admit that it’s very difficult to find music that will “help me treasure Christ more.”  About a month ago a very good friend of mine showed me an unbelievable worship album called “Sinalong” by Phil Wickham.  He recorded the album during a live show in Portland, Orgon and is offering it as a free download on his site  (http://philwickham.com/). 
On the album are some of my all time favorites (hymns, yes!!) such as: Nothing But the Blood, Come Thy Fount, and Amazing Grace.  Two songs that are a must hear are “Beautiful” and “True Love.”

So let us treasure Christ in the music we listen to.  Let us abandon the worldly music that demands our hearts be entertained by attitudes, motives, and actions which Jesus died to eradicate.  Let us abstain from all practices which jeopardize our own or another’s faith.  Let us singalong to the beauty and worth of knowing and savoring Christ.