Songs of Life | Bro. Alex Mason

Hey man, someone say man, look at your neighbor and say you

look good now don't lie, don't lie, Amen.

You look good tonight, Amen. I'd have each one of you, those

that are able to be here, glad to have Sabrina and Manny, Amen

with us tonight, Amen. In the House of the Lord, so

grateful for them, such a great couple, Amen.

Love and appreciate them. Amen.

This evening, brother Alex. Every every month we have,

there's a group of us that get together.

It's called a calendar touch point.

And we basically look at what's left in the month and like two

months ahead of stuff that's on the calendar that we might have

planned a year ago. Because we do a planning session

in usually February, toward the end of February.

We plan out a year and such. And so we look at things and

just see if there's anything we need to be aware of.

And so the last planning session, we realized that it's

the fourth Sunday of the month. Brother Alex was going to be

ministering the word and realizing his mom and dad's

going to be gone too, which is music, which makes music going

to be on him. And I looked at him like, you

know, is this a problem? Because I can, you know, step in

or whatever. He's like, no, it's OK, we got

this. So and so forth.

And so praise God, you know, praise God, Amen.

So he's been playing and singing all day.

And then he's also going to minister tonight.

He has already told us this is going to be a little

unconventional, just kind of like not the norm.

And so I think he's going to talk to us from right there with

reason and purpose. So let's just follow Amen.

What the Lord may have Amen here tonight.

Amen. Will you do that Amen.

Will you do that God, we love you tonight.

God we glorify you that you will be done in Jesus name.

It's. Not something that I would ever

thought would be done per SE. It's still ministry, but it's

feels weird. I did have something to preach

this week and Tuesday something came to my mind and felt led to

lead us to recognize and focus on music.

Now tonight, I'm not here to tell you what you should or

should not listen to. What I'm telling you tonight is

I want you to understand the power of music in the sense of

drawing nearer unto God. And maybe this is something that

is more foreign to you. Maybe you don't listen to a

whole lot of music. I myself, my wife and I listen

to a lot of music and I know you may say, well, you guys are

singers and musicians, but we are called to worship.

Called to worship doesn't always have to be in song, but most

commonly it is in song. More music is more than just

melodies and and harmonies. It's a way that that God can

speak to us and, and throughout our lives, there's just songs

that will mark journeys in our life.

They'll mark very, very important times in our life.

And they remind us of God's faithfulness or, or that that

can help us find hope, help us find things.

When when things get tough, we can draw back to that and we go

back to that and it's like we're back in that situation or it's

like we're back in the sun again.

And I called this songs of life because I didn't know what else

to call it. But throughout my life, there

are just times that I will listen to one song a lot, maybe

a grouping of songs. And it it always ends up having

a theme. Somehow, some way, it ends up

having a theme that highlights what I'm going through or what

I'm lacking or what I need. God and, and it's in those

times, those songs of life that I can sense his comfort, I can

sense his love and there's the messages of the song speak to me

not only not only just on intellect, but on emotional and

spiritual level. And, and these these themes,

they bring us in. They take it when when it really

began, where music really began as heaven, when we worship and

reverence to music with music unto God, we are doing something

heavenly in in Job 38, it's verses 4 through 7, it talks

about God speaking to Job. He says where were you when I

laid the earth's foundation? And he says, while the morning

stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy, this

passage reveals to us that music in the form of the morning stars

was singing. And it's as if God's creation

began to began with a Symphony. It began with a Symphony.

And it's a cosmic celebration of his power and glory.

And, and in a sense, we visually see music.

The beauty of things that we see on this earth is poetry.

And we look at it and we're in awe.

And I, I call that music because it's heavenly.

It is beauty beyond what we could think with our own mortal

minds until we actually see it. And music, music on earth is

just an echo. It can be an echo.

What happens in heaven and, and when we sing and we worship,

we're not just, we're just not making the melodies.

We are participating in something much bigger.

And Revelation five and eight, it says it gives us a vision of

heavenly worship. It gives us a vision where the

elders and the angels are bowing and singing a new song around

God's throne and he's declare. They're declaring his

worthiness. They're declaring he is great

and he is holy. And it shows that music has

always been central to worship of God and his presence in it.

But it's not just the spiritual aspect that makes music

powerful. There's a there's a very natural

aspect to this that we don't think about very often.

There's a profound connection between music and our minds.

Music is very powerful. And I think because it's

heavenly, that's why it has such an impact on us emotionally,

mentally, physically, spiritually.

And, and there's a profound connection.

There's research at Harvard, there was an article I read

years back and I had to go find it again.

But the article talks a little bit about what happens in the

brain when, when you listen to music or even sing and, and, and

play music. And more often than not, what

they were finding the common thread was that when someone

was, was just listening to someone talk, right, more than

often than not, it's more of the, the part portion of the

brain that follows logic and listening to someone trying to

make decisions. More often than not when it came

to music, listening, singing, playing, the the emotion center

of the brain is on a higher functioning level and it is

activated so much higher. And I believe that is because it

connects us. It connects us with something.

And when we decide that that something's going to be God,

that can be very powerful. It can be very powerful to

decide to connect ourselves with God.

It can, it can very realistically, it can reduce

stress. Have you ever just heard a good

feel good song and you just, you feel happy afterwards, You just

feel. And then the other, the other

side of the coin, you listen to a very sad song and now you have

to turn on a, a really happy song because you're sad.

Studies show that certain type of music can help lower cortisol

levels, which is our body stress hormone and and it helps us feel

more relaxed, more focused. Some of us when we study, maybe

we turn on some music, maybe there's a certain playlist for

focusing, certain playlist for worship, certain playlist for

prayer, So many different things that we can glean and glean from

beyond that music is a bridge between mind and spirit.

And when we worship through music, we're not just engaging

our emotions. We're we're aligning our whole

being, body, mind and soul with God's presence and his purpose.

I just, I sit in it all sometimes when I listen to a

song and it just gets me and I, I again, that emotion center.

I'm not a naturally emotional person, but you get a good song

in front of me and I just sit there and all, all I can do is

just just sit and maybe, maybe weep, maybe just understanding

the the depth and the breadth of what is being sung, the words of

the song. See, we listen to so many songs

and we we hear so many songs during worship sets over and

over again and can feel like the same old thing.

We know the words of the song now and so we sing it and it's

on the screen and we have that help.

Then we lose the meaning. When you're listening to a song

for the first time, you're focusing intently on the words.

There have been times I've listened to the song and it was

the first time, and I'm intently listening to these words.

And when I listen to them, it is impacting me so powerfully.

And as it becomes a habit, it becomes less and less impactful.

I can when I don't take the time to focus on it.

There's not going to be any words up there tonight.

I want you to listen. I want you to understand what's

being sung. Just this First Samuel 1623, it

talks. It describes how David's music

gets soothed. Saul's troubled spirit.

Music and worship could soothe your troubled soul.

Music today can have a similar impact on us and and bringing us

comfort and drawing us in. That's why I'm here at the piano

today. I feel like I feel like maybe

there's some of us. Maybe we don't listen to music

on a regular basis. Maybe we don't listen to music

that gives reverence to God on a regular basis.

And we wonder sometimes, well, why?

Why this, why that, why there's so many things going on.

I'm not saying it's always the case, but I'm telling you one

thing for sure. When you have music in your life

and it gives reverence to God, you're going to have see a

difference. You're going to feel comfort,

you're going to feel love, you're going to see faithfulness

throughout. You're going to bless his name

on a regular basis. I believe music has the power to

change us. It has the power to heal us.

It has the power to bring us closer to the heart of God.

And, and as we go through these songs, and I'm going to go

through different themes of these song of songs.

I don't care if you need to shout, you can shout if you need

to run, if you need to pace and walk, if you need to pray, if

you want to stand in worship, if you want to sit down at your

seat at worship, if you need to come to an altar because

something is impacting you. I hope that something grabs your

heart tonight. Tonight is about worship.

So I want you to focus on these words.

I want you to focus on the meanings of these songs and

maybe, just maybe, there might be something that you could get

out of it tonight. First thing I want to talk about

and I want to sing about is the theme of love.

Love is both infinite and deeply personal with God.

Romans 8 and 38, it tells us that that nothing in all

creation could separate us from His love, and it reminds us of

its power and of its consistency.

It is not fickle, it is consistent, and this love is

also intimate. Psalms 139 one verse one and

two. It shows us that that a God who

knows our every thought and every moment.

And these songs are about that relentless love, unwavering

love, love that holds us when we feel lost.

It reminds us when we need to be cherished and we need to feel

love. It reminds us that we are

cherished not because of what we do, but simply because we belong

to Him. And as we listen, let's allow

the words to remind us that we are loved in the of God's love.

And so when I need to be reminded of God's love, I may

turn to songs like this. Song starts out like time after

time after time I've been here, lie after lie after lie, tear

after tear. And in spite of all my flaws,

you say you love it all and I didn't learn it because I don't

deserve it. Cycles of shame in hiding who I

am created this place of brokenness in I'm in.

It's deeper than I'm tall. You say you see it all and I

can't undo it. My heart is wounded, but you

have me in the earth. Do not believe me.

How you found me. Your perfect love astounds me.

Go over and over again. You don't give up.

You're still chasing after me. Then finally I see your love is

in the reminding us that his love is enough.

And then when I need to be surrounded.

And comforted by his love, I may turn the songs like something

along the lines of. Know you've heard.

The stories. They all sound too good to be

true. You've heard about a Mace called

home, but there doesn't seem to be one for you soon.

One night you cry yourself and drift off to a distant dream.

Will takes you in. Everything changes.

The loneliness ends and a new life begins when love takes you

and says you belong here. A miracle starts with the beat

of our hearts when a heart takes you in.

Gone through something that I maybe thought I'd gone too far.

Maybe I need to be reminded just how reckless it seems that God's

love is. And I may turn to all the.

Old, never ending reckless love of God.

Oh it. Chases.

Me down fights till I follow leaves the 99 and I could earn

it. I don't deserve it.

Still you give yourself away. And all the overwhelming and

never ending reckless love and God.

There's no shadow you won't light up mountain you'll climb

up coming after me. There's no wall You won't kick

down a lie you won't tear down coming after me.

There's no shadow you won't light up mountain you won't

climb up coming after me. There's no wall you won't kick

down a lie on set out coming after me.

And after that reminds me, I can also turn to something like like

the Song of You. See the side of me that no one

else can see. You know the depths of me beyond

the surface thing. I cannot hide from your

presence. You know my weaknesses and the

Lord. You know my flaws.

You see the unseen war with every impure thought, Yet I have

her hope in it all for you, each beyond pray and afraid and give

birth, sea and give birth, and you love me anyway.

How boundless, how unconditional, how, how, how

truly it is those things because we, we forget sometimes and we,

we have issues in those songs that speak to that love.

It's a lie. Love that finds us where we are.

And unfortunately, sometimes we have to have faith because

sometimes it's not going to be easy.

And maybe we have to turn to faith and trust.

Have to turn to faith and trust and healing, knowing that God's

going to do what he said he's going to do.

So we may turn the songs like I Trust.

In God, my Savior, the one who will never fail.

He will never fail. I trust in God.

You might say you're the one who will never fail.

He will never fail. I sought the Lord and he heard

and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard.

And he, Sir, I sought the Lord, and he heard and he answered.

That's why I trust Him, that's why I trust Him.

I've sought the Lord and he heard, and he answered.

I sought the Lord, and he heard, and he answered.

I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered.

That's why I trust Him. That's why I trust in God my

Savior, the one who will never fail.

He will never fail who have trust in God my Savior, the one

who will never fail. He will never fall.

I could go to let it be costly. Let it be constantly.

You are most worthy. Most worthy.

I'm holding back nothing. Let it peace you're most worthy,

most worthy Jesus, for all I bring and come there to all

you've given me. I will not bring cost me nothing

counted the costs and I'm convinced you're still with

everything. How will I bring it cost me

nothing so when? I may turn to songs.

It's about waiting because it's a part of it.

It's a part of faith. I may go.

Wait. On the Lord wait.

On the Lord, wait on the Lord and renew.

That I have to be reminded. Oh, he's ordering.

Maybe I'll insert myself into it.

He's. Ordering my step.

I've got away, I've got away. And he's ordering my steps.

She got away and I. May go to our flip stores that.

Have proved your faithfulness. Miracles my mind can't

comprehend. And there is beauty in what I

don't understand. Jesus you.

Jesus you. I believe you're the wonder

working God. You're the wonder working God.

All the miracles I've seen, too good tonight believe.

If I wonder where, King God, you heal because you love All the

miracles I've seen, Too good tonight believe.

Too good tonight believe. Too good tonight, believe.

I may go. I believed in miracles, Never

thought that I'd be 1. You came and changed me, all for

your glory. Oh, I believed in miracles,

Never thought that I'd be 1. You came and made me a

testimony. The.

Faith and trust in God is often going to lead us to moments

where we see His grace at work. And it's in those times of

waiting and hoping that His redemption and His love and His

grace comes closer to us that these songs speak of grace and

of freedom and of transformation.

That comes when God's mercy meets us where we are in our

moment of despair, reflecting on His grace and His redemption.

We sung it tonight. We could sing something like

Lord You found me. You healed me.

You've called me from the grave. You gave me a real love.

I thank you, Jesus. You are my sins away.

Oh, now that I believe it, like I'm forgiven, You came and set

me free. That's what your mercy did for

me. And maybe.

We shout about it, what he's done.

Maybe we shout and we do. Whoa.

If I shout, know I'm shouting from a heart that's been washed

clean. If I run, know I'm running from

a past it's been reading to the world.

It might look crazy. There's just no telling what

you're going to do. You know when Jesus gets old to

you. So if I shout no, I'm shouting

from my heart, it's been on clean.

If I run, no. I'm learning from the past.

It's been redeemed. Too early and I look crazy, but

it's just no telling what you're going to do in that moment.

Jesus gets home. We could turn to Amazing Grace.

How sweet the sound that saying a rat like me.

I once was lost, but now was. But now I my chains are gone.

I've been set free. My God, my save your eyes ransom

me. And like a flood, his mercy

rings. An ending of Earth days we could

go to I am redeem. You set me free.

So I'll take on these every chains, wipe away everything

because I know who I used to be Because I am redeemed.

You said be free. So I'll take all these heavy

chains off every state because I'm not who I used to be.

I am redeemed and then that redemption

acknowledged. That redemption and

understanding what He did for us, what He's done for us

through the highs and the lows, we can turn to something about

worship and devotion. Get into a mode of worship and

acknowledging His greatness, talking about how good He is,

how what He's done and that He is the greatest.

Talk about His name. And we could go, because of who

you are, I give you glory. Because of who you are, I give

you praise. Because of who you are, I will

live my voice and say, Lord, I worship you.

Because of who you are, Lord, I am worship you.

Because who you are, Lord, I worship you.

Because who you are is in the name of Jesus wonderful, Is in

the name of Jesus wonderful. All the world can come in and

have their sins removed. Is in the name of Jesus

wonderful. Eternal King, You will reign

forever and we will sing the glory of your name be lifted

high so all the world will see. The name is all we need.

Name is all we need. Your name is holy.

Your name is worthy. Your name is.

Your name is holy. Your name is where, honey?

Your name is Jesus. How beautiful, how much love.

This is your name, Jesus. How powerful, How excellent.

His young man, the Jesus. And the angels cry holy, our

creation cries holy. You are lifted high, holy, holy,

frail. Your people sing holy to the

King of kings, holy. You will always be holy, Holy

for life. Your name.

Name is the highest. Your name is the greatest.

Your name stands above them all. All phones and dominions, all

powers and positions. Your name stands above all.

Your name is the highest. Your name is the greatest.

Your name stands above them all. All phones hit the minions.

All powers and positions in your name stands above them all.

And the angels cry Holy, all creation, Christ holy, you are

lifted high, holy, holy. And it was you made my life

complete. You are to me my everything and

that's why I see Jesus. I love you because you gave.

I couldn't imagine if you weren't there.

Jesus, I'll help you because you can't.

I couldn't imagine if you weren't there and it was you

that made my life complete. Sometimes we just have to be.

Reminded of that and it was you that made my life and you are to

my head and that's why I see. And after we go through worship

and devotion, it often deepens our desire.

It deepens our desire for God's presence.

And when we get into that, there's something about being

close to him that restores us in ways, restores us in ways that

we can't even explain. But he did it.

And these songs are all about his presence, His sweet, sweet

presence. It's refresh, it's renewed and

it is a new everyday, every single moment.

And it press we, we let it. When we let it press in and we

seek it, we get that sweet connection.

With God. So you could.

Turn the songs like The More I seek you, The More I Fight you.

The more I fight you, the more I love you.

I want to sit at your feet, drink from the cup into your

head and back against you and breathe.

Feel your heartbeat it's love is so deep.

It's more than I can stand. I rest in the so overwhelming

nothing else. Nothing else.

Nothing else will do. I just want to you and nothing,

nothing else, nothing else, nothing else will you?

I just want you and nothing else.

And nothing else. Nothing else will you?

I'm caught up in your prison. I just want to sit here, right

at your feet, caught up in this holy moment.

I never want to leave. Oh, I'm not here for a little

sea Jesus. You don't owe me everything and

more than anything that you can do, I just want you.

To me your presence is there, and to me we're singing.

Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus, die praise and to me.

Oh Jesus, how Jesus eyes your praise and to me to urge you I

live. I need.

Because in your presence there is freedom, chains, island and

lies to heal pieces. Waiting arm stretch open is in

your presence. Your life, that's all I need is

found in your presence. Is found in your presence.

All I need is found in your presence.

I need is found in you all that. We get a renewed sense of

authority being in his presence and it's almost like a battery

it gives us gives us charge and that's where we can have and

speak in his authority because he's in control.

So we could do, we could sing something along the lines of

with lifted. Hands, we're in for a brand of

demonstration of your pie. We want more land stories.

We're declaring and believing for a night, so we'll prepare

the atmosphere. Oh, so you can be welcoming you.

Oh, anything can happen, Anything can happen.

Anything can happen. The moment you are again,

anything can happen. Anything can happen.

Anything, the moment that you walk into

this, every life can be restored.

I feel the room, I feel the room.

Angels are at every corner when you fill the room.

Got to feel the room. Don't start when and if you're

in the room and got to feel and since there comes light when you

feel, there is power. Power in the cheese.

There is power in the name of Jesus.

There is power in the men. Jesus.

Break every chin. Break every chin.

Break every chin. We may turn this on.

It's about authority, not bowing.

It's a song that I love right now that is so powerful, talks

about not bowing, and this is where we stand.

Line in the sand, we're on the Lord's side Kingdom, stand

around, don't back down, God will deliver us in this where we

stand. Line in the sand, we're on the

Lord's side. Kingdom standing around, don't

back down. God will deliver us.

Bridge is so powerful because sometimes we need to stand up

and tell the devil. Through.

All of this we need to tell the devil that enough is enough.

And it says it says. I could never about working

without a ground. Never.

Never. Oh, no, Oh no.

I could never bow to a king without a crown.

Never. Oh no, Oh no, I could never bow

to a king without a crown. Never.

This is where we stand. Lying in the sand.

We're on the Lord Lord's side. Kingdom, stand your ground.

Come back down. God will deliver us.

This is where we stand. I'm in the sand.

We're on the Lord's side, Kingdom.

Stand your ground. Come back down.

God will deliver us. This is where we stand.

I'm in the sand, We're on the Lord.

It's our Kingdom. Stand your ground, don't back

down. God will deliver us because He

love me and not do not lead me. How he found His perfect love

astounds over and over again. He doesn't give up.

He still chases. After me and now I can see his

love is enough. So I hope you go with this

tonight and I hope you turn to some songs.

I hope you turn to some music because it becomes so powerful

and the drawing nearer. There are times that through

prayer and through worship of song, you're going to feel

closer to God than you have. And I don't know if it's because

just the physical part of it, it's the emotional part.

It's so strong. I'm telling you, there's nothing

like music when we are singing with the heavenly hosts,

reflecting this great thing that we have from heaven that we

didn't have to have. It could have been exclusive to

heaven. We have never had the blessing

of music, but we have the blessing of music and worship

and that changes our lives. It changes.

It heals us when we are broken and it means men's things with

when we feel like we've gone so far.

We can we can turn the stuff like this.

We can be reminded pastor's going to come and end out

service. I love you all.

Thank you for bearing with me. It's worship.

Just worship. When writers put pin to page and

they particularly involve lyrics that involve God's Word.

My Savior and I, when we just heard events, we didn't get no

word tonight. There are so many of those songs

that were touched on tonight that some were verbatim

scripture and some were principles of scripture that was

being spoken. That's the thing about songs

like that, that it's, it's the word that's coming to you

through the song. I'll share this with you.

There's there's very few days probably that I don't pray

without music. All right, But here's something

what I do sometimes there's some days I don't because I purposely

don't because I don't want the music to do the praying for me.

Matter of fact, God spoke to me one time.

He said, turn off the music. Let me hear your voice, right?

But there's a lot of times, Ray, I pray with music.

You know what I do? There's some days I allow the

lyrics of the song to direct my prayer, like the song that says

Jesus I love you. I'll use that as a springboard

for my prayer. Or all you could just probably

start belching out some of these lyrics, different lyrics that

just come. Then I use that as a springboard

for my prayer to the Lord God is fighting for me man, I'll start

praying God, I need I need you in this life.

There's some things that I'm facing.

I'll just start using then the lyrics of the song that come

through the playlist as then the springboard for my prayer and

you should just try it sometime just challenge.

You should try it sometimes, though, I just don't know what

to pray about man allow a lyric from a song just to be a

springboard for your prayer. I mean, it's already written in

the in the in the mode of being worship into the Lord man use it

as prayer as again, many of that is his word that's going forth

and different lyrics. There's so many lyrics we sing.

We don't even realize they have a biblical context, but they do

they do and they're powerful. They can bring all of that.

He spoke up tonight, healing, strength, redemption, reflection

about God's love, grace and mercy, Amen in our lives.

Amen. Thank God, thank God for

creating that Amen. You stand with me tonight.

Amen. Have you been you felt the Holy

Ghost here in the president the Lord ministered to Amen.

If if David was called to soothe the spirit, if that was

happening, then there's something that can powerful that

can happen just through a lyric. You know all the songs that you

read by and large, many of them SONGS, songs, whatever you

talking about here, David, talking about delivering me,

Lord, from the hands of my enemy man.

That's a song he's singing and writing and pinning.

Amen unto the Lord. Let's ask God to just seal this

in our heart, God. Seal this into our hearts, God,

into our minds. I pray, O Lord, tonight, God,

you have given us the Lord Jesus, this tool, Lord, it, it

has its origin, Lord, in the heavenlies.

I pray, O Lord, help us to use it, God, for your glory in our

own lives. God, it can combat fear it can

combat Lord intimidation it can that so many things that you can

lift our spirits when it is low and it can set at Bay.

Lord God things of confusion. Lord it can bring the Lord a

rejoicing into a heart a a new song to be sung.

The Lord God, a melody of praise unto you.

I pray, O Lord, today, God help us to go Lord in the power of

the lyrics. The Lord God that's based upon

your word Lord in these songs and let them bring a salve Lord

in a balm of healing God to a mind, a heart, a soul.

God will thank you and will praise you for in the name of

Jesus Christ, that I pray in the church say Amen, Amen.