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Day 251, or September the 8th. I mean it most sincerely. Our thoughts today are rooted in

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Amos chapter 5 verse 23. Away with the noise of your songs, I will not listen to the music

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of your harps.

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And now the big picture surrounding this verse. Being a preacher, Amos has a lot to say to

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the people of Israel and Judah, but he has the most to say to Israel in the North, to

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whom he preaches three sermons. A common theme in each of them is that Israel deserves any

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judgment God places over them. They are far from innocent and have a history of constantly

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kicking against their God. After the ministry of Amos, there will be at least thirty more

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years before the Assyrians invade from the North and scatter the northern tribes. God

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really is a God who wants us to change.

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And now our action step for today. I know a church where they have two evening services.

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The first is the one I prefer because it concentrates more on the word, with a tasteful mix of hymns

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and modern songs. The second service is the one that has some great contemporary music

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and attracts folk who are on the edge of the church. All the lights are dimmed for it,

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and the sermon tends to be shorter and punchier. I was warned not to attend because the music

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would be too loud for me. I reminded the giver of this advice that he was speaking to someone

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who grew up with the Rolling Stones, the Who, and Status Quo.

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There is a great variety of music in today's church, but throughout history music has been

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a great source of division. Our text today seems to say that God hates our music, but

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the truth is that he loves our worship. Sadly the two are often confused with each other.

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God warns us that he wants us to mean what we sing and make a joyful noise. It has nothing

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to do with the volume or beat, but everything to do with sincerity. Be sure your musical

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worship pleases God in the weeks to come.