When "Christian" music isn't worship - sometimes it's not

Amos 5:23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

“Amos 5 says, “Stop your songs, your hearts aren’t right.” I would simply say this: all I would ask of a musician is whatever musical style he chooses to use, I want to know that he is filled with the Spirit.

Because if the Spirit of God is using him, his sensitivity to the Holy Spirit will come through in any musical style. He’ll modify it enough so that it doesn’t cheapen the profound.

If his heart isn’t right, God doesn’t want to hear his songs, that’s Amos, chapter 5, “Stop your songs, your hearts aren’t right.”

Go back, get your heart right and then come and sing your song to me. I really believe that you leave it at that point; if the heart of the musician is right, it is amazing how many different kinds of forms and styles he can communicate the truth in. ~ John MacArthur”

Whilst the verse that John refers to in Amos 5:23 probably refers to the harp, the sense is right. The singing of their psalms is nothing more to God than a wearisome noise, which is to be brought to an end. Scripture is clear, if we embrace and hold on to sin in our heart, God will not hear us when we call out to Him. The issue of the heart is the heart of the issue.

John Wesley goes further, “Used in their sacrifices, and solemn feasts; herein they imitated the temple - worship, but all was unpleasing to the Lord.” Role playing, empty hearts, going through the motions… today is a day to stop the song, correct our hearts and move on.

Jesus said the same, that if you are going to give and on the way realise that you have something adrift with your brother, you are to leave you gift, go and get reconciled. Differences sorted, it is then appropriate to present your gift. God is always watching, noticing and discerning the thought and intentions of our hearts.

Remember when Moses came down from the mountain with his assistant. Israel had made a golden calf and were enthusiastically worshiping and celebrating that ‘a cow had brought them out out of Egypt’. Their celebrations were loud. Moses enquired about the noise, that it was not the sound of victory, not the sound of defeat, but just the sound of singing.

It was a Laodicean song.

This is not just about the general congregation. I know a few prophets that have bitterness and resentment festering in their hearts, and the outcome is revealed openly in pride. God actively opposes pride - He’s a jealous God, and all the glory belongs to Him. So that is a warning in itself!

“How many are loud in voice, dumb in heart! How many lips are silent, but their love is loud! For the ears of God are to the heart of man. As the ears of the body are to the mouth of man, so the heart of man is to the ears of God. Many are heard with closed lips, and many who cry aloud are not heard.” Augustine

Search your heart, sort things out - and let’s hear you sing.

from Prophetic Reformation

Loss

Last night I heard a cousin I grew up with (my age) passed away.

It's always a shock. Even as we get older. Too Young. Too much life yet to live. All true.

Why? What?

What makes this more focused is in my reading yesterday I was pondering Jeremiah Chapter 8.

This may seem like a brutal judging God speaking. He's not. He's bringing people to repentance by his action. Loss will do that. It will restore as we heed his word. He calls; will we answer?

It's all hard. I don't know what to make of it. I do know this ---- God Does.

A Picture of what the Church of Jesus will look like in the Future

This morning in a conversation with a friend of mine we were talking about the economy in the USA and what the coming changes will bring for the Church of Jesus. He is from South America. We have all seen and heard what things have been like in South American churches. Argentina. Brazil.

Huge churches full of very poor people. Not people who were always poor. Particularly in Argentina. These churches are substantial, but not glitzy. People are passionate and hungry but broke.

God supplies. He protects. Miracles happen.

During our conversation, I got one of those flashes of revelation that comes sometimes.

I saw churches, churches I care about, churches hungry for revival, full to the brim like the churches I attended in Rio years ago. Full to the brim. Standing room only. 10 services a day. Full of people who desperately need Jesus, who worshiped him with all their heart. But those people were so poor they couldn't support the church they attended. Churches of tens of thousands trying hard to just keep the doors open.

Here's what the Lord says, "I am about to pour out my spirit on all flesh. Get ready for a harvest of souls beyond what you could imagine."

In my spirit I see American churches like those in South America. Full but very very basic. All meat, no glitz. Much different from what you see today.

Anyone who has ever spent much time on the mission field in developing countries knows exactly what I am talking about. My concern is how can the Church of Jesus be ready for the coming revival? Maybe they won't. Think about how Willow Creek will do with 1/4 the giving it has now and twice the people to serve. Is it possible.

Now transpose that to the Church you are in leadership of. What will this mean?

Ultimate Healing

I love a good healing service. I love when people are touched by Jesus and restored physically.

This morning in contemplating a healing service, I was reminded in my spirit.....

Ultimate Healing is always the end result of physical healing. Jesus healed often and then admonished people to come to faith in God.

A healing service should NOT be focused on healing but on ultimate healing.

I have been part of lots of healing services. I have been part of lots of services where people are called to repentance, to find the way to the Father thru Jesus.

Many people come, not all respond. They leave as lost as they came. Just like healing. People come, sick, wounded, hurting. Then they come forward for healing ministry. They leave sick, wounded, hurting. SEE they say, it didn't work.

Nope, it didn't. You come to the Father thru Jesus by faith. You come to wholeness in body by faith in the healer, Jesus.

Now, you can have faith for healing and not be healed. But you will never be healed unless you come to him for healing.

I think it's time for healing services once again.

I love what Pastor Jim says, "Bring your sick, bring your dead". Jesus is here to heal and restore.

That's not only physical, it's spiritual. Both are critical. Both matter.

GIGO

I thought of GIGO this morning. Computer Phrase from long ago. Garbage in - Garbage out.

It's more appropriate when one considers what we think or see or read or allow into our spirit.

The ones most in danger are those who think they are strong. Lest they fall.

I wonder how many Christian leaders were led astray by movies, books and other things.

Whatever we fill our hearts with will come out, under pressure, accidentally, in pain.

Hit your finger with a hammer and see what comes out..... That's what was in there all along.

Now who put it there? GOD?

I use the hammer example because the others are closer to the marrow. This has to do with our reaction to anything or anyone. No one is so spiritual that they (or I) can keep putting filth in our spirits and not expecting that there will come a day when......

You shall flourish in the days of My favor and spring up

This word lines up with what the Lord is telling me... Spring will Spring up.... That doesn't mean winter isn't coming, but Spring is Coming.

From Brenda Craig

Word of the Day

I declare to you My Beloved, “You shall flourish in the days of My favor and spring up…you shall grow up in a stately, upright, useful and fruitful way.” You are growing and shall continue to grow in majestic, stable, durable and incorruptible ways.

I am with you to give you favor in your own eyes for how you see yourself in relation to me has bearing on how you see others. Reach out and touch Me…hear Me as I abide in the depths of your spirit. I am not far off. I am nigh unto you…I am in you the hope of all glory. I am in you and you are in Me. You are planted in My house and shall flourish in the courts of your God.

As you abide in My house and I abide in yours I will cause you to hear Me…to hear Holy Spirit with a clarity yet unknown to you in past days. Trust and confidence are growing within you and My powerful hand is even now being revealed to you in the midst of everyday life (Psalms 92:13; Proverbs 11:8).

All the dry places of your life are becoming green with the vegetation of hope and promises (Ezekiel 17:24). Things you have only longed to be true about yourself will be realized as I open the eyes of your heart to deep and intimate communion and revelation of Me...Read Complete Love Letter

The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. (Psalms 92:12 Amplified)

Prayer

Father I praise you for I am growing like a cedar, strong and majestic showing Your glory to the world. I am so thankful You have given me favor with You. Although this is very foreign to me based on some of the things I have experienced, I choose to receive Your favor in my own eyes so I can in turn see myself as You see me.

In receiving all You have for me, I am able to see others in a whole new light and truly love my neighbor as myself. I reach out to You Lord and touch You by faith embracing all You desire to reveal to me. The ears of my heart are open. I listen with an obedient heart to all Your promptings and encouraging words of love. You abide in the depths of my spirit and flow out of me in streams of living water…water which speaks the desire of Your heart for my life and the lives of others.

Yes, I praise You for You always near to me, for You truly are in me as I am in You. By faith I hear Your every word with clarity more and more as the day pass. My trust and confidence in You are growing continually as I seek Your face and meditate on Your word. Thank you for watching over Your Word to perform it according to Your plan for my life. I see Your powerful hand being revealed on a daily basis and I am grateful. Thank You for opening the eyes of my heart and letting me see what You see. In doing this I am able to enter into that deep and intimate communion with You, for I am truly and unconditionally loved. Amen.

Reflect and Journal

1. Take time to reflect on the ways you view yourself. Think about your daily self-talk. Are your thoughts in agreement with what God’s word says about you? What negative things do you find yourself saying most often? Find a scripture to counteract this lie and renew your mind with the truth until you believe it.
2. If you thoughts are not positive and in agreement with the Word, determine if you are truly willing to get into harmony with God’s opinion of you. Write out your response.
3. Search out and write down the scriptures that refer to God’s favor for you.
4. Spend time seeking the Lord and praise Him as you receive by faith the promises He has written for you.
5. Make a list of things you have longed for concerning yourself…things you desire to be true in your life. Trust God that he will bring them to pass and then praise Him for the completion of His workmanship in You.

Witness of the Spirit - Hearing from God - Wisdom

I won't point to it but some prophetic people use the Subjective Prophetic, Things in the natural are indications or messages of God's purposes and plans.

While I don't deny the subjective prophetic, it takes a great deal to convince me that every bird that flies by, every rainbow, every clap of thunder, every event has a message. At some level we become slave to seeking a sign.

What we must do as people of the Prophetic is look for God's hand in everything and then ask the Spirit of God to reveal which are his voices.

That happens in rehearsing scripture. Not just reading. Chewing it.

That happens sometimes in a song.

It happens sometimes in a happenstance.

Mostly because Holy Ghost says to you, This is of me. Hear my voice. I am speaking.

I mention this because I have a friend who is fasting and asking God for Guidance. I want him to win. Maybe just a still small quiet place is where he needs to go. He needs to look and see and wait on the Lord to renew his strength. It's a promise. And that promise has a premise. Wait.

God wants to speak to you more than your ability to listen.

One other thing. Go ahead, listen to the news, read newspapers, even read books and then ask the Holy Ghost to reveal lies and falsehood. Ask him what truth is? He is the God of Truth and he will show you. The tower at Shiloam that fell didn't take Jesus by surprise. He knew the word of the day.

We are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Wisdom at it's root is a knowing. Never surprised.

I am saddened by Christians who make a policy of being ignorant. We are not called to be ignorant but to be wise. If anyone lacks, let him ask.

God uses foolish things to confound the wise. The inverse of that God uses the "WISE" things to inform the "Foolish".

Peace comes from KNOWING the God of Peace in a world of Turmoil. That's the wisest thing we can do.