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Commandment1

IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP - YOU CAN'T SUIT UP!

6/5/2013

2 Comments

 
IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP - YOU CAN'T SUIT UP

There appears to be an increased level of warfare in the church this year for many.  As I have talked with pastors and leaders across the country, and Christians in general, there is a noticeable similarity about what is happening to many Christians...discouragement, depression, wallowing in self-pity, having feelings of wanting to give up, dissatisfaction, critical and judgmental attitudes and actions, and especially a general apathy when it comes to dealing with what has been oppressing them.

It is as if a spiritual laziness has also set in: while they recognize they are being opposed and things need to change, they refuse to do what it takes to stand and fight, and overcome the problems. It appears that they want someone else to do the fighting for them, and they want the victory without lifting a finger, yet they do not hesitate to complain and complain, and complain.

What is this kind of Christianity that I see? It is not the one I grew up with. And it is not the kind that was taught and demonstrated to me by my parents, and various leaders all these many years. It is not the kind of Christianity that I read about in history, and it is definitely not the kind of Christianity I read about in the Bible.

Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth... (Ephesians 6:13, 14b AMP)

Ephesians 6 is a letter of instructions, and filled with language that shows Apostle Paul EXPECTS actions from the believer. Nowhere in here are the actions to be by Paul for the believers, or even God doing these actions for the believers - these are responsibilities that are to be DONE by the believers and not someone else for them.

AND it is written in the context of difficult times and warfare they were experiencing.

While we often think of Ephesians 6 as a chapter where we are encouraged into offense in warfare, please notice that in verses 13-14, above, Apostle Paul is telling them to put on the armor of God, and having done all they know - STAND YOUR GROUND!

When you have depleted all you know. Not all God knows, or all God has. Once you have depleted all you know - once you have come to the end of all your effort, experiences, strength - STAND YOUR GROUND!

There is no condemnation for not moving forward. There is no condemnation here for standing your ground - in fact that is what you are encouraged to do. However, there is no expectation or encouragement here for you to back up, to quit, to give up, to complain, to put in a little effort, or no effort and expect someone else to come and take your place so you can go and relax somewhere - stand your ground. Sometimes, that is the goal, that is the victory.

The truth is, if you don't show up, you can't suit up. And if you don't suit up, you will not win. Your uniform is your uniform. Your armor is your armor. David could not wear someone else's armor, and someone else could not take down Goliath. David had to show up to fight for the victory to be won.

It is every Christian's responsibility to learn how to do spiritual warfare, and everyone learns it where it counts - you learn it by doing warfare for yourself, before you do it effectively for others, and you never lose the responsibility of fighting for yourself.

When trying to encourage people in these circumstances, I often hear things like:
"I am so tired of warfare."
"When is this going to end?"
"All this warfare is not working."

On the surface these sound like legitimate cries for help. However, if we are to believe people have exhausted God's power, revelation, resources, and nothing has changed, then either God is not God, or they are lying. You know the one I am going to pick.

The truth is they have not obeyed the Word, they have not done warfare properly, effectively or consistently. When you read Ephesians 6, you will notice that Paul speaks of victory, even if the victory is to remain standing, however you have to obey the Word of God and put on the armor of God and use all the weapons God has provided...USE the weapons.

If someone tells you "it's not working" it is because they are not trusting God, not because God, His Word and His truth are broken.

This apathetic Christianity of folding under pressure like a wet kleenex, and running from the battle is dangerous - it puts you and others in danger, and it is cowardly, and un - Biblical. Notice who the cowards are included with...and what their "reward" is:

But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

Show up, suit up, and get on the field of battle.


All rights reserved. Copyright  © 2011-2013; Z. J. Makan; SonusCor, Commandment 1, Revelation School, DoubleEagle

2 Comments

The Sound of the Worshiper

7/12/2011

4 Comments

 

The Sound of the Worshiper

“If you are not a worshiper, singing, dancing and making music does not automatically make you a worshiper. The sound of the worshiper is not in the music but in the heart and spirit of the worshiper expressing love and adoration to God. You are a worshiper because you are a worshiper, not because you sing, dance and play music...you are the one expressing your love to the Lord, you are the instrument of worship.”

The above statement, which I posted on the Commandment 1 Facebook page on July 5, came about because, as a pastor, worshipper, and “musician”, I have noticed over the years an interesting dynamic that has developed in churches. And it is basically something like this: the worship team is made up of musicians, and since they lead worship every week, they are highly visible, and it is understood, taught, and preached that they lead “us” into worshiping the Lord.

Consequently, those Christians in the pews, aspiring musicians and worship leaders, see the worship team as a goal, and they hope to be a part of the “team”. That is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when a person has such a call they feel they must fulfill.

But there are also many others who want to be on the worship team, often without the talent, and with motives for being noticed instead of worshipping. They are often rejected and told they are not good enough, leaving them even more wounded and more conditioned to believe they are not worshipers because they are not good enough for the worship team.

Most people in churches do not want to be “in the band” but unfortunately they have been conditioned to believe that the worship team is necessary to lead them into worship, that they cannot worship without music, that they cannot worship without the worship team, that worship happens only during services, and as a result they do not see themselves as worshipers, but rather as people who follow the worshipers.

I realize this does not apply to all, but it does apply to many, because when I talk to people, pray for them and counsel them... it becomes very clear they do not believe they are worshipers, primarily because they have been taught that worshiping God is directly connected to being a musician, dancer, artist, or some other kind of artistic person.

The truth is quite the opposite: being a worshiper has nothing exclusively to do with music or the arts. The arts are one of the ways that worshipers express their love and worship to God. There has been much taught about postures, movements, actions, shouts, sounds, the Davidic forms of worship in the Temple, Tabernacle and so on, connected to worship... and it is true.

However, as believers in a new and better covenant, we are the Temple, the Holy Spirit is in our Temple, and we have been commanded to worship the Lord “in Spirit and in truth.”

The foundational truth about worshiping God is that we are all to worship Him, in our hearts, minds, souls, spirits - and that comes from a personal decision and will to love God. You can love and worship God and have no musical or artistic ability in you. On the other hand - you can be the most talented musician and artist in the world, and not know how to worship God at all.

That does not mean there are no true worshipers who are musicians and artists. There certainly are, and we are aware of many who have the heart, passion and the musical and artistic gifts. And it is a joy to be around people who are both artists and worshipers.

However, the goal of this article is to establish that we are the instruments of worship, and that God is pleased with the sounds, and silence of our hearts as we turn our love and affection to Him, so that when we do worship Him with music, we recognize music is not the worship, but it helps us express our hearts to Him.

One of the most amazing examples of a worshiper of God is a woman with no name in the Bible. She, no doubt, had a name, but the writers of the Gospels did not seem to think it was important to tell us her name, and perhaps that is a very important point of the whole account: a woman who was so desperate, so focused on loving the Lord that she did not need to say a word, and did not need or want the attention and fame for what she had done.

Luke 7:44-47
 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.

The key thing to notice is that Jesus commends her acts of attending to Him, not because of the acts, but because of the motive of her heart. And he gives answers to her prayers and the cries of her heart precisely because her acts were worship which demonstrated that she loved Him - and she did all this...silently.

No music. No dance. No singing. No art. No banners. No shouting. Just outward silence, with an inner turmoil, and passion, with a singular focus of worshiping the Lord to the exclusion of not being aware of anything else around her.

As leaders, pastors, teachers, we must communicate to people that they are truly valuable, not just to us, but to God, and that it is their affection, their feelings, their will, that their silent communication of adoration to the Lord is true and valuable worship that the Lord searches for and responds to.

We must make them confident worshipers - apart from music, not just with music - and not leave them insecure people who believe they are not good enough as worshipers because they don't sing, play guitar or are on stage with a team.

This statement means more to me, every time I read it. I now read it like I did not write it, and with a desire for that to be true in me, and in the hearts of those I know, teach and train.

“If you are not a worshiper, singing, dancing and making music does not automatically make you a worshiper. The sound of the worshiper is not in the music but in the heart and spirit of the worshiper expressing love and adoration to God. You are a worshiper because you are a worshiper, not because you sing, dance and play music...you are the one expressing your love to the Lord, you are the instrument of worship.”

Be a worshiper first. The sound of your heart, soul and spirit is what the Lord is listening for.

J. Makan

 Copyright  © 2011 Z. J. Makan; SonusCor, Commandment 1, Revelation School, DoubleEagle 
4 Comments

    Author: J. Makan

    I have been called among other things, a thinker, tinkerer, conga & djembe player, biker, writer, artist, prophet, preacher, pastor, teacher ... so they say. I have been called better things, and worse things, but I am just a man expressing some thoughts that may help, inform, challenge, or maybe just amuse someone. 

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