Tag worship

Counterfeit Kingdom

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6/100

This book is about the New Apostolic Reformation known as NAR and its growing popularity. This “Christian” movement puts a lot of emphasis on signs and wonders, and teaches that God is giving new revelations through new apostles and prophets. This book is written by Holly Pivec and Douglas Geivett who argue that this movement distorts the Gospel, twists Scripture, is influenced by New Age beliefs, and leads astray many Christians. They say that what used to be on the fringes of the church is now mainstream, and many are being influenced by it unaware.

I am very grateful to be a member of a church where we literally go line by line in the Bible. My pastor takes each verse and tells us what it is saying in context to the rest of the Bible. This is called exegesis. My church is small. All of us know each other’s business and we hang out outside of Sunday service. I am probably the most emotional one at the church. I raise my hands, I clap, I sway, and I don’t shy away from shouting loud “amens” and “that’s rights'” when our Pastor says beautiful truths about God and the work Jesus did! When we pray, I remember I am in the presence of the Holiest of Holies, and tears usually sprout. When we take communion and I am reminded of the body and blood of Christ broken and shed for me, and if taken incorrectly, I may die; I somberly hold the precious wafer and cup and weep. This is my faith, this is my God, and these are my people. The saints who won’t only worship with me on Sunday, but who will live on eternally with me in Heaven.

I say all of this because I do believe emotions are important in worship. I am moved by God’s Spirit when Scripture is read or when we worship Him through singing. Even when I see a beautiful painting or am awestruck by nature, I praise God for He truly is glorious. Everywhere, I see His hand in so many things. Emotions with no basis in truth though are dangerous.

In the book Counterfeit Kingdom, it starts off with a tragedy. A child has died, and the parents do not plan a funeral, but hold a special “resurrection” service. They have believers pray for their child to come back to life. The world looks on, but a week later, they must face the inevitable and a private memorial service is held. I remember this happening, and having had mixed feelings. I wanted the little girl to live, but I knew she wouldn’t. I don’t have a problem knowing that I will never completely understand God, I am the creation after all, but I do know that God is not a genie. Miracles are rare, that’s why they are miracles. Many times, it is through loss and pain that the deepest lessons are learned. Behind any great person in history, is a life full of lessons learned through pain and struggle. This world is full of sin, and we long for it to stop because we know it is wrong. One day sin will be gone, and this world will be perfect, but that day is yet to come.

This book pointed out the danger in this new philosophy where we can demand blessings from God. Where sickness, illness or trials in a Christian’s life are due to sin or worse, a lack of faith. The book explains how subtly the Christian world is adopting a new idea that all Christians all the time should be wealthy, healthy and thriving in all worldly things.

James 1:2 says: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, WHENEVER you face trials of many kinds
2 Corinthians 4:17 says: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Jesus says in John 16:33: In this world you will have trouble.
Jesus says again in John 15:19 – If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Psalm 119:71 encourages us by saying: It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – . . .my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Romans 5:3-5 speaks to us on how we should respond to suffering. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Here is a picture of some Christians probably in the 1st century.

God does bless us. He has blessed me without measure (2 Cor. 9:8). He has healed and mended my broken soul (Isa. 53:5). Because of His Son, I am worthy to be a child of God (Gal. 3:26). I can’t even imagine what God has in store for me (I Cor. 2:9) in Heaven. My best life isn’t here, it isn’t now, but is yet to come.

I recommend this book to any Christian wanting to know more about NAR and about just how popular this movement actually is. It is now mainstream and is affecting our younger generation more and more. I will soon be carrying this book at my bookstore.

This book was published in November of 2022.
It is 272 pages.
It has a Goodreads rating of 4.53
I gave it a 5 star rating.

Here is an older song that speaks on suffering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQan9L3yXjc

Remember – Poem

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worship

I wrote this poem a couple of days ago. It has been a long time since I have taken the time to express myself this way.  These are sins I struggle with it, and may it be understood that these are not the only ones, but the biggest ones at the moment. There are many of our past brothers and sisters who have insisted that the Christian ought to be preaching the Gospel to themselves. And this is what this poem is about. The salvation of a believer is a mysterious and beautiful thing that we should never tire of. It should shake our very core that God chose to save us and lead us into a gladness unheard of. I hope this poem encourages you and reminds you that when in any doubt regarding your faith, always go back to Gospel and the miracle of  our salvation. Blessings.

 

Remember

There are days when I am too busy to open up and read Your word.

When I don’t want to hear from you because it all seems absurd.

I become haughty, full of myself and full of pride;

Forgetting of my Savior of who for me He died.

When I lose my way like this, Oh Lord, let there be no hesitation;

May I remember, always remember Your meritless salvation.

 

There are moments when my familiar sin has lead me into darkness.

The temporary pleasure I seemed to have wanted keeps me in a harness.

I then hate myself for my weakness and for my lack of volition.

I want to hide and let no one see my disgraceful condition.

When I am hidden because of the shame of my instant gratification;

May I remember, always remember, the grace of Your salvation.

 

Some days I am tired and the sadness overtakes my mind.

I think of better days, of how things used to be, of what I’ve left behind.

I seem to have forgotten how to laugh and the tears never stop to flow.

I feel so all alone, and it seems that no one cares or even knows.

When everywhere is better except for where I am in my habitation;

May I remember, always remember the joy of Your salvation.

 

There are times when I feel so lost and it feels I have lost my way.

Am I even saved, how could You want me, have I been lead astray?

The desire to pray, the desire to serve, and even the desire to worship is distant.

I worry about Your anger, am full of despair and the fear of Your fury is constant.

When I am afraid of Your wrath and all I seem to see is my own contamination,

May I remember, always remember the peace of Your salvation.

 

For You ask me to remember, always remember the things that You have done;

For only those things are worthy and were fulfilled in Your Son.

May I never forget that You saved a wretch like me.

That I did nothing for my salvation and was for a long time Your enemy.

I do not know why You redeemed me, I may never comprehend

That You sought me and have promised to preserve me until the very end.

May I remember, always remember the miracle of Your salvation

Even when the enemy bombards me with his manipulation.

For he is the father of lies and You are the Truth and the Light;

Give me strength to remember those things and continue the fight.

 

I will be crushed and bruised, but I will never be broken.

This is all true, for Your word of this has spoken.

That You will sustain me and nothing can snatch me from the palm of Your hand,

And not one will You lose to hell, this I have to understand.

“I am saved, I am saved, I am saved” may this be my anthem and song!

May I remember this when I have done so much wrong.

So, when I am prone to wander, or in any other ugly situation

May remember, always remember the beauty of Your salvation.

 

 

 

Written by Anna Tobey

Christian Lyrics Matter

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Words are important. As Christians, the words we speak hold a lot of weight, they hold life and death (James 3). It is by way of hearing the Gospel (words) that many are saved (Romans 10:14). Even more important are words in songs, i.e. lyrics, because when words are accompanied by music they can temporarily produce emotions the musician wants his hearer to feel.  There is nothing wrong with having strong emotions, even in songs, as long as these emotions are based on truths. That goes for anything from: I am happy my team won, therefore, I will jump up from my couch with hands up in the air TO I am a wretch who was lost but now is found, therefore I will weep and raise my hands in the air. Here are some more awesome lyrics: Boldly I approach Your throne, blameless now I’m coming home. By Your blood I come, welcomed as Your own, into the arms of majesty or Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow! WOO WEEE what words!! Add to that some music and some very powerful emotions can’t help but spring forth! That is all good because these emotions are based on beautiful and scriptural truths. When they are not and these emotions are produced by lights, by great voices or musicians, by eerie repetitions, or by words that sound nice, we are treading on dangerous ground. We can confuse God’s truth with our feelings. We can assign characteristics to God that are not really Him. We can dilute the Christian life to vague cliches like “letting go and letting God” – whatever that means. And we are the ones who end up losing the most because we lose out on the peace, the joy, the strength, the comfort that only Scripture or beautifully orchestrated words based on God’s truth can provide.

John 4:24 says: God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

THEREFORE,

I am going to be providing SONG REVIEWS now on my blog. The way I decided to do this was to type out the lyrics and then give my commentary on them ad lib. I am not researching anything, I am not working too hard to find the inner hidden meaning of the lyrics or to ponder the meaning behind obscure phrasing. It is my opinion that worship music should be clear, because God’s Word is clear. I am just going to type as I read and think. The lyrics will be in italics and my commentary in bold. It is not my intention to pass judgement on any of these artist, but just to give my humble and honest opinion. The commentary is specifically just for the song and not towards the singer.

Here is the first commentary of many. Hopefully . . . .

Gracefully Broken by Matt Redman

Take all I have in these hands. / And multiply, God, all that I am – I literally look down at my hands, and I have literally nothing in them. I guess it is figurative to mean the work of my hands or my service to further His Kingdom, but that really isn’t much. I guess God wants the little I give. The truth is that my works, the good ones, are big piles of crap and dirty rags, so I guess take those things God? I guess I just don’t get the “hands” analogy! And please Lord, do not multiply what I am! God help me! I am a sinner, my natural state is to sin! I am constantly fighting everyday, trying to kill my flesh. I am crap and anything good in me is not me, but what the Lord Almighty has done. Multiply Yourself Lord, not me. Please not me! This verse basically says: Here’s my crap Lord, and can you multiply the crap maker – me. Thanks!

And find my heart on the altar again – I have no idea what this means either. I guess it means sacrifice. I am placing my heart on the altar of sacrifice – like self sacrifice. But I thought I wanted to multiply all that I am? And I guess I have done this before, because it says “again”. Maybe I am sacrificing my desires and my wants? Again?

Set me on fire (repeated 4 times) – This makes me uncomfortable.

Here I am, God, arms wide open / Pouring out, my life, gracefully broken (repeated 6 times). – I am guessing this is a form of expression or of worship. Don’t get me wrong, I raise my hands in worship all the time, but so far, according to this song, I have my arms wide open because I have given God my crap, that crap has been multiplied, and now that crap is on fire. Also, the pouring out my life part, I am guessing this is giving myself to God’s service. That’s something nice in the song. Gracefully broken – the words sound pretty together, but again, context! I do not know what he means by this. Broken because of my sin, broken because I make pour decisions in life, or just plain broke – like I have no money.

My heart stands in  awe of your name. / Your mighty love stands strong to the end – This verse, I do understand. Some elaborating would have been good here though. Good Matt.

You will fulfill Your purpose in me. / You won’t forsake me, You will be with me – Another good verse. Just as long as the worshiper understands that God’s ways are not our ways. We are special because of who Christ is, not because of who we are. Our purpose in life will be fulfilled according to His plan, not ours. He will not forsake us and He is with us.

All to Jesus now (repeated 2 times). I have no idea what this means! Holding nothing back (repeated 2 times) Here comes more of my crap again!,  I surrender (repeated 4 times) And I guess I wanted my crap, but you can have it now. I guess this can also mean that I was doing things my way, but now I am going to do it your way. Maybe this ties in with the heart sacrificed in the altar.

Your power and work in me/ I’m broken gracefully. / I’m strong when I am weak/ I will be free (repeated 7 times) What about your power and work? There are so many incomplete sentences! There is nothing graceful about being broken. Last time I cried because of my sin I looked like this:

crying

Yes, we are strong when we are weak. Good verse.  And I am not sure if the last verse is intended to be a “I declare it to be true” type of phrase, but we are already free. The bonds of sin, the previous man, the old creature, all gone, dead. I don’t have to repeat it 7 times for the freedom to happen. God’s Word speaks of my freedom here and now, and nothing I say or feel will change my level of freedom.

I was a bit shocked to find out that Matt Redman sings this song. He has some really nice songs out there, but this one was just awful. I do not recommend you add this song to your worship playlist.