Just a brief reflection/update to my friends. (as brief as Kenny can write it)
Monday I turned 50. I know it is only another day for everyone else, but for me.. a huge day.
It's been almost 2 1/2 years from the day I went into the hospital and God restoring me from deaths door.
That walk and season of death has passed, but a different season of walk has emerged and has it's daily challenges, but we are not complaining :)
God is alive.. and for whatever reason.. he granted me more time. For this I am very grateful.
Being at deaths door will change your perspective on life and the things important.
It re-prioritizes your focus on what is really important in life.
I know so many people who have very little connection with their families and friends because they are consumed with the stuff they "think" matters, even the stuff they "think" God wants them to do, yet they bypass the precious time given them to spend with their own families to fulfill that "stuff".
Those in ministry forget their first obligation before God is HIM First, Second.. their family and all it's needs and requirements.
If the rest never happens (building their visions and building plans), and they effectively secure their family and their daily relationship with Christ and each other, they have done the work of the Gospel, because it will spread to the next generation and into the highways and by ways to others as God himself directs. It's not about huge numbers.. it's about real Christianity.. making real Christians who LIVE the word, and not say they are Christians.
"broad is the path that leads to destruction, and NARROW is the path that leads to life, and FEW are those who find it", Gods words.. so all is NOT well in Christianity Today.
Also, practical Christianity does not leave you over burdened.. burned out, and our families do not strive over never seeing each other. Marriages are not torn up over ministry vision or fleshly visions, and the children are not sacrificed for things that perish or pass away (even the things done in Christ's name).
When you die. or are facing deaths door...
I found that the programs and stuff were not priority. And in all the time I could not attend them (if I would have been able to attend) they were not my foundation, they brought me no comfort, and they passed by and I was no worse off.
Why? 1 Because I had fellowship directly with the Father, through his Son Jesus, and his Holy Spirit. "Jesus said, I will never leave you or forsake you". He meant that, and I never lacked for his affection or fellowship.
2 I had direct fellowship with my family who believe God loves us and trusted he would bring us through this, and they (my family were not busy with other things called ministry) their ministry was family and they cared for me (as well as still engaging daily with others who came across their paths daily).
3 I had direct fellowship with friends who stood with me, phone calls, internet letters, and visitations who showed up at my doorstep, and those who have sustained my family financially because I am unable to, and have helped ease our burden.
I will never forget you all for this.
4 I was no longer caught up in the stuff. I was free indeed, God slowed me down and showed me what truly is important, and yet lacking nothing and full of God's blessings is the proof.
The seed has to die in order to bring forth fruit. Our vision had to die so God could bring forth his plan in our lives. It is way less complicated than my plans I used to have.
Time is fleeting.. "mans days are short and full of trouble the bible says", but to spend each day with family, sharing God's love daily with them.. spending time with them, and then venturing out into the world each day to touch the life of another as God directs (and believe me he does) is where we should be as Christians.
When all other friendships fail, and fellowships dissolve, and churches close, all you have really is God and family.
The world will not walk into the churches (they haven't), and you are the temple of the living God, so take the church to the people. We need to meet them where they are, but not for the sake of building a corporation/institution/program based place of attendance or our name.
That is not practical Christianity, and that was not Jesus' vision or his example to his own disciples.
This is.. When you share in love with someone who Christ is, and what he has done for us.. whether it is feeding them, paying their bills, encouraging them, praying for them etc... You have done this unto Christ. And doing it regardless of whether they go to your church, or attend your bible study, is what Christ is looking for in his people today. That is the movement that Christ is waiting for from his children, not those who run and seek after a sign or miracle etc.
But let's this year consider going beyond that.. and "do" what Jesus did.. He walked in "the ways of his Father".
So.. consider personally... discipling those you reach out to (it's not about numbers). Open your home to them, don't give them to someone else, (Jesus said "feed My Sheep), they are his and never yours, so all people we come in contact with should be considered that way. "Where there is Kingdom vision there is kingdom provision". (Jesus is the kingdom of God).
It's what he taught his disciples. They didn't have to worry about anything and all was provided for, and The Holy Spirit added to the church (Jesus' church) daily as he saw fit or as needed.
If you follow through and show practical Christianity, they will know you are followers of Christ because you "love" the brethren in action and not in lip service.
Open the bible and just read it to each other. You do not need a degree in theology to share God's word. The bible says the Holy Spirit will teach you ALL things. It's his word and he is ALIVE and fully capable of teaching ANYONE his word without outside intervention, and revelation from his word is not exclusive to those in power positions. And if you gather and leave the forum open to all to add in and discuss, you will see his word come alive, because he can speak through others and not just the "appointed" leaders.
It's called "Body of Christ" ministry.
To be available to God daily wherever you find yourself (no pre planned agenda) to touch the life of someone he directs your way, to be what he wants you to be is "Denying yourself, picking up your cross, and following Jesus", that was a commandment and (that is true worship , not song or lip service).
All I can do is praise him with song and words... but my gift back to him is "worship"... my life (which is not my own but his bought and paid for with his blood), my DAILY Walk with him, death to myself to complete HIS desire and plan (my reasonable service or duty)... that is what this man has learned through the fire and 50 years of living.
HE holds our lives in his hands, and it's not about the things we see or feel, or miracles proclaimed in the land.. it's that our names are written in heaven by His own hand.
So I started off this day when my eyes first opened with "Thank You" to God for extending my life and proclaiming to him that I know it belongs to him, ... Then I made a pot of my favorite coffee (intelligentsia) , and I sat down and decided to write to you all.. who would come across this and read it.
May your day be blessed, may you have peace from above, may your priorities be what God wants from you daily, and nothing more.
May your family always love God and then you, and when you are in trouble.. may your foundation and fellowship be in the strength you have established building your fellowship directly with God, family, and friends/neighbors (as I have done and will continue to do).
Love to you all :) Here's to the beginning of the 51 st.
church.. where do we draw the line?
Current mood: irritated
Category: irritated Religion and Philosophy
If this does not make you angry, maybe we have become to numb to sin.
If this was the boy scouts.. if this was the girl scouts, a teacher in a public school,.. if this was any other organization it would be slammed, torn apart, prison sentences, and SHAME. No more funding etc.
Whats worse is these pedifiles used the gospel and their positions of "saftey" =(shepards) to pursuade these kids into pedifilia, in Christ's name.
Christianity removed Jim Bakker for misuse of "money" & a girl, and shut down Herritage and his network. THEY DESTROYED his work and ended it.
Jimmy Swaggert lost his following and credibility to his porn addiction and hanging with those who give sex for money (even though he refused to step back when asked to do so by his leaders), yet there is something DEEPLY TROUBLING, when an organization has 13,000 CHILD abuses in Jesus' Name and NO ONE cares, and even make excuses for this UNGODLY ABOMINATION IN GODS NAME.
In fact the pedifiles add insult to injury by paying the fines with the money they EXTRACT from the victims & people every week at every service they hold.
Why have the people NOT walked away from this FALSE CHURCH-ABOMINATION that steals the innocense of Children and relocates the pedifiles to do it again?
Have we become such A SICK SOCIETY? WE certainly are NOT walking in the ways of CHRIST if we accept this organization as God's church.
DO NOT SUPPORT this mockery of Jesus anymore if you call yourself a follower of Christ and attend that denomination.
You will know they are followers of Christ by the way they love the brethren.. and that does not mean the definition of "pedifilia".
Look at the POWER he (the pope) seems to have.
His visit to these United States last week...
The President of the most powerful country in the world (the USA) leaves the Whitehouse (unheard of) and meets this "man appointed" leader who thinks himself to be more than he is (god), the people worship him as god, and Bush and his family bows to this religious "man appointed" leader.. (IN THIS MANS OPINION, our President should NEVER BOW to any country leader let alone a "man appointed" religious leader of a pedifile protecting organization) but to make matters worse.. after bowing and kissing his "idolic ring"..
The President is asked.. what did you see when you looked into his eyes... and his (Bush's) response... "god".
The magnitude of what Bush did and said was not accidental. If you are a follower of Christ.. this had better bug you something aweful.
These are the last days when common sense does not live, honesty and integrity and wisdom are not the possesions we long for, and lie upon lie and fleshly desires and lust for childrens innocense has become acceptable in Jesus' name.
Where is the public outcry? Where are the massive protests to shut this broken sinful system down?
The Church Christ is returning for is not a reflection of this Molesting organization. Contrary to public belief.. Christ is returning for a Church who has made herself spotless in the washing of the water of his word and his blood, not a church of the flesh.
A new song.. Never Alone
Current mood: content
Category: Music
I have a uploaded a new song in my player here from my CD "The Way’s Of My Father" and this song is for everyone who struggles with anything spiritually and naturally.
It will lift you and give you hope.
It is the fourth song in my player... "Never Alone"
Why is it free?
My praise music will always be free, and this does not mean it is bad quality, I just can’t justify selling praise for mammon (money).
The Holy Spirit gave it to me, and so in that same spirit of giving.. Freely you have received.. freely give.
I think strengthening the body of Christ is far better pay.
and he asked me if I would write him a "Pro" McCain song for his radio talk show he does (He is a political talk show host). He asked me to parody the tune from Eric Clapton’s "Cocaine" and call it... "McCain".
So I wrote the lyrics that night, and in my home studio, I recorded the drums and keyboards and guitars all the next day.
My guitarist "Anthony Cortez" of the ORIGINAL band "Justa Band" (not the posers here on myspace) who has also played with Rusty Anderson guitarist for Paul McCartney, joined me and I recorded him tracking all guitar parts.
I was going to sing the vocal tracks myself, but since Bryan Duncan (a well known Christian recording artist) was also friends with Austin, I thought Bryan would be perfect for the job.
So when I called Bryan, he said.. I’ll be over in the morning .
After 30 minutes.. the vocal tracks were done.
We did a quick mix of the song and immediately e-mailed it to Austin Hill.
It was all completed within 3 days, and by 2 pm wednesday 3-19-08 (one hour after Bryan cut the vocal tracks) it was in the can on it’s way to Austin who played it 4 hours later in the Nations Capitol (D.C.).
By morning another station in Temecula California 101.3 KATY had picked it up from the internet and broadcasted it on their morning drive.
Now it is starting to excellerate even more.
So for those of you who want a good laugh.. have a listen. It is not in my music player here because this system has been hosing up for 2 days. So Austin’s website has it www.AustinHill.net or quick stream at www.Shoutlife.com/KennyMetcalf (first song in my music player there)
Holy Spirit intervention in a Mall
Current mood: excited
Category: amazed Life
I was on my way into a mall this week and as I was parking my motorcycle, 2 Armenian girls passed me by arguing and angry in their native language.
I did not know if they were mad at someone else or what, but they were very vocal and expressive.
As I entered into the mall, they were the owners of a makeup Kiosk that does facials, and as they were opening up their booth they were still going at it.
I went by them and let them know by looking at them as I passed by, that they could be heard by others. (not a mean look, just a glance in their direction).
I ended up having to go back out to my bike for my glasses 5 minutes later and they were still going at it.
On my way back in, they were still going at it, but standing opposite each other, facing each other, angry and arm movement etc.
Do I say something? Do I stop and say "You know.. you are running a business and the mall can hear you" or something like that.
Well I decided to go back to the store I was doing business with and stop by on my way out if they were still arguing.
10 minutes later as I left the store, they were still facing each other, and yelling.
I had not pre conceived what to say, but felt I was to say something.
As I approached their booth I stood in between them but off to the side (picture a table and the girls at each end and I approached the side of the table) and I said... Hi Ladies.... (paused with a smile), the lady on my right looked at me with an expression to kill me) and so I responded.. "wow, she looks like she’s ready to kill me", the lady to my left jumped in with "maybe we are"! and followed that with "What DO YOU WANT"?
I gently followed with... "From the moment you both passed me in the parking lot, you have not stopped for even a breather, so I thought maybe you might rest for a minute and take a moment and show me your products.. there might be something here I can get for my wife".
and then... IT WAS GOD showing up... they both STOPPED... looked at each other and in an instant their angry faces melted away right before my eyes.. in an instant, and they looked at each other and started to laugh, and then.. tears filled both their eyes and they walked towards each other and hugged and started to apologize to each other.
They looked at me (and I was now feeling very emotional over this whole event I had witnessed) and I said "thats all I wanted to see.. see you both smile", I turned and walked away as they continued to talk and cry, (That was all God inspired me to do and nothing more).
This happened in the middle of a very large mall.
What I saw was not a result of my cunning words, no it was God interviening. Peace unto them. It was like the woman at the well in John CH.4... Something with a quick word.. touched her life, and changed her in an instant, as with these 2 young women, 2 complete strangers to me... it was the Holy Spirit.
Nothing I have ever said or done, could have touched the hearts of 2 very angry strangers, and cause them to tears and forgiveness in 5 seconds of time.
This is what God desires to do through us, to touch the world for him.
Don't show me you are a Christian by the cross you wear around your neck, or by the cross you wear on your ears, or by the cross you wear on your shirt, or by the cross you bare on your church building.
We have qualified them as identifiers of our faith. A way believers can identify each other by, and a way non believers can "see" we are Christians.
That would be wonderful, but the fact is, believers and non believers alike wear the cross for jewelry sake.
The cross was a horrible thing the Romans did to thieves and murderers and anyone who was in opposition to them, and it was something that Christ was forced to endure.
His sacrifice was for us, to redeem us. A painful death.
The cross Jesus said, was what we are all called to bare, but it is not "bare" symbolically, it is our death of self before God and our desires, replacing his desires over ours DAILY.
The cross was also a phallic symbol of male dominance and history records this as fact and we ignorantly dawn these images as something we need to wear to profess our faith.
"But it shows I am a Christian to other believers and to those who are not believers"
The word is clear on how we are to be known as Christians and not by the stuff we wear or the things we say, or the songs we sing.
Don't show me you are a Christian by the way you play praise music all day long at your church, work, home, car.
Don't show me you are a Christian by the number of days you attend the programs put on at the local gathering place (called Church), or by your faithfulness to the pastor and the programs.
Am I being a bit harsh on this matter?
Let's let the Lord himself define what HE calls a Christian, and how they will be identified by him. Compare his example to what you have seen and been taught, and how you live, and nothing in his description even mentions church or it's functions.
The Lord himself confronts two groups of those who call themselves Christians, mind you, both most likely attended church (maybe), but both called him LORD.
We all will fall into one of the two groups.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
That is what a True Christian, a True Follower of Christ is.
And when it all comes down to the day we stand before him, which group will you find yourself in?
Faithfulness to church, it's leaders, tithing, programs, etc.. were never mentioned were they?
loving and caring for your neighbor was.
That is a Christian.
My challenge to those of you who read this is to get rid of the false images that "say you are a Christian, but don't demonstrate it", and "live" what Christ says are "the righteous" on his right hand.
That is what HIS CHURCH is doing in the earth today.
Justa Band, my bands name since I left Stryper 86’
Current mood: angry
Category: Music
And today I find out on the net, a "new band" from 2006 with a new release and their music on compilation albums, but using my hard earned name "Justa Band" I have used for over 20 years.
After leaving Stryper in 1986 (by the way, Roxx had to change their name to Roxx Regime because of the same name conflicts... and they later changed it again to Stryper) I put a band together for sanity's sake and called it Justa Band, and I took the title name from a quote of John Lennon "We were Justa Band who made it very very big".
We through the years we played CBS backstage showcases, released our first real CD project Justa Band "Under Construction" in Late 1999, followed by a limited pressing single release from Justa band called "You Want To Be A Star" 2002'.
We have had Hat's, tour jackets, t-shirts, guitar picks, and more for sale all these years www.JustaBand.com . Tons of links from Stryper, books on Stryper, Leon Patillo of Santana, Bryan Duncan, and unofficial 2000' Stryper Expo Compilation Cd that included 4 Justa band songs and is still in circulation today, our label www.majorlabelRecordCo.com and more, yet this band could not type in "Justa Band" to see if it already exhisted?
There are so many different links to Justa Band, and this still happens.
Please bare with me those of you who continue to read about the HUGE difference between Praise & Worship.
There must be a reason, this needs to be revealed.. maybe because it's NOT being taught correctly.
Today God impacted me directly with scripture about What TRUE worship is, with an actual Old Testament account, and before I share that account that shows exactly what WORSHIP is (and believe me, it is NOT what the church today passes off as worship), I will give you a quick over view of a New Testament account first.
The scripture that the Holy Spirit dropped into my head today was not a scripture I have been reading lately, in fact, it's been quite sometime since I read this particular passage, yet when it came to mind, it was precise when I verified it with the bible. Please enjoy this read, and ask the Holy Spirit if this is true.
You might not look at what you have been taught worship is, the same way after reading this.
My original posting was to make the point that Praise and worship are not the same even though current church systems pass them off as one and the same if not equal, but they are not even close, Our church systems ALL teach us that when we go to church Sunday and sing songs that that is worship. Again.. it is not. But whats scarier... Is what I found we are "required" to do as worship,.... and it is a price most will not do, almost to the point reflecting that statement Jesus made in Jhn 6:53,
Jhn 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Jhn 6:60 ¶ Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
Jhn 6:66 From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Jhn 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
The section below this statement that starts with [QUOTE] makes some very good sound doctrinal examples of "worship" which has nothing to do with song services, or rediculous titles incorrectly given as "worship leaders", and praise music incorrectly labeled "worship music". The section below correctly illuminates us to what is expected from us.
This next example below in the [QUOTE] section is a direct, clear example of worship... Dying to yourself's desires and replacing them daily with Gods will and desire for you, which is 100% worship.
[QUOTE]ORIGINAL: Kenny Metcalf
Worship is our entire being surrendered to God's every wish, his every command. Which is His desire for us as it pleases him. It's our daily "death of self" to fulfill his great plan. (The scriptures say we are to die daily "I die daily" 1 Cor 15:31 ).
Our life is no longer our own if we are really walking according to the scriptures! Our will should be sacrificed daily in exchange for his will in our life. That is worship. Later below it is confirmed in old testament covenant, but Jesus confirms it here in new testament covenant.
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies [b]a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your "reasonable" service.
A living sacrifice (doing this is worship).
1Cr 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Cr 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
So according to scripture, when we accept Jesus as our savior and we die with him in water of baptism, leaving our old life behind, and coming up a new creation that Christ himself can personally live through, leaving our desires on the cross daily and selflessly living as God directs... that is worship in it's deepest form. Because it is with sacrifice of our life in exchange to live for him.
Jesus did that. Do we fully comprehend and do this?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
FOOTNOTE: If we are truly crucified with Christ, then our lives are over, our fleshly desires are over, and Christ can then live through us, and that is ultimate worship.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
NOTE: Lives unto God. That kind of thinking leaves no place for personal flesh.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
and this also...
Mat 16:24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
And the point of this entire thread is to look at what is sung during services and taught in church to the people today as worship, labeling our praise music even as worship, when clearly it is not, but it is praise, and the people don't understand the difference and or the requirements involved.
[END Kenny's QUOTE]
So Today....
As I sat at lunch and pondered how lately I have not been worshipping God (laying down my life for God to do with as he pleases), my will today for his will today. How many of us actually really do this? It is a command from Jesus to all professing believers: Deny yourself, pick up your cross (death to self) and follow me.
Jesus was our new testament example, but too many can't seem to see that as attainable, afterall he was Christ.
So as I sat and talked to my Father in heaven, he instantly spoke into my spirit this...
Gen 22:2-5
Gen 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Gen 22:3 ¶ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.
This was death to Isaac, and also death of "Abrahams will" when he became obedient to what Gods will was for Abraham. This was what worship is.
Worship is not song, dance, titles etc. It is death to self, death to our will replaced by Gods will working through us.
As I sat at lunch instantly, this came to mind when I said to my Father I have not been worshipping you lately, I have replaced your will for me daily, and taken back my life and my desires.
And as I sat there he spoke this to confirm I was correct in my statement...
Abraham new exactly what he was about to do. He was going to KILL Isaac. That was exactly what he was to do. In doing so, his will died, and even his sons will died as well, but notice the statement Abraham makes to the servants (keeping in mind you know exactly what he was going to do).
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the donkey; and I and the lad will go yonder and "worship", and come again to you.
He was dying to self in 100% obedience to Gods will. Worship is exactly that. That is exactly what Abraham did and he knew that was what worship was. My life for your life.
So, can you see what worship really is and what God expects of us?, nothing less than what he expected of Abraham and his own son Jesus... complete submission unto him everyday.
Does that sound like what you've been taught a Sunday service is? There is nothing remotely close in our churches that resemble this "reasonable service".
So.. my point is, the 20th & 21st century church has not been correctly teaching God's children what worship is and what God expects seriously from each believer, instead, they have dumbed it down to songs, music, improper titles, money collections, and none of them come close to what worship is. Living sacrifice daily.
So the people have not been worshipping God. They have been like David with the ark of the covenant and Uzza. They thought they were doing it correctly until God said "WRONG". Good intentions are rejected by God all the time, the same as Davids good intentions were rejected by God, as well as Cains incorrect sacrifice.
Do it our way, and it accomplishes nothing. Do it Gods way and it is accepted and blessings follow.
Now.. what will you do with this truth?
Please pass this on to your friends, and even your church leaders.
I have much searching now that I must do to meaningfully enter into this daily dying.
In my previous posts about The difference between "Worship" & Praise" I was asked by someone on a different board about "Thanksgiving" and were it fits in with "Praise".
My dreams last night tied that together.
As I was sleeping, the Spirit of the Lord showed me 3 dreams (the dreams are not important to this writing other than the fact that they produced something) and I'll explain that...
As I was fast asleep tonight, and during my sleep I had 3 dreams within it.
God was speaking to me, even though in the dreams I was the one who was commenting on the things I was seeing take place.
I awoke to find that even though God saved me from my sins, Even though he gave me many second chances, Even though he raised me from the dead (he really did.. see my blog "My Job Experience"), and then even in the midst of God doing such miracles in my life, I can still be like the children of Israel and forget him after trouble has passed.
I woke up from those dreams and felt as David did when confronted by Nathan over Uriah, even though my confrontation was not the same, but the sincere, from the heart, need for forgiveness, with repentance came out,
and then after that (asking forgivness and repentance), I found myself remembering all God has done for me, and how far away from where I should be I had found myself, I then found myself "thankful", truly thankful, and then thanking God for the things he has repeatedly done for me.
Saving me from hell, and raising me from the dead spiritually, and for raising me from the dead physically too, for his purposes, and not for my purposes. For bringing me back into focus on why he raised me from the dead.
I could see "Thanksgiving" is the sincere rememberance daily before God of the things he has done and accomplished in our lives, and the greatfulness from the one (me) he has granted mercy on.
So then I praised him... Let my heart rejoice in God my savior, and let my mouth proclaim to the nations with thanksgiving his endless mercies from a sincere thankful heart. (those are my words during this time).
I will enter his gates with "thanksgiving" in my heart (thank you Father for all your mercies you release to me each day and how you sustain me, I am greatful and truly thankful) (my words to him tonight).
Then I enter his courts with "praise" (how wonderful is my savior, his love is a pure water, untainted and fresh to all who thirst after him) (my words to him tonight).
But "worship" is my lifestyle, a reflection of those things I have done and spoken, in full view of all, and in secret, yet now under submission to the very things God himself wants me to do. And as I walk in the ways of my Father, as Jesus walked in the ways of his Father, I worship him for who he is, and all he is, in Spirit and in Truth.
There is clearly more to "Worship", "Praise", and "Thanksgiving", and each individual act, is not what we see portrayed in a song service, yet those services in song alone are passed on to us as "worship".
The more I search, the more I find our churches do not really teach us what it all is, and how to properly accomplish them, and the incorrect titles they lump them all together as, are evidence.
Pay for play.. no talent fills the rooms
Category: Music
This is about the "pay for play" systems, and a reflection on how clubs did it in the past and the results that followed their leg work.
I was recently approached by a local venue to play at their place. They found me on MY Space. They told me I could pick which night I would like to play. Would I be interested in coming?
I checked my schedule and had some availability. So I replied. The next letter from them was to come pick up the tickets I need to sell.
apply the brakes!!!!!!
My years of playing and performing lead me to decline.
My current state of mind is not about fame or money when I play. I prefer the smaller venues, to connect with those who have not heard my music before. I love being the unknown and playing for a fresh unsuspecting group of listeners.
Now, I do understand that all shows have ticket costs (but these are legitimate clubs and theatre venues), but I also know a majority of the profit would also go to the artist for packing that show and not the venue itself. No so in this case.
Not so anymore in most cases.
Now all you need to do to play BB Kings is pay them $600 and then invite all your friends and you have the stage for 30 minutes.
I have sat through family hour there and believe me it was NOT entertaining at all.
In the 60's and 70's there was a different measure to play the clubs.
First you contacted the person booking the clubs. You sent them a package with your bands pictures, bio, and a demo tape.
If they liked what they heard and saw, they granted you a midweek audition.
Then you had a one shot 15 minute spot to show your talent.
If you made the grade, you would be on their billboard for that show.
If you did good, they asked you back, as you increased in popularity, they paid you even more.
NEXT... the people who would go out to the sunset strip KNEW that the talent they would hear would be good, and so they paid entrance fees to hear unknown talent.
That talent was guaranteed a check, and also received comp tickets the band could also sell to make more money for themselves or promote give aways.
The point was, the crappy "no talent" bands never made it through the doors even if they had money to buy their way in.
To play those places meant you had talent!
Today sadly, everyone and their grandmother plays these local places, because standards have changed and the clubs are not necessarily interested in the best (when it comes to unknown talent), hence we have the "pay for play" and the main reason people are not willing to go to small clubs nowadays to listen to unknowns.
There is a place for those who also don't want to sell tickets and are just wanting to play for the love of it.. Coffehouses, because there are no ticket sales required or money exchanged.
I still think there should be some type of auditioning for those venues as well, but most trubadours will play just to entertain with no other motive in mind.
Personally... I really am not into pay for play. I am more for seeing my music affect someone when they hear it being played in front of them.
If I have to sell tickets to play a small coffee house type venue, I am working twice, and mostly for the venue.just so I can sing, and then I am only performing for those who already know my music. Why do I need to do that? Why do I want to do that?
I would rather touch lives who have not heard my music.
So, I think it's time for places who have stages and call themselves clubs to search out for real talent like they once did, and only book whats listenable (no genre limitations) and not talentless people because they pay and bring in all the relatives. (this is just a cheap way for some places to pay their bills and appear to bring talent in, but really only use their stage to feed themselves, and not offer the listener quality).
Clubs have become lazy and don't really have A&R capabilites any longer.
Remember.. the clubs discovered the talent and allowed them onto their stage, and then the labels only scouted out those who had generated guaranteed followings.
When was the last time a club did that?
Those venues were ALWAYS booked and ALWAYS had lines of people waiting outside willing to pay entrance money because they knew only the best new talents or best music would be awaiting them.
The artists then had comp tickets as well, but reguardless of their ticket sales, they were guaranteed a check, the extra tickets would increase their pocket book, but out of town bands didn't have the same advantage local bands would have with local followings, being new in town or out of state or country for that fact, so the guaranteed check was always money in the bank.
Looking for the best sometimes takes work, but if your establishment only books the best, it gets a reputation for being the Best.
The Trubadour, The Roxy, Guizzaries, The Whiskey, etc.
These were the original American Idol makers and their stages, and the people who came through their doors each night were the ones who approved or disapproved after being exposed to the bands that came onto their stages.
The ones approved went on to bigger things... Todd Rundgren, Van Halen, Elton John, everyone who is anyone now, back in those days played those clubs at one time or another, Stryper, Ratt, Bon Jovi, etc.
When was the last time pay for play accomplished that?
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