Two years later, I still love inserting excerpts of this wonderful song into worship sets. It is only in finding our true humility that we can begin to worship the greatness of God.
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@maktesh
Two years later, I still love inserting excerpts of this wonderful song into worship sets. It is only in finding our true humility that we can begin to worship the greatness of God.
In Light of the Kingdom
Never before have I been so disgusted and ashamed of my nation. In light of the SCOTUS and Marriage Equality ruling, I ask this: Have we forsaken our very heritage and soul, exchanging them for lustful and depraved desires?!
The practice of homosexuality is a sin against one's own body and that of another and a violation of nature and blasphemy against God Himself. It has no place within the American nation, nor any civilized society. That this universal perversion has drawn so much support from alleged "Christians" is beyond incomprehensible.
The blood of my ancestors who fought for this land has never seemed so wasted, yet all is not lost. As a follower of Yeshua, I find myself eternally thankful that I do not live for this temporal kingdom. One day, America will burn as did Rome, and even Jerusalem, but as the Prophet Daniel so boldly claimed over 2,500 years ago, the Kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom!
The lines have been drawn, and I may be on the wrong side of history. But praise be to God that I'm on the right side of eternity.
My favorite quote of the moment. It so perfectly accentuates Paul's words when he states "for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" in Romans 8:18.
This Time
I haven't left You, but still sideways; I see This is not the end, (but) the other side of You and me Where waters join for just a time And I'll read the words, and read your lips in prayer so fearfully Settle back with you in places I will never be In limbo leave me something that I need This time I know I'll never go To places where I sell my soul When faith and doubt collide I trust You know I promise You I'll never lose all hope This time Take me back to where the future's left unseen Into the realms where loss is only just a dream Where Blood and blood meet for a time
The ways they walk between us; I know they'll never free us
The Ugly Comtemporization of Worship Music
Why do people always feel the need to add "modern-day" choruses to traditional hymns? This morning at chapel, I was hearing a beautiful, old-fashioned hymn, Fairest Lord Jesus; one of my favorites. Suddenly while in the midst of worship, something jarring occurred: a displaced, stereotypical Tomlin-esque chord progression appeared alongside of a key change.
At first, my mind questioned whether this was turning into a medley (which honestly made me queasy, judging by where the tune was going). Sadly, the answer was much, much worse. Cheesy, contemporary lyrics flashed on the screen, going hand and hand with a pop-worship melody. Once the atrocity was over, I sighed with relief.
This has been done with many songs, including with When I Survey, several variants of Amazing Grace, and others. Why does our culture do this? It's as though people feel a need to update things to make them "fit." just because "Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, Chorus" is the standard of musical art today doesn't mean that it's the best. This kind of beauty can be found culturally, and the appeal of these old hymns is in their structure and language. Such a jarring, out-of-place experience inhibited my ability to worship, and honestly, ruined a beautiful song in my opinion.
This isn't to speak against well-intentioned people who are trying to make the oldies "accessible" for a new generation. This is to tell them to stop. I know you mean well, but this isn't about changing the past. It's about writing the future.
For the record, my personal opinion is that worship music is defined by the attitude in which it was written. If an artist writes a "filler song" in order to complete a 12-track album, then perhaps its formation was not as focused on Christ as it could have been. Modern worship songs run at a dime a dozen. Many older hymns did, as well. What we sing of those are the ones which remained and survived the centuries; the best of the best. However, those authors wrestled with theology and understanding as they penned those songs, oftentimes spending years on each one. Their time and culture became a part of their songs. I want to take this opportunity to implore Christian songwriters, especially young ones, to create their own music, music which sings of the best parts of our culture and of the Church in America. Let's stop borrowing ideas belonging to others and create something beautiful and representative -a snapshot if you will- of today's Church that we can pass down to future generations.
"You Say I Took the Name in Vain..."
It bothers me how many of my Christian friends openly use God's name in vain on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. If you claim to follow Christ, then show Him the respect and reverence that He deserves. Otherwise, man up and mock God to His face. If you believe what you claim, then you're already doing no less.
Not by works, lest any man should boast.
Yet Again, I Wonder
So often, we, being humans, try to reach out and grasp something within life. We see something we presume to like. To desire. To crave. To covet, even? Perhaps. But it is in our nature to reach out and grasp for something greater, something different, something... more.
Upon meditating within the realm of Genesis 3 today, I was harshly reminded of how sin entered our world in one swift motion. Of how Eve stretched out her hand, and took of the fruit. Took of the knowledge of good and evil. She, even in her undefiled human form, wanted to "be like God." Yes, she was deceived, but where did this desire come from? We know that it is not sinful to hold a desire within our heart, or even to be tempted, yet there she was, eating of the fruit; taking what was not meant to be hers.
Why did she desire this? She was "perfect." The only calculation which seems to function is that this was ingrained within her very nature, having been formed in the image of God. Perhaps this desire wasn't sinful. Perhaps it was her wanting to do more, to be more. To achieve more.
I look at our present-day society, and observe how every doctor, every scientist, and every tech buff continually dwells on how they can reach higher goals. It's as though mankind's only purpose is to reach upward and outward. "There's nothing that man cannot achieve!" is the anthem echoed by so many minds.
Yet again, I wonder, why we so easily forget the consequences that often occur when man oversteps his boundaries. We have our desires. We have our cravings. But desire of satisfaction can be of more value than satisfaction in and of itself. Look at the supreme Being of the universe. He holds all power, yet does not force His way upon us. He has His own desires, (1 Tim. 2:4) but they will not all be fulfilled. Perhaps we, as a race, should ask "why" more often than "how."
-Maktesh
Little by little, one travels far
J. R. R. Tolkien (via landslidelandon)
[via]
Hahahaha this is great!
People cannot be alive unless they truly have something to live for. And die for.
Source
Well, there you have it.
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”(Philippians 4:8, NIV) God wants you to be blessed in every area of your life. The Bible says that Jesus came so that you and I could have life more abundantly, but it all starts in your thinking. That’s why the scripture tells us very clearly what we should be thinking about — things that are noble, right, lovely, pure and praiseworthy. In other words, when a thought comes to your mind that you’re never going to be successful, replace it by saying, “Father, You said in Proverbs that if I would put You first, You would crown my efforts with success. You said in the Psalms that You surround me with favor like a shield. You said in Deuteronomy that Your blessings would chase me down and overtake me!” That’s how you take every thought captive, one thought at a time!
Today, refuse to allow any negative thoughts to take up space in your mind. Stay on the offensive and choose to think on the right things. Fill your heart and mind with the Word of God and open the door for His hand of blessing in every area of your life! A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father God, thank You for Your truth which sets me free. I choose to meditate on Your goodness and think on the right things. Direct my heart and mind toward what is pure and lovely. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
To love at all is to be vulnerable
C.S. Lewis
Although it's hard to come to grips with the truth, it still remains. These young men are human beings, created in the image of God. They are desperate in need of the grace and forgiveness that only Christ can offer, as are we. Although the anger may burn, let us not forget that we live in a fallen world, and that this young man's sin is no less forgivable than ours. As a follower of Christ, I urge you to lift him up in prayer, that he may come to repentance, and shine a light as an example of what Christ can overcome.
For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. ~ (Jeremiah 31:34)
Your daily dose of color: Sagrada Familia, interior. Photography by Ken Kaminsky
Custom Electric Guitars Shaped Like Spaceships From ‘Star Wars’
this is pretty awesome.