Blurry Lines . . .

Don’t love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you cannot love the Father.  Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. The world and the desires it causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, we will live forever.

~ 1 John 2:15-17 (CEV)

     If this seems to be a play on words using a popular song title...it is! The lines are blurry because lately it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between some Christian ministries and other groups that have nothing to do with God by the ways in which He is being represented, and by the ways that ministries are presenting themselves to the world. In other words, the lines between what is godly and what is ungodly can be hard to discern unless you can see them spiritually. Just look around . . . and it will become very obvious what is being allowed to get our attention.  Money, pride, competition, confusion, compromising behavior and personal drama that calls itself Reality TV is causing people to exalt fame above Christ.

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].

~ 1 John 2:16 (AMP)

     It has been said that most ministries start out with the right intentions of putting God first in all they do, but as they progress, what they do can become more important than God Himself. In other words, they leave their first love. Other things begin to replace prayer time, study time, rest and refreshing time and they move away from a place of devotion to a place of constant motion, and the enemy can then entice them away from God's way into the way of man, which is the way of the flesh. Next come offers of more exposure, more money and of course the weakening of the message of the Good News to become more "seeker friendly" to draw a broader audience with the prospect of mass appeal, eventually moving them even further away from Christ. At the extreme end of this continuum is the complete removal of God Almighty from their ministry, and the addition of other doctrines and teachings that are a complete opposite of the Bible. This is where some lose their faith, become "enlightened" and no longer even believe that Christ is the only way of salvation, and the enemy has effectively destroyed another ministry.

But this is what I have against you: you do not love me now as you did at first. ~Rev. 2:4 (GWT)

     There has to be a distinction between the way Christian ministries live, behave, believe, and appear in contrast to others. People should be able to recognize when your group goes up to present an ministry offering anywhere they go by the presence of God that is with you. The anointing is more than a feeling, it is the approval of God on what you do! The anointing of God brings a change, brings spiritual sight, physical, emotional and mental healing, deliverance and a reverence for holy things. If the lines are blurry, people will have nothing of God to take with them and all they were was entertained.

And it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be consumed in the presence of the anointing.

~ Isaiah 10:27 (JUB)

     Stop and think...who and what do you represent when you minister? Do people see Christ in your works, or do they only see your skill of presentation? Has the amount of time you spend preparing your ground (environment, personal space, spiritual time) decreased since the time you began your ministry? Is what you do (choreography, garments, engagements, content, awards, popularity) becoming more important than the One who called you? Have you started associating more with non-believers to promote yourself while hiding who you really stand for? If you can honestly say yes to even one of these points, then maybe it's time to pull away from the limelight and reacquaint yourself with your original calling and vision. Don't be one whose works will be burned at the end of your time on earth because they didn't glorify God. There's still have time to make those blurry lines clear!

     Please enjoy this video of "Who's on the Lord's Side" by the late Rev. Timothy Wright:

Stay in Your Lane!

Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to confirm your call and election.

Do this and you will never ever be lost.

2 Peter 1:10 (CEB)

     “Stay in your lane” is a saying that literally means to know your place and purpose in this world, and to not move out of it. So many people are lost, unhappy, confused, frustrated and discouraged because they are traveling in a lane that is not for them, either because they have allowed others to put them there, or they themselves are trying to fit into a mold that is ill-suited. Sometimes parents want to push their children toward certain career choices to assure financial success or even because they vicariously live through them, instead of encouraging them to prayerfully research and explore all of their options before making a decision. This can result in burn-out, stress, emotional and even health problems later in life.

Teach us to realize the brevity of life,

so that we may grow in wisdom.

Ps. 90:12 (NLT)

     It’s important to know your purpose in life as well as in the Kingdom of God, where people often seek after titles and positions of status that have no bearing on anyone else’s well-being, other than to exalt the person who carries the title.  Why would anyone want to be called a prophet or prophetess, yet they never have an encouraging word for someone else? Why become a pastor when you don’t really love people?  Maybe your calling in life is to feed hungry people on the street. That’s an awesome mission that often goes unnoticed and probably won’t get front row recognition in a church building, but God sees…and He will reward you openly.  So many ways of serving and helping others have no official credentials on paper, but the spiritual effects are great. Everyone will not be a mega-church pastor or have an international ministry, but everyone can find his or her place in life and be at peace with who we are, which brings our greatest joy. If you know that you are being led by the Lord, don’t allow people, groups, or organizations to convince you that what God put in your heart to do is unimportant, or that you need to be doing something else. Usually when others do this, it’s for their own benefit and not yours, and certainly not God’s.

Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

~Matt 7:13-1(MSG)

      Your place in this world is unique, and is based on God’s plan and purpose for your life.  Are you struggling with “staying in your lane”? Keep looking forward, and don’t get distracted, because if God is guiding your journey, you’re going in the right direction!

A Few Questions...

    

  God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
~ Gal. 5:22 (CEV)
 

     At the beginning of a new year, we often stop to ask ourselves where we are, where we're going, and how we plan to get there. We also look back at past years and think about the various mistakes we've made along the way, to make sure that we avoid those pitfalls that will hinder our future progress. Now that I've said this, I'm going to go out on a limb and ask a few questions: Why is there so much nastiness, cattiness and cliquishness in the dance ministry? Before you answer, think about the number of dancers that you know, and look at some of the numerous videos of dance all over YouTube and other sites. Have you noticed that in some churches there are more people dancing than sitting in the congregation? These are not rehearsal tapes, these are actual church services where dance is going on. Do you ever wonder what many of the dancers would do, or where they would be, if there was no dance ministry?  Yes, God is the judge...so this is not judgment, it's just an observation of what the dance ministry has become. The popularity of dance in church has grown exponentially, but is the growth affecting the number of people coming into God's Kingdom, or is it just another activity to add to the program? Why are so many people being  mistreated at the hands of leaders who may be excellent performers and creative spirits, but have no idea or concern as to how to love others?  Why have so many dancers left the ministry, and no one has gone after them? Why is being "ministry-minded" more important than having the mind of Christ? Do we understand that a minister is a servant, and having a ministry means that we serve other people, and not the other way around? What happened to the saying we all learned in Vacation Bible School: "Christ first, others second, self last"?

Do to others as you would like them to do to you.~ Luke 6:31 (NLT)
 

   There are many dancers who love Christ and only want to worship Him with their whole hearts, yet there are still not enough servants in the ministry today. Do you know how I know this? Look at the number of praise dance competitions and showcases that are being put on in the name of ministry. Listen carefully to the conversations, and look at the ads and promos for recognition for Best Choreography, Best Garments, Best Make-up and vying for spots along celebrities on award shows. It's wonderful to honor people for their contributions to the world, but when constant award giving becomes the focus and center of every gathering, who is really getting the glory? Remember, whenever there is a "Best" of something, then there can only be one winner, which immediately opens the door for competition because everyone wants to win! We should never settle for mediocrity, but the same spirit of competition that caused the enemy to be ousted from God's presence is the same one that has silently crept into the dance ministry...and is trying to compete with the anointing of God. If we are not careful, we can lose the presence of God because we are too focused on our works, how we look, and what we do, instead of keeping the heart of worship. Will you allow this to happen?  Are we willing to step away from our conference tables, garments, flags, music and choreography and put our focus back on Christ?  Has the dance ministry become our whole life?  Have we neglected family responsibilities to chase after a title in a dance organization?Are some of us even willing to admit that we really never had a relationship with Christ and just love to dance? What would some of us ever do if we ever found ourselves physically unable to dance for a long period of time? Would we still worship God? Can some of us honestly admit that we have rejected, mistreated, stepped on or over others, or really don't like people, but love being in leadership positions? Can we admit when we have done wrong, and  simply say: "I'm sorry"?

I will go much higher than the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High~Is. 14:14 (NLV)

The one thing I ask of the Lord, the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

delighting in the Lord’s perfections

and meditating in his Temple.~ Psalm 27:4 (NLV)

There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven that are hated by Him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that kill those who are without guilt,  a heart that makes sinful plans, feet that run fast to sin,  a person who tells lies about someone else, and one who starts fights among brothers.

~ Prov. 6: 16-19 (NLV)

     We are in the last days...Christ is coming soon. Don't be deceived and caught up in the spirit of this age, which glorifies the flesh and masquerades as God's way! We know better, and can do better. Selah...
 

Competitive Praise...Really?

     Within the dance ministry there has been a growing trend to hold Praise Dance Competitions. While it is not my place to judge the spiritual condition of those who host or participate in these events, I do question the basis for their existence in the worship community. By definition, praise or liturgical dance is: (1) A dance divinely inspired by God for public or private worship; (2)  Dance done as a praise and worship tool to honor the holiness and supremacy of God as a vehicle of prayer, intercession, and witnessing.  As part of our personal relationship with God, praise dance is done to uplift and encourage others in their worship. There is no scripture in the Bible that even suggests that praise and worship is competitive; in the book of Psalms, the musicians, singers, and dancers were inspired by God to minister together in their praise to Him.

     In the secular arena, there are dance competitions in which participants vie for monetary prizes, scholarships, further performance opporuntities and exposure. They are judged on the basis of technical strength, showmanship, originality, and costuming. These competitions are exciting and fun to watch, but there are always winners, and those who don't place. There are many in the dance ministry who are extremely talented, but God doesn't esteem their worship any higher than of those who worship by only lifting their hands.

     There is a big difference between dance as an artform, and the artform of dance as worship. Both have their places in the world and although at times they may look similar, they are not. Competitiveness is what caused disruption in the heavenlies when Lucifer said:  ^"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:14). Isn't that just like the enemy to have God's people competing against one another? Once this happens, there is no more praise, just confusion. According to Ps.22:3 God inhabits the praises of His people... if His people are no longer praising, I will be headed for the nearest exit door!

     We can't be like anyone else, or observe what they are doing to become better than they are. It's impossible to compete with others without comparing ourselves to them. When we do this, we will either feel that we are superior to them, or that they are superior to us because after all, there can only be one winner, right? So, the next time you receive that flyer, e-mail or inbox invitation to compete with your praise, ask yourself these questions:

• Who are the judges?
• What qualifies someone to be a judge of praise?
• What is the criteria for winning?
• What makes one person's praise better than another's?
• What is the prize for having the "best" praise?
• How does one become a "loser"?
• How does this promote true worship?                                                                                             

But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God's Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants. (John 4:23-GNT)

Enjoy this presentation by the Tribe of Judah:

Endnotes:
 (1) Dancer's Array, Liturgical Dance Conference
 (2) National Liturgical Dance Network

Something to Think About...

      I heard a message one Sunday morning entitled: “When It All Falls Apart, What Will You Do?” In light of  recent events, what is really important? The things that happen in one part of our world could happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone. The devastation in Japan is one of many that have literally rocked the foundations of unsuspecting people, and no one has the right to say “This is God’s judgment on them because…(fill in the blank)”. In fact, the Word says the opposite:

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
 (Luke 13:1-5 NIV)

     No one understands why these things happen but when they do, they affect us all. We are all connected to others in some way, whether it is by blood, friendship, aquaintance or just because we all share the earth as our temporary home to carry out our God-given purpose. This is not the time to make comparisons of how one group of people respond to tragedy vs. another, or to start making doomsday prophecies. It is time to stop, think about the direction that we are going in, and make sure that we are found doing God's will. Let the pettiness go...if you have something that you need to settle with a friend, enemy or family member, do it today! Because when it all falls apart...what will really matter?

     Please enjoy this thought-provoking video of "Homeless" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Sarah McClachlan...

The Greatest of These is Love...Pt. 2

   

 

     In our last blog, we were learning about what love is, what it is not, and to make sure that whatever we do comes from the heart of Christ, and not from a selfish motivation. In I Cor. 13: 5-7, what is known as the "Love Chapter", we read about love:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

     Easier said than done, yes? But God would never require for us to do something that was impossible or unfair. We can make a checklist of the things we know about love from our reading:

 Love:

• suffers long 
• is kind
• does not envy
• does not parade itself
• is not puffed up
• does not behave rudely
• does not seek its own
•  is not provoked
• thinks no evil
• does not rejoice in iniquity
•  rejoices in the truth
• bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things
• never fails

      We can all identify with some of the things on this list! Every day we need to ask God to help us be more Christlike in our actions, in our speaking, and our relating to others. Before we get up in front of a congregation, we need to check ourselves to be sure that God is pleased with the way we have treated others according to His Word, and not the way we feel that they deserve to be treated. If we have hurt or offended anyone, we are to go to them and make amends before we offer our gifts (Matt 5: 23-24). God is looking at our hearts...what does He see?  Love God...Love People!