Become the Music!

Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.  (Psalm 149:3-4 NKJV)

     By now, everyone who is part of the dance ministry or has ever seen dance ministry is familiar with that passage of scripture...but what does it really mean? We know that we are to be prayerful, choose appropriate music for worship, that we are to understand the meaning of the song, and that we are to dance God's Word to let others see a visual message of the Good News of Christ. So, there are a lot of people dancing to the music, but how many have become the music?

     Many times, dancers have beautiful choreography to a beautiful song, and people see the dance, hear the music and miss the entire message that is being given but there is a "disconnect" between the dance and the music, because the dancers are dancing to a song that they really haven't owned, don't know, or may not even like; in other words, they didn't become the music. This could be due to: Time constraints, not being fully committed to the message of the song, focusing more on the technical aspects of the dance than the message of the dance, or many other reasons. In the National Liturgical Dance Network's Online Leadership Class, NLDN Founder Rev. Eyesha Marable stressed this point:

"...Bring the message that is not being dictated by the lyrics. The artist is not to tell the message for you, you have been sent by God to bring a clear message, using their music to complement you. You don’t complement the music, you are the embodiment of the Word, and you are the messenger.  People are not to respond to the great song, but they are to capture the message you are trying to

impart". - NLDN 2008-09 Online Leadership Class

     To fully communicate the message through the dance, you have to know what God wants to say through the music you are dancing to. Even if you have been given choreography, it is still up to you to understand who your audience is, and what the lyrics of the song are actually saying. If you don't have a copy of the song in your music library, you can usually download a track online on any of the music websites (iTunes, Amazon.com, etc.) for 99 cents. Put the music on your computer, iPod, make a CD and play it continually, until you know the song backwards, forwards, and inside out. Listen to all of the instrumentation and every nuance of the music, every word, and every beat. Play it until you can hear the music in your head even when it's not playing. Do you know how advertisers get people to buy their products? They use repetition. Even if the "jingle" they use is annoying, obnoxious, or just plain silly, you never forget that commercial and won't forget the product when you go into the store. It's the same way with the music that you use when you minister in dance. The music was never intended to entirely speak for you, the dance is to speak through the music, and the music is the canvas on which you paint your picture for the audience to see. When the music gets into your heart, you know the message of the song and what it means to you personally, you know the scriptural basis of the message and can identify with it, and then you can become the music.

     There is nothing worse than seeing a dance where the audience responds only to the music, and does not ever receive the message of the dance because of a spiritual "disconnect". Here are some other ways to learn the message of the song:

• What does the song make you think about?
• How does the song make you feel?
• What type of song is it? (Worship, Travail, Deliverance, Warfare, etc.)
• Without using any of the words/phrases in the song, describe the song's message.
• What type of person/crowd would this song minister to or touch? (who would be helped by this song)*

    This may be a new concept for some, but it will make the difference between simply dancing to the music, and becoming the music. It takes a lot of time and effort to bring a real message in movement, and not just a dance. Let's Become the Music!

End notes:
~Thanks to Cathy Maduro, NLDN San Antonio (TX) chapter for sharing her beautiful photograph!
* From http://www.n-him.org/ Song Analysis Worksheet

Please enjoy this video by the P4CM Dance Team, dancing to All That I Have to Give by Mali Music:


   

    

Spiritual Safety!

...In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on my servants --men and women alike --and they will prophesy.

(Acts 2: 17-18) NLT

  
     It's no secret...we are in the Last Days! It's summertime, and there are always a lot of public service announcements about water and heat safety because of the many tragedies that happen during this season. But what about our spiritual safety? If you haven't noticed, there are things happening all around us, good and bad-- that have been foretold thousands of years ago in God's Word. One thing that has become very active is the amount of prophecy that is being spoken. The Word clearly states that God has called some to be prophets, to reveal the mind and will of God to great numbers of people, or many have the gift of prophecy, to exhort, build up, and encourage others. But there are also some who misuse these gifts, either out of ignorance, or out of some other motivation that is not of God.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.  To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.  It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

(1 Cor 12: 14-17) NLT

     According to the Word, spiritual gifts are given by God to help people. They are not to be used as a means to control, manipulate, or dominate them. No one can decide what gift they will have, because God is the One who distributes spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are part of the true worship of God, because during worship, God reveals Himself to people and sends the blessings that are needed at that time according to His will. When God speaks a word into your situation or circumstance that no one could know but Him, that word will always agree with the Word of God that has already been written, and the spirit of the word will always agree with the Holy Spirit. Even if it's a word of correction or a word that seems "hard", it will always agree with God's Word and God's Spirit, and carries peace. And, a  true word from God will never tear you down, belittle, or embarrass you.

...Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.

(Rev 19:10) NLT

     Worshippers, if you are ever in the presence of someone who wants to "read" you, if you see someone fixating on you as if they are trying to "see" into you, if you feel some type of "energy" trying to pull on your spirit, causing you to feel agitated, disturbed, distracted, fearful, confused, weakened or any other feeling that is not of God, LEAVE immediately! If it's the Holy Spirit, the only things that He brings are power, love, and a sound mind. There are a lot of people who mix God's Word with their own doctrines and imaginations, and even practice what is called Charismatic Witchcraft*. That being said, you have to spend enough time with God to be able to know what is true. When bankers are being trained to know counterfeit bills from authentic ones, they spend hours learning how real money feels and looks, so that when they see a suspicious one, they recognize it right away.  Be careful of those who come into prayer gatherings announcing themselves as "Minister so-and-so" or "Prophet or Prophetess so-and-so" as soon as you meet them. A person who has a true prophetic gift does not need to do those things to call attention to themselves, because their gift will announce them!  Be aware of your spiritual environment. Be prayerful and watch what is going on around you. Don't be quick to run to every revival, prayer meeting, church service or conference looking for a "word". Allow God to lead you, and take your Bible with you to make sure that what is being said is the same thing that God says.  This is not to cause fear, but just as you would protect yourself on the streets, you must protect yourself in the religious community. Remember...we are in the Last Days. God has given us everything that we need to defend ourselves against spiritual attacks from inside as well as outside of the church, but we have to use the information that we have been given:

 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

1 Cor. 12:1 (NKJV)

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

Matt. 7:15 (NLT)

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.

I John 4:1 (NLT)

Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

John 10:5 (NKJV)

     God loves us and does not want any of us to be deceived. He has people strategically placed to minister as He chooses. But just as God uses His people, the enemy has people that he uses to try to confuse us, or cause us to stumble, either because of lack of knowledge, or pure wickedness. Think of it in this way: the 5-year old who brings a gun to school, plays with it and causes it to go off, injuring another classmate, and the adult who deliberately shoots and injures someone has still done the same damage, even though the intentions were different. Don't become a spiritual casualty! Know when God is speaking to you, listen carefully to what is being spoken to you by people, test it against God's Word, and follow what He says about what you have heard. It's the only way to be spiritually safe in the last days.

    
Footnote:
******************
*Charismatic Witchcraft -Charismatic witchcraft is exercising control over other Christians by leaders or anyone within the church. Charismatic witches use personal prophecy to control others.

Seasons

     To every thing there is a season,  a time to every purpose under the the heavens.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV)

     There are some seasons of our lives that are very difficult to walk through, but it is during those times we learn more about ourselves and who the God we worship really is. we also learn who our true friends are, and who are not. Sometimes that can be very heartbreaking, but God knows all things, and we have to remember that He truly holds our world in His hands. When we can't handle it, He can. When so-called friends walk away, He won't.

      Let's really work on trying to live the Christ-life and still think of others even when we are hurting. This world is slowly passing away, times are becoming stressful, many people are struggling with the simplest of things, but there is still something that each of us can do. It's not too much to let someone know you care, or to share what little we have with someone who has even less than we do. The 60's hit song He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother  is still very timely today. It doesn't really take that much...if you really care.  Remember, it's not always what you do, or what you say, it's the spirit that is motivating your actions.

Be Blessed...



Eagle...or Crow?

     Have you ever considered the differences between an eagle and a crow? Not just the obvious differences, but the ones that most people don't think about. Eagles and crows are very different types of birds beyond what we see. For example, the eagle is a bird of prey with a wingspan ranging from 72 to 90 inches, and can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 miles per hour. Bald eagles weigh from 10 to 14 pounds; they are lightweight, because their bones are hollow. They have 7,000 feathers, and may live as long as 30 years. The eagle's lifting power is about 4 pounds. They sit at the top of the food chain, and their diet consists mainly of fish. They are strong swimmers, have excellent eyesight, and their hunting area is from 1,700 to 10,000 acres. Eagles build their nests in large trees near rivers or coasts, where there is an abundant supply of fresh food, and mate for life.  (1)

     Now, let's take a look at the crow:  Crows can be found almost anywhere, in treetops, fields, and roadsides, and in habitats ranging from open woods and empty beaches to town centers and garbage dumps. They usually feed on the ground and eat almost anything – typically earthworms, insects and other small animals, seeds, and fruit but also garbage, carrion, and chicks they rob from nests. Their flight style is unique, a patient, methodical flapping that is rarely broken up with glides. They are often seen raiding garbage cans and picking over discarded food containers. Crows are very aggressive and often chase away larger birds including hawks, owls and herons. In folklore, a flock of crows is referred to as a murder. (2)

     Many times we feel bad because of not fitting in or being "uninvited" to events where everyone seems to be doing what pleases the crowd, and we wonder :"Why"? When we see the same people involved in activities that don't match the ministry they claim to have, or their lives are very different in private to what they portray in public, we wonder what we are doing wrong, or sometimes feel that God has forgotten about us. Well, He hasn't! He says:

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,

"God has lost track of me.

He doesn't care what happens to me"?

Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?

God doesn't come and go. God lasts.

He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.

He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.

And he knows everything, inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,

gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,

young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

They spread their wings and soar like eagles,

They run and don't get tired,

they walk and don't lag behind.

(Isaiah 40:30-31- The Message)

    

     You don't fit in, because you are an eagle! Eagles are not like crows at all. Eagles know who they are; they don't fight with other birds, they are particular about where they live, and what they eat. You won't find an eagle living around a garbage dump, picking through the trash. But, unlike the eagle and the crow who have no choice in what they are, we have the power to choose how we will live. God sees, and knows all. We can fly like eagles, or we can pick with the crows. The choice is ours. So, which one will you be?

an Eagle...



or a Crow?

Selah...

References:
1.http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle-facts.html
2. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Crow/id

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

Let's Let Christ Back Into the Dance...

"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom..."

 (Song of Solomon 2:15) NIV

     A professional dancer recently commented to me that when dance was being reintroduced to the church, people were very careful about what they did, and were much more attuned to the worship of God than many of them are now. Now that dance has become more popular, much of it is becoming more about the spectacle than the worship. There are many reasons for this, but the question to ask now is, how did that happen, and even more importantly, how can we stop the trend?

     I remember my first time ever seeing dance to gospel music, when a group of middle school girls danced to Perfect Peace by Andre Crouch. It wasn't  in a church, but I saw and felt the message of the song expressed in movement, and can still recall it today. We were told in church at the time that contemporary dance was of the devil, and notes were sent home with parents letting them know that "...although we understand that many children have dance training for poise and confidence, there will be no type of dancing allowed in the talent show". When dance was finally allowed at my church, there was a group of young ladies who danced to What Shall I Do? by Tremaine Hawkins. They had small bells on their wrists and ankles and really didn't move that much, but the message was still clearly received. Of course, there were people who whispered about it, but the group continued to dance on occasion.

     Over time, dance has gained wider acceptance, and brought a lot of joy to people as they see the Good News of Christ communicated through worship in movement. Dancers have become more skilled and knowledgeable about their craft. But along with this, the element of competition and rivalry has crept in. Gospel promoters are cashing in on hosting Praise Dance Showcases and competitions under the guise of encouraging fellowship. Dance leaders have become territorial and have a sense of entitlement to top billing on programs, only want to associate with "recognized" ministries, exclude those from their groups who are not of the right body type or lack technical expertise and even worse, take the place of God in determining who can or cannot worship God in dance. In all of this, the element of worship has been lost for many people, and the dance has been reduced to entertainment, which has no place in the church.  In response, some dancers have taken a hiatus or sadly, left the ministry altogether.

      How can we stop this trend? By keeping Christ at the forefront of all we do, we will always be in worship mode. That leaves no room for competition, egoism, pride, abuse, territorial- ism, or any of the other sins that hinder God's work. I remember the days when we were happy to worship God freely in the dance and really make an impact, and I am thankful for those dance ministries who still do. Let's let Christ back into the dance...please?

     Please enjoy this video by The Georgia NLDN...

"Enough"

     There are times in this fast-paced world when many of us have felt that the more we do, the more we will be accepted by God. If we aren't careful, we will feel the pressure to compete with others or compare our progress with that of someone else, because whatever we are doing at the moment never seems to be enough...  "Enough" is a spiritual thing, it doesn't mean that we don't need to live with purpose or we don't need friends, that we don't need a companion, that we don't need money or any of the things that are part of living. But when God becomes our "enough" we won't spend our time obsessing about what we don't have or can't get done. We can be at peace within ourselves, so that we don't spend our lives constantly trying to please others to the point where we lose our own way. The way that God becomes our "enough" is through our communications with Him, praying to Him, not just because we need something from Him, but because He is God. Read His Word. you cannot separate God from His Word because He is the living Word (John 1:1). The more you learn of God, the more you will want to know of Him. You can see Him in nature, in his creation, in all the things that He does. God is great! and He is enough.

Be blessed...