Great Wall – BT2:  I saw “The Great Wall” quenching the Holy Spirit in many churches

 

 

 

Video:  Great Wall - BT2:  I saw “The Great Wall” quenching the Holy Spirit in many churches

 

 

Great Wall – BT2:  I saw “The Great Wall” quenching the Holy Spirit in many churches

 

 

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I recently watched a well-known American woman prophetic speaker at a local church on the topic of ‘revival.’  They had a half-hour of worship beforehand that was fairly charismatic but nothing I haven’t seen a 1000 times before, and nothing too exuberant.  Though a few people were, I didn’t feel very motivated to raise my hands let alone sing loudly, but the band was “professional” and they had 2 screens for the words to the songs and enthusiastic dancers with scarves & flags on the side.  They had “might and power” fairly down pat.

 

Before the pastor introduced the speaker, he said he was going to ring a ‘revival cowbell’ that a couple from Texas gave him.  He treated it like a sideshow gimmick, but it peaked my interest since I’m a professional drummer and percussionist.  I bet he was shocked because immediately after he started, the whole place jumped out of their seats and shot up  their hands, including me, and praised God at the top of their lungs – and not one instrument was playing!  But for some reason, after a couple of minutes, he stopped ringing it.  I saw him glance at his watch and he probably realized he was behind schedule!

 

There seemed to be a spiritual void afterwards that the pastor and speaker never did succeed in filling, no matter how loud they talked or preached.  She even put on a recording of music during a ‘legitimate revival’ she had witnessed years back in Toronto Canada, and said, “That’s the sound of revival,” and I admit it was absolutely heavenly beautiful!  She called for the audience to spontaneously sing by the Spirit a completely-different-in-kind “New song” and join in with the music.  It was so pitifully weak that she called for the recording to be turned up to help encourage us, but to no avail.  It sounded like the people had been fasting for weeks, beaten down from hunger and fatigue, and depressingly TRYING to praise the Lord.  That’s the weakness of the flesh’smight and power!”

 

I was so perplexed by this that I just started asking the Lord why I felt this way and why it sounded like we were all so sick & tired, but during the ‘revival cowbell’ so alive?  Then I was shown a “Great Wall” of division between the ‘ministers/clergy’ up on the stage and the ‘audience/laity’ sitting in their seats (see the previous BLOG) and a crack formed in it when the ‘revival cowbell’ was ringing, but the “minsters/clergy” did not perceive it, or if they did, their “might and power” plans, programs, and schedules blocked them from meno abiding/remaining in the Presence of God that came when the ‘revival cowbell’ was ringing, when the Spirit’s power was actually moving the standing people to loudly praise with uplifted-hands.

 

Then I suddenly understood that part of “The Great Wall” was the so-called “ministers” own misconception that they were the ones hired to “minister” that night – see Leaders versus Body-Ministry.  The ‘on-stage’ minister’s “might and power” attempts at worship resulted in almost no spiritual effect, because they were in the flesh, even though they were doing/working FOR God.

 

Oh, they talked about moving in the Spirit, but didn’t understand that by them ‘hogging the ball’ they were keeping the actual ‘players delegated to sitting on the bench’ watching the coaches & referees & cheer-leaders instead of being on the court playing.  The Spirit’s flow was ‘bottle-neck’ restricted down to 1 or 2 people on stage ‘hogging the ball,’ instead of the Spirit being allowed to “work/do the work of ministry” thru all the saints in the Body-of-Christ right then and there.

 

But during that 1-2 minutes of that ‘revival cowbell’ ringing, the whole Body-of-Christ was ministering to one another reciprocally/mutually, the exact meaning of allelon ‘one another’ as in Galatians 5:13 “dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ the unconditional-love, presently/ongoingly be serving/ministering-to one-another reciprocally/mutually,” and often heautou ‘each other’ as in 1 Peter 4:10, “as each of you has received a grace-gift, use it to serve/minister-to each-other mutually/reciprocally as good stewards of God’s manifold grace.”

 

The “ministers/clergy” didn’t understand that they were supposed to simply be equipping coaches and facilitators, passing the ball to the players to play the game, and making it easier for them to play the game well.  And so they “quenched the Spirit” just as Paul warned against in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. Finally, to compensate for the lack of zoe genuine-life in the church service, they tried all the harder with their flesh’smight and power.”

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Prophecy of Great Wall of Clergy versus Laity division in the Church quenching the Spirit, Clergy leaders hogging the ball from the real ministers that are the saints, Equippers are simply coaches & facilitators NOT the players themselves, Body of Christ Ministry, Without Genuine Life of Spirit in God’s Presence churches often fake it, Real Worship is by the Spirit NOT by flesh’s Might & Power, Real Worship is natural in the Presence of God

Categories: Great Wall

Great Wall – BT1:  “The Great Wall” foundational problem quenching the Holy Spirit in today’s church

 

 

 

Video:  Great Wall - BT1:  “The Great Wall” foundational problem quenching the Holy Spirit in today’s church

 

 

Great Wall – BT1:  “The Great Wall” foundational problem quenching the Holy Spirit in today’s church

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

The foundation of “The Great Wall” that is quenching the Holy Spirit underlying so much of Christian ministry is that many self-proclaimed “ministers” really don’t understand nor have they fully surrendered control to Zechariah 4:6’s prophecy about the completely-different-in-kind New (a) Covenant Ways that were to REPLACE and END the old covenant ways:  “Absolutely-in-fact-NOT or in-possibility-NOT by-the-means-of might NOR by-the-means-of power but-instead by-the-means-of My Spirit, say Yahweh of hosts (ruler of all).”  This is all explained more fully in the “Might & Power and Promised Spirit” pages, but for now “might and power” essentially means “all of man’s external resources and internal abilities such as buildings, equipment, knowledge, skill, and self-mastery.”  <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior.

 

Many Christians and musicians simply have not grasped the complete difference between the old covenant conditional “way” of obedience FOR God to get His blessings, which puts our trusting-relying-faith in the flesh’s own “might and power” that is completely different-in-kind from the unconditional New Covenant “Living Way” that instead puts our trusting-relying-faith in God’s Spirit.  But if they do grasp this, they haven’t fully surrendered control to it!

 

However, I’ve found in most cases that they simply haven’t read or fully understood the Old Testament (OT) prophesies about the New Everlasting Covenant completely REPLACING and ENDING the old covenant’s Torah Law of conditional-favor and thus 97.4% of graphe scripture – see Logos Word of God – BT5a and the New Covenant Ways page to understand this fully.  When they “borrow” from this old foundation to build their ministry under the New Covenant, they have started to build “The Great Wall” that quenches the Holy Spirit.

 

For example, the idea of “clergy and laity” was “borrowed” for the OT, which is a faulty foundation for the New Testament (NT) Church.  The term “clergy” means “a group ordained to perform pastoral or sacerdotal functions in a Christian church.” It was first used in the 13th c. by the Catholic Church, but they “borrowed” the idea from the Greek klerikos which means “an inheritance, in reference to the fact that the OT Levitical priests had no inheritance except the Lord.  They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance.”  A tenth of the tithe given to the Levite tribe went to the Levitical priests.

 

A back-sliding Catholic church reinstated OT tithing of agricultural produce in 567 and 585 AD, obligatory by 779 AD, and as wages in 1200 AD, which they also “borrowed” from the OT.  Sure we have plenty written in the NT about liberal, cheerful, and even sacrificial GIVING but NOT tithing (a).  Catholic priests are not Levitical priests that have their portion or inheritance in the Lord, nor should they be receiving a tithe or any form of payment – see Ministry Finances.  Francis Chan’s video The Truth About Tithing is excellent.  Dr. Russell Earl Kelly’s book Should the CHURCH TEACH Tithing is great!  Is scholarly article Teaching is NOT a Christian Doctrine is fantastic. <Notes> a) Acts 2:43–47, 4:32–37, 11:27–30; Galatians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1–9:15

 

The Catholic Church had to come up with a term for the “non-clergy, or common people” so they invented the Latin word “laity” in the 15th c., which again is “borrowed” from the Greek laikos, which simply means “of the people, the people at large.”  So you can see the impetus from “clergy and laity” all comes from the OT, but using terms from pagan cultures.

 

“Ordination” of clergy is entirely an OT practice – you won’t find the word used once in the NT!  However, the NT does speak 25 times about “sanctification, consecration, or dedication to make separate for God’s hagiazo sacred purposes,” and the result is that these ceremonially “uncommon and clean vessels of honor” are now hagios holy.  This is the same Greek word for “saint” used 213 times in the NT of ALL Christians, and certainly NOT the practice of sainthood that the Catholic Church started in 993 AD for a select few ‘special Christians.’

 

The completely-different-in-kind New Covenant says that ALL Christians are part of a royal priesthood (a), priests belonging to the King of kings, “making us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (b).  EVERY one of us is been made “special, uncommon, or a vessel of honor” (c).  There is now only One High Priest, the Lord Jesus, and we are ALL priests, “all just brethren” (d) of the Family of God.  <Notes> a) 1 Peter 2:9, b) Revelation 1:6 5:10, 20:6, c) Romans 9:21; 2 Timothy 2:21-21, d) Matthew 23:8 – see Teach One Another – BT10.

 

There are no OT “chief priests” in Christ’s kingdom.  Jesus warned often about “having authority over others like the Gentiles – it shall absolutely-in-fact-NOT and in-possibility-NOT be so among you” (a).  If the OT was only a “fuzzy-shadow/outline of things to come” (b), why are churches “borrowing” from it?  The Protestant Church is absolutely no better!  They may not use the same terms, but they are using the same ideas that there is a ‘special class’ of Christians, the “ordained professionals,” and then the rest of the congregation are “commoners.”  This divisiveness is still straight from the pit of hell!  <Notes> a) Matthew 20:26; Mark 10:43, b) Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5, 10:1.

 

The Lord has clearly showed me that a major part of the faulty foundation of The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit is this division between those “in front” and the congregation facing them, a division that was started in the Catholic Church that has mostly been unreformed in the Protestant Church.  Because of this, I’ve dedicated the Equippers – Coaches and Facilitators page to this.

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Foundation of Great Wall Quenching the Spirit is BORROWING from the Old Covenant, You can’t mix oil and water, You can’t mix New Covenant Wine-Christ’s Blood-Spirit with Law’s commandments rituals sacrifices, You can’t mix Zechariah 4:6 might & power with Holy Spirit, You can’t mix old-time religion of work FOR God with Spirit Work IN us in relationship WITH God, Catholic Church started the borrowing, Protestant Church continued the borrowing, clergy versus laity, church division created by clergy versus laity definitions, tithing, priests, ordination of priests

Categories: Great Wall

Spirit – Perform – Drums – BT1

 

 

 

 

Drummer’s prep checklist for a Band Performance

 

 

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Hopefully your Band, especially if it’s a Worship-Band, is open to the Spirit-Perform-BT1 Spiritual Checklist suggestions.  If they still are hesitant, they can always read the nitty-gritty theology behind these conclusions from this BLOG.  If they are still struggling with this approach they can Contact Us for a clinic on “Worship by the Spirit rather than by Might and Power.”

 

Set up your gear right away so that the Band isn’t waiting for you:

 

 

  • Insure you have a monitor or earbud (in one ear) for good sound.

 

  • Make sure the drum-set is on a rug so the kit won’t slide around on you.

 

  • Insure all the bolts on the drum-set are tight.

 

  • Make sure the drum-set is tuned (if acoustic) and that the instrument type and sound levels for each pad are the way you like them (if electronic).

 

  • Insure your trap table, sticks, hand-percussion, fan, wipe-off rag, and water bottle are all in place.

 

  • Place the music stand so you can keep a peripheral eye on the Band leader’s hands because they often vary the tempo and dynamics.

 

  • Again, before your Band starts playing, do the steps from the Spirit-Perform-BT1 Spiritual Checklist, especially if it’s a Worship-Band, to especially honor the Lord’s words:  “For where 2 or 3 are gathered in My name/authority, there am I among them.”  Bask together in His presence together, showing that you really do have trusting-relying-faith and really are dependent on His Holy Spirit to fill you, guide you, and teach you ALL things – especially the worship music you are about to play and minister with!

 

Now this is the hard part for most musicians: 

 

 

  • Let go of your own might and power – your own skill and professionalism – and grab the hand of the Holy Spirit and don’t let go, by completely relying on the Lord to conduct and guide your playing with very few glances at your music stand!   Instead of being mesmerized by your sheet music, “Insure we fix/gaze our wide-open eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your trusting-relying-faith” in worshipful adoration and gratitude.  You can do this and still peripherally keep an eye on the Lord guiding the Band leader’s hands for tempo, dynamic, and other spontaneous music cues, and also watch other musicians and “brethren” in the service to see the Lord ministering in and through them!

 

  • After the service, thank the Lord, the Band leader, the other musicians, and hopefully for the privilege of worshipping the Lord!

 

  • Pack up your gear, putting everything back the way you found it, just as if you were never there!

 

 

 

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Spontaneous – BT3

 

 

 

 

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What about singing/playing “in/by/with flesh” songs in Church?

 

 

 If these “hymns and psalms” are composed in/by/with the natural man’s flesh ormight and power,” it’s probably not God’s first choice to include this in Church worship music!  Why?  They are from 2 entirely different worlds that just don’t mix.  “What is born of flesh is ongoingly flesh and/coupled that which is born of the Spirit is ongoingly Spirit” (a), and “What koinonia fellowship has light with darkness” (b)?  And “the cravings of the flesh are against the Spirit and/coupled the cravings of the Spirit are against the flesh, for they are opposed to each other to keep you from doing/accomplishing the things you want to do” (c).  This is like trying to mix Torah Law of conditional-favor with unconditional-favor-of-grace, like the old covenant versus the New Covenant, and like old wineskins trying to hold New wine – both are destroyed!  Secular music played for God by Christian musicians is simply self-deceived religion, and it destroys both secular and worship music!  It’s self-deception if you think you can play in/by/with the Spirit for God something created from and for the kingdom of darkness.  Yet, I’ve seen so many Christians go down this path, a slippery slope that ultimately ruined them!  What you really end up doing is playing these songs in/by/with the flesh for God or to please and honor God, but this is still religion because “the flesh absolutely in fact profits nothing” (d). <Notes> a) John 3:6, b) 2 Corinthians 6:14, c) Galatians 5:17, d) John 6:63

 

But what about God being able to ‘turn lemons into lemonade,’ or turn “what was meant for evil into good” (a), or that “all things work together for good to those who are called down-from/according-to His purpose” (b)?  Both of these verses are talking about trials, tribulations, and persecutions against God’s people.  I don’t think we can easily apply them to our voluntary choice to use “stones” from the world around us, “stones” that actually turn out to be those building The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit’s move in our churches!  Is it possible that God can make the “stones cry out from the wall” (c) – even praise to the Lord (d)?  Yes, but the plan was for Christ’s disciples to praise the Lord (e) and “little children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ . . . for ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have ordained praise.’”  That’s God’s plan, not rocks! <Notes> a) Genesis 50:20, b) Romans 8:28, c) Habakkuk 2:11, d) Luke 19:40, e) Luke 19:39.

 

Does “singing and/coupled psalming in your heart unto the Lord,” which is coupled to “speaking (c) reciprocally to yourselves (d) in psalms and/coupled hymns and/coupled Spirit-kind-of odes,” then make all kinds of “psalms, hymns, and Spirit-kind-of odes” perfectly justified?  Does that mean I can take the #1 evil song The Oath by Mercyful Fate, which has lyrics taken from a black mass, which is basically a love song to Satan, and if I take this song and “sing and/or psalm this unto the Lord from my heart,” then is it now “acceptable worship” to the Lord?  No!  Paul explains what is “acceptable to God” in Romans 12:1, “presenting your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your logical/rational worship-service (e).”  What does he mean by that?  Verse 2 explains:  “I strongly urge you to not in possibility be ongoingly conformed (f) this world but instead be ongoingly metamorphically transformed by the renewing (a) of your mind so that you may ongoingly scrutinize (b) what is that good and/coupled acceptable and/coupled perfect will of God.”  For more about discernment – see New Covenant Ways – BT16. <Notes> a) ana + kainosis: completely different-in-kind inward renovation, b) dokimazo: test, examine, or discern to demonstrate or prove something is acceptable, genuine, approved, good, and approved, c) laleo: conversational words emphasizing the social aspect, d) one another reciprocally, e) liturgy, f) pressed into the mold of.

 

The Lord is calling us to leave the world behind, not to still hold onto it and somehow “redeem it for God by singing/playing for God,” right?  I’ve heard this latter argument too many times!  James 4:4-5 says, “Do you not know that philia friendship with the world is enmity with God?  So whoever decides to be the world’s philos friend makes himself God’s enemy.”  Ephesians 5:11 says “I strongly urge you to have in possibility no sharing/partnership with (a) the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose their wrong (b) – that’s our apologetics to this world, not quoting from Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict!  Our lives are not supposed to blend in with the world in agreement with “deeds that produce no fruit for God” (c), but be so completely different-in-kind that our “light” exposes the ‘wrong’ in them!  But “if the so-called light in you is actually darkness, how great is that darkness” (d)?  Jesus is talking to deceived people who think that what they are doing for God is actually “light!”  That was the religion of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, but I fear that it’s the religion of much of church-ianity! <Notes> a) sugkoinoneo, b) elegcho: correct/convince with solid, compelling evidence, c) John 15:2-4, d) Matthew 6:23, e) philia, philio:  fond friendship – see Fellowship.

 

But some will say:  “But my secular song doesn’t have evil lyrics, or they are neutral, or even positive, or it’s purely an instrumental song!  Why can’t I sing/psalm this to the Lord from my heart and thus make it ‘acceptable worship’ to the Lord?”  However, there is no “sliding scale” of flesh from 1-10, G-rated to X-rated.  Once it’s flesh, it’s flesh!  Just as there is no “sliding scale” of the Spirit – it’s either Holy Spirit or it’s not!  If any of it is flesh, it’s simply not Spirit, and vice-versa.

 

A “New (a) Song” (b) is not just new-in-time or younger, it’s completely different-in-kind, unique, and superior by definition!  You can’t take a rotten tomato and make it better!  Replacing it with a green tomato doesn’t help either because in time it will also become a rotten tomato since it’s still a tomato.  No, if you want something superior then you have to instead choose something completely different-in-kind.  Now a Twinkie isn’t superior in nutrition but it is in shelf-life – the world’s oldest open Twinkie for 40 years looks almost the same as a new one!  The Lord isn’t concerned so much about what is is new or old in time, but whether it is completely new-in-kind! <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9, 14:3.

 

You really can’t take a “made in Communist China” product and somehow make it better in the USA and then call it “made in the Democratically-Free United State of America,” because that is still called a knock off!”  It’s still a “fake!”  It’s like putting USA shoelaces on a China shoe and calling it “made in the USA.”  This is fraud!  But that’s what Christians are trying to do with secular songs, sung or instrumental, when they now claim these are sacred/holy songs because they are “singing/playing them to the Lord from their heart.”  This is fraud!  Flesh is flesh no matter what wrapping paper you put on it, even if you believe you can make it somehow “Spirit.” It is inappropriate and ineffective to use when “worshipping the Lord in/by [singular] Spirit and/coupled [singular] Truth, which My Father is seeking such people to worship Him” (a).  This “borrowing” from the flesh is not “by [singular] Truth,” exactly because it’s not “in the realm” or “by the means” of the Spirit.  Oh, you can say that it is all you want, but deceiving yourself doesn’t make it The Truth.  This “borrowing” stones from the world for God and for your church is exactly what is building The Great Wall that is quenching the Holy Spirit.  <Notes> a) John 4:23.

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT2

 

 

 

 

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Is it to be anointed, prophetic, and spontaneous or nothing at all?

 

 

No!  Paul understood that there is room for using your mind to understand what is going on instead of instead of just being ‘clueless’ as the Spirit takes over.  As beneficial as speaking in Spirit-given tongues is in building oneself up (a) because these are unto God, uttering mysteries in/by/with the Spirit (b), and even when we proseuchomai conversationally-pray in/by/with a tongue, then the Spirit belonging to/inside us proseuchomai conversationally-prays so that our minds are unfruitful (g) (c), even if Paul gives thanks to God (d), even if he thanked God that he spoke in tongues more than all of them (e), and even if he wanted them all to thus speak in tongues (f), Paul still didn’t completely abandon himself entirely to “turning off the use of his mind’s understanding.”  How so?  <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 14:4, b) v. 14:2, c) v. 14:14, d) v. 14:16, e) v. 14:18, f) v. 14:5, g) without advantage to us.

 

Look what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “What am I to do? I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray by the Spirit, moreover I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray with the mind (c); and/also I will psalm (a) by the means of the Spirit (b), moreover I will psalm (a) by the means of the mind (c).”  We know from 1 Corinthians 14:2, 14 that Paul’s idea of “proseuchomai conversationally-praying and psalming by the means of the Spirit” most likely meant in tongues where the “mind is without understanding” because “in/by/with the Spirit he utters mysteries to God.”  Paul isn’t saying to throw out his mind entirely by doing these in/by/with the Spirit mor to only use his mind.  It’s not either-or but both-and!  <Notes> a) psallo: “hit, twang, pluck, or twitch” out a song with/without singing, b) context: without the mind’s understanding, being a mystery unto God, c) nous: with the mind’s understanding.

 

The definite article “the” with “Spirit” used above in the dative case is used frequently throughout Paul’s writings as “by the means of the Holy Spirit,” so it is not accurate to translate this “by or with my spirit” especially since there is absolutely no genitive “of me!”  And the same goes true for “the mind!”  It also would make no sense to say, “I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray and psalm with both my spirit and my mind,” because Paul routinely, as all Jews do, treats “mind” (a) as not only the “conscious, intellectual thinking, understanding, and word-forming mind” but also the “complete inward hidden man, including the unconscious soul (b) and the spirit of man,” which separates man into 2 parts – mind/heart/inner man + body (c).  So, why would Paul say, “I will proseuchomai conversationally-pray and psalm with both my spirit and my mind (d)?”  Isn’t that redundant?  No!  Paul isn’t pitting the human spirit’s efforts against the human mind’s efforts. <Notes> a) nous, b) intellect, emotions, will, c) see Identity, d) intellect, emotions, will, and spirit.

 

Paul is simply saying he will rely on both the Holy Spirit and the human mind when proseuchomai conversationally-praying and psalming.  Although Paul is talking in the first person (“I”), he is still giving this teaching to ALL Christians, using himself as an example.  That’s why there is no genitive “of me.”  The immediate and larger context shows clearly that the issue is “proseuchomai conversationally-praying or psalming” by Spirit-power rather than by a Christian’s own “might and power” efforts and understanding.  There is something uniquely special about proseuchomai conversationally-praying and psalming in/by/with Spirit-power!  Some, like myself, see a likely connection between these 2 verses and “worshiping by [singular] Spirit and [singular] Truth” that Jesus calls all Christians to in John 4:23.

 

However, the problem you see throughout much of Church history is that Christians usually follow the either-or model and promptly throw out the “in/by/with the Spirit” part, because it’s really much easier to revert back to the natural man’s flesh or “might and power (ischus)” of which the mind’s understanding and will-power are 2 key elements of the soul’s (psyche) flesh with their own power (ischus) (e).  When you exclude the Spirit by favoring the mind, you are definitely “quenching the Spirit” (a), which usually shows up as not “earnestly desiring or being zealous to prophesy” and “forbidding speaking in tongues” (b). The Catholic Church systematically hunted down, persecuted, and stamped out the charismata grace-gifts around 200 AD, even though several prominent bishops and theologians argued for them, and few churches have embraced them ever since, and mock those who do!  However, you will see all of the grace-gifts prominently reappear during every single revival.  If error occurs in the Church, it’s rarely ever by going too far in the realm of the Spirit, but too far into the flesh!  So as a worship musician there is certainly a place for pre-composed hymns (c) and a place for pre-composed psalms (d). <Notes> a) 1 Thessalonians 5:19, b) 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39, c) songs without instruments, d) instrumental music with or without singing, e) see the 2 and 3 parts of man in the Identity page.

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Spontaneous – BT1

 

 

 

 

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What is spontaneous music and why are we supremely promoting it?

 

 

“Spontaneous music,” whether it is anointed and prophetic because it is a Spirit-kind-of ode or a completely different-in-kind New (a) Song, or it is simply created by man’s “might and power” resources and ability, is defined as “music performed or occurring as a result of sudden inner impulse or inclination and without premeditation or external stimulus,” per the Oxford English and Spanish Dictionary.  It’s really no different than “musical improvisation or extemporization, which is the creative activity of immediate ‘in the moment’ musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians. Another definition is a performance given extempore without planning or preparation, but also to play or sing extemporaneously, by inventing variations on a melody or creating new melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. Improvisation is a major part of blues, rock, jazz, and jazz fusion. . . . Throughout the Western art music tradition (b) . . . improvisation was a valued skill . . . And some contemporary composers of the 20th and 21st century have increasingly included improvisation.  In Indian, Iranian, Afghan, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi classical music, the raga is the melodic framework for improvisation and composition. They even have computer algorithms to improvise on existing music,” all per Wikipedia.  <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods.

 

The common element of all this is the greater degree of musical skill needed to improvise effectively.  Christopher Sutton of Musical U says, “Learning to improvise is a long-term mission, one which will push you to your musical limits and then beyond,” and Sabrina Young echoes:  “Like any musical skill, improvisation is not a magical gift.  It takes practice and simply the art of doing – the more you improvise, the more confident and accurately you will play, and the more confident and accurate, the better you will improvise,” and James Stinton adds:  “The ability to improvise music is not some magical prowess bestowed on a select few by a muse above.  Rather, it is a skill that can be learned through practice.”  However, Eric from “Jazzadvice” says, “Jazz improvisation is hard . . . and why that’s a good thing!  . . . They (Jazz greats) had to go into their practice room every day and do their best to improve.  And the truth is, you’re no different.”  Everybody agrees it requires skill, but some say that little children can learn this early on in their musical experience.  But others admit that it can be extremely complicated!  No matter what your viewpoint, this certainly requires more resources and ability, and likely more of it than playing pre-composed, planned-out music!

 

However, for the Christian musician do we want to be stuck with just improvisation with the rest of the world?  Absolutely not!  Read the next BLOG, because the answer is to make your “New Song” a “Spirit-kind-of Ode” by having it become Anointed and Prophetic!

 

 

 

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Categories: Spontaneous

Media – BT4 – 22 Min. Playing with God (22PWG)

 

 

 

22 min. Playing With God (22PWG):

 

 

Video – 22PWG:  Anointed, Prophetic, Spontaneous drumming on a practice pad in my favorite park on 12-21-2021

 

Playlist:  Principles to learn drumming

 

See also Spirit – Practice – Drums and Spirit – Performing – Drums

 

For drumming from just a “technical” point of view, see also Drums.

 

Video – Intro to SpiritMusicMeetups.org

 

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“22 min. Playing With God” (22PWG) is a better way to learn drums. You can use your “might and power” to earn your “skill” and pat yourself on the back. Good luck on reaching your goal-posts, because I see these always being moved by yourself or others once you “think” that you have “arrived.”

 

A better way is to receive “skill” or “self-mastery” as the result of revelation from the Lord as you enter and stay in His presence “by His Spirit” where there is Joy! (Zechariah 4:6; Galatians 5:22-23).

 

If you take “Jo . . . y” out of the “Journey” all you have left is “urne” – and that sounds a lot like where they put your ashes after you have died and been cremated. I’ve found that without “Jo . . . y” all my hard work “earning” skill just dries me up into an “urn” full of ashes!

 

 

7 Reasons for the title “22 min. Playing With God” (22PWG)

 

1. They say “21 days creates a habit,” so I figure 22 ought to nail it!  Nobody seems to have time nowadays – but evidently enough time for FaceBook and video games, and many people’s attention spans can’t make it over 30 minutes.  So I figure I can give you of the “GOLD” in 22 minutes that the Lord reveals to me over 1-2 days of practicing in His presence.  However, if you want to learn more, just click on another video or check out more of my website pages.

 

2. God has revealed to me often the importance of remaining like a child in many ways, especially the JOY of playing.  As kids, we couldn’t wait to go outside and play!  The Lord has also emphasized sharing all aspects of life in intimate fellowship with Him, including our playing!  Instead of playing by yourself, play with your best friend – the Lord! You will feel His JOY!

 

3. 22 Hebrew alphabet letters created the Old Covenant Logos Word of God that prophesied of a much better New Covenant through the Messiah Jesus (Yeshua), the Christ or “Anointed One.”

 

4. The Aaronic or Levitical Old Testament that Ezra and the Great Assembly recognized as their bible was only 22 books, not 39 as many people claim today is the Jewish bible.

 

5. 22 categories of creation were made by God in 6 days. “Fascinating,” as Spock would say!

 

6. Outside the 4 Gospels and Acts (which is part 2 of the Gospel of Luke), there are 22 other books in the New Testament. Very interesting!

 

7. Now for a bit of vanity – January 22 is my birthday!  Some say that 22 is a “Master number” that motivates people born on that day to work hard with precision, self-direction, and self-discipline to move ideas into reality.  Maybe coincidently, that has summed up my life!

 

 

 

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Categories: Media

Prophetic Rhema – BT1:  Prophecy is receiving or speaking Spirit-kind-of knowledge

 

 

Video:  Prophetic Rhema - BT1:  Prophecy is receiving or speaking Spirit-kind-of knowledge

 

 

Prophetic Rhema – BT1:  Prophecy is receiving or speaking Spirit-kind-of knowledge

 

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

Essentially the bible refers to 2 types of knowledge:  1) knowledge that is acquired by the work of man’s human, fleshly, “might and power” external resources and internal abilities, making it a human-kind-of knowledge, or 2) knowledge that is received by the grace-gift of God through revelation from the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit, so it is a Spirit-kind-of knowledge.

 

This is exactly what the Zechariah 4:6 prophecy said about the completely different-in-kind New (a) Covenant Way that God was switching to:  “Absolutely not in fact or in possibility (c) by might nor by power but instead by My Spirit, says Yahweh of hosts (b).”  That is the strongest absolute negative possible – it’s like God bolding, CAPPING, and underlining it!  God is commanding His people to move away from human-kind-of knowledge of God and His will that the Jewish religion was all about to a Spirit-kind-of knowledge that the completely different-in-kind New Covenant was all about, because the old way was a disaster due to man’s sinful nature and the weakness of his flesh (d)!  See the Knowledge page for greater depth! <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) or ‘ruler of all,” c) ou me, d) Romans 8:3.

 

Human-kind-of gnosis info-knowledge about something, sunesis ‘connect-the-dots’ rational-inductive understanding, and correctly applying all of this through sophia wisdom requires an enormous amount of “might and power,” which will favor the “wise and learned” over the “little children” and the other uneducated “least among you.”  Human gnosis info-knowledge is acquired through the work/doing (b) of reading, study, and keen observation, and then this data is rationally and logically understood by inductively sunesis ‘connecting-the-dots’ to create understanding, and then human sophia wisdom is needed to figure out how to use/apply this knowledge.  Thus it is a merit-based, conditional, work-kind-of knowledge perfectly suited for the Law of “works of righteousness” obedience!  But it’s a “house of cards” and many terrible things have been created by man as a result of their human errors, even terribly destructive “teachings of men and demons” (a).  <Notes> a) Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7-8; 1 John 4:6; Hebrews 13:9; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Timothy 4:1, b) ergon.

 

However, God shows no partiality (a) and so neither should we (b)!  Not only are the people on top of the human IQ hierarchy favored by their biblical knowledge but there is every kind of translation and transmission error possible over thousands of years of copying – see Bible Info.  Our great God had no intention of continuing this utter disaster into the completely different-in-kind New Covenant! <Notes> a) Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6, b) Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 Timothy 5:21; James 2:1, 9.

 

On the other hand, the Spirit’s gnosis info-knowledge about God & His will, the Spirit’s sunesis ‘connect-the-dots’ understanding, and correctly applying all this through the Spirit’s sophia wisdom requires absolutely NO “might and power” of man because it is ALL received by trusting-relying-faith by the means of the Spirit via direct revelation from the Spirit!  Thus it is an unmerited-based, unconditional, gift-kind-of knowledge, which is the essence of the Spirit’s grace-gifts.  Human-kind-of knowledge does NOT require any koinonia relationship with God, but Spirit-kind-of knowledge absolutely does!

 

Now prophetic knowledge is a Spirit-kind-of gnosis info-knowledge, even a “treasury of the sophia wisdom and gnosis knowledge” (a) and “Spirit-kind-of sophia wisdom and sunesis understanding” (b) of the Father’s mind that is then revealed through the Logos Message Communicator of God who is Christ, who thus speaks the Father’s mind with the directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words of the Father and puts these together into logos messages that then focus on message content for our understanding that Christ also speaks to us personally by the means of His Spirit, even through us to others as logos messages of gnosis knowledge and sophia wisdom (c).  <Notes> a) Colossians 2:3, b) Colossians 1:9, c) 1 Corinthians 12:8.

 

All of this is prophetic by definition because it is ALL revealed from God by the means of His Spirit.  It is not worked for or merited, but a grace-gift received by trusting-relying-faith.  I said “Christ puts His directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words together into logos messages” for us to sunesis understand, because we don’t have to work to ‘connect-the-dots’ to get this understanding through rational, logical, inductive reasoning, which are sequitur connections between data points.  I can’t tell you the number of times that the Lord “connected” completely non-sequitur data points of information, completely irrationally and illogically so that my understanding had absolutely nothing to do with natural, inductive reasoning.  By this “leap in logic” method, He has given me great sunesis understanding of many things in this BLOG website, even about drumming – see Spirit-Practice-Drums.

 

Prophetic knowledge of God’s gnosis information, sunesis ‘connect-the-dots’ understanding, and sophia wisdom by Christ’s directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words put into spoken logos messages is revealed to us through 3 channels or conduits – this is the preposition dia often used throughout the NT – see Bible InfoSpirit-power is the “realizing channel, conduit, interface, or Way” in which Christ speaks to us His directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words into prophetic logos messages.

 

This is how we receive it:  1) akouo hearing/listening to understand/know, 2) eido mentally ‘seeing’ to perceive or understand/know through visions and dreams – a picture is worth 1000 words, and 3) feeling to understand/know, specifically to ginosko progressively, experientially, relationally understand/know, and when the writers want to emphasis that this is genuine “the-real-thing” knowledge, then they will use epiginosko (verb) or epignosis (noun) – see the Knowledge page.

 

When we prophesy to others (a), we are also revealing prophetic knowledge that was directly-spoken to/heard/seen/felt by us and thus revealed to our minds through the 3 channels or conduits above of hearing, seeing, and feeling.  Hopefully, we can also simply convey this “as is” to others so that they can hear, see, and feel the prophetic revelation from God themselves, then it is God-rhema to them as well. <Notes> a) Acts 2:17-18, 19:6; 1 Corinthians 13:9, 14:1, 5-6, 24, 31, 39; Revelation 10:11, 11:3, 6.

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Prophecy, Prophetic music, Prophetic Word of God, Rhema Word of God, Spoken Word of God, New Covenant Way of communicating God’s message to His people, Gnosis Head knowledge versus Epignosis revealed knowledge, Might and Power versus Spirit Covenants, Man’s versus Spirit’s wisdom and understanding, bible-study knowledge shows partiality to smart people who earn it, God’s New Covenant knowledge is by grace, receiving prophetic knowledge, hearing seeing feeling prophetic rhema words from God

Categories: Prophetic Rhema

Benefits – BT1: Radical difference between the best “By the flesh” music and ANY “By the Spirit”

 

 

 

 

Video:  Benefits - BT1:  Radical difference between the best “By the flesh” music and ANY “By the Spirit” music

 

 

Benefits – BT1:  Radical difference between the best “By the flesh” music and ANY “By the Spirit” music

 

 

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I can attest to a night versus day difference in the effect on the musicians and others between the best-crafted, pre-composed, skillfully-written, arranged, and artfully-performed music, even if it’s FOR God, and instead surrendering control of all this “might and power” to the Lord in exchange for allowing His Holy Spirit to flow through you to co-create anointed, prophetic, and even spontaneous music by the means of the Spirit – no matter what your age or skill level!  The reason for this radical difference is because one is based on man’s flesh, that is his “might and power” natural resources and ability, and the other is supernatural because it’s based solely on God’s resources and ability.

 

I’ve known many skilled and professional musicians that played every note on their music stand perfectly “in devoted service FOR the Lord,” but they didn’t know the first thing about being fully surrendered to “[singular] Spirit and/coupled [singular] Truthworship of the Lord.  I fear “their sacrifice of praise to God” (a) may have been actually worthless to the Lord, for “to draw near to hear/listen to understand (b) is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools – for they do not know/recognize that they are doing evil” (c), for “I desire steadfast unconditional-love and not sacrifice, the genuine, experiential, relational, discerning knowledge (d) of God rather than burnt offerings” (e).  For more about discernment – see New Covenant Ways – BT16. <Notes> a) Hebrews 13:15, b) shama’, akouo, c) Ecclesiastes 5:1, d) da’ath, epignosis, e) Hosea 6:6.

 

I’m sure that is why Jesus said in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father by the means of [singular] Spirit and/coupled by the means of [singular] Truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him MUST worship by the means of [singular] Spirit and/coupled by the means of [singular] Truth.”  For a Christian, it really comes down to where we place our trusting-relying-faith (b) – on ourselves, others, or the Lord.  Jesus said the religious Jews “in vain do they worship Me” (a).  Likely He would say this of many in today’s churches.  <Notes> a) Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7, b) pistis: relational conviction of trusting reliance.

 

In the world, I’ve played in at least 25 incredibly professional bands and orchestras even to large audiences, but the sound and experience of playing by-the-means-of the Spirit totally eclipses all of this!  There are not enough words to describe the difference – you have to experience The Truth in order to genuinely epiginosko know The Truth.  The same with The Spirit!  I’ve seen bands playing with everything they have to nearly empty bar of drunks.  This is terribly depressing!  I’ve seen bands really tear it up on stage while people a few rows back are texting or playing video games on their phones.  Really depressing!  I’ve seen musicians also get huge applause on stage, but as soon as they get off stage and have to pack up all their gear, they can’t wait to get drunk or stoned.  What’s with that?  It’s a short high that requires so much work to prepare for!  There has got to be a better way!  The Spirit!

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Music Education, Music Teaching, Drum Education, Drum Teaching, Benefits of Anointed Prophetic Spontaneous Music, Radical different in Spirit music versus Flesh music, Professional music of the world doesn’t compare with God anointed music, Man’s Might & Power is worthless compared to God’s By My Spirit, Playing FOR God versus WITH God is Old Testament versus New, God is looking for true worshippers by singular Spirit and singular Truth, Surrender is the only way to get God’s supernatural results

Categories: Benefits

Media – BT5

2 Comments

 

 

 

 

Mike Burris’ Student Videos

 

 

If you are one of my students, or was a student of mine, and you want to show off your playing, insert the video or playlist URL below.  Keep on enjoying your drumming, and if there is anyway I can help you get there faster, please reach me through the Contact Us page.  Thanks!

 

Pics of Mike’s Students & more!

 

 

Featured student:

 

 

10th-grade Drummer Elliott Semonsky in his Drum-Teaching debut video.  See other videos of him playing at the top of this Playlist.

 

 

Other cool students:

 

 

YouTube Channel of 7 year-old Hunter James

 

Video – Concert of Christ United Methodist kids I taught

 

Hunter Jarman playing ACDC’s “TNT” at a Guitar Center show

 

Pierce Dozier at a Guitar Center show

 

Nick Hubbard playing Tom Sawyer by Rush at a Guitar Center show

 

See also Video Playlist of other videos of Mike’s students.

 

 

 

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Categories: Media

Anointing – BT3: Can a thing like a song be “anointed?”

 

Anointing – BT3:  Can a thing like a song be “anointed?”

Anointing - BT3:  Can a thing like a song be “anointed?”

 

Video:  Anointing - BT3:  Can a thing like a song be anointed?

 

 

Anointing by God’s Spirit – YouTube Playlist

 

Worship & Worship-Music – YouTube Playlist

 

Video – Intro to Spirit Music Meetups

 

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Like the Old Testament is but a “shadow of the things to come, the substance/reality belonging to Christ” (a) and “these serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things” (b), and “since the Torah Law of conditional-favor has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities” (c), it’s very possible that it is simply a misnomer to call a thing like a song “anointed” under the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant.  Maybe this is just another “tradition of men” (d) or “wind of doctrine” (e) blowing through the Church.  There certainly has been an obsession by the modern church to “borrow” practices from the old covenant that quenches the Holy Spirit (f), even though the New Covenant by definition and context says you shouldn’t be doing that borrowing! <Notes> a) Colossians 2:17, b) Hebrews 8:5, c) Hebrews 10:1, d) Mark 7:8, e) Ephesians 4:14, f) see The Great Wall.

 

More likely under the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant, only people like composers and musicians can beanointed” and only when God takes over control, but it sure seems like whatever is produced in the presence of God “by-the-means-of My Spirit” per Zechariah 4:6 would then be considered “consecrated, dedicated, sanctified or made holy unto the Lord,” giving Him ownership by His anointing.

 

And that’s what 1 Timothy 4:4-5 says:  “For everything created by God is ongoingly good (a), and absolutely-in-fact-NOT one is to be rejected if it is lambano ‘grabbed hold of to receive for yourself’ with thanksgiving, for it is consecrated/sanctified/made-holy by the means of the [Jesus Christ and/or His gospel about Himself] logos message and/coupled enteuxis childlike-confident prayer” – it’s our childlike, confident, even bold, approach to Father God that only comes through trusting-relying-faith in Jesus Christ’s “Great News” gospel logos message of The Truth that consecrates or makes it holy, thus making it God’s possession for His special use.  No special anointing ceremony is needed as in the Old Testament.  <Notes> a) kalos:  beautiful, lovely, praiseworthy, inwardly good or noble or honorable to inspire/motivate others, thus winsomely appealing.

 

However, I think we can still say a “song is anointed” when it has been created “by-the-means-of God’s Spirit,” simply because we as the children of God have boldly come before His throne into His presence by trusting-relying-faith in Jesus, not by own “might and power” FOR God.   We didn’t put trusting-relying-faith in our own work to produce the song, but put our trusting-relying-faith in the Lord’s Spirit to produce it, so it’s a Spirit-kind-of song.  We have put our trusting-relying-faith in the logos message of The Truth, who is Jesus, that gives us this childlike, trusting, bold, confident approach to Father God.  And we trust that God creates the song as kalos ‘good’ and we ‘actively grab hold of it for ourselves’ with thanksgiving because we know the Lord created it, even though He used us to do it!  NOW what is made is thus consecrated, dedicated, sanctified, and made holy unto the Lord, and that defines it as “anointed.”  What you think?

 

But if we are still under the Torah Law of conditional-favor and thus not in The Trusting-Relying-Faith, we simply “cannot please God” (a) because “whatever does not proceed from trusting-relying-faith is sin” – a missing of God’s target (b).  Then we are still in our own “might and powerflesh, and are having trusting-relying-faith in ourselves instead of God.  Then the product will just be our possession, and thus NOT consecrated, dedicated, sanctified, or made holy unto the Lord, and thus NOT God’s property and thus NOT “anointed.” <Notes> a) Hebrews 11:6, b) Romans 14:23.

 

Again, I believe Jesus when He said “a tree is genuinely, experientially, relationally epiginosko known by its fruit (a)” (b).  If the fruit isn’t “sweet” from the presence of God, no matter how good it looks (or sounds) on the outside, it’s just NOT originally anointed, or maybe its worldly performers are not faithfully conveying the anointing because they are NOT anointed themselves.  Some songs may look beautiful on the outside but are rotten on the inside.  This is the work of deceitful spirits common to many of the world’s songs and sadly too many Christian songs! <Notes> a) karpos: outcome, b) Matthew 7:16, 12:33; Luke 6:44.

 

Some songs may look plain or even ugly on the outside, especially from the viewpoint of many ‘professional musicians,’ but be incredibly “sweet because they are from God” on the inside, so we need to be careful NOT to judge by outward appearances (a).  Some songs certainly stand the test of time, consistently bringing the “sweet” presence of God, EVEN if performed by worldly musicians.  But many Christian songs won’t stand the test of time even when performed in church by godly musicians.  This certainly takes discernment by Christ’s Holy Spirit to determine good vs evil,” which is trained by constant practice to distinguish between good from bad (b) – see New Covenant Ways – BT16<Notes> a) 1 Samuel 16:7, b) 1 Corinthians 2:14; Hebrews 4:12, 5:14; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:10; Philippians 1:9.

 

The Church and its worship musicians desperately need to be anointed with the “living water” or “gold oil” of the Holy Spirit.  They can’t experience the fresh, breath of God to zoa genuinely-live if they are trying to worship God with songs either written by uninspired men, ‘breathed on’ only by their own creative “might and powerflesh, or even if they were once songs ‘breathed on’ by God so many winters ago so that it is no longer “fresh, living/running water!”  Not many people will survive on such ‘old, stagnant waters!’ or blocks of ice!  Trying harder by singing more of these “old” songs louder and louder with bigger and bigger bands with more and more lights and smoke machines is just more of man’s “might and powerflesh and will lead Churches no closer to zoe genuine-life, that only comes from “fresh, living/running water” of the Spirit.  They are “broken cisterns” (Jeremiah 2:13), because not only are they NOT filled with “living, running water,” they aren’t even holding “dead water” for long!

 

We must repent by returning to “Living Water” music!  We either need the older anointed songs to be ‘breathed on’ freshly by God through a childlike bold, confident approach to God through the gospel’s trusting-relying-faith and played by anointed musicians, or we can really GO FOR THE GOLD and play completely-different-in-kind “New Songs” (a) or “Spirit-kind-of odes” (b), which are anointed, prophetic, and spontaneous!  For too long Christian musicians have viewed such music to be strange, weird, super-spiritual, and the exception to the rule.  We need to repent/turn and make it the rule, the norm, the naturally-spiritual, and our common experience.  Let’s GO FOR THE GOLD!  See also Benefits of this Ministry<Notes> a) Psalms 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9, 14:3, b) Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16.

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Music Education, Music Teaching, Drum Education, Drum Teaching, Anointed people, Anointed things, Anointed songs, Spirit kind of songs, Psalming by the Spirit, Fleshly songs

Categories: Anointing

Anointing – BT2 – Christians are NOW the “Letters of God”

 

Anointing – BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred “Letters of God”

Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

 

Anointing by God’s Spirit – YouTube Playlist

 

Worship & Worship-Music – YouTube Playlist

 

Video – Intro to Spirit Music Meetups

 

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Video Part 1a - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 1a

 

Video Part 1b - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 1b Anointed Prophetic Spontaneous Drumming (APSD) application

 

Because of the anointing of Christians under the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant, instead of graphe scripture as a collection by rabbis over 1500 years of “sacred/holy gramma writings/letters” (a) of God for the Old Testament, Christians are NOW considered the “personal epistle or handwritten-letter from Christ, written absolutely-in-fact-NOT by-the-means-of ink but-instead by-the-means-of [singular] Spirit of [singular] living God, absolutely-in-fact-NOT on tablets of stone but-instead on tablets of human hearts” (b) – see Logos Word of God – BT20<Notes> a) 2 Timothy 3:15, b) 2 Corinthians 3:3.

 

This was prophesied by Ezekiel about the Everlasting Covenant:  “A completely-different-in-kind New (a) Spirit I will put WITHIN them” (b), and “I will give you . . . a completely-different-in-kind New (a) Spirit WITHIN you . . . and I will put My Spirit WITHIN you” (c), and speaking more of the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant:  “I will put My Torah instruction/Law WITHIN them and/coupled I will write it ON their hearts” (d).  We saw this same difference between WITHIN versus UPON in Anointing-BT1. <Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) Ezekiel 11:19, c) Ezekiel 36:26-27, d) Jeremiah 31:33.

 

 

 

Video Part 2a - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 2a

 

Video Part 2b - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 2b APSD application

 

Also, the indwelling Holy Spirit (a) that writes God’s Torah instruction WITHIN us instead of on stone or paper wasn’t just for a limited period of ministry from one Old Testament prophet succeeded by another.  In the New Testament it’s from the time of a Christian’s “born again regeneration” (b) or “completely-different-in-kind New creation” (c) until their death (d).  It’s for their lifetime! <Notes> a) Romans 8:9, 11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:22; 2 Timothy 1:14; James 4:5, b) John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:3, 23; Titus 3:5, c) 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15, d) 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; John 12:26.

 

The anointing is still for our sanctification/holiness as in the old covenant but NOW for ALL Christians as “priests to our God and Father” (a) and as “God’s servants that shall indeed prophesy” (b), just as Moses had wished:  “Would that ALL Yahweh’s people were prophets, that Yahweh would put His Spirit ON them” (c)!  Peter’s Pentecost sermon is for the entire Church Age:  “You will receive the free-gift of the Holy Spirit, for this promise is for you and for you children and for ALL who are far off, EVERYONE whom the Lord our God calls to Himself” (d).  Paul says, “You can all prophesy one by one” (e), and that all Christians should “earnestly desire the Spirit-kind-of grace-gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (f) and later “My brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy” (g).  NOW the Holy Spirit gives us the enabling-power for a lifetime of ministry (h)!  However, this anointing is also applicable for every aspect of Christian life (i)!  <Notes> a) Revelation 1:6, 5:10, b) Acts 2:17-18 citing Joel 2:28-29, c) Numbers 11:29, d) Acts 2:38-39, e) 1 Corinthians 14:31, f) 1 Corinthians 14:1, g) 1 Corinthians 14:39, h) Ephesians 1:19, 3:7, 20, i) John 6:63, 14:26, 15:26; Romans 8:2, 6, 36.

 

 

 

Video Part 3a - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 3a

 

Video Part 3b - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 3b APSD application

 

However, this ministry is also completely-different-in-kind, being that it is “of a completely-different-in-kind New Covenant, absolutely-in-fact-NOT of the gramma letter/writing but-instead of [singular] Spirit, for the gramma letter/writing kills, but the Spirit gives zoe genuine-life” (a).  It’s clear Paul is pitting the Old Covenant based on gramma writings that have to be read, understood, taught, then understood and taught, and so on over and over from “the greatest to the least” that end up just “killing you” because it’s a “ministry of death” and a “ministry of condemnation” (b).  The completely-different-in-kind New Covenant is “absolutely-in-fact-NOT kata ‘down-from, in the same manner as’ the [old] Covenant that I ordained with their forefathers” (c), which is NOW absolutely-in-fact-NOT of gramma writings but instead is “the ministry of the Spirit,” and this alone turns out to be “the ministry of righteousness” (d)! <Notes> a) 2 Corinthians 3:6, b) 2 Corinthians 3:7, 9, c) Jeremiah 31:32, d) 2 Corinthians 3:8-9.

 

Jesus tells us that His anointing for us is NOW as unlimited in enabling-power as His own ministry was:  “Whoever routinely is having trusting-relying-faith in Me shall actually also do the works that I do, and greater works than these he shall actually do, because I am going to the Father. [So] whatever you ask in My name/authority, this I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (a).  Wow!  What’s holding us back?  It looks like just our doubt! <Notes> a) John 14:12-13.

 

 

Video Part 4a - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 4a

 

Video Part 4b - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 4b APSD application

 

Finally, the anointing of the Spirit now opens up a completely different-in-kind possibility for ALL of God’s children:  Christ counsels us “to buy from Him . . . salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see (a)” (b).  This is a reference to direct revelation by the Holy Spirit!  In fact, the apostle John actually warns Christians about listening to human teachers (c) because they are susceptible to “the spirit of error, impurity, and deception” (d), full of “loud boasts of folly, enticing others by sensual passions of the flesh” (e), and are in ministry for financial gain as Balaam errored (f) – see Ministry Finances page. <Notes> a) blepo: to physically observe/watch something to perceive/understand the non-physical realm behind/within it, b) Revelation 3:18, c) 1 John 2:26, d) 1 John 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:3, e) 2 Peter 2:18, f) Jude 1:11

 

Instead John says:  “The anointing of the Holy One (Christ) gives you-all, all knowledge (a) . . . . and this anointing that you have already received from Him presently/ongoingly meno ‘abides, remain-connected-to, dwells’ IN you, and thus you have absolutely-in-fact-NO need that anyone should presently/ongoingly teach you, but just as His anointing presently/ongoingly teaches you about ALL things, and is trustworthy without any falsehood, even as it has already taught you:  presently/ongoingly be meno ‘abiding, remaining-connected-to, dwelling’ IN Him (Christ)” (b). This aligns with Christ’s warning:  “But you are in-possibility-NOT to be called ‘rabbi’ (c), for One is actually, presently/ongoingly your [singular] Teacher, but-instead you are ALL brethren” (d).  It didn’t take long for churches to become religious by violating this and setting up the same failed hierarchy of the Old Testament – see Leaders, Teachers, and Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit. <Notes> a) eido: visionary/mental perception/understanding to know.  This is prophetic ‘seeing,’ b) 1 John 2:20, 27, c) which means ‘teacher’, d) Matthew 23:8 – see Teach One Another – BT10.

 

 

Video Part 5a - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 5a

 

Video Part 5b - Anointing - BT2:  The Anointing makes all Christians the sacred "Letters of God"

Part 5b APSD application

 

Reflection:

 

 

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is completely-different-in-kind (a) in the New (a) Covenant from the old covenant by definition and context of everywhere the term is used.  In the Old Testament, priests and kings as well as things were anointed to separate/consecrate/dedicate/sanctify them to God for His sacred/holy use (b).  In the New Testament only Jesus as Priest & King and Christians as a kingdom of priests are anointed.  In the NT only people are consecrated, dedicated, or made sanctified/holy to God.  Why aren’t things?  Paul explains:  “In later times (c) some will depart from The Trusting-Relying-Faith by devoting themselves to . . . teachings . . . that forbid marriage (d) and require abstinence from food (e) that God created to be received with thanksgiving by pistois ‘the faithful, those have trusting-relying-faith’ and/coupled are already [with ongoing effects] genuinely, experientially, relationally epignosko knowing The Truth (f).  For everything created by God is ongoingly good, and absolutely-in-fact-NOT one is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is consecrated (g) by the [gospel] logos message and/coupled confidently-approaching prayer (h)” (i).  There are no special anointing ceremonies of things in the NT because these OT rituals found themselves completed in Christ.  All of the OT laws about the priesthood, ceremonial washing, diets, and fasting are thus no longer applicable.  It’s really too bad that more churches don’t really know the New Testament in the original language before coming up with doctrines – see Bible Info.

 

<Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) Genesis 31:13; Exodus 29:2, 21, 36, 30:26; 40:9-10, 11; Leviticus 2:4, 8:10-11; Numbers 6:15, 7:1, 84, 88, 18:8; Isaiah 21:5; Daniel 9:24, c) “the last days” we are in, d) many churches forbid their clergy from marrying, e) the Jews did as many churches do today, f) Jesus: John 14:6, g) dedicated, made holy, h) enteuxis: childlike confident, bold approach to God, i) 1 Timothy 4:1-5.

 

 

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Categories: Anointing

Fellowship – BT10:  Prophetic rhema words about Christian fellowship

 

 

 

Video: Fellowship - BT10:  Prophetic rhema words about Christian fellowship

 

 

Fellowship – BT10:  Prophetic rhema words about Christian fellowship

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

The Lord has directly spoken prophetic rhema words to me many times about koinonia sharing about the Spirit, about the beauty of joy, about Spirit-practice of music and Spirit-practice of drums, Spirit-performance of music and Spirit-performance of drums, about peaceful-rest, and many other things I will share throughout this website and on my God-Messages page and Drum-Declarations page.  And I long for much more of this sharing with God and with you!  Here are a few examples:

 

Sharing about the fruit of the SpiritGod showed me that Galatians 5:22-23 is only a partial list of “flavors” of the singular fruit/nature of the Holy Spirit of God who is Unconditional-Love per 1 John 4:8, 16!  Paul expands on this in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, the “Love Chapter.”  The Lord desires to share all these ‘flavors’ of Him so that we can progressively, genuinely, fully, experientially, relationally epiginosko know Him!  He desires to share the Spirit’s unconditional-love ‘flavor’ of “self-control/mastery” with Christian musicians, sharing His skill with them so they aren’t putting their trusting-relying-faith in their Zechariah 4:6 “might and power” of their own flesh, but instead putting their trusting-relying-faith in “by-the-means-of MY Spirit!” of the completely-different-in-kind-NEW Covenant.  The Holy Spirit is God’s “interface or WAY to powerfully-enable all of this!”

 

Sharing the beauty of joy in creation:  The Hebrew word yatab and Greek word kalos for joyful singing and playing includes the idea of being gloriously and harmoniously beautiful by nature – they don’t have anything to do with skillful singing and playing as some bibles have mistranslated – see Bible Info for other translation problems!  God told me He was revealing His beauty in sunsets, flowers, birds and their songs, and music – if we were still and restful long enough to observe them closely, then we would start to see and feel Him and come to genuinely, fully, experientially, relationally epiginosko know Him. God told me once: “All of creation is because of ME, through ME, and for ME, and still held together by ME, LOVE.”

 

Brother Thomas of Celano wrote in his biography of St. Francis:  “As he looked out of his cave and down to Assisi from the heights of Mount Subasio, it was as if the whole of creation were spread out beneath his cave, and God’s ‘Goodness’ rushed in upon him. He could only think of that pure ‘Goodness’ and how God shares His life with us. Everything ‘good and beautiful’ comes from God.  St. Francis praised The Artist in every one of his works; whatever he found in things made, he referred to The Maker. He rejoiced in all the works of the Lord’s hands, and with joyful vision saw into the reason and cause that gave them life. In beautiful things he came to know The Beauty itself. They cried out to him, ‘He who made us is infinitely Good.”

 

Sharing music:  That’s why He put music, His own creation, into musicians to discover – not to just find FOR themselves, i.e., their own pleasure, fame, money, or whatever they want to use it for.  This is all “might and powerflesh.  No!  He shares His music with musicians so that they will pause when they feel those intense feelings – yes, pause, be still, and start to experience God’s very nature.  God wants to share Himself with musicians so that they can genuinely, fully, experientially, relationally epiginosko know Him.  I will share much more about this on the Spirit-Practice of music and Spirit-Performance of music pages.

 

Sharing drumming:  Once while I was Spirit-practicing through George Lawrence Stones’ Stick Control, I found myself going “into the zone” in almost a focused trance, feeling incredible joy and intense curiosity and fascination, so much so that I was being overwhelmed.  I had to stop because I was tearing up and couldn’t see the page!  I asked why this was happening to me.  Then words came into my mind and I understood that God was sharing His profound emotions He has when He plays music.  I was shocked to hear/see this!  He said, “Do you think you created music?  Remember who I AM.  I enjoyed creating music long before any man discovered it.  I’m still fascinated when I explore it and still enjoy it immensely.  I am sharing My curiosity, fascination, sense of adventure, and joy with you so that you can know Me better.  I AM My thoughts and feelings.”

 

Another time, He showed me making a sandcastle on a beach, lost in a daze of curiosity and fascination.  When I looked back at the sandcastle, it was me playing my drums since I was 8 years old!  He said that there was no better place to be than in that place of curiously exploring my drumming creativity and He smiled with pride.  I have had many such conversations since and look forward to more!  He also told me that He would share His control/mastery (a) with me if I didn’t make “might and power” skill (b) my objective as the Gentiles run after (c), but instead His “by My Spirit” (b) presence.  I will also share much more about this on the Spirit-Practice of drums page. <Notes> a) Galatians 5:23, b) Zechariah 4:6, c) Matthew 6:32.

 

Sharing peaceful-rest:  After my many Spirit-baptisms where God shared His overwhelming unconditional-love with me, resulting in a flood of tears of joy that He also shares with me, which often just wrecks me for at least a half-hour, then I have noticed God then shares with me this “peaceful-rest of God that surpasses all reasoning-mind that guards [like a military sentinel] our hearts and/coupled [us] IN Christ Jesus” (a), for this too is a “flavor of the singular fruit/nature of the Spirit who is Unconditional-Love (b).”  <Notes> a) Philippians 4:7, b) Galatians 5:22.

 

While in bed on one occasion, He has told me to share His peaceful-rest and I could then feel the Spirit’s comfort wrap around me like my warm bed comforter.  Many times He has told me to “be still, cease my activity, and ‘take a vacation’ to experientially, relationally know God” (a), to share in His “Sabbath Rest” (b), because the Lord knows that I’ve been really driven most of my life.  This He showed me was the “taskmaster spirit” that was in those people who whipped the Jews to make bricks out of mud and straw. <Notes> a) Psalms 46:10, b) Hebrews 4:9; Luke 23:56.

 

Now He tells me, “Get up from your work, change gears, and stay in joy!  Get up from the burden of bible-study for My yoke/harness (a) to learn from Me is feather/cloud-light and so custom-fit/tailor-made for you to carry” (b).  I’ve also been told while Spirit-practicing drums that “tension is evil” because the “works of righteousness” just don’t work, “it doesn’t perfect anything,” and instead that I am to “share in His rest by relaxing, staying loose, staying in His joy, and letting the skill come to me.”  <Notes> a) zugos:  harness that connects inexperienced animals with experienced animals for training purposes; a common metaphor in Judaism for the Mosaic Law strictness (Acts 15:10; Galatians 5:1; 1 Timothy 6:1), particularly the scrupulous observance of the oral Law in order to be a disciple of a particular rabbi, most who had greatly expanded the “burden” of scripture placed on people to obey.  Christ’s “yoke of discipleship” was completely different-in-kind, b) Matthew 11:28-30.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, has God shared with you anything about fellowship and sharing with Him or others that would be helpful to others?  Please share in the comments below and/or on the video(s).

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, My prophetic words about koinonia fellowship sharing, The Lord shares many things of Himself with us so that upon close examination we may know Him better, beauty, music, drumming, love, joy, peaceful-rest, Christ’s yoke/harness of learning isn’t hard bible-study or heavy burden of commandments, Christ’s yoke/harness of gentle learning is directly from Him, Christ’s burden is light as feather to carry because only 2 commandments of faith & love that is 1, Christ’s yoke/harness is custom-fit & tailor-made to each of us so pleasant & effective

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT9:  Divine limits to our Christian fellowship with others

 

 

 

Video: Fellowship - BT9:  Divine limits to our Christian fellowship with others

 

 

Fellowship – BT9:  Divine limits to our Christian fellowship with others

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

But just as with  unconditional-love, there are divinely-specified limits as to how far you can go with koinonia fellowship, especially with unbelieving, divisive, false teachers in the Church (a), especially that we should carefully, watchfully, be wary of the legalistic leaven of the Pharisees (b), even to “have nothing to do with this, do not be koinonia partners with this, flee this, destroy every argument and lofty opinion raised by them, taking every one of their thoughts captive to obey Christ, rebuke them sharply, silence them, and even charge them to stop” (c). Notes> a) Romans 16:17, b) Matthew 16:6, 11-12; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1; 1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9, c) Titus 1:11, 13; 1 Timothy 4:7, 6:10; 2 Timothy 2:14, 23; Titus 3:10; Ephesians 5:7; 2 Corinthians 10:5.

 

Paul doesn’t mince words!  Therefore closely watch so-called Christian teachers (a), even who you may ordain for ministry because you don’t want to koinonia co-participate in their sins (b), even closely watching yourself so you don’t lose your reward by lambano ‘taking hold of to receive’ people who “don’t abide in the teaching of/about Christ,” not even greeting them so as to koinonia co-participate in their wicked works (c).  There are definitely limits to your love and fellowship! <Notes> a) 1 Timothy 4:16, b) 1 Timothy 5:22, c) 2 John 1:8-11,

 

There’s certainly a divinely-specified limit how far our unconditional-love and koinonia fellowship with UNBELIEVERS can go!  Paul warns Christians to in-possibility-NOT be changed-sharers-together-with (a) the sons of disobedience for which God’s wrath is coming, [I strongly urge you to] ongoingly in-possibility-NOT sugkoinoneo co-participate-together-with the unfruitful deeds/works of darkness but rather reprove (b) them” (c).  One of those “unfruitful deeds” was common temple sacrifices to idols.  These sacrifices are actually to demons and so Paul thelo ‘strongly desires or wills’ that they absolutely-in-fact-NOT ongoingly have koinonia fellowship with demons” (d). <Notes> a) sun + metochos, b) elegcho: correct/convince with solid, compelling evidence, c) Ephesians 5:5-11, d) 1 Corinthians 10:19-20; Revelation 9:20.

 

Paul also strongly urges with the imperative:  “Ongoingly do in-possibility-NOT routinely/habitually unequally-yoke/harness/connect-together with (a) unbelievers, for what changed-sharing (b) has righteousness with lawlessness, or what koinonia fellowship has light with darkness” (c)?  The Lord’s voice warns Christians “to come out from Babylon in order that you definitively/wholly in-possibility-NOT sugkoinoneo co-participate-with her sins, lest you receive her punishing-calamities/plagues” (h).  Many prophecy experts have seen “Babylon the Harlot” as the corrupt Roman Catholic Church at the end of time before Christ’s return.  Many have seen the Vatican ties to corruption throughout the world.  The Vatican’s net worth is at least 15 billion.

 

<Notes> a) heteros + zugos = with different + harness that connects inexperienced animals with experienced animals for training purposes, or a disciple/student with a rabbi/teacher.  If mismatched animals, then the harness won’t work very well and/or the animals won’t learn from each other.  Either way, their training will be either take much longer or never happen to get the job done, b) metoche from metochos: changed due to sharing or being an active-partaker with, c) 2 Corinthians 6:14, h) Revelation 18:1-4.

 

But there’s even a limit to fellowship with so-called Christians!  1 Corinthians 5:9-13 says “in-possibility-NOT to ongoingly mix-to-identify-with (a) sexually-immoral people – not at all meaning the sexually-immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to leave this world, but now I am writing to you in-possibility-NOT to ongoingly mix-to-identify-with (a) anyone who bears the name of ‘brethren’ if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler – even in-possibility-NOT to eat with such a one.  For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Is it not those inside the Church who you are to judge?  God judges those outside!  ‘Purge the evil person from among you!’”  Once again the teaching that “we should never judge anybody” is just a false “wind of doctrine” to mislead people!  See Unconditional-Love – BT16 for starters.  <Notes> a) sunanamignumi: with + up + mix, so mix closely/intimately-together with upward toward a purpose, thus to be identified with.

 

2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14 “orders (a) in the name/authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw/keep-away from any brethren who is routinely/habitually walking/living as a transient (b) and/coupled in-possibility-NOT kata down-from/according-to the tradition that you received from us . . . if anyone does absolutely-in-fact-NOT obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and/thus do in-possibility-NOT ongoingly mix-to-identify-with (c) him in order that he may be ashamed – see Donations & Ministry Finances.  <Notes> a) paraggello: orders or charges, as a commander his troops, b) ataktos: not + arranged/ordered, so out-of-line, disorderly, unruly, in context: that refuses to work for their own food/needs, c) sunanamignumi: with + up + mix, so mix closely/intimately-together with upward toward a purpose, thus to be identified with.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, why are we judging non-Christian musicians more harshly than Christian musicians living in just about every sin imaginable?  Isn’t judgment supposed to start in the house of God?  I’m ashamed to say that I’ve been in worship-ministries for pastors that were actually teachers of the Law that were pointing the finger at every other church completely oblivious that Paul would have kicked them out of the Church for teaching Moses!  And when I said something about it, they said, “Maybe you need to find another place to worship?”  Then couldn’t admit that they violated the clear doctrine of the NT.  Some were teaching philosophy from an unbelieving world!

 

I had to write a resignation letter to all the elders of the Christ United Methodist Church in Tucson where I worked for a year because they were severely violating scripture in at least 4 ways!  I could no longer violate my conscience playing for a church involved in so much sin.  I could NOT koinonia share/co-participate-in or sugkoinoneo co-participate-together-with or be sunmetochos changed-sharers-together-with or sunanamignumi mix-to-identify-with in their sin!  Yes, there were good, godly people there, but the organization was tolerating abominable sin!

 

Yes, ALL Christians and churches need to judge/critique themselves for “borrowing” so much from the world, in violation of Romans 12:2, to help them become more “successful,” because these are just stones building The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit.  I’ve played in several big churches that were run more like a secular corporation, and I’ve worked for enough of those to know this well, than as a godly ministry.  I’ve seen what goes on behind the “Wizard of Oz” curtain!  If more Christians did, they would run from these churches!  I eventually did!  We have to come out from Babylon!  I know more unbelievers who are honest about than their problems, weaknesses, and sin than most Christians I’ve worked with!  Revival always begins out in the streets and some of the last ones to get it are the pastors!

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Divine limits to our Christian fellowship with others, No fellowship with certain people, divisive false-teachers, Law-teachers, Christ-denying (anti-Christ) teachers, unrepentant brethren in wickedness sexually-immoral greedy swindlers idolaters revilers drunkards, brethren who won’t work for a living, paid-ministry was a sign of a false prophet in the Didache, with the sins of unbelievers, idol-worshippers, No unequal yoking with unbelievers, In the end the Catholic Church is Babylon the Harlot, Judgment begins in the Church

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT8:  Divine fellowship shows up in our giving and evangelism

 

 

 

Video: Fellowship - BT8:  Divine fellowship shows up in our giving and evangelism

 

 

Fellowship – BT8:  Divine fellowship shows up in our giving and evangelism

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

Our Horizontal koinonia fellowship with others is also reflected in our giving and evangelism.  The Greek words for fellowship in Fellowship – BT1 can also include, based on the context: “the OUTCOME of such koinonia fellowship/partnership, such as a joint contribution, gift, or collection of money that acts to communicate, exhibit, embody, or validate/prove such koinonia fellowship/partnership actually exists, but also sharing-witness that exhibits, embodies, and proves/validates one’s trusting-relying-faith (a). <Notes> a) Philemon 1:5-7; Galatians 6:4-6; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; 2 Timothy 2:6.

 

A great example of this is Philemon 1:6 where Paul talking to Philemon says that he is “proseuchomai conversationally-prays that the sharing-witness of your trusting-relying-faith may become energes active/energetic/effectual by-the-means-of genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of every good thing IN you by-the-means-of Christ.” Our Vertical connection to the Lord is the ‘by-the-means-of which’ we are effective in our ‘Horizontal’ evangelistic sharing with others.  You can’t freely give out what you haven’t freely received (a)!  <Notes> a) Matthew 10:8.

 

Churches wouldn’t need their contrived evangelism programs, which are often just like any another Old Testament ‘work FOR God,’ if their members were actually sharing in the life of Christ through epignosis genuine-knowledge and koinonia fellowship with Him.  For months after every Spirit-baptism I had, you had to stop me from sharing my faith!  My cup runneth over!

 

Another example is in Philippians 4:14-17 where Paul said:  “It was kind of you to share my trouble (v. 13: hunger and need) . . . and you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel [preaching] when I left Macedonia, absolutely-in-fact-NOT even one church shared/partnered with me in GIVING and RECEIVING, except you only.  Even in Thessalonica you sent me HELP for my needs once and again.”  Our Donations & Ministry Finances page is patterned from Paul’s attitude of shared blessing.

 

Likewise, Paul was mystified that the Corinthians had been changed-sharers (a) with their financial GIVING to other so-called “apostles” (missionary church-planters) but wouldn’t do this for Paul, the one who started their church (b)!  <Notes> a) verb metecho, metochos adjective: changed due to sharing or being an active-partaker with, b) 1 Corinthians 9:12.

 

Generosity and evangelism all starts with conversational-prayer to epignosis genuinely know Christ’s working in us to activate, energize, and make effective our koinonia intimate fellowship with Him in order to share/communicate this effectively with others. Generosity and evangelism is an inside job, a bi-product of an koinonia intimate fellowship with Christ.

 

Yet, you hear so many churches – so desperate for money and fuller pews from new members coming that would guarantee this income – constantly preaching sermons on giving to guilt Christians into obeying Old Testament commandments about tithing to avoid the displeasure of God. This is simply manipulation!  They simply don’t understand that “the Torah Law (a) made nothing perfect/mature/complete” (b), and so Paul asks:  “Are you so foolish?  Having begun [the Christian walk] by-the-means-of the Spirit, are you now [attempting to] be perfected/matured/completed by the flesh” (c)?  <Notes> a) of conditional-favor that is based on obedience to 613 commandments, b) Hebrews 7:19, c) Galatians 3:3.

 

We simply can’t mix anything from the old covenant into the completely-different-in-kind chadash/kainos New Covenant or we are violating the definition of chadash/kainos, every verse about it, and Christ’s clear teaching about not mixing the two – see New Covenant – BT7, – BT8, – BT9, – BT10.  Mixing the two builds The Great Wall quenching the Spirit in the Church.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, will we trust God to bring people into our lives to share in the blessing of our ministry, or will we get desperate and start cleverly begging for support?  Can we believe that the closer we get to the Lord, the more we will perceive His care for us?  And what about us financially giving to others?  Sharing the Lord will be naturally easier and easier as we actually intimately share more in the life of Christ.  Can we trust that by bringing people into the actual presence of God, then God will direct people the way He wants them to?  We don’t need to coerce people!

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Divine fellowship shows up in our giving and evangelism, Giving & Evangelism are natural as we are filled up by God’s Spirit to overflowing, Genuine relational epignosis knowledge of God produces His nature of generosity, Churches don’t need guilt-manipulation to raise money, Churches shouldn’t be quoting Old Testament commandments to pressure Christians to give

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT7: Christian fellowship is a Body-of-Christ ministry party, not a 1-man show

 

 

 

Video - Part 1: Fellowship - BT7: Christian fellowship is a Body-of-Christ ministry party, not a 1-man show

Part 1

 

 

Fellowship – BT7: Christian fellowship is a Body-of-Christ ministry party, not a 1-man show

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

See also Body-Ministry – BT9:  Church-Clergy blindness about what we do in Church gatherings

 

In every NT passage that talks about Body-of-Christ ministry you see urgent calls (a) for “[reciprocally and mutually] one another” (b) and “[individually] each one of you” (c) koinonia sharing of the Spirit’s grace-gifts, koinonia sharing of testimonies of God working in their lives (d), koinonia sharing of prophetic-rhema-word revelations even as logos messages of wisdom [from the Spirit] and gnosis-info knowledge [from the Spirit] even in tongues with interpretations and even koinonia sharing as they “conversationally-addressed” or “reciprocally taught one another” a lesson of didache doctrine/teaching [from the Lord by the Spirit] (e).  <Notes> a) by the use of the imperatives, b) allelon: a reciprocal pronoun meaning mutual, back-and-forth action.  This is not 1-way communication but a dialogue, something you rarely see in church services today, c) hekastos: each individual in a group viewed distinctly.  Again, this directly opposes the 1-man show taking over the group, which sadly is the case in most church services today, d) Acts 4:33, 14:3; 1 Corinthians 1:6, 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 1:2, 12:11, e) 1 Corinthians 14:6, 26, 30.

 

Furthermore, they ALL admonished “by placing in mind through urgent reasoning, instruction, or warning” (a), and encouraged or exhorted (b) one another [reciprocally/mutually], even with instrumental psalms with/without vocals, acapella hymns, and Spirit-kind-of psalm/hymn odes that is likely a reference to anointed, prophetic, and spontaneous music (c).  Yes, ALL this was part of ALL their encouragement!  <Notes> a) noutheteo: Colossians 3:16, b) 1 Corinthians 14:3, 14:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11, c) 1 Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16.

 

Furthermore, they were encouraged to:   “Let us ongoingly consider how to excite/provoke one another [reciprocally/mutually] to unconditional-love and/coupled good (a) works (b), in-possibility-NOT routinely/habitually abandoning/deserting/forsaking the assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging (c) one another [reciprocally/mutually], and all the more as you see The Day drawing near (d)” (e).  Man, I’d like to go to that church!  <Notes> a) kalos: beautifully, harmoniously, magnificently, inspiringly excellent, b) thus the “labor of love” per 1 Thessalonians 1:3, d) parakaleo: alongside-counselling, advising, encouraging, comforting, d) eggizo: approaching near, often used of communing in conversational-prayer as in James 4:6-8, Hebrews 7:25, e) Hebrews 10:24-25.

 

There was so much “party” excitement in the early Church about sharing the Spirit’s grace-gifts that Paul had to write 1 Corinthians 14 just to help them understand God’s priorities to build up the Church and how to take turns koinonia sharing so that everybody could learn and be encouraged from each other!   “Decent and orderly worship” wasn’t “despising prophecy or forbidding tongues” (a) but encouraging them to zealously pursue them (b) and use them (c) in an organized and loving way (d).  <Notes> a) 1 Thessalonians 5:20; 1 Corinthians 14:39, b) 1 Corinthians 12:31, 14:1, 5, 39, c) Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10, d) 1 Corinthians 14:26-33.

 

Have you ever been in a church where everybody was encouraged to share by taking turns, “letting the others [of the same Spirit-kind] weigh in what is said . . . . so that ALL may learn and ALL be encouraged” (a).  There are so many things spoken from the “1-man show, ball-hogging” pulpits in so many churches that could have been corrected or balanced-out if the congregation were allowed to do this – see Coaches and Facilitators!  This is a significant part of the foundational problem of The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit in churches.  There are so many warnings in the NT about any teachers, let alone false teachers because Jesus said we only have 1 Teacher, the Holy Spirit (b) – see Teach One Another! <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 14:27, 29, 31, b) Matthew 23:8; 1 John 2:20, 27.

 

 

Video - Part 2: Fellowship - BT7: Christian fellowship is a Body-of-Christ ministry party, not a 1-man show

Part 2

 

That’s exactly Paul’s point in Ephesians 5:18-21 – don’t ‘party down’ like the world does by getting drunk on wine and then getting involved in all kinds of sin, but instead ‘party down’ with God’s people by “routinely/habitually being filled to completion by-the-means-of [singular: the Holy] Spirit!”  That’s exactly what Spirit-baptism is, the distinct ministry of the Messiah (a).  But this church ‘party’ wasn’t to be 1-man show where 1 leader or a small team of “equippers – coaches & facilitators” were going to essentially ‘hog the ball’ from ALL “the saints who do the work of ministry” (b)!  No, it’s a church ‘party’ where they ALL “routinely/habitually conversationally-address one another by-the-means-of psalms (c) and/coupled hymns (d) and/also/even Spirit-kind-of-odes (e) . . . routinely/habitually giving thanks . . . routinely/habitually surrendering/submitting-control to one another [reciprocally/mutually] out of reverence for Christ.”  Once again we see Paul trying to curb the 1-man show tendency as in Romans 12:3-7!

 

<Notes> a) Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 11:16, b) Ephesians 4:12, c) instrumental songs optionally accompanied with vocals, d) vocals only, e) a psalm or hymn, but distinct from the other two, like Psalms 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1; Isaiah 42:10, Revelation 5:9, 14:3 completely-in-different-kind “New Songs/Odes” because likely spontaneous composed by-the-means-of the Holy Spirit, just like tongues are as 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 indicates Paul chooses to psalm by tongues that by the Spirit belonging-to him versus psalms by the mind belonging-to him.

 

We see this same sharing emphasis in a parallel passage of Colossians 3:15-17 where Paul adds:  “You were called/invited IN one Body . . . routinely/habitually teaching and/coupled admonishing (a) one another [reciprocally/mutually] . . . whatever-things you ongoingly DO by-the-means-of a logos message or a deed [DO] ALL in the name/authority of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks” – this how the logos message will dwell in the Church richly.”  As throughout the NT the logos message is clearly having to do with Jesus, the Logos Message of God, who is The Truth about God, and His “Great News” gospel message (b) as shared with one another [reciprocally/mutually] in their koinonia fellowship together. <Notes> a) noutheteo:  by placing in mind through urgent reasoning, instruction/teaching, or corrective warning, b) Ephesians 1:13; Acts 15:7.

 

Where in the NT is the common “bible-study discussion” that every church tries to call a “fellowship” and that they suppose is the way “the gospel logos message will dwell in the Church richly?”  You will rarely here the gospel taught at our bible-studies, but everything else!  You never see the early Church say this in the “when you come together to use your grace-gifts” passages (a)!  Owning scriptures or NT writings would only be for the rich and educated that were the exception in the early church (b).  The early Christians didn’t dig their teachings or logos-messages out of biblical writings!  Instead, the Spirit-given logos messages of wisdom and/coupled gnosis info-knowledge uttered was shared by members in the congregation (c), given to them by-the-means-of the Spirit (d) through prophetic revelation (e).  There certainly isn’t anything here about 1 leader doing all the teaching of the logos messages!  Nor is their a dedicated team of musicians that play all the psalms and hymns!  Quite the opposite!  “Each one of you” (f) sharing is the very meaning of koinonia fellowship!  When are we going to get back to the only model given us?

 

<Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, 12:12-31, 14:26; Colossians 3:16-17; Ephesians 4:7-16; 5:18-21, Romans 12:3-8, 10; 1 Peter 4:8-11, b) 1 Corinthians 1:26; James 2:5, c) 1 Corinthians 12:8, d) Colossians 1:9, 2:3; Ephesians 1:17, e) 1 Corinthians 12:7-8; Acts 6:10, f) hekastos: each individual in a group viewed distinctly.  Again, this directly opposes the 1-man show taking over the group, which sadly is the case in most church services today.

 

There is simply no evidence of a 1-man show or even a small ministry-team show.  In fact, we see plenty of warnings against this!  The very first thing Paul warns the Roman churches about if they want to escape “conformity to the world and be metamorphically changed by a renewed mind” is “I say to EVERYONE among you in-possibility-NOT to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (a).  Then he defines what “ought to think” means by talking about the vital praxis functions “each one of you” plays to be part of effective Body-of-Christ ministry (b).  It takes team work and a good equipping/facilitating-coach will reel those ‘ball hoggers’ in, but they certainly wouldn’t use up all their practice time ‘hogging the ball’ themselves!  But that’s what we see in the modern Church.  Worse, can you imagine going to practice and the whole time the coach just lectures you!  <Notes> a) Romans 12:2-3, b) Romans 12:4-8.

 

John warns his house churches to not even trust the teachers that are starting to show up, because many will “try to deceive you.”  He questions why they are even following teachers, just as Paul does, which makes these Christians very fleshly (a).  John makes it clear that “the anointing (the Holy Spirit) that you have already received from Christ (b) actually, ongoingly meno abides/dwells/remains IN you, so that you have absolutely-in-fact-NO need that ANYONE should teach you, but as His anointing actually, ongoingly teaches you about ALL things and/so is trustworthy and/coupled no lie – just as it has already taught you – [I strongly urge you to] actually, ongoingly meno abide/dwell/remain IN Christ (c).  <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 1:12, 3:4, b) The Holy One of 1 John 2:20 that gives ALL of them ALL eido ‘mentally seeing to perceive-knowledge,’ a term referencing prophetic insight as promised for the New Covenant per Jeremiah 31:34 LXX and Acts 2:17-18, c) 1 John 2:18-27, 3:7.

 

The “equippers” (a) of Ephesians 4:11-16 weren’t supposed to be doing “the work of ministry” but only coaching and facilitating so that the “saints” could be the ones actually doing the “work of the ministry for the building up of the Body-of-Christ!”  Can you imagine going to a football game and watching the head & assistant coaches, water-boys, cheerleaders, and band all out on the field trying to play football instead of the actual football players?  Ridiculous!  I’d ask for my money back!  But that’s what goes on in most churches every week!  And for the few churches that do use their services as ‘training sessions,’ do you think any of them have ever been to any sports training sessions, because ask yourself:  Who is ‘running the plays’ during these ‘training sessions’ – the coaches or the players?  Yet I’ve rarely been to a church service ‘training session’ where anybody but the pastor was doing most of the talking, and there certainly was no ‘practicing of the training’ going on by the congregation that I could see.  There was no ‘on-the-job’ training!

 

I don’t really see very much “reciprocal/mutually one-another” (a) display of submission or ministry.  It’s mostly one-directional!  The way you can tell is if the band or preacher suddenly stops or ‘hits the ball into the other court’ of the congregation – it’s usually stares back blankly with dead silence or a whimper of participation.  The frogs have been slow boiled!  The ticks trained well not to jump out after you’ve taken the lid off!  <Notes> a) allelon: a reciprocal pronoun meaning mutual, back-and-forth action.  This is not 1-way communication but a dialogue, something you rarely see in church services today.

 

Video - Part 3: Fellowship - BT7: Christian fellowship is a Body-of-Christ ministry party, not a 1-man show

Part 3

 

Another purpose for sharing Body-of-Christ ministry instead of today’s ball-hogging, 1-man-shows according to Ephesians 4:14-16 is to INSURE “that we may no longer be carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness of deceitful schemes.  Rather YOU’all [who are] routinely/habitually speaking The Truth by-the-means-of unconditional-love, WE are to grow up in every way into Him who is the HEAD, into Christ, from Whom the WHOLE Body is routinely/habitually fitly-joined or held-together dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of paseach of a kind/class/category’ (b) binding-joint that contributes/supplies, kata down-from/according-to the energeia effectual-working by-the-means-of the metron standard-sized-measuring-cup [of Holy Spirit] (c) of hekastoseach/every onemeros part that actually, ongoingly, [reflexively] makes [as with a performance] the Body grow so that IT builds itself up by-the-means-of unconditional-love.”  Whew, Paul creates long, complicated sentences, but you can see his emphasis on ALL parts ministering by each part making the Body build itself up and all by unconditionally-loving one another.  This is everybody working as a team!

 

<Notes> a) apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and/coupled teachers, b) pas rarely means “the whole/entirety of,” c) v. 4:7: “metron measuring-cup of the grace-gift [of the Holy Spirit] of Christ given by grace to each/every-one of us,” thus not based on our natural talents or ambitions.  The metron was a single-sized cup that measured the exact same amount of whatever was put into it.  It insured that merchant trade was fair, equitable, or just.  Our word “metronome” comes from it – a device that “clicks” when the exact same amount of time has transpired!  We use it in music to play precisely in time!  This “energeia effectual-working by the metron standard-sized-measuring-cup” is referring to the whole person of the Holy Spirit with it’s enabling power given to each Christian without God showing partiality, per Ephesians 1:19, 3:7; Philippians 3:21; Colossians 1:9, 2:12 in Paul’s writings.

 

There is only 1 HEAD, 1 Shepherd, 1 Leader, and 1 Teacher (d)!   But many “binding-joints” that ALL need to share the responsibility of keeping the Body-of-Christ together and growing to the maturity of Christ!  EVERYONE needs to be sharing their grace-gifts (a) that kata ‘come down from’ the singular grace-gift of the Holy Spirit (b), as given by Jesus Christ from the Father (c).  But that can’t happen if you have the coaches and facilitators equippers hogging the ball!  As we’ve seen, ministry is supposed to be “reciprocal, mutual, reflexive, conversational, and focused on the individuals of the group using their Spirit’s grace-gifts” by definition of the Greek words used above!  Where is there a stage, a single speaker, a worship-band, or an audience taught in the NT or in early Church Church history before 200 AD when the religion of Catholicism took over?   <Notes> a) Ephesians 4:8; 1 Peter 4:10-11, b) Ephesians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31, c) Ephesians 4:7, d) Ephesians 5:23; John 10:16; Matthew 23:8-10 – see Teach One Another – BT10.

 

All this especially came into the Catholic Church after the church buildings were designed by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine, designed with an elevated platform for 1-bishop rule, another non-biblical tradition that came in around 200 AD, with all the people facing him, and all of this “borrowed” from the pagan world of Greek and Roman temples!  These are the “stones” building The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit in the Church!  This must be reformed!

 

Read The Problem with Wineskins: Church Structure in a Technological Age by Howard A. Synder.  Other books are:  Right Here, Right Now – Living the Anointed Life with Jesus and Each Other by www.HeavenReigns.comPagan Christianity – Exploring the Roots of Church Practices by Frank Viola and George Barna, Re-imagining Church – Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity by Frank Viola, and Christian Mythology – Revelations of Pagan Origins and Christianity – the Origins of a Pagan Religion by Philippe Walter.

 

Christian koinonia fellowship is more than hanging out in the foyer for 15 minutes before Protestant church service eating donuts and drinking coffee, or shaking the hand your neighbor and saying “peace be with you” as in a Catholic church.  It is “each individual part” of the Body-of-Christ energeia effectually-working their Spirit’s grace-gifts during their “coming together” times in order “to build up the Church together – the saints doing the work of ministry!”

 

The correct image of the “assembly of the saints for fellowship” is that of the “family or household of God” (a).  What “family or household” sets up a stage and has everybody face 1 person who does all the talking or to a small group to do all the music playing?  When you look at church history carefully, you find that all of this comes into the Catholic Church around 200-350 AD, “borrowing” from old covenant models to build a faulty foundation and then “borrowing” stones from the pagan world to build The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit. <Notes> a) Ephesians 2:19; 1 Timothy 3:5, 15; 1 Peter 4:17.

 

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, do we really just want to perform for an audience or involve the audience in worship to the Lord?  Maybe we should consider involving them instrumentally, not just vocally?  Are we so concerned about sounding pretty that we can’t see that the Body’s playing to the Lord is just as important as ours?  Are we encouraging them to use their Spirit’s grace-gifts by hogging the ball?  Is NOT sharing the stage really koinonia fellowship?  Is the stage-audience format just a pagan “tradition of men” that actually communicates that we aren’t one big family around the dinner table?  Are we creating a party atmosphere where we can abandon ourselves and even get “drunk in the Spirit” or is it more like a business board meeting conducted by Robert’s Rules of Order?  Or have we just turned into a Christian concert for the “entertainment of the saints?”

 

Would people have more fun going down to the local bar?  Many people will say they have more actual fellowship at their local bar than at a church!  At my local bar I had 25 friends for 15 years that we could talk about anything and learn a myriad of things from one another, but try doing that during a church service – and I’ve been in 15 church ministries!  In many ways, the church isn’t meeting fellowship needs!  Are we promoting “each other, one another, reflexive, mutual, reciprocal, diakrisis weighing in or judging back-in-forth, sharing, conversational dialogue” or is it 1-way communication to a half-asleep audience?  Where is the 1-man show or small-team ministry taught in the NT?  Where’s the checks and balances to prevent error and false teaching?  Are we asking the congregation to submit to us, but we aren’t submitting to them, when the verses about submission are all bi-directional?  Are we still thinking that we are the ministers instead of only the coaches and facilitators for the saints to be the actual ministers?  Who really is supposed to be on the field playing – ALL of us TOGETHER, right?  Why aren’t we?  Why do we still use terms like head pastors when we only have 1 HEAD?  Why even pastors or shepherds when we have 1 Shepherd?  Why leaders, when we have 1 Leader?  Why ‘the minister’ when we are all ministers?  Why teachers, when we have 1 Teacher?  I guess we just don’t believe Jesus or believe someone else more than Jesus!

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Christian fellowship is a Body-of-Christ ministry party NOT a 1-man show, Early church shows all Christians involved in ministry during gatherings NOT just leaders, Early Christians shared their Spirit-gifts during gatherings, 1-man show and ball hogging leadership isn’t koinonia fellowship, Don’t get drunk on wine but the Spirit, Habitually Spirit-Baptism, Church party where everybody shares their Spirit’s grace-gifts, Submission is between everybody NOT just to leaders, NO ball-hoggers allowed, Shared ministry, NO bible studies but speaking from the Spirit, Each person is a functioning joint in the Body of Christ, Only 1 Leader that is Christ, Only 1 Teacher the Holy Spirit of Father & Son, Spirit’s Anointing teaches us all things so need for any teachers, We don’t go to a football game to see coaches & referees play but that’s most church services, Checks & Balance of Body-Ministry deters 1-man-show false teaching, Everybody participating in church is fellowship and is what builds up to Christ’s maturity, Metron gift given to each is the same-size from an impartial God is the person of the Holy Spirit, Catholicism borrowed from the Old Testament, Catholicism borrowed from the world, Catholicism created more than 1 Head Shepherd Leader Teacher, Protestants haven’t reformed enough, Church buildings borrowed from pagan temples, Family of God doesn’t face a stage but sits in a circle around a dinner table

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT6: Dealing with sin by repentance, confession, and reconciliation for restoration

 

 

 

Video:  Fellowship - BT6:  Dealing with sin by repentance, confession, and reconciliation for restoration

 

 

Fellowship – BT6:  Dealing with sin by repentance, confession, and reconciliation for restoration

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

The whole idea of reconciliation (a) is about restoring people back into fellowship with God, this mending back together into wholeness is in the very definition of soteria salvation, a relationship that was lost originally in the garden of Eden (b), which is thus a key objective of gospel ministry (c), even reconciling all things to Jesus (d), especially the division between Jew & Gentile (e), reconciliation of a separated husband & wife (f), or mending a rift with others (g).

 

<Notes> a) diallasso: reconcile or reach mutual concession, where people in conflict come together through meaningful change, ending hostility; or katallasso, katallage: change down-from to an exact point, or exchange of coins or enmity resulting in friendshipexchanging 2 different positions for 1 position, a change on the part of one party induced by an action of the other party; or apokatallasso: reconcile back again, bring back to a former state of harmony, thus to reconcile completely, b) Genesis 3:8, c) Romans 5:10-11, 11:15; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 2:16, d) Colossians 1:20-22, e) Ephesians 2:16, f) 1 Corinthians 7:11, g) Matthew 5:24; Acts 7:26.

 

Yes, this reconciliation is about restoration back to fellowship, especially within the Church.  Paul strongly urges: “Be katartizo repaired/mended/restored (a), comfort one another, agree with one another, live in harmonious-peace” (b), and “Brethren, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are Spirit-kind-of [people] should repair/mend/restore (a) him in a Spirit of gentleness” (c), and “I appeal to your brethren . . . that all of you agree and/coupled that there may be no divisions among you, but that you be repaired/mended/restored (a) to the same mind and/coupled the same judgment” (d).  <Notes> a) katartizo: adjust down-from/according to, exactly fit to be in good working order to fully function; to mend, repair, complete; to fit, equip, order, arrange, adjust, b) 2 Corinthians 13:11, c) Galatians 6:1, cf. 5:23 where gentleness is a ‘flavor’ of the singular fruit of the Spirit that is Unconditional-Love, d) 1 Corinthians 1:10.

 

Peter also encourages:  “After you have suffered a little while [from the trials of persecution as a Christian] the God of all unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace . . . will Himself katartizo repair/mend/restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (a). <Notes> a) 1 Peter 5:10.

 

Forgiveness leads to reconciliation between God and man, and between us and others, so “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you” (a).  Thus be “bearing with one another, so if one has a complaint against another, then forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (b), because “if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (c).  See Unconditional-Love – BT16 and following on forgiveness. <Notes> a) Ephesians 4:32, b) Colossians 3:13, c) Matthew 6:14; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37.

 

Surrender by repentance and confession leads us to forgiveness and back into fellowship.  That’s what Paul found out about confessing his weaknesses – that’s how he actually became strong in the Lord (a).  That’s also what John realized as to how we can continue walking in The Light to have koinonia fellowship with God: not by denying our weaknesses or sin, hiding from it, or trying harder to overcome it, but to confess/agree with the Lord about them.  Then “He is actually, ongoingly faithful and/coupled righteously-just/equitable in order to definitively/wholly forgive us our sins (our unfaithfulness) and/coupled definitively/wholly cleanse/purify-from-admixture us from ALL (b) unrighteous-injustice/partiality (c)” (d). <Notes> a) 2 Corinthians 11:30, 12:5-10, b) pas: rare case where this means “the whole of”, c) a violation of God’s justice that brings divine disapproval, d) 1 John 1:5-10.

 

Christ’s propitiation or atonement that exchanges our sin/unfaithfulness and our unrighteous-injustice/partiality to Him WITH the opposite of this, i.e., His Holy character, for the sake of His unconditional-love for us, happens NOT only on the cross when we have trusting-relying-faith in Him for our salvation, but it continues every time we confess our sins to Him – see Surrender-Control – BT2 and – BT3.

 

We can see this link between koinonia fellowship with God’s Holy Spirit and fellow Christians in 2 Corinthians 13:14, where the Greek directly links the close/along-beside consoling/counseling comfort (a) of Christ with the consoling comfort (b) of koinonia fellowship with the Holy Spirit (c), but this is linked to koinonia fellowship with others, even house to house (d), even daily (e). <Notes> a) paraklesis, b) paramuthion, c) the Parakletos:  ‘close-beside’ caller, summoner, or inviter; helper, succorer, or assistant; encouraging teacher, counselor, comforter, or consoler; defense-attorney, judicial-advocate, or court-intercessor, d) Acts 2:46, e) Acts 6:1.

 

Horizontal relationships depend on our Vertical relationship with God.  That’s what Irenaeus observed around 200 AD – the churches that rejected the charismata grace-gifts of the Holy Spirit were also devoid of its fruit, particularly unconditional-love for others, because Galatians 5:22 says that unconditional-love is the singular fruit/essence/nature of the Holy Spirit – see Tongues & Interpretation – BT14 and Body Ministry – BT9 for Cessationism denial of the grace-giftsKoinonia fellowship with God and others is the fruit of Spirit-baptism!

 

Reflections:

 

As a Christian musician, the only way to restore fellowship with God from sin is by surrendering-control thru repentance and confession that leads us back to trusting-relying-faith in Christ’s perfect sacrifice to satisfy justice and actually cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If this involves “working” FOR God through “acts of penance,” invented by the Catholic Church, we are stuck in the old covenant way of “works righteousness.”

 

The way of reconciliation is through the Spirit of gentleness.  Receiving and giving forgiveness is the only way to relationally-experience the Spirit’s nature of Unconditional-Love.  Only through restored fellowship can Christ’s Spirit of Holiness continue to destroy the works of the devil in our lives to continue making us holy.  This continuing “work of Christ to destroy the works of the devil” proves that we are God’s children!

 

The only way to continue bear/hold/carry fruit is to continue abiding-in/remaining-connected-to the Vine of Christ, the producer of fruit.  The only way to escape the condemnation of the world because of lust is to continue being partakers of the divine nature through the precious promise of the Holy Spirit.  If you deny Spirit-baptism with it’s grace-gifts, then you are denying or quenching the Spirit’s power and the “fruit of the Spirit” that both flow from the One Holy Spirit.  Finally, all this continual fellowship depends on the devotion of regular proseuche conversational-prayer!

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Dealing with sin by repentance, confession, and reconciliation to restoration for salvation, salvation is a mending back together for wholeness, reconciliation with God and relationships with others, forgiveness is our responsibility to start the healing process, Surrender by repentance & confession exchanges our sin for Christ’s holiness, If we deny the Spirit’s gifts we lose out on the Spirit’s fruit

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT5:  Vertical God-fellowship affects our horizontal Human-fellowship

 

 

 

Video - Part 1:  Fellowship - BT5:  Vertical God-fellowship affects our horizontal Human-fellowship

Part 1

 

 

Fellowship – BT5:  Vertical God-fellowship affects our horizontal Human-fellowship

 

 

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Our vertical relationship with God also naturally affects our horizontal relationship with God’s other family members (a), by “remembering/discerning TOGETHER Christ’s Body/Church through the Lord’s Supper that they should be DEVOTED to koinonia commune together-with (b) and to be changed-sharers in” (c), and again be “changed-sharers of (c) the Lord’s table” (d).  During this they should also be DEVOTED to koinonia sharing in proseuchomai conversational-praying and eating together (e), especially at their love feasts (f).  How come more churches don’t follow this model?  I was saved at a Friday-night devotional where the church fed us starving college students!  That’s why John can say that “routinely/habitually walking [all around, i.e., living] in darkness” (g), which in the context refers to hating fellow Christians (h), proves that we don’t really have koinonia fellowship with God or Christ “who dwells in the light,” even if we say we do, and proves that we really haven’t horao ‘observed with your mind’s eye or perceived/discerned to know‘ or are experientially, relationally ginosko knowing either God or Christ (i).  For more about discernment – see New Covenant Ways – BT16. <Notes> a) 1 John 1:3, b) 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, Acts 2:42, c) metochos: changed due to sharing or being an active-partaker with, d) 1 Corinthians 10:21, e) Acts 2:42, f) 1 Corinthians 11:20-21, 33, g) 1 John 1:6, h) especially 1 John 2:9, 11, 3:14-15, and 4:20, i) 1 John 3:6-9.

 

“Unity of peace” with God and others is a ‘flavor’ from the singular fruit of the Holy Spirit that is Unconditional-Love (a).  You can’t get it no matter how many church programs you create if you don’t summon the Holy Spirit to take total control of the service. <Notes> a) Galatians 5:22; Colossians 3:14; Romans 14:17, 15:13; Ephesians 4:3.

 

Division is the opposite of harmonious peace, but ironically Jesus, the Prince of Peace, created division by His very coming:  the believers from unbelievers (a), “might and power” soulish living of the flesh is separated from “by-the-means-of My Spirit” living (b), and the Church from those instigating division within the Church (c).  Paul admitted that “there must be divisions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be publicly-apparent” (d).  Our outward actions reflect our inward reality, no matter how hypocritically we live.  Jesus said, “You will epiginosko genuinely, fully, experientially, relationally know them by their fruits” for “each tree is ginosko experientially, relationally known by its own [singular] fruit” (e).  James also echoes that way you say you believe doesn’t matter because “demons believe” so “faith without [proving Christian] works is dead/useless” (f).

 

<Notes> a) Luke 12:51, b) Hebrews 4:12: Christ, “the Logos message of God that is living and active” is so “sharp” that it “pierces to dividing the soul and the spirit/Spirit [of man] . . . the [soulish] thoughts and [spirit/Spirit] intentions of the heart,” c) Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 1:10, 11:18, 12:25; Galatians 5:20; Titus 3:10; Jude 1:19, d) phaneros: shining, apparent, manifest, publicly evident, plainly recognized or known: 1 Corinthians 11:19, e) Matthew 7:16, 20, Luke 6:44, f) James 2:14, 17, 19, 26.

 

Sin defined as “falling short of the ‘mark or target’ of God’s holy character” is the result of each-person of humanity “absolutely-in-fact-NOT dokimazo ‘scrutinizing/examining in order to prove genuine’ presently/ongoingly to echo ‘hold to have’ God by-the-means-of genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge, so God gives this-person over to a reprobate/depraved mind to do those things that should not be done” (a).  Actions following thoughts!  In other words, they once had intimate fellowship with God (early in human history or even as an innocent child), but they didn’t want to “look into” holding onto that!  The result is a mind that drags them down into the gutter!  <Notes> a) Romans 1:28.

 

However, knowing about the commandments of God’s Law only brings us into intimate knowing of sin – not God, which then actually increases sin (a).  Meno abiding/remaining in the Law will make you even more of a sinner!  However, John makes it clear that the “practice of sin” comes from not meno “abiding/remain connected to the Vine of Christ” but being “of/belonging-to the devil who has never stopped sinning” (b).  Jesus warned: “If you routinely/habitually meno ‘remain connected to’ in Me and I in you, you will actually, ongoingly produce much fruit for without Me you are absolutely-in-fact-NOT powerfully- enabled to actually, ongoingly do/make one thing” (c). <Notes> a) b) Romans 3:20, 5:20, c) 1 John 3:6-8, d) John 15:5.

 

Sin comes from looking for zoe genuine-life in all the wrong places instead of fellowship with God!  Jesus clarifies for us:  “Now this is-defined-as actually, ongoingly the everlasting, zoe genuine-life – that they might (our choice) presently/ongoingly, experientially, relationally ginosko know You, the only true God, and/coupled who You actually, already sent:  Jesus Christ (The Anointed One, the Messiah)” (a).  Let’s just face it:  We can all get bored with the routines of life, but if the lack of joy from being disconnected from God’s Spirit of joy (b) builds up in our life, we can be tempted to look for it somewhere else – in “the fleeting pleasures of sin” (c).  All of us have experienced this “escapism!”  <Notes> a) John 17:3; Jeremiah 31:34; Hosea 6:3; 2 Peter 1:2-3, 2:20; Philippians 3:8, b) Proverbs 17:22; Acts 13:52; Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22; 1 Thessalonians 1:6, c) Hebrews 11:25.

 

 

Video - Part 2:  Fellowship - BT5:  Vertical God-fellowship affects our horizontal Human-fellowship

Part 2

 

So how do we get back into fellowship with God?  By trying harder with our “might and powerto obey God’s “Law of commandments expressed in ordinances” (a)?  No!  That’s Old Testament religion and every religion on the planet!  Paul says:  “Now the Law came in to increase/multiple the trespasses” (b) since “dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of the Law [is] the genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of sin” (c) – it wasn’t meant to stop sin but brings us into the experience of even more sin!  That’s why it’s called the “Law of sin and death” (d)!  <Notes> a) Ephesians 2:15, b) Romans 5:20, c) Romans 3:2, d) Romans 7:23, 25, 8:22.

 

“The Law was added for the sake/cause of (a) transgressions [from specific commandments] UNTIL the [singular] ‘Offspring’ should come, to Whom (b) the promise [to Abraham about his coming inheritance] had been made” (c). Paul says the “Offspring” is Jesus Christ!  “The [OT] Law was our legally-appointed paidogogos strict child-educator/superintendent-guardian [that treated the children strictly no different than slaves] UNTIL Christ came in order that [now] we might be justified/made-righteous by trusting-relying-faith, but now that trusting-relying-faith has come, we are NO LONGER in fact under a paidogogos . . . but are [mature] sons (d) of God” (e).  Paul clarifies our sonship:  “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are [mature] sons of God” (f).  Our inheritance we can claim only when we are free, mature “sons” didn’t come by the “slave children” under the Law (g).  Sonship inheritance only came through Jesus as the “mediator of a New Covenant” (h).

 

<Notes> a) adverb charin from charis unconditional-favor-of-grace that furnishes the reason to take action of, b) Galatians 3:16: Jesus, the Christ, c) Galatians 3:19, d) huios: although we are adopted sons, we are NOW under the New Covenant made to share the same nature as their Father, e) Galatians 3:24-26,  f) Romans 8:14, g) Galatians 3:18, 4:30; Ephesians 1:11-18, h) Hebrews 9:15, 10:36, 11:8; Acts 20:32; Exodus 32:13; Colossians 3:23-24; 1 Peter 1:4.

 

So how do we get back into fellowship with God?  By meno abiding/remaining-connected-to IN Christ by pistis trusting-relying-faith!  And we know that pistis is a relationship word with people, not objects, despite what some pastors says!  John warns:  “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works [of sin] of the devil – anyone having already-been [with ongoing results] born/begotten out-of God absolutely-in-fact-NOT ongoingly poieo makes/causes/does sin because God’s sperma seed (Christ as the life of the Holy Spirit) ongoingly meno remains/dwells in him, and/thus he absolutely-in-fact-NOT ongoingly dunamis is-powerfully-enabled [within] to ongoingly sin . . . we know that everyone who having already-been [with ongoing results] absolutely-in-fact-NOT ongoingly sins, but-instead the One (Christ) who already has been definitively/wholly been born/begotten out-of God (He) protects him, and/thus the evil one absolutely-in-fact-NOT does-touch-to-change/modify him” (a).  <Notes> a) 1 John 3:8-9, 5:18.

 

Paul also warns about sin:  “God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription:  ‘The Lord actually, definitively/wholly, experientially, relationally ginosko knows who are His” and/coupled ‘Everyone who [publicly at their water-baptism] confesses the name/authority of the Lord/Master-owner must depart/stand-off/withdrawal/desist from adikia ‘injustice, unrighteousness, all that departs from God’s righteous judgments about sin’” (a).  <Notes> a) 2 Timothy 2:19.

 

Jesus also warns about sin:  “Abide/remain in Me, as I also abide/remain in you.  Absolutely-in-fact-NO branch can bear/carry fruit by itself; it must meno remain-connected-to in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you meno remain-connected-to in Me.  I am the Vine; you are the branches.  If you meno remain-connected-to in Me and I in you, you shall indeed bear/carry much fruit, but apart from me you can do absolutely-in-fact-NO thing” (a). <Notes> a) John 15:4-5.

 

So finally Paul concludes:  “Whatever does not proceed from trusting-relying-faith [in Christ] is sin” (a).  Similarly Peter also reminds Christians already born because of trusting-relying-faith, that they were “given exceedingly-great and precious promises that dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of them you might (our choice) be koinonia partakers of the divine nature, [the ones] having already, routinely/habitually escaping the corruption that is in the world by-the-means-of lust” (b).  In other words, God has given us a “keys” (c) to use unlock doors to stay in fellowship with God thru trusting/relying faith in Christ to meno remain-connected-to IN Christ. The Lord told me in a vision that this is “to go to Him regularly in proseuche conversational-prayer for intimate fellowship!” This is where we are transformed into His likeness (d).  <Notes> a) Romans 14:23, b) 2 Peter 1:4, c) like trusting/relying faith from 2 Peter 1:5, d) 2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:2.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, how is our playing going to express fellowship with God’s people in worship services if we really don’t have intimate fellowship with God?  If we are “at war” with some Christians, how can we say that we love God when we hate His children?  The closer we fellowship with God, the more the Spirit’s “unity of peace” that is a “flavor” of the singular fruit of Unconditional-Love we will supernaturally have.  However, not all division is wrong!  The Spirit is constantly dividing between the genuine and the fake!  Jesus’ very coming was intended to separate the goats from the sheep!  Sin causes us to excuse, deny, or run from the truth that is all about a relationship with a holy God.  When we break from the genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of God and settle for anything less, God gives us over to a depraved mind that leads to sinful actions.

 

The Law of commandments just throws gas onto the fire!  Trying harder to obey only entrenches the sin.  If we look for zoe genuine-live in all the wrong places, this only leads us toward death.  The “work of Christ to destroy the works of the devil” IN us proves that we are God’s children!  The only way to continue bearing/carrying fruit is to ongoingly abide/remain-connected-to IN the Vine of Christ.  The only way to escape the condemnation of the world because of lust is to routinely/habitually being partakers of the divine nature through the promise of the Holy Spirit.  This continual fellowship depends on regular proseuche conversational-prayer, just as every loverelationship requires regular conversation.

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Vertical God-fellowship affects our horizontal Human-fellowship, koinonia fellowship with others overflows from koinonia relationship with God, Division comes from the devil, Unity of peace comes from the presence of the Spirit, Not holding onto relationship with God leads to sin, Remaining connected to the Law of commandments explodes sin, Remaining connected to Jesus bears much fruit of holiness, Sin comes from looking for genuine-life in all the wrong places, Genuine-life only comes from genuinely-knowing by relationship Father thru the Son, We can’t use our own might & power to claw our way back to God thru commandments, The Law treats us as little-children like slaves but only UNTIL Christ makes us mature-sons, Lifestyle sin comes from dwelling outside of Christ, Christ’s seed as His Spirit dwelling in a Christian progressively moves him away from sin into holiness, To eventually bear much fruit you have to remain in Christ, Precious promises of Holy Spirit and faith and love and prayer are keys to share in God’s nature

Categories: Fellowship

Anointing – BT1

 

Anointing – BT1:  What is the anointing of the Holy Spirit as it relates to worship ministry?

Anointing - BT1:  What is the anointing of the Holy Spirit as it relates to worship ministry?

 

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Video Part 1a - Anointing - BT1:  What is the anointing of the Holy Spirit as it relates to worship?

Part 1a

 

Video Part 1b - Anointing - BT1:  What is the anointing of the Holy Spirit as it relates to worship?

Part 1b Anointed Prophetic Spontaneous Drumming (APSD) application

 

The word “anointing” come from the Hebrew noun mishchah or verb mashach and Greek noun chrio or verb chrisma is the “living water” or “oil,” even the “gold oil” from Zechariah 4:12, and refers to the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament (OT), which came UPON the high priests after they met with God (a). See a 1-25-2021 Vision of Gold Rain purging evil from even evil people! and a 12-20-2020 vision of The Rain of Fire that is Gold Oil.   The anointing consecrates, dedicates, separates, or sanctifies the priests as clean, sacred, holy vessels of honor for God’s special purposes.  Not only is it the covering presence of God, it is His seal of ownership.  The Father “anointed You (Jesus) with the oil of GLADNESS beyond His companions (b), and thus with God’s presence comes His nature.  Don’t we need this the New Covenant<Notes> a) Leviticus 10:7, 21:12, b) Psalms 45:7, cf. Hebrews 1:9.

 

The anointing also powerfully-enables ministry, as Christ declared of His own:  “The Spirit of Yahweh has anointed Me to bring the good news (a) to the poor . . . to grant to those who mourn . . . the oil of GLADNESS instead of mourning, the garment of PRAISE instead of a faint spirit” (b).  Jesus is the “Anointed One of God” (c).  Anointing with oil brought about miraculous healing of the sick (d), but Jesus did this even with mud (e), so apparently there is no formula. <Notes> a) this is the meaning of the logos gospel messageb) Psalms 61:1-3 cited by Jesus in Luke 4:18 concerning His ministry, c) Acts 4:26-27, 10:38, d) Mark 6:13; James 5:14, e) John 9:6, 11.

 

The OT anointing was always “upon” or “rested on” a person to consecrate and prepare a person for a limited period of ministry, and there were very few such legitimate prophets.  This same anointing was UPON Jesus who was under the old covenant to “fulfill all righteousness.”  Notice the “UPON” emphasis:  “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven . . . and it remained UPON Him” (a) and “it descended UPON Him” (b) and was “coming to rest UPON Him” (c).   Jesus was the last OT prophet according to Moses:  “The Prophet” that Moses warned the people of is Jesus – “it is to Him you shall indeed listen” (d), but Jesus was unique because He was unlimited in Spirit:  “For He (Jesus) whom God (the Father) has sent utters the very directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words of God because He (the Father) gives [to Jesus] the Spirit without measure” (e).  All the OT prophets died and their ministry with them, but Christ’s ministry is everlasting (f)! <Notes> a) John 1:32, b) Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22, c) Matthew 3:16, d) Deuteronomy 18:15; John 1:45; Acts 3:22, 7:37, e) John 3:34, f) Daniel 2:44, 7:14, 27; Luke 1:33; Revelation 11:15.

 

 

Video Part 2a - Anointing - BT1:  What is the anointing of the Holy Spirit as it relates to worship?

Part 2a

 

Video Part 2b - Anointing - BT1:  What is the anointing of the Holy Spirit as it relates to worship?

Part 2b APSD application

 

However, the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant’s ‘anointing’ for the Church, which occurred because of Christ’s shed blood, is likewise completely-different-in-kind than the OT’s anointing.  Remember by definition of the Hebrew chadash and Greek kainos for “NEW,” absolutely NOTHING can be borrowed from the Old Covenant and dragged into the New Covenant.  Churches that violate this definition end up building The Great Wall that quenches the Holy Spirit!   Instead of the OT’s anointing coming “UPON/ON” a person, the NT’s anointing is “WITHIN/INTO/IN the INNER being/heart” (a) of a person.  For example, Paul proseuchomai conversationally-prays in Ephesians 3:16-17 for Christians “to be krataioo ‘be strengthened to attain the upper-hand or mastery’ with dunamis enabling-power through the Father’s Spirit IN your INNERmost being (b) so that Christ may dwell IN your HEARTS (c) dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ trusting-relying-faith,” for “God’s unconditional-love has been poured INTO our HEARTS dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (d), “having given us His Spirit IN our HEARTS as a guarantee” (e), for “God has sent the Spirit of His Son INTO our hearts” (f).  Let’s pray that now! <Notes> a) lebeb, kardia, b) eso anthropos, c) kardia, d) Romans 5:5, e) 2 Corinthians 1:22, f) Galatians 4:6.

 

As a Jewish-Christian, Paul says regarding his struggles against sin:  “For I delight in the Torah Law of conditional-favor of God IN my INNER being” (a) (b).  To persecuted Christians, Paul says:  “We do not despair for even if our OUTER being (c) is wearing away, our INNER being (d) is being renewed dad by day” (e).  So, let’s keep our focus on our INNER being! <Notes> a) eso anthropos, b) Romans 7:22.  Note:  Verses 1-20 refer to Mosaic Law in his mind, his true self, but then in vv. 21-23 Paul uses nomos generically as “principle” for “law of sin in his body,” not his true self, that “wars” against “the Mosaic Law of his mind,” c) exo anthropos, d) eso anthropos, e) 2 Corinthians 4:16.

 

 

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Categories: Anointing

Holy Spaces – BT2

 

 

 

 

Video on Holiness: Some ideas to make your time & space holy

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How can we move towards making the “private, group, and public” spaces of Spirit Music Meetups “holy”?

 

 

These 3 Meet-Up fellowships should not be treated as just any o’ common get-togethers, because then they wouldn’t be “vessels of honor” (a) – they would no longer be “special or uncommon” times of fellowship with God.  For that reason, we need to guard these times from distractions from our flesh, from the world, and especially from of other people’s flesh – saved or unsaved – that will beg to take control away from the Holy Spirit<Notes> a) 2 Timothy 2:20.

 

Here are some suggestions – the Spirit-Practice and Spirit-Perform pages have others:

 

  • Although we are considering practical ways below to make our external space and time “holy,” we also need to consider the moral aspect of hagios as “unmixed purity,” so take some time to reflect on these verses and their context: “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (a) and Since the heaven and earth are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and/coupled godliness” (b).  A much more frequent, related term to meditate on is hagnos meaning “pure from the flesh’s faults, immaculate, chase, modest” (c). <Notes> a) 1 Peter 1:15-16, b) 2 Peter 3:11, c) Meditate on these verses:  2 Corinthians 7:11; 11:2; Philippians 4:8; 1 Timothy 5:22; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:2; James 3:17; 1 John 3:3.

 

  • Read the Anointing, Prophetic Rhema, and Spontaneous Music pages to understand what actually “is possible together with God” in koinonia fellowship (a) and take obedient steps of faith toward this. This will profoundly change what you do with your time and space, whether it will be “common” or “uncommonly, special, or holy” to the Lord. <Notes> a) Matthew 19:26.

 

  • Turn your phone off and close the doors. Shut out the world’s distractions!  I don’t know how many times I just sat down to be in the presence of the Lord and to let Him send music into me and through me out onto the drums, and suddenly I was barraged by text notifications or phone calls or someone knocks on my house door!  I will never forget how many times a group of us would take turns going up to a microphone at the Gospel Rescue Mission to give our testimony.  Now during the worship there were no flies when we were sitting down, but as soon as you opened you mouth at the microphone to give your testimony, so much horn honking and outside sirens would come streaming through the windows, and flies would suddenly be at the microphone – talk about distractions!  Satan, Beelzebub as “the lord of the flies,” sure did not want those ruined men to be “overcome by the word of our testimony” (a)! <Notes> a) Revelation 12:11.

 

  • Put your watch in your pocket and set a timer if you have a “hard break” deadline to be somewhere else. I put my “tic-tock” wind-up timer outside my closed door so I don’t look at the dial or listen to it.  There is nothing ruder than a student looking at the clock during a lesson, so I have it behind them but visible to me so that I can teach everything I need to during the lesson time.  When we are with God, we need to be focused on His every directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word, every feeling of His that He shares with us, and every vision we eido mentally “see” to understand/know for Him.  When need the clock distraction out of our view and out of our mind, and focus on our “One Teacher.”  We need to give Him that control over our time and attention and not be rude to Him.  I’ve seen/felt so many churches quench the Holy Spirit because they cared more about their clock and schedule than the presence of God – these are stones from the world building The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit in the Church.  It’s so rude, but “unconditional-love is not rude, insisting on its own way” (a), yet “these people draw near (b) with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, while their hearts are from Me, and their reverential awe of Me is but a commandment taught by men” (c).  Let’s be different from the pack! <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 13:5, b) Hebrew idiom for worship or ‘kiss toward’, c) Isaiah 29:13.

 

  • Dedicate, consecrate, or set apart this time and place specifically for the Lord, thus making it holy, “for everything created by God is beautifully, harmoniously, magnificently, inspiringly excellent (h), and absolutely nothing in fact is to be rejected if it received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy (a) by the logos gospel message [of trusting-relying-faith in Christ, who is The Truth] and/coupled childlike-confidently-approaching-by-faithprayer (b)” (c). Paul was arguing against the Jews who had 100s of commandments about what couldn’t “be handled, tasted, or touched” from the written and oral Torah Law (d).  Religion will always try to take away your “freedom in Christ” (e), but “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (f), and in every context it is “freedom from the Torah Law of conditional-favor that brings sin and death” (g).  The gospel alone gives us childlike, confident, trusting-relying-faith to approach the Father in proseuche conversational-prayer and to trust him that we no longer have to keep 613 rules to be right and pleasing to Him.  <Notes> a) hagiazo: consecrated, dedicated, made holy, b) enteuxis, c) 1 Timothy 4:4-5, d) Colossians 2:21, e) Galatians 2:4, f) 2 Corinthians 3:17, g) Romans 8:2, h) kalos.

 

Now if you think music isn’t part of “everything created by God,” so that the above doesn’t apply, then you are in for a big surprise!  The Church of Christ I was saved in doesn’t even believe in instrumental music in church – Man, they really don’t know the original languages of the bible!  Also, everybody who has ever seen heaven or heard its sounds will tell you that there is non-stop music emanating from everything and it is perfectly blended.  I’ve been told by the Lord that I and other musicians will play in God’s many courtyards!  The worship music before God’s throne is non-stop, and eternally blessed are those bright-shining musicians!  Lucifer was once the great worship-leader angel of light (a) because his giant wings were studded with many diamonds to reflect the glory of the Lord into many colors.  I’ve had so many God-dreams about music I can’t keep up!  I have a friend that woke up hearing an orchestra of violins playing in unison a hymn from church.  So take time to apply 1 Timothy 4:4-5 above to your music! <Notes> a) Ezekiel 28:13-19 – Lucifer was originally the “signet of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.”

 

  • But prayer is more than just a monologue of giving God our laundry list of requests or supplications (a), even if we are confident they are in the will of God and thus would be answerable (b). The Lord calls us to an intimate dialogue or conversation with Him, where we gaze in awe with wide-open eyes upon (c) each other as lovers do, the same way Christian prophets eido mentally ‘see” to understand/know visions (d), where we akouo hear/listen to understand to each other, just as with any intimate, koinonia sharing fellowship.  This is a special kind of Jewish ‘drawing near’ into the presence of God (e) or the more common word for coming close (f), even to actually touch the Lord (g), even boldly approaching God in trusting-relying-faith (h) instead of by works (i), but there is only 1 letter difference between proserchomai for “drawing near” and the common Greek verb proseuchomai or noun proseuche for this waiting, watching, listening, conversational-prayer with God.  <Notes> a) deesis, b) 1 John 5:14-15, c) optanomai: Matthew 5:8; John 16:22; Romans 15:21; Acts 13:31; 1 John 3:2, d) Acts 2:17, e) eggizo into the very prescence: James 4:8; 1 Peter 4:7; Hebrews 7:19, f) Hebrews 7:25, proserchomai:  a Hebraism for “seeking an audience with, approaching, inquiring of, calling on to visit, or be heard by” God, thus closely akin in spelling and meaning to proseuche conversational-prayer and proskuneo worship, g) Luke 8:44, h) Hebrews 4:16, 10:22, 11:6, i) Hebrews 10:1.

 

Conversational-prayer is where we are “taught by God” (a), even when practiced during Christian koinonia fellowship when we can then be taught by one another, where we can akouo hear/listen to directly-spoken prophetic rhema words of God, where we can optanomai gaze in awe with wide-open eyes upon God (b), where we acquire the genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of God, and where we can even worship the Lord!  This is where the real “work” gets done in/by/with the Spirit.  Start and stay in this “zone” while you are playing and you will see a huge difference in results! <Notes> a) John 6:45; 1 Thessalonians 4:9, b) Matthew 5:8.

 

  • Bible study done to have the knowledge of God is just another false religious “tradition of men,” as if “The Truth” was scriptural knowledge! The scribes and Pharisees were expert bible students, but look what Jesus said of them:  “You diligently search/study the scriptures because you suppose that in them you will lay hold of zoe genuine-life everlasting, but it is they that bear witness of Me, yet you refuse to COME TO ME that you may have zoe genuine-life” (a).  Paul said:  “Where is the wise one?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world” (b)?  Clearly “The Way” to God and worshipping Him is absolutely not more “WHATS” to learn, but the “WHO” of Jesus Christ to surrender ourselves to in order to genuinely, experientially, relationally epiginosko know  Better to spend your time in proseuche conversational-prayer and worship<Notes> a) John 5:39-40, b) 1 Corinthians 1:20.

 

  • As prophetic musicians, we must shun religious advice on “WHAT to study harder” and even to “WHAT to practice harder” (a) in order to be more prepared for God to “use us,” and instead become more like “little children” who surrender ourselves to knowing WHO the Lord is by being relentlessly devoted to conversational-prayer like the early Christians were (b). Being taught directly by God is the key to the genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of God, so “we have absolutely in fact no need that someone should write to us or to teach us” (c)! <Notes> a) perfecting our “might and power”, b) Acts 2:42, 6:4; 1 Corinthians 7:5, c) 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 John 2:20, 27.

 

  • Confess or agree with the Lord about the truth concerning where you’ve been with your own “might and power” equipment, knowledge, skill, and control in trying to musically “do it for God” and repent of this! That is, make a 180 degree about-face decision to go in the other direction by surrendering control of your “might and power” external resources and internal abilities to the Lord.  Until you are at the end of your rope and are willing to take that “step of faith to let go” of all your resources, all your skill, and all your control and instead completely have trusting-relying-faith in the Lord that He is there to catch you as you fall, then you will not be ready to take that “step of faith to let God,” and so you consequently will not be filled by the Holy Spirit’s anointed ability but left with you limited ability!

 

That’s because true repentance is a total surrender of your control to “let go and let God.”  The Holy Spirit won’t bargain or compromise with anybody, nor will He be controlled, and certainly not by you.  If you hold on with 0.5% of that rope, saying to yourself and God that you want the Holy Spirit to have the other 95.5% control of you, this sounds like you are being generous.  However, God doesn’t do fractions when it comes to you!  He doesn’t compete with any of your “might and power.”  God’s infinite gentleness of Galatians 5:23 prevents Him from twisting anybody’s arm, even a little bit.  He comes into catch you only after you “let go and let God.”  And He is patient until you finally “get there,” because He knows how little children are so insistent of their own ways.

 

You must die to your own abilities.  As Jesus was preparing for His journey to Jerusalem to die, He turned to His disciples and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  Whoever loves his life shall actually lose it, but whoever hates/despises his life in this world shall actually keep it for eternal life.  If anyone would serve Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also.  If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” (a).  The “seed” doesn’t come to life on the way to the ground, or even when it hits the ground, but when it gets “into the earth and dies.”  This naturally takes some time, so be patient.  The Lord showed me once that in order to receive a grace-gift from the Spirit you have to open your hand and “let go” of what you’re holding onto so tightly – exchanging our “might and power” for God’s filling and Spirit-power!  Jesus came to “set the captives free with The Truth, Himself” (b).  We are all prisoners of “traditions of men” that keep us imprisoned until the Lord frees us, but if we want to experience this freedom, we have to walk through that door when He unlocks it. <Notes> a) John 12:24-26, b) Luke 4:18; John 8:32, 36, 14:6.

 

  • Invoke the Holy Spirit to have complete control of this holy time and space. Start out and stay fully surrendered to the control of the Holy Spirit.  Abandon the “might and power” of your flesh, your pride and trusting-relying-faith (a) in its external resources and internal abilities in exchange for “in/by/with the Spirit.”  Like the apostle Paul, consider it all “a pile of excrement compared to the surpassing gnosis info-knowledge belonging to Christ” (b).  Give up yourself-control” for the “self-control” of the Holy Spirit that is just one “flavor” of the [singular] fruit of His unconditional-love (c). Contrary to so much false teaching out there, “self-control” is not one of the [plural] fruits of the Holy Spirit, and it sure isn’t a fruit itself that you are somehow “to do” or “work” for God to acquire!  The Spirit’s “self-control” only comes when you are fully surrendered to “The unconditional-Love that belongs to Christ that constrains us” (d).  You can’t find it in any “Do not handle, touch, taste’ regulations from humanly-maintained precepts and teachings – including OT dietary laws, festivals, new moons, Sabbaths, etc. which are only [fuzzy] shadows of things to come but the substance/reality belongs to Christ.  Although they actually have an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-maintained religion and asceticism and severity to the body, they are absolutely in fact of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (e). <Notes> a) pistis: relational conviction of trusting reliance, b) Philippians 3:8, c) Galatians 5:22-23, d) 2 Corinthians 5:14, e) Colossians 2:16-23.

 

Self-control” in our moral life is absolutely impossible outside of the rapturing, unconditional-love of the Holy Spirit.  And if you want complete control over your voice and instrument to produce the most glorious music of heaven, you have to throw all your pride-blinded illusion of “self-control” by your own “might and power” works right in the “excrement can” and join the apostle Paul to receive “the surpassing gnosis info-knowledge that belongs to Christ.” <Notes> a) Philippians 3:8.

 

  • Invoke the Holy Spirit to come to establish the Kingdom of God and Christ in this holy time and We proseuchomai conversationally-pray to the Father for His “Kingdom to come and His will to be done,” but this only happens when we “ongoingly crave and boldly ask for the good grace-gift of the Holy Spirit” (a).  The reign of the Holy Spirit IS God’s Kingdom come and His will being done on earth as it is already in heaven!  The dunamis Spirit’s enabling-power is the “dynamite-like action hero” of the Godhead – see the Promised Spirit and Spirit-Power pages.  Until we are “routinely filled with all the fullness of God . . . routinely filled by the means of the Holy Spirit” (b), there is absolutely no hope for anything but the “inherent weakness, feebleness, impotence, worthlessness, uselessness, and failure of the flesh” (c), but “together with God all things are possible” (d).  Routine Spirit-baptism is the unique ministry of Christ and the New Covenant.  This is absolutely vital to produce anointed, prophetic, even spontaneous music<Notes> a) Luke 11:1-13, b) Ephesians 3:19, 5:18, c) Matthew 26:41; John 6:63, d) Matthew 19:26.

 

  • Invoke the Holy Spirit to be the “One Teacher (a) of the “One Leader (b) Jesus of His “One Father (c)” (d). Trust in ONE to do this!  Trust what the apostle John wrote to warn Christians about the error and deception that can and often comes with human teachers:  “But you already have been anointed by the Holy One and thus you all already have, with ongoing results, mentally ‘seen’ to perceive/know (e).  I write to you, absolutely not in fact because you absolutely do not in fact, already, with ongoing results, mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know (e) The Truth, but because you do already, with ongoing results, mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know (e) it. . . . But the anointing that you have already received from Him ongoingly abides/remains in/by/with you and thus you ongoingly have absolutely in fact no need that anyone might ongoingly teach  But just as His anointing actually, ongoingly teaches you about ALL things and/coupled is trustworthy and/coupled not a lie – just as it has already actually taught you, abide/remain in Him” (f) – see the Teach One Another page.  <Notes> a) didaskalos, b) kathegetes: the leader who brings others down the road of learning, c) pater, d) Matthew 23:8-10 – see Teach One Another – BT10, e) eido, some manuscripts: “you have all knowledge”, f) 1 John 2:20-27.

 

This mentally ‘seeing’ to perceive eido knowledge is the way prophets (old and new) knew God – they didn’t read or study gnosis info-knowledge about God through scripture as the Jewish scribes and Pharisees did.  This was also a slap in the face of the Gentile Gnostics, and actually a warning to every Christian who had the anointing or Holy Spirit to stay clear of both – see the Knowledge page.

 

  • Protect yourself during this holy time! Invoke the Holy Spirit’s protection, even by angels of God!  The Lord has shown me to go inside the Great Fortress-Rock of Christ, where I can abide/dwell/rest in Christ (h), where I’m completely safe from the world of sin, the flesh, and the devil.  I can also call for the anointing of God to pour over me like thick oil made of gold (i), wrapping me within His parakletos comfort, enveloping me in Him to save me from all danger.  It’s also a good idea to follow Paul’s advice in Ephesians 6:11-28 to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil . . . for we wrestle against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places (a) . . . put on the belt of The Truth (b) . . . breastplate of righteousness (c) . . . shoes put on for the readiness given by the logos gospel message of peace (d) . . . taking up the shield of trusting-relying-faith (e) to extinguish ALL the flaming arrows of the evil one . . . putting on the helmet of salvation (f) and the sword of the Spirit which is the directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word of God, proseuchomai conversationally-praying at all time in/by/with the Spirit (g) with all types of proseuche conversational-prayer and deesis<Notes> a) that’s 4 levels of hierarchy, b) Jesus Christ per John 14:6 is the logos Word/Message of God per John 1:1 who has given His logos gospel message of The Truth per Ephesians 1:13, c) Jesus Christ, our righteousness, the Holy One, d) Jesus, the Prince of peace, e) pistis: relational conviction of trusting reliance on Jesus, f) by Jesus our Savior, g) likely tongues: 1 Corinthians 14:14-15, h) John 15:1-11, i) Zechariah 4:12.

 

 

  • Watch out for judgmental words! If you start hearing negative critique of your playing or negative judgments about how you are wasting your time and that you should be doing something more productive, I’ve found these to be the discouraging, accusing voice of Satan and his fallen angels and created demons.  They will bring your emotions down, darken your thinking, distract your concentration, tire you out, and make you want to quit!  Immediately, use your God-given delegated name/authority of Jesus to say, “The Lord rebuke you” (a)!  Concerning the forces of darkness, if “you give them an inch, they will take a mile!”  So “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (b).  Use the authority Christ gave us:  “Whatever you bind/tie up on earth shall be bound/tied up in heaven, and whatever you loose/unbind/untie on earth shall be loosed/unbound/untied in heaven.”  These are the “keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” so that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church” (c).  One key binds, the other key looses. <Notes> a) Jude 1:9; Zechariah 3:2; Luke 10:17, b) 2 Corinthians 10:5, c) Matthew 16:19, 18:18.

 

“Binding and loosing” is what rabbis were given authority to do under the Torah Law of conditional-favor, enforcing or making God’s commandments “binding” or making it easier for others by untying or “loosening” the burden of commandments on others’ backs and carrying it for them.  Jesus heavily criticized the Pharisees for “binding,” even greatly adding to the Law with their own “Traditions of the Elders” that were often contradictory, but ignoring their “loosening” prerogative.  They were good at “commanding” and “adding to the commandments,” but not at “merciful helping” or “subtracting from their own commandments” (a). Whereas Jesus, the gentle and lowly Good Shepherd, makes the burden light because His yoke or training harness is easy (b).  <Notes> a) Matthew 23:2-4, 23; Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10; Mark 7:3-9, b) Matthew 11:28-30.

 

Well, when it comes to “binding and loosing” of “spirit forces of evil,” you will find the NT speaks often of commanding/binding demons from their activity to come out of people in the name/authority of Jesus, delegating us authority and Spirit-power over the enemy (a) in order to “loose/unbind/untie” the demonic burden on people’s lives so they can walk easier and lighter (b).  We have no authority in and of ourselves, but delegated authority because we are children of the King (c).  For “God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity but of enabling-power (d) and unconditional-love and self-control” (e).  Unless you use this grace-gift, you will still be intimidated and even enslaved!  <Notes> a) Luke 10:19, b) Matthew 7:22; Mark 1:27, 9:25, 38, 16:17; Luke 4:36; Acts 16:18, c) Jude 1:8-10; Romans 8:17, d) dunamis, e) 2 Timothy 1:7.

 

  • Get your head out of your music stand ASAP. Commit what you are doing mostly or entirely to memory so that you can watch and listen to more and more of what God wants to show you and say to you during your playing.  Much of the Christian life is creating opportunities for God to act and patiently waiting in expectant faith for this to happen!

 

  • I use a mirror so I can better see what God is trying to show me about my technique! A picture really is worth a 1000 words – even 10,000 words!  Then you will see the “One Teacher” at work!  You can also see the effect on your face when the Holy Spirit fills you with joy!  This itself is an encouragement that the Lord is at work!

 

Can you think of anything else that will help people?  Let’s not fall into legalism, back into a “yoke of slavery,” thinking that we have to have more commandments and rules to box us in.  I’ve only added the above as suggestions.  We have only 2 commandments of trusting-relying-faith and unconditional-love in the New Covenant Way.  “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”  But what other suggestions may help us move in the direction of sacred spaces to eido see and akouo hear from the Lord more easily?  Has the Lord taught you something that will help others?

 

 

 

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Categories: Holy Spaces

Holy Spaces – BT1

 

 

 

 

Intro video to Holiness BT1 - What is Holiness mean?

Click on video to start.

What does “holy” even mean?

 

 

“Holy (hagios) spaces” are externally hieros “sacred” because of their “formal relation to God,” just like the prophetic “sacred gramma writings” were that made Timothy “wise unto salvation through trusting-relying-faith in Christ.”  In context, these are the “every-of-a-kind (a) graphe scripture (b) that “are breathed out by God” (c), but in context these alone are the ones “that are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for corrections, and for training in righteousness.”  We also know from the context and early Church writings that this collection of Messianic and New Covenant prophecies was actually used to “train as young children” Jews to leave “works righteousness” to convert to “trusting-relying-faith in Christ righteousness” (d). <Notes> a) pas usually doesn’t mean “the whole of”, b) a collection of hieros sacred gramma writings, c) as all prophecy is by definition given by God’s breath or Spirit – the Hebrew and Greek mean the same, d) 2 Timothy 3:15-16.

 

Hagios means “holy as consecrated, dedicated, separated, or set apart externally and internally to God for His special purposes and thus deserving honor.”  All “hagios saints” are thus “hagios holy ones.”  They aren’t someone “special” that the Catholic Church has ordained since 993AD as “saints” because of their special “works.”  This is contrary to the very logos gospel message of The Truth that contrasts works with trusting-relying-faith.  A “saint” is actually every single Christian who has the Holy Spirit given to them by unconditional-favor-of-grace – God is the one who “separated them for His special purposes.”  We are made to be holy (a)!   <Notes> a) Acts 9:13, 32, 41, 26:10; Romans 1:7, 8:27, 12:13, 15:25-26, 16:2, 15; 1 Corinthian 1:2, 6:1-2, 14:33, 16:1, 15; 2 Corinthians 1:1, 8:4, 9:1, 12-13; Ephesians 1:1, 15, 18, 2:19, 3:8, 18, 4:12 (all Christians are now the “ministers”), 5:3 (“greedy desire for more” is unfitting for saints), 6:18; Philippians 1:1, 4:21-22; Colossians 1:2, 4, 12, 26; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Timothy 5:10; Philemon 1:5, 7; Hebrews 6:10, 13:24; Jude 1:3; Revelation 5:8, 8:3.

 

There are 152 other uses of the word hagios in the New Testament, but for our purposes consider:  Luke 1:72 (a); 1 Peter 1:15 (b); Ephesians 2:21 (c); 1 John 2:20-27 (d); Luke 12:12 (e). <Notes> a) holy covenant, b) you are to become holy in your conduct like the Holy One who called you, c) Christians are now the holy temple of God, d) all Christian people have the anointing from the Holy One so they all already had (with ongoing effects) eido mentally ‘seen’ visionary-perception/knowledge so they have absolutely no need of any other teacher, e) “the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very moment what you must say” implies no bible study.

 

See this other video:  Holiness: Holy is pure, unmixed, and thus different than any other

 

 

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Categories: Holy Spaces

Spirit – Drums-Practicing – BT4

 

Spirit – Drums-Practicing – BT4 – Learning Drums by God’s Spirit

Spirit – Drums-Practicing – BT4 – Learning Drums by the Spirit

 

 

Intro video for Spirit - Music or Drum Practicing - Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

Spirit – Drum-Practicing – YouTube Playlist

 

See also Spirit – Drum Rudiments – YouTube Playlist

 

See also Spirit – Drum-Set Beats – YouTube Playlist

 

For just the ‘technicals’ of drumming, see the Drum Lessons page.

 

Video – Intro to Spirit Music Meetups

 

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Note:  On your phone, PDF documents may only open if you choose the “Save, Replace, or Keep Both” option and then it will be downloaded and notify you of this on the top of your screen.  Open it there or in your Downloads folder and it will give you the option to Open with Adobe Acrobat, Drive, or some other PDF app you have installed on your phone.  If you watch the associated video, it will open in another tab/window so that you can easily bounce back & forth between the PDF doc and the video.  If your screen is big enough you can even arrange the windows next to each other!

 

 

 

Learn by Revelation - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Learning by Revelation:  This is how I’ve been learning from about 2010, but especially since about 2018!  You can learn so much more and faster this way than you can using your own “might and powerfleshly skills (Zechariah 4:6).  It’s also a great way to learn and practice privately how to play Anointed, Prophetic, and Spontaneous music & drums, which is the whole purpose of this website. This is the New Covenant way of doing things – directly from God, bypassing all the middle-men!  I will be exploring this method/process much more so look for more parts to this in the future!

 

The KEY attitude/action that opens the door is your “let go and let go” confession and surrender of your own pride, control of and trusting-relying faith in your own “might and power” external resources and internal abilities in exchange for having trusting-relying faith that if you A.S.K. God then He will GIVE you His “self-control/mastery!” (Galatians 5:23). You can’t have one without leaving behind the other, just as you can’t fully experience the New Covenant unless you leave the old covenant behind. I explain why!  Chadash/Kainos “New” is an unused, unprecedented, completely different-in-kind, superior invention!  If you have trusting-relying faith in the Law you will never experience Grace.  If you have trusting-relying-faith in your own work/effort, you can never experience God’s work IN you!  If you want to go forward, you have to stop dragging stuff from the past forward!  This is one of the ways to build The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit.  A.S.K. = routinely Ask and it shall indeed be given to you, routinely Seek and you shall indeed find, routinely Knock and the door shall indeed be opened to you.

 

If you feel pushed toward some “moving goal post,” stressed, strained, guilty, frustrated, impatient, irritated, depressed, angry, cramping, or even experiencing pain, you are “in the flesh” and not “in the Spirit.”  Working and Trying Hard is the old covenant way.  Rest and Peace is the New Covenant Way!  Understand the difference by understanding your Identity!  Like going on a pray walk:  You can be in motion with your drums playing an exercise or whatever and “zone out” on the mechanics of what you are doing, as you are optonamai “staring with wide-open eyes” or horao “observing/perceiving-knowing/discerning” internally while you are proseuchomai conversational-praying with God, watching with the “eyes of your heart to be enlightened” and “listening with your inner ears so that you may akouo hear to understand/know for God to dialogue with you because you have trusting-relying faith after you did your A.S.K. part!  For more about discernment – see New Covenant Ways – BT16.  You drew near/close to Him, so you are patiently-waiting for God to fulfill His promise to draw near/close to you (a) and that God is the rewarder of those who are earnestly seeking Him (b).  <Notes> a) James 4:8, b) Hebrews 11:6.

 

So you don’t have to JUST “Be Still/Quiet in order to Yada/Ginosko experientially know Elohim, the Majestic ‘US’ God.” But you can be distracted by outside noise or motion, so try to limit unexpected distractions. Mute your phone, shut your door, etc. Stop trying or working hard – this the old covenant way of “might and powerflesh!   Rest in the Peace of the Holy Spirit and “let God” GIVE you revelation, enabling-power, and skill!

 

Turn off the “Analyzing Mind,” rest and feel the Pleasure and Joy of the Lord!  More on this:  If you feel intense Joy, Peace, Patient-contentment, Curiosity, or Desire to explore to discover to know the Truth, as I did, then the Lord told me that you are actually feeling Him in order that you can know Him more deeply and naturally be more grateful and loving to Him in return. That’s what a intimate relationship is about – sharing experiences with one another!

 

 

 

FlamaFlamaFlamFlam - Part 1 - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Here’s a good example using the FlamaFlamaFlamFlam – Part 1, Part 2See the YouTube video description box for details.

 

 

 

 

Keep a Journal of Revelations - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Keep a Journal for Revelations you’ll get during your Drums-Practicing to Learn faster:  Don’t forget to keep a drums journal handy, because the Lord will reveal “mysteries kept hidden from the so-called wise and learned,” because you have decided to become like a “little child” and like Mary, “doing the better thing of watching and listening at the feet of Jesus.”  Praise the Lord!  You will be taught so much that you will fill one journal up after another!

 

 

 

Learn as a little child - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Learn as a little child by creatively experimenting and keeping it fun!  See the YouTube video description box for details.

 

 

 

Childlike Learning of Drum-Flams - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Here’s an example exploring Flams with childlike curiosity & adventure, and Learning by Spirit Revelation. See the YouTube video description box for details.

 

 

 

Focus in on a target – an excerpt from the Motivation page:  Without a target, you’ll just be shooting arrows aimlessly into the air!  Whatever you focus on expands, so stay focused in keeping your “Main Things the Main Things,” like Stephen Covey says!  A magnifying glass can not only help you zero in on things by making them appear bigger, but it can take random sunlight and focus it down to a tiny dot of fire.  “Focus is fire – Focus is power” is what I tell my students all the time.  “Like attracts like” – if you are crystal clear on what you want, like a magnet, you will attract others with the same desire.  But if you are vague and wish-washy, that’s what you will attract also.  James Allen’s book “As a Man Thinketh” is a classic about this.  Whatever you stare at while driving is what you will drive right towards.  See Leo Babauta’s “The Magical Power of Focus” and Developing Good Habit’s “10 Mindful Habits to Build the Power of Focus – With Action Items.”

 

 

 

Focus on the Holy Spirit's Love - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Focus on the Holy Spirit’s Unconditional-Love when practicing music & drums to be on track:  The Apostle Paul declared in Galatians 5:22-23 that “the [singular] fruit/nature of the Spirit is Unconditional-Love.”  I knew in Greek that the following 8 words are all adjective nouns acting as descriptive ‘flavors’ of the singular fruit called agape Unconditional-Love:  “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery.  Against such things there is no Law.”  No rules are necessary when you have God’s Unconditional-Love – when you have the SpiritUnconditional-Love is also the singular direct object of the singular verb “ongoingly exists as or is defined as.” Unconditional-Love is the focus of the sentence – the point!  Jesus said “a tree is known by its [singular] fruit” and so is the Holy Spirit of Jesus and the Father.  The Triune God is simply Unconditional-Love per 1 John 4:8, 16.

 

THAT is a big enough revelation concerning Drums by the Spirit!  But then God hit me with how the “flavors” are signposts or proofs that you are genuinely experiencing Unconditional-Love, the Spirit. The ‘flavors’ are not our focus but a witness that we are heading in the right direction as we “walking by-the-means-of the Spirit,” nearing the Lord!  Our focus is experiencing the Lord by walking by-the-means-of the Spirit,” who is Unconditional-Love.

 

 

 

Keep the Joy in the Journey - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Keep the God’s Joy in the Journey or end up with an Urn full of a dead-man’s ashes – Your own:  Joy is the primary ‘flavor’ of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit that is Unconditional-Love” (Galatians 5:22-23):  “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery.  Against such things there is no Law.”  Joy:  Keep the Joy in “JO…urne… Y!”  Adventure. Explore. Curiosity. We must remain as little children going out to play with our best friend, the Lord!

 

 

 

Peaceful-Rest means you're on track - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Peaceful-Rest is a sign you are on the right track practicing and playing music & drums.  The ‘flavor’ of Peaceful-Rest comes after Joy in the tasting of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit that is Unconditional-Love” (Galatians 5:22-23):  “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery.  Against such things there is no Law.”

 

Peace:  rest, calm, tranquility, satisfaction, contentment, and gratitude.  No “blood, sweat, tears” work or strain or toil or burden – that is the demon taskmasters driving you to build Egypt’s vain monuments of pride, that are today’s moving goal-posts of this world.  For more about directly learning from the Lord, check out the knowledge page.

 

 

 

Peaceful-Rest after Exercise - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Peaceful-Rest after Exercise to build muscle memory:  Exercise (katergazomai from Philippians 2:12-13) the stick’s rebound by playing rebound- or full-strokes, what I like to call “HH” strokes for starting High and ending High.  Start by slapping the wrist down but with the fingers keeping the stick tightly against the palm, what others call a “power-stroke,” though I also teach that is a “fishing-pole stroke,” because it’s how you would throw a fishing rod!  Notice that in order to get the stick back up in the high starting-position, you will have to lift it back up with your wrist.  This is inefficient because you aren’t using the energy of the down-stroke!  Now gradually loosen your grip until the stick flies back out of your hands like a bouncing rubber ball!  Pick up your stick, but this time apply just enough pressure until it stays in your hand.  Keep your fingers lightly on the stick so they are just “going along for a ride” as the stick “see-saws” in your 2-finger fulcrum grip.  You can lightly tap the fingers during the wrist-stroke, but don’t pull them into your palm tightly or it will turn into a “down- or control-stroke,” which would require lifting your wrist.  However, if you do pull the fingers into the palm lightly, you can do what I call a “throw-up stroke,” where the rebound pushes the fingers out while the wrist remains bent down, then pull the fingers & wrist up together to the starting-position!  This creates a stronger 2nd stroke for inverted doubles RRLL.

 

 

 

Have patience with yourself - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Having long-tempered-patience with your/other’s mistakes is part of God’s Unconditional-Love:  Unconditional-Love’s ‘flavors’ of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) are:  “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery.  Against such things there is no Law.”

 

Patience:  This is not “long-suffering” as some bibles say!  If I flub up (sin – miss the target), STOP, admit (surrender and confess) that your actions aren’t working and they need to be erased/cleansed from your memory/life.  Doing them faster won’t fix the problem – you will make more.  Admit you obviously lack self-control/mastery!  Ask for the Holy Spirit’s self-control/mastery.  Open your hands and Let GO of your “might and power” inability and receive His enabling-power by trusting-relying faith.

 

Think about the correct action.  Go SLOWER than you did before.  Give your mind a chance to create a new, better memory.  Make it a habit, really consciously focusing on the correct action.  When it is correct for awhile, test it by going a little bit faster.  Crawl, walk, run, and fly in that order.

 

 

 

Be kind to yourself - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Show Productive-Kindness of God’s Unconditional-Love to yourself and others, even in Drums:  Unconditional-Love’s ‘flavors’ of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) are: “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery.  Against such things there is no Law.”

 

Kindness:  The Greek word chrestotes means:  a kindness that is well-fitted for what is really needed, thus it is useful or profitable because it meets real needs. Thus, it is closely related to the next word agathosune for inherently good that stresses the kindly rather than the righteous side of goodness.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Unconditional-Love is patient and/coupled kind.”  In Luke 6:35, Jesus tells people to go beyond the “Unconditional-Love your neighbor as yourself” commandment by “unconditionally-loving your enemies and/coupled do good . . . and you be sons of the Most High for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”  Now Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:6 links “patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, and genuine unconditional-love” as behavior of their ministry team.

 

Watch your words to yourself:  Are they positive & encouraging or critical & berating?  Talk to yourself as if you were a little childkindlyKind words get the job done. Critical words are self-destructive.  If you want to do the “right” thing, then be kind to yourself.  If you feel “pushed” or “whipped” or “berated” this is the evil spirit of the Egyptian taskmasters.  Rebuke them in the name of Jesus!  Tell them to get lost!  And then speak kind, unconditionally-loving words of encouragement to yourself.  You may have fallen and skinned your knee, but you will be okay.  You can get up and continue to move forward, one step at a time.

 

I highly recommend going very slowly and speaking to yourself the “useful, productive” steps you want to take. Get mentally coordinated first and take it one step at a time.  Be kind to yourself.  Go slowly enough for your mind to form all the chemical bonds it needs to create a good, solid memory.  Only turn the hose on more after the water has really soaked in. This is really the fastest way to get fast – it’s not by being “impatient or unkind.” This is NOT good!

 

 

 

God to a Good God in prayer for skill - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Going to a Good God in prayer is good: Unconditional-Love’s ‘flavors’ of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) are:  “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery. Against such things there is no Law.”

 

Goodness: The Greek word agathosune is only used 4x in the New Testament and not at all outside of the bible.  It means that which is healthy, effective, efficient, beneficial or useful, excellent quality, beautiful, honorable, and praiseworthy.”

 

Play until your drumming looks and sounds “beautiful, efficient, effective, excellent, quality, and thus useful” like the Creator would make it.  The Lord told me that He can be known more deeply when gazing into the beauty of His creation, even a sunset!  So gaze into your exploration of drumming’s beauty.  And you will feel really Good.

 

On 12/14/2020, the Lord gave me a vision about GOing to a Good God in prayer and this is really the best, good thing you could do to really get the “Doing or Working” to happen – check out the details on this page.

 

 

 

Have enduring faith in God's ability - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

God’s love is full of enduring faith:  Unconditional-Love’s ‘flavors’ of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) are: “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery.  Against such things there is no Law.”

 

Faith/Faithfulness:  Pistis comes from verb pisteuo, which means to have trusting-relying-faith.  Although it comes from peitho, to persuade, it means much more than that!  Sure God may have persuaded you mentally so that you believe, but it goes much deeper. Pistis was a Greek god from Pandora’s Box, “The Trustworthy One.” Thus it was used if something was trustworthy or guaranteed, like a warranty.

 

However, in biblical use faith is a relationship word. It is rarely used in the Old Testament, but there it means steadfastness of trust, so trustfulness or faithfulness.  Although “it does not in itself contain the notion of belief, it must necessarily presuppose it.” The book of Romans is based on Habakkuk 2:4 “The righteous shall live by pistis faith.”  Paul adds, “from faith to faith,” a common idiom for 1 step to another of trusting-relying faith – see Obedient Steps of Faith.

 

In Galatians 5:22, God’s Unconditional-Love is full of trust, trust in Himself, and He is steadfast in it.  He has no intention of giving up on us.  His promises are sure.  He is dedicated to finishing the race.  He is faithful to us even as we falter!  In the New Testament, pistis trusting-relying faith also goes beyond belief to a conviction of trust.  It’s unfortunate so many translations use the word “believe” for pisteuo!  So much is written about enduring faith so it carries that idea of “full of faith or steadfast faith or trustfulness to the end.”

 

God gives each of us the same “measuring-cup” (metron) of trusting-relying faith – God is impartial!  We are at the starting line of the Christian faith as equals.  But what do we do with it?  We are each held responsible.  Our act of trusting-relying faith in Christ is the victory that has overcome the world – and the Judgment Day will prove this!  However, as we “work WITH God” in koinonia fellowship instead of against Him, we grow in our trusting-relying faith because of the work of the Holy Spirit in us.  Like the disciples, we can ask: “Lord, increase our faith.” That’s a prayer that God will always answer because it’s definitely His will!

 

Application to Drumming:  The race is finished only IF you quit – you must go across the finish line.  Don’t give up on yourself or what you are tackling. You can take a break, but come back fresh and tackle it again. The elephant can be eaten one bite at a time.

 

One thing I notice about little kids: They fall down a lot, cry, etc. but before long they are back up playing.  Let’s be like little children and get back to having fun playing!  We can also trust God that as we do, we will keep learning and He will get us to where He wants us.  God is faithful!  Enjoy the journey!

 

 

 

Be gentle with yourself - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Be gentle with yourself as you learn:  Unconditional-Love’s ‘flavors’ of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) are: “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery. Against such things there is no Law.”

 

Gentleness:  The Greek word prautes only used in Galatians 5:23 and 1 Timothy 6:11.  It is divinely-originated (a) because it is a ‘flavor’ of the [singular] fruit of the Spirit that is Unconditional-Love. It comes from the wisdom of God (b).  Gentleness is a balanced meekness, a gentle strength/force that expresses power with reserve and gentleness, thus mildness from the word praus (gentle). A related word is praotes, similarly means temperate, balance of force and gentle reserve, showing a strength in gentleness where unnecessary harshness is avoided without compromising or being too slow to use necessary force.  Both of these are passive, an attitude toward others in view of their actions.  It is not weakness but exercising God’s strength/power under His control/reserve. When facing evil people, instead of of being self-assertive and fighting for our own self-interest, the Holy Spirit powerfully-enables us to have trusting-relying faith in God’s goodness and ultimate self-control/mastery over the situation, so we need not return evil for evil. <Notes> a) Galatians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 4:21; Galatians 6:1, b) James 3:13.

 

Epiekeia is distinctly active form of mildness/gentleness with the emphasis on equity or fairness, one’s deeds toward others, a relaxing of strict legal requirements of others, yet doing this in order to more fully carry out the real spirit of the Law, thus clemency in such a way there is no weakness or injustice (Acts 24:4 and 2 Corinthians 10:1).

 

Gentleness is linked to Unconditional love, the essence/nature of the Spirit (a).  It is linked to humility and patience  (b).  It is linked to being peaceable and showing complete courtesy to all people (c). Thus Christian ministers are to pursue this (d) – there is much spoken prohibiting argument with your opponents (e), even for Christians giving a defense of the hope that is within them (f).  <Notes> a) Galatians 5:23, 1 Corinthians 4:21, Ephesians 4:2, b) Ephesians 4:2, Colossians 3:12, c) Titus 3:2, d) 1 Timothy 6:11, e) 2 Timothy 2:23-25, f) 1 Peter 3:15.

 

Christ is our perfect example of gentleness (a).  And such followers will inherit the earth (b). There is an inner beauty to a person with a gentle and tranquil spirit (c).  Christ’s way of teaching is based on this gentleness and humility (d).  Gentleness is how little children are taught – see The Least Among You page. It’s how the Holy Spirit teaches God’s children, Christ’s “little children” disciples.  It’s to them the secrets of the kingdom are revealed. <Notes> a) 2 Corinthians 10:1; Matthew 11:29, 21:5, b) Matthew 5:5, c) 1 Peter 3:4, d) Matthew 11:29.

 

Application to Drumming:  Therefore speak to yourself as if you’re a little childgently. Don’t play into or past pain. Tension is Evil. Cinch by the inch instead of hard by the yard. Break it down into simple parts. Crawl, walk then run. Take obedient steps of trusting-relying-faith to be led “by-the-means-of the Holy Spirit.” Crawn, then walk, then run – all “by-the-means-of the Holy Spirit.” Be systematic, methodical, simple, and patient.  Say what you want (count & sing) for mental coordination before physical coordination. Create muscle memory for auto-pilot.

 

 

 

Be Gentle - Stay relaxed - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Be Gentle – Stay relaxed – Tension is Evil – Here is an example in Drumming:  Keep your fulcrum as relaxed as possible, again apply just enough pressure to keep the stick from twisting or sliding back and forth as you play.  I’ve found that this unnecessary movement usually means there are other technique problems with your grip – the position of the fulcrum fingers aren’t making maximum frictional contact with the stick, or the other fingers aren’t positioned correctly to help maintain maximum control of the stick.  God invented physics and it behooves us to not resist His ways!  The Lord told me to “go with the flow.  If you fight Me on this, you’re going to have problems.”  Yes, Lord!

 

 

 

Surrender control to God's Mastery - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Surrender control to the Master’s control for to acquire music & drumming skill much faster:  Unconditional-Love’s ‘flavors’ of the “[singular] fruit/essence of God’s Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) are: “Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control/mastery. Against such things there is no Law.”

 

The Greek word egkrateia means:  self-mastery dominion, restraint, control that proceeds within oneself outward. We don’t control ourselves from the outside – we release it out of us! This is a ‘flavor’ of the [singular] fruit/essence/nature of God’s Spirit that is Unconditional-Love.

 

The way to get God’s self-control/mastery is to realize and confess we don’t have it nor ever will have it by our own “might and power” but can receive it “by-the-means-of My Spirit” according to Zechariah 4:6.   Ask the Lord for His self-control!  In the Surrender Control page, you will find much about “letting go and letting God” – exchanging your obvious lack of self-control, your weaknesses, for the self-control of the Holy Spirit’s Unconditional-Love described in Galatians 5:22-23.  It is ultimately where experiencing the ‘flavors’ of the Spirit’s singular fruit of Unconditional-Love will ultimately take you!  Holiness or sanctification is the work of God!

 

But you can’t be ignorant or in denial of your flaws, your “missing of the mark” or sin!  Instead, be in agreement with God about them, i.e., confess them, and let the blood of the Lord Jesus wash all that failure away. Receive the divine propitiation, atonement, or exchange of Christ’s perfect self-control for your imperfect, severely flawed self-control.  Receive this not only for your moral failures but also for your physical weaknesses, even your drumming ones.

 

Routinely “Ask, Seek, and Knock” (A.S.K.) for the Lord’s self-control and you shall actually “receive, find, and have that door opened to you!” Remember that the Holy Spirit is the “Action Hero” of the Triune God – the Doer or Worker. He is the Supernatural Powerful-Enabler!  So call on Him to do this for you!

 

 

 

Surrender control - Go with the Flow - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Surrender – ‘Go with the flow’ of energy – An example in drumming:   Lambano receive the rebound!  Accept the rebound!  If your grip isn’t “in the way” of the stick due to over-pressure, or your wrist isn’t stuck in the “down” position, the stick should rebound with nearly the same energy that it had throwing it down to the surface.  If you stop the natural rebound by over-gripping or holding your wrist down, all that energy has to go somewhere – unfortunately into your wrist, up your forearm into your elbow, up your arm into your shoulders, and then into your neck.  If you play as much as I do, you will be in the hospital in a week.  “Tension is evil,” the Lord has shown me many times!  The Lord isn’t ‘into’ you working, but Him working!  Surrender control – “Let go and Let God!”  Find that peaceful-rest of God in your playing!  It’s “not by might nor power, but by My Spirit, say Yahweh of ruling armies!”  Let your wrist gracefully move up with the energy of the rebound, and your fingers “go for a ride” as the rebound energy pushes the fingers back out to the “start position” for the next stroke – always moving to where they need to be next!  Now you can pull the fingers back into the palm as the wrist slaps back down for the next stroke.

 

 

 

Lambano Receiving of God's Gifts - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Surrender – Lambano receiving of promised gifts of God by grace in order to epignosko experience them thru koinonia sharing – a Revelation on 12-23-2021:  The English word “receive” meaning “to get or be given something, to react to something in a specific way, to welcome someone in usually a formal way” does NOT reflect accurately the 2 different Greek words used in the New Testament, so English bibles have really confused matters by translating both “receive!”  Dechomai is passive and accommodating, but Lambano active and aggressive.  Dechomai is “warmly-welcoming as with a fond friend,” but this can vary from a visual or verbal greeting from afar to a simple or firm handshake to even a hug or a kiss, so the context may give a clue!  Lambano “grabbing hold of to possess for yourself” goes further by ‘bringing it in’ so para close-beside you and inside you that you take personally ownership of it!  All the important Truth of the New Testament has to go beyond dechomai and deeper into lambano for you to actually genuinely, experientially, relationally epiginosko know how agathos ‘excellently good, joyful, and beneficial’ these grace-gifts are, because it takes this level of meno ‘abiding connection-to’ them through koinonia intimate-fellowship with them and the Giver!  He showed me 3 responses to His grace-gifts that produces 3 results.  He gave me 7 steps to apply this.

 

 

 

Lambano grabbing of Inverted Doubles - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

An example:  Lambano Grabbing for Inverted Doubles:  A practical example of lambano “grabbing for it” is a technique of playing inverted double-strokes, where the second stroke is louder than the first:  RR or LL.  Without slapping your wrist to the surface, loosen and drop you fingers away from the stick.  This will allow the stick to simply drop to the surface.  Right after it rebounds, forcefully “grab the stick” with the fingers and pull the stick back up into the palm.  This will create the louder second stroke.  These inverted doubles are a great way to strengthen the normally “weaker link” 2nd stroke you hear in many drummers’ rolls:  RRLL, which make them choppy.  So as you play RRLL faster, it will start to even out like RRLL or at softer volumes simply:  RRLL.  Praise the Lord!  RLR or LRL repeated 1-sided triplets that sound like a filled-in Shuffle, RRL or LLR repeated front-side triplets, RLL or LRR repeated back-side triplets, RLRR and LRLL alternating paradiddles, RRLR and LLRL alternating reverse paradiddles, RLLR and LRRL alternating inside paradiddles, and RLRL or LRLR repeated singles or alternating outside paradiddles are ALL other fun ways to practice inverted doubles.  Inverted triples RRR LLL are a bit trickier!

 

 

 

Go with the "living water" Flow of the Holy Spirit - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Surrender – Go with the “living water” flow of the Holy Spirit’s plans, programs, and schedules instead of yours:  Going with the Flow is “letting God and letting God” by surrendering control.  We have to “Let Go” of our own plans, programs, and schedules and “Let God” give us the Spirit’s plans, programs, and schedules. We need to watch, listen, and feel in proseuche conversational-prayer so we can get God’s will for our day, our worship service, our music, and our drumming. This is the nature of prophecy – receiving the Rhema Word of God.

 

The Lord drove this point in at the tail end of this video when a homeless man came and interrupted the video. I quickly ended it. I had my plans to make more videos, but I could tell after about 5 minutes that the Lord had other plans. I’m so glad that I surrendered to the Lord’s plan. We ended up talking for an hour and the Lord gave me so many words “in that very hour” to decree and declare in prayer into his life. I was able to share my return to the Lord in 2008 and my Spirit Baptism at that time.  He was very excited and as it got dark it was time for him to leave. We were both very glad to have met. I could see the effect of the Holy Spirit on him. And was able to cover him in prayer together with him.

 

I have rarely ministered like this but it seemed quite natural as the Lord was moving through me. And this video is my grateful exuberance!  It really changed my day!

 

As it’s almost dark the Lord gave me so many prophetic messages about drumming to His creation and my shadow silhouette against the background lighting was a reminder of the shadow of the Old Testament, so only 2.6% of the OT was used in the NT and only to convert Jews to Christ.  The other 97.4% of the OT is Law-based, the shadowy veil over Moses’ face that blocked the glory of God from the people, so that it hardens their hearts and causes sin to multiply.  Only by turning to Jesus is the veil removed so we can actually be transformed.

 

Then the Lord reminds me from January 2021 that “an avalanche of truth is coming that will shake the earth” – the Light will overcome the darkness. Some people will not heed the warning and will get buried and perish by it, for the Lord has repetitively said, “Repent or you too shall perish.”

 

 

 

Use a mirror - Drum Practicing by the Spirit

A mirror is worth 10,000 words:  A picture is worth more than a 1000 words – it’s worth 10,000!  Ask the Lord to show you what He wants you to eido mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know  – this is prophetic vision’s New Covenant Way to the genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of God.  Watch your technique carefully, especially in a mirror, and ask the Lord to teach you how to “obey His laws of physics” instead of working against them!  You will also see the Joy of the Lord come upon your face when His presence comes!

 

 

 

Learn progressively - Drum Practicing by the Spirit

Progressively, systematically, methodically build your music & drum knowledge by experience:  The genuine knowledge of/belonging-to God is progressive!  That’s what ginosko, epiginosko, and epignosis knowledge have in common in their definitions of “experiential, relational knowledge.”  Even the “surpassing gnosis info-knowledge that belongs to Christ” that Paul says in Philippians 3:8 he “counts all things as a loss for” is revealed to us progressively piece by piece.  That’s because the genuine knowledge of God is not acquired in a lump-sum event, but it “grows and expands progressively” through fellowship with the Lord.  The Holy Spirit feeds God’s “little children” one meal after another, especially as we “routinely Ask, Seek, and Knock (A.S.K.)” during conversational-prayer.

 

Many of the revelations about Music the Lord gives me are about progressively learning Drum Technique.  For example, lead with 1 hand playing a single-stroke and progressively expand the number of strokes with the other hand:  RL, RLL, RLLL, RLLLL, etc.  Then lead with a double-stroke:  RRL, RRLL, RRLLL, RRLLLL, etc.  Then lead with a triple-stroke:  RRRL, RRRLL, RRRLLL, RRRLLLL, etc. and continue this process until you have 6-8 lead strokes.  Awesome!  Now exercise your weaker hand even more by leading with it:  LR, LRR, LRRR … LLR, LLRR, LLRRR . . . LLLR, LLLRR, LLLRRR, . . ., etc.  Do you see how progressive this is?

 

Praise the Lord that He gives us systematic methods to explore drumming, if you will but akouo listen to understand/know Him!  Then the Lord makes a great non-sequitur sunesis connect-the-dots understanding for me:  This will help you greatly with Mixed-Meter or Mixed-Time Feels!  How?  RRLLL is 2-3 phrasing:  (12)(123) for 5/4 Meter or (1 + )(2 e a) Mixed Time-Feels of “Straight” Duple-Subdivision 1/8-notes + 1/8-note Triplets of “Swung” Triple-Subdivision for Swing 2/4 Meter.  Wow!  Isn’t God awesome?!

 

 

 


Hard by the Yard but Cinch by the Inch - Drums Practicing by the SpiritBe Progressive – It’s Hard by the Yard but a Cinch by the Inch:   Learn Drums faster by breaking it down and rebuilding it step by step:  So many things are hard if you try to jump in and try to do it all.  Better to break up a Yard into 36 inches and do 1 inch at a time. How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time!  So I do this with Single Strokes 1, then 2, then 3, etc. on one side, then the other, then alternating – using uneven and even counting by smaller and smaller Time subdivisions.  This is great for Mixed Meters for Progressive music, but also good for Mixed Time Feels by phrasing within the same Meter. It’s great for Accent Stick Control.  There is a great video on Focus is Fire – Focus is Power that is uses the Cinch by the Inch idea.  I also break down rudiments and rebuild them stroke by stroke,  or by Hand-Isolation.  You have any ideas?

 

 

Variety is the spice of life, even in Learning Drums by the Spirit

Be Progressive – Add variety because it is the spice of life, even in Learning Drums but do this progressively step by step (22PWG).

 

 

 

Use it our lose it - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Be Progressive when you Use it or Lose it to work the new stuff you learned into the old stuff you already know (22PWG)

 

 

 

Focus is Fire & Power - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Focus is Fire, Focus is Power – like a magnifying glass focuses the rays of sun on this cold day into a small beam that could set fire to anything and that fire, like so many sources of fire, can create power, the focus of our mind’s thoughts will do the same.  I show you how I apply focus to drumming, but can’t you do this in singing or on another instrument?  I have many videos that speak of this, as you will see.  Do you have some ideas?  Please add them to the comments below. That’s what koinonia fellowship/partnership is about. I use pieces of tape as targets for what I need to hit to help me with Technique – Stick Control.  We need focus to ignore all the distractions in the news!  I use mirrors to help me focus on technique.   Focus on the weak link or bottleneck and then progressively work into and out of the problem – see below.  Focus on the Holy Spirit’s Unconditional-Love for you as you practice to really flow in the Spirit – see above.

 

Even as I learn Drum-Set Grooves of 4 limbs, most often 1-3 limbs are a repeating Ostinato I can practice enough until it becomes ‘auto-pilot’ in the ‘back-stage’ of my mind so that I can focus on 1 limb that is playing something that is less steady, like a ‘melody.’ This is getting the ‘spotlight on the frontline of the stage’ in the front of my brain. I practice every combination of 2 limbs to build this coordination, focusing just on 1 limb. Then I do this for every combo of 3 limbs. Then finally I’m coordinated for 4 limbs! This is explained here in that video.   For Ostinato vs Melody video see here in that video.  I use counting for the left-brain and singing for the right-brain to focus my thoughts on the ‘melody’ limb, see here in this video.  It’s hard by the yard but cinch by the inch, see here for that video.  If you run out of ideas, routinely Ask, Seek, and Knock (A.S.K.) for revelation to learn Music by the Spirit!

 

 

 

Focus on weak links & bottlenecks - Drums Practicing by the Spirit

Focus on the weak link or bottleneck in music to fix the chain and assembly line:  If two trucks pull on a chain, where will it break?  You know how many blank stares I get when I ask my students that?  Of course, it breaks at the weak link!  That’s also where the problem will be in your music!  If you want to speed up production in a factory making cars, do you spend all your time and money improving the efficiency of each person on the assembly line through training programs, or just focus on the ‘bottlenecks‘ in production, those 1 or 2 people that don’t know how to work at the same time they are talking – or are they texting on their phones?

 

Most people only have so much time to practice, so if you want to make the most out of your time, ask the Lord where your weaknesses are, so through the revelation of the Holy Spirit’s sophia wisdom and sunesis ‘connect-the-dots’ understanding and genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge and His dunamis Spirit-enabling-power, your ‘weak links‘ or ‘bottlenecks‘ will be strengthened.  Within a short time, you will see vast improvements in your playing!  For example, I’ve found that most problems in drumming are fundamental issues like your fulcrum, grip, and rebound.  All the pros in every field will tell you:  “Master the fundamentals!”  For RH-players, the LH is usually the weakest, so spend way more time leading with the LH and doing drills that really work it!  Check out the Technique – Stick Control page!

 

 

 

Find Balance – Exercise your 2-finger fulcrum to strengthen your Technique, Stick Control, speed, and power:  Strengthen the fulcrum with this rebound exercise by only having the front 2 fulcrum fingers on the stick, while the others are out of the way completely.  See if you can rebound the stick and not loose it.  Now this requires a lot of tension, which you would never do during your playing!  But this practice-exercise is like being in the gym to build weak muscles.  This repetitive “weight-training” of the fulcrum will build the weak muscles that are allowing too much stick slippage and twisting, which I’ve seen in too many students.  This conscious practice-exercise of the fulcrum will help you keep your fulcrum fingers in their proper positions when you are unconscious of the fulcrum during your performing.

 

 

If you have something for others that you’ve learned while practicing in the Spirit, let us all know below so that we can all “weigh in on it, learn from each other, and be encouraged” per 1 Corinthians 14:29, 31.

 

 

More to come!

 

 

Thank YOU for visiting:  Spirit – Drums-Practicing – BT4

 

 

 

Share your blessings to help other: Spirit - Drums-Practicing - BT4

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Spirit – Practice – Drums – BT3

 

 

 

 

Drummer’s prep checklist at ANY Band rehearsal

 

 

 

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Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

 

Hopefully your Band, especially if it’s a Worship-Band, is open to the Spirit-Perform page checklist suggestions.  If they still are hesitant, they can always read the nitty-gritty theology behind these conclusions from this BLOG.  If they are still struggling with this approach they can Contact Us for a clinic on “Worship by the Spirit rather than by Might and Power.”

 

 

 Set up your gear right away so that the Band isn’t waiting for you:

 

 

  • Insure you have a monitor or earbud (in one ear) for good sound.

 

  • Make sure the drum set is on a rug so the kit won’t slide around on you.  This has ruined more than one gig for me!

 

  • Insure all the bolts on the drum set are tight.  I’ve had a few Crash cymbal stands and Low Tom legs collapse on me!

 

  • Make sure the drum set is tuned (if acoustic) and that the instrument type and sound levels for each pad are the way you like them (if electronic).

 

  • Insure your trap table, sticks, hand-percussion, fan, wipe-off rag, and water bottle are all in place.

 

  • Place the music stand so you can keep a peripheral eye on the Band leader’s hands because they often vary the tempo and dynamics!

 

  • Before your Band starts playing, it’s a real good idea to spend some quality time in proseuche Conversational-prayer with the Lord in fellowship!  I would think a Worship-Band would do this!  2-minute token prayers grieve the Holy Spirit!  Remember the Lord’s words:  “For where 2 or 3 are gathered in My name/authority, there am I among them.”  This is a special time to bask together in His presence, showing that you have surrendered your control to His Holy Spirit to fill you, guide you, and teach you ALL things – especially the worship music you are about to rehearse!

 

  • Do a sound check with the rest of the musicians, insuring you can all hear your monitors well.  Watch others if possible – sight is faster than sound!

 

  • Arrange your drum charts in the order of the Band’s rehearsal if you haven’t already prepared this.  However, sometimes they make last minute changes.  Place your pencil on your music stand.

 

  • Find out the tempo they take each song at or use a tap-metronome app on your phone, replacing the previous “BPM” marking in the upper left-hand corner.

 

  • Mark in the upper left-hand corner for each song if the piano or guitar lead the band in, or if you will need to set the tempo with a “Click Off.”

 

  • After you play a section or song, make any changes you need on your chart in pencil.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions – now is the time!

 

  • After you are finished with all the songs, ask any more questions now – last chance!  Mark your drum charts.  Keep the charts in the order of the service.

 

  • Thank the Lord, the Band’s leader, and the other musicians for the opportunity to play such beautiful music together, especially in at least your worship of the Lord!

 

  • Pack up your gear, putting everything back the way you found it, just as if you were never there!

 

 

If you have another chance to personally practice your drums to prepare, take advantage of the opportunity to rehearse the changes you made to your drum charts to any recordings the church has provided or to songs on the internet if they aren’t too different.

 

 

 

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Spirit – Practice – Drums – BT2

 

 

 

 

After your last pre-performance personal Drum Practice session to prepare for ANY Band rehearsal

 

 

 

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Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

 

  • Verify the Band’s rehearsal venue even has a drum kit and whether it is acoustic or electronic.

 

  • Pack up everything so you won’t forget anything when you leave:

 

A pair of headphones or earbuds in case you have to plug into an electronic drum module to partially monitor the drums if the sound is bad.

 

A personal power monitor, long cord, and power strip in case they don’t have one, so that you will play in time with the rest of the group.

 

If they don’t have a drum set rug to keep the kit from sliding around.

 

Verify they have a music stand with a light (if a dimly lit stage)!  Bring clothes pins just in case they have wind blowing around!

 

Your drum charts plus several pencils with erasers, because invariably others will need them to mark their music too! Even though you hopefully had practiced your charts so much that you don’t need to look at them but can now just focus on feeling the music or worshipping the Lord, the Band may very well change the charts, and so to “become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22), you will need to mark your charts with the changes so you can practice them at home!

 

A drum lug-adjusting key used for removing drum pedal beaters and fine tuning their kit.

 

2 pairs of sticks in case one breaks, plus any brushes or mallets needed.

 

Your bass drum pedal with hard and soft beaters, especially if they have electronic drums.

 

A water bottle, wipe-down rag, and small fan with a long enough power cord in case it’s unbearably hot, which is often the case for drummers.

 

Any hand-drums or hand-percussion needed.

 

If you have stick or percussion changes, a covered TV tray or trap table is a good idea.  You can also place your fan, wipe-off rag, and water bottle on it!

 

 

 

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Spirit – Practice – Drums – BT1

 

 

 

 

Practical steps for your pre-performance personal Drum Practice before the 1st Band rehearsal

 

 

 

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Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

If you don’t know how to create drum charts from lead sheets and/or by ear, please Contact Us to set up a lesson.  The simple procedure below will save you hours of practice and will definitely help you communicate and work more effectively with other musicians when the time comes:

 

  • Print out any lead sheets the church has provided or ask them where you can find them.

 

  • Listen to the music the church has provided or the more popular versions from the internet to mark up your lead sheets with:

 

Music style (Gospel, March, Folk, Alternative Rock, Blues, Latin, Country, etc.) – put this in upper left-hand corner in pencil, as with everything below.

 

Tempo (Very Fast, Fast, Medium, Slow, Very Slow) or estimated Beats-Per-Minute (BPM) from a metronome – put this in upper left-hand corner.

 

“Artsy” things to do (if any) in the Intro, when the drum beat comes in, and if there is a lead-in “F” i l l.

 

Basic beats written out for each section with Time-Keeper used (Ride, tight Hi-Hat [HH], slosshy HH, Crash-Ride [CRide], Low Tom [LT]).

 

Use the overall rhythm of the lead sheet to determine what kind of notes (1/4, 1/8, triplets, 1/16, or mixture) are best for the Time-Keeping Feel.

 

Use the lower notes of the lead sheet to indicate where possible bass drum beats can be marked.

 

Use arrows to quickly see the navigation of the repeats, signs, coda, etc. of song structure or form.

 

Mark “S”tops and the count when the “F” i l l  begins within the Break, and whether the F i l l  is a windup in note density (<) or a wind-down (>).

 

Mark gradual or sudden Buildups (B <) of repetitive rhythms and/or volume start and end (usually on a Crash).

 

Mark any obvious “C”rashes (or use a  big “*”), especially in rhythmic figures, most often placed over or on a chord marking.

 

Mark any cymbal rolls (“X~~~~” above music) or delicate “Tink”ling of the cymbals for artistic effect.

 

Mark any Hi-Hat “O”pens or foot splashes (“X~~~” below music).

 

Mark in any hand-percussion you will add for effect.

 

  • Now practice this drum chart to the music recording you have, making refinements to it along the way.  Play it so many times that you really don’t have to look anymore at the music stand.  You ultimately want to turn your attention away from “technicals” and focus completely on “worshipping by [singular] Spirit and/coupled [singular] Truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks” (John 4:23-24).

 

  • Thank the Lord for your awesome practice session and thank Him in advance for a future opportunity to practice at least one more time before you get together with the other musicians.

 

  • Don’t stress out about getting everything just perfect. The main thing is keep your eyes on the Lord’s smile as you play until the song flows by the Spirit.  You want to surrender your control completely to the Lord!

 

 

 

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Fellowship – BT4:  Growing our relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

 

 

 

Video - Part 1: Fellowship - BT4:  Growing our relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

Part 1

 

 

Fellowship – BT4:  Growing our relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

See also the Holiness/Sanctification page.

 

Now that we have become a Christian from the previous BLOG, our koinonia relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit grows by only ONE thing that I could find in the New Testament (NT) – koinonia sharing-together God’s zoe genuine-life through proseuchomai conversational-praying.  Out of 5 early Church “devotions” (c), proseuche conversational-prayer is what is mentioned most (a) and the most frequently strongly-urged by the imperative to be routinely/habitually practiced, as expressed by the Greek present participle (b), and the only one explicitly stated as “the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (d).  Tragically, this is one of the last priorities in many churches and Christian lives!  This could explain why they are so powerless.  But I’ve dedicated the Conversational-Prayer page to this – it is radically changing my life and will yours too!  <Notes> a) Acts 1:14, 2:42, 6:4; 1 Corinthians 7:5, b) Luke 11:9, 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1, c) proskartereo: earnest towards, persevering, constantly diligent, attend assiduously, d) 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18.

 

After a very long study on “The Plan A of God,” I found that Jesus came tosave or restore” God’s original, perfect “Plan A” given for the “least among you to the greatest” and simple enough for even little children so that no partiality is shown (a).  God had spelled it out to Moses to present to His people in Exodus 20:18-21 at Mt. Sinai, a perfect plan for God to speak to the people directly – that is the definition of prophetic rhema words – to “inspect them closely” in order to “purge sin from them,” a perfect plan that the people rejected but that only Moses obeyed. Thus only Moses received the benefits of a direct personal relationship meta ‘changed by close proximity with’ God, and the people got what they wanted instead God’s permissible-will “Plan B” –

 

It was a religion of indirect communication with God, delivered by Moses as a go-between mediator-teacher, rules grapho written down in gramma letters/writings as graphe scripture to “imprison them all under sin” (a), treating them as little-children instead of mature-sons by giving them strict rules that order them around like slaves (b) by using the Law of rules like strictly-controlling school-escort-guardians or house-managers (c), only giving them gnosis info head-knowledge with stoicheion fundamental ‘abc’ principles (d) secondarily taught by ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (e) by rote to stoicheo walk in a line by rules through at top-down hierarchy of fallible humans down “from the greatest to the least.” <Notes> a) Galatians 3:22, b) Galatians 4:1, 24-25, 31, c) Galatians 3:23-25, 4:2, d) Galatians 4:3, 9; Colossians 2:8, 20, Hebrews 5:12, e) Isaiah 28:10, 13, written as a gibberish to mock the rabbis for choosing bible-study instead of prophetic vision to know God – see New Covenant Ways – BT17 and – BT18l

 

But Jesus came to sozo restore/save “Plan A” for how God’s little children were to relate to their loving Heavenly Father – by the means of the “obedience of faith” where the righteous ones live by trusting-relying-faith, from one step of faith to another,” which is the very thesis (b) of Paul’s “Book of Romans,” his gospel plan of salvation explained to the entire Gentile world! <Notes> a) Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; James 2:1, b) Romans 1:5, 17, 16:26.

 

God’s original perfect-will “Plan A” still is to have:  a genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge that is an abundantly fulfilling, powerfully transforming, and an abiding fellowship with God thru:  Coming near/close-beside to God with simple, child-like trusting-relying-faith and relentless boldness thru:  A devoted, restful-waiting, still-watching, quietly-listening, worshipful, conversational-prayer dialogue where any routine/habitual ‘asking, seeking, and knocking’ is for God’s Holy Spirit to fill us to completion with all the abundant-fullness of God Himself by-the-means-of the Holy Spirit!

 

The Lord has shared with me several times as I was landscaping and watering, that genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of Him requires the same attention, the same cultivation, and the same care for this relationship knowledge to GROW.  There are no short cuts.  This is not a “lump-sum event” or instant download that you have to just “take by faith” happened, but grows progressively and experientially during fellowship.

 

It’s like any intimate, love relationship – you need to spend regular, quality time just being together, optanomai gazing in awe with wide-open eyes into each other’s eyes (a), holding hands, really akouo listening to each other, and just enjoying doing things together.  The Hebrew idiom “drawing near/close beside, even very close beside” (b) God is exactly the meaning of fellowship WITH God in proseuchomai conversational-prayer.  This is also where all the “work” gets done from God by the means of His Holy Spirit by “inspecting them closely” in order to “purge sin from them.”  And it’s where we really learn to worship!

 

<Notes> a) Matthew 5:8; John 16:22; Romans 15:21; Acts 13:31; 1 John 3:2, b) eggizo very close beside, into the very presence: James 4:8; 1 Peter 4:7; Hebrews 7:19, and proserchomai: Hebrews 7:25. Proserchomai:  a Hebraism for “seeking an audience with, approaching, inquiring of, calling on to visit, or be heard by” God, thus closely akin in spelling and meaning to proseuche conversational-prayer and proskuneo worship

 

 

Video - Part 2: Fellowship - BT4:  Growing our relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

Part 2

 

In Revelation 2:4-5, Jesus warns a region of churches, headed by one of the oldest churches in Ephesus:  “I have this against you:  You have abandoned The Unconditional-Love you had at first.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent (a) and/coupled the first-in-time/foremost ergon ‘doings/works’, you definitely/wholly poieo make/do/cause.  If in-possibility-NOT, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place – IF you should in-possibility-NOT repent (a).”  The “light” Christians and churches are to “let shine before others, like a lamp on a stand, so that the world may see your good ‘doings’ and give glory to your Father in heaven” (b) sure isn’t OT ergon ‘doings/works,’ but those associated with “The Unconditional-Love that you had at first.”

 

When you FIRST fall in love with someone, what is it that you “do” most of?  We talked about this above – being, watching, listening, laughing, loving, living – all this done really together-WITH each other!  I really didn’t understand this passage until after I had been married about 5 years and kind of fell into a “rut” of just going through the routines of life with my wife, the house, our jobs, etc.  Ephesus also fell into that “hard work and/coupled perseverance . . . having endured hardships for My name sake and/thus have not grown weary” routine year after year.

 

The Lord talked to me at length one morning aboutremembering back to those first things we did TOGETHER,” and I took this to mean my wife and I, so this was a good exercise for me to improve my marriage, but He said: “No,’ and then He reminded me of this Revelation 2:4-5 passage above I hadn’t read in years!  Then He said, “A lot of churches just like a lot of Christians are in that same place.”  I knew the Lord was getting me back on track, telling me what His priorities are – it’s ALL about our relationship of unconditional-love!  Otherwise the “hard works” turn into a duty and drudgery all in Christ’s name, doings/works FOR Him!  This is NO different than the religion of the Old Covenant or any world religions. <Notes> a) metanoia:  an after-effect of mind/heart/inner man, implying an internal change after an activity, where the ‘activity’ is defined by the context – see Surrender Control, b) Matthew 5:14-16.

 

Peter believes that if we have a genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of the Father and/coupled the Son, then we’ll have unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace and/coupled peace multiplied to us, and then God’s Spirit-power will [as it has already] grant us all things pertaining to zoe genuine-life and/coupled godliness, along with His great precious promises, so that we can be koinonos partakers of God’s divine nature in order to escape the corruption of the world (a) – see Holiness/Sanctification<Notes> a) 2 Peter 1:2-5.

 

Yes, zoe genuine-life and/coupled godliness, starts and grows with the genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge, just as Jesus said:  “Now this actually, presently/ongoingly exist-as/is-defined-as the everlasting, zoe genuine life – that they might (it’s our choice) presently/ongoingly ginosko experientially, relationally know You the only true God and/coupled who You actually, already sent:  Jesus Christ (The Anointed One, the Messiah)” (a). <Notes> a) John 17:3.

 

We are also to ongoingly fellowship with the Holy Spirit!  “God also bore-witness/testified by-the-means-of signs, wonders, and various miracles and/coupled by-the-means-of grace-gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed kata down-from/according-to His will” (a) to these same Jewish-Christians “who having already been enlightened/illuminated, who have already tasted the heavenly grace-gift (the Holy Spirit) and/coupled have already been changed-sharers (b) of [singular] Holy Spirit and/coupled have already tasted the kalos beautiful-goodness’ of the logos gospel message of God and/coupled the dunamis dynamite-like enabling-power [the Holy Spirit] of the age that is presently/routinely/habitually mello ‘surely ready-to-happen” (c).  The Pentecost experience was still going on!  <Notes> a) Hebrews 2:4, b) metochos: changed due to sharing or being an active-partaker with, c) Hebrews 6:4-5.

 

From Hebrews 3:1, these Jewish-Christians as “holy brethren were changed-sharers (b) of/possessing a heavenly calling,” because “we have already become changed-sharers (a) of Christ – IF in fact we definitively/wholly should-hold our first confidence/assurance (b) as-far-as-until the end” (c) – this is the enduring faith of Obedient Steps of Faith – BT16.

 

<Notes> a) metochos: changed due to sharing or being an active-partaker with, b) hupostasis: ‘standing under’ a guaranteed agreement, a title-deed or legal claim to precious promises or property, thus entitling someone to what is guaranteed under the particular agreement.  We are only entitled to God’s “precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4) if what we do “proceeds from faith” (Romans 14:23), for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6), c) Hebrews 3:1, 14.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, our playing must be birthed and growing from regular fellowship with God and the only NT earnest, persevering, diligent “devotion” that was strong-urged with the imperative the most that early Christians practiced the most, was “drawing near to God” proseuche conversational-prayer, but this is not primarily the monologue of deesis asking-supplication prayer that religion has converted prayer into!

 

God’s perfect-will “Plan A” was always to speak prophetic rhema words directly to His people.  Whenever we refuse to enter His presence to be “taught by God” due to unbelief, shame from sin, or fear of judgment, we will end up with second-hand gnosis info head-knowledge at best through a hierarchy of authoritative teachers who will introduce error, but it sure won’t be transforming relationship WITH God!

 

No, first-hand knowledge is genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge that is only acquired in an koinonia intimate love relationship through proseuche conversational-prayer – real quality time for lovers to build a relationship with!  Many older Christians and churches fall into the “routines of marriage” and need to “repent, and do the first things” that naturally lovers do!  That’s when we actually experience God’s unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace, love’s joy, restful-peace, Spirit-power, and precious promises so that we can actually share in God’s holy nature, thus having godliness and zoe genuine-life, including the Spirit’s grace-gifts and signs & wonders.

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, gnosis Bible-info isn’t epignosis relationship knowledge, using the bible to win arguments against bible-experts a waste of time and not often Christ-like, The conn artists twist the scripture, Better to confirm the gospel with signs wonders and miracle demonstrable-proofs of the Spirit, Better to share the effect of God’s relationship on you as your witness, My experience with bible-knowledge verses direct-connection relationship knowledge, older churches & Christians can forget they first love, remember those first works of love and turn back to them, Genuine-life & Godliness grows only by genuine epignosis relationship-knowledge, Relationship with God via the Holy Spirit gives us holiness

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT3:  Starting a relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

 

 

 

Video: Fellowship - BT3:  Starting a relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

 

 

Fellowship – BT3:  Starting a relationship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

See also Salvation page

 

Starting a relationship with Father and Son:  All the New Testament (NT) Greek words in the previous BLOGs are used to describe a koinonia communal fellowship WITH the Father (a) and WITH the Son, even in koinonia sharing of Christ’s suffering in the midst of our own trials/persecution (b), just as we “sumphutos united-together-with Christ in a death like His” thru our water-baptism to be saved (c).  Our vertical relationship with God directly affects our “koinonia sharing in God’s holy nature” (d) or “being koinonia partakers of the divine nature” (e), which is the very reason our Father “paideuo ‘educationally-trains us like little-childen‘ for our own good” (d), “treating us as matured-sons . . . something all matured-sons have been metochos ‘changed-after-sharing-with’ [the Father] (f) (g), so that “we may not be condemned along with the world” (h).  We simply must be changed by the Holy nature of Father-God by being meno connected-to Him in koinonia intimate fellowship!  For that reason, Jesus “became a metochos changed-sharer (f) in our flesh and blood nature so that through death He might destroy him (the devil) who had the power of death” (i).

 

<Notes> a) 1 John 1:3, 6, 7; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Peter 1:2-5, b) Philippians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 1:7; Hebrews 10:32-34; 1 Peter 4:13, c) Romans 6:5; Colossians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 4:10; Philippians 3:10-11, d) Hebrews 12:10 – this is not ‘tough love’ harsh disciplinary action as too many bibles mislead you to believe – see Least Among You – BT11 and Unconditional-Love – BT2, e) 2 Peter 1:4, f) metochos: changed due to sharing or being an active-partaker with, g) Hebrews 12:6-8, matured children, no longer like slaves of the Law, but inheritors of the promises because of Christ, h) 1 Corinthians 11:32, i) Hebrews 2:14.

 

Our relationship with the Father starts through our relationship with the Son, God’s representation on earth, and this starts when we are sumphutos united-together-with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection during our water-baptism.  That’s also when our relationship with the Spirit begins – yes, all this during our water-baptism!  “Blessed and holy/set-apart are those who routinely/habitually hold-to-have a share/portion (a) in the first resurrection – the second death has in fact no power over them, but they will be priests of God and/coupled of Christ and/thus will reign with Him” (b). <Notes> a) meros, b) Revelation 20:6.

 

When does that happen?  Paul explains:  “Do you not know that all of us who have been water-baptized into Christ Jesus were water-baptized into His death?  We were buried therefore with Him by water-baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory (a) of the Father, we too might walk/live in/by/with completely-different-kind ‘newness’ of zoe genuine-life.  For IF we have been umphutos united-together-with Him in a death like His, we shall CERTAINLY be umphutos united-together-with Him in a resurrection like His” (b).  <Notes> a) Holy Spirit: Romans 8:11, b) Romans 6:3-5.

 

Many verses like 1 Peter 3:21 and Mark 16:16 also say you simply cannot be saved without water-baptism because “Water-baptism . . . now saves you ALSO [v.20: like the ark safely brought Noah’s family to safety thru-the-realizing-channel-of water] . . . as an eperotema ‘earnest-seeking-by-REQUEST-for [a] suneidesis ‘good/clear conscience – an eido seeing-perception sun together-with God’ eis ‘toward and reaching the goal of’ God dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”  Yes, this “seeking-inquiry/request from God for a clear conscience” is exactly what Romans 10:13 speaks of: “Everyone who ‘calls on’ the name/authority of the Lord/Master-owner [Jesus] shall indeed be saved” – and all through the NT the place they did that was water-baptism!  See also ‘Confession of the Faith’ in Surrender Control.  See the Salvation page for other Obedient-Steps-of-Faith involved in salvation.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, don’t we want to koinonia share in God’s holy nature?  If so, we must become like “little children of God” so-trained by our heavenly Father.  The NT is crystal clear that our fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit begins with our water-baptism.  If you haven’t taken this “obedient step of faith,” how can you possibly play “by-the-means-of the Spirit” if you haven’t experienced the initial “pleroo filling-to-completion of the Holy Spirit,” which is called “Spirit-baptism?”  This is not some invisible gnosis informational “theology, dogma, or creed” head-knowledge you have to simply “take by faith” but a genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge that you either have or don’t, and it was very visible to the witnesses of your water-baptism!  If you don’t, then all you have is playing “by you own “might and power” of the flesh!  And this is simply not the New Covenant Way!

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Starting a relationship with God for salvation, Communing with the Father and Son, Sharing in Christ’s suffering thru our own trials, Our relationship with God is how we share in His Holiness by the Holy Spirit, God gently educationally-trains us like little-children so we won’t be condemned with the world, Water-baptism starts our relationship when we share in Christ’s death burial resurrection

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT2:  Bible-study knowledge won’t lead you to Relationship knowledge

 

 

 

Video - Part 1: Fellowship - BT2:  Bible-study knowledge won’t lead you to Relationship knowledge

Part 1

 

 

Fellowship – BT2:  Bible-study knowledge won’t lead you to Relationship knowledge

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

My extensive studies on the Knowledge page make it clear that bible-info only results in more gnosis info-knowledge, sunesis inductive, rational, logical reasoning by sequitur ‘connecting-the-dots’ of the gnosis info to gain understanding-knowledge, and sophia wisdom that puts it all together for application, but none of this requires any koinonia relationship with/close-beside God whatsoever, and the scribes and Pharisees proved that!

 

The effective defense against false teaching or heresy is not more bible-info as so many churches and bible-colleges will tell you!  The bible is exactly what the Jewish-teachers were using to confuse Jewish-Christians to go back into slavery to the Law!  The scribes & Pharisees made their financial living from the Law and so they had a vested interest/agenda in promoting it.

 

Similarly, Peter also says that “scoffers . . . following their own sinful desires . . . will say ‘Where is the promise of Christ’s coming?’ . . . the patience (the delayed coming) of our Lord as salvation [opportunity for others] [I strongly urge you’all to] ongoingly hegeomai ‘be highly regarding by your leading opinion,’ kathos (adverbly) ‘down-from in like manner, just-as’ kai moreover [highly-regarding by your leading opinion’ in the beloved brother of us Paul, kata down/from the wisdom already-been-given to him [revealed by Jesus & His Spirit, thus prophetic, that Paul] already grapho wrote to you’all, hos (adverbly) ‘just as’ kai also in pas all/whole-of the epistole letters [from him], routinely/habitually speaking in them all-around/concerning these things (about the Lord’s coming), among which some things [in the letters] are difficult-to-be-understood, which the unlearned and/coupled unstable-thus-unreliable twist-to-pervert, hos (adverbly) ‘just as’ kai also tas-loipos ‘the others of a kind/class/category-of previously spoken of’ [the whole of] graphe scriptures, to their (the twisters) own destruction.  Don’t be carried away with the error of [these] lawless people.”  <Notes> a) 2 Peter 3:3-4, 16-17.

 

In content Peter’s argument is NOT that Paul’s letters are DEFINED as graphe scripture   despite “proof texter’ proponents of the belief that the New Testament (NT) was always considered universally authoritative ‘graphe scripture’ even though no Church Fathers referred to it as such, and even argued against this notion, until a Catholic apologetics-theologian Tertullian in 208 AD resorted to applying graphe to the Christian’s highly-debated loose collection of writings, in a desperate argumentative-defense against the Jews and the so-called heresies of Monarchian Praxeas and Bishop Marcion – see Logos Word of God – BT11.

 

Instead Peter’s argument focused on the twisting of prophetic ‘kind/class/category of’ gramma writings that are difficult to understand, particularly prophecies about Christ’s coming, Paul’s letters of wisdom but particularly ‘all-around/concerning’ his  prophetic writings of Christ’s coming in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2:19, 4:13-5:11 that caused so much confusion because of their “difficult to understand’ nature that Paul had to clarify in 2 Thessalonians 1:15-2:14.  The 3 typical ‘kinds/classes/categories’ of OT graphe scripture or The Law, The Prophets, and The Psalms & other Writings.  The twisters of ‘the difficult to understand’ parts of 1 Thessalonians convinced Christians to sell their property, probably to them for a bargain, forcing Paul to write 2 Thessalonians!

 

Peter adds the phrasehos (adverbly) ‘just as’ kai also tas-loipos ‘the others of a kind/class/category-of previously spoken of’ graphe scriptures” to adverbly explain the verb “twisting-to-distort” NOT “pas all/whole-of the epistole letters of Paul” but “the others of a kind/class/category-of previous spoken of’ graphe scriptures.  The definite article tas applies to loipos and NOT to graphe scriptures, because in all 3 places in the NT that graphe scriptures has no article, the context is clear they are referring to the ‘kind/class/category’ called The Prophets, and in the context of Peter’s argument in vv. 1:20-21, 2:1-2, 12, 3:2-3, 9 further is refined to ‘the other’ OT Prophets writings that regard the coming of the Messiah.  You could argue that ‘the other’ could refer to the non ‘Messianic coming’ portions of OT Prophets.

 

However, it’s a far stretch from the context that Peter is referring to The Law or Psalms & other Writings because the early Jewish-Church used only 2.6% of the OT to convert/catechize Jews to Jesus, which were the Messianic passages and showed little regard for the other 97.4% – see Logos Word of God – BT5a, BT6, and BT9.  But it’s an even farther stretch from the context that Peter is referring to Paul’s “wisdom letters” to them or others on any subject as be equated to scripture.  The add-on phrase sure isn’t convincing, especially since no other NT writing hints at this!  It’s just so far out of the context of Peter’s argument that the ‘Messianic coming’ kind/class/category of OT scripture is being twisted just-as the same kind of people twisting Paul’s “Messianic coming’ portions of his other ‘letters of revealed prophetic wisdom.”  To this day, the ‘scoffing twisters” always seem to target prophetic writings to con Christians into some sinful, lawless agenda of theirs, not often targeting the clear-cut rules, psalms, wisdom-sayings or history of biblical writings.

 

In either case, you can’t fight fire with fire, as the Catholic Church also tried to do through rational, logical, reasoning, gnosis info-based “apologetics.”  You can argue with the bible-expert people and the “twisters” of biblical writings all day long and gain little ground.  This is not an effective defense against being conned by their “winds of doctrine.”  Ultimately you have to fight fire with buckets of the “Living Water” of the Holy Spirit’s revelational knowledge that only comes through koinonia intimate relationship with/close-beside Jesus as God.

 

Genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge absolutely requires koinonia relationship by-the-means-of Holy Spirit.  It’s the only WAY to actually be “taught by God” (a). <Notes> a) John 6:45; 1 Thessalonians 4:9, both citing Isaiah 54:13, cf. Jeremiah 31:33-34 as cited by Hebrews 8:10-11.

 

From 1980-1983 I was taught by the Church of Christ that you could have better koinonia relationship with God by studying your bible every day to know the “Word of God.”  I was pretty faithful:  I had underlined and highlighted my bible; written cross-references in the margins; added a topical reference in the back; filled up notebook after notebook with study notes; created flash-cards to memorize key verses for witnessing and battling sin; attended a bible-study in the dorm almost every other day and faithfully invited people to it; and went to Wednesday and 2 Sunday services along with Friday-night campus ministry meetings.  Every one of these meetings had a sermon to take more notes from.  I can honestly say that the longest prayer at all these meetings in all that time was about 5 minutes, always asking God for something!  Their worship was 4-5 songs out of a hymnal with no instruments, followed by 30-45 minutes of teaching.  Just about the time you started feeling something spiritual actually happening in the worship, it was time to go onto something ‘more important,’ like the announcements!  Sometimes their announcements or church-business meetings far exceeded the worship time and for sure, the prayer time!  And they called that a “Worship Service.”  BUT I knew a lot ABOUT God and the bible from the bible!

 

 

Video - Part 2: Fellowship - BT2:  Bible-study knowledge won’t lead you to Relationship knowledge

Part 2

 

But in 1983 after seeking God for a month in prayer every morning to the top of McKale Center at the University of Arizona where I was finishing, after my church broke up due to “leaders” vying for power, after I had my first Spirit-baptism where I actually koinonia connected-with God and experienced His presence, I found out that I had no previous experience of actual koinonia fellowship with God after my water-baptism ‘tears of joy‘ experience.  After you’ve known the real-thing, it makes the counterfeit really stand out, just like bank tellers can spot a fake bill right away!  Previously, I always struggled to have a real koinonia communion with a God because I hadn’t had any distinct awareness of God since my water-baptism and not one person I knew from that church had either!  People would tell me, “Christianity isn’t about feelings but about faith.”  But I found from exhausting bible-study and experience that was completely wrong, too!  I never knew you could have God-visions or dreams, and could akouo “hear” or eido “see” or experience prophetic rhema words from God, because my church said that all died away with the apostles.  Careful study and experience proved that to be wrong, too!

 

But around May of 1983 everything started changing with my first Spirit-baptism!  Then another in 1985!  Then after much study of the bible and church history I learned that I was being lied to in many areas!  They were “blind guides leading the blind” (c).  Paul dealt with this very same problem with the Corinthian Christians who were just plain ignorant:  “Now concerning Spirit-kind-of grace-gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant (a):  You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to MUTE idols, however you were led.  Therefore I would not in fact have you be ignorant (a) . . . Now there actually are varieties of grace-gifts but the same Spirit . . . For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of gnosis-info knowledge kata down-from/according-to the same Spirit . . . to another prophecy . . . various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit” (b).  Churches can’t pick and choose what they want to believe or practice from the New Testament. <Notes> a) ognoeo, where we get agnostic, b) 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, c) Matthew 15:14.

 

Once you are no longer content to remain “ignorant” but instead “routinely/habitually ask, seek, knock by faith (a) to “see, hear and feel” from God by the means of the “good grace-gift . . . the Holy Spirit” as Jesus calls us to do in the Lord’s Prayer (b), “not being led by a mute idol,” you will never go back to just bible-study gnosis info-knowledge!  Jesus said we have to “akouo hear/listen to understand/know My Voice” (c) and “eido mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know My Voice” (d) to actually be MY sheep!  <Notes> a) Luke 11:9-11, b) Luke 11:13; Matthew 7:11, c) John 10:27, d) John 10:4.

 

That’s why Paul prays for Ephesian Christians that: “the Father of glory may give you the Spirit of wisdom and/coupled of revelation by-the-means-of [singular] genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of Him, having already had [with ongoing results] the eyes of your heart enlightened/illuminated eis ‘toward and reaching the goal of’ to already [with ongoing results] eido mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know . . . the hope . . . your inheritance . . . dunamis dynamite-like enabling-power eis ‘toward and reaching the goal of’ us” (a).  Paul does the same thing for Colossian Christians, asking for “Spirit-kind-of wisdom and/coupled sunesis ‘connect-the-dots’ understanding-knowledge” (b).  We must have revealed/uncovered, anointed eido knowledge (c) prophetic knowledge!  Jesus reveals the Father to those He chooses (d). This is the “koinonia relationship” completely-different-in-kind New Covenant Way!  <Notes> a) Ephesians 1:17-19, b) Colossians 1:8-12, c) Matthew 11:27; John 17:6, 26, d) 1 John 2:20, 27.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christian musicians, isn’t that what we want the worship music to accomplish – to bring ourselves and others into that intimate fellowship with God?  Well we can’t lead people to something we are not experiencing ourselves, even during that very moment!  You can’t give what is not flowing through you!  Don’t we want to offer more than the Pharisee-scribe expertise of the scriptures?  It failed them!  According to Matthew 15:14 and John 5:37-39, Jesus said they were “blind guides” that really didn’t ginosko experientially, relationally know God even though they had “diligently studied/searched the scriptures.”

 

Don’t you want to be directlytaught by God” as promised, and communicate this through your music?  Shouldn’t your music just be a natural extension of your conversational-prayer para WITH/CLOSE-BESIDE God and being meta changed by the close proximity?  Don’t we want music that brings another Spirit-baptism to and through you to others?  The most powerful bands are those that surrender-control fully to allowing the Holy Spirit spontaneously guide them so that ALL of their music is anointed and prophetic and a spontaneous “New Song.”  Shouldn’t your music inform others of the Spirit’s grace-gifts instead of keeping them ignorant?  Shouldn’t your music be saying, “Come Holy Spirit – we dechomai warmly-welcome You to have complete control over ALL of us, even bringing signs & wonders to confirm and give demonstrable-proofs of the gospel logos message, so our trusting-relying-faith will not be in men but in God?”

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, gnosis Bible-info isn’t epignosis relationship knowledge, using the bible to win arguments against bible-experts a waste of time and not often Christ-like, The conn artists twist the scripture, Better to confirm the gospel with signs wonders and miracle demonstrable-proofs of the Spirit, Better to share the effect of God’s relationship on you as your witness, My experience with bible-knowledge verses direct-connection relationship knowledge, We aren’t supposed to be led by mute idols like studying bible writings like the scribes & Pharisees, We are supposed by led by the prophetic voice of God by the Spirit, We aren’t supposed to be ignorant of the Spirit’s gifts but zealously pursuing them by prayer, We are supposed to hear the voice of Jesus, We are supposed to prophetically gaze at him to be transformed, We are to ask seek knock for the Spirit and His gifts

Categories: Fellowship

Fellowship – BT1:  Fellowship with God, not religion of works, makes all the difference

 

 

 

 

Fellowship – BT1:  Fellowship with God, not religion of works, makes all the difference

 

 

Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

Religion is about using our natural flesh’smight (a) and power (b)” – our body’s strength & external resources and our soul’s identity of mind, emotions, and will-power to ergo work/do (c) FOR God.  Religion is simply “doing/working” FOR God individually or collectively.  But the completely different-in-kind New Covenant Way calls us to leave religion behind – “absolutely-in-fact no longer by-the-means-of might nor in fact by-the-means-of power but-instead by-the-means-of My Spirit, says Yahweh of hosts” (d) – and instead embrace relationship WITH God so that His Spirit works or ‘does’ through us to will and to ‘do’ His good pleasure (e).  <Notes> a) dunamis: enabling ability, b) ishus: endowed strength/power, c) ergo, where we get ergonomic, d) Zechariah 4:6 – see Might and Power and Spirit-Power pages, e) Philippians 2:13.

 

Philia is a Greek adjective for “fond friendship” that we are NOT to have with the world unless we want to be a hostile enemy of God (a).  Philos is the noun for “a friend or associate of” like Abraham was with God (b).  We are to be friends with Jesus who laid His life down for His friends.  As disciples/followers, we are friends, not servants if we do what He entellomai commands (c), though He kept it simple for us since there are only 2 NT commandments. <Notes> a) James 4:4, b) James 2:23, c) John 15:13-15.

 

Koinonia (noun) and koinoneo (verb) and koinonikos (adjective) refers to “interpersonal contact, social intercourse, common sharing, joint/co-participation, partnership, communion, intimacy, community, and fellowship, even by giving to one another service, money, or goods.  The verb sunkoinoneo is koinoneo “harmoniously together with, like a symphony, or in others.”  Christians would also give “right-hand” handshakes, holy kisses, and embracing hugs (a) to show this. <Notes> a) Galatians 2:9; Acts 20:37; Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14.

 

Peter tells us God’s relationship plan for Christians:  “His divine dunamis dynamite-like enabling-power has granted to us ALL things that pertain to zoe genuine-life and/coupled godliness, dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of (c) the genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and/coupled excellence, dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of (c) which He has granted us His precious and/coupled very great promises, so that dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of (c) them you may become koinonia relational-partners of the divine nature, having already escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desires” (a).

 

The Greek parallelism is obvious:  God’s own glory and/coupled excellence IS His divine dunamis dynamite-like enabling-power, and THIS grants us His precious and/coupled magnificent promises (b) that IS ALL things that pertain to zoe genuine-life and/coupled godliness and this is the channel (c) we relationally-partner with God’s nature and get free of sinful desires.  There is a chain of dia channels (c) here!  God makes it available, but our part is to have that genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge to relationally-partner with Him. <Notes> a) 2 Peter 1:3-4, b) epaggelma: voluntarily made by God, not as result of our petition, c) dia, where we get diameter.

 

God does indeed give us profound promises concerning zoe genuine-life and/coupled godliness, but not just to know ABOUT these and sit on them!  Even the “Gentiles were made fellow-heirs, members of the same Body-of-Christ and/coupled changed-sharers-together (c) [with the Jews] of The Promise (e) IN Christ Jesus dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of (a) the gospel” (d).  How does this happen?  Dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of (a) this “Promise” to become koinonia relational-partners with God’s divine nature.  But absolutely none of this will happen through our human “might and power” works or through gnosis info-knowledge ABOUT God that only puffs your head up (b).  No, it only happens dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of (a) genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of God.  <Notes> a) dia, b) 1 Corinthians 8:1, c) summetochos: changed due to sharing or being an active-partaker together with, d) Ephesians 3:6, e) of the Holy Spirit: Ephesians 1:13 – see Promised Spirit, f) John 6:31-33, 41, 50-51, 58.

 

I had a vision one time where I was in my bible-study chair and a little bit of light from a high window shown through to keep me warm.  It was all those years of bible-study for bible colleges – see Bible Info!  But the walls were dark and barren!  I was told to stand up and walk to a door in front of me, who I was told was Christ, open it, and walk outside.  When I did, I experienced zoe genuine-life in the Spirit:  The sky was incredibly blue and the vegetation was vibrantly colorful.  I was full of joy and I looked up into the sky and saw what looked like diamonds floating down, but when they landed in my hand they were little flakes of bread, the Lord Jesus (a).  When I ate I was filled with more joy!  <Notes> a) John 6:31-33, 41, 50-51, 58.

 

The old covenant is about working FOR God as servants with our own “might and power,” but the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant is about working WITH God as friends (a) as “fellow workers” or “co-workers in God’s service” (b).  In Matthew 19:26, Jesus told His disciples who were frustrated about how to obey God’s rules, particularly divorce, under the old covenant:  “para with/close-beside (d) men this is actually, ongoingly NOT powerful-enough-to-do (c), yet para with/close-beside (d) God ALL things are powerful-enough-to-do (e).”  This close proximity to God requires intimate relationship.  And that’s what the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant Way was to bring!  <Notes> a) John 15:15, b) sunergos: 1 Corinthians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 1:24, 8:23; Romans 16:3, 9, 21; 3 John 1:8; Philemon 1:1, 24, 2:25; Colossians 4:11; Philippians 4:3, c) adunatos, d) para, alongside-with or close-beside, where we get parallel, e) dunatos, the adjective of dunamis – see Spirit-power.

 

Reflections:

 

As Christians musicians don’t we want to play by the unlimited Spirit’s power instead of only from our own limited “might and power,” expressing a real friendship with God to encourage others to enter in?  Don’t we want the enabling-power of His holy presence coming out dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of our instruments, which we acquired dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of the genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of Him instead of settling just for the “work” of bible-study that only produces gnosis info-knowledge?  Instead of us “working” so hard FOR God to please God, isn’t it time we fully embrace the New Covenant Way of “working WITH or Close-Beside God” as “fellow-workers,” because we FEEL “God’s pleasure for us through Christ?” Jesus would then say:  “Everything WITH or Close-Beside God is then possible!”

 

 

 

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Spiritual Education, Religion is work by our flesh’s Might & Power FOR God, Relationship is work WITH God by the means of the Spirit’s power, Philia Friendship with God, Koinonia fellowship, Epignosis genuine full relational knowledge of God starts everything, Epignosis relationship knowing is not bible-study gnosis information, Thru relationship to God the promised Sprit helps us share-partner with God’s Holy nature, life & godliness comes from God’s promised Spirit

Categories: Fellowship

Media – BT1

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Please follow the BLOG Etiquette to stay on topic and pass the moderator’s check.  Bold, underlined text below = future links to the BLOG pages.

 

Thousands of Christian songs, but few are anointed, prophetic, and spontaneous!

 

 

There are thousands of pre-composed Christian odes – hymns (a) and psalms (b) that appear to be all for God, but I haven’t found near as many that are spontaneous in the present moment.  Also we will never know for sure how many are composed or improvised out of their own “might and power” flesh, out of their own body’s resources or that of others and their own identity’s soulish mind, emotions, and will-power.  The artist still ‘owns’ those songs even if they are composed and/or played for God.  We also won’t know how many were composed or improvised “in/by/with My Spirit, says Yahweh of hosts.”  God ‘owns’ those songs because they were created in/by/with Him.  The songs of unredeemed man, the natural man, are his ‘own.’  The songs of redeemed man, if composed and/or performed by the same “flesh” as a natural man, are still just his ‘own.’  This is only religion! <Notes> a) acapella songs, b) psalmos:  “hit, twanged, plucked, or twitched” songs with/without singing.

 

Sure, a satanic dark metal song that was meant for evil can surely be used by God for good (a), because God is sovereign over the affairs of man.  Sure, God can even make a donkey speak for Him if the crooked prophet won’t (b), because God is sovereign over the animals.  Sure, God can even make rocks cry out praise for God if the little children didn’t (c), because God is sovereign over inanimate objects.  But you will never see that these are God’s first choices nor His will for His people!  There’s hundreds of verses about His will, many of which we have explored in this website regarding music.  Christian musicians shouldn’t be trying to “be conformed or pressed into the image of this world, but be metamorphically transformed by the complete renewing of their minds” (d).  Why are they spending their time trying to make a song created by “natural man,” a worldly song, somehow better for God?  Why are they using the same methods or “rocks” borrowed from the world to build their own songs for God?  This is how The Great Wall quenching the Holy Spirit becomes taller!  Why not surrender control of our “might and power” flesh and compose and perform 100% “in/by/with God’s Spirit?” <Notes> a) Genesis 50:20, b) Numbers 22:28, 30, c) Luke 19:40, d) Romans 12:1-2.

 

We cannot judge (a) the composer or the performer, “for Yahweh sees not as man sees:  Man looks on the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks on the inner man/heart (b)” (c).  However the effect of such music is noticeably different – one “bears much fruit that glorifies the Father” because the Christian “branch” was connected or “abiding in the Vine of Christ.”  And the other that wasn’t “abiding in the Vine, apart from Me can do absolutely in fact nothing” (d).  Even though we cannot see inwardly like God can to judge the artist, “a tree is genuinely, experientially, relationally epiginosko known by its fruit (e)” (f). <Notes> a) krino: critique, b) lebeb, kardia, c) 1 Samuel 16:7, d) John 15:1-6, 8, e) karpos: outcome, f) Matthew 7:16, 12:33; Luke 6:44.

 

The stories of many inspired songs are absolutely amazing, a testimony to God’s enabling-power!  For example, Handel’s 260-page oratorio, 3-hour “Messiah” took only 24 days to compose because Handel said he saw it performed in heaven, and he was writing it down as fast as he could!  God ‘owns’ that song, not Handel!  Handel only penned it.  God’s gold oil of anointing or consecrated ownership is upon it.  When it is performed, even by worldly men, it is still God’s song.  Sure, God can use anything – what was meant for evil, even an animal or a rock – to accomplish His will, but He sure loves using things He created in the first place for that very purpose, like Handel’s “Messiah.”  I’ve seen it performed by worldly men and it still brought people profoundly into the presence of God, but not as many as when it is performed by musicians fully surrendered to the enabling-power of the Holy Spirit to play “by the Spirit” right then and there!  In that way the once-prophetic song is once-again being prophetically played, because God is freshly revealing His mind through its playing, so it is still directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word!  What a huge difference in effect!  This is pure silver!

 

But if you really want to experience a supernatural “atomic bomb” of worship, then compose and play anointed, prophetic music acapella like a hymn or instrumentally like a psalm right in the here and now spontaneously “by the Spirit”!  Not only did God once-upon-a-time create it and maybe even perform it through an anointed musician, but He does both NOW in the present moment and that’s what makes it such a powerfully-enabling, directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema word of God!  It is NOW directly from God to and through you to others!  That is what I’m advocating – GO FOR THE GOLD!

 

As Christian musicians, have you felt the difference between composing and/or playing “by the flesh” and “by the Spirit?”  Can you discern an anointed song or a prophetic song?  Are your eyes glued to the music stand or freed from it?  Have you experienced the Holy Spirit guiding you to play spontaneously?  Please share your experiences here with others.  Do you have some recommendations for others to listen to?  What have you learned from them that works and doesn’t work?  Please paste in the video’s URL in the BLOG comments so that others can just click on it.  Thanks!

 

 

 

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Great spontaneous prophetic worship YouTube playlist available.

 

 

Click here for a Great Spontaneous, Prophetic Worship YouTube Playlist of songs that have had a profound effect on the audience, significantly different than thousands of other songs I’ve listened to.

 

Click here for fellowship-with-God, anointed, inspired, inspirational piano worship by DappyTKeys based on 1 Samuel 16:23 for healing.  I have written much about these subjects on this website, so this man really fits!

 

When I play them I’m almost always swept into the presence of God.  Most of the songs are a mixture of “might and powerfor God and “by My Spirit” as is so much within Christendom, so I will make notes here to look that will help you ‘see’ the “signs that confirm the logos gospel message” (a).  Feel free to comment on these and share with others the songs you have found, especially if they are anointed, prophetic, and even spontaneous!  By judging (b) the fruit (c) instead of the person, we can get a pretty good idea of the state of the “tree.”  When we see the fruit/outcome, we can learn from this and decide for ourselves if that’s what we really want in our own music – more “flesh” and its outcomes or more Spirit and His outcomes!  Paul said: “For what have I to do with judging (b) outsiders?  Is it not those inside the Church whom you are to judge (b)?  God judges (b) those outside” (d).  <Notes> a) Mark 16:17, 20, b) krino: critiquing, c) karpos: outcome, d) 1 Corinthians 5:12-13.

 

As Christian musicians, do you have some recommendations for others to listen to?  What have you learned from them that works and doesn’t work?  Please paste in the video’s URL in the BLOG comments so that others can just click on it.  Thanks!

 

 

 

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Who should be teaching one another?

 

 

When Paul talks about “ministry” it is never about a hierarchy but Body-of-Christ ministry, just as he does in Ephesians 4:7-15, where Christ gives grace-gifts to the Church (a) by the Spirit to function through not only the “equippers,” which are simply coaches and facilitators by definition, but especially through the “saints FOR the work of ministry to build up the Body-of-Christ . . . unto the stature of the fullness of Christ.”  Who is supposed to be the ministers to do the work?  And what is the purpose of the whole Body doing the ministry?  To “keep from being tossed around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning, by craftiness of deceitful schemes.”  This is subtly pointing at “some who desire to be teachers of the Torah Law of conditional-favor” (b), “false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery” (c), “false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them” (d), “certain people who have crept in unnoticed . . . ungodly people, who pervert the unconditional-favor-of-grace of our God into sensuality and deny our Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (e).  And we know many of them were also “in it for the money” – not at all my motivation because I have a job – see Donations. <Notes> a) v. 4:7-8, b) 1 Timothy 1:7, c) Galatians 2:4, d) 2 Peter 2:1, e) Jude 1:4.

 

Now in Ephesians 4:15 Paul says that the Body-of-Christ “saints” should be the ones “speaking the truth in/by/with unconditional-love,” but this has absolutely nothing to do about “lovingly being honest with people,” which is just another “wind of doctrine” that has “tossed people about,” because in context it has to the with “the unity of The-trusting-relying-Faith” (a) and “The unconditional-Love” (b) that are always linked together in the NT, because they are the only 2 commandments of the New Covenant!  “The Truth” is always Jesus Christ, His Spirit, and His logos gospel message about Himself.  Do you see how false teaching gets started – taking verses out of context? <Notes> a) Ephesians 4:13, b) Ephesians 4:15-16.

 

So, if you are a Spirit-kind-of person, then please add your comments in this website – they are vitally important!  We absolutely need each other to sharpen each other’s revelations from the Lord to build the Church up and grow up into the fullness of God (a).  That’s what Paul proseuchomai conversationally-prays for Christians to experience! <Notes> a) Ephesians 3:14-19.

 

But Jesus says, “be wise as serpents” for a good reason as you minister (a)!  I wouldn’t even bother “casting your pearls to the pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (b), because again “the natural man absolutely in fact does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is in fact not able to understand them because they are Spirit-kind-of discerned” (c) – see New Covenant Ways – BT16.  You are wasting your breath! <Notes> a) Matthew 10:16, b) Matthew 7:6, c) 1 Corinthians 2:14.

 

 

As a Christian musician, what do you think your role as an “equipper” is and as a “saint doing the work of ministry?”

 

 

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“Testing prophecy” or anything that anybody says against the bible?

 

 

Sure it was “nobler” for Jews in Berea to double-check what Paul referenced in the OT scripture (a), but these were unbelieving Jews that Paul was preaching the gospel to, the same doubters that beat him 3 times to the point of death!  They were not Gentiles nor where they even Christians!  Not one NT writer tells any Christian to “test prophecy against scripture” or even to “test prophecy against the bible.”  Not one!  Yet I’ve heard this stated 100s of times from church people!  What does the bible actually say about “testing” what others say?  You’ll see that I heavily document what I say, for those “doubting Thomas types” (b). <Notes> a) Acts 17:11, b) John 20:24-28.

 

1 John 4:1 says, “I strongly urge you to ongoingly have trusting-relying-faith [but] not in possibility in every spirit, but instead I strongly urge you ongoingly test/examine (a) the spirits (b) whether they actually, ongoingly are out from God, for many false prophets have already gone out, with ongoing results, into the world.”  I love the “gone out” play in words!  The Greek word order is so much more accurate than English translations – O, yes we should “ongoingly have trusting-relying-faith,” just “not in every spirit,” because John wants us to have it in the Holy Spirit!  The apostle John wants us to “investigate the spirits” because he wants us to find the real thing – the Holy Spirit.  This is not like the inquisitions of the Jews done to stamp out the gospel nor of the Catholics from 200AD on to stamp out the control of the Holy Spirit.  It is an enquiry to find the genuine Spirit<Notes> a) testing in order to prove what is genuine, b) including the Holy Spirit.

 

John’s “testing of spirits” is absolutely not what the “traditions of men” in the Church have made it out to be – “testing prophesy against the bible.”  Like I said, I’ve heard that 100s of times, but it’s not even biblical!  First of all, John tells what “the test” is in 1 John 4:2-3:  “By this you actually, ongoingly, experientially, relationally know (a) the Spirit of God.”  This is not gnosis info-knowledge you get from a book like the bible by reading, studying, or debating it like the Jews did, but what you can experience from the Holy Spirit if you do the following:  “Every ‘spirit’ that actually, ongoingly confesses (b) that Jesus Christ has already come, with ongoing results, in the flesh actually, ongoingly is from God (that means it’s the Holy Spirit), and/coupled every ‘spirit’ that does NOT in possibility actually, ongoingly confess (c) Jesus is absolutely in fact NOT from God.”  This is the entire “test!”  There is no referring to a book to see if IT said something, and certainly not OT scripture.  You have to ask these pointed questions of the prophet and listen with discernment to their response – see New Covenant Ways – BT16!  One of the Spirit’s grace-gifts is the “discernment of spirits” (c).  The Body-of-Christ was supposed to “weigh in on what was 2-3 prophets at a time said” (d).  “Everything was to be tested, holding on what is good” (e). <Notes> a) ginosko, b) homologeo: ‘speaks together’ the same logos message, c) 1 Corinthians 12:10, d) 1 Corinthians 14:29, e) 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

 

Simply:  If the possibility arises where a ‘spirit’ in a prophet under ‘investigation’ doesn’t “confess Jesus came in the flesh” then you know for sure the prophet isn’t from God.  So the simple ‘test’ was to ask the prophet to “confess that Jesus has come in the flesh” (a).  Why that?  Because there was a early Christian heresy called “Docetism” that “affirmed that Christ did not have a real or natural body while on earth but only an apparent or phantom one” (b).  <Notes> a) cf. 2 John 1:7, b) Encyclopedia Britannica.

 

The NT speaks a lot about Jesus coming in the flesh, being made like us in every way but without sin, so that He can sympathize with us, and fully represent us as the “Son of Man” (a) and give His life in perfect exchange for our lives, which is called “propitiation” – sacrificial atonement by exchanging One life for many lives (b).  Interestingly, what John says: “the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (c) corresponds exactly to what Barnabas (though possibly Paul) said:  “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. . . . Therefore He had to be made like His brethren in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For because He himself has suffered when [He was] tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (d).  When I wrote this I just broke out in tears – a confirmation from the Spirit how important this is for us!  A false prophet could not confess this – only the Spirit of God can! <Notes> a) Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man” 83 times, b) such as Isaiah 53:3-4; John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 1:14-15; 2:8-10; Romans 3:25, 5:19, 8:3; Hebrews 2:9-11, 4:15; 1 John 1:1, 2:2, 4:10, c) 1 John 3:8, d) Hebrews 2:14-15, 17-18.

 

But what else from John’s context did Jesus say that the ‘spirit’ of prophets should be able to agree to in order to “confess Jesus?”  John just told us earlier in 1 John 3:23-24 that God only has one officially-decreed compound commandment (a) under the New Covenant Way – one commandment from the Father and one commandment from the Son coupled together:  “And this is His commandment:  That we have trusting-relying-faith in the name (b) of His Son Jesus Christ (c) and/coupled unconditionally-love one another reciprocally just as He (Jesus) has given us commandment (d). Whoever routinely keeps intact (e) His (Jesus) commandments (f) actually, ongoingly abides/lives/remains in God (the Father) and God in him.  And BY THIS we actually, ongoingly, experientially, relationally ginosko know that He (Father) actually, ongoingly abides/dwells in US, by the Spirit whom He (Father) has actually, already given US.”  Certainly, this is the true ‘test’ if someone is actually a Christian, and no actual Christian prophet would have any other ‘spirit’ prophesying within them! <Notes> a) entole, b) person and authority, c) John 6:29, 12:49-50, 15:10, d) John 13:34, 15:12, e) tereo: watches carefully to guard, f) in context:  the 2 of “faith and/coupled love” a Christ preached constantly – see Only 2 Commandments.

 

Now you know the immediate context of 1 John 4:1 “testing of spirits!”  These 2 universally-binding, official decrees of the New Covenant Church that Jesus kept (a) faithfully (b), are the ones the early Church were to also guard faithfully with their lives!  They were to guard them from the false prophets who would absolutely not confess them, let alone teach them!  The only people that will guard these are those whom the Spirit of God actually dwells within, because these are the only 2 entole commandments that Jesus ever entole commanded, for these come from “the Lord who is the Spirit” (c). <Notes> a) tereo = watched over carefully or guarded to keep, b) John 15:10, c) 2 Corinthians 3:18.

 

We also know this to be true from NT study of the coupling of “trusting-relying-faith and unconditional-love” (a) and from early Church records that this was indeed taught to people being prepared for their public “confession of Christ” at their water-baptism, which is called catechism training (b).  Therefore, John’s “testing the spirits” may have indeed included asking them what exactly they did say at their public “confession of Jesus Christ.”  False prophets would not have had such a ceremony and they sure wouldn’t have spouted off 1 John 3:23, because only the indwelling Spirit of God can agree to these things!  For more about this, read the New Covenant Ways page and the book:  Love Revolution:  Rediscovering the Lost Command of Jesus by Gaylord Enns. <Notes> a) 1 Thessalonians 3:6, 5:8; 1 Timothy 1:14, 2:15, 6:11; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:22; Revelation 2:19, b) katecheo: Luke 1:4; Galatians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 14:19; Acts 18:25 – see Teach One Another.

 

Paul also tells us how to test prophecy or anything people teach.

 

When the apostle Paul was challenged about what he said was from God, he didn’t tell Christians to examine the scriptures (a) but to call the prophets and other Spirit-kind-of people (b) to confirm God’s message from Paul.  In 1 Corinthians 14:37 he says:  “If anyone actually, ongoingly supposes (c) that he is presently a prophet or a Spirit-kind-of [person], I strongly urge that he genuinely, experientially, relationally epiginosko know that the [plural] things I am actually, presently writing to you are an officially-decreed [singular] entole commandment of the Lord.”  We know from extensive study of entole in the NT under the New Covenant that the only [singular] entole commandment of the Lord Jesus is “that you unconditionally-love one another as I have unconditionally-loved you.” (d).  That’s exactly the point of 1 Corinthians 12-14 – that in using Christ’s grace-gifts by the Spirit, received by trusting-relying-faith, they were to “unconditionally-love one another” in building up the Body through Body-of-Christ ministry<Notes> a) Acts 17:11 was addressed to doubting Jews, b) pneumatikos adjective of pneumaSpirit”, c) forms an opinion, d) John 13:34, 15:12; 1 John 3:23 – see Only 2 Commandments.

 

All the many plural “things” Paul talks about revolve around the completely different-in-kind “new commandment” of Jesus.  Paul didn’t even have them refer to any other of his previous writings to churches as so many Christians would have you do today!  A lot of Jews and Christians argued with Paul, but that was the simple ‘test’ Paul gave them.  Consult the other prophets!  That sounds like something they would do in some charismatic churches today, at least those not being dictated to by the pastor!

 

Paul explains his reasoning in 1 Corinthians 2:6-15 “Among the mature (a) we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age . . . but we impart a mystery, already, with hidden [wisdom] with ongoing results, which God ordained before the world toward/reaching our [present] glory, yet absolutely not in fact one of the rulers of this age understood, . . . for unto us God has revealed [them] thru-the-realizing-channel-of (b) the Spirit . . . now we already have actually not absolutely in fact received the ‘spirit’ of the world, but instead the Spirit out from God, in order that we might already have, with ongoing results, mentally ‘seen’ to perceive/know (c) the things freely having been given to us by God.  And we impart this absolutely not in fact by teachings of human wisdom but in/by/with teachings of the Spirit, routinely interpreting (d) Spirit-kind-of [neuter: things] in/by/with Spirit-kind-of [things].  The natural man (masculine) does not absolutely in fact actually, ongoingly take ahold of [by the hand] the things [neuter: or people] of the Spirit of God for they actually, ongoingly are foolishness to him (masculine) and/coupled he (masculine) is absolutely in fact not actually, ongoingly having enabling-power to experientially, relationally ginosko know them because they are actually, ongoingly Spirit-kind-of (neuter) judged/critiqued-within (e).  Moreover, the Spirit-kind-of [neuter: things or people] actually, ongoingly judges/critiques-within truly every-of-a-kind-of (f) [neuter: things or people], but is to be ongoing judged/critiqued-within under no one (masculine).”  Notice the careful use of gender and pronouns!  Natural men (masculine) can’t judge Spirit-kind-of things (neuter)! <Notes> a) teleios: “consummated or mature from going through the necessary stages to reach the end-goal, thus developed into a consummating completion by fulfilling the necessary process or spiritual journey,” certainly not little children, b) dia, c) eido, d) sugkrino: ‘judge/critique with’ other things: comparing, contrasting, and combining, e) anakrino: to judge/distinguish vigorously ‘down to up’ by closely, even forensically, examining, investigating, or interrogating, thus careful study or evaluation, f) pas: every of a kind of, not the whole of.

 

In other words, Paul is saying that if you aren’t a Spirit-kind-of (neuter) person (‘we’ and ‘us’) but a natural man (masculine), then don’t even bother trying to judge/critique-within/discern Paul’s teaching (or ‘ours’), because you have no clue what you are talking about!  But if you are a Spirit-kind-of person like he and those he is writing to are, then Paul “is all ears” to your judgement/critique, because as this applies: “iron sharpens iron as one man sharpens another” (a).  Clay doesn’t sharpen iron, so how can what a person in the “might and power” of the natural man’s “flesh” be able to “judge/critique-within/discern” or “interpret” what is said “by the Spirit” that dwells in a Spirit-kind-of person? <Notes> a) Proverbs 27:17.

 

The wisdom of God that the Holy Spirit teaches is absolutely not accomplished through bible study, but routinely judging/critiquing the other things of the Spirit, which is only validly done by interpreting (a) the things of the Spirit with/against the things of the Spirit.  And in context, this is Paul’s words by the Spirit judged by other words by the Spirit from other people of the Spirit, like himself.  No judgment by the ignorant or outsiders (b) is valid!  These [neuter] “things” sure are not from sacred gramma writings collected into scripture, where graphe is in the femine gender, which I don’t think Paul overlooked! <Notes> a) comparing, contrasting, and combining with other things, b) agnoeo ‘not knowing’: 1 Corinthians 10:1, 12:1, 14:38.

 

As Christian musicians, we can’t fall into the trap of improperly judging prophecy from Christians that are 100% on fire for Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God, on fire for His logos gospel message of The Truth, who are constantly “confessing” and “guarding to keep” the only 2 NT commandments of trusting-relying-faith and unconditional-love, criticizing them as if these Christian prophets were unbelievers or Jewish-teachers of the Law or Spanish Inquisition torturers!  These were the ones with the evil ‘spirit’ problem!  Yet, I’ve seen so many Christians and churches say they “couldn’t find it in the bible” so they must be false prophets!  Most of what the NT writers preached and taught wasn’t at all in the OT, and what was in many cases was only a “shadow or copy of things still to come” (a).  How much does a “shadow” look like “the substance or reality” casting the “shadow?”  That’s why most of the NT is completely-different-in-kind, the very definition of “new” (b).  We need to “earnestly desire that everybody prophesy” (c), draw even more attention to prophecy through “investigation” and “weighing in” (d) – not quench it through inappropriate criticism (e).  And let’s stop perpetuating that “wind of doctrine” that “all prophecy is to be tested against scripture.”  The NT doesn’t teach this!  Paul called for the “prophets and Spirit-kind-of people to acknowledge the things I am writing to you” and NT Spirit-kind-of people found consensus for “it has seemed good the Holy Spirit and to us” (f).  They didn’t do a bible-study! <Notes> a) Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5, 9:23, 10:1; 1 Peter 3:21, b) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, c) 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39, d) 1 Corinthians 14:29, e) 1 Thessalonians 5:19, f) 1 Corinthians 14:37; Acts 15:28.

 

As Christian musicians, what has your experience been with “testing/examining prophecy” – positive or negative, help or hindrance?

 

 

 

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Bible Info – BT4 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

Bible Info – BT4 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

 

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I am NOT your teacher!

 

 

I also would not presume to be your teacher (f) because I certainly don’t want to receive greater judgment (a).  Out of 58 uses of “teacher” only 8 (b); or 14% are used of Christians, and the others are either positively referring to Jesus, negatively of the Jewish Law-teachers, or very negatively of demonically-inspired teachers.  I will still side with Jesus when He said, “One is your teacher, so in no possibility call a man ‘teacher’ (c) for you are ALL brethren” (d).  I agree with the apostle John who was closest to Jesus:  “The anointing that you already received from Him (Christ) ongoingly abides/dwell in you, and so you have in fact absolutely no need that anyone should teach you . . . His anointing actually, ongoingly teaches you about ALL things” (e).  Didn’t Jesus say that “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, who the Father will send in My name/authority, He will teach you ALL things” (g), “for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (h), because “when the Spirit of The Truth comes, He will guide you into all The Truth” (i).  So if there are to be other human teachers, they better be teaching what the Holy Spirit is teaching! <Notes> a) James 3:1, b) 1 Corinthians 12:28-29; 1 Timothy 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:1; James 3:1; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 13:1; Hebrews 5:12, c) Hebrew rabbi in Greek is didaskalos: teacher d) Matthew 23:8 – see Teach One Another – BT10, e) 1 John 2:20, 27, f) rabbi, didaskalos, g) John 14:26, h) Luke 12:12, i) John 16:13.

 

So if you feel I am teaching you, I’m only doing what everyone in the Body of Christ should be doing.  About 99% of what I write is simply organizing and presenting the original languages in an unfiltered way, relaying what has already been taught by God, Jesus, His apostles, and prophets throughout the centuries. I write in order to plainly-state biblical truth in a topical fashion so that we can stay focused on “the main things,” so we don’t end up “majoring in the minors.”  I think it was Stephen Covey that said, “The main thing is to keep the main things the main things!”  Again, I don’t consider myself a rabbi or teacher, so please go the Lord yourself in conversational-prayer to get your answers!

 

In this detailed study I’ve included every verse that has anything to do with teaching so that you get the “whole counsel of God” (a) on the subject and not just a few “proof” texts, like so many false teachers do, so be like the “nobler Bereans (b) who examined the OT scriptures daily to see if what the apostle Paul said was true” (c).  Yes, many Jews would care about their OT scriptures, certainly the “nobler” ones.  Paul uses a lot of OT prophetic scripture references to Christ and the New Covenant Way, so that’s what they were checking Paul on. Paul knows his audience, so he certainly wouldn’t speak to Athens and other foreign philosophical Gentiles that way, which was Paul’s next stop after Berea.  He only quotes one thing from the OT and it’s naturally very philosophical (d)! <Notes> a) Acts 20:27, b) Christianity Today notes they were Jews, c) Acts 17:11, d) Acts 17:18-34.

 

Better yet, simply ask the Holy Spirit to simply “guide you into all The Truth (a) so that “you have all informational knowledge (b)” that you need to know on this subject so that “you have absolutely in fact no need that anyone should teach you, but as His anointing actually, ongoingly teaches you about ALL things, and/coupled is trustworthy and thus no lie, just as it has already taught you, remain in/by/with Him” (c). <Notes> a) John 16:13, b) gnosis, c) 1 John 2:20, 27.

 

 

As Christian musicians, what is your input?

 

 

 

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Categories: Bible Info

Bible Info – BT3 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

Bible Info – BT3 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

 

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My Bible Credentials, Writing Style and Approach for this BLOG website

 

 

 

Because I was a straight-A student in so many classes from 5 bible colleges (a), maybe enough for a Masters in Divinity degree in Exegetical Theology, my training is to do very long, exhaustive studies on biblical topics referencing every bible verse and excerpt from Church history.  I wanted to be absolutely sure about what I believed and spoke about.  So you will see a lot of this from various studies I’ve done over many years.  However, the Lord really delivered me from this obsession a couple of years ago, believe it or not!  He showed me that the scholarly “way” to know Him through “painstakingly searching the scriptures supposing that in them I might lay hold of zoe genuine-life eternal” (b) and accumulating this gnosis info-knowledge about God only “puffs your head up” (c), and my study “table” also turned out to be a “trap or snare” like it did from the scribes and Pharisees who rolled out their scrolls to compare, contrast, study, and debate them – and their study came with a “retribution” or curse of “darkened eyes and bent backs forever” with “a spirit of stupor” (d) – see New Covenant Ways – BT17.  So you won’t see as much of that from me nowadays, I sure hope! <Notes> a) Calvary Chapel Bible College, Moody Bible Institute, Southwest Bible College, Arizona Christian University, and Fuller Theological Seminary, b) John 5:39, c) 1 Corinthians 8:1, d) Psalms 69:22-23; Romans 11:9-10.

 

Once I found out that the NT actually points Christians away from ALL this gnosis info-knowledge toward prophetic visionary eido ‘seeing’ knowledge and toward directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words of God in order to gain the Holy Spirit’s connect-the-dots sunesis understanding, then apply this correctly by God’s revelational sophia wisdom, and that this only comes through a genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of God, I finally could ask the Lord to break my trusting-relying-faith (a) in bible study and instead put my trusting-relying-faith in direct communication with Him through directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words and eido mental ‘seeing” to perceive/know visions and dreams.  It’s been a growing process with a few obedient steps of faith forward and then one back, but the Lord is moving me forward.  As I do move forward, I’m getting dreams, visions, and directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words almost daily, some of which I will share with you.  The difference between what I had even 1 year ago with bible study and now with direct revelation from God is a night and day experience that I desire for you all.  Jesus, “Open their eyes to eido ‘see’ to perceive/know and open their hearts to feel to genuinely, experientially, relationally epiginosko know You, Amen!” <Notes> a) pistis: relational conviction of trusting reliance.

 

Then why am I including a lot of bible study and Church history in this BLOG website?  Because I realize that many of you are exactly where I was a few years ago!  I wanted biblical proof for everything or I just wouldn’t believe it!  So although I would rather just share with you all that God has personally communicated (b) to me, sadly many of you just won’t believe it.  Your level of trusting-relying-faith just isn’t there yet, and I totally understand.  The NT writers expressed this same frustration, wanting to give their readers “solid food” as if they were “Spirit-kind-of [people],” but actually having to go back to infant’s “milk” as if they were just born-again out of the world if being “flesh-kind-of [people]” (a). <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrew 5:12-13, b) see Prophetic Rhema and Knowledge pages.

 

But as Christian musicians, I can say from experience that if you stay in the limited paradigm/mindset of “trusting-relying-faith in bible study to know God,” no matter how sure you are of it, as I once was, it will keep you “snared and trapped” and “your eyes will stay darkened and your backs bent forever” with “a veil that will remain to harden your heart” (e). Your stubbornness will keep you from experiencing zoe genuine-life by the Spirit (a).  If you can’t get out of the “might and power” flesh circle of skill and intellectual prowess, you can’t get into the circle of “in/by/with My Spirit” (b).  You have to surrender control of the former to embrace the latter!  But, like the apostle Paul in this respect for your sake, “I will become all things to all people that by all means I might save (c) some” (d). <Notes> a) Romans chapter 8; John 6:63; 2 Corinthians 3:6 b) Zechariah 4:6, c) soteria: rescue, restore, heal, d) 1 Corinthians 9:22, e) 2 Corinthians 3:7-17.

 

What is your experience with all of this as a Christian musician?

 

 

 

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Categories: Bible Info

Bible Info – BT2 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

Bible Info – BT2 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

Bible Info - BT2 - Spirit Music Meet-Ups

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Video:  God’s Old Testament “Promise” for the New Covenant is NOT more Scripture to study!

 

 

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Video – Intro to Spirit Music Meetups

 

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I admit the way of the scholar is extremely difficult, but there is a much easier way!

 

 

 

For more on this subject, see New Covenant Ways – BT16 and Least Among You – BT8 .

 

Even after so many years of doing this intense exegetical examination of scripture I’ve found it to be extremely difficult and time-consuming.  Even the scholars disagree with what the actual text and canon really is, let along the meaning of the words.  This really begs the question:  If a perfect God wanted us to perfectly understand sacred gramma writings, wouldn’t he have put them in a language everybody could understand and preserved them perfectly.  Anybody that tells you that everybody really has a good grip on this is selling you property in the Everglades!  This is totally dishonest!  This used to really shake my trusting-relying-faith in the Lord, until I realized that the entire bible keeps saying that God wanted to directly teach us all along and that rejection of this “Plan A” resulted in the Torah Law of conditional-favor written in second-hand logos messages with sacred gramma letters collected into graphe scripture, but Christ came to restore “Plan A,” which is directly-spoken/heard prophetic rhema words through dreams and visions.  We will talk about this also, because this is crucial to a Spirit-powered Christian life and of course worship music!

 

So instead of all this complicated study, you could take an amazingly easy, childlike step of faith to better understand the truth:  You can go “boldly before the throne of unconditional-favor-of-grace” (a) and “routinely be asking, seeking, and knocking until you receive, until you find, and until the door is opened” (b), and for the “eyes of your heart to be enlightened, that you may mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know (c)” (d) in order that “you may be filled with the genuine, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of His will by the means of every kind of Spirit-kind-of sophia wisdom and related sunesis connect-the-dots understanding” (e).  That really is the “easy button!”  The NT does not have much good to say for bible students of their day but does about being like a child (f). <Notes> a) Hebrews 4:16, b) Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-19, c) eido, d) Ephesians 1:18, e) Colossian 1:9, f) Matthew 11:25, 18:3, 19:14; Luke 10:21; John 5:39-40.

 

What is your experience with all of this as a Christian musician?

 

 

 

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Categories: Bible Info

Bible Info – BT1 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

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Bible Info – BT1 – Spirit Music Meet-Ups

 

 

Intro video for Bible Info - BT1 - Spirit Music Meet-Ups

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Bible Info – YouTube Playlist

 

Video – Intro to Spirit Music Meetups

 

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All of our Media info, photos, and videos

 

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Note:  On your phone, PDF documents may only open if you choose the “Save, Replace, or Keep Both” option and then it will be downloaded and notify you of this on the top of your screen.  Open it there or in your Downloads folder and it will give you the option to Open with Adobe Acrobat, Drive, or some other PDF app you have installed on your phone.  If you watch the associated video, it will open in another tab/window so that you can easily bounce back & forth between the PDF doc and the video.  If your screen is big enough you can even arrange the windows next to each other!

 

 

 

The Bible resources and information used in this website - Spirit Music Meet-Ups

The Bible resources and information used in this website:

 

 

The bible verse references from the Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT) are from the English Standard Version (ESV), which is well recognized for its “Formal Equivalence” word-for-word accuracy, but I’ve added key words in italics, and sometimes in (parenthesis) or [brackets] from the original Hebrew and Greek texts.  If from the OT, then from the Hebrew Masoretic text, followed by Greek Septuagint LXX text using https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ and https://biblehub.com/interlinear/apostolic/genesis/1.htm, respectively, and confirmed by http://classic.net.bible.org.   However, if from the NT, then the Greek UBS/Nestles critical text is used from https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ and http://classic.net.bible.org.  In the OT, I’ve combined the Greek and Hebrew definitions since Textual Criticism often debates what is a better reading, so why ‘play an all-knowing God’ but instead allow for both possibilities, or leave it to you to research further and/or pray about it.  I often insert the definitions into the text like the Amplified Bible (AMP), Expanded Bible (EXB), and The Passion Translation (TPT) do, especially to fit the contextual meaning, which is always the final step for selecting a word’s meaning.  However, if the definitions are lengthy, I will put them in the <notes> section under the paragraph.  All of these things can nevertheless make my writing more difficult to read, so I apologize for the choppiness, but there’s no other way short of writing excessive commentary to convey the original meaning of the bible!  Still it’s a far cry better than any of the 55 translations I’ve seen at www.biblegateway.com!

 

Also, I’ve kept some vital information in (parenthesis) because it’s for important clarification, especially important verse references, but as I said before, sometimes key Greek and Hebrew words and their special meanings like rabbi (Hebrew for “teacher“), but I often will simply footnote this at the bottom of the paragraph (a) to make it easier for you to read.  Also, I’ve kept some words in [brackets] to show they are added in from the word-meaning or context to help the sentence flow, as when Paul calls for the prophets or Spirit-kind-of [persons] to experientially recognize Paul’s teaching is from the Lord (b) – he didn’t say “test my prophecy against the Old Testament scripture or any of my writings you may be lucky to have,” as too many in church people scream!  Here, Paul uses an adjective pneumatikos Spirit-kind-of” as a noun for the “kind of” people that should do the “testing” – see Bible Info – BT5.  Another example is the definite article “the” that doesn’t always need to be specified for the noun to be considered definite or specific:  “Worshiping by [singular] Spirit and/coupled [singular] Truth” (c) that Jesus calls all Christians to, is NOT human spirit or any other spirits and also is NOT general truth or even “sincerity” as some translators force it to be!  Everywhere in the NT that you see these 2 [singular] words associated, in context they always refer to The Holy Spirit and/coupled Jesus Christ, especially since Jesus said He was “The Truth” (d) – see Intro to Spirit-Promise. <Notes> a) Hebrew rabbi in Greek is didaskalos: teacher, b) 1 Corinthians 14:37, c) John 4:23, d) John 1:14, 17, 14:6; 1 John 5:20; Ephesians 4:21.

 

Many NT Greek words are contextually used completely different from their OT Septuagint use.  For example, logos communication that emphasizes message content in the OT is almost exclusively the holy gramma letters collected into graphe scriptures, thought in the NT logos is only used that way about 1% of the time.  The other 99% of the time it is used for the person of Jesus Christ, called “The logos Word/Message of God” or it refers to His “Great News” gospel logos message of The Truth about Himself (b), and His New (a) Covenant plan of salvation<Notes> a) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior, b) John 1:14, 17, 14:6; 1 John 5:20; Ephesians 4:21.

 

 

 

Old Testament Shadows point to New Testament Realities

Old Testament Shadows point to New Testament Realities:

 

 

The NT writers, any good teacher would, purposely use terms Jews are familiar with, but they use them in a completely-different-in-kind way, and they justify this because many verses say that the OT is but “a copy and/coupled shadow of the heavenly things, of the things to come, but the reality belongs to Christ” (a).  It’s entirely ignorant to hold the OT bible up and say “This IS the Word of God” when the NT makes it abundantly clear that the OT “WAS ONCE the logos “Word of God.”  And I’m not saying that accurately either because logos is best translated “message” since it focuses on “rational understanding of the content” of God’s communication through Jesus Christ, the Living & Active Logos! <Notes> a) Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 8:5, 9:23, 10:1; 1 Peter 3:21.

 

The directly-spoken/heard “Word of God” has always been the prophetic rhema words throughout the OT and NT.  All the promises of actual fellowship, sunesis connect-the-dots understanding, sophia wisdom, genuine-experiential-relational-epignosis knowledge, zoe genuine-life, and Spirit-Power are related to revealed prophetic rhema words, never to studied logos messages of the OT.  Furthermore, these promises are only realized through the gospel’s logos message of the The Truth found in the NT as it refers to Jesus Christ, “the Living & Active Logos of God,” thus becoming the “gospel of our salvation” (a). <Notes> a) Ephesians 1:13; Acts 8:25, 13:26, 15:7; Colossians 1:5.

 

Therefore, “rightly-handling the logos message of The Truth” (a) has absolutely nothing to do with studying/using OT scripture or even any NT writings that aren’t specifically about Jesus and His gospel message!  It’s not even about the study of gnosis bible info-knowledge at all!  We have to remember that biblical words are defined by the consistent contextual use of their writers, not dictionaries, and certainly not by definitions used 100s or 1000s of years earlier under a completely-different-in-kind OT covenant agreement between God and His people – see New Covenant Ways<Notes> a) 2 Timothy 2:15.

 

 

 

The Bible wasn’t written in English and often meaning is “lost in translation”

 

 

There are also many unique Greek and Hebrew idioms that can easily be “lost” in English translations.  For example, “in the name of Jesus” actually means “in the person and authority of Jesus,” like when a policeman says “stop in the name of the law” – see Salvation – BT7.  What they really are saying is “I’ve been given delegated authority and thus represent the full authority of the police department, so you better listen to me!”  Proseuchomai conversational-praying “in the name of Jesus” is using your delegated authority to boldly come before the throne of God as His child washed clean by the blood of Christ – see Salvation – BT6.  Another example, is when Paul says:  “a righteousness that is by faith to faith, just as it is written: ‘the righteous shall live by faith’” (c).  The common Greek idiom “faith to faith” means from “the first step to the last step” on the “walking-all-about journey of life,” especially since Paul often talks about “keeping in step with the Spirit” (a) as you “walk-all-about by-the-means-of the Spirit” (b).  This is similar to “glory to glory” in 2 Corinthians 3:18, which means “one level of glory to another level of glory metamorphic-transformation” that we will experience if we “gaze-with-wide-open-eyes, as with a mirror, at the glory of the Lord . . . for this comes from the Lord [Jesus Christ] who is the Spirit.”  I will endeavor to translate idioms correctly as only SOME bibles do. <Notes> a) Galatians 5:25, b) 2 Corinthians 12:18; Galatians 5:16, c) Romans 1:17 where pistis means “trust, dependence or reliance, and a leaning on of a trustworthy one” – see Obedient Steps of Faith.

 

I’ve also added important grammatical information that is sadly lost in many English translations. Greek is much more specific with words than English is!  For example, the Greek verb’s present tense isn’t just “present” but also “ongoing,” and the present participle adds the idea of “a routine, habitual, lifestyle action.” Whereas the aorist tense would convey the idea of “definitive action, the action viewed as a whole,” not just “an already-past action,” and the perfect tense adds “ongoing results or effects” to an “already-past action.”  Furthermore, to convey the future indicative, I translate “shall” or “shall actually” or “shall actually, in the future” for even more clarity.  English can be very limiting!  For example, the Greek verb esti in the present tense takes more than just the word “is” to convey its full meaning:  most bibles just say “God IS Love” from 1 John 4:8, 16 but it really should be translated “God IS actually, ongoingly defined/exists as Unconditional-Love.”  Yes, that’s a mouthful, but much more accurate!

 

There are even problems with simple prepositions!  If the Greek preposition en is followed by a word in the dative case, scholars will argue that the context rightly determines if it means “IN the location or sphere of,” or “BY the means/instrument of,” or “WITH the company of.”  But God told me when it comes to the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit that all three are true, even though at least 1 scholar I found argues that en pneumati always is limited to “by the means/instrument of The Holy Spirit.”  I will often leave any “in/by/with God” references as is, but if it’s clear by the context that “by the means/instrument of” is intended, that’s what I will do – see my 10-24-20 Dream of running into The Fortress Rock of Christ for rest and safety against demonic attacks.

 

 

 

Greek Prepositions convey far more meaning than English words do:

 

 

For example, the Greek preposition dia, where we get ‘diagnoses’ or ‘diameter,’ means far more than simply “through” or “by.”  It means more than “motion towards/reaching a destination” like pros does, and certainly not “motion into or penetrating toward a destination” like eis does.  Instead dia means “across to the other side, to cross all the way over THRU A CHANNEL, conduit, avenue, or way successfully or thoroughly (back and forth) to REALIZE a destination or goal, especially when used as a prefix.”  For example, dia + krino means “to judge thru-the-realizing-channel-of thoroughly, thus to investigate or discriminate thoroughly either rightly by close-reasoning or wrongly by going too far or vacillating back and forth, as determined by the context.”  An example is our word ‘diagnoses’ that comes from dia + gnosis that means “to informationally-know by thoroughly travelling across or through the subject as if travelling along a CHANNEL of investigation.”

 

Another example of dia used by Peter is:  “Water-baptism now saves you also (a) – not the removal of dirt from the body – but [how you ask? – ] the answer/pledge of a good/clear conscience toward/reaching God [how you ask? – ] dia thru-the-realizing-channel-of the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (b).  Our surrendering “good confession of The-Trusting-Relying-Faith in the presence of many witnesses” (c) doesn’t save us, either more than an ark sitting on dry ground would!  And the water we “actually bury ourselves under, as if dead, that actually joins us to Christ in His burial” (h), doesn’t actually wash sin off us, anymore than the flood waters did for Noah’s family – their “waters” actually washed away the sin of the entire world as a form of judgment!  Why any aspect of water-baptism works for salvation as “deliverance from sin,” is ‘because’ the resurrection of Christ is the REALIZING-CHANNEL – just as Paul says:  “If the Spirit of Him (Father-God) who raised Jesus (Son-God) from the dead is living in you, He (The Spirit) who raised Christ from the dead will also give zoe [eternal] genuine-life to your mortal bodies dia THRU-THE-REALIZING-CHANNEL-OF (g) His (Father-God) Spirit that lives in you” (d).  The Spirit is the “enabling-power of God” (e), so “by His enabling-power God [the Father] raised the Lord [Jesus, His Son] from the dead, and so He (Father-God) will raise us also [by that same enabling-power]” (f).  However, as mentioned earlier, we more often see the use of en pneumati in the dative case to express “by-the-means-of the Spirit.”  See how much is lost in English translations!  <Notes> a) like Noah’s family  was delivered/saved by the means of the ark but THRU-THE-REALIZING-CHANNEL-OF the flood waters to dry ground, b) 1 Peter 3:21, c) 1 Timothy 6:12, d) Romans 8:11, e) Luke 1:35; Romans 15:13, 19; 2 Timothy 1:7, f) 1 Corinthians 6:14, g) the genitive is preferred over the accusative ‘because’, h) Romans 6:4.

 

Another important Greek preposition is kata, which is also used as a prefix as with many prepositions.  It doesn’t just mean “according to or in the same manner as” that English bibles often translate.  It properly means “down from a higher to lower plane with special reference to the end-point,” and as a prefix it often means “to bring down exactly or completely.”  For example, Paul says: “For they who routinely are kata down-from/according-to the flesh (c) actually, presently/ongoingly have a mindset/paradigm/worldview (b) on the things of the flesh, but those kata down-from/according-to the Spirit the things of the Spirit” (a).  In context, people are either getting their commands/dictates down-from “the flesh” or “The Holy Spirit,” each having dominion over the person’s identity.  And you can tell ‘whose who’ by looking at where their “mindset-paradigm” concerning this world is!  <Notes> a) 8:5, 12-13, b) phroneo, c) see Man’s Might and Power and Man’s Identity

 

 

 

Other Greek Grammar conveys far more meaning than English does:

 

 

There are even problems with simple conjunctions!  For example, the Greek conjunction kai often translated “and” is misleading because de is used when simply adding items to a list, like “this, that, and (de) the other thing,” whereas kai most often means “and coupled” to indicate an integral relationship, so I translate it as “and/coupled.”  However, sometimes kai has a cumulative force as “and thus, even, moreover, indeed,” which I will translate variously as best fits the context.  A good example is 1 John 3:23 that clearly indicates only 1 commandment from God for the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant, but then breaks this into 2 commandments integrally linked together with kaitrusting-relying-faith in God’s Son Jesus kai and/coupled unconditionally-loving one another.

 

There are other grammatical nuances invisible to English.  For example, I also insert [singular] or [plural] into the text when the “number” of the noun is significant to the meaning.  For example, oftentimes a [singular] number of a noun has the force of the definite article “the,” like pnuema (a) or aletheia (b).  Number is also helpful in personal pronouns like “you” [singular] or “you-all” [plural].  I insert “actually” for the indicative case, since it really happens, whereas I insert “may” or “might” for the subjunctive case of “possibility.”  I insert “I strongly urge you” for the imperative case. <Notes> a) The Holy Spirit, not human or a demonic spirit, b) The aletheia Absolute Objective Truth about God as Jesus Christ or His gospel logos message of The Truth, not personal subjective truth or sincerity as too many bibles err.

 

Furthermore, there are many other very specific Greek words that it takes many English words to describe!  For example, “faith” and “believe” in English are 2 different words with 2 different English meanings, albeit with some overlap as “a mental agreement,” but in Greek they are respectively a noun pistis and verb pisteuo of the SAME Greek word that means the SAME thing, which has little to do with mere “mental agreement” but instead means “relational conviction of trusting, depending reliance” – you can’t have New Testament “trusting-relying-faith” in a thing, only a person, and it’s a ‘conviction’ to the degree we have some kind of relationship with that person we are having trusting-relying-faith in!  It’s really “trust in a trustworthy one” or “faith in a faithful one!”  You would never get this reading your English bible!

 

The Dynamite-like Enabling Power of God is the Holy Spirit:

 

 

Another example, is the Hebrew chayil or Greek dunamis which means “strength, ability, or enabling-power to perform or achieve,” where we get the word ‘dynamic’ or ‘dynamite.’  It’s often used to describe the supernatural enabling-power of the Holy Spirit.  Remember than en pneumati similarly means:  “by-the-means-of [singular] Spirit” as the “Doer or Action-Hero” of God!  This is often contrasted to the Hebrew koach or Greek ishus describing man’s “internal capacity of firmness, vigor, strength, might, ability, efficiency, force, and power or control over external things including immediate resistance,” which is exactly the “power” of Zechariah 4:6’s “might and power” that God is replacing with “by-the-means-of My Spirit” for the New Covenant.  You would never get this reading your English bible!

 

Another example is the English words “joy” and “grace,” that appear to be unrelated.  But in Greek respectively, chari is “the awareness, acknowledgment, or experiential, relational ginosko knowledge of charis,” which is “the unearned, unmerited, unconditional-favor of God.”  Also, Torah/Nomos Law of conditional-favor and charis unconditionally-loving-favor-of-grace are exactly opposite in their very nature (a):  The Law is based on the “earned, merited, deserved, conditional-favor” of God, thus like a “wage obligated/due for our work/doing” (c) FOR God.  However, grace is defined as the opposite:  “the unearned, unmerited, undeserved, unconditional-favor” of God, thus a “free grace-gift of God based solely on His unconditional-love, so that no one can boast” (b).  Therefore, I’ve inserted into the text these key meanings whenever possible. <Notes> a) John 1:17; Romans 6:14-15; Galatians 2:21, 5:4, b) Ephesians 2:8-9, c) Romans 4:4.

 

 

 

 

 

Nevertheless, there are good translations, especially the more “Formal-Equivalent” ones like:  English Standard Version (their study bible has great notes), The Passion Translation (great notes), New American Standard Bible, Disciples’ Literal New Testament, Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament, Green’s Literal Translation, and Young’s Literal Translation.  The Amplified Bible and Expanded Bible are great to see more word meaning possibilities, but are still inserting it into the next makes for slow reading and I’ve found they still aren’t thorough enough.  Although I agree with the approach of dynamic-equivalent “thought-for-thought” bibles, I have found that many of these have interjected a lot of theological bias and modern words that actually convey different ideas than what was originally intended, especially:  New International Version, New Living Translation, and New Revised Standard Version.  I like the Good News Bible (Today’s English Version) for the illustrations and ease of reading. Lastly, most ‘Free’ translations have too many translational errors in them, like:  Message Bible and the Living Bible.  The J.B. Phillips New Testament is scholastically sharp!  The New Century Versions and The Voice give you a good perspective while making it easy to read, but don’t build doctrine off them!  Actually I personally wouldn’t build doctrine off of any English translation!

 

 

 

Good Bible Study Resources - Spirit Music Meet-Ups

Good Bible Study Resources:

 

 

Good online resources are:  biblegateway.com for comparing multiple translations to alert you to apparent discrepancies; classic.net.bible.org is the online NET bible for original languages, emphasizes word order, grammar, and has good definitions; biblehub.com is excellent for definitions and Septuagint text confirmation; wikipedia.org is great for Church history and subject research, wiktionary.org is great for definitions, and earlychristianwritings.com is vital for early church documents.

 

Good reference books are:  Strong’s Lexicon and Exhaustive Concordance, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature (a), Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament  (b) , Commentary on the Old Testament (c), Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (d), Sparkling Gems from the Greek (f), and New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (e). I used to have 100s of great books, but now the computer is much faster! <Notes> a) Danker, b) Kittel, c) Keil & Delitzsch, d) Harris & Waltke, e) Silva, f) Renner.

 

Good Church history resources are:  Right Here, Right Now – Living the Anointed Life with Jesus and Each Other by www.HeavenReigns.com, Pagan Christianity – Exploring the Roots of Church Practices by Frank Viola and George Barna, Re-imagining Church – Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity by Frank Viola, and Christian Mythology – Revelations of Pagan Origins and Christianity – the Origins of a Pagan Religion by Philippe Walter.  Other books are mentioned through the website.

 

 

Do you have any resources or advise for those that really want to go to all this trouble to exegetically determine what the bible really says?  If so, please add to the comments below.

 

 

 

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But what is this so-called ‘right?’

 

 

In 1 Corinthians 9:1-2, Paul sets his argument up:  “Are you not my workmanship in the Lord . . . at least I am to you an apostle!”  Are you saying, “Doesn’t a person get paid for their work?  Especially an apostle?” Then in vv. 9:3-7, Paul explains his “defense to those who would judge/critique my inward motives (a):  Don’t we have the ‘right’ to eat and drink?  Don’t we have the ‘right’ to travel with a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the [physical] brothers of Jesus and Peter?  Or is it only Barnabas (b) and I who have no ‘right’ to not in possibility be presently/ongoingly working?”  In verse 9:11, Paul and Barnabas said they “sowed Spirit-kind-of things among them, so shouldn’t they have hope in reaping flesh-kind-of things (c) from them?”  Since the other apostles above evidently had partaken of this ‘right’ from the Corinthians, shouldn’t Paul and Barnabas have this more to a greater degree?  Is Paul really asking them for money?  If you think that, you haven’t been reading very carefully! <Notes> a) anakrino: to judge/distinguish vigorously ‘down to up’ by closely, even forensically, examining, investigating, or interrogating, thus careful study or evaluation, b) likely the author of Hebrews, c) sarkikos, adjective of sarx: human needs.

 

Is Paul saying that these ‘others’ have a legitimate ‘right’ to compensation, which all other pastors in history should then be quick to claim?  Is that Paul’s actual point?  We also have to remember that Paul had many run-ins with James, the brother of Jesus.  Look how James 2:24 “a person is justified by works and not by trusting-relying-faith alone” directly attacks Paul’s “We hold that one is justified by trusting-relying-faith apart from works of the Law” (a) and “the one who does not work but has trusting-relying-faith in Him who justifies the ungodly, His trusting-relying-faith is counted as righteousness” (b).  Paul also had run-ins with Peter.  Look how in Galatians 2:12-14, Paul had to “call out” Peter and his Jewish brothers for their hypocrisy because they were shunning the Gentiles at meals because they feared “the circumcision party.”  He said “James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be pillars” in the Church “seemed to be influential, but what they were makes no difference to me, for God shows no partiality and they added nothing to me” (c). <Notes> a) Romans 3:28, b) Romans 4:5, c) Galatians 2:6, 9.

 

So, we can’t be too quick to think Paul is giving these “pillars” his thumbs-up concerning the exercising of their ‘rights’ to support.  More importantly we have to keep verses in their context!  If we do, we will see that Paul is simply prodding the Corinthians to consider why they have been so selfish and unloving towards their team, while others have been treated much better.  Their self-centeredness has caused a lot of problems, like during their love feasts where they also celebrated the Lord’s Supper (a).  But Paul criticized them:  “Love does not insist on its own way” (b), so “let no one see his own good, but the good of his neighbor” (c).  In our immediate context of 1 Corinthians 8:7-13, these Gentile-Christians were exercising their ‘right’ to eat food offered to an idol (d) because to them it didn’t violate their particular gnosis info-knowledge of their “freedom in Christ” (g), but by eating it in front of others who were weak in this understanding (e), they were encouraging them to violate their consciences, so “by your gnosis knowledge this weak person is destroyed, a brother whom Christ died for.  Thus, this sinning against your brethren by wounding their conscience when it is weak, causes you to sin against Christ.  Therefore, if food makes my brethren stumble, I will never eat meat (f), lest I make my brethren stumble.” <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, b) 1 Corinthians 13:5, c) 1 Corinthians 10:24, d) it was routinely sold in the marketplace for better prices, e) Jewish-Christians brought up on strict dietary laws, f) that’s how far Paul would go, g) Galatians 5:1.

 

 

 

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Why is our ministry following the Apostle Paul’s team financial example?

 

 

Just like Paul and Barnabas did, I have no intention of making my living off ministry, but instead work for a living like most everybody else, currently by playing and teaching drums professionally.  You can see from my story in About Us that this is not the identity God gave me, but I’m really just learning how to walk more fully into “You are an anointed musician . . .”  My wife also has a day job and an antique booth.  God has always provided a job – I’ve never collected unemployment once!  God will continue to provide!

 

Paul and his companions were tent-makers but they used their spare time to evangelize (a).  Paul’s job “served his necessities and those who were with him” (b).  He “preached God’s gospel to them free of charge” (c).  He didn’t “want to make himself a burden to them” (d).  He said they “labored and toiled, working night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (e).  He and his group “labored, working with our own hands” (f). <Notes> a) Acts 18:3-4, b) Acts 20:34, c) 2 Corinthians 11:7, d) 2 Corinthians 12:13, e) 1 Thessalonians 2:9, f) 1 Corinthians 4:12.

 

They even gave Christians a command “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and/thus not in accordance with the tradition that you have received from us.  For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.  It was not because we don’t have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.  For even when we were with you, we would give you this charge:  If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.  For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we charge and encourage by the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living (a).  And that “earning their own living” sure wasn’t “doing ministry,” even if you think you have the ‘right’ to be compensated for “the Lord’s work.”  Paul would have called such people “walking in idleness, not busy at work.”  It seems like most paid church staff sure hasn’t read this! <Notes> a) 2 Thessalonians 3:6-11.

 

Again Paul says he will not exercise this so-called ‘right.’  In 1 Corinthians 9:12, 15, and 18, Paul reiterates what he said above:  “We have not made use of this ‘right,’ but we will endure anything [even hunger] rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ . . . I have made no use of any of these ‘rights,’ nor am I writing to secure any such provision.  For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my grounds for boasting. . . . What then is my reward (it sure wasn’t their money)?  That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my ‘right’ in the gospel.”  Whatever his ‘rights’ were, the great apostle Paul to the known Gentile world sure didn’t think that he or his companions should exercise them!  Why is it that so many churches think they should?  I thought we were told to “be imitators of me (Paul), as I am of Christ” (a), for “you know how you ought to imitate us” (b).  Paul is implying that he is a tentmaker (c) because he is following the Lord’s example.  The Lord told me once that He gave Paul such work not just to make money but to work with Him to reach people others wouldn’t have reached.  Paul was actually sharing (d) in the Lord’s work!  In other words, it wasn’t just a job!  Christians, and certainly ministers, should follow Paul’s team example as they followed Christ’s example, and Paul charges them to do this “by the name/authority of Jesus.”  Wasn’t Christ a carpenter for 30 years and only a missionary-preacher for 3 short years? <Notes> a) 1 Corinthians 11:1, b) 2 Thessalonians 3:7, c) or possibly a leather worker for books and scrolls, d) koinonia fellowship.

 

 

 

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