There is a clanging taking place in the body of Christ. This clanging is so....loud that it diffuses the words that are necessary for life everlasting. The noise stems from the dissatisfaction of those who do not respect God's way of functioning in the Kingdom. Therefore, they create noise to distract and overshadow sound doctrine and teaching, legitimate moves of God and the praise and adoration meant for the living God. They are disgruntled believers who would rather dwell on social traditions and the spiritual games of the times. They are believers who seek to say words to God but their hearts are far from Him. They are people who have turned the church into a musical phenomenon with no depth, spirit or anointing. It has become a place of entertainment and fun. All of the time they are spiritually insulting God through their behavior. Pretty soon all they become are clanging cymbals and clashing metal; noise.
This type of mentality does not give way to righteousness, ministry, evangelism and worship to God. It is a Hollywood salvation that waits on the next great attraction, buzz words and fleshly doctrine.The results are people can literally dance, shout, and make a great deal of noise, but their lifestyle and devotion to God is seriously lacking. It has literally turned many church gatherings in to a religious social club.
I am reminded of a passage in Ezra, whereby the Jews were released from captivity by King Darius to return back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Upon building the foundation and the altar-a place of worship, there were persons in the crowd who could not get past the new thing that God was doing because they were so..... set on the former temple and altar. They were so disappointed that they began to create a great noise in the midst of the people. They were wailing and screaming because they remembered and only desired what they had and not what God was providing for them at that time. They were only satisfied when God was doing what they wanted. They were bent on having their way without any regard to what God wanted or desired for them. However, there arose another sound. It was not just noise, it was praise and adoration for what God had done.
The scripture text said that their praise drowned out the noise of dissatisfaction. This sound stemmed from gratitude that after 70 years of bondage and not being able to come to the place of worship. God had allowed them to rebuild their symbol of communion and intimacy with Him; the altar. These people rejoiced because they understood that if it had not been for God on their side, they could have died in captivity. They did not regard their own desires as more important, rather, they regarded the plan of God, His ways, His precepts, His will as the foundation for rebuilding their lives. Yes, they were imperfect, but they were committed to living and functioning in the Kingdom according to the will of God. They were receptive of Kingdom lifestyle and behavior. Whatever God said and wanted to do was fine with them.
No, God is not looking for perfect people to praise and worship Him, however, He is looking for people who's heart is perfect (mature) towards Him. Noise and Praise is really a matter of the heart. Noise focuses on emotions and whatever feelings people want to be expressed from the fleshly realm. However, praise has nothing to do with the individual's feelings. It has nothing to do with what the individual has done. Praise is totally focused on what God has done. He has done great things! He has delivered me! He brought me out of a bad situation. It is the acknowledgment of the wondrous workings of the Lord. God desires praise not noise that is self-centered and fleshly. Yes, make a joyful noise. Yes, this may lead to an audience with the King, but after you get an audience, you must come right before Him with intentional and deliberate praise.
My prayer for the body of Christ is that we will not major any longer in just noise and certainly not noise of dissatisfaction, but that we will rather make deliberate effort to raise up a sound of praise and adoration to our God who has and continues to do great things in our lives. Let's not just make some kind of noise, let's make intentional praise flow from our hearts to the ears of God.
About Me
- Kevin M. Jackson, M.A., M. Div.
- Kevin M. Jackson, A 1994 graduate of Savannah State University with a B.S. degree in Biology and a Masters degree in Urban Education from Norfolk State University and a Masters of Divinity from Liberty University. Elder Jackson is a Chaplain in the United States Navy. He worked as a Science educator for over 14 years. Mr. Jackson is the author of two books; When God Speaks and Life Lessons For My Sons. He is the father of Ephraim, Elim and Elisha and several spiritual sons. Elder Jackson is married to Nila Nash Jackson.
Friday, July 19, 2013
The God Who Speaks
What is the voice of the Lord? Does He always speak in an audible voice? How do you discern the voice of the Lord from your own voice?
These questions have and continue to confound the minds of believers and non-believers alike. The what about God's voice. Many believe that God has lost His voice and He does not speak to His people anymore. I beg to differ. Who can tell God to be quiet? Who determines that He speaks no more? Who has that much knowledge of God that they can say emphatically that He is now silent? No one!
God speaks and we should anticipate Him to speak to us for He promises that He will be with us even until the end of the ages. Certainly God is not just going to be with us and not communicate with us right? Jesus said, I will send you a comforter who will teach you and remind you of all of the things that I have taught you. Surely, the holy ghost does not speak in sign language. It must communicate in some manner in which we, the limited beings, can understand.
Yes! God speaks today and forever more. He speaks through His spirit, He speaks through His word, He speaks through His prophets, He speaks through dreams and visions, He speaks through situations and circumstances. God still speaks!
You can always discern the voice of God from another voice if what is said conflicts with the word of God and the will of God that has already been revealed to you. God is not the author of confusion. He will never contradict Himself. Be careful of voices that are close or similar to something that God would say. Those similarities are just as dangerous.If in doubt, seek the counsel of a godly man or woman of God who has walked with the Lord and has impeccable spiritual integrity.
Whenever God speaks and it is actually God, whatever you do, do not ignore what He says. It is a privilege to have the creator of the universe to take the time to speak to his most imperfect creation. Rejoice in the fact, that our God still speaks and shall continue throughout eternity.
These questions have and continue to confound the minds of believers and non-believers alike. The what about God's voice. Many believe that God has lost His voice and He does not speak to His people anymore. I beg to differ. Who can tell God to be quiet? Who determines that He speaks no more? Who has that much knowledge of God that they can say emphatically that He is now silent? No one!
God speaks and we should anticipate Him to speak to us for He promises that He will be with us even until the end of the ages. Certainly God is not just going to be with us and not communicate with us right? Jesus said, I will send you a comforter who will teach you and remind you of all of the things that I have taught you. Surely, the holy ghost does not speak in sign language. It must communicate in some manner in which we, the limited beings, can understand.
Yes! God speaks today and forever more. He speaks through His spirit, He speaks through His word, He speaks through His prophets, He speaks through dreams and visions, He speaks through situations and circumstances. God still speaks!
You can always discern the voice of God from another voice if what is said conflicts with the word of God and the will of God that has already been revealed to you. God is not the author of confusion. He will never contradict Himself. Be careful of voices that are close or similar to something that God would say. Those similarities are just as dangerous.If in doubt, seek the counsel of a godly man or woman of God who has walked with the Lord and has impeccable spiritual integrity.
Whenever God speaks and it is actually God, whatever you do, do not ignore what He says. It is a privilege to have the creator of the universe to take the time to speak to his most imperfect creation. Rejoice in the fact, that our God still speaks and shall continue throughout eternity.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Foolishness
After studying 1 Corinthians 1:21-31, I began to understand the greatness of our God even the more. It is a powerful revelation that the creator,who has the option to create from pure raw materials would rather take an already blemished creation and mold it into something usable for the Kingdom of God. The world with all of its knowledge and wisdom would deemed that to be simply "foolishness".Yet God majors in what the world calls "foolishness".
The world's perspective is it is "foolishness" to take one man to die and shed his blood for the redemption of all mankind. To the world, it is "foolishness" to believe that an invisible God is interested in the well being of a people who have a choice to choose him or not. The world's wisdom cannot accept the "foolishness" that God would give up his only son just so mankind could be in right relationship with him.
I am so glad that God can take what seemingly looks like "foolishness" by the world's standards and raise a person up to have dominion and power in the holy ghost. See only God can take a person from drugs, violence, abuse, neglect, poverty, suicide, depression and puts His loving arms around them and redeem them unto himself. It may seem like "foolishness", but I along with millions of other believers rejoice in the God of our salvation over the fact that he chooses "foolishness". He chooses people who have so many flaws, people who are unfaithful, people who are unreliable to invest his valuable anointing into.
Oh, we celebrate the ability of God to take the "foolishness" of a person and transform it to loyalty, integrity, holiness, character, reliability and most of all redeemed and righteous in Jesus Christ. I don't know a great deal, but I do know that our "foolishness" is not match for our great God.
The world's perspective is it is "foolishness" to take one man to die and shed his blood for the redemption of all mankind. To the world, it is "foolishness" to believe that an invisible God is interested in the well being of a people who have a choice to choose him or not. The world's wisdom cannot accept the "foolishness" that God would give up his only son just so mankind could be in right relationship with him.
I am so glad that God can take what seemingly looks like "foolishness" by the world's standards and raise a person up to have dominion and power in the holy ghost. See only God can take a person from drugs, violence, abuse, neglect, poverty, suicide, depression and puts His loving arms around them and redeem them unto himself. It may seem like "foolishness", but I along with millions of other believers rejoice in the God of our salvation over the fact that he chooses "foolishness". He chooses people who have so many flaws, people who are unfaithful, people who are unreliable to invest his valuable anointing into.
Oh, we celebrate the ability of God to take the "foolishness" of a person and transform it to loyalty, integrity, holiness, character, reliability and most of all redeemed and righteous in Jesus Christ. I don't know a great deal, but I do know that our "foolishness" is not match for our great God.
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