How to EXPERIENCE GOD with you TODAY

"The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."

Psalms 145:18, emphasis mine.

You want something.

You don't know what is is or why you want it.

You get glimpses of it every now and then:

In intensely beautiful music or art

In sunrises or sunsets

In silence

In the particles floating on sunrays through a window

In sex

In being high on drugs

In the buzz of alcohol

In a really good, long, intimate and transparent conversation

In a good book or movie.

In the eyes of a beautiful man or woman

In the smile of a baby at you while getting groceries

In being listened to and understood

In the crashing waves on a beach

In your conscience, intuition, and communion with the presence behind silence.

In the power of imagination and reason

In pure emotion

In the liberation of volition in skillful joyful action

But it's not any of these things, or really even in any of these things.

These are shadows of echoes, dreams of mirages.

It is not an it.

It is a Person in Relation and Union.

"Holy Spirit, please allow me the liberty of the imaginary in relation to Paul's inspiration."

"So be it, son of God.  I am with you.  Jesus is Lord.  Amen."

(What you are about to read is an adaptation, a personalization of scripture and revelation.  I, being one with Paul in spirit, by the Holy Spirit, speak as though I am him, and I address you as if you are the people of Athens mentioned in Acts 17, verses 16 and 24-28.)

"While I was waiting for them in to respond to my writings, I was greatly distressed to see that some of their minds were full of idols.  I then stood up in the meeting of the minds online and said: “Men and women who read my words! I see that in every way you are very spiritual. For as I walked around in your imaginations and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in imaginary temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men and women life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men and women, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men and women would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’"

God is not far from you right now, you, the one who is reading right now!

Perhaps you've never heard or read the word "GOD."  Or perhaps you are a member of one of these four groups:

1.  Those who believe in one Supreme Personality, Perfectly Good, Perfectly Powerful, Perfectly Wise, Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, Infinite, All Present, All knowing, All Loving Light and Truth.

2.  Those who believe in many gods, or that every thing and every one is God, part of God, or a god.
3.  Those who believe in no god or gods, who believe this world, the physical, visible, audible, and tangible, are the only real things.  There is no mind or will behind it all, no purpose, no origin, no destination.
4.  Those who say they simply "don't know," and feel as if no one really can know.

Which ever of these four you feel defines you, know that one of these things is true:

1. You experience THE ONE as He is, as He knows and names Himself.

2.  You experience THE ONE in creation and conscience, though you may call Him a name other than his name.  You rename Him after one or more of the things that give you a glimpse of him.  You name Him "Shadow of the Echo," or you call Him "The Dream of The Mirage."  In other words, you worship the thing instead of the Creator of the thing; the being instead of The Supreme Being, Creator of all beings. 

What you want is Him!

You crave Him!

You obsess over Him!

And you should!

In His presence alone is perfect happiness and neverending pleasure!!

He is literally better than the best sex, higher than the highest high, the buzziest buzz, the most inspired and inspirational, the most sensational!

He is who He is!!!

Undefinable!!! 

Unnameable and Untameable!!!

The Mystery of Intimacy, Ecstasy and Beauty!!!

GOD ALMIGHTY!!!

THE LORD JESUS!!!

THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!

You can experience Him right now!  He is already near you and has orchestrated your life for this very moment.  Indeed, every moment of every day of your life God designed for this purpose: FOR YOU TO REACH OUT FOR HIM AND FIND HIM ALREADY NEAR TO YOU!!!

HOW?

Call on Him!!!

Call on Him in absolute honesty, vulnerability, and transparency!!!

But to call on Him, you must know His name.  I will tell you the name of the one who cannnot be named, but can only name Himself--this is the name He gave Himself:  He is who He is!!!!

So, when you call on Him, this is what to call him:  The One who Is who He is.  Say something like this, but of course, in your own words:

"To The One WHO IS WHO HE IS, I speak to you alone!  I don't speak to a being of my own making or naming or defining!!  I come to you accepting you as you are, accepting that you are!!!  I will be myself with you right now!!!! Please answer me, and be yourself with me!!!!!"

The Supreme Person, the origin of every person, is indeed A PERSON.  What person craves negation!?  What person desires to be renamed or made out to be what they are not? 

So I stress to you, the one who wants to EXPERIENCE GOD TODAY, don't call upon an imaginary God of your own making, which is indeed an idol, fashioned by imaginary hands, placed in an imaginary temple of your mind. Let the ONE be the ONE.  And focus on being yourself before the ONE.  If you call on Him, indeed if you call on him in truth, you will experience him near you.

You should and must call on Him!  You want to do it, but must choose to do it!

To not do it is to die, or remain dead!  It is rejection, the rejection of Creator by creation!  It is also the rejection of your deepest and truest passion!!!  It is the rejection of your life's mission:  The knowledge and likeness of God!!!!

Refuse to think you "have time," or "need time to think."  What more is there to think about?  You've wanted this your whole conscious life.  My words express your words to yourself on lonely nights in your bed.  I say what you say to yourself.  Be honest with yourself!!!  Be honest with God!!!  And know that you very well may have no more time, and even if you did, to reject Him today places you on a path of rejection, a path you would choose to be on.  It sets your mind and heart in a direction that may be fixed BY YOU!  The more you receive the invitation of the Spirit of God and reject, the less respect you have for the invitation, and the Spirit, respecting your will, STOPS GIVING THE INVITATION, IN RESPECT TO YOUR OWN REJECTION OF THE INVITATION!!!

Choose to call on The One Who Is Who He Is today, even right now!!  If you do, He promises to be near you.  Choose to believe in Him!  Choose to call upon Him!!

satan's beats for GOD'S GLORIES? (CONCLUSIONS)

here is what i believe is a fundamental difference between many christian musicians verses secular/worldly musicians:

MANY CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS HOLD BACK EMOTIONALLY!

MOST NON CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS DON'T!!

nothing else dishonors God more than passionless worship!!

i'm sure you've heard love songs where the man or woman express their love for each other in words that sound like worship, saying things that really should only be said about or to God.  or you've heard raw emotion in the expression of a non christian musician in subject matter that is infinitely inferior to the glory of God.

yet an example of what i hear on some christian radio stations with "sorry cliche christian music" is an acoustic guitar with a whining man, who sounds more like he's talking than singing.  when the christian musician is a woman, there is usually more passion, but the SAME KIND OF PASSION heard in almost every other song with "passion" on the christian station.  in other words, the passion seems contrived, like the christian musician knows he or she should feel passion for God, BUT THEY SINCERELY DON'T, so they WILL themselves into a state of mock passion.  we know raw emotion and passion when we hear it. 

then there are some christians who indeed sing with passion, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SINGING OR TALKING ABOUT!  they focus so much on being creative that their creativity negates God's reality.  these usually don't mention God or Jesus at all.  this would be like a love song where the man doesn't mention the woman,or the woman fails to mention the man of her affection. 

because the goal of the christian musician is to bring the listener WITH HIM OR HER into the presence of God, the musician must indeed BE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD!!  THERE CAN BE NO PASSION WITHOUT THIS INTIMATE CONNECTION!!!!

so the lack of passion with the christian musician is the lack of genuine intimate communion with God.  you can't sing passionately about what you are not experiencing.

but the non christian musician expresses his or her experience, JUST AS IT IS, HOLDING BACK NOTHING!!! SWEARING.  ANGRY.  LUSTFUL.  GREEDY.  NEEDY.  LONELY. WHATEVER. IT'S THERE. 

we, those who know the truth and are one with truth, rarely tell or sing the truth.  because of this, our music is mostly sorry. 

i believe i remember the christian rapper ambassador talking about the advantages the christian rapper has over the non christian rapper.  according to him, rap usually involves rappers bragging about themselves, and they usually go too far!  but you can't go too far in bragging about God!!  you will never run out of things to say about Him, and you can never honor Him highly enough!! 

i feel the same way about all christian music, art, or expression.  christians should possess the most passion in creative expression, the most raw emotion, the most skill in their creations.  we are the sons and daughters of God, those whose bodies are the temples of God!  our music should bring all who listen into God's glorious presence with passion!

"SO WHAT?" some may ask.  "What if I'm not a Christian artist or creative type?  What do all of these posts have to do with me?"

EVERYTHING!

God The Creator, The Creative One, made you in His image and likeness.  You look like Him and act like Him.  The first and most practical place you can start is how you talk from now on!!!

I'll quote some of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis to illustrate what I mean:

"To say the very thing you mean, the whole of it, nothing more less or other than what you really mean, that is the whole art and joy of words."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C.S. Lewis’s last interview was on May 7, 1963—six months before he died. One of Sherwood Wirt’s questions was on writing: “How would you suggest a young Christian writer go about developing a style?”

Lewis responded:

"The way for a person to develop a style is (a) to know exactly what he wants to say, and (b) to be sure he is saying exactly that."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 " Never exaggerate. Never say more than you really mean."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What really matters is:–

1. Always try to use the language so as to make quite clear what you mean and make sure your sentence couldn't mean anything else.
2. Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one. Don't implement promises, but keep them.

3. Never use abstract nouns when concrete ones will do. If you mean 'More people died' don't say 'Mortality rose.'

4. In writing. Don't use adjectives which merely tell us how you want us to feel about the thing you are describing. I mean, instead of telling us a thing was 'terrible,' describe it so that we'll be terrified. Don't say it was 'delightful'; make us say 'delightful' when we've read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying, wonderful, hideous, exquisite) are only like saying to your readers, 'Please will you do my job for me.'

5. Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two things that stand out to me that I give to you from C.S. Lewis:

1.  Over and over, he focuses on saying what you really mean.
2.  He even attributes this to the development of a style of your own.

Creativity is really self-expression, which means telling the one listening to you what you really think, feel, or want!  The musician uses music to say what he really means.  The artist uses art to say what she really means.  You may be neither, but your words are music and art if you fully express them.

DON'T HOLD BACK, CHILD OF GOD!  Tell people what you really mean, always, about God and yourself as His child, from this moment on.

And even if you are not a child of God right now, but you are reading my words, BE ABSOLUTELY HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND EVERY ONE ELSE FROM THIS DAY FORWARD!!!  Not only will you stumble upon originality and individuality, as well as liberty, but you will, in the end, see the very face of God--The Face of the Lord Jesus Christ, The Way, The Truth, and The Life!!

satan's beats for GOD'S GLORIES? (PART 3)

let's talk about "worldly music," verses "secular music." 

i defined "worldly" in the first post, showing this word to mean satan's system of deception and self-worship.  i said i would define secular, or what i mean by secular.

by secular i mean music not specifically written about God or to God.  i believe "secular music" can glorify God or satan, depending upon the musicians intention or expresssion, whether christian or non christian.

for example, a love song expressing a man's desire to marry a woman glorifies God, the Creator of marriage.  this man may or may not be a christian, but he sings songs that express the truth of man's love for a woman consummated in marriage, which honors God.

worldly music, no matter how good it sounds, does not honor God. 

the musician deliberately dishonors, dismisses, or dissassoicates herself from God.
he hates God.
she hates anything and everything that tells her there are limits to her expression.

secular musicians may not hate God or His ways.  they may not fully know the source of the beauty they see and feel.  but they love the beauty, and to a certain extent they love the source, though they may misname or misunderstand the source. now here is where christian musician copying comes in.

some christian musicians, knowing Christ as the source of all beauty and ecstasy, realize that secular musicians build musical alters to "an unknown God."  what they sing to as unknown, the christian musican seeks to make known.  so they take the secular style, lyrics, etc., and use it to glorify God. 

christian musicans may do the very same thing with worldly music!!

take the musical genre of "heavy metal" for example.  this music is usually associated with devil worship, wild drunken sex orgies, etc.  notice, it is THE ASSOCIATION of this music with these activities that is powerful. but the musical style, rhythms, or notes are not inherently sinful. 

a good example for me is the song "down with the sickness." by the band "disturbed." 

some of you may ask,

"Cru, how in THE LITERAL HELL did you come into contact with such a horribly demonic song?"

i used to be a bouncer.  i heard and saw things that should not be heard or seen.  i refuse to link you to the lyrics.  if you haven't heard the song or lyrics, you are blessed for it.  but i can tell you, as a musican, that the music itself is very good, meaning the beats, notes, arrangement, composition.  but the goal of the musicians is antiGod!!

another good example is almost any of prince's earlier songs where he seemed to love raunchiness.  "darling nicki" is another perfect example.  filthy lyrics.  very good music.  (i saw the movie in which prince sang this, and I've heard it live.  the music sounds even better live, though i am ashamed to like it because the lyrics are so bad.)

now, imagine a christian musican taking the music to both of these songs and changing the words.  he uses the exact same music and the rhythm of the lyrics, but makes a completely legitimate christian song, with rightly interpreted scripture and application, and deepest expression of devotion and emotion to God.  after all, this seems to be what happened with old bar songs that were used for the music of hymns.  could this glorify God?

it depends.  some music from some sources is so associated with the devil that it is difficult, if not impossible, to dissociate the devil from it. 

but let's just take heavy metal in general as a musical style.  or use prince's musical style in general.  these, in and of themselves, belong to no one and can be used by any muscian.  secondly, the styles in and of themselves can be used for the glory of God, depending on the musician, if they are  simply the basic characteristics, verses an imitation of a song of satan, .

take as another example rap music, whether the style of a specific rapper, or of rap in general; NOT the syle of a specific rap song.  now some "christian rappers" simply like rap as a style of expression.  some were former "thugs" and now consider themselves "gangstas for Christ," whatever that means.  now with "gangsta rap," for example, there are assumptions about money, respect, violence, etc.  the "gangsta disciple of Christ" may reinterpret these in "kingdom language."  they may speak of spiritual wealth in Christ, the glory of God, and the violence done to satan's kingdom.  an example of this is changing the scriptural idea of the word of God being a "sword of the Spirit" to a "gun for Christ." 

the danger comes when the christian rapper expresses the same worldly assumptions as worldly rappers, going beyond merely using the style of music, and promoting worldly thinking.  they still may give some glory to themselves, though they give MOST of the glory to God.  they thank God FOR THEIR BENTLEY OR MERCEDES OR MONIES.  their videos look and feel the same as worldly videos, but they talk about Jesus more. 

so the christian musician that copies a secular or even worldly musical style can still glorify God if he or she doesn't promote worldly assumptions, or copy a worldly/secular artist to the extent that the worldly artist cannot be forgotten when one listens. the styles of secular/worldly music are not sinful. but the assumptions behind he lyrics very well may be.  (the closest i've come to hearing music that sounded "sinful"  is the introductory notes to prince's darling nikki.  it JUST COMES ON WRONG!!  the MUSICAL NOTES sound "SINFUL....." like WHATEVER prince is about to "sang" CANNOT BE GOOD!!)

as for traditional christan music, like hymns, the issue is usually talent.  the lyrics of hymns tend to be good, as defined in the last post.  however, there are some hymns that sound very much like "sermon songs," and some that are off scripturally.  this is the exception and not the rule. if hymns or traditional christian songs of the past are sung with skill and spirit filled emotion, the presence of God will indeed be felt, and thus the goal of the good christian musician will be achieved. 

i plan to write about "sorry cliche christian music" in the next, and concluding, post.  i believe this discussion will bring us to the climax of our topic.  in the next post, i'll deal with this last type of christian music, showing why it seems at times that "satan's music" is better than "God's." 

satan's beats for GOD'S GLORIES? (Part 2)

here we go.
standards.

we talked about satan owning nothing, including musical rhythms, styles, and genres.  satan owns nothing.  God owns everything.  all that is good and perfect in music comes from God, and all that is evil and imperfect comes from satan, and is controlled by the sovereign will of God. 

we discussed three musical possiblities in christian music: 
1. copying the "worldly," as defined in part 1, making it clear that copying in and of itself is not bad
2. rejecting the "worldy" and doing only the traditional hymns of "old time religion"
3. creating cliche, sorry christian music, neither "worldly" nor "old school."

now, i plan to give standards by which we can measure "good music" verses "straight up sorriness."  i do this as one gifted by God in music, and i believe the standards for any area of expertise should come from those who possess God given ability in these areas.  they see what the ungifted do not see, but what the ungifted know intuitively.  in other words, we all know good music and bad music when we hear it.  the difference is, the gifted know HOW AND WHY it is good or bad, because the gifted make music.  we all know a well built house and a house that is straight garbage!  but architects and carpenters or builders know how and why houses are built well or built with shabbiness.

having said all of this, the standard by which one can measure good and bad music christian music, whether the christian musician copies a definitively "secular" style, uses only "traditional" or old school styles, or creates their own style, is this: 

Does the christian music emotionally take  the christian and nonchristian listener into the very presence of God through lyrics that skillfully express faith in Christ Jesus, by the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit filling and leading the musician.

i'll deal with each component of my defintion. before i do, understand that styles of music are just that.  they are a means to an end, and they are only as useful as they accomplish the goal of expression for the christian musician.

first, we all know intuitively that music is meant to move us emotionally.  it is meant to be felt.  it is not primarily to present doctrine or a sermon in lyrical or rhythmic form.  i'm not saying truth can't be expressed or taught in songs.  i'm saying that this is not the PRIMARY purpose of ANY kind of music.  music, songs, and poetry are meant to express emotions in relation to a person or object. 

second, the person or object of focus is none other than God Himself, the Omnipresent.  because the christian musician is singing to and about God Himself, one should feel not only the musicians spirit pouring out to God, but God responding with pleasure to the musician, and all who unite with the musician.  this is the norm!!  the standard!!!!

third, the means to this end is SKILLFUL expression.  the songwriter should be gifted in writing songs!  we all know this when we hear it. the singer takes the listener to places in God through words that express the inexpressible.  poets do the same with those who read their poetry.  this is a gift that should not be taken lightly.  the psalmist wrote with skill lyrics sung for the glory of the God of israel. 

fourth, the musician undeniably expresses faith in and focus upon Christ, not himself or herself.  yes, HE OR SHE IS PERFORMING!!  yes, he or she SHOULD BE HONORED FOR HIS OR HER GIFT.  and yes, the gift of the musician SHOULD BE ENJOYED!!!  the devil lies most in this area.  his lie is based in the truth of celebrity worship today.  he makes it seem as if honoring someone's talent in music is the same as the worship the unsaved give to secular musicians.  but i believe the christian musician makes all of the difference in this, leading to the next point.

fifth, the musician, focused on his or her faith in Christ and not themselves, manifests the very real presence of the Holy Spirit in them and leading them.  they manifest what the bible calls the "fruit of the Spirit."  by this it is known that the musician is following the Spirit, and by this God receives all of the supreme honor due to the Creator, while the musician receives the honor of a creature due to him or her, as it is written, "He who honors me, I will honor.  But he who despises me shall be lightly esteemed."  It is also written, "Let another man praise you and not your own mouth, someone else and not your own lips."

so when christian musicians sing for God's glory, they will bring you into God's presence, inspiring you to worship God with them.  they will skillfully do this through the lyrics and music, whether in a "secular style," "traditional style," or the unique style of the musician.  in the next post, i'll talk about these styles, and the ways they glorify God or satan.

JESUS

"I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He died for my sins."

As I said before, I say again, after saying the words above, I felt peace cover me like a blanket, and I no longer wanted to die.  Before I said these words I felt intense turmoil and suicidal.  Jesus saved my life.  Jesus gave me life.

"Jesus is God, and He died for my sins."

I gave this answer when asked point blank, "Who is Jesus?"  The one who asked this question questioned "religion," and knew my devotion to the only one who gives salvation for sin.

Jesus is the truth, the meaure of all reality, the means to the end of knowing God by His Spirit.  All of the word of God is measured by these words of God:

"Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures.

He was buried.

He rose the third day, according to the scriptures."

Jesus is the truth.

His gospel is the measure of all words of truth.

By these declarations one knows the Spirit of God:

Jesus is Lord.

Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.

To see Jesus is to see the Father.

To love Jesus is to love the Father.

May all who read be certain of the identity of God's Son:  JESUS!   

satan's beats for GOD'S GLORIES?

Satan possesses nothing but darkness and dirt! 
IF THAT! 

It is written,

"The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world and all who live in it." 

So for the record, even darkness and dirt belong to God, and even the evil of the evil one is subject to God's sovereignty!  God performs no evil and is in no way cruel.  But the Lord  uses the devil like a CLOWN MONKEY however the Lord sees fit!

Based on this, there are no beats, no notes, no musical styles or forms or genres THAT BELONG TO SATAN!

BAM!  BICKETY BAM!!

I cannot emphasize this enough to be felt as badly as I want you to FEEL ME!

It is written yet again,

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

This includes sounds and grooves that make heads and bodies  move!

Contrary to popular belief, HEAVEN IS WHERE THE PARTY IS AT!!!

Now how do we give glory to God  with our beats and music and dances?

I see these possible problems:

1.  Because many Christian musicians don't believe that God is the source of ALL good, they copy the worldly musician.  By "worldly" I do not mean "secular," which I will discuss later.  When I say "worldly," I mean:

"Of  his present satanic world system, and according to the present world's anti-God-worship-me-philosophy." 

Note, by philosophy, or system, I mean ideas and assumptions SPREAD BY WORDS, WHETHER LYRICS OR POETRY OR WHATEVER, WHEREVER WORDS ARE THE EXPRESSION.  Yet again, beats in and of and by themselves possess neither vice nor virtue.  African drums were not made in the smoky pits of hell, and the violin was not fashioned in heaven.  Contrary to popular belief, Satan can use the violin.  And despite what many believe, the boom of thunder may very well be the drum beat OF GOD! 

This copying can take place in one of two ways: 
a)  Straight up copying--taking a worldly song and putting bible verses or the name of Jesus in it. 
b)  Copying a clearly worldly musician's style. 

Now, nothing is inherently wrong with copying...unless we worship our so called individuality/originality.  Yet the truth is, WE ARE ALL COPIES!!! COPIES OF GOD!  Only God the Father is "original."  Even the Son and The Spirit reflect the Father eternally (and thus uniquely and equally.)  So the issue to me isn't originality.  The issue is wanting the approval of the world, or valuing the world as though satan's system is the standard. 

2.  Next would be an opposite extreme:  to reject all good sounding beats and music as "of the devil,"  and use only old hymns, spirituals, European classical music, etc, assuming  that these "traditional/cultural" sounds are inherently "Christian."  Now this can be done one of two ways. 

a) skillfully
b) poorly. 

Now hopefully, if Western music must be the standard for heaven and eternity, it can at least be done skillfully!   Yet most of the time, when this mindset is assumed, THE MUSIC IS STRAIGHT SORRY!!  We as believers dishonor God by just letting any ole body get up in the church an'  SANG!  After all, "It's for the Lord?"  MEANING?  God is...tone deaf?  Sorry?  Absolutely not!  God specifically gave us skills and gifts to use for His glory and enjoyment.  One of those possible skills is MUSICAL ABILITY.  If a person can't sing, THEY SHOULD NOT,  I DO BOLDLY REPEAT,  SHOULD NOT,  BE ALLOWED TO SING AS THEIR MINISTRY OR JOB!!!  (YES, FORBIDDEN, AND IF OFFENDED BY PROHIBITION--BANISHED!!!) 

Of course, anybody and everybody can sing in the shower, around the house, karaoke, etc.  I'm talking about being ASSIGNED to PRAISE AND WORSHIP OR THE CHOIR WHEN YOU CAN'T SING!  We don't do that with the food ministry!  Oh No!  You BETTER be able to cook if you want to contribute to church dinners!!! 

3.  Finally, a Christian  musician can reject "satan's music," and "old school/old time religion" music, and strike out  on his or her own, creating YET ANOTHER cliche "Christian sound" that is...SORRY!...For the most part....After all, there are very many very good Christian musicians making good music with good lyrics.  But what do I mean by "good music" and "good lyrics?"  And by what standards should we measure musical styles and genres in relation to Christian musicians and their compositions?  And indeed, what makes alot of Christian music STRAIGHT SORRY?!  Let's discuss this another time....Until we next connect...PRAISE THE LORD SAINTS!!! 

GOD FIGHTS (PART 3)

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." 

Exodus 14:14

God fights for His people.

God fights through His people.

The people of God are warriors, strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

God armed them, making them dangerous with invincible armor and a double edged sword.

They are impenetrable and immovable.

Touch them and suffer consequences dire!

Called more than overcomers, more than conquerors, more than victors, God's people possess spirits of power, spirits of love, and sound minds.  They follow the example of their Lord, who silenced the mouths of enemies and kings; who told His followers that His Spirit gives irresistable and irrefutable words. 

End the madness of God's children who weaken their words as though weakness is love!

The God who is love is a consuming fire!  Thus the love of God warms and burns!

God's children overcome evil with good, unmercifulness wtih mercy, injustice with justice.  Take them lightly to your own harm, for the word of the Lord is on their tongues!  That word which is a double edged sword is theirs!  Beware!  Be enlightened!  Reject the deception that they have no weapons!!  Their weapons come from heaven and are made by the hands of GOD!

Children of God, all who read, heed the words of your brother:

You are warriors, sons and daughters of God, The Invincible Warrior!  Your words are swords. Your faith is an impenetrable invincible shield.  Wield the truth that is Christ, that is your life, without fear.  Love good.  Hate evil.  Accept good, reject evil--expose and eradicate the works of the devil!!!

God fights for you!

God fights through you!

GOD FIGHTS (PART 2)

"Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle."

Psalms 24:8

God not only fights.

GOD FIGHTS WELL!

And by God I mean THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE SPIRIT. 

Enough of the foolishness that makes GOD THE  FATHER THE MEAN GOD, and Jesus meek and mild, with the Spirit meeker and milder.

Hear all who read, the LORD our God, the LORD is ONE.

God cannot be mocked, defeated, played, or annoyed.

Who is this King of glory?

Who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?

Who is the Spirit who will not forgive blasphemy against Him?

GOD FIGHTS

"The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name."

Exodus 15:3 NIV

Those who fight God, God fights.  

God wins!

Conquering all opposition.

God alone invincible.

As it is written, "Do not be deceived:  God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows.." Galations 6:7

No one opposes God and comes out unscathed or unharmed.

Those who refuse to change their ways, Jesus fights with the sword of His mouth! This double edged sword pierces so sharply that it divides the spirit from the soul.  This is the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, words of truth.

Truth cuts, stabs, pierces, and dissects.  For those who lie, the truth hurts.  For those who need healing, the surgery of truth removes cancers of falsehood. 

According to the scriptures, God enjoys exercising lovingkindness, justice, judgement, and righteousness in all of the earth.  He is indeed the just judge, angry with the wicked every day, as it is written. 



Can man and woman enjoy rebellion and think the LORD does nothing?

As it is written, "Vengeance is mine.  I will repay," says the LORD.

THE GUARANTEE OF INTIMACY (PART 3)

The guarantee of intimacy assumes honesty, transparency, and vulnerability.

Only one who speaks the truth can be counted on to keep a promise.
Only one with nothing to hide can be trusted.
Only one who risks his heart can receive a heart.

From whence comes the power to keep a promise?  To never lie or change one's mind, speaking and then acting, promising and then fulfilling?

First, the power to speak is assumed, the  power to will words with meaning.  Next, the power to act, to choose activities based upon abilities. 

Now, I notice that God spoke in the beginning, and what He said happened IMMEDIATELY. 

"Let there be light."  And there was light.
"Let there be sky."  And there was sky.

IMMEDIATELY.

This word, IMMEDIATELY, occurs repeatedly in the gospel according to Mark. 

Perhaps there is a clue.
I should mostly speak or promise that which I can perform IMMEDIATELY.
But what about marriage, or salvation, more importantly?

With marriage, once the "I do's" are said, and once the man and woman are pronounced man and wife, they kiss, an immediate act that is a prelude to the physical consummation.  But what of the permanent commitment or promise?  I believer here is where the ring shows the nature of promise. 

The marriage ring, usually gold, is put on IMMEDIATELY;  representing lasting commitment because gold lasts, even when it is put through fire.  The circle of gold represents endlessness in purity, gold being purified by fire.  Yes, the ring is a symbol, but a symbol of speech in action.  They said they do, and the ring shows this to all.  Unless they say, I no longer do...in divorce or adultery, the "I do" stands until death.  The same seems true for salvation.

The believer says, "I believe," and until he or she says or shows in action, "I no longer believe," their belief stands. 

BEHOLD, THE POWER OF WORDS!!

I see why in times past, in even in the present, persecutors of the church sought renunciation from Christians.  And the contract of marriage is broken by a contract of divorce...words of commitment and acceptance replaced by words of broken commitment and rejection.  The act of adultery is a breach in the words "forsaking all others."  And the acts of sin, of idolatry and adultery, are a breach in the self-denial of Christ's disciples.

What kind of man keeps promises?

What kind of woman maintains faithfulness?

I believe it is the man or woman who makes a habit of truthfulness in every utterance, even in very little things.

What hurts worst than betrayal!? 

How did you feel when you trusted someone and she poisoned your heart with a rotten promise forgotten?

Or what is more refreshing than one who makes real effort to keep his word?

THE GUARANTEE OF INTIMACY (PART 2)

Salvation is a promise.
Marriage is a promise.
Both are connected.

Christ, the husband redeemer, calls the church a bride, as God called Israel in times past.
Idolatry is compared to adultery.

Promises.
Faithfulness

It is written:
"God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change his mind.  When He speaks He acts, when He PROMISES, He fulfills."

The marriage ceremony primarily focus on words:

"I do." or "I will." 
"With this ring, I thee wed..."
"I, the husband/wife, take this man/woman to be my lawfully wedded husband/wife...to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poor, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others...UNTIL DEATH DOES US PART."

Promises of faithfulness

Guarantees of intimacy

Creator and creation
Wives and husbands

To no else does man or woman make a life long promise...no one but God and each other.

THE GUARANTEE OF INTIMACY

I remember hearing my pastor say, "Did you know that if you believe in Jesus, you have a guarantee of heaven?" 

I liked the word guarantee.

Heaven for me is the guarantee of intimacy!

I have this by God's faithfulness in keeping this promise:

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

The guarantee that God gives to me is that we can be as close as I want to be!!!

He gave Himself in His Son and His Spirit.

Now it's up to me!

The faithfulness of a promise is the power of intimate bliss.

God gave me this.

My wife gave me this.

Think of it.

Parents bring children into the world...in love, with love, and to love.  The promise of faithfulness carries from marriage to the fruit of marriage; but it is not made directly. 

Yet with God one denies self, even if it means death, and commits to following Him.

And with a wife or husband, another commitment is made until death does them part.

At this moment I know nothing more precious than the promise of faithfulness!!



To my dearest God and Father and Creator

Dearest God,

Thank you for creating me.  You thought of me in past eternities, honoring me in your infinite memory with the purpose of our intimacy.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.

If this wasn't enough, you gave me a body in which you would dwell eternally, honoring me as your temple to fill and fulfill.  I have you as Father, Brother, and Master.  I know you as my best and only friend.

And if this wasn't enough...

You gave me Lucy, my wife, my sister, my lover, my best friend on earth.  This dearest sweetest and kindness,  this most beautiful witness of light brings me the delight of friendship in a world of loneliness and shallowness.  I love her with a love that is love.  For 11  years you blessed me with my one and only earthly love.  She is your precious and priceless gift to me.  My Lucy.

And yet you keep blessing me!

With six wonders of oneness, each a different reflection of you and me and my Lucy.  I am unworthy.  Forgive me for every pain or heartache caused to you or them.  May I please you, and them, from now on  and forever.

May all who read know the blessing of God on my life. 

Just as HE IS

I love the song, "Just as I am."  But I love even more the God who is who He is.  Meaning this.

Is Jesus enough?

Is it enough to see Jesus, and thus see the Father in Him?

Is the Holy Spirit enough?  Or did Jesus indeed leave us orphans and lacking? 

Did He lie when He told the apostles that it was good for Him to leave and send the Spirit?

Is the Spirit another comforter sent in His name, to be with us as Jesus Himself was with His disciples.

I'm thinking about my life, my brothers in sisters in Christ, the church, "ministry," and bearing witness to who Jesus is.

I don't like "marketing" Jesus, or myself as His brother and servant. 

I am His witness, simply telling people what He is to me by His Spirit, how very good He is to me. 

I love God because He loves me. 

To the Lord only, for the Lord only

Dearest Father Creator,

Where is Your glory?

May it be seen in me.

May I be your glory.

Let it be wherever I am.

I dedicate my words and presence to your Spirit, so that I can humbly say as Christ said,

"If you have seen me, you have seen The Father."

"I and the Father are one."



A message from God's Spirit to the lonely

Listen to what God's Spirit says to you, lonely one:

"To each one who read this, no coincidence exists.  Of all that you could be reading, what made you read this?  Loneliness is the condition of disconnection between Creator and creation.  I made you for our union.  I love you, dear one, daughter and son.  If you open your heart's ears, you will hear My voice of love.  Listen.  Let us be one.  Believe in God's son."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

To you, the one reading, listen to me now.  

All of my life I felt alone and lonely, like I was the only one who wanted the deepest connection.  I felt, and sometimes feel, like earth is a hell of shallowness where we hide what we are and who we are.  I felt like I had no one, and before I had God's Spirit, I did have no one.  But as it is written, this is my heart's expression:

"Whom have I in heaven but You?  And earth has nothing I desire besides You." 

Psalms 73:25

Sometimes the hole in me would feel so deep I that my fall into it seemed eternal.  I wanted to be craved as I craved, to be needed as I needed, to be longed for as I longed for.  I wanted to always touch and be touched and touching.  To be hugged tightly and timelessly, the kind of hug where neither feel afraid of hugging too long or closely, where they let go intuitively and mutually, or hold on intuitively or mutually.  Every now and then someone would hug me like this...two desperate and lonely souls finally meeting and connecting...but only briefly...after this, again, lonely.

At times a song sung by a lonely singer cuts our hearts in half.  I believe many fall in love with singing voices because this voice carries the heart of the lonely in each lyric.  Many artist turn to drugs for the high that they seek in relationships...they seek the ecstasy of intimacy...some seek it sexually, not realizing their need spiritually.

We are all alone and lonely.  We come into this world with a cry of helplessness, and we leave this world with the breathlessness of loneliness.  

Who but our Maker hears this cry?  Who but the one who breathes in our nostrils the breath of life understands this need of life?

To the one who reads, if you have read this far, you know.  You feel.  You want.  You need.  You desire.  You crave.  You obsess.  You feel this endless loneliness.  I know, because I felt this.  

If you admit that you do, then I love you.  Yes, I love you, and though I don't know you, I know you.  Isn't this what you want, immediate unconditional love?

Think about it.  If a cute little baby boy or baby girl that you never met, sitting in a grocery shopping cart, looks at you with adorable, innocent eyes and says, "I love you,"

wouldn't you respond, "I love you too," and wouldn't this love be genuine and true?

But we hide this need for immediate and real love.  Some make you feel weak because you are desperate.  You shouldn't be so "needy."  You should be satisfied with yourself and in yourself.  But God Himself said, "IT IS NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE."

You are not alone.

God is with you, as it is written, 

"From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.  God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us."  Acts 17:26-27

At this moment, God is with you, lonely one.

And I am with you.

God loves you, lonely one.

And I love you.  

Why does He love you?  Because God is love.  To love for Him is to be Himself.

And why do I love you?  Because the God who is love fills me, spirit, soul, and body.  He gave me the words at the very top of the page.  He gave me these words for you, dearest one, dearest daughter and son.  He longs for you.  I long for you. You are longed for.  He desires you.  I desire you.  You are desired.  He pours out his heart to you.  I pour out my heart to you.  He risked it all.  I risk it all.  I am opening myself up for rejection.  So does God.  But YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!

I LOVE YOU!

Olatunde

is it GOD? or is he CRAZY?

how do you know FOR REAL? 

where are our BURNING BUSHES?!

would MOSES write a blog?

and even if he would, what would make his words OBVIOUSLY the words of the living GOD!?

that's really the issue. 

which is easier to say:

"my last blog came from the Spirit of God."

or

"i'm crazy."

but why would hearing God's voice make one crazy?

more importantly, why would one be considered arrogant to boldy proclaim it?

for me, it is good news--

DRAW NEAR TO GOD, AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU!

the possibility of intimacy with the Most High Most Holy is my only reality, his voice my sanity.

i refuse to lie or deny the joy of my salvation--direct divine communication. 

in fact, Jesus defined salvation by this direct intimate connection. 

to whom should i listen?



what makes YOUR PRESENCE known?

it is written:

"God has not given us a SPIRIT OF FEAR, but He has given us a SPIRIT OF POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND."  2 Timothy 1:7 Emphasis mine.

what does it mean to have a "spirit of fear" or a "spirit of power, love, and a sound mind?"

we often speak of spirits in various ways.  we talk of "good spirits," "school spirit," "spirited people, "free spirits."  we also hear or read of demonic spirits, angelic spirits, the Spirit of God, and the spirit of people after they die....ghosts or phantoms.

have you ever noticed the atmosphere change when someone walks in a room?  do you consider some people to be "negative," and feel their negativity pervade the room like a thick fog?  or what about someone who is intimidating, filling the room with her presence like cigar smoke?

i believe that's just it. 

spirit is presence, and it is based upon self definition. 

if one defines himself as "intimidating," and has the means to intimidate, he will "come across" as intimidating even when he says and does nothing.  this person may be very cruel in word, or forceful in emotion.  he may use his intellect to out wit or manipulate.  whatever his ability in personality, he defines himself by this ability, and gives off this self definition like a strong cologne. 

so you make your presence known by your spirit, or self-definition. 

your spirit is your cologne or perfume that pervades a room. 

add to this GOD AND SATAN. 
if the SPIRIT OF GOD fills a man or woman, then he or she will come across as a SLAVE OF THE SPIRIT.  people feel GOD when they are around, and they feel that this man or woman lives for GOD ALONE.

but if the spirit of a demon possesses someone, the demonic spirit hides behind that human spirit, and exaggerates their self definition, if it fits the purposes of satan.  the man who seeks intimidation gets help from "demons of intimidation."  they cause his spirit, AND THUS THEIR DEMONIC SPIRITS, to pervade and control atmospheres.  they do this for WORSHIP!!

there it is.  there is the goal of control:

those who follow the SPIRIT OF GOD, seek only SELF CONTROL.
those who follow the SPIRIT OF SATAN, seek always the control of others. 

this is how you can tell if someone is "controlling" before he or she says a word or does a thing.  this is how you "just like" some people from the time you see them, or how you "can't stand" some people from moment you encounter them. 

VIBES!!

what makes your presence known is your self-definition. 

if you define yourself as a SLAVE OF THE SPIRIT you will come across as one whose will is one with the will of GOD.

if you define yourself as "the master of your fate and captain of your soul," whatever your specific goal, this will be as obvious as AS THE STENCH OF VOMIT IN A HIDDEN TRASH CAN!

the choice is yours, as always.
how willyou MAKE YOUR PRESENCE KNOWN?

ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD (conclusion)

These are the words of the Spirit of God to all who have read every post thus far:

"All who desire Me may have Me.  
I am as close to you as you want Me to be.  
Jesus came to connect us forever. 

The choice is yours.

Jesus is Lord.

Amen."

I, Olatunde, honor all who honor me thus far by sharing precious time in reading my words.  May my words bring you to the intimate knowledge and likeness of God.  May you embrace truest slavery with me.  May we be connected now and for all eternity.

Until we next connect, peace be with you. 

 

Encounters with God (Part 4)

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

Psalms 73:25

Lonely spirits search for Him.  Who else knows them?  Who else loves them?  Born in a vacuum of solitude, awaking into blinding light, knowing nothing, knowing no one, feeling a connection with someone that quenches the thirst of birth.  Her heartbeat soothes.  Sleep.  Nourishment.  The day comes when she fails to respond to the raging cry of need.  Immediacy flees her motivation.  Other children.  Other obligations.  I am no longer her center.  (As if any of them ever were.  Each of her children feel the despair of the newborn's growth pain.)  The love still comforts, but at times in darkness I awake with no words, only screams.  It is not hunger or thirst or coldness or heat that rushes from my throat.  It is aloneness.  I am alone.  But behind the silence, at times, I feel One that always hears and is always near.  The Presence in the silence is my only friend. 

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us

Acts 17:216-27

ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD (part 3)

THE SUPREME ULTIMATE BEING,

Existence

Expression

Experience

Unborn undying

Perfectly Good, Powerful, and Wise

Eternal, Immortal, Invisible

Infinitely Uniquely Reality

Alone but not lonely

Three who are One

One who are Three

The Creator Maker Master made man and woman to know Him and be like Him.
To rule earth as He rules heaven. 
To be one as His Existence and  His Expression are one in Experience.

The two were one body transparently...intimacy ecstasy and vulnerability.

then came the enemy
the rebel
the liar murderer tempter, made with many who became God's enemies, before the making of man and woman
the one who rejected how God made him and sought to remake himself, to take for himself the worship of God

the first woman listened to the liar
the first man listened to her
they ignored God
they died and in dying killed their unborn children

But God loved them, and all who came from them.
Existence sent His Expression as a man to die for all men and women, and to rise again that they may all live again, if they chose to trust Him with their very lives.

Expression became a man.
Perfection
Reflection
He died.
He rose.
He ascended.
All who trust Him are reborn.

Expression returned to Existence and sent Experience.

Those who accept the gift of the Expression of Existence receive THE EXPERIENCE:  The Spirit of God in their bodies, the hope of Eternal Glory.

the one condition:  total honesty

Admission and confession from those who want to be born again:
"To my CREATOR AND MAKER AND MASTER, I ignored you from my first conscious moral memory until now.  I lived as though you did not, and thus died.  Please forgive me.  I accept the death of Your Expression for me.  I accept that He rose from the dead for me.  I will no longer ignore you.  I will serve you and love you.  I am yours.  Let it be so.  It is indeed so."

ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD (Part 2)

How does it feel to have the Spirit of God inside of me? 

When I first met Him, He felt like a blanket of peace covering my body. 

He feels like you feel when you have some one's full, undivided attention, eye contact and all.

The Spirit in me feels like the listening ear of a best friend.

Once when I went to the movies, alone, I felt His presence fill the movie theater like awareness with weight.

He feels like standing on a dock at night watching crashing waves, exhilaratingly afraid of the ocean's bigness in relation to my smallness.

He feels like He feels, because He is who He is.

How does it feel to be with you? 
You feel like you. 
If we met and shook hands, you would feel like....you. 
There is no other you and no one makes the impression that you do. 

It's the same with God's Spirit. 
When you meet Him, you know it.