Pure Worship

I will be right up front and tell you that I'm fired up!  When I walked in my house tonight I was very tired and really thought I would be going to bed after washing my hair, but my mind decided to review some things I had read this week.

1.  I received an article in my email about "male-friendly churches".  Here is what I said about it on Facebook:

Reading an email from the Leadership Journal my mind became a little frustrated! What caught my attention was the Subject line in the email. You might have received the same one. "Make Your Church Male-Friendly". :-/ Evidently, this problem exists in churches that are not Apostolic. Didn't Jesus have 12 disciples that were MEN? They definitely were not "pansies"! Since our churches follow the Apostolic doctrine and separation from the world and it's thinking, I don't think REAL MEN have a problem of needing our churches to be more MALE-FRIENDLY. From what I've observed, it takes a REAL MAN to follow Jesus and His teachings! If the church world isn't careful they will be making church another gender debate! In my opinion we do not need to stoop to the leadership level of the "church world" and try to fashion our churches after their thinking. Yes, we need Men's Ministry, and we have it. REAL MEN that want to have a MAN-FRIENDLY church can find it when they seek TRUTH in Apostolic Churches! This is just a little that's been going on in my mind this evening. :-)

2.  On a FB page I'm part of, someone had come to a music director and asked if he could find "manly songs" to sing in church.  This was my reply to that request:

OK...I've read a lot of the posts, but I want to say that I am tired of the "world's thinking" and "church world's thinking" infiltrating OUR thinking. The Apostolic Church should never be drawn into the "carnal thinking of the church world". (I'm pretty sure most of us are Apostolic.) As Apostolic worship leader's we should raise our thoughts and hearts higher than the thinking of those who do not possess the precious gift of the Holy Ghost and know God in all Truth! Relationship with Jesus is not "sensual, sexual, and intimate in the way the world thinks". It is pure and holy! Sing songs that lift Jesus up and speak of relationship with Him! When a person has been rejuvenated from the power of Almighty God and their mind has been changed from the "old man", their thinking changes and they want to be drawn into His presence. Just a final thought...If there's a song that feels a little "strange" when we sing it, or something in our spirit doesn't feel right, maybe we shouldn't be singing it. If we're living close to God like we should be the Holy Ghost will lead us in what we should and shouldn't sing.

I do not feel like I have the answer to all of this, but since I wrote on Facebook, I remembered a statement my husband said to me a few weeks ago.  I can hear his voice very clearly as he said, "Honey, I'm afraid that what's happening is that the devil is trying to destroy our praise and worship through some of our music and songs we (our churches) are singing."  That hit me like a brick!  My husband is a man of few words, but when he speaks I sit up and take notice.  And, when he speaks about the things of God my ears, heart and mind listen very intently.  

Let me quote again what I said at the end of one of my Facebook posts:  "If there's a song that feels a little "strange" when we sing it, or something in our spirit doesn't feel right, maybe we shouldn't be singing it. If we're living close to God like we should be the Holy Ghost will lead us in what we should and shouldn't sing."  We definitely need to be led by the Holy Ghost!

If you know me at all, you know that I love music and that I do my best to flow with the times.  This is not what I'm talking about right now.  What I want to say is this:  One of the things our Apostolic churches have been known for is our music, and the power that falls when we are singing and worshiping the Lord.  I could talk a long time about the the powerful services we have had when a group or a choir began singing and the glory of God filled the sanctuary.  My mind goes to many services where I saw men and women with their hands raised, tears streaming down their faces as they worshiped God through song.  One of the most powerful times I remember is when our choir was singing "At Your Feet".  The song brought men and ladies to the altar, some came out of the choir and they fell to their knees in worship to Almighty God!  There are many songs that are about relationship to Jesus, such as "Jesus, I love You because you care.  I couldn't imagine if you weren't there."  Our congregation (men and women) was once again moved into the spirit of worship.  Who cannot worship when you're singing about the One who gave His life so we could be free from sin?  

Hence my concern...satan would love to destroy the "pure worship" we have in our churches by attacking the meaning of the songs we sing!  The world is full of sin and those who have forgotten WHO they were when they were born.  I can't help that some have decided to have a demented relationship with someone of the same sex,  and that some of them think about a relationship with Jesus as being a "lover relationship".  I can't help that they choose to live like they do, but I can stop the onslaught of satan that is doing his best to destroy our PURE WORSHIP to Jesus Christ!  Let's not forget who Jesus IS!  He is God manifested in the flesh that came to earth to redeem us from our sin!  We must be careful that our mind is not contaminated by the carnal thinking of the world that causes us to think in the same sick way that the world does.  Let the Church be the Church!  Let us stand up and stand against the trick of the enemy, and sing songs of worship to our King and Savior, Jesus Christ!  I will not let the very one that was cast out of heaven because of his pride, stop me from singing about my love to the One that gave His ALL for me.  

I challenge every music director to pray against the sensual spirits that are trying to destroy our pure worship!  I challenge you to stand up and sing with more conviction, and power than ever before.  I challenge you to pull out some songs about "power in the blood", "the old rugged cross", and sing about "when He was on the cross...I was on His mind."  Soften the music, soften the drums, let the guitars and bass be silent for a few lines while you sing, and sing about the Name of Jesus!  See what will happen in your churches when you sing "Oh, love of God...how rich and pure!"  Watch people sing with tears flowing down their face as they remember where He brought them from.  

SING CHURCH SING!  DON'T LET THE WORLD TAKE YOUR SONG! 

Just Sing!

I've lived a long time, and I do not remember hearing people talk about the "old vs. new" songs as much I hear now. I'm really getting kind of tired of it. :-) Not wanting to get into a discussion about it, please. It's just an observation I've been thinking about. I have decided to go to church, worship God from the depths of my heart, and if I don't know the song, and really don't even like the style of it, what does it matter? If I focus my attention on HIM...I will be doing well. If I can't...then...I'll figure it out at that time, but my worship doesn't depend on anyone else and what they do or don't do. Let's live for God with gladness, and let everyone around us know that we're not "gripey guts"! I say all of this with love, kindness, and goodwill toward my fellow travelers. I will close with this song that is "old, yet new if you've never heard it"... ;-) "I feel like traveling on...I feel like traveling on. My heavenly home is bright and fair, and I feel like traveling on." If the trumpet sounds tonight I will see you all on the other side and we will all be singing a NEW SONG...

P.S.   I really think it is a ploy of the enemy to get us distracted from our worship!  We can get so wrapped up in things we don't like that we become focused on that one thing and lose the meaning of true worship!  

 

Sing Me A Song

Tonight I am sitting in my recliner with a fire in the fireplace that my sweet husband has kept going for several hours. It's COLD outside and for the last few days it seems the world around us has fallen asleep. Every now and then I see a bird come to the feeder outside my windows, but I haven't seen a squirrel in several days. Usually, they are at the feeder we put out for them, but not in this freezing weather. Before the freezing temperatures hit they came and filled their little tummy's, so I'm sure they are snuggled up in their warm "houses" waiting for things to thaw a bit before returning for more food.

While getting ready to turn in for the night, somewhere from the depth of my memory a chorus came to mind that I love to sing. I haven't heard it in a LONG time, and really wonder if anyone remembers it. It goes like this:

Just when I need someone to tell my troubles to.
Just when I feel down hearted and blue.
Just when it seems that I can't make it through.
Jesus hears and answers prayer.

I am not a "whiny-feel-sorry-for-me-type person", yet sometimes I need to be reminded that Jesus really does "hear and answer prayer". Right now as I type, I'm sure someone is wondering if I am "down", so before I go on let me put your minds at ease. I am FINE! In fact, I couldn't be more contented right now. I've got so much to be thankful for!

Now that I have made sure about that, I'll continue...

Some years ago I started hearing people say negative things about some of the songs we had sung for years. These people were not from our church, but some I happened to be around from time to time. They would say things like, "When we go to church we don't want to hear songs about people's problems and pain. We have enough of our own. We want to hear songs that lift us up and make us feel good." Although I do understand what they were saying, and at times have felt the same way, as I look back down the road we have traveled in life, I'm thinking that we might have left some of our "treasured songs" buried in the past. I have heard these songs referred to as "Story Songs" (said with a little smirk) Well...life is a story that is unfolding every day and we understand "stories". A story might be in a book, or in a song, and people understand and relate to "songs that tell a story". I love a lot of our Praise and Worship choruses of today, so I am not writing about "old vs. new". I enjoy a good up-beat song and different styles, but we must be careful that we're not singing a song that appeals to our carnality and surface feelings. Songs that touch the inner most part of our spirits and draws us closer to Jesus Christ is what we need to hear. We ought to "lift Jesus up" in the songs we sing, and we need to realize that people need to hear songs that tell them that Jesus knows and understands what they are going through.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?
Got any mountains you can't tunnel through?
God specializes in things thought impossible.
And He will do what no other power can do!

I have watched people with heavy hearts touched by the words and music of this chorus. Upon entering the doors of the sanctuary someone felt like they couldn't take another step, but as they sang and worshiped the One that "specializes in things thought impossible" I saw their load lifted.

Many things about tomorrow;
I don't seem to understand.
But I know Who holds tomorrow;
And I know Who holds my hand.

We all go through times of struggle and wonder if we're going to make it. We should not try to "gloss over" the FACT that people are facing terrible situations and they do not know what's going to happen. It's so easy for us to look at someone and become a "judge" and decide that "Their problem isn't all that bad. If they would have done "such and such" they wouldn't be going through so much." Yes, on and on it goes. People trying to be God and thinking they know how everyone else should act/react. OUCH! Where did that come from? Let's all be honest with OURSELVES and confess that we are GUILTY of becoming "the judge" at least once in our lives. :-)

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place.
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Chorus
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Many times Satan whispered, "There is no need to try,
For there's no end of sorrow, there's no hope by and by"
But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies.

When the long night has ended and the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence on the bright peaceful shore;
In that land where the tempest, never comes, Lord, may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.

Storms! Storms can scare you nearly to death! I have been in some terrible "thunder and lightning" storms and wondered if the high wind was going to destroy our house. On the other hand, I've been in our car with no other shelter when the skies turned dark and threatening. My brother, Keith, Wendell and I were traveling one time when all of a sudden a "storm came up" and almost before we knew it we were on the edge of a tornado. All traffic stopped on the highway afraid to go any further. As we sat there, the winds became so fierce that we were afraid of flying objects coming through the windows of the car and we felt the power of the wind lifting our car. Yes, I've been in some pretty scary "weather storms", but they do not compare to some of the "life storms" we've been through.

Everyone I know has gone through "life storms". Some of them were not as fierce as others, but ALL were storms, and whoever is in the storm wants to know that "it will pass" and all will be calm, again. The song above says: "But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise; where the storms never darken the skies." What a peace fills my heart when I hear these words! He is with me! I am not alone! He will bring me THROUGH the storm! It's not just another song...it's a "story about life, and Jesus, and knowing He will take care of me".

Whether we sing a "new song or old", we need to make sure the song we're singing has a "message" and it's not just "feel good words". A few weeks ago I wrote a "blog post" about songs I remember. Later a friend left a comment and I quote: "I love these songs! The first church I attended in Texico sang out of the song book all the time. These songs remind me of when God started to change my life, and they will always be precious to me." Thank you, Michelle. I couldn't say it any better!

Worship leaders...I invite you to step out of the norm. When you are preparing to lead worship through song, please don't choose a song or chorus just because it's "a song everyone is talking about". Don't choose it because you had a friend tell you that "this song will bring the glory down". Don't choose a song just because "it's the newest rage". Be sure and choose songs that come from a heart of thankfulness, and a knowledge of how God will come through for those who are sitting in your congregation needing to hear "He will take care of them". Choose songs after you have been in prayer and have a fresh touch of His Spirit resting on you. Choose songs that will minister first to HIM and then to those who are hurting. And...you just might want to reach WAY back and choose a song that was sung many years ago, but it's message is still NEW today.

I love to tell how Jesus saved my soul;
When I was lost and facing dark despair.
But mortal tongue could scarcely tell the whole;
Nor thank Him for such wondrous love and care.

Oh, He is more than all the world to me;
The dearest friend that I have ever known.
And it will take the whole eternity;
To thank Him for the love that He has shown.

Home...Where the Heart Is

Today I decided to stay "home". Even though I am living in a motor home, it is still "home" to me. My "little space" is an oasis from the busy-ness of life, and I'm thankful I have it. Yes, I will be happy when my house sales and we can get all of our "familiar things" moved to a new home, but as of "right now", I am going to enjoy a few hours of being in my "home on wheeles".

Life can get complicated and frustrating, if we allow it to affect us in this way. It's not worth the stomach ache, head ache, aching muscles, and frustrated mind! "Cast all your care upon HIM for He careth for YOU!" HE knows the "why" of your situation.

This past weekend was another time I enjoyed very much. We were invited to speak at a "Life Conference" in Section 8. On Friday night was a Sectional Rally in which my husband ministered. It was wonderful and brought strength to all in attendance. After church we got to fellowship with some of the ministers.

Pastors: Hopper, McMahon, and Strawn

Sis. Strawn and Sis. Hopper

Sis. Hendrick, and Sis. McMahon On Saturday morning the Ladies of Section 8 came together for worship and the Word. Kaylynn Strawn is the Ladies Leader for this section and does a wonderful job in leading and speaking to the ladies. Her presentation of "Just One Woman" was so touching and made me thankful "Jesus stopped by" to talk to me one day. Sis. Knight, presbyters wife, spoke about "The Soil of Our Heart". In her own quiet, put-together style she brought the Word alive in our hearts and minds. Beautiful! Dayna Mcmahon lead us in worship through song. She is anointed by God to lead and does a great job on the keyboard. I wish I had just a little bit of her voice! Beautiful! I was asked to speak and it was such a privilege. With the ladies hearts wide open to hear the Word of the Lord we had a wonderful time together as the Lord ministered to our needs. He spoke directly to us and confirmed His Word, and I was thankful to know His approval was on us. After the service we were invited by Dayna and her ladies to a luncheon at a beautiful Bed and Breakfast. It was very lovely and the food delicious!

On the steps of the Bed and Breakfast: Sis. Knight, Me and Sis. McMahon We had been invited back to Copperas Cove to minister, so we headed for another great weekend with this church. The presence of God was again manifested throughout the services and we were swept into His presence as the musicians played and the singers sang. Sunday night was another "highlight" for us. The choir got up to sing. The musicians started playing and I sat in AWE when I recognized one of the hardest songs for a choir to do, and musicians to play!!! "PSALM TWENTY-THREE" was done with such precision and power that you couldn't stay seated! It was like an electrical line from heaven to earth had been attached to me and I was pulled out of my chair in worship and praise. I know other choirs do the song, but I had only heard Life Tabernacle Sanctuary Choir sing it. I was totally impressed with the choir director and her ability to "pull the music" out of those under her leadership. The greatness of God is so awesome when you witness how He uses each individual for His glory!

I must go and take care of some things that are pressing, but I want you to have a wonderful day. No matter what you are doing today...out and about...busy as a bee...at home taking care of a million things that must be done...or just "being home"...let your heart be refreshed with His presence and let it be a reminder that "This world is not our home...we're just passing through...our treasures are layed up...somewhere beyond the blue..."

Keep travelling on...

His Presence

"When I come into His presence I humble myself, I lift up both my hands and I begin to worship Him. I worship Him. When I come into His presence I humble myself remembering what He's done, the victories He's won so I praise Him. I praise Him! For all He's done for me...redeemed and set me free. And because, just because He's God."

After a stressful day, today....I walked into my house and was ready to be out of the rat-race of life when all of a sudden the words to this song came to my heart and I felt His presence! I do not have to wonder what it was like when the "glory cloud" filled the sanctuary and the priests of the Old Testament walked into God's presence, because I have experienced the presence of God many times throughout my life. When I was down, depressed, worried, tired, stressed, sick, anxious...whatever the situation...God brought to mind the things He has done and I could once again worship Him. There are deserts in life that we go through. Sometimes they last a day, a week, a month, a year, or even several years. During these times God will come to us in the most unexpected way. I opened my mail box today and had a card from a lady I do not know and it read, "Sis. Elms, you do not know me but, I wanted to let you know I am praying for you today. You are precious in HIS eyes. May God bless you special this day!....signed....Sister in Christ." I was so thankful for this note. A lady from another city felt to send me a card and I opened it on a day that I really needed it! Don't get worried....I'm okay. Just needed a little reassurance that everything would be alright .......and it is.