Showing posts with label Facing The Wall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Facing The Wall. Show all posts
  1. faceMORE the wall

    Thursday, March 20, 2008
    By johnny
    The last part about the parable really hit me.

    Chapter 4 - Sons of Zadok

    Sons of Zadok were Levites that proved themselves to be faithful to the Lord...they were allowed to come near to the presence of God and minister to Him. As for Zadok, he was sent back to Jerusalem to worship in the tabernacle--while David was hidden from his son Absalom--to also spy on him. And Zadok's sons brought infomation back to David.

    Unfaithful Levites--Ezekiel 44:10~12
    Serving God's people in the presence of an idol caused a whole nation to fall into sin. If performance or entertainment is an idol to the musicians on stage, it will cause the people to fall into sin.

    Idols: 2 Kings 22 & 23--King Josiah
    Made king of Judah when he was just 8. Read the book of the covenant when he was 18. Began to tear down the high places--even in the holy temple.

    Praise Leaders Today
    Praise leaders today need to know the Word well neough and have a close relationship with God and to recognize an ambitious spirit, an idol, or anything that tries to deal with those spirits as soon as they are identified.

    Allowed to Come Close
    I've always thought that I had to do something that would bring the presence of the Lord. Now I see that He is always there and it is me that needs to draw close to Him. Only faithfulness will accomplish that. (Ezekiel 44:15~16) Drawing near means SACRIFICE or OFFERING: our sacrifice of praise is our hope of drawing near to God.

    Assuming a High Position
    When entertainers or praise bands come together, they must start by taking a lowly seat first. Then, if the head of that meeting chooses to lift you up, it will be done with true honor and not from self-promotion.

    Parable of Talents--Matt 25:14~30
    Talent does not only mean money, but also real talents that we have. Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. (Matt 25:27 NLT) The word "least" means the least one can do with their talent is to draw interest on it. Trying to make money or gain interest from your talent is not the worst thing you can do with it--it's the least you can do with it. If you invest in your talent, it will grow. The growth was what pleased the returning Master, not the amount.
    ************

    That's just a little bit about the chapter with many points unmentioned! This book is small, yet it is packed with so many goodies! I think starting April, I would like Radical Jam to read this book together as a band.

    Some other awesome stuff:
    It is not by strength that one prevails;
    those who oppose the Lord will be shattered.
    He will thunder against them from heaven;
    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
    He will give strength to His king
    and exalt the horn of His anointed.
    -1 Samuel 2:9~10-
    I gotta look into the meaning of HORN.

    ...and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
    -1 Samuel 5:12-
    I want a fresh interpretation over this verse. Ima going to meditate over this one for a couple days =)

    Psalm 30 is a MUST READ. It's beautifully written by David for the dedication of the temple! You want to restore the tent of David? This is the song sung when the tent was up!

    Lord I love to worship You.
    Hold nothing back.

    Johnny
    Continue reading »
  2. Blessed Be Your Name

    Sunday, March 9, 2008
    By johnny
    This morning Sarah and I were talking about how to bring worship to another level. So I shared with her a bit about the book Facing The Wall.

    Chapter 3 - Praise As A Strategy
    Not going to share much but on this one thing:
    Are the praising people of God suffering the threat of attack from the spirits of perversion, incest, selfishness, and the erosion of the Rock of our salvation? I believe the answer is yes. The devil is attacking the praising people of God from every angle he can.

    Everyone's a praising person, yet here Don Potter specifically talks to those who are leading worship--the Levites, so to say--marching before the ark of the covenant: so vulnerable to the enemy! Have no swords or shields, but only trumpets, lyres, guitars, basses, drums, keyboards, and voices. And the devil's trying to shut us up because we are encouraging the army behind us for THE battle. It's like God's taking over my finger and started to type these words! I really didn't think that I was typing them....anyhow, it is very true and the attacks are every where, especially when the praise people stop playing or singing--or to give up doing so because they see what's before them and forget what's backing them up!

    Early in the afternoon I was watching/listening to Misty's worship live in Prayer Room, and I felt the Spirit when I was listening and watching her leading worship. Just Misty and her keyboard playing. I really want that anointing of leading people before His throne in songs. Lord that's what I want. I don't want to play some background music. I want to play music that pleases You and You alone and draws Your people close to You. I need Your presence or I rather not play nor sing. Lord I long for a breakthrough--that when Radical Jam sounds the trumpet, Your presence would fall and embrace us. I don't want to worship You only on Sundays.

    I believe the Lord was talking through both Jack & Annie, for they asked me the same question in the past two days:
    Jack: If she doesn't come back alive, would you still believe that your entire family will come to Christ?
    Annie: If God doesn't do it(resurrect my aunt), do you still give Him the glory?

    They know what I would respond to that question, yet they asked me. God asked me through them the same question. Why? I think the stirring of my heart is from the Lord, and this is quite a test and trial for me. Lord, I'm going all out holding on to Your promise and believing that You are GOD.

    You give and take away
    You give and take away
    My heart will choose to say
    Blessed be Your name

    I will sing this over and over again.
    Glory be unto You, Lord.
    I want to expand and increase in spirit.
    I'm raising my expectation for tomorrow!

    Johnny
    Continue reading »
  3. Facing The Wall

    Tuesday, March 4, 2008
    By johnny
    The book came in right at the moment when I needed.

    I've only read 17 pages of the book and I've learned so much about worship, praise, prophets, and musicians. The book is called Facing The Wall by Don Potter. I'm going to share some everyday about this book.

    CHAPTER 1 - A Little History
    To truly worship God one must be ready to bow low and serve.

    Sacrifice = Offering
    To make an offering or a sacrifice of praise to God means you desire to draw near to Him. That's why He takes these offerings so seriously...Though your heart is full of joy when you see someone once a week, there can be no deep raltionship until there has been a sacrifice to show the depths of your desire to know them.

    CHAPTER 2 - Prophet/Musicians
    Music has the power to call people. It has the strength to turn heads and change hearts. It can also turn people back to God, and I believe that is still its purpose.

    1 Samuel 10:5~6, 9~10.
    This shows that there is power in the prophetic musician for the changing of men's hearts. However, another thing must happen before a man's life goes through real change. In verse 10 it says the Spirit of the Lord came on Saul when he saw the company of prophet/musicians. If God had not changed his heart, Saul would not have been able to receive from the Holy Spirit.

    Music or even praise will just be background sound if God does not change the heart. With that change in place, then music can become a vehicle for prophecy, praise , healing, protection, and many more things in the Lord.

    Remember that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy(Rev. 19:10). Moving in the prophetic should be evidence of Jesus.
    -------------------------------------------------------

    I've absorbed so much from the first 17 pages. I'm very excited to have gotten this book. Eddie was talking about it during YOPP two weeks ago.

    One more thing to share--this totally hit me right in the heart in the book: The weapon to use when jealousy, envy, and strife are starting to come against you is prophetic praise as this is a spiritual war.

    It's so true. After worship today by myself, my emotions were really restored and the sadness and sorrow were gone. Peace and joy live within me. That's the power of music. God teach me how to drive this vehicle--play music--that brings miracles! What struck me hard is that "without the heart change, the music would have just provided a nice background."

    God, only You can turn men's hearts toward You! And what I'm called to do is to follow You and use music to worship with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength!

    Love You Lord.
    Would You come and change my family!

    Johnny
    Continue reading »
blind eyes open you only live once.
open your eyes.
His love never fails. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
~Ephesians 2:10~

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