Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 13)

Thank you for joining us in part 13 of this series on the doctrine of Eternal Security, also known as Once Saved, Always Saved.

Today, we continue our defence of God's security in the salvation that He grants to us.

We've looked at a variety of verses that people attempt to use to deny the very words of their Lord (if indeed they are saved).

Last time, we look at a well know proof text in the old testament book of Ezekiel.

This time, we'll look at another well known proof text, but in the new testament epistle to the Galatians.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 12)

Welcome back to this blog series which is dealing with the doctrine of Eternal Security.

If God saves you, does He keep you saved?

According to the words of the Lord, that is exactly the case.

We have looked at a number of places people use to say that Jesus is wrong, and each time we look at the context of those passages, we find that they don't say what people claim they do.

Today we'll be looking at a well known parable... The Parable of the Sower.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 11)

Thank you for joining us for part 11 of our series on the doctrine of Eternal Security, where we seek to look into all scriptures that people use to make the claim that Jesus was wrong about the nature of salvation and the will of the Father.

Namely... all those that the Father gives to Jesus will come to Him. He will give His sheep eternal life. His sheep will never perish. He will lose none of His sheep.

Today, we find ourselves in the book of Ezekiel.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 10)

Thank you for joining us as we continue our investigation into the doctrine of Eternal Security.

This doctrine is also known as Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS)... or as I like to put it... If God Saves You, He Will Keep You Saved.

We are in part 10 of the series, and today will be looking at two portions of scripture that people who don't believe in the security of God run to in order to contradict the Lord by saying He will lose some sheep.

Inside the Kaaba

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 9)

Welcome back to part 9 in this series that has us looking at the doctrine of Eternal Security. If God saves you, does He keep you saved?

Christ Jesus says that He does. But there are plenty of believers that are full of unbelief towards the words of the God of Gods.

So now, we seek to defend the words of God by answering all objections to what Jesus clearly taught so that believers will come to the realisation that God is absolutely trustworthy and He will keep us as He has said.

Last time, we responded to two questions sent in to us.

Today, we'll be looking at 4 places in the bible that people use to try and contradict the Lord.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 8)

Welcome back to the series on the doctrine of Eternal Security, also known as Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS), or as I like to put it... if God saves you, He will keep you saved.

Today, we'll be looking at two questions sent by 1 of the 3 people who reads this blog :)

In Christ Alone: Owl City

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 7)

Thank you for joining us once again as we look at the doctrine of Eternal Security, also known as Once Saved, Always.

I hope that this series has taught you, or at the very least caused you to search the scriptures to see what is indeed true regarding this doctrine.

There are plenty more scriptures that we will be looking at in the next coming weeks.

But, as today is the 7th entry into the series, I thought we should pause briefly and once again turn to the very words of our Lord... Christ Jesus of Nazareth.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 6)

Welcome back to our discussion regarding the doctrine of Eternal Security (aka Once Saved, Always Saved).

Or as I like to put it... Once God Saves You, He Keeps You Saved.

Previously, we looked at the possibility of the Holy Spirit leaving us, thereby making us unsaved.

We saw that it can't happen and those who teach that grieving the Holy Spirit will cause Him to leave are teaching false doctrine... whether it be unintentional or on purpose - but it's definitely not what the bible teaches under the new covenant.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 5)

Welcome back to our look into what the bible says about the doctrine of Eternal Security, aka Once Saved, Always Saved.

We've looked at the very words of God and found that it is indeed what He has said. Once He saves us, He does keep us saved.

If this is true though, which it must be seeing as He is God, then where do people get the idea that we can lose or give up our salvation?

Last time, we looked at the idea that man has the ability, by sheer willpower to disrupt the plans and purposes of God.

We saw that it doesn't happen.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 4)

Welcome back to our discussion on whether or not the doctrine of Eternal Security, also known as Once Saved - Always Saved (OSAS), is true.

The last time, we looked at the direct words of God and saw that God Himself says that it is true.

Those whom God saves, He keeps saved.

His sheep don't stay saved because they choose to, but because God chose to save them and keep them.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 3)

Welcome to part 3 of our series on the doctrine of Eternal Security… also known as Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS).

I believe that once God saves us, He keeps us saved.

I believe that the very nature of salvation is such that you have to believe in this doctrine in order to actually be saved… even if you state that Eternal Security is false.

One has to believe that God forgives all of our sins (literally), even though we don’t literally repent of all of our sins.

So, I want to give a biblical foundation/defence of Eternal Security.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 2)

Welcome to part 2 of our new series on the doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved.

Before we get into the scriptures, I thought I would give a little background to my belief journey.

First off, I’m not a Calvinist. I’m a Christian. I follow Christ Jesus, not Calvin.

I know very little church history, and very little about the “fathers of faith”, as people like to call them, throughout church history.

It’s not that I don’t believe we can’t learn a wealth of knowledge from these people, but rather that I would rather quote and be convinced of doctrine… from the bible itself.

Once Saved, Always Saved? (part 1)

Once saved, always saved (OSAS) is a statement that for the majority of my walk with Christ, has been declared not true.

The immediate cry from those who disagree with it is that people MUST repent or else they are no longer saved.

Anybody who even dares to consider whether the statement is true or not, is quick to be labelled as someone who believes that once we’re saved we can go on sinning with no problems.

Over the last 4 years or so, I have increasingly come to the realisation that OSAS is actually true. However, I would instead put it this way – Once God Saves You, He Will Keep You Saved.

What is the SInner's Prayer?

The Comfort Zone - Ep 40

Am I a Lukewarm Christian?

White Flag: Chris Tomlin

Allah & GaGa

News: God "had a wife"

Finds in Israel add weight to theory God “had wife”

Female figurines and inscribed prayers to a "divine couple" found in temples in Israel suggest that the “one God” of the Bible may not have been entirely alone.

Female figurines and inscribed prayers to a "divine couple" found in temples in Israel suggest that the “one God” of the Bible may not have been entirely alone.

A recent excavation in Tel Motza, not far from Jerusalem, found what archaeologists believe to have been a ritual building - with clay figures of animals and men from the time of the First Temple, according to Israel's Haaretz news site.

The find suggests that Iron Age religion in the area around Jerusalem may not have been monotheistic just before the time the Hebrew Bible – the basis of the Old Testament - started to be written.

Now experts are increasingly suggesting that far from there being “one God”, there were many.

One expert, Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou of the University of Exeter, says there is “increasing evidence” of Israelites worshipping several gods - including one who may have been seen as Yahweh’s “wife”.
Archaeologists Dr. Hamoudi Khalaily and Shua Kisilevitz, said, "The ritual building at Tel Motza is an unusual and striking find, in light of the fact that there are hardly any remains of ritual buildings of the period in Judaea at the time of the First Temple. Among other finds, the site has yielded pottery figurines of men, one of them bearded, whose significance is still unknown."

“The iconography points to a pantheon of deities, as some scholars believe, or to two main deities, something of a duality,” says archaeology writer Julia Fridman, writing in Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

“Interestingly, there are vastly more female figurines and representations found on shrines than there are male ones. The evidence points to the worship of at least two deities.”

Fridman points to discoveries in an 8th century tomb at the site of Khirbet el Qom, containing the names of YHWH - the God of the Bible - and a female figure, Ashera. Fridman says that the inscription appears to be a prayer, invoking both deities.

Another inscription, found at the site of Kuntillet Arjud, is dedicated to, ““YHWH and his ASHERA”. Such practices continued into the late Iron Age of the Land of Israel (10th–6th centuries BC), according to Fridman.

Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou of the University of Exeter said, “There is increasing evidence that the ancient Israelites worshipped a number of gods alongside their ‘national’ patron deity, Yahweh. The goddess Asherah was among these deities.

“Not only is she mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), but inscriptions dating to the eighth and seventh centuries BCE attest to her worship alongside Yahweh in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Taken together, the biblical and archaeological evidence strongly suggests that Asherah was worshipped by some Israelites as the wife of Yahweh. They were likely a divine couple at the head of the local pantheon.”

Stavrakopoulou says that deities such as Asherah were “written out of history” as Yahweh became the “one God” of Jerusalem.

Theologians of the time were the scribes responsible for biblical texts - and Asherah’s appearances cast her as “foreign”, rather than as wife material.

“With the gradual emergence of monotheism in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE, a process in which Yahweh was increasingly prioritised over and above all other deities to the point at which the pantheon was ultimately rendered redundant, the goddess Asherah fell from favour among the leading theologians among Jerusalem’s elites,” Stavrakopoulou says.

“Many of these theologians were the scribes responsible for the production of biblical texts, and they sought to discredit and vilify the goddess of old by casting her as a deity ‘foreign’ and ‘abominable’ to traditional Yahweh-worship. As a result, she was falsely caricatured in the Bible either as a ‘Canaanite’ competitor to the Israelite god Yahweh (as in Torah and the Books of Kings), or as a lifeless wooden idol – an object to be destroyed by obedient to Yahweh’s demands that Israelites should worship him, and him alone (as in Deuteronomy).”

Other academics point to clay figurines of female forms as evidence that monotheism did not take hold instantly in the aera.

Erin Darby of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville says that female figurines were used widely - although perhaps not as a “religion” in the way we understand it today.

"The Judahite pillar figurines certainly tell us that many of the people who lived in Judah used small terracotta females in rituals that I strongly believe relate to protection and healing, most frequently taking place in homes and neighborhoods. This is especially true in Jerusalem,” Darby said in an interview with Haaretz.

The idea that Iron Age Israelites were strict “monotheists” is perhaps wrong, Darby suggests.

"I think you have tons of evidence to back this up, especially in Jerusalem and outlying areas like Motza. Not even the Bible claims that most ancient Judeans were strict monotheists," she said.    

Everlasting God: Brenton Brown

Praise Breaks (part 8)

Welcome to part 8 in our series on this thing called Praise Breaks.

In our last post, we finally started to look into what a Praise Break is, and what scripture people use to justify such a thing.

So, without further ado, here is the conclusion of our investigation into this thing called Praise Breaks.

Is it wrong to dance when the church gathers?

No, it is not wrong.  

Psalms 149:1-5

Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.   

Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.   

Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.   

For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. 

Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

Psalms 150

Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.   

Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.   

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 

Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.   

Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.   

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.   

We are told to praise God in dancing. But we must remember that the focus of the gathering of the church is for the edification of the body.

Who does praise edify? Who does praise build up? If anything we'd have to say that it edifies oneself and the one the praise is addressed to. 

Since God doesn't change, He doesn't get built up to be perfect as He's already perfect. He is self sufficient. So He doesn't even need our praise or edification. 

So praising God only edifies one person, the person giving the praise. And we know that when we gather, God doesn't want us to be primarily edifying ourselves. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 

There is provision in every gathering of the church to praise God, and in turn, edify ourselves, but God tells us that He wants us to be focused on edifying each other. 

This is why all through the bible the majority of it is teaching and preaching about God and His ways, while a minority of it is focused on praise. 

Did you realise that? There is more teaching in the bible than praising. God wants us to understand that we must be edified. We must be built up in our wisdom, knowledge, doctrine, theology. 

We must be drawing closer to God, and you don't do that through praise, you do that through edification. 

Hebrews 10:19-25

Having, therefore, brethren, boldness for the entrance into the holy places, in the blood of Jesus, which way he did initiate for us -- new and living, through the vail, that is, his flesh -- and a high priest over the house of God, may we draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having the hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having the body bathed with pure water; may we hold fast the unwavering profession of the hope, (for faithful is He who did promise), and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as a custom of certain is, but exhorting, and so much the more as ye see the day coming nigh.   

So it’s not about "dancing in church" is wrong. The issue is that there is a time and place. Even in the midst of the congregation there is a time and place. And God Himself has set the standard for the time and place. 

If the church decided to hold a celebration "service" or a praise and worship "service" or something along those lines, then that's fine. Dancing in the midst of the congregation would be totally acceptable, and that is clearly shown in scripture. 

I would even go so far as to say that during the praise and worship... when the music is appropriate obviously, that it’s ok to dance then as well. 

When we look at 2 Samuel 6, we should be getting this from it… something good happened for all of Israel. All of Israel had a day of celebration. Then they went home. 

So our model should be… something good happens for that local church as a whole. The entire service is dedicated to praising God and celebrating the event. Then everybody goes home. 

However, while the preaching/teaching is going on? No. To stop preaching/teaching in order to dance? No. 

When you watch the many praise break videos, they are actually stopping the preaching & teaching of the word to “dance”. 

And the worse part is that people are more than happy to push aside the word of God in order to “dance” (or whatever). They push aside the lamp to their feet and the light onto their path in order to “dance”. The very word that God put above His own name is made less important because we just gotta dance…

What about the Holy Spirit? 

Another claim that is often made regarding those that participate in praise breaks is that it’s the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit has come upon them and they just break out in dancing, shouting, or whatever. They have no control over themselves basically. 

Now, the problem with this is that there is no example of this anywhere in the bible that someone can make a claim. 

As a matter of fact, the bible clearly tells us the opposite. 

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 

We are told that he Holy Spirit will be working these things in us. We will start to display these qualities in our life the more we become perfect.

The Holy Spirit will not cause us to do something different to any of these. And one of them is self-control. 

So for those who say that the Holy Spirit just takes over and you have no control of yourself, you are blatantly contradicting the bible. 

If you really have no control over yourself, then it’s not the Holy Spirit that is dwelling in you, but a different spirit altogether. 

To try and defend themselves, the praise breakers (and their advocates) will sometimes point to Acts 2. 

Acts 2:1-16

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.   

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.   

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.   

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?   

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.   

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, ‘What meaneth this?’   

Others mocking said, these men are full of new wine. 

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.   

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;   

What is happening here? 

The Holy Ghost has filled the disciples. They then went out and started to speak in tongues before the many people who were in the area and people from all around started to hear and understand them in their native language. 

Some people mocked them saying that they were drunk.

 

Why did they say they were drunk? 

It’s because they couldn't understand what the disciples were saying. 

Peter then spoke to those people who claimed they were drunk, in their language, saying that they weren’t drunk at all, especially how it was so early in the day, but prophesy was being fulfilled. 

When you read the context surrounding verse 13 you can clearly see that the Holy Spirit was not causing the disciples to lose all control of themselves. 

The only reason why the claim of drunkenness was even made was because the people who said it didn't understand anything anybody was saying, as they were speaking in the languages of all the foreign people in the area and could only be understood by speakers of those languages. 

Remember what Paul said... 

1 Corinthians 14:9-11

So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.   

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.   

Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 

1 Corinthians 14:21-23

In the law it is written, ‘With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me’, saith the Lord.   

Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.   

If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?  

What happened in acts with those few people is what Paul says can happen when people can't understand the tongues that is being spoken, which is why paul encourages us not to speak in tongues in the midst of the congregation unless we know someone can interpret for us in order for the body to be edified. 

But, the fact that Paul makes it clear that they were able to control speaking in tongues means that the Holy Spirit didn't make them lose all control of themselves. 

Again, no where in the bible do we see the Holy Spirit making someone lose control of themselves. 

And anywhere people praise God in dance in bible, it’s not the Holy Spirit making them do it. They do it because they want to do it. They made the choice to praise God in the dance.

Now, there are places in the bible where spirits do make people lose control of themselves.  

Mark 9:20-22

And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.   

And he asked his father, ‘How long is it ago since this came unto him?’ And he said, ‘Of a child’.   

And oft times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

Another thing we must note is that the bible says the Holy Spirit dwells in us. 

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which isin you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.   

Everybody's body is not the temple of God, only the bodies of those who are saved. The Holy Spirit only dwells in the bodies of those who are saved. 

John 14:16-17

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.   

Now, I say all of that because… if the Holy Spirit dwells in you already, it makes no sense for the Holy Spirit to "come upon you". For something to come upon you, you can't already have it. 

In the old testament, the Holy Spirit came upon a lot of people, which was a clear indication that they didn't have the Holy Spirit with them in the first place. 

Because of the sacrifice of Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in us and never leaves. He is with us forever, leading us into all truth, bringing to remembrance the words of Christ, sanctifying us and conforming us more and more into the image of Christ. 

So when someone who is part of this praise break thing, says that the Holy Spirit comes upon them, either they are not saved at all and being controlled be a demonic spirit, or they don’t have a clue what they're talking about and are confusing their emotions with the actions of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes, praise breakers will use another verse in order to make the case that what they do is because of the Holy Spirit. This is found in Jeremiah 

Jeremiah 20:9

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. 

The description found here is what the praise breakers say happens to them and they have to just let loose with dancing or shouting or some complete random “praise” action. 

The problem is, even in the context of the entire verse alone, we can see that Jeremiah isn't talking about praise at all. 

He says, God's word is in his heart like a burning fire. And he told the people that he wouldn't mention God or speak anymore in God's name but the more he tried the more tired he got from fighting the urge to proclaim God's word to the people. 

That's in that one verse. But when you read the context, which starts in Jeremiah 18, you get to see what was happening in Jeremiah 20:9. 

God told Jeremiah to proclaim destruction upon Jerusalem and the tribe of Judah. Because of this, people are despising him. In Jeremiah 20, he gets thrown into jail because of his prophesies. And as soon as he is released, he turns to the person who threw him in and prophesies judgement again. 

Then in Jeremiah 20:7, he starts to cry out to God because the things God told him to say are causing people to mock him and he doesn't want to not be liked. This is why he says he will not make mention of God or speak in his name anymore in verse 9, because it’s causing him too much problems. 

So we can clearly see that when people use this verse, that they are doing a hatchet job on the text. It has nothing to do with praise, but instead the withholding of the proclamation of the word of God. 

If these praise breakers were indeed feeling what was described in Jeremiah 20:9, then they would be sinning against God by responding by doing everything but proclaiming the word of God, that He told them to proclaim. They would be in disobedience… just like Jonah.

We have looked into a number of facets regarding praise breaks and the scriptural basis behind it. 

We can conclude that praise breaks should not be apart of the church gathering. 

The main purpose of the gathering in the first place is to hear the teaching of the word so that believers can come to maturity in Christ. 

The very nature of praise breaks is to stop this process in order to perform an act of “praise to God”. 

But it’s God Himself who set the purpose of the church and regulations on how the church should function. 

So when we do a praise break during this time, we are actually disobeying God to do what we feel like. 

And we must remember, God prefers obedience rather than sacrifice. 

So, Since God was the one who told us, through Paul, that the church gathering is about edification, ministry (serving others), and striving for perfection (to be like Jesus) - then its pretty clear that anything that goes against that, even if its praise to God, is in direct disobedience to His word and will for us. 

No where does God tells us to stop helping one another to praise Him. The command we are given is to do both… but usually to help one another first, and then praise Him (Matthew 5:23-24). 

It’s not even like we don’t put God first in our church services. Usually, before we learn about God and grow in doctrine, wisdom, etc… we focus on Him. We call this praise and worship. All of our attention is put towards Him. 

Afterwards we put our attention towards each other and seek to learn and understand the scriptures so that we can grow to full maturity. 

By going through the scriptures, we know that the Holy Spirit isn't making anybody move their legs frantically. Since the fruit of the spirit is self-control, either they are doing it themselves, or they are being controlled by an unholy spirit(s). Either way, we know from the bible's description of the Holy Spirit, that He doesn't do that. 

If, however, the church decides to hold a day of celebration to God, then they have the liberty to praise and worship Him in dance, food and drink. They can do that, but not at the expense of the teaching of the word of God.  

There is a time for praising God. There is a time for dancing. There is a time for shouting. In the middle of the sermon is not that time. And if your church promotes, encourages, allows, or even puts up with that - I suggest you find another church. 

God did not invest thousands of years to inspire the writing of 66 books for them to be shoved aside for dancing. 

This is not Billie Jean. Your path will only be illuminated by His word. 

So if His word is truly a light to your path… if you truly live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God… if you truly believe that God has set His word above His name… then you will clearly see why praise breaking pales in comparison to hearing, meditating on, reading, and studying the word of God. 

How backwards are we, that the very word of God that the prophets and apostles, even Jesus Himself, died for (because they proclaimed and taught it), we don't even consider important enough to not praise break in the middle of it being preached or taught. 

We need to repent, and put the word of God back into the place of authority where it belongs. We need to go back to where we stopped obeying the bible, and pick up the cross again. 

We are supposed to be denying ourselves and crucifying our flesh daily. Submitting ourselves to the word of God and allowing our minds to be renewed by it. 

Amen.

Praise Break (part 7)

Welcome back to part 7 in our series on this thing called Praise Break.

In the previous posts, we had a "brief" look at judging and the purpose of the church.

This, hopefully, has given us a foundation that will enable us to look at Praise Breaks biblically.

What is Praise Break?

The term basically defines when you stop doing something in order to give God praise in some way.

But you have to actually stop whatever your doing.

For example… let’s say you’re at work typing. If while you're typing, you said under your breath, 'thank you Jesus for your grace and mercy', that is not a praise break.

Why? Because you didn't stop typing.

This is why it’s called Praise Break.

When you search YouTube for Praise Breaks most of the videos will be of people "dancing" (if you can call it that), or moving their legs frantically. This is not a Praise Break, but what is called Praise Dance. Although some people use the terms interchangeably, they are not the same. 

Sometimes you’ll see people shouting, running, being “slain in the spirit”, or a bunch of other random things. You’ll even see little children doing what they see the “adults” do. 

And all of this is usually done in the midst of the congregation. 

This begs the question though... what is being stopped, in order to “praise”? What are you taking a break from, in the midst of the congregation, in order to give God praise? 

Have that at the back of your mind as we continue.

What scriptures are used to defend this?

The main verse that everybody uses is found in 2 Samuel.

2 Samuel 6:16

And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

People will mainly point to that verse and say, ‘see - there it is right there’.

What should we do here? Look at the context.

2 Samuel 6:1-9

Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.   

And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.   

And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.                                                                  

And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.   

And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.   

And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his handto the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.   

And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. 

And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, ‘How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?’   

Before we continue, pay attention to what is going on. The ark of the covenant has been in the house of Abinadab for 20 years. We see this happen in 1 Samuel 7:1, and we see when the ark was first taken in 1 Samuel 4. 

So Israel has been without the ark of the covenant for over 20 years. Remember, the ark of the covenant was where the glory of God was (between the wings of the cherubim), so it wasn't like an ancient artefact or something like that to be put in the museum. It was where God's presence was. 

So, everybody was very happy to get back something that was so important, the physical representation of their covenant with God and His presence with them. 

As soon as they start on their journey back to the city of David, they started celebrating. 

And then… someone goes and gets himself killed. 

Let's continue...

2 Samuel 6:10-23

So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.   

And it was told King David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of Davidwith gladness.   

And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.   

And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.   

So David and all the house of Israelbrought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.   

And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.   

And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.   

And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.   

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israelto day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!   

And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.   

Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

What's going on here?

Because God killed someone, David thought that maybe He wasn't meant to bring the ark back and left it at another person's house. God started to bless that person, so David went back to get the ark thinking that it must be alright since God is blessing the person. 

Now we get into the heart of the matter. 

Just like before, everybody is rejoicing. It is not just David alone but the entire city of David. Everybody is glad that the ark is back. Everybody is celebrating. There are burnt offerings and peace offerings. The people of the city are being blessed. There's food and wine being given to everybody. 

What would you call that? They’re having a party. Think of New Years Eve… what do you see? Everybody is celebrating. 

Now, before we continue... look at this picture. This is the picture that people want to say is where Praise Break comes from. 

Yet if a group of people, in the middle of a praise break in the congregation, took out food and drinks - what do you think people would think about them? 

But that's exactly what David and all in the city of David did. They danced, they sung songs, they played music, they ate food, and they drank wine. They were celebrating the return of the ark of the covenant into the city. The ark that had been away from the people for over 20 years. 

As we continue, we see that the party is over, and everybody goes home. 

David goes home, and his wife, Michal, comes to make fun of him at how he was dancing and going on in front of everybody. 

Some people take this to mean that David danced so hard that he came out of his clothes. 

That's not what the scripture says. Michal is talking about how he acted before the people... with no shame, going on as if he wasn't a king at all, but someone that loves to be vain and show off in front of people. 

Now, if David did lose his clothes and was nude in front of the people, he would have been sinning before the Lord for showing his nakedness to people. But notice that the bible says that David was girded with a linen ephod... after he danced with all his might. So he didn't lose his clothes at all. 

Now, what was David's response to his wife? 

He told her that it was God that chose him over her father and all in her father's house to rule over Israel... why even say that? 

It's because her problem with David had nothing to do with him dancing or celebrating with the people. She was bitter against David because her father, Saul, was no longer king. Saul was dead, and none of his sons ruled in his place, but David. 

Don't forget that this is the same David who Saul was chasing after for a good while to kill him for no reason. 

And this is the daughter of Saul who was promised to anyone who killed Goliath. 

Do you think she was happy to stay married to someone who her father was trying to kill? Obviously not. She clearly held a grudge against david. 

But David continues and says because God has chosen him, he will play before Him. He goes on to say that he will be more vile than that, meaning he will embarrass himself even more. He says he will be base in his own eyes. In other words, he will do whatever it takes to keep himself humble. 

With that said, I ask you, is that the spirit that the praise break dancers have in them? 

Are they purposefully embarrassing themselves in public before the Lord in order to make themselves base in their own eyes? Do they even think that they are doing something embarrassing? 

What is the response from people that defend them? You can't judge their praise. 

What was David's response? That he is purposefully embarrassing himself in order to be low in his own eyes. 

He doesn't want himself to be puffed up with pride. 

When we bring this entire thing into the church today, it is starkly different than praise breaks. 

There is food and wine involved. David is embarrassing himself to keep himself humble. 

Here is something else to note though... when did all this happen? We don't know, but what we do know is that it wasn't on the sabbath. It wasn't on the day when everybody consecrates themselves and goes to worship God at the temple. 

Did you catch that? So if we brought this into the today, this wouldn't be happening on Sunday. It would be any other day of the week except sunday (or whatever day it is that your church gathers together to hear preaching). 

This is the scripture that proponents of praise breaks go to, and as we can see, when you look at the entire context, it doesn't hold water as what is happening in the scripture is vastly different from praise breaks.

Let's end it here for today. Meditate on what we've learned. Join us next time as we continue our investigation into this thing called Praise Break

What is Islam?

Praise Break (part 6)

 

Welcome back to our investigation into this thing called Praise Break. In the last post, we started to delve into the purpose of the church.

Let's continue shall we...

 

A lot of what goes on in the church today does not edify the body as a whole. A lot of the churches today have started to focus on the individual rather than the whole body. But the bible clearly says that when we come together, it’s not about the individual, but the body as a whole.

 

Leaders of the church have focused on very few people while the majority of the body suffers.

Romans 14:17-19

For the kingdom of Godis not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

 

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 

 

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 

Notice what the kingdom of God is... righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

 

And notice what it says afterwards... follow after the things that cause peace and things that edify another.

 

Notice, it doesn't say to edify yourself, but someone else.

1 Corinthians 10:23

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

 

Notice, we are allowed to do all things, but everything we do doesn't edify. And we should be about the business of edifying one another.

Romans 15:1-3

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

 

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, ‘The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me’. 

Do you see? This edification of one another, is our ministry, and causes us to become like Christ.

 

When it comes to things being done inside the congregation, the major test of whether or not it should be done is whether or not it edifies the body.

 

Even things that we know are gifts from God should only be used within the congregation if the body receives edification.

 

If the body can't receive edification from it, stop it, as the only person that is being edified is you, and that's not the purpose of the gathering of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:1-28

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 

 

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 

 

He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 

 

I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 

 

Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 

 

So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air. 

 

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 

 

Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 

 

Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknowntongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 

 

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

 

Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? 

 

For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 

 

I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 

 

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 

In the law it is written, ‘With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me’, saith the Lord.

 

Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying servethnot for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 

 

If therefore the whole church be come together into one place and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or oneunlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

 

And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 

 

How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, and hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 

 

If any man speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 

Paul makes it ridiculously clear here.

 

He says that we know that the gift of tongues exists. He says that we know that God gives the gifts of tongues. He says that we know that the gift of tongues can be used in the congregation. But then he says only if there is an interpreter.

 

Why? Because if there is no interpreter, no one is being edified, and the purpose of the gathering of the saints is for the edification of the body, not one individual.

 

Notice, he says let all things be done unto edifying. This is edifying of the body, not the individual.

 

He even goes so far as to say that he would rather everybody prophesy, because then everybody would be edified by the prophesy.

 

Paul breaks it down for us even further by saying that when we come together, everyone has something to add, but the chief purpose is the edification of the body - so those things which don't edify the body should be left out.

 

Go do that at home in your closet between you and God, since the only one that is being edified is you. But in the congregation, the edification of the body is the focus.

 

Now, how many churches do this? Very few.

 

A lot of churches have the entire congregation speaking in "tongues" and nobody interprets. Who is being edified? Not the body.

 

Paul even compliments them, saying that they give thanks well, but nobody else is edified when they give thanks. No one is even able to say amen because they don't have a clue what is being said.

 

Using this example, we can clearly see that a lot of churches today have turned the focus on the individual.

 

They encourage talking in our "prayer language" while we're in the congregation. They encourage doing the exact things that Paul, under the inspiration of the

 

Holy Spirit, told us not to do.

 

This is sad.

 

It seems that we are actually going the opposite way. We are becoming less and less like Jesus. We are following less and less of His commands. And because of that, we are drifting away from perfection, ministry, and edification.

 

 

What happens if we don't do these things (strive for perfection, ministry, edification)?

 

Well, think about it. Edification is the building up of a believer in wisdom, knowledge, etc.

 

This enables and prepares them to do ministry and be better in doing it.

 

As you continue those two things, the person draws closer and closer to perfection (becoming more and more like Jesus).

 

So, if those things aren't in place, then the reverse happens.

 

The believer does not increase in wisdom, knowledge, etc.

 

The believer is less prepared for ministry, and the quality of ministry goes down.

 

The believer becomes less like Jesus (or is stagnant in their growth).

 

When you look at the church today, those things seem to fit very well don't they.

 

We have an example of this in the bible actually.

Hebrews 5:11-14

Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

 

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 

 

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

Here Paul says that these people should be teachers by now, but someone needs to teach to them again the first things of God. They are still on milk.

 

Now, in verse 11, Paul clearly says that it’s the people who are at fault and not their teachers.

 

So the perfection, ministry, edification is supposed to be done inside the gathering of the congregation and continued outside the gathering as well.

 

After all, if you only read your bible when the pastor says to turn to such and such, how do you think you're going to grow?

 

Do you only eat food once a week as well? Are you not hungry for the word of God?

 

Again, if the only book of the bible that you give the most attention to is Psalms, and are content to only read psalms, then you are a babe and are stagnant.

 

Look what Paul says... those who use milk are unskilful in the word of righteousness. They can't deal with heavy theological issues. All they want, and all they can actually receive are the most basic of doctrines - God is love, God is mercy, God has good thoughts towards you, God wants to help you, Jesus died on the cross for you.

 

Those are the most basic of the basics.

 

If you've been 10 years meeting with your church and all your hear from your pastor is the above, guess what? He (or in these unbiblical times, she) might be a babe too.

 

This is why when someone starts talking about deep theological issues, these people get offended, because they are babes.

 

You don't give a baby its milk and see how upset it gets.

 

God says your pastor should step down as He (or she), is not supposed to be in that position. 'Uh uh, my pastor is a man of God, and he's done this and he's done that, and he's blessed'.

 

You can quote scripture ‘til you're blue in the face and it won't matter, because babes can not understand. They can't take in meat.

 

Why do you think that the most unbiblical things come out of the biggest congregations? It’s because they are babes. Babes can not discern or understand. And a baby will fight you for an empty bottle because it’s comfortable with the bottle thinking there is milk in it.

 

It’s sad… really sad.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 

 

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 

Those who can only receive milk, are carnal. They are not spiritually mature. They are selfish and only look out for and take care of themselves. They aren't concerned about others.

 

This comes back to the focus on the individual within the congregation. There is no desire to edify another. They don't consider that they shouldn't pray or speak in tongues in the congregation because nobody can understand them and say amen or learn anything from it. They only care about themselves. What they want and how they feel.

 

This is what happens when perfection, ministry, and edification are not sought after.  People will come into the kingdom as babes in Christ, and stay as babes in Christ. They won't grow.

Let's end for today. Join us next time as we move onto the "main event" of our investigation.