Acceptable Worship? What are your thoughts?

I am writing this devotional today to attack an issue arising in modern day churches: the use of secular music during corporate worship. For anyone who reads this, I would love to hear your honest opinions on this subject.

At the church my wife and I attend, the worship team suddenly begun playing secular music like Edwin McCain, Journey, etc. to go along with a sermon series on Love. But what I am confused about is how those secular songs have anything to do with God. And isn’t that the purpose of worship? If you take praise, glory and thanksgiving to God out of the songs you sing in church, then are we even worshipping at all? Or are we merely entertaining and putting on a show?

My opinion is that this is unacceptable music. Now, I’m no religious, traditional man, but I think there is such a thing as sound doctrine and that is something vital to the spiritual growth of a church. How can I properly fall on my knees or raise my hands in worship when the songs being sung have NOTHING to do with the One I desire to worship? These recent events have made me heartbroken for our church. I have even attempted to bring the issue up to the leaders, and have been turned away; their reasoning: I’m too immature to have a proper perspective on the issue. That sounds to me like someone who has a control problem and is too prideful to admit fault.

My purpose here isn’t to bash my church or the leaders of that church, but does anyone understand my point? My church wants to ‘engage the culture,’ but isn’t the culture living in darkness? ‘Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?’ (2 Corinthians 6:14). I think the devil has his hand in a great number of things in the church and this is one of the growing problems, a disease spreading amongst modern churches. I think as Christians, we need to pull this weed from the root and toss it into the fire. Secular music for the sake of reaching our culture is a lie of the devil, and it destroys the sanctity of God’s holy temple.

What are your thoughts?

Here I Am!

‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me’ (Revelation 3:20). Jesus is at the door of our hearts knocking. He is calling out to us to “come and follow me.’ And he not only desires for you to answer his call, but he wants to come in to eat with you! He wants to be your friend, your companion through this life. Have you ever had doubts, saying, ‘Where are you in this, God?’ Do you ever feel alone, like there is no one there beside you? But Jesus is calling to you now! ‘Behold’ he says. Open your ears to listen and your eyes to see. He has been there all along. He doesn’t come and go. Rather, he stands at the door and knocks.

But he warns us before we open the door and invite him in: ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent’ (Revelation 3:19). So if there is sin or laziness in your spiritual life, then be sure that God will reprove and discipline until you remain in Him and Him in you (See John 15:5). Apart from Jesus we can do nothing! He is the vine, not ‘a’ vine. There is only one, and we are all a part of that, if we choose to follow after him. Thus this calling is for each of us. God wants you all to Himself; he hates to see His children chase after idols, the very things that He created. You have heard the knock, and you have opened the door. Now that Jesus is sitting amongst you in your life, be sure that he will tear apart anything that is not in accordance with God’s will. He came to fulfill His father’s purpose (See John 4:34).

We all have something we refuse to let go and often times that’s because we can’t see Jesus clearly. There may be something blinding us or distracting us, but Jesus is calling out, ‘Here I am!’ Many are afraid to open the door, knowing that they will have to be disciplined and reproved. Though that will happen for a time, there will come a day when we will no longer have to be reproved or disciplined because we will be one with God just as Jesus and the Father are one (See John 17:21). Then nothing can surpass the joy we experience that day. Go forth and keep your door open to Jesus. Be sensitive to his voice and obey his every word.

The Furnace of Affliction

Isaiah 48:10 says, ‘Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.’ Think about silver or gold. Once the metals have been mined, they must then be refined in a furnace of intense heat to burn away any flaws or blemishes. Much in the same way, God refines us but in the furnace of affliction. That sounds brutal doesn’t it? Well, is it brutal for silver to be scorched and treated ‘harshly?’ Of course we say no, because we know that once the silver has been put through the furnace of fire, it will come out shining more beautifully than before. The silver is pure, beautiful and new.

Much in the same way, God uses pain, affliction, and even harsh circumstances to reach us. Sadly, we as sinners are often times very stubborn. And when hard times come our way, we whine and complain and cry out to God, ‘Why my God have you forsaken me?’ But it’s time to get over ourselves! It’s time to endure the furnace of affliction, and yes, even thank God for the trials! (See 1 Thessalonians 5:18; James 1:2-4) There is not a single circumstance in our lives that we are given an excuse to complain and bicker towards God. We are to give thanks, knowing that the one putting us through the furnace of affliction is trying to refine us into new beings, the sons and daughters of the Most High God.

When harsh realities come your way, remember God is always faithful. Psalm 33:4 says, ‘For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.’ Praise God for His unfailing love and faithfulness! Thank God for the trials and affliction, for He will use those times of tribulation to shape you into the man or woman you’ve always wanted to be for His glory. Then, you will be able to go through life without doubt, fear or even the slightest complaint. We will be one with God as Jesus was one with God (See John 17:20-23). And there is nothing in life more joyous than that!

My First Book

Okay, so I just wanted to write this post to let all my followers and anyone else out there know that I will be publishing my first book very soon. I am thinking it will probably be released in early July.

If you like books, this one is a Fantasy/Fiction book set in medieval times with a Christian message throughout, and it is full of action and adventure. I would be so excited if anyone wanted to read it when it comes out. I will try to post more about it when it is closer to time for its release. God bless!