Tag: discipleship

Birds: Another Lesson from Nicky the Cat

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

My cat (Nicky) is a highly trained, professional killer. It makes no difference to him what type of critter it is, squirrels, birds, moles, it doesn’t matter; he stalks them and he kills them. And, he really likes it! There’s only one thing he seems to enjoy as much as he does being an agent of death, and that’s “love time with Daddy.” He will sit, lay, whatever, in my arms as long as I’ll let him.

Earlier this morning we were spending some time together on the back deck. He was sprawled out in my lap like some kind of feline rag doll, when all of a sudden, this bird lands on the handrail about ten feet from us. Nicky immediately notices him, but does little more than lift his head a bit. Well, the bird begins to hop along the handrail, slowly getting closer and closer to us. He finally stops about four feet from us, and I’m thinking that I’m getting ready to feel claws enter my legs, because Nick is going to spring from my lap and “help” his fellow creature on into the next life.

I could feel Nicky tense slightly as the bird sat there looking all around like birds do with that jerky head twitch thing they’ve got going. I gave Nicky a gentle squeeze, but made no attempt to restrict his movements. The bird gave one final head twitch and flew up onto the branch of a nearby tree, having no idea of how close he had been to his demise. That’s when the Spirit whispered in my heart.

In the Bible, birds are often used as a metaphor for evil. Jesus used birds in the parable of The Sower (Mark 4) to illustrate how the devil can come, swoop down, and snatch the seed of the gospel that has been sown into people’s lives. In Revelation 18:2 unclean birds are used to illustrate the spiritual disposition of “Babylon.” I thought about the bird Nicky & I saw today. I thought of how Nicky had chose to stay with me instead of trying to catch the bird, and it dawned on me that the safest place for us to be when “the birds” come into our lives is in the love of God.

We all have temptations and distractions that come our way, but as we abide in the love of God, our intimacy with him is that which captivates us, causing us to resist chasing after “the birds,” and to prefer the fellowship of the Lord over the fleeting desires we so often chase. As with Nicky and “critter killing,” you & I are highly trained professional sinners, and we like it! The only solution is “love time with DADDY.”

As we come to the Father, through the cross and shed blood of Jesus, we become new creations in Christ. The Spirit of God begins to change us, making us into the image of Jesus who continuously stayed in the Father’s love. As we abide in Jesus, obeying him, and surrendering our lives to him on a daily basis; we began to understand that chasing after “the birds” can in no way compare to the love of God poured out in our hearts by his Spirit. So, what’ll it be; that measly little bird over there on that handrail, or DADDY’s love?

Morgan Freeman & New Age Theology

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

This just in: Morgan Freeman says that he is God. The first thing that may go through your mind is, “Oh my goodness, he must have gone crazy!” Not necessarily. To be honest, this is a typical New Age concept. In fact, according to New Age thought or Cosmic Humanism as it is referred to by some; you, me, and everything else are God as well. I don’t know how much you’ve looked into New Age Theology, but I thought with Mr. Freeman’s latest “revelation,” now might be a good time to share with you a little of what I’ve discovered.

I was sharing with a New Ager once, and I told him that I agreed with a lot of what he said, but that I had to go with Jesus’ words when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father except through me.” I went on to share with this man that Jesus is God come in the flesh. Without batting an eye, he responded, “Well yeah, we all are.”

If you are about the business of being a disciple of Jesus, you will no doubt come into contact with New Age(ism) in one form or another. I put together the following outline that will give you the skinny on New Age(ism)/ Cosmic Humanism. I pray this helps you to be better equipped to share the gospel with people caught up in this deception

            New Age Theology and the Church

                Whereas Christianity portrays God as sovereign creator of all that is, holy and entirely separate from all else, New Age theology is founded upon the idea that each individual as well as all of creation is in fact God. Although various elements of New Age thought has integrated itself into the modern church, the astute student of the word recognizes that such integration is to be avoided in that New Age theology is not compatible with orthodox Christianity.

I. New Age theology (Cosmic Humanism) forms the foundation for all other aspects of its worldview.[1]

A. “The New Age movement differs from Christianity, Islam, and the secular worldviews in that it embraces neither theism nor atheism”.[2]

B. “Cosmic Humanism begins by denying the preeminence of any purported special revelation over any other.”[3]

C. “Cosmic Humanists believe that the Bible is no more the word of God than is the Qur’an, or the teachings of Confucius. New Age advocate David Spangler says, ‘We can take all the scriptures, and all the teachings, and all the tablets, and all the laws, and all the marshmallows and have a jolly good bonfire and marshmallow roast, because that is all they are worth.’”[4].

D. Christianity views the Bible as God’s revelation to man, as that which is “inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (II Tim. 3:16, 17)

II. New Age theology sees Jesus as just an example of the potential of all men.

A. In that the Cosmic Humanist views the Bible as just another book, the significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is nullified.[5]

B. “The Cosmic Humanist sees Christ’s life as important only in the sense that it showed humanity to be capable of achieving perfection, even godhood.”[6]

1. The significance of incarnation and resurrection is not that Jesus was a human like us but rather that we are gods like him—or at least have the potential to be.[7]

2. The New Age theologian to postulates that “The Son of God . . . is not Jesus but our combined Christ consciousness.[8]

3. Jesus is looked on as one of a select company, having achieved Christ consciousness. Every person is encouraged to acquire this same level of consciousness.[9]

C. Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ was not just an example of a self-actualized man who had reached his full potential, but rather God himself clothed in flesh, crucified, dead, and resurrected.

1. John 1:1-3 teaches Jesus is God.

2. Colossians 1: 15, 16 teaches Jesus is both God and creator.

3. Romans 1:4 teaches that Christ is risen from the dead and proclaimed as the Son of God.

III. The core of New Age theology is that, “I am God.”[10]

A. According to New Age theology each of us has access to a supraconscious, creative, integrative, self-organizing, intuitive mind whose capabilities are apparently unlimited; this is the part of our consciousness that constitutes our God-likeness.[11]

B. According to New Age theology, sooner or later every human being will feel a call from the cosmos to ascend to godhood.[12]

C. “The Cosmic Humanist grants each individual the power of determining reality by creating or co-creating truth.”[13]

1. “Special revelation need not exist in books or in any other form outside of us, because each of us has our own special revelation in our higher consciousness, our own ability to get in touch with the part of us that is God.”[14]

2. “Inner soul-searching becomes the only significant means of discovering truth.”[15]

D. Christianity teaches that man is not God, but rather a creation of the one true God, who cannot by reason of his own faculties, comprehend God, much less be God.

1. Psalms 139: 13-16 reveals that man is a creation of God.

2. Genesis 1 teaches that man is a creation of God.

3. Isaiah 55:8, 9 teaches that God’s ways and thoughts are not comparable to man’s.

IV. New Age Theology consists of an “all is one consciousness.”

A. “It is important to understand that the belief that every individual is God and God is every individual is tied inextricably to the concept of consciousness.”[16]

1. “Because New Age theology has this “all is one” mentality, Cosmic Humanists necessarily believe that humanity can become attuned to all the powers of its godhood by achieving unity of consciousness.”[17]

2. New Age theology adheres to the “godlikeness within us; the perfect love, the perfect wisdom, the perfect understanding, the perfect intelligence, and when we do that, we create back to that old, that essential oneness which is consciousness.”[18]

B. According to New Age theology, “only the unity of all can bring the well-being of all.”[19]

C. The Bible teaches that God has dealt harshly in the past when man has attempted to assert his “godliness” through unity, and that only in Christ can men be truly united.

1. Genesis 11 tells of God’s reaction to a unified humanity’s attempt at godhood.

2. Galatians 3:28 speaks of the unity, the “oneness” we have in Christ.

V. New Age theology espouses the idea of reincarnation.[20]

A. The Bible, in Hebrews 9:27 teaches that once a man dies, then comes judgment.

B. II Samuel 12:23 implies that those who deny will not return in this life.

VI. New Age Theology is pantheistic in that it asserts that everything is God.

A. Pantheism is the very foundation of New Age theology.[21]

B. “Humanists worship the creation and the creator at the same time. For them, there is no difference.”[22]

C. New Age theology asserts that since we cannot “delineate between God and ourselves, how can we be certain that we can delineate between other living or dead things and God? Indeed, if all is one, perhaps everything that exists is God.”[23]

D. The Bible teaches that God is holy and entirely separate from his creation.

1. Romans 1:20 teaches that God’s attributes can be seen in his creation, but by definition he remains distinct from it.

2. Numbers 23:19 clearly says that God is not man, and therefore, man cannot be God.

3. Romans chapter one condemns the worship of creation.

Perhaps to summarize New Age theology, one could say,” every person and all reality is God, and therefore that any “truth” our inner self discovers is God’s truth. If we fail to realize our godhood in this lifetime, never fear! We’ll soon have another incarnation and another chance to achieve Christ consciousness. Ultimately, every person will achieve godhood, and total unity will be restored.”[24] By contrast, Christianity asserts that man along with everything else that has been created, both seen and unseen, has been created through and for Jesus .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“New Age Theology,” All About Worldview. http://www.allaboutworldview.org/new- age-theology.htm,

            1. “New Age Theology,” All About Worldview. http://www.allaboutworldview.org/new-age-theology.htm, (accessed October 21, 2011).

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid.

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. Ibid.

14. Ibid.

15. Ibid.

16. Ibid.

17. Ibid.

18. Ibid.

19. Ibid.

20. Ibid.

21. Ibid.

22. Ibid.

23. Ibid.

24. Ibid.

Log Jam

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Did you know that you, yes you, were created so that God might be glorified in your life? God wants to take the good, the bad, and the ugly, transform you through your faith in Jesus, and then put you on display so that the people in your life will come face to face with the living God. Have you ever thought of this, that there are people who will never get to know Jesus if they don’t get introduced to him by you?

Starting in the Old Testament, go through the Bible and search out the scriptures that speak of God’s purpose in using his people to reveal himself to the world. Even the past that you so desperately try to forget about can be used by God as a tool for his glory. Look, we’ve all sinned, we’ve all terribly missed the mark of God’s holiness, but he has made a way for us to experience his forgiveness and restoration. And, he wants to use this process in your life as an object lesson, giving others something tangible to see, so that they too can come and experience his love. Someone out there needs to know what you’ve been through and how Jesus saved and is saving you. They need to hear it from you, and see Him in you! Somebody is waiting for you to allow God to use you for some “show & tell.”

You know what a lumberjack is right (google it)?  Huge numbers of trees are harvested and processed into forestry products by logging companies. Lumberjacks  are the guys that cut down those trees. One way they get this massive number of trees from one spot to another, is by floating all these logs down the river. Well, occasionally a log  gets turned askew and stops the flow, creating a log-jam. So, you got this one log (a “key-log”) that is keeping the rest of the logs from reaching their destination. Did you know that you are a “key-log” in someone’s life, and they are waiting for you to get “straightened out” so that they can get to Jesus? It’s not some “professional” preacher or evangelist that holds the key to saving your family and friends- it’s you. You are the key.

It all starts with you giving your life to Jesus. He invites us to come, turn away from our sin, and put our trust in him. He is the One who can get you “straightened out” so that all those behind you, caught up in the “log-jam,” can experience what it means to truly be alive in Him.

Jacob: Worshiping God, Reflecting on the Past

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I was reading the story of Jacob as he was approaching death, and it provoked a couple of thoughts about worship I wanted to share with you. At the risk of being perceived as reading too much into a certain passage,  it seems to me that here, in this story, Jacob  reflected on the past, considered the present, and pondered the future,  and he was moved to worship. First, let’s go back.

“By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.” (Hebrews 11:21) We find this story originally told in Genesis 47, and I think it captures Jacob at his finest moment. Here is an old man who truly has lived a full life. He has seen and experienced so much, and now, at the end of it all, he worships.

I’m sure that Jacob, there bowing over his staff, remembered how it had all begun. He must have thought about how he had cheated his older brother out of the blessing that rightfully fell upon the eldest. He had had to flee for his life to his Uncle Laban’s house. And in Laban he had found someone as conniving as himself. Jacob had been cheated and manipulated by Laban, but he remembers now how God had been with him even then.  Jacob had only vowed to serve God if God would do certain things for him, and now, bowing over his staff, here at the end of his life, he recalled that God had been faithful beyond his wildest dreams.

Jacob remembers how he had wrestled all night with that mysterious “man” who dislocated his hip, giving him that limp that he walked with for the rest of his life. That “man” had blessed him and changed his name to Israel. It seemed so long ago now. Jacob recalls the fear he experienced when going back to meet his older brother Esau after so many years had passed. Then, there had been the rape of his daughter Dinah, and the subsequent murder of the rapist (along with the rest of the men of the city) by his sons Simeon and Levi. He remembers the death of his beloved Rachel for whom he had worked so hard.

Jacob had truly seen it all, and now here, at the end of his life, he can see how God had worked in it all, and he worships the Lord. Reflecting on the past, Jacob was moved to worship.

I don’t know what has happened to you in the past. Like Jacob, like all of us, there has probably been a mixture of love and pain. I’m sure there have been things done to you, things you’ve done to yourself,and pain you’ve brought to others. Can I tell you something? If you will let him, Jesus will give you the faith and love that will produce in you the ability to see your past in such a way that will actually cause you to worship the Lord. Jesus can bring you to a place, where you realize that the pain and suffering, all you have experienced in the past, was not meant to destroy you. It sounds crazy, I know, but in Christ; you will come to the place where you don’t deny the past, the pain, the hurt, the lies, etc…instead, you (like Jacob) will see that through it all God was bringing you to a place of intimacy with himself. Not only that, you will be able to glorify God as you encourage someone else who is going through circumstances similar to what you have experienced.  And, you will worship.

Leaves

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I remember I hadn’t been in Christ that long, and I was riding up to the mountains with a group of people. It was fall, the leaves were changing, and I remember being totally overwhelmed by the beauty all around me. I must have really gone on about the leaves because I remember someone saying, “Yeah, and guess what; they do this every year.” They didn’t understand that I had been so caught up in my life, my sin, and all that goes along with it; I had been too busy to appreciate “little things” like the changing of the seasons. Jesus had saved me, I had been truly born again by the Spirit, and everything seemed new. Everything was new. My friends made fun of me a little because to them it was just another fall, and leaves have been changing like that for millennia. “Kyle, it’s only that you’re just now noticing it.”

So often we become caught up with things and think that it’s something new when in reality, that’s the way it has always been. So many of us in the church today are enamored with “new” things like, being authentic, community, relational discipleship, and (add your own catch phrase). To be honest, this is how it always has been. Perhaps I should say instead, this is how it has always been to the true disciple of Christ. True Christianity has always been about being authentic. True Christianity has always been about being in community with other believers (it’s called the body of Christ). True Christianity has always been about making disciples. Could it be that we have simply been so caught up in the business of religion, building personal kingdoms, and big “look at me” ministries that we have failed to notice what it means to be a real Christian?

This “church business” we are so addicted to is over folks. We have made religion our priority instead of Jesus. “The times, they are a changing.”  There is a danger though that the “new boss is the same as the old boss.” What do I mean? Well, if we make authenticity, community, relational discipleship, and (add your own catch phrase) our priorities; it’ll end up being the same old thing just with a different hat. The priority of the Christian has always been Jesus. Everything flows out of our intimacy with him. We don’t concentrate on things. We concentrate on Jesus, and as we abide in him; we bear much fruit.

Burning Down the House

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” It should therefore come as no surprise that the staunch traditionalism and impotency of the evangelical institutional church is now encountering such forceful resistance. Religion is big business, and the people who attend the “churches” have been reduced to being the means by which said business is perpetuated. However, for those who advocate “burning down the house,” perhaps the question of motivation should be addressed.

The story is told of a couple’s divorce and the resulting alienation of the children from the one parent by the custodial parent. The non-custodial parent was pleading his/her case as to interaction with the children, and stated, “Why do you keep me from the children? They need me and I need them. You say you love them and want what’s best for them, but I think the reality is that you really hate me far more than you love them.”

Sadly, in many cases, those who vehemently oppose the “traditional church” are more consumed by their hatred for the institution than their love for the body of Christ. Often, they have been hurt, abused, and overlooked resulting in bitterness taking root inside them. Yes, they see the legitimate deficiencies of the institutional church, but they have become more motivated by their pain produced hatred than authentic love. The scripture warns us of being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Sometimes it is easier to hide our pain behind supposed revelation and prophetic insight than it is to allow the Spirit of God to bring healing and remove the splinter of hatred that has become lodged within us.

It has been said that every rebel is a closet aristocrat. So often, when encountering institutional revolutionaries, you come away with the feeling that if someone had just acknowledged them, and given them a position of authority, they would have remained “in the fold.” Many decry the institutional church, leave and start a home-church, storefront- church, etc…; and fail to see that all they have done is recreated what they profess to hate so much. The only difference is now, in the new “community,” they are in charge. We must ask ourselves, “Am I motivated by love for the Body, or selfish ambition?”

My dear brothers and sisters, becoming “un-institutionalized” is more than just finding a new meeting place and burning down the old house. An institution is defined as the following:

1. an organization, establishment, foundation, society, or the like, devoted to the promotion of a particular cause or program, especially one of a public, educational, or charitable character.

2. the building devoted to such work.

3. a public or private place for the care or confinement of inmates, especially mental patients or other disabled or handicapped persons.

4. a well-established and structured pattern of behavior or of relationships that is accepted as a fundamental part of aculture, as marriage: the institution of the family.

5. any established law, custom, etc.

So often our pain and bitterness blinds us to the reality that all we really desire is another institution, one that functions the way I want it to.

In our present context, there is only one “institution” that truly matters- the Body of Christ. This institution is organic, alive, and on the move. It is made up of people from every kindred, tribe, and tongue. Because the Church is alive and made up of many members, it gets messy sometimes. There are personality differences, doctrinal disputes, and a diversity of giftedness. Some are called to function in the traditional looking buildings. Others are led to fellowship in small home groups or strip plazas. However, this institution is comprised of people that unanimously promote one cause- God’s glory.

Let us be done with dead religion, and empty traditional institutionalism. Let us also be done with hatred, bitterness, and selfish ambition. Instead of burning down the house, let us understand that we all are, “as living stones,  being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Slow Fade

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

“Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, “My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places to which the ark of the Lord has come are holy.” (II Chronicles 8:11)

Of all the characters in the bible, I find Solomon to be one of the most tragic. Here was a man described as being the richest and wisest king who ever lived. He had it all, did it all, and knew it all. He is the one who built the awesome temple of the Lord that David had first conceived of. He was the man! Good-looking, rich, wise, and a servant of the Lord to boot; Solomon began his rule in glorious splendor. However, we can see in the passage above that the seeds for his downfall were planted early on.

Reading II Chronicles 8 we find that Solomon was keeping the Law, and had instituted his father David’s Levitical revisions regarding worship, but was seemingly able to compartmentalize his life. Apparently Solomon knew that marrying Pharaoh’s daughter was not right. He obviously recognized the fact that his new bride did not serve the God of Israel, or else why would he refuse her living in a holy place? Yet we find that he married her any way, and built a palace to keep her comfortable and near to him. As we read the Bible, we learn that Solomon took many wives and they eventually drew his heart away from the Lord. I believe his slow fade started right there, with his Egyptian bride. And you know what? We do the same thing.

So often we pride ourselves in the fact that we are real Christians. Not only do we endeavor to adhere to true Biblical orthodoxy, but we know how to worship and praise the Lord with feeling as well. We are the real deal! Nevertheless, off to the side, where it really doesn’t interfere with our relationship with Jesus, we have built a place for our little pet sin. Oh, it’s not causing problems right now; we still worship the Lord, but it’s there all the same. Like Solomon, we may have planted the seeds for our own downfall.

Perhaps that’s why the writer of the book of Hebrews encourages us to “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” We compartmentalize our lives, thinking that, “Okay, over here is my relationship with God and over there is the rest of my life. I know maybe this thing is not really the thing to do, but it’s not causing any real problems. Everything’s cool.” I wonder if perhaps Solomon thought the same thing. We go to church, we preach truth, we dance, we shout, we prophesy, and speak in tongues; but is there a compartment in our heart where we allow our pet sin to live?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts, see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

The Heart of Ministry

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I remember not too long ago I was reading in the book of II Corinthians, and I came to the part in chapter four where Paul said, “…always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.” After reading these words, I thought to myself, “Now there’s the heart of ministry.”

There is much talk today concerning the validity of the pastoral ministry model and the need to employ the five-fold ministry paradigm found in Ephesians 4, but I don’t think the answer is quite that simple. I think we have lost the true heart of ministry all together. We’ve made ministry all about the minister. Ephesians 4 tells us that ministers are given to the body of Christ for the equipping of the saints, and the building up of the body of Christ.  Our churches abound with self proclaimed super-prophets, apostolic rulers, and double portion Davidic worship leaders who have made it all about them. We don’t need superstars; we need servants.

The body of Christ needs ministers who are experiencing the fellowship of his sufferings, manifesting the dying of Jesus in their bodies, those who are willing to become of no reputation, and give themselves for the life of body of Christ. Ministers are not called to be movie star, super-hero, peddlers of the gospel, but slaves of their Master Jesus who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. The true heart of ministry says, “I will gladly be poured out and used up that I might help my brother’s and sisters mature in Christ.” The prophet, apostle, evangelist, pastor, and teacher are called to build ministers not ministries.

I Corinthians 4:9-13 puts it like this,  “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.”  Let me ask you, does that sound like any ministers you know? Perhaps the body of Christ would experience more of the power of Christ’s resurrection if its ministers would participate in the fellowship of His sufferings.

I’ll sum it up by simply saying that if you want to see the heart of ministry, just look at the cross.

The Fellowship Of The King

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

 

“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (I Corinthians 1:9)

The word fellowship denotes intimacy, communion, reciprocation, community, relationship, etc… How wonderful it is that we have been called into fellowship with Jesus. For too many who profess faith, Jesus is simply a historical character in a book. They know about him, but don’t really know him. So many are trying their best to be good, stop sinning, and live like a good Christian. All the while they are frustrated, close to despair, and on the verge of giving up. All too often we have opted for a set of rules and empty religious rituals instead of fellowship with Jesus. Being good gets old, and if you’re like me; you’ll break the rules. Thank God, we can have true intimacy with a real, living Savior. We are called to fellowship!!

We are called to hear his voice. We can know his touch. We can be transformed by his Spirit. We can KNOW HIM!! We’ve all heard the old saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” Well, in this case, it’s absolutely true.  And the cool thing is, he wants us to know him!! He has removed everything that would separate us from himself by the blood of his cross. Why has he done this? He wants us to have a real relationship with him. This brings him glory.

It has been said that the reason we exist is to glorify God, and enjoy him. How do we glorify him? How do we enjoy him? It is by the fellowship we have with Jesus. Didn’t Jesus say that we are to abide in him like branches in a vine? Didn’t he say that this fellowship would produce fruit that glorified the Father?  You can read all about someone, you can know their bio inside and out, but until you spend time with them; you don’t really know them. You are called by God to have intimate communion with Jesus. Let me put it this way, fellowship with Jesus is eternal life.

Moved By The Music

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

(We have covered a lot of ground in our discussion about God Music. It’s getting to the point where it’s kind of impractical to list all of our previous observations at the beginning of each new post, so, I invite you to go back and check out the previous articles entitled “Talk About…God Music”). We all know that music can move you. There is something within the chords and rhythms that can actually produce an affect upon people. Many within the church insist that such “musical manipulation” has no place within the worship experience as it is worldly and/or demonic. Again, as we have in our previous discussions, we want to know what the Bible says about this. I can’t think of a better place to go than II Kings 3: 14-16.

“And Elisha said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would neither look at you nor see you. But now bring me a musician.’ And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said…”

First, let’s provide a little context. Jehoram, king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had gone to Elisha the prophet to inquire of the Lord. They were preparing for battle and needed God’s word concerning the situation. Elisha had no use for Jehoram because of his idolatrous ways, but he had respect for Jehoshaphat, and agreed to meet with them.

We are told that Elisha asked for a musician to be brought in. It is obvious that Elisha sought to use the music as a tool through which he would more readily receive from the Lord. Elisha purposefully employed music to “manipulate” his own disposition. His apparent motive was more than a desire for an emotional release; he wanted to hear from God. (Interestingly enough, if you remember, we learned that when David instituted the Levitical ministry of music, it was looked upon as a form of prophecy.) There is so much that could be inferred from Elisha’s actions, but I want to stick with what the Bible makes plain. Elisha used music to purposefully create an environment which would assist him in receiving from the Lord.

The musician is unnamed. Obviously he was skilled and anointed of God; however, we don’t know who he is, and we never hear from him again. He apparently didn’t start a traveling “Prophecy Mantle Impartation Tour” throughout the kingdom. He was used of God, and then disappears into the pages of antiquity. One thing to note is that it was Elisha that purposefully utilized the musician and his gifts, not the other way around. So often, within our contexts, the musician is asked/required to get the people “in the mood” to encounter God. Elisha’s heart was already going after the Lord; the ministry of music only aided him in his pursuit. I think we need to really consider this point. God Music doesn’t seem to be intended to manipulate people into encountering God. It is for people who already desire Him.

Next, we find that the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha when the musician played. Elisha’s heart and the God Music were both factors in this God encounter. The Lord gave Elisha the words to speak to the kings, and His name was glorified.

In II Kings 3, the Bible gives us a wonderful example of the relationship between music and worship. Our hearts must be inclined towards the Lord with a desire to encounter the living God. Only then can God Music be a means by which His name is glorified as the hand of the Lord comes upon us.