Friday, April 7, 2023
20 Facts About Prayer
Monday, November 14, 2022
Musings On Worship Part 4: Anointed Worship
Musings On Worship Part 4: Anointed Worship |
To read all the posts in this series (musings on worship), please click on the links below;
1. Has "Modern Worship" Become Corrupt?
2. Musings On Worship Part 1: What Is It All About?
3. Musings On Worship Part 2: Resilience
4. Musings On Worship Part 3: Worship and Excellence
Well, let's go on...
Definition and examples
1. With regard to service to God, GotQuestions.org (a question and answer site on Christian apologetics) defines anointing as a ceremonial Old Testament physical act involving the smearing, rubbing, or pouring of sacred oil on someone’s head (or on an object) as an outward symbol that God had chosen and set apart the person (or object) for a specific holy purpose. We can see King David as an example of this (1 Samuel 16:13).
2. Jesus as the Messiah, is as well anointed with the Holy Spirit who comes upon Him in form of a dove during John's baptism (Mark 1:10). His name "Messiah" actually means "The Anointed One" implying the One ordained by God to do the work of saving mankind from their sins and destruction. Jesus as well says this of Himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19). Please note that not at any time in Jesus' ministry is "sacred" oil poured on His head to appoint Him as God's chosen servant, but He is appointed anyway.
3. In Acts 2:1-4, by the coming and baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Early Church in one way, is as well anointed on the Day of Pentecost to do the works of service that would later be revealed in the entire book. In such a way, we deduce that every Christian receiving baptism by the Holy Spirit is anointed for works of service and is therefore "an anointed one" in their capacity and the grace given them within the Kingdom. This can happen whether physical "sacred" oil is poured out on one's head or not. God's appointment is spiritual, but men in their schemes, think physical oil counts for something. It doesn't.
Premise:
We can therefore describe anointing as a special grace given to each individual by the Holy Spirit to accomplish a specific task proportional to their yielding to the promptings of the same Spirit for God's glory and the Church's edification. Any singer, musician or worshiper under the influence of the Holy Spirit is anointed, thus the gift (the act of worship) and the one offering it (the worshiper) are both anointed.
*******
In Christian service, the anointing serves - but is not limited to - three objectives;
1. Bringing liberation through God's manifestation of power and wisdom through one's gift.
2. Revealing God's glory in a given situation.
3. Bringing God's people back to rememberance that He is still at work amongst them (an intense revelation of God's Shekinah glory).
Verdict
We now realize we have all been commissioned in our different capacities to serve God under the enablement of the Holy Spirit wherever we are.
As worshipers, and for our worship to be from God and for God, we need to consider three things:
1. The Holy Spirit
(a) He influences the flow and active working of Truth (the Word of God) during ministration.
(b) He directs the flow and use of power in a ministration so that the music or act of worship goes beyond just being a dry and meaningless performance.
(c) He brings perspective to both the worshiper and the one being led so that they both understand which language He wants them to speak and hear during ministration.
2. A Good Rehearsal
(a) In most cases - unless the Holy Spirit redefines the terms of engagement - a prepared work of art is way more effective than a spontaneous one. Most charismatic musicians think that preparation is for ministers not filled with the Holy Spirit, but after serving for a while, I've realized that Spirit-led rehearsals lead to Spirit-filled ministrations.
(b) Although the Holy Spirit as well works in spontaneity, He has proven Himself over time as a Spirit of order and good planning.
(c) If, by the Holy Spirit, servants in the Old Temple served under preparation, how much more for us sharing in the new order of worship?
(d) Preparedness both in prayer and music ensures that there is excellence, and that all skill and precision are used for God's glory.
(e) Preparedness means bringing God sacrifices that deserve His name and not disorderly crippled ones.
(f) A good rehearsal ensures that the music agrees. It ensures that the singer and those behind the music are all on the same page to produce something in unison to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
3. Clarity
(a) When the Holy Spirit is present, both the worshiper and the one being led find clarity. In His wisdom, the Holy Spirit reveals to the worshiper the meaning and importance of their service, the timeframe within which the work of art is to be performed, the audience being led and the laws governing their ministration.
(b) A clear mind respects order and authority
(c) A clear mind has self control so that the one serving isn't reduced to a selfish egotist.
(d) Clarity of purpose and mind brings in the balance between the working of the Holy Spirit and sensitivity to the occasion at hand so that there is no confusion.
That is how the anointing works.
Quote: The Holy Spirit and lack of excellence don't dine on the same table.
Friday, August 19, 2022
The Politics of Division
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Of Cords and Visions
I love the way your eyes sparkle when I mention the word, "vision"
You pick it up and always run faster with it, faster than I had thought we could ever go.
I love the way you love what you do.
You unravel passion with precision and make me believe that for sure all the earth is holy ground.
You help me run, when I was only but walking
Thanks babe. Thanks for pushing me to become a better version of myself.
Remember that I am your friend, so never suffer in silence. Stay bold. Stay loud. But stay humble.
In this next chapter, go in strong, go in bold, go in Christlike.
Maintain the love and passion online and offline. That's what matters.
Run your race.
I'm incapable of loving like God does but I do know a thing or two about my heart: it loves you.
Monday, February 14, 2022
The Love Intermission
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Stop the Killings!
Friday, July 3, 2020
Mkuu (Greater) by Pendo & Morris (Kiswahili and English Lyrics)
Friday, February 14, 2020
Happy Valentine's, My Love
My love, I always wonder how love works.
Really.
I thought I knew a bit about it before I got married, but after I married you, I keep on wanting to understand it.
Like I could wake up today, turn my head over and tell you, "Hey babe, I love you. Happy Valentine's!"
And you would smile.
And that smile would terrify me.
I may be tempted to think that by just saying so, it's enough.
That you'd feel you're loved.
That by saying so, everything in you would scream in the silence of understanding that I could die for you. That I could bring down a mere mountain for you.
But love keeps proving me wrong.
How well can a man REALLY tell a woman that she's loved?
Kill himself, perhaps?
*Sigh!*
Kill himself?
But after he's died who'd remain to show love?
Who would remain to declare to her and the world, "Hah! Y'all have seen that? Huh?!! I love her!! See?! See!? I loooove her!!"
Dead bodies do speak love but it's a silent, dark and gravy love.
Dead bodies die with love.
The symphony of sounds and the melody of words upon heart.
You would need me to tell you I love you.
Over and over and over and over and over and over again like an endless refrain.
Come-on, babe.
You would like it, right!?
I could write songs - because it's an art I'm conversant with - telling you sweet-somethings
You would want me to whisper it with a long hug
You would want me to hold you close in a tight embrace and probably say nothing for minutes...
Just swinging gently in silence while love dominates our hearts, bodies and minds...
You would want me to keep doing it over and over and over and over and over again
Because you ladies just never get tired of being told you're loved...
But would that make me a better lover, a better husband?
Maybe. Who knows?
But how could words alone without death to self prove that a woman is loved?
Words are sweet. I'll say them.
But my eyes and my heart are better: I'll say my words and I'll demand that you look into my eyes.
I'll demand that you look into my heart.
These two never lie.
And maybe I'll smile while at it so you see that my ka-tiny dimple. While at it.
And you'll smile back.
Then, maybe then, you'd know that my eyes and heart are only for you, my love.
The Lord has taught them not to lie.
So let it be.
Let me tell you something about what was happening inside me when I was marrying you, o little angel...
I was being selfish.
I know many men are selfish around their ladies but let me promise you that theirs is not like my kind of selfish.
My selfish is the advanced type.
The notorious type.
I say it again: yes, I was being selfish when I married you.
I wanted you for myself and for myself only.
What man wouldn't? What man wouldn't want you for himself?
But I can repent of my selfishness by twisting my desires in a different way before the Holy Throne of God Almighty;
And while whimpering in astute reverence I'd tell the Lord, "I wanted her for myself, but both of us for You"
He'll smile about it.
I know.
My selfishness also terrifies me.
Now, that's on the edge of things because in these few words, I've already mentioned two things that terrify me: your smile when I say, "I love you, darling" and my selfishness.
I really want you to understand that those two things have changed me.
Because when you smile, I melt... And when I'm selfish, I toughen up.
Yes, to be selfish enough and in a godly manner, I need to show you that I can handle my business when it comes to you.
Do you feel me?
I can't be selfish enough if I can't show you enough that you're loved and that I'm the only one that deserves you.
Well, wait-a-minute... Do I even deserve you?
O Lord, this is an overkill!
Look at me intensely here below and notice the overkill;
I was excited about the very idea that a year back (in 2018), you had agreed to marry me.
I had done some churchboy engagement thingy which almost backfired (haha - this is a story for another day) but the sweetest of memories is that I was glad I wanted to marry you.
I wanted to marry someone I love and someone who loves me more than I love them.
Someone I'll be glad to die for because they'd be glad to die for me.
Someone who's my friend.
Someone who gets me.
Someone who doesn't tolerate my nonsense - because I got a lot of nonsense going on in and around me.
Someone who's got grit and ambition.
And guess what?
That someone was you.
That someone is you.
I knew you were special.
No! "special" is an understatement.
I know now that you're more special than I thought you were.
Your confidence and novelty amaze me.
And right there in that photo, as you folded your arms around me, that dreadlocks guy (what's his name again?) taking those photos and we moving and exchanging positions and smiling in the evening sun - that moment was unforgettable.
It is unforgettable.
That moment made me tell people "I'm going to marry her. We'll be one thing. Ukiongea ujinga kumhusu tutakosana."
I said this to the anger of many.
And I still say it again, "Mkiongea ujinga kuhusu wife yangu tutakosana".
And here we are today.
We don't want to be a "super couple", a "power couple", "couple goals" or any of that nonsense.
Not for now.
We've never wanted that.
We've never wanted the world to imagine that there's a perfectness to what we are.
That'd be a lie. And we don't love lies.
Lies don't befit something born of God.
Let's just be us. Let's do us.
We've had our moments.
We've had them all: the good, the bad, the ugly.
We don't have to prove a point.
Not to anyone. Not even to ourselves.
The journey is long, my love. The journey is long.
And you are not alone. I'm here with you. And God is with us.
Let's take one step at a time, my love. One step at a time.
I'm here with you. And the Lord is with us.
The Lord is with us.
I'll love you everyday...
Happy Valentine's, my love.
Morris 2.0
FYI, If you go to church on Sunday but love God everyday, you can as well celebrate Valentine's Day and love your partner everyday.