The Week In Words...

Photo Source

Every week I say that I'm going to participate in WIW...because I just love checking out what Barbara has gathered each week...It's SO inspirational and thought provoking.  I tend to read a lot of quotes...but don't flag them and then can't find them when Monday rolls around.  Her's a blogger's kind of Meme...you can link up to any day of your previous week...which is totally sweet of her.  But, today...I'm actually ready for Monday!

“Worship is not looking up and feeling good, it is bowing down and feeling lowly………When we try to feel an experience of affirmation from worship, we are not worshiping God.  We are worshiping our own egos.” (pp. 56-57)

from Dan Lucarini’s Why I Left the Christian Comtemporary Music Movement

I've been really convicted lately, to consider whether I'm genuinely engaged in praising and worshiping during the song time at church.  Honestly, my brain is usually going a million miles an hour..."oh, so and so is here....and don't forget you have to sit in the front row when choir dismisses for the offertory...Lubby is being rotten again, etc."  Far from God focused! Ouch!

“The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them …….. providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church …… the need is for Biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that it sets men aflame.”

– C. H. Spurgeon

Whoa is that true.  Sadly, a lot of amusing the goats going on...not much sheep feeding!  I find it interesting that Spurgeon said this...he died in 1892!  Couldn't sound more like RIGHT NOW!

“VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST…
AND THEN GO TO WAR,
WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST…
AND THEN SEEK TO WIN.”

- Sun Tzu

 Ever think about whether you're living like the victory's been won?  Sometimes I act defeated...imagine!  Humph!

"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become."
-C. S. Lewis

This quote (above) was given to me by my dear librarian friend Cheryl...as we discussed this article and having discerning spirits in this world.  I will quote her e-mail to me..."I think your reaction of feeling a "muddled conviction" is in part because you are feeling a little bit of how he feels about reading, and about life. Like there are rules we have to discern in every moment of life. Why can't he just browse the bookstore? Why can't he let loose and enjoy? There's something there that is fearful and guilty . . . and neither of those are what we're called to....All media content (books, music, movies, etc) are held up to the truth of scripture."

That made me think of Romans 8:15, "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

FYI--To anyone interested in what happened to Memory Mondays...yeah, rotten time of year to start a new meme...and Vlogging is time consuming and...I think that Loverbrains and I are going to begin memorizing scripture together in the New Year.  I'll keep ya posted.