Dear Deb,
It is surprising that about 80% of the songs sung by Benny Hinn are old and in the Baptist hymnal. The difference is that anointed people are singing who have prayed and fasted and who live conscrated lives unto the Lord. Jim Cernero, Hinn's worship leader, kind of adds a lift to the old ones. If I were you I'd copy or tear the songs out of the religious books, run over in mind over and over the depth, meaning, feeling, and significance of the lyrics and the scripture that goes with them and have the muscicians do the same if possible. In so doing, with the Lord's help, you'll be playing the same songs with a lift but you'll be drawing from a deeper place which will help them come into a deeper place in the Lord. The second that you want to do, is to do one or two anointed special selections right before the Pastor preaches or during offering time especially that of Del and Cindy Way (good, fun, yet touching and anointed country gospel). You might find a couple of Dottie Rambo songs to. Old folks seem to swoon at Dottie songs which touch there heart.
Third, pray for the congregation, old religious spirits often enjoy the song and music but it the depth, richness, and anointing just hits them on the surface. Thats not what you want. Pray against the shell, hindering spirits, the blindness of the mind, the deafness of the ears, heart, and understanding. They are being held captive in a prison behind a religious wall. You're going to have to get into some bombarding prayer and take a private day to go to the sanctuary and pray over the seats and anoint the seats and doors with sanctified anointing oil.
Bottom line, go deeper even digging in yourself. Minister out of the deep places of you and that with the Holy Spirit of God is like drawing back a fist and winding up a hard power punch to begin tearing through the walls of each individual in front of you. Now purpose in your heart their liberty but don't dwell on them when you're on the pulpit, magnify the Lord instead, yield to Him and giving Him place to come in and do the work. He will notice your improvement as a vessel and your sincerity and He will increase in you first and then go after them.
Empty things out of your life that are outdated compared to who you are today i.e. old letters, pictures, magazines, old artifacts like rocks or simply old things, art, music, videos; cut down on entertaining yourself with things contrary to the Lord (violence, risque, rude, strifeful, argumentative television shows or argumentative radio talk-shows no matter what issue is whether you identify with it or not)-(even turn your head from some tv commercials). Don't take in a lot of trash into your spirit not even from the daily news casts that run about 8 times a day. If you must watch news, catch only a 1/2 hour only once per day, don't just let it run and fill up your living space with a garbage atmosphere. Don't even sleep with a lot of books and magazines around your head because that as well is spiritual noise that detracts. All those different people, with different voices, writing in whatever mood or spirit they have. You may hear the vibe constantly coming off them but the Lord does, he'd rather visit your bedside hearing primarily your heart and the voice of your spirit in its rest. The bible is okay near your bedside. After a good purging, you'd be surprise at the level of peace that will exist in your home even less arguments between family members. Some movies like You've got mail with one swear word --go to wal-mart and get the TV Guardian (costs $60) that bleeps out swear words. Buy inspiration music and movies and stuff from a local Christian bookstore or off the www.tbn.org website or www.christianmovies.com and buy Christian movies and maybe very few mild 30 yr. old type movies like 'While you were sleeping' 'Sleepless in Seattle' for variety sake (so you don't start to look as if you've been sucking on a lemon all day),I knew one music director who continually carried around a whiskey advertisement on his key ring. He had overlooked it and realized that thats not the right message he wants to put out as a child of God so he removed it.
This has made a good difference in my life though sometimes I do let junk mail pile up too much and that is noise as well that needs to be thrown out. You make excuses to yourself saying I'll buy something one day, theres something in there I like or I'll read it, but you never get to it, it just piles there interfering with the restfulness of your home. It is better to bite the bullet, throw it out, get off as many mailing lists as possible. Do more and keep more of that which is edifying and expedient to you and in agreement with God's Holy Spirit and cast away all else that is contrary and hindering to where you want to be in God. Relationship with God is like getting married, you don't keep your old boyfriends things, gifts, artifacts, pictures, letters and clothing around in the house which by their very nature and existence disrupts the peace and spirit of your current husband who must constantly dwell there with you. Respect God the same way and cut out the excuses because God does not live in a box on a shelf in our homes. He lives in us and with us continually so He should be comfortable and accomodated as the one that we love more than all.
Where you're at matters, your level of consecration and committment matters. Benny Hinn used to pray for four hours for the crusade before every crusade. I'm not saying do four hours but do extend yourself toward the Lord personally and ministerially.
God bless you,
Taberah
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This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.