I’ve been tagged by TCR for a Weird Worship meme. See where this originated at Lingamish’s Weird Worship meme.
Here are my slim pickings.
“Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya” - after about three kumbayas I can’t wait until the song is over. And how many people know what kumbaya means?
“I surrender all” - I don’t think the vast majority of the people singing this realize what they’re saying, are willing to surrender all or are even able to surrender all. I’m waiting for a song about loving Jesus so much that we won’t ever sin.
This is a song that I hope nobody else knows because once it gets into your head it’s maddening:
“My Bible (my Bible and I)
My Bible (my Bible and I)
Oh oh oh, oh oh
What a wonderful treasure
God gave without measure
We are travlin’ together
My Bible and I”
That’s the whole song so it’s repeated about nineteen times. Or so it seemed. I haven’t heard this song in over 20 years and now it’s back in my head. Thanks a lot.
I would like to tag Stefan but he’s been quiet so I’m not sure if he’s around or up for it.
I would like to post something good while I’m at it:
How firm a foundation
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
to you that for refuge to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed!
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell shall endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.”
–Anonymous or attributed variously to John Keene, John Kirkham or John Keith








Unwholesome talk and grieving the Spirit
Published 24Apr08 in Bible and Commentary. 3 CommentsEphesians
I was reading Ephesians 4:29-30 along with O’Brien’s commentary a few weeks ago.
Ephesians 4:29-30 NIV (which O’Brien uses)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
O’Brien says:
As I am still breaking the habit of taking verses in isolation and linking these two together was extremely convicting. With tears, I stopped reading and thought about my own speech, including through the keyboard, especially “only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”. This even applies to thoughts. I acknowledged my failures in this area and pray regularly that by His grace I will repent and over time learn how to communicate more gently. (See R-E-S-P-E-C-T, which I wrote shortly after God spoke to me about this.)
Since then I have had my little failures and today I was on the receiving end and got a taste of my own medicine. God in His sovereignty will use this to glorify Himself and conform us to His image.
Additionally, in rereading Ephesians last night I was marveling at God’s word and realizing how much I don’t know. And today I wonder if I should even be writing a public blog that others may be influenced by, if it’s worth the time and how much benefit there really is for me. With a readership of about 30-40 people I’m pretty much writing to myself anyway. (smiley would go here)