crawfish Rick's challenges have caused me to study these things more deeply than I ever have in my life. I was amazed when I went back to Ephesians 5:19, backed up from that verse to take it in context, and discovered that Paul wasn't talking about worship at all, but the way we live our lives! To take it to condemn instrumental music means that you should avoid ALL instruments in ALL parts of your life, not just at church! We have become so concerned that we do all the things the right way that we've lost sight of what God is really trying to tell us.

Never heard of anyone objecting to picking your banjo or your nose in those other 167 hourse of the week. You may have listened to "momma don low no banjo playing roun hea"?

Yes, Paul was speaking SPECIFICIALLY about the assembly but it was NOT about church. No one every doubted that until the Christian churches had to invent some EXCUSE for why Paul WASN'T commanding the assembly so WE GONNA COMMAND IT and ADD instruments. The original church stealers confessed that IF instruments were used AS worship then it WOULD BE SINFUL. Because people USE it for worship they are self-condemned. Because worship means to "give heed to God and HIS Words" you can never hallucinate that Rock and Roll to bring on the Carol Wimber climax with the "spirit" is going to FOCUS your attention on God. The musicians KNOW that and they are under the Lucifer Principle of "bleeding off worship for themselves."

You will never hear Rick driving you slowly to believe that PAUL WASN'T speaking about the assembly to LAY BY IN STORE. Well, he wasn't. Lay by HIMSELF in storage NEVER means lay UP in the Tithing Plate. Why? Why, because there were no dolees to grasp the dole out of the hands of the poor meaning DESTITUTE. So, Ricky has TWISTED and INVERTED the things COMMANDED also.

As usual, the false prophets cannot find ANYTHING about the Assembly and everywhere I look I see the GOOD contrasted to the BAD (most churches) and the UGLY which PAIRS UP Richland Hills with the PLAY or MUSICAL IDOLATRY at Mount which requested God to REMOVE His grace and he COMPLIED. I am certain that the new GRACE will be Chara -- a browne-eyed Greek prostitute goddess perforrming CHARIS which includes "erotic love of a man for a man" and THE meaning of CHARISMATIC.

Not the FIRST command for ASSEMBLY on one out of seven days each week but:

Jeremiah said that the WORD of God is the TRUE rejoicing or pleasure. David said the same thing.

AN APPROVED EXAMPLE OF WHAT GOD APPROVES.

Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and
thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:

Paul said be filled with the Spirit or the Word of Christ.
The rejoicing was not EXTERNAL but in the HEART or Spirit
The reason for the INTERNAL rejoicing based on the WORD was a RESULT:

for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

God abandoned Musically Idolatrous to worship the STARS of the host and not the GOD of the hosts.
This is an APPROVED example but isn't this the ONLY RESULT of one who is called a Christian or follower
of Christ in song and sermon? The prophets always diatribed the priestly religionists. Can't TRUMP Jeremiah!

AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT GOD WILL NOT TOLERATE.

Jer 15:17 I sat NOT
in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced;
I sat alone because of thy hand:
for thou hast filled me with indignation.

Paul said that we have to GO OUTSIDE these mass (mess) meetings to find Jesus and let HIS Word give us "jumping joy'" WHILE He is being REPROACHED (private parts exposed) by the MULTITUDES to whom He refused to speak.

While Jeremiah was a DISCIPLE and rejoiced in the WORDS OF GOD, what was going on in the NEW STYLE WORSHIP establishments enraged him: me too that people can be so evil and the SHEEP can be so dumb:

Zaam (h2195) zah'-am; from 2194; strictly froth at the mouth, i. e. (fig.) fury (espec. of God's displeasure with sin): - angry, indignation, rage.

When God POURS out his WRATH the word is ORGE or ORGY and sounds like there is a THEATER FOR HOLY ENTERTAINMENT down in Texas where lots of trouble brews. That means that He sends JESTERS or BUFFOONS and turns you into a LAUGHING STOCK just as He did those who engaged in POLLUTED PLAY at Mount Sinai. He REMOVED the covenant of GRACE and I believe we have seen it happen in BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS.

THIS assembly is NOT the Qahal or synagogue but the INTIMATE assemblies of people FROM WHOM the Sabbath or REST quarantined Godly people from. THIS is the assembly of the NEW STYLE WORSHIP from OLD STYLE BABYLON AND MOUNT SINAI WHICH ENGENDERS SLAVERY.

The same REST as PAUO of Jesus would seem to PREVENT the travel as WORK to attend these jumping for joy assemblies which stess "love and intimacy" even "daraing to dance with God."

When the Israelites met on the REST DAY to feast and PLAY they were ingaged in Musical Idolatry of the always-pagan Triad. Because of that fatal sin God TURNED THEM OVER to the same worship. Therefore, anyone who looks to the Israelite State for PATTERNISMS for Christian assemblies have been ABANDONED.

H7832 ?âchaq saw-khak' A primitive root; to laugh (in pleasure or detraction); by implication to play:---deride, have in derision, laugh, make merry, mock (-er), play, rejoice, (laugh to) scorn, be in (make) sport.

Just as PSALLO is rooted in a word meaning to TRITURATE or grind or beat into a powder, this MUSICAL word.

H7833 shâchaq shaw-khak' A primitive root; to comminute (by trituration or attrition):--beat, wear.

And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. Exodus 32:6
Cachaq (h6711) tsaw-khak'; a prim. root; to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by impl. to sport: - laugh, mock, play, make sport.

"The triumphal hymn of Moses had unquestionably a religious character about it; but the employment of music in religious services, though idolatrous, is more distinctly marked in the festivities which attended the erection of the golden calf." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Music, p. 589).

"In the New Testament there is NOWHERE any emphasis laid on the MUSICAL form of the hymns; and in particular none on instrumental accompaniment whereas this is significantly paganism." (Delling, Gerhard, Worship in the New Testament, trans. Percy Scott Phil. Westminster press, 1962, p. 86).

"And the people celebrated this feast with burnt-offerings and thank-offerings, with eating and drinking, i.e. with sacrificial meals and sports, or with loud rejoicing, shouting, antiphonal songs, and dances, in the same manner in which the Egyptians celebrated their feast of Apis (Herod. 2, 60, and 3, 27)." (Keil and Delitzsch, Vol. II, p. 222).

"Why, when he was in Memphis before, the Egyptians had done nothing of this kind, but waited until now, when he had returned with the loss of so many of his troops?" The officers made answer, "That one of their gods had appeared to them, a god who at long intervals of time had been accustomed to show himself in Egypt- and that always on his appearance the whole of Egypt feasted and kept JUBILEE." (Heredotus)

Could the "haven fallen angel" have returned and UNLEASHED the Locusts or musical performers who separate people by their MARKS: to chase away those with the Mark of Truth and "take captive" those with THE MARK OF ZOE who is called "the Beast and female instructing principle" to silence the "little dumb jehovahs" as the Gnostics believed? We had JUBILEE and then all HELL burst forth in a GREAT TRIBULATION of the Mother of Harlots whose performers are prostitute-sorcerers according to John in Revelation? I don't know but ISN'T it a perfect fit to fulfil prophecy: Lord let it be true. Lucifer and Zoe is Venus and Apollo is the SUN and Shelly suggests that we think of the S.U.N. god as the S.O.N.GOD and Cosmic Christmas has God having to trick Lucifer to slip in the GNOSTIC Jesus in A VIAL OF LIGHT and holds out redemptive hope for Lucifer. SATURN is 666. So, go figure out the alignment of the heavenly host as the WORSHIPFUL GODS of the Israelite and then end time Mother and you might be a prophet.

In Judges, these two PLAY words mean the same:

Judg 16:25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport (h7832) . And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport (h6711) : and they set him between the pillars.

This is exactly what David did when he PLAYED on instruments and 'made himself vile' and was honored by the slave girls.
Rashi on Gen 21:9 MOCKING. Hebrew: metzachek. An expression of idolatry, as it is said (Shemot 32:6): "and they rose up to make merry" (letzachek). Another explanation: An expression of illicit sexual relations, as it is said (below 39:17): "to mock (letzachek." Another explanation: An expression of murder, as it is said (2Shmuel 2:14): "Let the boys get up now and sport (visachaku before us, etc."

Jeremiah rejoiced in THE WORD OF GOD because he was a Name Bearer and would never indulge in the vile REJOICING which is:

Alaz (h5937) aw-laz'; a prim. root; to jump for joy, i. e. exult: - be joyful, rejoice, triumph.

This is what they were doing as Musical Minstrels whom Jesus CAST OUT more or less violently as one ejects dung:

Alala zo (g214) al-al-ad'-zo; from alale, (a shout, "halloo"); to vociferate, i.e. (by impl.) to wail; fig. to clang: - tinkle, wail

And when Jesus came into the rulers house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, Matt 9:23KJV

1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

Why is this such a stretch when Paul warned the Romans (ch 10) and the Corinthains (ch 10) about the PLAY at Mount Sinai and called it DEMON (bull) Worship?

The Minstrels are:

Auletes (g834) ow-lay-tace'; from 832; a flute- player: - minstrel, piper.

kat-auleô , CHARM by flute-playing, [APOLLO] phobôi I will flute to you on a ghastly flute, Pass., of persons, methuôn kai katauloumenos drinking wine to the strains of the flute, to be played to on the flute with lyre accompaniment, Posidon.

2. c. gen. loci, make a place sound with flute-playing, Thphr.Fr.87:-- Pass., resound with flute-playing, nêsos katêuleito Plu.Ant.56 o resound with flute-playing, II. c. acc. pers. to overpower by flute-playing:--generally, to overpower, strike dumb

II. in Pass., katauloumenon SUBDUED by a flute accompaniment, metaphor to be PIPED down, RIDICULED
PRAISE LORD IT WON'T BE LONG:

Rev 18:14 And the FRUITS [Dogs, Catamites in Amos] that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

Rev 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

Rev 18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Rev 18:22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians [Apollyon's muses or locusts] and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, [theater builders and stage managers] of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone [called a pipe, made a wistling sound to attract] shall be heard no more at all in thee;

Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

SO, it's all engineering WACKO (better than Waco): how DOES Rick plan to TRUMP all of the information in the Bible and the KNOWN WORLD of recorded testimony?

Jeremiah defined the small, quiet community of believers who BEAR GOD'S NAME and therefore just rejoice when reading and discusing the Word of God. God "does not even know the NAMES of the Lord, Lord prophesiers" which defines the MUSICAL prophesiers who brought on a form of MADNESS proven when people CLAPP (also means VOMIT) in the face of a WHOLLY SPIRIT God Who is NOT paying attention because as he says in Amos, God has BEEN THERE and gone and "Will NOT pass that way again.
YES, the people were to SYNAGOGUE THEMSELVES TOGETHER to conduct A School of the Bible which the RESTORATION SCHOLARS restored as THE SCHOOL OF CHRIST. History knows that you cannot sermoize as in RHETORIC or VERSIFY without LYING because to get paid you have to make ONCE, TWICE OR THRICE REMOVES from the prose to be TAUGHT which does not mean MUSICATE which rimes with FORNICATE because Peter called it CORRUPTION or ADULTERY.

Note 1See the Republic, x.2. By the Platonic doctrine [gender confused],

the ideas of things in the mind of God were the realities;
the things themselves, as seen by us, were the images of these realities;

and poetry, therefore, describing the images of realities,
was only at the third remove from nature.

That's why poets, philosophers and musicians were disqualified as KERUSSO (heralds or presbyters) because LYING was their game . If you are UNLIKE Jeremiah VERY ENRAGED or like Jesus ready to EJECT the musical minstrels (always called parasites) then wave good by to your soul. I have born witness and I don't expect any converts from EITHER WING.

This is just the first one that came to my mind: there are many, many more wich COMMAND meeting to GIVE HEED TO THE WORD "as it has been taught" and which OUTLAWE the charismatic madness of the new style worship which is rank paganism and DESTRUCTIVE and TRIBULATING.

I am going to post my messed up 2 Thessalonians 2 material here because the DENIAL of the role of the assembly to TEACH which excludes MUSIC is the certain MARK that "Apollo has landed." There is a God-ordained CONTRACT between the shepherds and the flock: if they violently RIP UP the contract and fail to RULE only by "teaching that which has been taught and refuting those who oppose it" and the flock OBEYS by obeying the TEXT TAUGHT and "observinting the OUTCOME of their lives" then NO ONE is under any obligation (pledged or not) to give the Money Peter says BELONGS TO YOU to support a church such as Corinth whose "assemblies [sunerchomai] did MORE HARM than good." If their assemblies were SYNAGOGUES then just WHERE did Jesus OUTLAW the weekly assembly of the EKKLESIA (which by the word PSALLO, ropes off the Agora of singers, actors, musicians and radish sellers FROM the place where the speaker TAUGHT some important thing for the community and where they ASSEMBLED their thoughts by dialog). When the Corinthians are said to SYNAGOGUE just what is it that THEY could grasp that modern "scholars" DENY?

God promises in Isaiah 30 that those seduced by Lucifer (Zoe, Barbelo) will be BEATEN into the type of Hell with wind, string and percussion instruments.

2 Thess 2:1 NOW we beseech you, brethren,
by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by our gathering together unto him,

Hint to those who cannot find the SET-TIME-PLACE for a community learning and fellowship which in NONE of its configurations--except the Agora to which Jesus consigned the singers and musical ministrels--by law or MINIMAL COMMON SENSE would permit arousal musical instruments which is defined as SORCERY or adultery. As the Spirit OF Christ He is with us when we "come to learn of Him" specificially as we give heed to HIS WORDS which He said were SPIRIT and LIFE. That is, only by "that which is written" can we have THE MIND OF CHRIST which Paul defined as the Holy Spirit: only one spirit and one mind. The Jews understood that when you read the Word it was God SPEAKING to you with no less force than the face-to-face to the Apostles. Prophesying means reading the Word so that you can say: "Thus saith the Lord" or "The Word of God" as you noted at Ford's Funeral

G1997 episunagoge ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay' From G1996 ; a complete collection; specifically a Christian meeting (for worship):assembling (gathering) together.
G1996 episunagw ep-ee-soon-ag'-o From G1909 and G4863 ; to collect upon the same place: gather (together).
G4863 sunag? soon-ag'-o From G4862 and G71 ; to lead together, that is, collect or convene; specifically to entertain (hospitably):--accompany, assemble (selves, together), bestow, come together, gather (selves together, up, together), lead into, resort, take in.

Hint number two: when Paul spoke of the PEOPLE gathering or assembling he used a form of the word for SYNAGOGUE which existed as the Qahal or "church in the wilderness" to REST, READ and REHEARSE. By direct command of the word ALARM or TRIUMPH OVER in calling assemblies was OUTLAWED. I have convinced John Calvin that I am correct on this point. Furthermore, the civilians alwaays assembled and NEVER did anything to arouse "spiritual anxiety through religious rituals" which Jesus died to SILENCE primarily by tearing down their mega-church and firing the "doctors of the Law" and the SECTARIAN HYPOCRITES which Jesus identified by quoting Isaiah and Ezekiel as "entertainment speakers, singers and instrument players" and John capped it off by calling them SORCERERS under the Mother of harlots. All of the unbaptized--probably Cainites or Kenites or Arabs--died and were burned up in TOPHETH which had been King Solomon's Music grove and the TYPE of Hell where God literally BEAT them to hell with the Romans war instruments.

Paul to Timothy as evangelist DIRECTLY COMMANDED "public reading of the word, exhortation and doctrine" which is what they were permitted to do and where "allegorizing" or "further expounding" in adding to or taking away from the specific message of THAT portion of scripture was not permitted. It took almost 400 years to violate that AFTER unbaptized pagans became priests and bishops and became RICH AND FAMOUS by telling funny Bible Stories and SOWING DISCORD. The Apostolic Constitions by THE CHURCH OFCHRIST (c.200) lumped musicians with sodomites and abusive soldiers.

2 Thess 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken [like a trumpet sound] in mind,
or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us,
as that the day of Christ is at hand.

MARK AND AVOID anyone who uses psychological violence by claiming that the SPIRIT told them to do something.

Peter laid down that which was revealed by himself and others who had a "face to face" encounter with God. That is a MARK left for us to identify false teachers. There is no other way to weed them out. EVEN if they claimed a SPIRIT told them something they were NOT to believe anything that was not of Apostolic authority.

Men like Rubel Shelly and John York claim to be able to HEAR those surplus words the Spirit and the people were too busy to fit into our Bible. Max Lucado gets visions. Rick Atchley and his board of directors CLAIM that by fasting, the SPIRIT told them to DELIBERATELY SOW DISCORD. God sends STRONG DELUSIONS to people who claim that AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT nothing is certain and "we have to work out OUR own salvation for OUR changed culture." Shelly says that means to "PARTNER with God to work out a new PATTERNISM because OUR culture has changed." Yes, blessed Lord, cultures do ALWAYS seem to change on us. However the DOCUMENTS of the Christian Faith must be read in the CULTURE IN WHICH THEY WERE WRITTEN and can no more be REWRITTEN than can the works of Plato without being dishonest. If you READ and TEACH or PREACH the text IN CONTEX there is NOTHING cultur can do to change it. Besides, the Bible points OUTSIDE OF ITSELF to the pagan idolatry to warn us not to do the "Richland Hills Maneuver."

The warning stretches from the time that Satan IMMEDIATELY tried to FLOOD AWAY the church and continued for us until Jesus returns to execute judgment on those who CHANGED the Word. Jesus is our ONLY High Priests: as the "another Comforter" His name is "Jesus Christ the Righteous." Without being CLOTHED with Christ we cannot enter into the Holy Place or our own spirit which is the only PLACE God seeks our worship as we GIVE HEED to the TRUTH. No speaker, singer or musician who CLAIMS to lead you into the presence of God should be allowed to fulfill The Abomination of Desolation which was MARKED with sex and music and the EXPERIENCE is identical.

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart [A holy spirit] in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
and our bodies washed with pure water.

Only those can enter the TRUE Holy Place or body or Church of Christ. That is why the ASSEMBLY was never a tool of proselyting until the mega Cathedrals were built in the Fair Towns. That is why the assemblies went into private places to take the Lord's Supper and to HYMN or speak the Psalms.

Drawing near is the worship in this passage:

Proserchomai (g4334) pros-er'-khom-ahee; from 4314 and 2064 (includ. its alt.); to approach, i.e. (lit.) come near, visit, or (fig.) worship, assent to: - (as soon as he) come (unto), come thereunto, consent, draw near, go (near, to, unto).

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering [turning to flight, slanting]; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Heb 10:24 And let us consider ONE ANOTHER to provoke unto love and to good works:

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling [episunagoge] of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Exhorting is: Paraklesis (g3874) par-ak'-lay-sis; from 3870; imploration, hortation, solace: - comfort, consolation, exhortation, intreaty.
Parakaleo (g3870> par-ak-al-eh'-o; from 3844 and 2564; to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortatio

Paul said that we do that by REJECTING the SELF-pleasure which parses to arousal singing and instruments. Then with ONE MIND and ONE MOUTH we can speak "that which is written" or "Scripture" to EDUCATE, Glorify god as the Author of the text, Comfort one another WITH Scripture as we have noted of Jeremiah and that PREVENTS DISUNITY (Rom 15)

Ro.15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

This is consistent with the DIRECT COMMAND in the wilderness to QUARANTINE the synagogue FROM the New Style Worship of the Canaanites and continueing up to the DIRECT RESTORATION of the Campbells to be A SCHOOL OF CHRIST to which we have restored the Lord's Supper as another TEACHING and CONFESSING activity.

Acts 15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that PREACH him, being READ in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Since the synagogue met each REST day and the Ekklesia met at least 40 times a year (every 9th day) and the ONLY Driven Purpose is to WORSHIP in the sense of GIVING HEED to Jesus Christ by giving attentance to HIS WORDS to educate, glorify HIM, comfort one another and KEEP the peace, JUST WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WORD SPEAK AND READ CANNOT YOU FALSE PREACHERS UNDERSTAND?

Of the WAVERING, Paul calls us back to the Musical Idolatry at Mount Sinai when THEY REFUSED to hear the voice of God. You need to read Hebrews 12 where Paul CONTRASTS the Christian assembly with what happened at Mount Sinai. However, the end reads:

Wherefore we RECEIVING a KINGDOM which cannot be moved [by trumpets], let us have GRACE,
whereby we may SERVE God acceptably with REVERENCE and godly fear: Heb 12:28
For our God is a consuming fire. Heb 12:29

Godly fear is:

Aidos (g127) ahee-doce'; perh. from 1 (as a neg. particle) and 1492 (through the idea of downcast eyes); bashfulness, i.e. (towards men), modesty or (towards God) awe: - reverence, shamefacedness.
Aidôs, oos, contr. ous, ê (late nom. pl. aidoi Sch.E.Hipp.386), as a moral feeling,
A. reverence, awe, respect for the feeling or opinion of others or for one's own conscience, and so shame, self-respect
2. regard for others, respect, reverence, regard for the helpless, compassion,

I would say bringing ROCK AND ROLL or even the heresy of Musical Worship Teams is the ANTI-Christian thing to do and exposes one to God's Consuming Fires which from Isaiah 30 I believe is MARKED by the "wind, string and percussion" instruments of God BEATING them into hell.

By denying that Paul EXCLUDES mechanical instruments (for doing a hard piece of work) by commanding a SPEAKING form of TEACHING and ADMONISHING you deny the ONLY purpose for the modern Church. Until the "Great awakenings" which were quite identical to fairly recent Devil Worship by "christians" in Iraq, and the later female song writers who TOOK TOTAL CONTROL of the teaching, the singing in FAITHFUL churches of Christ was very simple and usually lacked the VOODOO content to drive people into a dither.

Everyone always knew that the DRIVING PURPOSE was to disable the spiritual (rational) nature of mankind and POUR garbage into the emotional side so that people REALLY BELIEVE and "cough up the money" to people who says that "God commanded instrumental praise" and "you should not be disobedient" implying that NOT using MACHINES violates the LAW of God. Shelly and York insist that "the individual has no right to read, interpret and speak the Word outside of the COMMUNITY (commune) reading." They use words like GROUP MENTALITY which is a slick way to say GROUP MIND. Probably this group in Texas is the most powerful example of HERDING people into a GROUP MIND where (as Shelly implies) the preacher directs the MIND. SURE, it has been found that the more URBANE they harder they fall.

To be continued...