Thursday, February 25, 2010, 7:44 a.m. – I woke this morning with this song playing in my mind:
Stained Glass Masquerade / Mark Hall / Nichole Nordeman
I don’t think it bothers the world that we sin. I think it bothers the world that we act like we don’t. There are times that instead of being myself and exposing my own weakness and hurt, I portray a character of the person that I know I should be. But when I expose myself as weak and frail at times, it frees the body of Christ to restore me as it should and invites others to unmask as well.
Matthew 23:25-28 / Matthew 7:1-6 / John 8:7-9 / Galatians 6:1 / I John 1:9 / I Co. 15:9 / 2 Co. 12:9 / Romans 14:1
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small
‘Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the heart again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Revelation 18:
My Understanding: It is difficult to know where to begin. I definitely see the USA, in particularly D.C. and NYC as “Babylon” yet the Lord has often shown me a marriage relationship between our government in the USA and the church in the USA, so she is not merely the government, but she is this government married to the church (apostate and/or institutional). We, as a nation, claim Christian heritage. We claim to be “one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all,” yet both the “under God” and the whole idea of true “liberty and justice for all” is hypocrisy at its best. We are anything but that.
Our coins say “In God we Trust,” and yet we, as a government, and we, as a nation, do not truly put our trust in Almighty God, creator of the heavens and the earth. Our whole government complex is built upon Greek mythology, Freemasonry and Satanism mixed in with Christianity. The symbols are everywhere. If our founders were truly men of God, why would they build our government using images and symbols associated with false gods and even Satanism? Even our money contains these symbols.
Abraham Lincoln’s statue sits on a throne in a building patterned after the Greek god Zeus’ temple, so he sits in Zeus’ temple, basically. The Washington monument is also associated with false gods and its placement across from the Lincoln memorial also has symbolism found in Greek mythology and Egyptian religion. It is an obelisk, and an obelisk is associated with the Egyptian sun-god Ra. Obelisks were usually placed in pairs at the entry to the temple of their gods. The Washington monument sits across from Zeus’ temple where Lincoln’s statue sits.
There is so much I could write about our government and how they are not who they are purported to be. They are definitely “plastic people,” though not always so happy. The image they present to the American people via the media is mostly fake (plastic). This calls for real spiritual discernment to see through all the lies and hypocrisies both in our government and in the church (institutional) in America.
I do believe that much of today’s institutional church in America falls into this category of “Stained-glass Masquerades.” I have written much about this previously, so I will not elaborate at this point only to say that the part of the song where it says, “Am I the only one who’s traded in the altar for a stage,” speaks much of the institutional church in America that has definitely traded in the altar for a stage. Entertainment and the “worship service” designed to “draw in large crowds of people” via man-made marketing schemes and a Christian version of what the world is offering is the “stage” that has replaced the “altar” in the institutional church of today in America. This is due largely, in part, to the Rick Warren movement that swept across evangelical churches in America in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, which then opened the way to today’s Emergent Church movement. The institutional church keeps becoming more and more like the world and it also keeps moving further and further away from Almighty God and his purposes for his church; his bride.
I love this writing by A.W. Tozer - The Old Cross and the New by A. W. Tozer. It describes this well. This didn’t just begin in the 1990’s. This has been slowly progressing over a long period of time. That is how Satan works. He sneaks in the door of the church disguised as “Christian” and he introduces little lies one at a time and over time the little lies grow into big lies and they become incorporated into the church to where they are hardly even noticeable. One of the biggest lies of all is that repentance and obedience to God are not necessary for salvation. One man told me one day, “I don’t have to repent, I just have to believe,” as though belief and repentance could be separated. The Bible is very clear that they are synonymous. Yet, today’s modern-church movement gives people the idea that they do not need to repent or to obey God in order to be saved. I’m not speaking here of works-based salvation. I am speaking of belief/faith that is evidenced by us dying to our old way of living and walking in obedience to God; to Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior.
This passage of scripture asks us to “come out from her” so that we will not share in her sins and her punishment. If we live in America this does not mean we should move to a foreign country. What it means is that we should “come out” from under this influence of this government-church that is masquerading as one thing but is a lie of Satan. God is going to judge America and he is going to judge the institutional government-church in America and I believe God wants us to come out from under her influence over our lives. I believe God wants us to return to our “first love,” Jesus Christ and for us to find the true church which is not an institution but which is the Body of Christ, the people of God, his bride. The Lord wants us to turn from our sin (repent) and turn to God/Jesus in full faith and obedience, especially in light of the times we are living in and the soon return of our Lord.
Stained Glass Masquerade / Mark Hall / Nichole Nordeman
I don’t think it bothers the world that we sin. I think it bothers the world that we act like we don’t. There are times that instead of being myself and exposing my own weakness and hurt, I portray a character of the person that I know I should be. But when I expose myself as weak and frail at times, it frees the body of Christ to restore me as it should and invites others to unmask as well.
Matthew 23:25-28 / Matthew 7:1-6 / John 8:7-9 / Galatians 6:1 / I John 1:9 / I Co. 15:9 / 2 Co. 12:9 / Romans 14:1
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small
‘Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the heart again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Revelation 18:
My Understanding: It is difficult to know where to begin. I definitely see the USA, in particularly D.C. and NYC as “Babylon” yet the Lord has often shown me a marriage relationship between our government in the USA and the church in the USA, so she is not merely the government, but she is this government married to the church (apostate and/or institutional). We, as a nation, claim Christian heritage. We claim to be “one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all,” yet both the “under God” and the whole idea of true “liberty and justice for all” is hypocrisy at its best. We are anything but that.
Our coins say “In God we Trust,” and yet we, as a government, and we, as a nation, do not truly put our trust in Almighty God, creator of the heavens and the earth. Our whole government complex is built upon Greek mythology, Freemasonry and Satanism mixed in with Christianity. The symbols are everywhere. If our founders were truly men of God, why would they build our government using images and symbols associated with false gods and even Satanism? Even our money contains these symbols.
Abraham Lincoln’s statue sits on a throne in a building patterned after the Greek god Zeus’ temple, so he sits in Zeus’ temple, basically. The Washington monument is also associated with false gods and its placement across from the Lincoln memorial also has symbolism found in Greek mythology and Egyptian religion. It is an obelisk, and an obelisk is associated with the Egyptian sun-god Ra. Obelisks were usually placed in pairs at the entry to the temple of their gods. The Washington monument sits across from Zeus’ temple where Lincoln’s statue sits.
There is so much I could write about our government and how they are not who they are purported to be. They are definitely “plastic people,” though not always so happy. The image they present to the American people via the media is mostly fake (plastic). This calls for real spiritual discernment to see through all the lies and hypocrisies both in our government and in the church (institutional) in America.
I do believe that much of today’s institutional church in America falls into this category of “Stained-glass Masquerades.” I have written much about this previously, so I will not elaborate at this point only to say that the part of the song where it says, “Am I the only one who’s traded in the altar for a stage,” speaks much of the institutional church in America that has definitely traded in the altar for a stage. Entertainment and the “worship service” designed to “draw in large crowds of people” via man-made marketing schemes and a Christian version of what the world is offering is the “stage” that has replaced the “altar” in the institutional church of today in America. This is due largely, in part, to the Rick Warren movement that swept across evangelical churches in America in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, which then opened the way to today’s Emergent Church movement. The institutional church keeps becoming more and more like the world and it also keeps moving further and further away from Almighty God and his purposes for his church; his bride.
I love this writing by A.W. Tozer - The Old Cross and the New by A. W. Tozer. It describes this well. This didn’t just begin in the 1990’s. This has been slowly progressing over a long period of time. That is how Satan works. He sneaks in the door of the church disguised as “Christian” and he introduces little lies one at a time and over time the little lies grow into big lies and they become incorporated into the church to where they are hardly even noticeable. One of the biggest lies of all is that repentance and obedience to God are not necessary for salvation. One man told me one day, “I don’t have to repent, I just have to believe,” as though belief and repentance could be separated. The Bible is very clear that they are synonymous. Yet, today’s modern-church movement gives people the idea that they do not need to repent or to obey God in order to be saved. I’m not speaking here of works-based salvation. I am speaking of belief/faith that is evidenced by us dying to our old way of living and walking in obedience to God; to Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior.
This passage of scripture asks us to “come out from her” so that we will not share in her sins and her punishment. If we live in America this does not mean we should move to a foreign country. What it means is that we should “come out” from under this influence of this government-church that is masquerading as one thing but is a lie of Satan. God is going to judge America and he is going to judge the institutional government-church in America and I believe God wants us to come out from under her influence over our lives. I believe God wants us to return to our “first love,” Jesus Christ and for us to find the true church which is not an institution but which is the Body of Christ, the people of God, his bride. The Lord wants us to turn from our sin (repent) and turn to God/Jesus in full faith and obedience, especially in light of the times we are living in and the soon return of our Lord.
