"GIANT STEPS" (By Jeff Lorber, Eric Merienthal, Chuck Loeb, Will Kennedy...

Jeff Lorber "Katherine" from Billboard Live show

The Trap of Criticism

The difference between the filmmaker and the critic is that one invests time, resource and passion while the other sits on their behind does nothing but run their mouth about what somebody else did and gives their opinion of it. Most people question everything but never have a working knowledge of why people do what they do. You can research and learn about anything but until you try to do something you never really find out what the cost is. I've not only made but have helped on album projects. The average person has no clue of how much work is involved in producing any kind of album. There are many phases you have to go through. The danger with a media that tells you to speak you mind and is critical of everything is they invite people to speak out in ignorance. You words frame your world. That's how God set it up.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

That's what Jesus said. Your words may be keeping you in that situation. When God gives you what you believed for and it is established the habitual peaking of death framed your world. When you speak God's Word it frames your world but it has to be consistent. One reason our speech is not consistent is because we are double minded concerning what we believe. We mix worldly philosophy with the Word of God and expect results. We we don't see them we become more unbelieving.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

What we believe determines how we live and what we speak. When we live in a culture of condemnation and judge others that's the seed we are sowing to return to our own life. It's a trap! Most people blame Satan for things happening in their life but they open the door to it themselves.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

You determine the harvest in your life by the seed you sow. There are different seed for difference harvest in your life. Your mouth plants seeds. I'm going to leave you with some scriptures about the tongue.

Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Psalms 119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
Psalms 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Change

It's not a word people like but you do it in life all the time. Do you still as an adult walk around in diapers and drink out of a baby bottle. Of course not unless you have a circumstance that requires it but that's not a common practice. We love and embrace our changes. We like to broaden others horizons. But the thing that can strain a relationship is when we don't honor and respect the change in others. We all have our mindsets for living. If you are a Christian this is supposed to be shaped by the Word of God. The fact is we mix philosophy, tradition and many other things with the Word to make our mindset and then want others to see it that way. God creates people for purposes and assignment and those "quirks" and nuances that some of us try to get rid of in a person is needed. The goal of the Word of God is to renew your mind from the world's way of thinking and to form Christ in you. This does not give everyone the same gifting, talents and personality. The world has created a stigma against those who want to live by the Word of God. When you live what you say there is no hypocrisy the problem comes when you claim to live as a Christian and don't. When somebody keeps a standard they are labeled "holier than thou" because of the changes in their life. As a child I thirsted to see people who really lived out this Christianity that was taught to me from the pulpit. I studied and seeked God fervently. I wanted examples in my life and was disappointed. As I grew up and pursued being a minister I found many Christians didn't believe God in a sense that the Bible described him and settled into something I personally call "Christianease". I also discovered that when you didn't agree with certain Biblical belief in groups your were omitted. The Word of God never came into play. As people mature into what the Word says this change in them changes who is around them if their current circle doesn't thirst for truth and just answers that stimulate their philosophy. What I found if you are unteachable and closed off to the change of the Word of God and basically following other streams of thought and trying to balance that and Christianity you are heading into a trap. God has presented us with an opportunity to have a relationship with him. A daily fellowship. He doesn't want our relationship with him to be based on ministers or other people. He wants us to grow and be led by the Holy Spirit. He wants us to fellowship with other believers for encouragement and strength but wants us to draw closer to Him and not them for what we need. He wants the change in our life to come from fellowship with Him and His Word. The closer I get to God the more I respect the power of choice. That's what God gives to us. "Chooes ye this day who you will serve." You see how far you go with God is your responsibility. When we point fingers and disapprove of people's changing we fall into the trap of selfishness which doesn't take responsibility for it's actions. God loves us unconditionally regardless but He still gives us a choice to either be changed by His Word or embrace the lie of this world system. As I say in one of my songs, "Don't believe the lie."

Spain

Trust and Honor

The biggest thing that is quickly leaving the American society is honor. The "right" to disrespect and question authority has opened a cesspool of cursing in our country. Many of these taught through the actions of others or rather reactions. The truth is honor is not about the people you honor but about honoring God. When you honor your parents you honor God for the first decision made concerning you. The truth is what we dishonor in our lives we tell God you made a mistake. Instead of growing in the Word, speaking the Word and living the Word we have made excuses of why we didn't get a fair break. The selfish state of sin and other people's decisions may cause difficulties in our lives but the results of our life are what we have done with God's Word. When we don't honor God and who he says to honor it shows we don't trust Him. We like to call out hypocrites and look outwardly but we do not control other people we only control our own choices. As a kindergarten teacher I remember the first thing when a child learns the rules they want to enforce them on others. A mature person later in life makes the decision that they will follow the rules even when others are not. It shows the level of spiritual maturity when we try to put things on other people or want them to live to our "standards" and linking our honor to that. God says honor the position I set them in despite the flaws. David did this with King Saul. It may have been a difficult walk but when the dust settled God honored Him for his trust and honor.

Scripture addresses this issue in

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;.

When we don't honor God's authority and order we set ourselves up against Him. When we speak against and dishonor authority we go against how God has called us to live. We have taken on the nature of this world system. We need to examine ourselves and let honor and trust return in the House of God.

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Jeff Lorber George Duke Tune 88

Jeff Lorber and George Duke TOGETHER. *Faints* Just watch.