Sunday, December 14, 2008

Freedom to Worship





















This painting was the second installment of Norman Rockwell's famous Four Freedoms series. The Four Freedoms paintings were inspired by a speech given before the United States Congress on January 6, 1941 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In that famous and stirring speech, Roosevelt enumerated four basic freedoms to which every person was entitled.

The first was freedom of speech. Second was freedom to worship. Third was freedom from want. Fourth was freedom from fear. The images and articles were presented in The Saturday Evening Post in the same order as President Roosevelt presented them in his speech.

Rockwell said that this painting was the hardest to finish of all the Four Freedoms paintings. This was the last of the Four Freedoms to be finished. His first idea for this painting was a cheerful scene in a barbershop. In it would be different races and creeds, all getting along splendidly. The characters planned and partially painted included a white Protestant barber, a Jewish customer, an African-American customer, a Catholic priest and a white Anglo customer.

It wasn't long before people who saw the rough painting were complaining about Rockwell painting the characters as stereotypes. The Catholic priest looked too rough. the African-American should have lighter skin. Or darker skin. The Jewish man didn't look like the Jewish viewers wanted him to look. Norman Rockwell started all over from the beginning.

His second and third ideas didn't fare much better. The Post editors started pressuring him to finish. Then Rockwell pulled the final idea for Freedom to Worship out of his head. This rendering of the idea was wildly successful.

Today is a great day to celebrate your freedom to worship...and CITN is a great place in which to do it!

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

As we worship You, let all the world come and see
How the mercy we received from You can set them free

As we worship You, let all this joy that fills our hearts
Bring a hunger and a hope to those who strayed so far

As we bow in adoration and stand in reverent awe
Show Your majesty and glory, let Your anointing fall

As we declare Your name Lord Jesus as the only name who saves
May the power of Your salvation fill each heart we pray

As we worship You, let all the nations hear our song
Song of Jesus and His blood that proved His love for all

As we worship You, may all the lost and broken come
May they hear Your still small voice call out their names each one

As we worship You, let all the world come and see
How the mercy we received from You can set them free

As we worship You, let all this joy that fills our hearts
Bring a hunger and a hope to those who strayed so far

As we bow in adoration and stand in reverent awe
Show Your majesty and glory, let Your anointing fall

As we declare Your name Lord Jesus as the only Name who saves
May the power of Your salvation fill each heart we pray

As we worship You, as we worship You
As we worship You, as we worship You
As we worship You

Anonymous said...

first word ver:

herou

Jesus our hero (Yo)u

Anonymous said...

Bishop, sweet rest to you on this eve before an incredible encounter
with the Holy Spirit in the morning, ITB.

Son of Zadok said...

Ebony congrats on your great grades and Tracey, shine on in your new job! The universe celebrates with both you of you. Your lives grow rich and abundant through the promises God has planned in you, and in all of yours.

For you both, I present this rainbow cupcake.

Pastor Dennis.

Your God's Man.

BRIDGE IT BROTHER, BRIDGE IT !!!

And to All of God's People,

Talk It, chalk It, advise and incite It.
Entreat It, receive It, call unto and light It.
Insist It, persuade It, prick It and prod It.
Spur and propel It.
Jubilee it! You'll see It !
Applaud and embolden, restore and refresh,
Brighten and comfort, harvest and thresh.
Rouse and renew It.
From It, through It and to It.
Recite and rejoice in It, even sing and record of It.
Burst in resounding pipes and wide-world it !
................
Hum it and hymn It, chant and intone It.
Write and declare.
Broadcast, broadband, and phone It.
Blaze and validate, devour and reanimate.
Flood through the torrent, as you notarize It's warrant.
Break the News and explain It. Bring to Light.
Yes! A leak !
Impart and make know of It.
Swear by It.
Speak!
Tell of and testify, blow trumpets, unseal It!
Kingdom Come, God in Heaven as in Earth,
Does Reveal It !

ver: insonna

In Sonnets aeonios we shall sing together! Give God Praise !

Son of Zadok said...

I meant Tracy.

no E. Got it.

Bowls. Bowls.

Anonymous said...

Joy To The World
as was received by Isaac Watts

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Anonymous said...

We love Norman Rockwell and we love all of you. The paintings final result was well worth the effort.

We worship the Lord.

Erik said...

Perception –
Same facts from beginning , changing perceptions -

In the Beginning – God above us

2 millennium ago - God among us

Pentecost to now - God Within us

‘How Great are You God,
Name within ALL Names
The Source of ALL Praise
How Great, How Great are You God!’

---The little things

Anonymous said...

Every 50 Years a Jubilee!

And after every 49 Jubilees a Jubilee of Jubilees!

5 Great Jubilees and One yet to come.

Birth of Abraham

40th Jubilee - 2000 Years

'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'
Gen 12:1

Exodus

50th Jubilee - 2500 Years

'On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.'
Exodus 19: 16

Dedication of Solomon's temple

60th Jubilee - 3000 Years

On this most special occasion the Holy Spirit came down with great power, and the priests were unable to stand to minister because of the glory of the Lord
1 Kings 8: 11

Decree to Rebuild Jerusalem

70th Jubilee - 3500 Years

Cyrus, king of Persia, issued a decree that the Jews should return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple
Ezra 1:1-5

Death and Resurrection of Jesus

80th Jubilee- 4000 Years

The beginning of a completely new order in God!

'Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy..'
Dan 9:24

'The tombs were opened and the bodies of many saints who slept were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.'
Mat 27:52-53

'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.'
Isaiah 61:1-2 and Luke 4:18-19

120th Jubilee - 6000 Years

'I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.'
Rom 8: 18-23

Come Lord Jesus.
Come In Your Cloud of Witnesses

Anonymous said...

Consummation

NTL said...

Fed up with what life?

Awesome!

You're just the the one who needs to be at Church In The Now today.

Come here some life changing "fresh" revelation.

Believe me, I know what I'm talking about.

Starts at 10:00, see ya there.

NTL said...

Pastor Scott and Judah are ministering in Nashville today. They have been led by the hand of the Holy Spirit to the city where recordings are made. I decree unmerited favor on them as they walk in their anointing.

word ver...gelso...

Anonymous said...

Bishop on the way home my daughter & I were talking. She had something I wanted to share with you. She said she really enjoys coming to our church because you care about the members.

dgm2007 said...

yoo i made a page for CITN.. check it out.. let me know if its bananas.. smiles
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Conyers-GA/Chuch-in-the-Now/39995492909

any comments or advice become a fan.. tell ur kids.. pz

Son of Zadok said...

Bishop,

That message was off the chain today!

I mean this in the most masculine way possible, but your one hell of a mid-wife.

CITN LaMas is in session !

This seems to be a regular ocurrance with me lately. I'll have a question about something in God's lexicon, and then I'll set it aside, almost forgetting I asked. Within a few days God will magically present the answer out of the blue in something I'm reading. Just two days ago I was asking God about grace and just what it really meant. Lo and behold, you gave a most excellent explanation on it that resounded in my heart, but I'd never quite heard in that light before. Surely God is gracing us for things we would never even be able to begin to attempt in our own power and inspiration. Let it be!

Hey DGM,

Your link was to long and was cut off, preventing us from accessing the site. Try pasting it in 2 sections and we can cut and paste it back together in our URL bar. You can always leave off the http://www. when posting links as well, it's not needed. I look forward to checking it out though.

ver: forma

He's Forming A New Christ In You!

Son of Zadok said...

Oh, and both musical performances were par excellant. Loved the harmony in the first and the second was great to, very strong finish.

The Street Jam video was very inspiring. Keep on hittin' the streets!

SCRIBE said...

BISHOP:

Thought you might like to know that your movie, "THE COLOR PURPLE" is showing Right Now on the BET Channel! Hope you are able to catch it, if you are not currently busy. Have a good evening.

Son of Zadok said...

just an FYI

At 6:00 p.m. tonight Kim Clement is streaming a meeting at His website from a church in Humble Texas.

tracy said...

Hey SOZ the rainbow cupcake-thank you. Confirmation everything can be rainbows and cupcakes. First day tomorrow, I will leave the safety of my humble abode for the first time in 20 years. YES I have the kahunas to do this. Going to work in a doctor's office, swear to God my word ver is SCRUBTE-my whole family calls me T.awwwww

Donald said...

SOZ go back and check DGM's link again.
I didn't have any problem going to it.
Looks good DGM!
I'll check it out some more later, I am sort of just hitting things hit or miss right now.
Great stuff again today Bishop.

Anonymous said...

Recipe for Christmas All Year Long

Take a heap of child-like wonder
That opens up our eyes
To the unexpected gifts in life—
Each day a sweet surprise.

Mix in fond appreciation
For the people whom we know;
Like festive Christmas candles,
Each one has a special glow.

Add some giggles and some laughter,
A dash of Christmas food,
(Amazing how a piece of pie
Improves our attitude!)

Stir it all with human kindness;
Wrap it up in love and peace,
Decorate with optimism, and
Our joy will never cease.

If we use this healthy recipe,
We know we will remember
To be in the Christmas spirit,
Even when it's not December.

dgm2007 said...

Thanks Donald.. and soz if you have a facebook account you can just search the page will pop up..
I think I will shoot some video for the page.. I dunno how many people at church have a Facebook.. But theres more to come.. just doing my E.A.C.H. lol.. btw bishop i was wondering how you would keep up all ur blog sites there were like 5 of them.. lol
once the page is fully functional videos and more.. i should ask to get it liked up to the main citn site.. like at the bottom..
ps.. if u search for it tonight I just noticed a typo.. so it says chuch in the now.. whoopsies.. no worries the techie ppl will fix it..
good night

Son of Zadok said...

private facebook-rook commencing Facebook Search & Link.

Anonymous said...

Church In The Now, my home, sweet home.


Miracles, peace and love to us all.


NTL

Anonymous said...

I'm echoing SOZ'z words about answerers to our questions.....WOW! BTW SOZ thanks for the encouragement.

Bishop, what a word in season! you were tuned in and turned on this morning! to my personal channel. If anyone has read any of my last few posts and heard Bishops Sermon this morning it will be crystal clear what I mean.

I just continue to get blown or "blasted" away by the Holy Ghost through CITN....ROCK ON!

One 4 year old grandson was with me this morning when we were about to watch CITN. Typical 4 year old always asking questions and talking all the time. He freaked me out this morning. He said "what are you doing Paw Paw" I said I am hooking the computer to the TV so we can watch church. He said "if you wana know bout church I can tell you, you gotta be baptized in the Holy Ghost and Fire" Just as plain and clear as a bell, never batted an eye. I was silenced by that reply for a moment, then just said with a smile "you got it son"

In the mouths of infants......

Peace to all and especially to me today!

Dennis

Anonymous said...

BTW, I put a new article on my blog about my view of Christmas if anyone is intersested.

http://not1lost.blogspot.com/

HO HO HO

Dennis

ver. word "extra"

Anonymous said...

intersested ?

interested

HO HO HO

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Thanks, everyone...good stuff...

DGM, the page is cool with me, but I can't link it to the CITN site, because the other people who have made similar pages and were not linked would have a problem with it...it's all a matter of precedent...whatever I do for one, I have to be willing to do for all, and that can create a problem with quality control...

And I'm only operating 2 sites...I was just playing with some new gadgets and templates the other night for fun when I created the others...

I do have one up (the one I was discussing with Peacemaker on the other site) that doesn't allow for comments...

The internet offers so many possibilities...it really is mind-boggling...

It's all good...

Love to all...