Customer Reviews

Refreshed By Fire (2CD)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

A lot of people have commented on this CD noting the sound quality, the singing, and some have dared to say the music isn't anointed. My church's ministry used some of the songs from this CD and the power and anointing of God filled the atmosphere of the room as people worshiped with the music. God can step in even if a tone-death person is singing. I believe that if you didn't feel the power in this music than perhaps "self" needs some inner checking - not the CD and the people who made it. For anyone to say this CD isn't anointed is the same as saying that the people who made it aren't anointed. Last I check, God tells us not to touch his anointed. True the sound is different from their usual style and timbre, but I didn't feel anything different - just the same powerfully anointed group, praising God. While lyrics are important, if God directs them to repeat the same message twenty times, no one has the right to judge them, but God. I hope they are rejoicing at the criticism they are receiving from their "fans" and onlookers, it means they're doing something right in the spirit and probably close to accomplishing that which they have been working to accomplish.

I love this CD and I strongly recommend it to anyone and everyone who is able to worship God (not the music) to buy it and dwell with them in the presence of God. There are a lot of healing elements in this CD that will help those with an open and transparent heart and those who desire to be free.

I really can't recommend this cd to anyone. SMG is doing the same thing over again of their previous cds. When are they going to realize that the devil(enemy) is defeated and why are they still singing about taken back what the devil stole from us. They really haven't grown at all. The cd seemed rushed and the singing wasn't that good at all. I don't know if they changed singers with new people, but the anointing is not there at all. The lead singers are screaming,and the music is not strong. My Apostle asked me if I would listen to it to see if I can hear anything that was good because he didn't find anything. Well me neither.

Wow,

Shekinah Glory ministries has yet again delivered a super CD. The anointing overflows through your music. If you want to feel blessed and inspired or if you trully want to praise and worship, this is the CD for you.

I have all SGM cd's and although this is a good offering of worship, I was not as captivated as with their previous recordings.

Bought this CD for one song: "Just for Me". Not only is this song super, super great, but the more I play some of the other selections, I come to the conclusion that SG is by far my number one Gospel group. In listening to their music over the last few years, I just get the feeling that they have succeeded in transforming their listeners into believing that not only are they singing before our Maker, but we as listeners are in the midst also. It is truly weird. I know we are in God's midst, but SG just has a way of helping us to understand it. Love the group and love this CD!

This Review is written in two parts: Part 1 for those that focus on musicality and Part 2 for those that focus on the message

Part 1:

Musically this is not Shekinah Glory's Best work. I do believe the vocals and harmonies could be tightened up on several of the tracks. The Band is still at the top of their game at flowing in the Spirit together. I do believe that the addition of new singers due to people transitioning from Valley Kingdom has played an impact on the quality. We have to remember that this is a CHURCH MINISTRY and NOT a individually selected choir of the best of the best from Chicago. (IF that was the case Kim McFarland, Kim Stratton, Donald Lawrence, Rickey Dillard, Malcolm Williams, Jennifer Hudson, and host of other great singers would be there.) Do I believe the other albums were more polished, yes. Could that be because of the lack of producers like William Murphy and Rose Harper... possibly. I do believe that this album is probably more true to what the intent of Shekinah Glory Ministries projects are to be, a worship experience reflective of Valley Kingdom Ministries International normal worship services. So no, this is not the best, but it sounds true to who they are.

Part 2:

Understanding that like the natural wind that blows trees to the left and the right, the wind of God is blowing and things don't always stay in fixed positions. It is clear that the CD reflects a spiritual direction flowing in the House of Valley Kingdom. Many people may not get the CD because they do not sense the leading of the Holy Spirit in that direction. Other people may not be able to get over the less polished quality of singing. But what I do know is that the CD is not strange fire or devoid of power. It took me a second to get used to the whole CD and I realized that, for me, this is a progression CD; meaning that there are some songs that you won't get until you get to a certain place in life. Everything isn't given to be understood all at once, but when it's time you will get it. For the most part this album is on point. This is NOT a live your best life now CD. But it is a live the life that God purposed and designed you to live CD.

If you listen to the first disc and think about what the songs are saying, you can see that the songs are focused on living a God designed life. Reclaim Your Mountain speaks to the scripture where the Bible calls believers "a city set upon a hill, a royal priesthood." The song is intended to encourage those that have allowed the enemy to remove them from the place that God has called them to occupy to go take back what is rightfully theirs. Raise Up speaks giving praise to God to whom it is due. Dance is a modern Davidic praise and worship song that reminds the believer to be like David and encourage themselves in the Lord and dance even when they are down. Giant Slayer goes back to possessing the territory that God has for you. Like the Children of Israel who had to slay giants when they went in to posses the promise land, and even David who had to fight Goliath, there are obstacles that might stand in your way, but remember that the greater One inside of you strengthens you to overcome every obstacle. Living Life speaks to not being fooled by Satan's devices. The enemy always uses situations and circumstances to keep you oppressed, but know that Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly. So we have to live our lives! The Prophecy is just that, a prophetic release of God's grace to encourage the believer in their pursuit to live a victorious life.

Disc 2 starts with a two transition songs. The Minstrel Release is a prophetic flow from the musicians. Prayer for the Nation is a prayer song sung in many languages and follows an established pattern of worship- giving thanks and praise before making petitions known. The Rivers of God is a petition to God for him to release his abundance, which is in line with the scripture to "ask for rain in the time of rain." The High Place is worship song that acknowledges God's supremacy and his desire for us to be closer to him. The song relates to the deep calling unto the deep sung in The Rivers of God. Ascending Higher is a song of purification and transformation, speaking forth the desire of the ministerial to be changed and petitioning God to cleanse them (very Davidic in nature.) Trust Me is written as a prophetic response song to the petitions and worship. Just for Me is a song of remembrance, very much like Jesus. In fact, it appears that they tried to recapture the success of Jesus with this song instead of establishing a song that carried with the rest of the album. IF there is one song that is out of flow with the CD it would be this song. Not to say it's not a good song, it just doesn't fit with the flow of the rest of the disc. Additionally, I have to agree with other reviewers that the song is too long. It could easily be broken into two tracks with a total time of 10 mins, not 14 and some change.

Musically I give it a 3

Prophetically I give it a 4.5

Overall Message I give it a 4- just a miss with the Just for me.

I must say that I have to agree with the comments on the 1st & 3rd review. I must say that I was disappointed with this CD project. I was able to listen to it in the store before I purchased it. They had a demo CD. But unfortunately I did not purchase it because it was devoid of the power of God,the anointing of God and the presence of God. I am not trying to pass judgement on them, becaause I love Shekinah Glory and always will. I will lift their ministry up in prayer, because this is some of the things that the enemy's try's to do to those who have a real breaker's anointing and a true Apostolic and Prophetic calling and anointing upon their ministries to change and transform lives, to bring reformation and transformation to deliver the bound, to set the captive's free, to loose the chains and bond's of wickedness through their music, preaching and teaching of the word.

He uses all diffrent types of tricks,plots, plans, schemes and destractions to get these type of people and ministries to get them off course and to fall away from the truth and to compromise the anointing. God said that in the last days that many of His very elect will fall away to seducing spirits of every form and kind,to doctrines of men that demons preach and teach etc. He said is Galatians 3:1 says "Who bewitched you that you should no longer obey the truth? Galatians 5:7 says "You did run well (in the beginning, emphasis mine), but who hindered you that you shoul not obey the truth? I am not sure what happened. I am not sure if they spent personal and corporate time in prayer and fasting and seeking the face of God in intimate fellowship and communion for His divine wisdom,counsel, insight and plans of instruction on how and when to execute this assignment of the Lord for this CD project. Because even those who sang on this project were void of the anointing. This project was unfruitful, barren and unproductive. It was impotent. We don't judge the person or person's themselves but we do judge the spirit and fruit that we see at work in & through their lives, works and ministries etc. We must see and judge all things by the Spirit of God through the eyes and ears of the Holy spirit Himself.

The very name of the CD itself is very powerful "Refreshed By Fire", but yet it is making a mockery out of them. They themselves need to be refreshed and revived by the Fire of God. Again this is not to judge them. The bible says test the spirit by the Holy Spirit Himself and to do a fruit inspection on all things to see if it be of God or not. Every tree is known by the fruit that it bears. Every thing that we do and say and every ministry, bears and produces fruit whether it be good fruit or bad fruit. We as believer's and Christians have a right to judge the fruit and to test and examine the spirit that is at work and to name the fruit and the spirit that is at work.

I must say they are not the only one's that recently came out with new CD projects that had this same issue and they too like Shekinah Glory normally produce things from the womb and heart of God that is anointed and that has the tangible presence and power of God resting upon the cd project itself and the people of God ministering in song.

I will continue to lift up every 5-fold minister, every minstrel and psalmist of the Lord that minister through music and song in fasting and prayer. I will stand in the gap and make up the hedge. We are to bear each other's burdens and each otheer in prayer. God bless you all!

I typically thoroughly enjoy Shekinah Glory CD's, but this one was painful to listen to. I'm sorry, I cannot recommend it at all.

Have you noticed how most of the low-rating reviewers compare this album to former ones? While trends can be useful, let's be cautious that we don't get stuck! It's amazing how we can box something or someone in with the way "we think" things should be. As I look at some of the comments, it grieves me as my eyes glance over some very harsh words, and then pull out (or let me say: twist, turn, stretch) Scripture to justify a point. Please stop! Body - Leaders don't need our criticisms, they need our prayers. And although some of the comments may have been put forth not to hurt SG, still, you don't have all of the information. You might have hindsight or foresight, but with this particular project, they have OVERSIGHT!

To SG: If a low-rate review consists of complaints about "a war cry against the kingdom of darkness" or "reclaiming your mountain" (yes sweetie, it's biblical - ask Caleb), then Praise God - what a testimony!

"Live Life" - I LOVE IT!!! As Believers in Christ, we've been given the greatest gift of all - LIFE and LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY - TO THE FULL! IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!!!

Blessings!

Know this 1st. I love Shekinah Glory. I bought there 1st cd twice as 1 went missing. I bought all the others as they were released. The 3rd installation Jesus wasn't so great, I love prophecy as it has its place and their were confirmations for me, though I think it would have been good to have left it out of the cd making room for songs but left on the DVD it was still a blessing anyway. Anyhow the album Jesus made it through for me because God's anointing was on it still.

I admit I was a bit sceptical about Refreshed By Fire mainly because of the last one. The cd: The 1st two tracks the intro and Reclaim your mountain was okay. After it though it became ridiculous quickly with off-key unanointed singing and amateur sounding not for CD songs. The song Living life is a slow build up and for the most part off-key but when SGM actually joins in it sounds okay. The worry sets in quickly though about this production that its not an SGM production as a body but a Phil Tarver album. This is just CD 1. After living life it becomes a "should be dvd only" recording with what you will inevitably be hearing for the next how much years that you put on the CD. Irritating!!!

Note: the 1st two albums particularly were successful Because they focused chiefly on the Outer court,Inner court,Holy of Holies.

CD 2: The 1st track the minstrel released is something that really should have got done in their own personal worship practice prayer time, certainly not live, so should the 2nd track as it just became bugging entertainment on CD not anointing. Its frustrating to listen to because its not SGM as you know it. I tried to make excuses for this obvious waste of printed CD's but its straight whack.

p.s. Phil Tarver needs to stand back and let the team sing together like on there 1st album. He's got his own album. The singers used are average at best but that wouldn't have even stood out if the anointing was consistently on this.

Again SGM's original pattern was Outer court,Inner court,Holy of Holies. This is not the case here at all.

The Rivers of God the track is a refreshing Inner Court NOT Holy of Holies song of which you do begin to open up, but then all of a sudden it just fades out like your listening to something thats pre-recorded, infact all the CD does is keep fading out instead of captivating the atmosphere like all the other albums they did.

The High place - BORING. Ascending Higher - REALLY BORING and the Reprise IS JUST NOT GOOD!. I'd be fighting sleep if the frustration from this project didn't keep me awake.

The track Trust Me is actually ok, not dripping with the anointing but nice. The problem is by the time you get to this song after listening to the previous tracks appreciating it doesn't come easily.

Finally the track "Just for me"; It starts out really nice as it invokes you to lift your hands for about 3mins 45secs and then... Pure screaming and off-key shouting takes place, even then it could actually quite safely end and be kind of respected by 7 mins or so. But no they needed to seal it with 14mins plus more of total nonsense.

what I do hope is that SGM will read the reviews cause this CD is a waste of money. I still love SGM alot. I just believe like many others who have gained notoriety, it's gone to there heads, defo our man Phil. They need to just go back to the Pattern that works and don't rush. Vet the singers voices and lives 1st, see if pride has crept in unawares. Be humble and go back to the pattern of the Outer court,Inner court,Holy of Holies. Also in embracing the worship let us the listeners embrace it too by not fading out every track like your in a recording studio.

In closing; On the 1st two albums there was no need to look super spiritual with a whole bunch of prophecies seeing that your holyghost filled prophetic songs like We worship you today, father me, I embrace you, The secret place, like never before and so much more took us in to receive something fresh from God each time we listened ourselves.

I Don't Recommended This At All!