Yesterday I spoke about Pentecost and the blaring absence it has when it comes to the things that the Church remembers or celebrates. The more I think about it the more alarming it is that there is such a deep divide over the Holy Spirit and His power. it's no wonder that we don't celebrate the birthday of the Church because I dare say that most of the world has a warped and misguided view of the Holy Spirit.
You see on one side of the spectrum you have a denomination that teaches its people that the gifts and the power of the Spirit is dead and ceased at the completion of the Word....they get this from a scripture taken out of context in Corinthians. They may also say things that would make you think that if you did happen to speak in tongues or prophecy that you were controlled by a demon. Garbage!
One the other hand you have a denomination that teaches that you aren't even saved unless you specifically speak in tongues which is clearly NOT Biblical because God's gives out different spiritual gifts to different people...not the one gift of tongues (not prayer language, but tongues for intrepreation) to all people. Again...GARBAGE!
Is it any wonder that we're scared of the Holy Spirit? Is it any wonder that some people just as soon not even talk about Him, acknowledge Him? Is it any wonder we would rather just write off that third of the Trinity? I dare say that Satan's greatest victory in this age is that he has managed to confuse and divide the Church over this crucial part of God. Only over the past 109 years have we really seen the Church begin to embrace and seek to understand the Holy Spirit. Should it have taken 200 years for that to happen? NO! Should we be arguing over it? NO NO NO!
You see the world was divided and God's own people, the Jews, had a hard time seeing who Jesus really was. Jesus proved His divinity when among the many miracles He defeated death and rose again! Since that time, the Holy Spirit has been given to all who believe. The Holy Spirit dwells on the inside of us and He cannot nor will not depart from us. So we have this well of gushing, living water deep inside of us and most believers can agree on that.
We seem to get lost in what the gushing, living water can and will do through us as we allow this well to be tapped and overflow out of us for the furtherment of God's Kingdom. Some of us are just happy to go through life being "good" and doing "good works" for the Lord. Some of us are so obsessed with the Holy Spirit that we can't focus on anything else except the gifts and we end up in very shallow spiritual waters. There is a balance I assure you.
The GOSPEL is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is given so that when we are OBEDIENT to share the GOSPEL we do so with the power of God's very nature and Spirit behind us and working within us so that we are effective! Every time Peter preached in the New Testament there was a call to repent and people repented. WHY? Was it because of the great words and catchy phrases that he typed out on his sermon notes? Maybe it was those corny illustrations he cited or those jokes he told? NO NO NO! Peter was only effective because the Holy Spirit overflowed out of him and his words. They cut the Jews to the bone and many were saved and repented and were baptized. The Holy Spirit worked THROUGH Peter and the Holy Spirit convicted the hearts of the lost listeners.
Stop wasting your time on vain and silly arguments about the power of the Spirit. Some of us need to utilize the power of the Spirit and some of us need to stopping worshipping the Spirit alone and do what the Lord has called us to do....make disciples!
Go into the mission field, whether it's your office building or in Africa and ask God to use you to be a part of His plan of salvation for someone in your path. Then listen long enough for Him to speak and direct your heart and then be amazed when His Spirit gushes out of you and you see this person's life change because of the power of the Spirit working in him or her, through you..as you teach on the truth of the Saviour!
I assure you the Spirit of the Living God is working and alive and well and He isn't defined by the nonsense that our denominations "put out." He is able to manifest Himself how He pleases and He will use His power to bring about signs and wonders that will indeed follow YOU if you allow yourself to be used BY Him.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
WHY NOT PENTECOST?
Why is it we celebrate Christmas with great fanfare and enjoyment and yet we let Pentecost go by without even-so-much as a mention? Why is it we honor and revere the Resurrection season with special services and great and powerful times of rememberance and celebration, yet we pass by Pentecost like a hitch-hiker on the exit ramp?
That may sound a little harsh perhaps but in reality we, as a Christian body, tend to overlook the day that the church started. The coming of Jesus was obviously important and we celebrate His birth. The death of Jesus and His resurrection were even more important and fulfilled God's plan to redeem a lost and hopeless world back to Him. Yes, these things are to be enjoyed and celebrated, but what about the day the Holy Spirit came? Should we not be a little bit more celebratory to have received that which Jesus said He would give us to empower us, comfort us, and enable us? Shouldn't we rejoice that now as believers we have this great "gift" inside of us? Should we not be so grateful that unlike in Old Testament times it could never be taken away from the person that had it? Shouldn't we be amazed that now the Holy Spirit is available to even us Gentiles? I don't know about you but I'm thankful that I'm not walking around without any "power" inside of me? I'm thankful that I don't have rely upon my own abilities and talents to be effective in ministry, but that God makes me effective and able! IT thrills me to know that 2000 years of lies and false doctrine can be destroyed by the convicting power of the Spirit and all I have to do as a believer is be the "feet" that share the truth of Christ! The pressure is off!
I'm not sure why the joy of pentecost is ignored? I guess so many churches are so afraid of the Holy Spirit these days that it's just far better to not even bring it up? When the sound of a mighty wind came gushing down from heaven and tongues of fire fell upon those in the upper room it was no doubt a different experience than what they had been used to, but instead of freaking out, they went out from their prayer room and began OPERATING in the power of the Spirit...as a result of their willingness to operate in the power of the Spirit, the Spirit did the job that Jesus said He would do and that was convict the world of their sin. I guess we're too afraid of experiencing His power, too afraid of being used, or doing something outside of our little man-made boxes to really rejoice over the coming of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps it just better we leave that one alone right?
That may sound a little harsh perhaps but in reality we, as a Christian body, tend to overlook the day that the church started. The coming of Jesus was obviously important and we celebrate His birth. The death of Jesus and His resurrection were even more important and fulfilled God's plan to redeem a lost and hopeless world back to Him. Yes, these things are to be enjoyed and celebrated, but what about the day the Holy Spirit came? Should we not be a little bit more celebratory to have received that which Jesus said He would give us to empower us, comfort us, and enable us? Shouldn't we rejoice that now as believers we have this great "gift" inside of us? Should we not be so grateful that unlike in Old Testament times it could never be taken away from the person that had it? Shouldn't we be amazed that now the Holy Spirit is available to even us Gentiles? I don't know about you but I'm thankful that I'm not walking around without any "power" inside of me? I'm thankful that I don't have rely upon my own abilities and talents to be effective in ministry, but that God makes me effective and able! IT thrills me to know that 2000 years of lies and false doctrine can be destroyed by the convicting power of the Spirit and all I have to do as a believer is be the "feet" that share the truth of Christ! The pressure is off!
I'm not sure why the joy of pentecost is ignored? I guess so many churches are so afraid of the Holy Spirit these days that it's just far better to not even bring it up? When the sound of a mighty wind came gushing down from heaven and tongues of fire fell upon those in the upper room it was no doubt a different experience than what they had been used to, but instead of freaking out, they went out from their prayer room and began OPERATING in the power of the Spirit...as a result of their willingness to operate in the power of the Spirit, the Spirit did the job that Jesus said He would do and that was convict the world of their sin. I guess we're too afraid of experiencing His power, too afraid of being used, or doing something outside of our little man-made boxes to really rejoice over the coming of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps it just better we leave that one alone right?
Monday, March 23, 2009
A TENT FOR ME!??
Well I have yet to mention something pretty neat that happened to me while I was away at the Pastor's Conference 2 weeks ago.
For some background info, you must know that I've been seeking the Lord over supernaturally providing the resources/money for our mission teams to be able to go and serve without the worry of cash flow. I know that God is a big God and everything is His anyway so I thought I would start petitioning Him to open up doors for us to be able to go more frequently and that He would provide the finances to do so! I don't want our church to be a rich church nor do I personally want to be rich and wealthy, I just want me and our church body to be fully mold able and usable by God to be "on mission" with Him both here in the USA and around the globe. My motive is pure and my desire is to simply see the lost people groups of the world praise Him and come into right relationship with Him. I know that I'm not the only one who would drop everything at a moment's notice and respond out of obedience to go to some place in the nation or the world and share the gospel. I believe there to be many mission-minded friends here at Pioneer that are ready and willing to go and serve...if only there was the money to do so.
Now that you know that, you must know that I was at the alter during the invitation asking the Lord to open up these doors of opportunity and resources so that we can go...I was rather specific in asking to be able to go to South Africa more frequently. As I finished my prayer, I walked away from the alter area and a woman came up to me and grabbed my arm. She said, "I know you don't know me, but I was praying for you while you were at the alter and the Lord showed me that He was going to provide for you the tent and I saw you standing in the middle of it."
Well needless to say I was curious and thrilled that the Lord had revealed something. Even though the "tent" wasn't something that I was specifically asking for, I do believe that it is part of God's plan in something that He has in store for either me or our missions department....remember I was asking for provision.
First of all, do I believe that God will use another believer to speak to a believer? Yes. In fact about 10 years ago, someone called me out of a congregation and asked me to come forward. He then said to me, "Ron you are very special to God and God is going to use you. He will ask you to go through doors and you must go. He doesn't want you to be timid or afraid but to go forward through those doors." Now at the time, I had no idea what it meant, but I believed and knew in my heart it was a Word from the Lord. It was several years before I saw just what all of those things meant, but now I can see. It was interesting just how timid of a person that I can be, but how cool that God reminded me of that and that I needed to ignore the timid side and trust Him with the doors!
So there's no doubt that God has spoken to me before through another believer....so what does this it all mean? A tent could mean a number of different things. Immediately my mind began to believe that it does have something to do with South Africa. Churches meet in tents there (see my older blogs below). I sense in my spirit that the Lord is calling us to be more involved with Africa so perhaps this is His way of showing me ahead of time that I should not worry about the resources because He has/will provide.
The next morning one of the speakers said, "Abraham didn't have a home; God gave him a tent" (meaning that Abraham was always moving based on God's leading and that he [Abraham] never had a permanent place but rather the place that God provided was his home. Well that thought registered in my head also...see at the alter I was also asking for the Lord to provide a way for us to own the home we are currently living in and that we will establish our family there. Is God telling me that my home isn't in a white house on the hill, but rather a non-permanent place that will scoot me all over the place?
Perhaps it's Africa, perhaps it's a call to missions, perhaps just perhaps it's something...I just don't know exactly WHAT. But then we don't always know the WHAT do we? Sometimes God asks us to walk in obedience in little small steps and rarely does He reveal the entire picture to us at once. That's what He did with Abraham when He said to "Go to the land I will SHOW YOU." Abraham didn't know the entire picture but he did the "go" part of the command and God SHOWED him as he went out of obedience.
Please pray that the Lord will continue to reveal Himself and His ways to me as I seek to lead my family and my church. There's a tent out there somewhere with my name on it! I know it's not up to ME to FIND it, but rather I trust our God to SHOW me just where this tent is!
For some background info, you must know that I've been seeking the Lord over supernaturally providing the resources/money for our mission teams to be able to go and serve without the worry of cash flow. I know that God is a big God and everything is His anyway so I thought I would start petitioning Him to open up doors for us to be able to go more frequently and that He would provide the finances to do so! I don't want our church to be a rich church nor do I personally want to be rich and wealthy, I just want me and our church body to be fully mold able and usable by God to be "on mission" with Him both here in the USA and around the globe. My motive is pure and my desire is to simply see the lost people groups of the world praise Him and come into right relationship with Him. I know that I'm not the only one who would drop everything at a moment's notice and respond out of obedience to go to some place in the nation or the world and share the gospel. I believe there to be many mission-minded friends here at Pioneer that are ready and willing to go and serve...if only there was the money to do so.
Now that you know that, you must know that I was at the alter during the invitation asking the Lord to open up these doors of opportunity and resources so that we can go...I was rather specific in asking to be able to go to South Africa more frequently. As I finished my prayer, I walked away from the alter area and a woman came up to me and grabbed my arm. She said, "I know you don't know me, but I was praying for you while you were at the alter and the Lord showed me that He was going to provide for you the tent and I saw you standing in the middle of it."
Well needless to say I was curious and thrilled that the Lord had revealed something. Even though the "tent" wasn't something that I was specifically asking for, I do believe that it is part of God's plan in something that He has in store for either me or our missions department....remember I was asking for provision.
First of all, do I believe that God will use another believer to speak to a believer? Yes. In fact about 10 years ago, someone called me out of a congregation and asked me to come forward. He then said to me, "Ron you are very special to God and God is going to use you. He will ask you to go through doors and you must go. He doesn't want you to be timid or afraid but to go forward through those doors." Now at the time, I had no idea what it meant, but I believed and knew in my heart it was a Word from the Lord. It was several years before I saw just what all of those things meant, but now I can see. It was interesting just how timid of a person that I can be, but how cool that God reminded me of that and that I needed to ignore the timid side and trust Him with the doors!
So there's no doubt that God has spoken to me before through another believer....so what does this it all mean? A tent could mean a number of different things. Immediately my mind began to believe that it does have something to do with South Africa. Churches meet in tents there (see my older blogs below). I sense in my spirit that the Lord is calling us to be more involved with Africa so perhaps this is His way of showing me ahead of time that I should not worry about the resources because He has/will provide.
The next morning one of the speakers said, "Abraham didn't have a home; God gave him a tent" (meaning that Abraham was always moving based on God's leading and that he [Abraham] never had a permanent place but rather the place that God provided was his home. Well that thought registered in my head also...see at the alter I was also asking for the Lord to provide a way for us to own the home we are currently living in and that we will establish our family there. Is God telling me that my home isn't in a white house on the hill, but rather a non-permanent place that will scoot me all over the place?
Perhaps it's Africa, perhaps it's a call to missions, perhaps just perhaps it's something...I just don't know exactly WHAT. But then we don't always know the WHAT do we? Sometimes God asks us to walk in obedience in little small steps and rarely does He reveal the entire picture to us at once. That's what He did with Abraham when He said to "Go to the land I will SHOW YOU." Abraham didn't know the entire picture but he did the "go" part of the command and God SHOWED him as he went out of obedience.
Please pray that the Lord will continue to reveal Himself and His ways to me as I seek to lead my family and my church. There's a tent out there somewhere with my name on it! I know it's not up to ME to FIND it, but rather I trust our God to SHOW me just where this tent is!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I'm Baaaaccckkk!??!
I'm sorry that I've been non-existent in my blogging over the last two weeks. I know many of you follow it daily so I hate that I've been so inconsistent.
Last week Neal and I were at a conference in Tennessee and this week, I've been a bit overwhelmed in preparing for 2 mission trips and the SBCV Evangelism Conference that our church is hosting.
Anyway, enough with the excuses. I'll try to get back on track next week with some new entries and thoughts.
Last week Neal and I were at a conference in Tennessee and this week, I've been a bit overwhelmed in preparing for 2 mission trips and the SBCV Evangelism Conference that our church is hosting.
Anyway, enough with the excuses. I'll try to get back on track next week with some new entries and thoughts.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
SOUTH AFRICA CHURCH TENT!
Here's an update on the Judah Africa Church plant that was vandalized just a month or so ago. Thanks to everyone for their prayers!
FROM RICH AND MICHELLE FRANZEN in JOHANNESBURG, SA
"A few weeks ago we shared with you about the tent church in Kya Sands that was vandalized and asked for prayer. I even mentioned, “Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could help the church get a bigger and better tent for their growing congregation!” Well our Daddy is true to His word and He did exceedingly more than we asked!
Thanks to the prayers of MANY and the finances of a few people that were able and felt God impressing them to help, Judah Africa Church will now be meeting in this…
How great is our God!! Thank Him with us! And I pray this stirs your faith that God is attentive to our prayers….He hears you, and He answers!!
Thank you, I believe it took a team effort of prayer and agreement to see these things come to fruition!"
FROM RON
It is truly amazing to see how God has provided a place out of the weather for His kids to meet and worship in. Remember this "church" is out in the middle of a field near a community garden and next door to Kya Sands squatter camps. Church life is simple there. No buildings, parking lots, a/c units, sound systems or projectors to cloud the issues...it's Jesus + NOTHING and it's the most amazing worship experience! God doesn't need our bulletins and microphones, all He's looking for is our heart!
Have a great Friday!
Ron and Sarah
YOUR THOUGHTS DETERMINE ACTIONS
Do you ever get tired of "negative" people? It's seems like there's always someone out there that can never see good in anything. I'll admit that sometimes I have to guard my own self from "getting negative" because sometimes it's so very easy to do. Negative people wear us all out and being negative takes a lot of mental energy that frankly I just can't spare anymore. I read this today and it's really challenged me to be thinking about what I think about...ever heard of WSIWYG...it's a computer term that means WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET...and that's true with our thinking, except what you think is in general what you get...enjoy these thoughts from Blackaby....
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
What you think about in your unguarded moments reflects what your mind dwells upon. What you speak about when your guard is down is a good gauge of what is in your heart (Matt. 12:34). Your mind needs exercise just as your physical body does. To keep your body healthy, you must be careful what you put into it, and you must exercise regularly. To keep your thoughts pure, you must guard what goes into your mind. To exercise your mind, you must contemplate things that are noble and truths that stretch your mind.
Some Christians allow the world to fill their minds with ungodly thinking. Some people seem drawn to concentrate on the negative, choosing to be pessimistic about everything. Some remain satisfied with thinking of the mundane. Others fail to intentionally place Scripture in their thoughts, choosing instead to adopt human reasoning. Others, however, choose to expose their minds to the truths of God—to that which is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and good.
The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed by the way you live. If you focus on negative things, you will inevitably be a negative person. If you allow unholy thoughts to fill your mind, ungodliness will become common in your life. If you fill your mind with thoughts of Christ, you will become Christlike. What you fill your mind with is a matter of choice. Choose to concentrate on the magnificent truths of God, and they will create in you a noble character that brings glory to God
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
THE FDIC and WORSHIP
Well two very different topics headline my blog today. First a note on the FDIC. Check out an article on Bloomberg.com about teh FDIC teetering on the verge of running out of funds. We better start waking up my friends. I know of people that grew up in the great depression that would "can" their money like greenbeans and bury it or hide it in the walls of their house because they didn't trust the banks with their money...could it be that we are indeed returning to a time when our money is at risk of disappearing if the bank goes belly-up and the FDIC isn't around to insure our money...
FROM THE ARTICLE..Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair said the deposit insurance fund could dry up amid a surge in bank failures, as she responded to an industry outcry against new fees approved by the agency. “Without these assessments, the deposit insurance fund could become insolvent this year,” Bair wrote in a March 2 letter to the industry.U.S. community banks plan to flood the FDIC with about 5,000 letters in protest of the fees, according to a trade group. “A large number” of bank failures may occur through 2010 because of “rapidly deteriorating economic conditions,” Bair said in the letter. “Without substantial amounts of additional assessment revenue in the near future, current projections indicate that the fund balance will approach zero or even become negative.”
That should make us think twice before making another deposit in the ol' savings account.
Now on to more things of eternal value...I want to pick up with Matt Redman's look into worship with his book "The Unquenchable Worshipper"
Chapter Three: The Undignified Worshipper.
They had seen him, only five days earlier, riding into Jerusalem hailed as the King of the Jews.
And now they were seeing him gasping.
Bleeding.
Mocked.
And dying.
This is not the way it was supposed to end. A coronation had turned into an execution. For his followers who could muster the strength to stay and watch the man in whom they had placed their faith, love and devotion hang from a cross, the pain of loss and the confusion at what had gone wrong must have been a potent combination.
He´s dying.
Our King. Our Answer. Our Redemption.
The One clothed in blinding Majesty on the Mount of Transfiguration, now having his clothes fought over by Roman guards.
The One who had commanded the sea to rest and demons to flee, now struggling to take each breath.
The One who summoned Lazarus from the tomb with a great shout, now silently teetering on the edge of death.
It makes no sense. God´s Son had stepped into time to become one of us. But surely not to be spat upon, laughed at, tortured and die.
Jesus chose to let go of the majesty, glory and power that were his in heaven. He chose to put on flesh and blood - flesh that could be torn apart and blood that could be spilled. But why?
For love (John 3:16).
Reckless, passionate, unreasonable love. And undignified worshippers live and love without reservation because they have received so lavish a love as this.
My pride? My finances? My name? No price is too steep. No treasure is too precious. No call is too much. Undignified worshippers see the unreserved and passionate love that Christ displayed on Calvary - a love that doesn´t make sense, but cost Him everything. And, standing in the light and safety of that love, they worship with an abandon that says there is nothing I have, nothing I know, and nothing that I am that I´m unwilling to part with for the Lord´s renown.
Scripture Review
Scripture is filled with the worship of the undignified. These men and women show a willingness to let go of their reputations, resources, and even their own lives to give honor to God. They have realized that life is full of blessings, but that none can compare to the matchless worth of God. Below are just a few examples of individuals who were able to cut themselves free from the cords that entangle and keep us from true undignified worship:
David responds to the goodness of God - 2 Samuel 6
The widow gives all that she has - Mark 12:41-44
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego risk their lives for the worship of God alone - Daniel 1-3
Peter and John refuse to stop preaching whatever the costs -
Acts 4:1-22
Thoughts for Reflection
1. In this chapter, we are encouraged to find a source and inspiration for undignified worship in the passionate love of God for us. Matt briefly highlighted the story of the Prodigal Son, where we see a picture of a Father willing to shed his status and pride for the love of seeing his son return home. This is the love of our Heavenly Father. Take a moment to reflect upon other instances in Scripture and in your own life in which the unconditional and passionate love of God is evident. How have you responded to the boundless overtures of his heart to yours? His love for us has been given without reservation. Can the same be said of your own love for Him?
2. Before we can become undignified in our worship, we must cut ourselves free from those things that keep us from ´dancing as David danced.´ Take a few moments to contemplate whether or not there is anything in your life that you may classify as ´too precious´ to give up to God. It may be fear of what others will think, fear of handing over finances to God, or it may be something different altogether. Is there a particular area in which God has been calling you to come clean with Him so that you can fully enter into an open and uninhibited worship of Him in your life?
3. In this chapter, we are reminded that the act of being undignified in our worship must come from and overflow of love and adoration for God. For lead worshippers this may mean not getting caught up in the ´performance´ aspect of being on stage in front of others. But those of us who don´t dare step behind a microphone or play a musical instrument can also fall prey to misguided motives. How many of us have given, spoken or served ´for God´ when it was really more about ourselves. Think and reflect on the motivation behind your own ´acts of worship´ and ask God to speak to your heart about this matter.
FROM THE ARTICLE..Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair said the deposit insurance fund could dry up amid a surge in bank failures, as she responded to an industry outcry against new fees approved by the agency. “Without these assessments, the deposit insurance fund could become insolvent this year,” Bair wrote in a March 2 letter to the industry.U.S. community banks plan to flood the FDIC with about 5,000 letters in protest of the fees, according to a trade group. “A large number” of bank failures may occur through 2010 because of “rapidly deteriorating economic conditions,” Bair said in the letter. “Without substantial amounts of additional assessment revenue in the near future, current projections indicate that the fund balance will approach zero or even become negative.”
That should make us think twice before making another deposit in the ol' savings account.
Now on to more things of eternal value...I want to pick up with Matt Redman's look into worship with his book "The Unquenchable Worshipper"
Chapter Three: The Undignified Worshipper.
They had seen him, only five days earlier, riding into Jerusalem hailed as the King of the Jews.
And now they were seeing him gasping.
Bleeding.
Mocked.
And dying.
This is not the way it was supposed to end. A coronation had turned into an execution. For his followers who could muster the strength to stay and watch the man in whom they had placed their faith, love and devotion hang from a cross, the pain of loss and the confusion at what had gone wrong must have been a potent combination.
He´s dying.
Our King. Our Answer. Our Redemption.
The One clothed in blinding Majesty on the Mount of Transfiguration, now having his clothes fought over by Roman guards.
The One who had commanded the sea to rest and demons to flee, now struggling to take each breath.
The One who summoned Lazarus from the tomb with a great shout, now silently teetering on the edge of death.
It makes no sense. God´s Son had stepped into time to become one of us. But surely not to be spat upon, laughed at, tortured and die.
Jesus chose to let go of the majesty, glory and power that were his in heaven. He chose to put on flesh and blood - flesh that could be torn apart and blood that could be spilled. But why?
For love (John 3:16).
Reckless, passionate, unreasonable love. And undignified worshippers live and love without reservation because they have received so lavish a love as this.
My pride? My finances? My name? No price is too steep. No treasure is too precious. No call is too much. Undignified worshippers see the unreserved and passionate love that Christ displayed on Calvary - a love that doesn´t make sense, but cost Him everything. And, standing in the light and safety of that love, they worship with an abandon that says there is nothing I have, nothing I know, and nothing that I am that I´m unwilling to part with for the Lord´s renown.
Scripture Review
Scripture is filled with the worship of the undignified. These men and women show a willingness to let go of their reputations, resources, and even their own lives to give honor to God. They have realized that life is full of blessings, but that none can compare to the matchless worth of God. Below are just a few examples of individuals who were able to cut themselves free from the cords that entangle and keep us from true undignified worship:
David responds to the goodness of God - 2 Samuel 6
The widow gives all that she has - Mark 12:41-44
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego risk their lives for the worship of God alone - Daniel 1-3
Peter and John refuse to stop preaching whatever the costs -
Acts 4:1-22
Thoughts for Reflection
1. In this chapter, we are encouraged to find a source and inspiration for undignified worship in the passionate love of God for us. Matt briefly highlighted the story of the Prodigal Son, where we see a picture of a Father willing to shed his status and pride for the love of seeing his son return home. This is the love of our Heavenly Father. Take a moment to reflect upon other instances in Scripture and in your own life in which the unconditional and passionate love of God is evident. How have you responded to the boundless overtures of his heart to yours? His love for us has been given without reservation. Can the same be said of your own love for Him?
2. Before we can become undignified in our worship, we must cut ourselves free from those things that keep us from ´dancing as David danced.´ Take a few moments to contemplate whether or not there is anything in your life that you may classify as ´too precious´ to give up to God. It may be fear of what others will think, fear of handing over finances to God, or it may be something different altogether. Is there a particular area in which God has been calling you to come clean with Him so that you can fully enter into an open and uninhibited worship of Him in your life?
3. In this chapter, we are reminded that the act of being undignified in our worship must come from and overflow of love and adoration for God. For lead worshippers this may mean not getting caught up in the ´performance´ aspect of being on stage in front of others. But those of us who don´t dare step behind a microphone or play a musical instrument can also fall prey to misguided motives. How many of us have given, spoken or served ´for God´ when it was really more about ourselves. Think and reflect on the motivation behind your own ´acts of worship´ and ask God to speak to your heart about this matter.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
IN A MOOD
I'm just in a not so good mood today. I'm feeling all tense and ugly inside and I just can't seem to break through it. Perhaps if I rant a little here then I'll feel a little better.
The economy is in the tank. I'm sure what's left of my 401k would probably buy me 3 cartons of milk in my retirement at this point and yet all those morons in Washington want to do is continue to throw money (my money and your money) at the problem. They think that letting AIG have ANOTHER $30 billion dollars is really going to make a difference. They believe that upgrade our infrastructure (which does need improvements granted) will actually make a dent in the soon to be 10% unemployment rate...news flash...AMERICANS will not be taking these type jobs because our hard-working friends from Mexico will be filling those positions. Americans believe we are too good to do manual labor it seems. It's far more lucrative after all to lie around the house, watch Jerry Springer and eat Cheetos until your fingers turn orange and then allow Uncle Sam to pay for the laziness and the 6 kids running around the yard. Oh yes, the stimulus plan is stimulating what? I don't see businesses responding favorably. In fact, one my friends lost her job yesterday. The company is closing all 799 stores..that's 6100 employees now without a job...and this was a good job too. Where are they going to go? Manufacturing has ceased and no one is buying anything. In fact in January, the personal savings rates in America actually increased! WOW! That's a shocker! Maybe we're learning our lesson about spending above our means? Nahh...give us two years and we'll be back to living on plastic and being slaves to MasterCard, Visa and Discover. If you don't believe me then look at the gas crisis. When gas was $4.00 a gallon everyone thought it was insane that people owed SUVs because of the high cost of filling them. As a result people wisely stopped buying the vehicle. Now that gas is all the way down to $1.69 SUV sales are on the rise again...do we ever get it?
The answer is NO. We throw money at banks that turn around and give it to the CEO in the form of million dollar bonuses and yet we give them more. We watch in horror as the crazies of Islam hijack a plane and slam it into our towers and the churches fill up and everyone finds the need for a Savior and prayer again...then no more than a year later, church attendance is down and the nation falls further and further from it's faith and trust in Christ. It's a sad state of events these days.
What will it take to make Americans see? That's a serious question and I fear it would take something catastrophic to really open up our eyes. Half of the country wants us to be more "liberated" and "open" like Europe and unfortunately they now have the voice of the entire governmental system, from White House to Congress. Will it be something horrible that makes us see that we have strayed from the path that was one so clearly lit? Will we, as a nation, figure it out or will we indeed fall by the wayside and become a nation that is studied in history that was once great and now dead, much like we study the Roman Empire.
Perhaps my angst today is just this general sense that we are all off track. I have NO HOPE WHATSOEVER in our government to fix things. It all feels like a lost cause today. I have a child that will be born into not just a chaotic world, but now a chaotic nation is can't find herself anymore. It's all a little depressing to be honest. I'm thankful that I can and will put my HOPE in the hands of Jesus. Without Him, we are all a lost cause. There is a storm on our horizon and I can see it from my office window...can you? Jesus is on my boat so I am just going to trust HIM and HOPE in HIM to calm the waves and the tempest...even when it may seem like He's asleep with His head on a cushion, I know He's still in control and leading the way!
Thanks for listening!
The economy is in the tank. I'm sure what's left of my 401k would probably buy me 3 cartons of milk in my retirement at this point and yet all those morons in Washington want to do is continue to throw money (my money and your money) at the problem. They think that letting AIG have ANOTHER $30 billion dollars is really going to make a difference. They believe that upgrade our infrastructure (which does need improvements granted) will actually make a dent in the soon to be 10% unemployment rate...news flash...AMERICANS will not be taking these type jobs because our hard-working friends from Mexico will be filling those positions. Americans believe we are too good to do manual labor it seems. It's far more lucrative after all to lie around the house, watch Jerry Springer and eat Cheetos until your fingers turn orange and then allow Uncle Sam to pay for the laziness and the 6 kids running around the yard. Oh yes, the stimulus plan is stimulating what? I don't see businesses responding favorably. In fact, one my friends lost her job yesterday. The company is closing all 799 stores..that's 6100 employees now without a job...and this was a good job too. Where are they going to go? Manufacturing has ceased and no one is buying anything. In fact in January, the personal savings rates in America actually increased! WOW! That's a shocker! Maybe we're learning our lesson about spending above our means? Nahh...give us two years and we'll be back to living on plastic and being slaves to MasterCard, Visa and Discover. If you don't believe me then look at the gas crisis. When gas was $4.00 a gallon everyone thought it was insane that people owed SUVs because of the high cost of filling them. As a result people wisely stopped buying the vehicle. Now that gas is all the way down to $1.69 SUV sales are on the rise again...do we ever get it?
The answer is NO. We throw money at banks that turn around and give it to the CEO in the form of million dollar bonuses and yet we give them more. We watch in horror as the crazies of Islam hijack a plane and slam it into our towers and the churches fill up and everyone finds the need for a Savior and prayer again...then no more than a year later, church attendance is down and the nation falls further and further from it's faith and trust in Christ. It's a sad state of events these days.
What will it take to make Americans see? That's a serious question and I fear it would take something catastrophic to really open up our eyes. Half of the country wants us to be more "liberated" and "open" like Europe and unfortunately they now have the voice of the entire governmental system, from White House to Congress. Will it be something horrible that makes us see that we have strayed from the path that was one so clearly lit? Will we, as a nation, figure it out or will we indeed fall by the wayside and become a nation that is studied in history that was once great and now dead, much like we study the Roman Empire.
Perhaps my angst today is just this general sense that we are all off track. I have NO HOPE WHATSOEVER in our government to fix things. It all feels like a lost cause today. I have a child that will be born into not just a chaotic world, but now a chaotic nation is can't find herself anymore. It's all a little depressing to be honest. I'm thankful that I can and will put my HOPE in the hands of Jesus. Without Him, we are all a lost cause. There is a storm on our horizon and I can see it from my office window...can you? Jesus is on my boat so I am just going to trust HIM and HOPE in HIM to calm the waves and the tempest...even when it may seem like He's asleep with His head on a cushion, I know He's still in control and leading the way!
Thanks for listening!
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