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One Word Wednesday: Worship

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God is not impressed with a ‘song service.’

God is not pleased with lip service either. Singing lips but far away hearts.

God is terribly appalled by worshipers who love worship more than they love the only one who is worthy.

God does not want praises from mouths hearts of perversity and mouths of profanity.

God hates platitudes and our Pharisaical Posturing  void of reverence and crazy love for Him.

God is not interested in how you look when you worship but that praise looks good on you.

The English language, in reality falls short to adequately describe what God really intended to teach when it comes to the word. For lack of a better word, the translators of our bible could not really find an accurate word to express the heart of God when John wrote the following in his gospel:

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. John 4:23

The word worship, highlighted red in the text above is used to describe the Greek word ProskuneÑw. ProskuneÑw means to kiss the hand of the master. This is not the kind of kiss shared between lovers. It’s like a dog kissing the hand of its master. Worship is a life conversation that keeps God at its center and demonstrates an extravagantly crazy love for Him. This is the kind of worship the Father is looking for. In fact, the kind of worshiper God is looking for is a worshiper who is head over heels, and completely crazy and in love with the master. This is the thing that sets a true worshiper apart. And this is the worshiper that God is seeking, longing, and looking for.

 

7 Promises I can use right now

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When I was 5 years old my dad made a promise to me. A promise he was going to fulfill in 24 hours.  I was very passionate about soccer. I found myself skipping classes, at that early age, to go play soccer out in the fields. I guess, it was that rubber ball that we kicked around everyday that prompted ,my dad to get me a brand new and real soccer ball.

I’ll never forget that morning when he whispered in my ear. That at the end of the day, I would have my own soccer ball. I was gripped with expectation. I couldn’t wait for him to come back home from work. I had it on my mind for the entire day. I always wanted one, but the likelihood of getting it that day, made my desire for it even more compelling.

I waited for the car to turn into the drive way. And before he could get out of the car I was right there with arms outstretched. He didn’t fail me either. I finally had a real soccer ball, and I was the happiest kid on the block.

Well, now I have a Heavenly Father, and He has promised to bless me with something more valuable than a soccer ball. And I find myself longing, waiting, and anticipating his return home to bless me with all His riches in Christ my Savior and Lord. I took the past 21 days doing just that in a time of fasting and praying. 

As I read Joel 2:23-232, seven promises popped up from the pages. So I used them to wait upon the Lord. I hope you can tap into them as well:

The former and latter rain as an outpouring of His spirit upon me

”’…he has poured down for you abundant rain…” verse 23

At this stage of my life, I would gladly accept a million bucks. God knows I could use a new car right now. But I desire something greater than a million bucks. I need that fire burning in my bones. I need that refreshing. I need that weight of glory. I need the fullness of joy, pleasures evermore. I need the Holy Spirit’s comforting touch. More than anything – I need Him right now!

The threshing floors shall be full of grain for your Financial break-through

“…threshing floors shall be full of grain; vats shall overflow…” verse 24

I know I ought to pray more about my spiritual well-being. I don’t deny that I need some spiritual breakthroughs. But today, Lord, I need some financial assistance. Not for selfish reasons, but for school, church, missions and for provisions you know I desperately need that right now. 

The years the locust has eaten completely restored

“…I will restore the years the swarming locust has eaten…” verse 25

My first love. My marriage. My health. My confidence. My career. My family. My peace. My sanity. I’m about to lose my mind, Lord – restore my hope. Restore my credibility. Restore my faith – because it’s hard right now. I need to see you at work. Show me a sign that I am going to make it, achieve my goals and fulfill my call. Being human often means bearing loss never to be regained. But we serve a God, a God of mercy and abundant grace who is fully able to restore. If it is restoration your need right now, I want your to realize that it is promised to you, so receive it.

I will deal wonderfully with you so get ready for your miracle

“… the Lord shall deal wondrously with you…” verse 26

I’m ready. I’m expecting, anticipating, anxiously waiting. Just one word Lord, and everything will be just fine. Just one command and I’ll be fine. Be it unto me according to thy word. You said, if I believe, I will see the glory of God. Lord, I believe. I believe you are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or dream. 

You shall know that I am in your midst, not in theory but in reality

“… you shall know that I am in your midst…” verse 27

Lord, I believe that where ever two or three are gathered in your name, there in their presence you are. But too many times, this is just a declaration of faith. we sing our songs, pray our prayers, jump around a little. But you’re not there. I know sometimes what really matters is that we know by faith and give sacrifice of praise and not trust in feelings. But today is not that day. I need to see you save sinners, heal the sick, move in our midst in ways like no one can deny.

Your sons and daughters will have an increase revelation knowledge

“… your sons and daughters will prophesy…” verse 28

I lift my two girls up to you today. May they be pillars adorned in the house of the Lord. Teach them and give them great peace. May the fear of the Lord be their wisdom. Hide them in the shelter of your wings. May your blessings and prosperity be their portion. And may they serve you all the days of their lives with dedication and faithfulness.

Everyone who calls on my name shall taste my deliverance

“… everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved…” verse 32

Lord deliver me from evil, and from the evil one. Free me from deception, lies, and bitterness. Break the stronghold of the devil over me. Let no weapon that is fashioned and forged against me prosper. Bind the strong man, pull down principalities and powers and every thought that exalts itself above the knowledge of Christ. Take all my sin and debt and nail them to the cross. Let me live in freedom to worship and serve you the rest of my life. This is what I really want right now!

Conclusion

Lord, you said, that if I hunger and thirst for you, if I seek first the kingdom of God, I will be filled and all these other things will be added unto me. I thank you in advance for answering me. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Morning Walk. .. Morning Word

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10 Mistakes Leaders Must Avoid At All Cost

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If you are a pastor, a husband, a business executive, a small group leader or a project manager – you are a leader. Whatever your title is – if you lead, it is imperative that you lead in the right spirit.

We are all affected, one way or the other, by the culture we live in. And to make matters worse, we all have a fallen nature that affects our different leadership styles.

But no matter what our culture dictates or what our fallen nature tries to impose on our leadership style, there is always a better way to lead. That way is the way is in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit and through the wisdom that comes from His word.

Here is a list of pitfalls to avoid at all cost as a leader. They don’t only hinder your ability to lead well, they hinder your team, family or organization from functioning or performing at the highest levels.

Jealous Spirit
1 Samuel 18:8-9 ESV

And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousand, and to me, they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David from that day on.

A Comparing Spirit
2 Corinthians 10:12 ESV

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

An Arrogant Spirit
Romans 12:16 ESV

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

A Mischievous Spirit
Proverbs 26:27; Psalm 7:15, 16 ESV

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

A Spirit of Selfish Ambition
Philippians 2:3-4 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.

A Spirit Strife
James 4:1-2 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

A Spirit of Entitlement
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 ESV

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now, such persons, we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

A Spirit of Dictatorship
1 Peter 5:3 ESV

Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

A spirit of insecurity
Proverbs 29:25 ESV

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

A Spirit of competition
Mark 9:35 ESV

And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Every leader has the ability to lead well. In light of these points in the post,  lay your heart before Him, and examine yourself to see If there is any wicked way in you. Then commit, even in baby steps, to excellence.and integrity in your leadership.

Covenant Friendship

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Covenant friendship is one of heaven’s greatest blessings. I believe it was Michael Smith who said, “friends are friends forever if the Lord is the Lord of them.” We catch glimpses of it, between Ruth and Naomi. “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” (Ruth 1:16, 17).

The chemistry is undeniable between David and Jonathan.  “As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. (1 Samuel 18:1-3 ESV)

There are many more examples in the bible about this kind of friendship, but I will mention just a few more here:

  • Job and friends (Job 2:11)
  • Elisha and Elisha (2 Kings 2:2
  • The Paralytic and his friends (Luke 5:17-19)

Let me Illustrate it this way:

We’ve watched many movies together as a family. Some of our favorites,  we’ve watched three to four-time. But there is one that we keep watching over and over. In it, we discover the friendship between Sam and Frodo. We’ve memorized lines like these: “You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours – closer than you yourself keep it. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo.” Powerful, isn’t it? True friendship means following the example of Jesus and truly giving your whole self to the relationship.

Did you know that Jesus wants to be your very best friend?

He gave us the true definition of what covenant friendship is all about. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” He’s already given his life for us. His love is unconditional. His love never ends. His love is patient and kind. His love is not  irritable or resentful; arrogant or rude. Therefore, His relationship with us should mirror our relationship with others.

What does Covenant Friendship really look like?

It is a Gut level honesty, authenticity and vulnerability
This is a button of the barrel openness – where the ugly stuff lie. Too many friendships lack this.Too many times friends project a fake version of themselves. When we hide behind our masks, we damage our soul. Pretending does a lot of damage to the soul. In a covenant friendship you can share anything, confess to anything and yet not be judge, maliciously exposed or rejected.  On the contrary, you will find grace, protection, prayer. Oh yeah, you will get some tough love, but love that does not lose respect for the other, or treat them like they are worthless.

Covenant Friendships Thrive on:

  • Truth telling/ prov. 27:6
  • Commitment/ prov. 18:24
  • Sacrifice/John 15:12-15
  • Love, no matter what/ Rom. 5:7-8

Covenant friendships Deepen when the friendship is:

  • Other centered/ Luke 6:31
  • Edifying, Nourishing, growing, making other better/ Prov. 27:7
  • Valuable/ Phil. 4:14-16
  • Agreeable/ Amos 3:3

Covenant Friendships last and stand the test of time – through:

  • Mutual respect
  • Unconditional forgiveness
  • Constant companionship, and
  • Covenant faithfulness

Yes, it was Michael Smith who said, “friends are friends forever – “because the welcome will not end.”

Do Life Big: A Manifesto

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Elvyre Bright – TED Talk

Have you ever lacked the motivation or just the power to take you past where you are to where you’ve always wanted to be? That’s exactly what I got last night in a small group bible study in my community. We are using Mark Batterson’s “All In” Curriculum, and it is so good.

Last night we did a chapter that left me pumped. If you have the resource, I urge you to go back and watch lesson three, it is incredibly uplifting, challenging, motivational and life changing. That is if you’re stuck anywhere on the way to your destiny.

Allow me to share with you a few lines from a commencements speech Mark Batterson gave several years ago. I hope you find in it the impetus to drive you toward setting and achieving your goals, reaching your dreams, and most importantly – diving deeper into the love of Christ.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at DEATH

Set God-size goals

Pursue God-ordained passion

Go after dreams that are destined to fail without divine intervention

keep asking questions

keep making mistakes

keep seeking God

Stop pointing out problems – become part of the solution

Stop repeating the past and start creating the future

Expand your horizon

Accumulate Experiences

Enjoy the journey

Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can

Live like today is the first and last day of your life

Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God.

Burn sinful bridges

Blaze new trails

Don’t let fear dictate your decisions

Take a flying leap of faith

Quit holding out – quit holding back

Push all of your chips to the middle of the table

It’s time to ante up all of your faith – it’s time to go all in – it’s time to go all out.

I encourage you today to – God do life big!

Theology Of The Body

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 1 Corinthians 6:12-16, 18-20 NLT

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead. Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

10 powerful Truths about the Body

Our bodies belong to the Lord. Verse 13

Our bodies are united with Christ… And if joined with him, are one in Spirit. Verse 15, 17

Our  bodies are affected by sin. Verse 18

Jesus paid a price for our bodies when he died on the cross. Verse 20

The Holy Spirit lives inside our bodies. Verse 19

God cares about our bodies.

We must not sin against and destroy our bodies.

God has deposited treasures in these jars of clay (our bodies). Though wasting away outwardly, we are being renewed inwardly.

It is God’s will for us to properly care for the body. Verse 12

Our bodies will be raised from the dead Verse 14

Let us, therefore, not develop habits that abuse and overindulge the body.

Let us love, nourish, and cherish our bodies to the glory of the Lord.

Let us offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to the Lord the Lord

Let us develop a healthy attitude toward the body. Because our point of view about the Body can shape the way we see it or treat.

How do you see your body? How has your viewpoint affected your attitude toward it?

God owns everything but these

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IMG_20140809_141736I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” (Psalms50:8-15 NLT)

I have always heard it said, “God doesn’t need anything from us.” But today I will shock you by telling you that is a false statement.

Even thought God owns everything, in His infinite wisdom, He has given away His ability to control, channel and use to His advantage many things. These we’ll discover shortly.

God is God and will have what He wants when He wants it. However, God will never demand our love, obedience, and affection. These must willingly be given to Him in view of His mercy and loving kindness.

1. The first thing God wants from us is our worship. “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God.” Worship is all about giving God what He doesn’t have. It is our thanksgiving, our adoration and our worship that God really wants.

2. The second thing God wants from us is our obedience. “keep the vows you made to the Most High.” Obedience is all about giving God what He doesn’t have. It is our devotion, our faithfulness and our obedience that God really wants.

3. The third thing God really wants from us is our affection.” Call on me when you are in trouble,” Affection is all about giving God what He doesn’t have.” It is our heart, our trust and our affection that God really wants.

This is the essence of worship. God is not crazy about the style of music we use in worship. He is not concerned about whether it’s old school or new school. Worship is more than just clapping or ‘lifting holy hands’ – it is deeper.

God wants worshipers who would worship in Spirit and Truth.

God wants obedience – because it is better than sacrifice.

God wants our affection – because He is a jealous God..

The Weakness of Great Men

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The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor. Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?

15 Statements About Gideon the Mighty Man of Valor. Judges 6

Sometimes great men are found in lowly places. See verse 11

Sometimes great men have a false sense of humility. See verses 12, 13

Sometimes great men doubt God and question His faithfulness. See verse 13

Sometimes great men fail to realize that it is only in their weakness that God shows up strong. See verse 15

Sometimes great men fail to realize that victory is only certain if God is in it. See verse 16

Sometimes great men don’t recognize their greatness. So they waste their time devoted to common and frivolous things. See verse 11, 14

Sometimes great men doubt their greatness even when repeatedly reminded. See verse 12

Sometimes great men lack perspective in difficult surroundings and circumstances. See verse 12

Sometimes great men just don’t have a clue of how to take next steps, push to next levels, step up to big things and seize opportunities. See verse 15

Sometimes great men fail to realize that they have everything they need for the task ahead. Sometimes all they need is just an idea. See verse 15

Sometimes insecurity is a stumbling block for great men. See verse 16, 17

Sometimes the only thing that is lacking in the lives of great men is a little perspective. See verse 22

Sometimes great men lack the courage and boldness to do great things for God. See verse 27

Sometimes great men have to take down high places in their lives to do great things for God. See verses 25-27

Sometimes great men have weak faith. But weak faith is still greater than no faith at all. See verses 36-40

Monday Night Meditation

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Your God has Summoned Power for you

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A few weeks ago Didi Higgins walked into our church with Breast Cancer. She shared her story with us and our hearts broke for her. A bunch of women gathered around her praying and crying over her. We put her on our prayer chain for continued prayer. Yesterday she showed up at church with a report from her doctor – cancer free. God healed her completely! I am so thankful to The Lord for his healing. And to Him be all the glory.

Psalm 68:28 says, “summon your power oh God. Show us your strength like you have done before.” In most Hebrew manuscripts, the phrase is – Your God has summoned power for you. So let it be tonight. That God’s power will heal, save and deliver everyone needing his mighty hand.