Worship Blog 101

Worship is the thing we do.
Worship defines who we are.
Worship depicts the place (of our heart) - where we are.

Bottom line: Worship is a posture of the heart. A decision made. A choice to exalt & lift His name on high.


Okay, let's get into is a little bit; we worship because we were made to worship. God, who created the heavens & the earth did make us in His image which is great, but along with that He gave us one powerful & yet amazing weapon. The ability to worship.

The key here is that we begin to look like what we worship. Which is why, when believers worship Him. Then we begin to be like him. NOT be Him, be like Him. The temptation is - sometimes, even though we don't realize it, to want to be worshiped. Just like it happened to the devil. The problem with the devil was that he was a murderer from the get go. So essentially, his future was shot from the start.

And see, the beautiful part of our story is that our future is NOT shot. Our future is bright! God, making us in His image. He has given us the ability to choose. We choose to worship Him. No matter what. That's a choice that no one, not even the evil can take away. We may lose our houses or our health, we may lose those nearest to us; but somehow we cannot ever lose the ability to choose to worship our creator.

Two main ways of how real worship is done.

One: In Spirit.
Two: In Truth.

One main reason for our inspiration.

A heart of thankfulness. Recognizing what He has done. Salvation He fills us with Power, He gives us His Grace, His Faith. He fills us with His Spirit. He gives us all that we need. Therefore we bow & lift our hearts in song & worship Him. When we begin to get to know Him more, a desire to worship Him will grow. You cannot worship what you don't know. Get to know Him. 

For me, I am most free, when I worship Him. I can get lost in a couple of words that describe Him over & over - because He is good. Really, He commands our love & devotion because He is very passionate about us. He loves us. And desires that we go ahead & experience His Joy, His Life. His Power, His Love!

So, when we choose to worship Him, things not explained begin to happen in the spiritual realm. Beautiful things really. Crazy things like: Freedom, Joy, Peace, Hope that fills our hearts, & the list goes on & on. Things that are counter opposite of the world. Instead of control, fear & manipulation. We get all these things that represent the essence of who He is. So it's quite an amazing thing overall. We worship Him, we become like Him. Look like Him, talk like Him, love like Him. We then sacrifice like Him. And see, I deeply believe a supernatural key for us to enter into His presence personally but also as a body of believers is to apply Romans 12:1 in our lives.

1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

In Spirit & in truth. This is how to worship Him. This is the way to worship Him. Let's do just that!!!

Prayer:

Father, thank You for all that You have done. We do bow our hearts & present our bodies a living sacrifice that is pleasing to You. We honor You & worship You. And receive the calling you have given us, to worship the one & only true God. And let your light shine through how we worship You always!! In Jesus' name. Amen.

A Visit, From The King

Listening to: Bethel (spontaneous song) 


"...and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." (Gen.32:22-31)

As I listened to this man I spoke with this morning. A man of God, a pastor friend of mine - we spoke and shared life a bit. He talked with me about the man that I am. And he said, "You are like a man that walks with a limp, & you need to rejoice in that."

Funny thing is, in conversation with the LORD earlier this week, I mentioned to Him, "God I feel like Jacob. Like I am a man that walks with a limp." There is a reason, why I feel like this is important to share. That reason is simply because there is something special that happens to all of us when we get wounded out of prevailing. I will explain this point further in the next few sections. 

What I believe that happened to Jacob was simply a metaphor for all of us that says, 

Yes at some points you will be alone, but please realize that you are not alone. I am here with you. And we are engaged in a match of life. I have called you with a purpose. I lead, you follow. I direct, you obey. I love, you respond. I am here to take you on a journey & even if I have to slay you/wound you. It is only a necessary thing that needs to happen. I made you. I know you. I have a plan that is good & not evil for you...

Seeing God face to face means. Being stripped away of the things that are attached to us; to our hearts so closely, & yet do not need to be there. A death of self.

The encounter that our father Jacob had with the angel & prevailed depicts an attitude that says, I will not let go. I will not let up until I have received all the promises of God. He did not let the odds or chances of winning deter his focus on the promise Giver. He went after God with all His heart & held on to Him for dear life. I wonder, truly - I do wonder; if we had as much resolve & determination as Jacob did... where would we be? Maybe in a land, called "Greater Works." This would be a place where Jesus said we'd be at. Doing greater works than He did.

Ah yes. Speaking of land. I also spoke with my Dad this morning & shared with him that lately I've been thinking of how important it is to consider what it is to own some land. Basically what I am meaning is with double expression to both physical & spiritual application. Furthermore, land can have precious minerals, valuables, & can be cultivated. To me, owning land means a type of richness. Now spiritually speaking - how much land do you own? Where have you set your feet upon? Doesn't God say that where ever you set your feet upon, it shall be yours? Where have you become an owner of? Is it Peniel - a place where you have met God?

Right where you are. Wherever life may have brought you to. Or perhaps there may even be circumstances that you are in because of some poor choices you have made in the past. Can I say something as you have already graciously allowed me to do so - stop focusing on what has happened in the past. And start centering your focus on the Center of the universe, Christ Himself. Know that you have prevailed in your surrender, as little of a thing that it may seem to you. The point is that surrender has begun, & believe you me. He will touch your hip, to remind you who you have met. This, all this - yes, this type of encounter with God is meant for your freedom. For freedom's sake once & for all! (See Gal. 5:1)

As a loving Father, that God is to us His children. He loves & disciplines us when we don't even really know we are getting out of line. He loves us. 

God is love. And we are wholly His. No devil can say or do anything to counter that we belong to God. Children of the Light. In a crazy wrestling match for Truth, the Blessing of God most High. And our eager display of response to His crazy & amazing love that keeps on coming is all a part of His plan. A love story indeed. A visit from the King will change us. It will change everything, including the 'way we walk' & even how we see life with the vision that's been given us, even up to daybreak!

Prayer:

Father God, continue to show up in our lives like You already do. Devastate us as you must, so that we can be ruined for anything else other than You. Woo us. Pursue us. And fill us again with a fresh touch & a new infilling of Your Holy Spirit. That we may be empowered believers & walk out the rest of our days differently, like You've called us to do so. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen.