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6/26/2013 0 Comments Have Thine WayÂ "Have Thine Way" is a popular hymn that many of us have sung or heard in our lifetime. This hymn is from the passage of scripture from Jeremiah 18:3, "So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him." The history of this song is found with Adelaide A. Pollard, a hymn writer, was hoping to go to Africa as a missionary but found herself unable to raise the needed funds to make the journey. Discouraged, she attended prayer meeting one evening in 1902. There an old woman prayed: "Lord, it doesn't matter what you bring into our lives--just have your way with us." The words sank home. Adelaide went home. She meditated on the old woman's prayer and on Bible texts in Jeremiah 18:3,4 and Isaiah which referred to God as a potter. As a result, she wrote a hymn which millions have sung: Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still. How many of us understand the frustration of Adelaide, we have so many plans and desires but they seem to not come together. Often into our lives come discouragements and heartaches that we cannot understand. As children of God, however, we must learn never to question the ways of our sovereign God—but simply to say: Have Thine Way. Her words here teach us that we are clay in the Master Potter’s hands. Although it may be challenging, when we submit to the Potter’s touch, we experience the joy of his perfect will. Are you willing to be shaped for God’s use? If so, the first step is to trust Jesus, as your Savior and Lord. The choice is yours!! If you have failed to cooperate with the divine Potter, it is not too late for you to be made into a useful vessel if you will yield to Him. On this Worship Wednesday surrender all to Him and let His will be your will in all ways. Let him "Have His Way". Enter into Worship
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6/19/2013 0 Comments Will You Trust Me?But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand. ~ Psalm 31:14-15  Why is it that the slightest crisis can so easily effect our hope and trust in God? We often put our trust issues with man off on God. And trust is needed to ignite God’s power and it is the one thing we refuse to fully render. No one sets out to un-trust God. But it happens. In the turbulence and trials of everyday life our trust doesn’t always survive the ride. But that’s okay—you are not alone. King David's life was filled with troubles that made him a man of sorrows. David acknowledged that his own afflictions were warranted by his own sins. And David's friends were not much help, they did not give him any assistance. So let us not think it strange if we are deserted, but we have to know that we have a friend in heaven who will not fail or leave us. David knew this, he was no fair-weather believer, he could hold to his faith and worship God in the most difficult of times. David said with his eloquence: "You are my God." That one statement has such sweetness in it. This kind of faith, worship and dedication that is shown here is what God is looking for to bring the speedy deliverance that you need. God will be sure to order and give all His best to those who commit their spirits into his hand. The time of life is in God's hands, to lengthen or shorten, make bitter or sweet. Every aspect of our life happens according to His will. The way of man is not in himself, nor in our friend's hands, nor in our enemies' hands, but in God's. In this faith and confidence is what the Lord is seeking. But do you trust God in every aspect and season of your life? God is saying that we need to be more like David. David was literally running for his life, and yet he was able to say, “But I trust in you, O LORD.” He was able to also say “my times are in your hands”. Whether I live or die today Lord, it is all with you. Easy to say, hard to really live and feel. And yet, in verse 23 and 24 we are told that “the Lord preserves the faithful” and to “be strong and take heart all you who hope in the Lord.” What great words to cling to today. Love the Lord, He will preserve you, be strong and take heart. Because you are God’s, and because God is yours, then trust and worship in Him at all times. Today, ask the Lord to help you to be strong. So often we get overwhelmed with all the tomorrows that need worrying about but on this Worship Wednesday stop and reflect on His goodness and mercy. Be thankful for the goodness of today, for the freedoms of today, for the gift of today. Ask Him to make you strong and take heart this day to love, praise, worship and trust Him despite the circumstances. 6/12/2013 0 Comments I Am Listening  This week I have been hearing in the Spirit that there is a major disconnect between the believer and God. It seems we are so busy trying to live purposeful and meaningful lives that we are missing the call and instructions as to how to live this fulfilled life many of us seek. Yesterday, on Intercession Tuesday we prayed to "Hear The Voice of God". Today, on this Worship Wednesday, we will discover that "worship" is an effective tool to listen and tune into the voice of our loving Father. 1 Samuel 3 gives us an account of how the Lord calls Samuel several times and he was confused and thought it was the High Priest Eli calling him, but it was the Lord. It reads as follows, "The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the Lord called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." Notice the bible says, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening…not Listen Lord for your servant is speaking.” Is it possible to be always in the temple, spending our lives in the church…and yet miss listening to the voice of God. Is it possible that God is trying to speak to us and we’re just not sure if it is Him as Samuel? Listening to the voice of God is the most active, most participatory part of any believer. Listening doesn’t always mean quietness, but is always requires being attentive. And our senses during worship are more drawn to spiritual things. In the midst of a powerful song, God may speak to you about something in your life. In the midst of a worship, your mind may be drawn to something the Spirit is trying to speak to you. Go with in and be like Samuel and tell Him you're listening. Listening is not about the song, but an encounter with God and tuning in to the Spirit. I would say that worship involves us listening to God and then responding back to God. Its like making music. Today, in your worship ask God to speak to you and be an active participant in the conversation. Whatever He says to you, make the declaration "I will Listen". "It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men." -- C.S. Lewis 6/5/2013 0 Comments My Everything  People love to say that haters are their motivators. I don't give haters that much credit. My love for God, His Son Jesus and the Person of the Holy Spirit motivates me. When I think on the goodness and all that he has done for me, it sends me into complete and a total praise. Because without Him I could not and would not have made it thus far. He has given us that which we don’t deserve: eternal love, the Holy Spirit, His son Jesus, eternal grace, peace that surpasses all understanding, unspeakable joy, redeeming faith, comfort, strength, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, glory, honor, security, forgiveness, reconciliation, intercession, justification, sanctification, freedom, eternal life and so much more. The knowledge and understanding of these incredible gifts should motivate us to pour forth praise and thanksgiving, in other words, worship! Worship is a time when we pay deep, sincere, awesome respect, love, and fear to the one who created, protected and loved us and for being the one who we can depend and lean on. Psalms 18:2 says, The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. One writer says about Psalms 18, "This Psalm breathes the atmosphere of extemporaneous praise" (W. T. Purkiser). In no place in this passage, does David express anything but praise and adoration for God. He never takes personal credit, He say, "I will praise you among the nations". "I will sing praises to your name". And it is certainly appropriate, at this point, after remembering everything God has don, after remembering all the times that God has delivered him. After remembering all the times that God intervened with strength and power, after remembering all the times that God strengthened him for the battles, it is appropriate to lift his voice and sing praises to the One who has made all this possible. With that, I challenge you on this Worship Wednesday, during your time of personal prayer and devotion to take out a piece of paper and a pen and begin to look back over your life. Think back about those times that God was with you. Think back about those times that God answered your prayers. Think back about those times that God spoke to you. Think back about those times that God intervened in your life and begin to write about it! Don’t worry if you aren’t a skilled poet like David. But just write down your praise to God…let it flow from your heart. Let Jesus know that you love Him and let Him know why and do it on paper. It will be meaningful to Him and you, to know that He is "Your Everything". |
What is Worship?
The Apostle Paul described true worship perfectly in Romans 12:1:
“I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship." Worship is first of all an experience. It may express itself through certain forms, but it is not primarily a form. It is an experience. It is a consciousness of the presence of God and a response to that consciousness. Worship expresses itself as an outreach of the deepest emotions of the soul in adoration, reverence, homage, exaltation, and praise to the Almighty. We hope that our Worship Wednesday creates a deeper more meaningful worship experience for you. Visit our other inspirational blog
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