While in Nelspruit, South Africa, we were able to attend a Vineyard church for Sunday morning’s worship service. They had a guest speaker in town who blew me away with his words about worship. Being a worship leader himself, he understands well the music and prayer portion of worship, but his point was mainly to understand that Christ is at the heart of worship. This seems so simple, I know, but a few profound words he said I will share with you as well as my thoughts on His words.
My first favorite saying he shared was “If your public ministry outshines your private ministry, you will have no ministry at all!” I have always known that quiet time was important, but the way he put it really put it in perspective for me. If I have no fire being produced from my time with the Lord, no passion for knowing Him or who He is in my life, how then can I share that with others? What I end up giving is myself and my strength versus His. No wonder so many of us fail in ministry when doing it in our own strength.
Second, “the purpose of man’s creation is to have God dwell in us”. If you really think about it, we don’t have to go anywhere to meet with God or find Him as His spirit dwells within us. The whole idea of quieting ones mind to hear Him makes perfect sense when you think of that fact that He is right there ready to talk, we just need to listen.
Thirdly, “we come to church to give worship, not to receive”. How many times do pastors preach about the importance of coming to church to be filled, yet, how many of us think that, just maybe, our job is to spill on others. I want to be filled in my private time and spill in public. We are meant to serve, use our gifts and yes, everyone should find out what their gift and calling is in the body and use it!
And last but not least, “Christianity is a response, not an initiative”. It is not that we do not hear God’s calling on our lives, it is more often, we do not choose to follow it. We need to begin choosing His plan A over our plan A and reap the reward for our obedience. This does not mean that trials will not come our way as trials are often a way to put our attention back on Him, but it does mean that we will be exactly where He wants us and that is the only place in life I want to be!
These next few weeks, team Luminous will be traveling all over South Africa doing whatever ministry Iris calls us to do! We need to learn to drop our own plans and let His take priority. Our desires for His. Our wants for those of others. Please pray we would be humble, ready to serve, love others more than ourselves, and grow more and more in love with Him with every passing day!
To Christ by the Glory!
