These past days I have pondered a number of blogs to share with you. My mind has entertained various thoughts that either blow my mind or would if I let them. I’ve been putting off writing “kingdom of priests part 2” for a little while now but not due to laziness. Instead, I’m getting lost in something a bit bigger or more urgent for the time being…and hopefully that stays. The kingdom is for a KING as are the priests. The rub is that I’m not really sure I know God as king.
Here are a few of my thoughts that I was going to expand into blogs for ya:
1. There are many facets of God or names of God that I know of but I don’t know Him as those names personally. God’s names reveal who He really is. While I can know about them or even tell you stories about how He embodied those characteristics for people in the bible or in my life, I often don’t know Him in that way. I guess the simplest way to express this would be by saying that most of my students in the Bering Sea last year know me as their teacher. However, they don’t know me as a brother or worshiper.
2. So often in Christian circles we sing songs about God. If we are honest, more of these songs have to do with us and what He has done for us than who He is. Our expression of worship is dropped into a fancy box of what He has done for us. Furthermore, nearly all of the time the words we sing aren’t even our own. They are from some dude we’ve never met and we rarely know the story that birthed the song. However, there are times when an individual or team can use these songs in an effective way and Spirit-led way to bring hearts into worship. I’ve been blessed to be around that in my life and yet I have found that even then the focus is often around inviting Him into our presence.
However, there is more. Worship is the heart’s response to His invitation into His presence.
It embodies the things He has done for us but that’s not the essence of it.
The essence is that He is worthy. Period! We could all go to Hell for the rest of eternity and it still wouldn’t change the fact that the best thing we could do with our lives would still be to praise Him with every breath just because He’s worthy of it. If we don’t the rocks will certainly cry out. The trees are going to clap their hands and the waves will bow down just like the mountains are going to flee from His presence. The stars currently sing and all creation waits and groans with bated expectancy for the king of kings (who is already seated on His thrown victoriously) to do what He has set to do…to become one with His bride forever. Worship ought to be the overflow of the heart in response to His love for us. Likewise, it is not our job to bring Him anywhere. He is already there! He’s just given us the opportunity to reveal to others where He already is.
3. In battle during the old testament times, the Israelite army would go out with the worshipers in the front. The Lord their Go before them and the worshipers were just following His presence…not bringing it. I’m sure you have all heard sermons about how worship is more than singing but how often do we sincerely check to see how well we worship Him in the little “insignificant” areas of our lives? Anyway, our team is going to be led to a few places this upcoming month which kind of excites me…
4. Talking about my new team, we could use continual prayer this month because if the worshipers were at the front in olden days, than they presumably still are in the spiritual realm. What exactly does that mean? Well, we could use prayer for unity considering we are all coming from different teams. God has put together a dangerous group of people and no doubt there will be earthly obstacles in our way…kinda like the undercover cops who stopped in for an extended visit to try to fine us tonight for something completely bogus. There is always a tendency in situations like this for pride, comparison, insecurities and to just go through the motions. For those who get past all of that and find a way to engage with Him in vulnerability, they must watch out that their hearts are guarded. The tendency to be vulnerable to Him and then walk away leaving your heart still vulnerable to whatever attack coming is always a possibility. Regardless…like I said we have a sweet team and I look forward to this month. It should be fun and it’s not about us.
5. Cameron was talking tonight about being a living sacrifice and the comment was made that we aren’t going to “burn” (or ignite) Germany; we are going to be burned by His all consuming fire in Germany. When we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice it is the scent of our old self burning and the fragrance of His sweet presence that attract others. We go to remain on the altar in hope that others will join us up there for His name’s sake.
I have other random tangents for you but I am going to save them for later. I have a few thoughts in my mind as to continue developing my discipline in various areas of my life and I could use your prayers and encouragement in doing so.
be blessed and be a blessing…
Be authentic
