The first element of being thankful is to remember. When you look back over the last week, month, year, or 10 years what do you have to be thankful for. When we remember and reflect on what God has done in our lives it helps us to see how much God truly does love us. Over the last week I am thankful for antibiotics that God gave wisdom to man to create and I am thankful that people are helping to get our 2 children home from Ethiopia. Over the last month I am thankful for the way God created the trees to change colors in the fall. Over the last year... there are too many things to list here. I can think of warm days, cool days, my family, my wife, the people of our church, sunsets, Joy, strength, forgiveness, love, a loving church, a great community, and of course a savior who loves me more than I know and can possibly imagine. When I reflect and remember all that God has done and is doing, it helps me to put things into perspective.
Remember and reflect today on all that God has done.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Are You An Extravagant Worshipper?
Sitting in the elevated choir loft, the woman awaited service to begin. She had been singing in choirs and on worship teams for as long as she could remember. She loved the Lord and music was a wonderful avenue God gave her to praise him. However, on this morning, her mind was elsewhere. Stressful circumstances had plagued her life for the last year and slowly, it seemed, she had drifted a ways back from the constant following of the Lord. Her commitment was steady and her service unchanged, but her heart was wounded and her mind unrenewed. Singing in the choir and leading in worship had become quite mechanical and dutiful. She would never consider doing anything else, but there was no joy, no newness to her church experience.
As she sat, watching the crowds of people mingling about the sanctuary, she suddenly felt a chilling breeze blow over her. She shivered, wondering why they had the air-conditioner so high. Just as suddenly, a voice spoke beside her. Looking over into the empty seat, she recognized the voice as that of her Shepherd. It had been so long since she heard Him that it startled her and she jumped up in fright. Gathering herself, she sat back down and forced her mind and spirit quiet to listen to the Holy Spirit.
“My child,” He spoke. “What’s that in your hand?” She thought only of the choir book they all carried, but as she opened her ringing hands, there sat a beautiful gold box. “It’s a box, I guess, Lord.” She prayed within her. “I don’t know where it came from.” The firm, loving voice came again. “When the time comes this morning in worship, I want you to open it.” She remained silent and His presence left.
The service opened with the choir singing an old hymn with a new beat. The church began to awake as the power in the music beckoned them to worship. Some stood, some sat. Some clapped, some lifted hands. As the woman sang the alto harmony she had learned in choir practice that week, she began to lull back into the monotony of the Sunday morning ritual. She almost forgot of her encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Announcements and offering went by and the pastor beckoned the people into worship. The choir stood, the worship team stood, the instrumentalists poised to begin. It was a well-run machine. They began with the upbeat, driving sound of praise. The choir swayed in unison, the congregation sang. As practiced, the team transitioned right into the second song without changing keys. The words were powerful, speaking of the greatness and the holiness of the Lord. She sang, she smiled, she even raised a hand, but her mind was far away.
Again the voice came, “Daughter!” She startled and stopped singing. The voice was so loud; she was amazed at the oblivion of everyone around her. “The time is come. Open the box,” the Holy Spirit instructed. She held the box up, turning it slowly, observing its appearance.
“I can’t,” she whispered. “It’s too costly.”
Again He spoke, “Open the box. Now is the time.”
“What will people think?” she wondered. “I can’t open the box. It’s too much, too excessive, too valuable.”
“Obey me, My Daughter,” was the simple reply. His presence left again and the woman stood, confounded and unsure.
Suddenly, the weight of the year without the Lord close by overtook her. She looked at her beautiful box and knew what she had to do. As the band played and the choir sang, the woman lifted her box, her alabaster box, and broke it before the Lord. Costly perfume poured from the box as she lifted her hands in adoration. She moved from her assigned place of worship and began to sing and dance before the Lord. The perfume fell as she worshipped in spirit and in truth, pushing all other thoughts and concerns away. Her Lord deserved worship and she was overcome by His presence. Tears began to fall, as did the chains that kept her in bondage for that entire year. God’s ear was bent low as He listened and watched His precious daughter worshipping with extravagance, pouring out the perfume from her alabaster box.
An anointed wind swept through the church. As the Holy Spirit descended on the people, many ran to the altars in repentance. Men, women and children fell under the power of the Glory and extravagant worship broke out all over the room. The blind could see, the lame could walk…mighty miracles took place all at one time. As the woman stood at the front, the Holy Spirit again came.
“You obeyed and the Father stood at attention. His Glory came because of your extravagant worship.” As she heard Him pass her by, the familiar fragrance filled her senses. It was that of her alabaster box.
As she sat, watching the crowds of people mingling about the sanctuary, she suddenly felt a chilling breeze blow over her. She shivered, wondering why they had the air-conditioner so high. Just as suddenly, a voice spoke beside her. Looking over into the empty seat, she recognized the voice as that of her Shepherd. It had been so long since she heard Him that it startled her and she jumped up in fright. Gathering herself, she sat back down and forced her mind and spirit quiet to listen to the Holy Spirit.
“My child,” He spoke. “What’s that in your hand?” She thought only of the choir book they all carried, but as she opened her ringing hands, there sat a beautiful gold box. “It’s a box, I guess, Lord.” She prayed within her. “I don’t know where it came from.” The firm, loving voice came again. “When the time comes this morning in worship, I want you to open it.” She remained silent and His presence left.
The service opened with the choir singing an old hymn with a new beat. The church began to awake as the power in the music beckoned them to worship. Some stood, some sat. Some clapped, some lifted hands. As the woman sang the alto harmony she had learned in choir practice that week, she began to lull back into the monotony of the Sunday morning ritual. She almost forgot of her encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Announcements and offering went by and the pastor beckoned the people into worship. The choir stood, the worship team stood, the instrumentalists poised to begin. It was a well-run machine. They began with the upbeat, driving sound of praise. The choir swayed in unison, the congregation sang. As practiced, the team transitioned right into the second song without changing keys. The words were powerful, speaking of the greatness and the holiness of the Lord. She sang, she smiled, she even raised a hand, but her mind was far away.
Again the voice came, “Daughter!” She startled and stopped singing. The voice was so loud; she was amazed at the oblivion of everyone around her. “The time is come. Open the box,” the Holy Spirit instructed. She held the box up, turning it slowly, observing its appearance.
“I can’t,” she whispered. “It’s too costly.”
Again He spoke, “Open the box. Now is the time.”
“What will people think?” she wondered. “I can’t open the box. It’s too much, too excessive, too valuable.”
“Obey me, My Daughter,” was the simple reply. His presence left again and the woman stood, confounded and unsure.
Suddenly, the weight of the year without the Lord close by overtook her. She looked at her beautiful box and knew what she had to do. As the band played and the choir sang, the woman lifted her box, her alabaster box, and broke it before the Lord. Costly perfume poured from the box as she lifted her hands in adoration. She moved from her assigned place of worship and began to sing and dance before the Lord. The perfume fell as she worshipped in spirit and in truth, pushing all other thoughts and concerns away. Her Lord deserved worship and she was overcome by His presence. Tears began to fall, as did the chains that kept her in bondage for that entire year. God’s ear was bent low as He listened and watched His precious daughter worshipping with extravagance, pouring out the perfume from her alabaster box.
An anointed wind swept through the church. As the Holy Spirit descended on the people, many ran to the altars in repentance. Men, women and children fell under the power of the Glory and extravagant worship broke out all over the room. The blind could see, the lame could walk…mighty miracles took place all at one time. As the woman stood at the front, the Holy Spirit again came.
“You obeyed and the Father stood at attention. His Glory came because of your extravagant worship.” As she heard Him pass her by, the familiar fragrance filled her senses. It was that of her alabaster box.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
My Devotion for the day
I posted on my blog this morning something similar to this. It was my devotion for the day that I just finished reading. Click on the link and read. Very timely!
It Only Takes a Few
Kenneth Copeland
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
– 2 Chronicles 7:14
You may be thinking, "Can a few people like us actually change the whole nation?"
Let me ask you this: Can one demonic person change a nation for the worse? Definitely. Hitler did it in Germany, didn't he?
If the devil's power resting on a man can change a nation for the worse, you can be sure that a group of men and women with God's power resting on them can change a nation for the better.
No nation is so far gone that God can't change it. Israel proved that. Why, even when it didn't exist, the devil couldn't destroy it. God raised it back up before His very eyes.
I want you to notice something in that scripture. It says, "If MY people, which are called by MY name...." God didn't say it would take everybody in the nation to get things turned around. He said, "If MY people...."
Notice also that He didn't say, "If my people will get out there and sign petitions and drum up a majority vote...." He said, "Pray." In other words, we're going to have to quit trying to work this thing out by ourselves. God Himself will do the healing in this land. Our job is to pray, to believe and to seek His face. Seek Him today.
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:1-16
It Only Takes a Few
Kenneth Copeland
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
– 2 Chronicles 7:14
You may be thinking, "Can a few people like us actually change the whole nation?"
Let me ask you this: Can one demonic person change a nation for the worse? Definitely. Hitler did it in Germany, didn't he?
If the devil's power resting on a man can change a nation for the worse, you can be sure that a group of men and women with God's power resting on them can change a nation for the better.
No nation is so far gone that God can't change it. Israel proved that. Why, even when it didn't exist, the devil couldn't destroy it. God raised it back up before His very eyes.
I want you to notice something in that scripture. It says, "If MY people, which are called by MY name...." God didn't say it would take everybody in the nation to get things turned around. He said, "If MY people...."
Notice also that He didn't say, "If my people will get out there and sign petitions and drum up a majority vote...." He said, "Pray." In other words, we're going to have to quit trying to work this thing out by ourselves. God Himself will do the healing in this land. Our job is to pray, to believe and to seek His face. Seek Him today.
Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:1-16
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