Worship: A Call for the Passionate

I have always been fascinated with the story of Jacob and Esau. The word of God says in Malachi 1:2-3 '...was not Esau Jacob's brother? Yet the Lord said I have loved Jacob, but hated Esau....' Why do you think that was? Jacob was shrewd and unscrupulous, he deceived his father for the blessing, he obtained the birthrite from Esau selling him out for a bowl of soup, he obviously never got the worse of a bargain as even in the case of Laban (his father in law) he gained much fortune at Laban's expense (Gen 30: 36-43). Esau on the other hand was a good guy, very manly and strong. He was the favourite of his father, and never did anything bad. Yet God loved Jacob and hated Esau. Why? The answer is this; Jacob appreciated what God had to give while Esau was indifferent. To be indifferent is to show no care or concern in attitude or action, to have a lack of interest and in Hebrews 12:15-17 such an attitude is likened to the sexually immoral '...See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.'

Jacob wrestled with an Angel of God. Genesis 22:24-28 '...I will not let you go unless you bless me...' Jacob was unreserved and determined in seeking God, and getting from God His best. He loved God wholeheartedly and passionately, to the point of being shrewd enough in getting something that was never intended for him.

During the past week, God has been speaking to me ever so clearly about being lukewarm as Christians. To be neither hot nor cold, but to be a little bit of both. To be indifferent, much like Esau whom God hated! It's scary to think that a good majority of Christians in today’s society have become lukewarm and indifferent, and I am guilty in being one of such. Lukewarmness to me speaks of a Christian who easily compromises his values to accommodate the world’s values, who gives God just enough to still be good, just enough to make it into heaven. Someone who is comfortable and complacent in just being good enough. But God says in Rev 3: 16 'So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.' Wow!!!! This doesn't sound like a good thing to me, what do you think? I know I don't really want God to spit me out of His mouth.

The thing is, there is so much more that God wants to give us, so much that he has in store for us, that if we only give him our all, and seek after him, just like Jacob- passionately and without giving up even if if it means walking with a permanent limp after. Why do we choose to settle for little when we could have it all – the birthrite, the blessing, the descendants and the nations? Christians!!! Settle for nothing less than God's best! He has called us into a relationship with him where we cannot be lukewarm, He himself says that we need to be hot, to be passionate, to be fervent; for anything less He is disgusted with!! To the point where He will spit us out of His mouth. I can then make this link, that to truly worship God requires this total surrender of ourselves.

The web defines worship as 'to regard with ardent or adoring esteem or devotion, to have or express feelings of profound adoration'. To worship surpasses giving praise or thanksgiving. It is not the singing of hymns or spiritual songs. It is the attitude we have when we come before Him. Worship is when we past the gates of thanksgiving and the courts of praise and enter in the most holy place. In the Old Covenant, only the priest entered into the Most Holy Place. But now, through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the curtain has been torn and we can enter into the manifest presence of God in an attitude of worship. What is this attitude of worship? It is to come humbly, to bend your head low, or to bend upper body forward and stretch out our hands, it is to prostrate oneself before a Holy God. It is a heart bowed low in the presence of God, a heart totally surrendered, uninhibited and on fire for the King of Kings.

It takes this sort of relationship with God for us to worship. It saddens my heart to see our young people during sessions of praise and worship, who can only clap their hands and sing, but who hesitate to lift their hands, bow down and worship their King. Where is the relationship? As a worship leader my heart cries out to God for His people to know him intimately, more than you know your mom, dad, or husband, the intimacy he calls us to surpasses that. I think if Esau realized the blessing he had and the God he served, a bowl of soup would not be that appealing even in extreme hunger. My encouragement is for you to pursue more of God for He promises in Proverbs 8:17 'I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.' If you don't have that passion burning in your heart and that love relationship, I don't think you have truly found all of Him, for all of Him will leave you prostrate in worship before the living God.

A team building thing

It's funny how God provides avenues for you to express yourself, even when these avenues require an expression you never knew you needed to express. On two occasions within the month of September I have trained with New Generation Ministries in Team Building and Challenge Course Facilitating. New Generation Ministries is a full time ministry that has exciting and adventurous Christian summer camps every year for kids between the ages of 8-17. They also have a challenge course and a group of team building facilitators that takes corporate and school groups through activities that will build leadership and team building skills. Whether it is climbing high walls, or jumping ropes, or swinging through a row of tire swings, New Generation has a bunch of exhilarating group activities.

I went to two schools in September, St. Andrew High School (my alma mata) and Campion College. Gosh! It is so thrilling to work with young people, to take them through various challenges and see how they work through it together. How they analyze situations, and give their different viewpoints. It has been challenging when they are disagreements or disgruntlement's within this group, but I find it a good challenge to be able to manage that, being able to pull from within myself and solve a situation, to reason out a feeling with a group , and to get people to express their feelings, positive or negative. I am looking forward to growing with New Generation, and to continue to have this opportunity to develop and train various groups. What a marvelous avenue to express my leadership, my ability to work with people, my ability to gain their confidence in me as a leader/facilitator, and to have a blast doing it!!

Christian Apologetics

Why do you believe what you believe? Gosh!!! this class is great!

So we're doing this class, and we all had to write a paper saying why we believe. It was so fantastic having to pull my brain, and really think deeply about this. I realize that all this time my reasons for believing is because 'Jesus loves me and the bible tells me so', nothing more nothing less. Goodness!!! I was so naive and ignorant. I encourage you all to think a little deeper.

here is a snidbit on the final paper that i did for this class:

My first reason is that the Bible is full of fulfilled prophecies, making it the only book that has prophecies that have been fulfilled, and have more to come. But although the bible has 66 books all written by different people at different times, it comes together to form one book that flows. Jesus was prophesied about in the psalms and in genesis, which were both written well before the new testament where the prophecy was fulfilled. The author of the Bible is truly divine, explaining why there is such historical, prophetic and doctrinal congruency.

What I love about Christianity is that it is relational. It is not a set of laws to follow, but it is more importantly a loving relationship that you have with a great big God, who loves you unconditionally. Jesus coming to earth is a historical fact. It is factual that He died, and He was seen again after; that He spoke the words that He did. And I would be foolish not to believe Him, when such a sign, and such a man has never walked this earth before. Any other world religion works out their salvation through works, but my salvation with Christ is received by HIs grace and mercy, not of works so that no man can boast. This salvation is a gift from God, and not something that we have earned by our deeds or actions. Would not we all want to believe in a God who does not care what you've been or what you've done, but who loves you despite all. And though undeserving He gives limitlessly.

it continues....but didn't want to kill you with information :-)