1)And so my week was unbelievably good- like everything good that can happen, did happen. But somehow, i didn't feel the way i was supposed to. Felt kind of emotionless? Like the bookmark charis showed me- all i felt was happiness not joy. I didn't quite get what i missed. But i guess i know now that really if i let God be part of my life, i'm not gonna live it to the fullest. Cos He wants to be our life, our everything.
2)Pastor Bro (heh)
"Worship Amidst Adversity
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks." John 4:23
What does it mean to worship in spirit? In the very next verse (v. 24), Jesus says that "God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." In other words, the only way we can worship God, who is spirit, is in the spirit! Worshipping in the spirit is as opposed to worshipping in the natural. When we worship in the natural, we're aware of the problems and difficulties that exist in the natural. We get distracted and we tend to wander. We lose focus of God. Instead of worshipping Him with all our hearts, we become half-hearted worshippers. We allow worries, anxieties, struggles, pain to come in and keep us from the truth. So, to worship in the spirit quite literally means to put the natural aside, to lay all these down at the foot of the cross and say 'God, You and I know I've got problems. But You know what? I'm not gonna let them keep me from worshipping You. I'm gonna give you whole-hearted worship. I'm not gonna keep any part of myself from You. All I am, all I have is Yours.'
In the previous paragraph, I talked about allowing problems to come in that keep us from the truth. What truth's that, you may wonder. That's the second part of the verse, really. To worship God in truth. Many times, when we're going through trials and tribulations, difficult situations and circumstances, we tend to develop temporary selective amnesia about the nature of God. We forget His goodness, we forget His grace, His mercy, His lovingkindness. We forget how great our God is! We get sidetracked and begin to focus on our seemingly overwhelming circumstances instead of focusing on our overwhelming God who's above every circumstance! The truth is that no matter whats going on in our lives, God's still on the throne, He's still in control, and He's still worthy of our praise and worship. That's the truth, and the only truth we need to know! So to worship God in truth means simply to acknowledge and remember this truth that HE IS GOD and worship God simply for the fact that He is!
Of course this doesn't just mean that we don't get sidetracked when times are good too. Many times, when things are going well, it's easier to worship in the natural and in our current false sense of security! (See! It's neither in spirit nor in truth.) So even when times are good, we have to guard against that and still remember to worship in spirit and in truth. But more often than not, it's much harder to worship God during bad times. Have you ever noticed that? Or is it just me again? I'm quite sure it's a universal feeling. But it's precisely during this times, I've realised, that the most beautiful and anointed worship comes forth. I believe it is this sort of worship, a worship that comes amidst adversity, that is especially precious to God. In fact, if I may deign to say, it blesses the heart of God when He hears us worship Him even though things aren't going well! And it causes Him to move on our behalf in an especially powerful way.
Now I'm not saying that God's this sadistic psychopath who loves to see us in pain and suffering and call out to Him. But like I said earlier on, it blesses His heart because you've become the kind of worshipper He's looking for!
An excellent example of this that I've found is the not too recent recording by CFNI called All The Riches of You. The worship leader, Keith Hulen, had just lost his wife to a long battle with cancer. And yet in the album, he sings with such great passion about the joy of the Lord, the blessings of God, the goodness of God. There is such a tangible anointing that I feel listening to the album. The songs are great, that's for sure, but behind the songs, there's the heart of a true worshipper. A worshipper that worships God in spirit and in truth. A worship that says 'God, You're worthy of my worship, no matter what! And so I'm gonna give you all my worship no matter what as well!' So, to conclude, a question. Not just for you but for me as well. Am I the kind of worshipper God seeks? Do I worship God in spirit and in truth? If you are, keep at it. God's blessed by your worship. And He's moving on your behalf!
One day, when we're all in heaven, it'll no longer be a problem. When that day comes, we'll all be falling down before God in awe of His beauty and majesty and holiness and there will be no room and no opportunity for 'fake' worship. But till that day comes, by God's grace, we will strive to be worshippers who worship in spirit and in truth. "
3)Pastor Oon
"Prayer is the occupation of the soul with needs.
Praise is the occupation of the soul with blessing.
Worship is the occupation of the soul with God Himself."
4)How great is our God. We all know that "too well". In the past i used to think of doubt as not trusting that God is bigger than my circumstances. But i've realised, way above tt, many of us (me at least) doubt/fear, not just because we don't "know" that our God is big and nothing is impossible with him, but cos we fear that that great big woah woah God doesn't care enough for us or even, might just forget us while he's busy settling the "more righteous" kids' problems.
But why should we call Him our God if he is really what we often misunderstand Him for when things don't go our way?
A god that condemns? A god that laughs at your misery? A god that is indifferent to injustice? A god that is exclusive/shows favoritism? A god that is so far away? A god that turns a deaf ear when we cry out to him? A god that you cannot depend on? A god that leaves you to die at a roadblock when it gets too "tough"? (If anything's too tough for a god then why call him god anyway) A god that doesn't really care about you- just wants to exploit you for his agenda and throw you aside once he's done. I mean, he CAN do that. Besides, he has all the power to strike you dead with a lightning or punish you severely when you've gone too far. But why should i call Him my god if he didn't love or care for me?
What kind of God would you want to serve? cos He's it. (:
5)Jesus i surrender by Jeff Deyo / Jonathan Lee
Here at your feet
I'll always be
With the angels
Crying holy
There's not one thing
That means as much to me
As you my God
As you my king
Here in the darkness
I lift my eyes to you
Your light comes shining thru'
Jesus I surrender
I draw nearer
I fall down
Master, be my Savior
Be my shelter
Be my God
Here at Your feet
I'll always be
With the angels
Crying holy
There 's no one else
Who can compare to You
The righteous one
The perfect Son
Here in the silence
I hear you speak my name
And i cry out to You
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