Thoughts About Worship in 2008

So I've been reading through my old journal in 2008 and came across some juicy goodness. . . check it. . .

"When we play and sing to God the fragrance of our lives, how we live and honor God come out not just in the words we sing or the music we play, but our very spirit releases things.

During the week and each day remember that we live before the Lord and are being made every day into the people He has for us and desires for us to be. Don't loose sight of how valuable daily activity is! This activity is how we form habits, and mindsets. We are MOLDED in the daily.

What kind of fragrance are you releasing when you sing and play? Does it draw people to God or to yourself? Daily choices effect future choices, no fear, just sobriety. God is sovereign and full of grace, but don't use Gods grace for an excuse to compromise. We have FREEDOM and liberty, if we use it for things that that harm us it is no longer freedom.

It all comes out of LOVE and relationship with Jesus. Once we know God and His heart we will want to live rightly. It's not a works thing, but rather a relationship thing. If you find out your best friend does not like to do something because it brings them grief you would most likely not do that thing because you don't want to hurt your friend because you love them so much (you honor them and are sensitive to them ). Same thing with God :) Sin brings distance between us and Him. YES, WE can effect the emotions of the eternal God!!

Are we being thoughtful to Him in our daily lives? Do we give Him a chance to speak, to embrace us, or do we keep Him locked up in religious contexts? Do we limit Him?

Where are the places God longs to meet with you in? Do you know His burning love for you when you're washing dishes, talking with a friend, eating dinner, driving in your car? Do you know His delight for you then?"

Hope you enjoyed some if LIfe's Extraordinary Dialog from 2008 :)

India!

So! It I have an opportunity to go to central and northern India this June for 2 weeks. Right now the first trip consists of ministering to women who are pastor's wives. Our main reason for invitation is to teach them how to lead worship in their church as well as discovering the depths of intimacy with God through worship. In addition to this we are also bringing the truth of the value of women. Many still are getting out of the mindset of being equal to livestock and also having their husbands beat them. We are going to be sharing with them truths and encouragement to uplift their self esteem. They are God's beauty's and will know that by the time our week is up.

The 2nd week is a new addition. We will be scouting out the northern part of india visiting orphans and widows as well as connecting with a pastor there to do some prophetic intercession, which is basically praying and asking God what He think about the territory, getting His heart, and releasing it through prayer or a prophetic word. It's incredible how God speaks through this. I have seen people get people's names, healings, locations, and so many other things come to pass by doing this. God LOVES to speak to us and help us! :)

Another things we will be scouting for is connections in business to sell some Indian products to go towards funding to assist local groups who are pulling girls out of the slave trade. THIS really moves my heart!!

More news to come on this soon!

Possession VS Control

possess |pəˈzes|
verb [ trans. ]
1 have as belonging to one; own

control |kənˈtrōl|
noun
1 the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events : the whole operation is under the control of a production manager | the situation was slipping out of her control.

So this is simple, but mind boggling. I believe we are meant to be possessed by Jesus, not controlled. I think that the religious spirit convinces us that the things it says is "god," but completely is an EXTERNAL source that has an agenda to control us and keep us bound in WORKS and OUR OWN righteousness.

I believe that the FREEDOM that is found in the Spirit is found in a submission to Jesus where He actually lives in and through you. Where we become ONE. . . not just in the sense of His Spirit residing in us, but coming out in a way where we are changed and those around us are changed. Where LOVE rules in our hearts, minds, and souls. . . not just in word, but in deed as well AND comes from a sincere place. A place where we actually believe what we say and what we have hear. . . not just speaking Christian verbage, but release a POWER. I believe that POWER is LOVE, put plainly.

Can we be so possessed by LOVE that IT rules us rather than the fallen nature of man? Outside substances only dictate the outside of a person. . . they do not sink in. It is the internal properties of a human being that governs oneself. . . I believe in possession, not control. Simply put and simply desiring.

Thoughts?

Worship a Person?

Today while I was running, Jesus and I were chatting. He said that many people end up becoming co-dependant and/or worshiping a person instead of the Lord. I know I've done it before, especially in high school. Well, Jesus said that it was because what people were not receiving from the church, from religion, they were looking for elsewhere. . . intimacy, value, understanding, appreciation, ultimately relationship.

We were intended to worship a person, His name is Jesus Christ. Where ever religion has replaced relationship I'm pretty sure you will find people worshiping people or perhaps a job, an idea, or activity. John 17 talks all about how Jesus wanted us to be one with Him and PaPa. . . we were never meant to be far from Him. Our DNA screams for relationship.