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I Feel Like A Stranger Sometimes

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As of late I have continued to reiterate an important lesson about entering into fellowship with other Christians in church, and that is: the way you worship God and obey him in your callings will leave you feeling like a stranger in a foreign land (and that’s okay!).

Our ministry has called us to go into a variety of venues, denominations and people. The varieties and traditions of worship that churches and other facilities have range in a great spectrum that starts from being completely reserved with inward expression to outward showings that are very vocal and visual. In short, we have just about seen every possible worship that you can around people that love God. And no matter the venue or place it is truly evident (and discernible)  that when you are within a place or people that truly love God you can feel it. I am going to share something that is rarely shared or talked about openly. You see, there can be moments arise throughout your walk with God where you will find yourself in a conflict of disagreement when either hearing of or observing a style of worship that may vary from yours. This happens so much, especially in the current passive generation, that praise and worship has now been reduced to only being valid in certain windows of opportunity and seldom accepted if beyond the depths of a person’s comfort level. People that are not very adopting of others actions in church typically exert the behavior of talking about what they see in a negative context, putting down and not attending churches where they do not agree, and of course never operating in that type of expression. Trust me, as a minister I have more complaints about what people did not like versus what they actually enjoyed. The results may surprise you more than you know!

Here is one nugget from the word that I must share: While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. (Psalm 146:2). A comparison often unused in the bible is that David, being a strong man of war, was humbled not only by the love in his heart but by his open expression of worship to those around him. There are some of you “tough guys” out there that would be interested to know that this same David danced in the streets in public with the cause of magnifying God!

For me personally I love to express my love for God in a very radical way. I also want to note that this was not always the case either! In fact, I was very backward and sort of an introvert when it came to any expression of my love for God. You may have caught me to be barely willing enough to admit that I even go to church somewhere. You may have also caught me being in question of other people. The sad part of all of this is not that there are people that are missing out on worship, but that there is so much objection to the joy of worship. When did the day ever come where people stopped enjoying their ability to be thankful?

All that I know today is that I will continue in what I enjoy. I will not hold anything against anyone about their worship, whether it be quiet or radical or not at all. I will continue in serving God and fulfilling my every happiness in the joy of serving him. As it was written in the bible, I will let the praises be continually in my lips. But most importantly, I will always continue to outwardly (and radically) express to the God I serve how thankful I am for all the amazing things that have been done for me. It may make me feel like a stranger in a foreign land, but I am still God’s no matter where I may roam.

Always encourage worship, and encourage others by yours! Please do not be a stumbling block to someone on their way to their breakthrough; be a stepping stone by showing them the depth of your thankfulness to God outwardly!

Don’t Be Afraid Of Stepping Out On Faith

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I literally had a conversation today with Rebekah about sometimes looking back on our obedience and sometimes feeling silly in the moment while it’s going on. Now I know that we are not the only two people out there in the world working in a ministry that have reservations when it comes to stepping out of the comfort zone of doing something that seems out of the ordinary! When I consider the word of God on this topic, it talks about using the foolish things to confound the wise. In trying to piece some meaning to it all, I realize that a person might be stepping out more and more in the ministry and looking silly to some (and even crazy and out of line to others), but the part that matters is that we are making a difference and reaching out and touching lives with the work and ministry of God that we have inside!

With that said, I encourage you to get more comfortable about being uncomfortable. Be able to reach out to those (friend and stranger) and don’t let your obedience waiver in either case. Let your heart and soul pour out into your ministry and let God shine and be glorified! In doing so, people will walk away having an experience that will either draw them to God or will have them thinking about God! For when God is magnified in our lives through service, it is definitely the subject matter and not what you were doing to amplify God! And always remember when you run into situations where you have some who criticize what you do, don’t run from confrontation. It doesn’t matter where you attend to go to a service; there are always going to be people that will be afraid of stepping out of their comfort zone. You have to be an example by leading them into it! Simply encourage them to obey God and to help reach out. The more, the merrier!

Don’t be afraid of stepping out on faith! That’s how you build your ministry, your church, your family, and your life!

 

Somebody Is Praying

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Psalm 6:9 – The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.

Jonah 2:7 – When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

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I am sure that we all have read in various places the bible about how God never leaves us nor forsakes us and that He will be there always even until the end, right? That encourages me when I begin to think about that! It reminds me that there are angels encamped all about me, always watching over me and taking care of me each and every day. I have a word just for you: God has a special plan for you, no matter how you see the outcome of your life each day. The plan never changes, yet our perspective often does.

Whether we ever come to discover it or not, be reminded today that there is someone praying for you! Someone may have given you this to read. There may be a possibility that you may never grace church doors but that does not stop people from calling out your name in prayer! It might not be anyone that you even know; for it could be a friend or a complete stranger! Nonetheless, God calls people each and every day in the gift of prayer, and it is becoming a growing calling in the day that we are living. The question you may be asking is, how do you know? I would have to say because the needs of those around us are growing greater each day and the concern of Gods people is growing more and more.

Know that we love you and are praying for everyone out there! More than that know that God loves you unconditionally and whosoever will come can come to the Father for salvation and eternal life!

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Put Into Practice:

Take a moment today to pray for everyone but yourself. I know you may be thinking, “but what about all the things that I may need?!?” I realize that it takes a lot for us to put ourselves out of the way on the behalf of others, but God is really trying to get us to get to that place. Let me explain:

You see, the revelation that God gave me a long time ago was when I began to obey Him and to help others that not only their lives would be blessed but mine would be for the efforts also. I could very well only pray and praise for me at church, but there is so much more to give and use of the love of God that lives inside of you! Now? I may be in the altar working for an hour before I give my aching head any thought and by the time I am done my headache has passed with the virtue of healing. I may also be preaching or singing to encourage others and all of my fears and worries of trials in my mind just melt away. That is the beauty of when obedience meets the power of life and faith that is living inside of you! Let it come alive!