Wednesday, July 23, 2014

THE UNSTOPPABLE WORSHIPPERS - PART 1

Charles Wesley 
The year was 1744, and hymn writer Charles Wesley was in Leeds, holding a prayer meeting in an upstairs room. Suddenly there's a creak in the floorboards, followed by a massive crack, and the whole floor collapses. All 100 people crashed right through the ceiling into the room below. The place was in chaos - some were screaming, some were crying, some just sat in shock. But as the dust settled, Wesley, wounded and lying in a heap, cried out, "Fear not! The Lord is with us; our lives are all safe." And then he broke out into the Doxology, "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow." Perhaps a bizarre choice of song, considering what's just happened. But there's the point - while everyone else was still licking their wounds, the heart of this unstoppable worshiper was responding with an unshakeable praise.

Unstoppable worshipers will never quit when it comes to adoring God. Faced with opposition, danger or even death they just keep going. We're told of worshipers in the early church who, more than simply enduring, actually rejoiced "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41). 

King David
True worship often meets with opposition. Take the life of king David. His first triumph was a powerful public act of unstoppable worship. The giant Goliath had put fear into all Israel, and the whole nation was afraid to stand up against him for the honour of God's name. Then in came David - too small for a suit of armour, and as Saul told him, still only a boy. Yet this passionate lover of God can't stand to see the armies of the Living God made a fool of, and he walked out onto the battlefield so that "the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel" (1 Samuel 17:46).Goliath despised him (verse 42), but, anointed by God and driven by passion for the Lord, king David overcame. The worship of God wins the day!

Rachel ScottThe story of Rachel Scott, a teenage victim of Columbine High School (USA) tragedy. It's another powerful tale of unstoppable worship. On 20 April 1999, two bitter twisted students entered the grounds of the school with guns and explosives, planning to wreak havoc. One of the grudges they were bearing was against Christians, and when they found Rachel Scott that grudge was made very clear. The killers shot her twice in the legs and once in the upper body. As she struggled to crawl away to safety, they pulled her up by the hair, and asked, "Do you believe in God?" They thought they'd won the battle; expecting her to back down from her faith with whimpering "no". But this bleeding, unstoppable bravely affirmed, "You know I do." Furious with that answer they yelled, "Then go be with Him" and shot her right through the head." 

Imagine the heart of God in that moment, as one of His precious worshipers threw her life on the line for His glory. In a gruesome moment of decision, she chose His honour over her survival. And if it affects us so much, imagine what effect it must have on the heart of Jesus.

Stephen of ActsThe story of Stephen's stoning in Acts 7 sheds some more light on this. He puts his life on the line, proclaiming Jesus to cold hearts that don't want to hear, and rebuked them for their religious pride. But just before they stone him to death, God allows Stephen an amazing depth of revelation - perhaps to help this first Christian martyr stay strong to the end. Stephen was allowed a glimpse of heaven's throne room, and saw Jesus 'standing' at the right hand of God. The odd thing here is that Jesus was standing. every other time in the New Testament we read of Jesus at the right hand of God, He's sitting down. So why is He standing now? Smith Wigglesworth's explanation: though usually seated at the right hand of God, this time Jesus gets to His feet to honour and spur Stephen on in his courageous act of worship!

The unstoppable worshipper lets nothing hinder them in their quest to glorify God. Whatever "goliaths" come their way, they walk out onto that worship battlefield and take their chances. They do not shrink back in times of trouble, but instead raise a spirited psalm of trust, obedient and praise!
(an extract from: The Unquencable Worshiper by Matt Redman)

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

THE PRAISE SERIES (PART 20) - Praise Him For Those "Black Dots!"

"It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp" Psalm 92:1-3

No matter what the source of the evil, if you are in God and surrounded by Him as by an atmosphere, all evil has to pass through Him before it comes to you. Therefore you can thank and praise God for everything that comes, not for the sin of it, but for what God will bring out of it and through it. May God make our lives thanksgiving and perpetual praise, then He will make everything a blessing. We once saw a man draw some black dots. We looked and could make nothing of them but an irregular assemblage of black dots. Then he drew a few lines, put in a few rests, then a clef at the beginning, and we saw these black dots were musical notes. On sounding them we were singing: 

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost"

There are many black dots and black spots in our lives, and we cannot understand why they are there or why God permitted them to come. But if we let God come into our lives, and adjust the dots in the proper way, and draw the lines He wants, and separate this from that, and put in the rests at the proper places; out of the black dots and spots in our lives He will make a glorious harmony. Let us not hinder Him in this glorious work! - C. H. P. 
"Would we know that the major chords were sweet,
If there were no minor key?
Would the painter's work be fair to our eyes,
Without shade on land or sea?"
"Would we know the meaning of happiness,
Would we feel that the day was bright,
If we'd never known what it was to grieve,
Nor gazed on the dark of night?"

Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.- C.H. Spurgeon When the musician presses the black keys on the great organ, the music is as sweet as when he touches the white ones, but to get the capacity of the instrument he must touch them all.- Selected
(An extract from - Streams In The Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowan)

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

THE PRAISE SERIES (PART 19) - MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE


GREAT IS THE LORD
AND MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE
1 Chronicles 16:25
 
God is not just WORTHY of praise, He is MOST WORTHY of praise. In other words, whatever praise we can give Him, He deserves it. We cannot overestimate His worth because He is worth more than anything.

Think of how that applies to our lives. We might wonder if it's worth giving up possession or a habit for Him, but if He's worth more than anything, the answer is clear. We might consider giving up our career or our ambitions for Him, and we wonder if it will be a worthwhile gift. But if He's worth more than we can imagine, it is. We may wonder if our praise, worship, and sacrifice will be worth the payoff to us, but we're asking the wrong question. Whether it's worth it to us is not the point; He's worthy of it. That's all that matters.

There is no greater investment than God. Whatever we can give to Him, pour out of our hearts to Him, lay down before Him, and do for Him, it's a profoundly worthwhile offering because it is directed toward a profoundly WORTHY GOD. No gift is lost on Him. No sacrifice for Him is ever considered unimportant in His eyes.

Consider what you have to offer Him. Your obedience? It is never about earning His favour; it's about offering your best. Your purity? It isn't because He's a Joy-Giver but because He wants you for Himself - and He deserves you. Your possessions? They are meaningless trinkets in His eyes, and He wishes you could loose your grip on them. Your time? You have an eternity before you; there's no need to spend time on yourself. Your talents? He gave them to you so that you could worship Him in ways no one else can. Your relationships? The God of relationships wants to demonstrate His peace and His love in them.




What are you holding on to? Lay it down. Give it to Him. It's right to do so. He's worthy of whatever you have.
(Extract from - Worship The King by Chris Tiegreen)
 "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" - Revelation 5:12

Wednesday, July 02, 2014

THE PRAISE SERIES (PART 18) - Praise Him For His Royal Throne

"But You Are Holy,
Enthroned In The Praises Of Israel"
Psalm 22:3

Another important principle in praise is the enthroning principle. The Lord inhabits, or dwells in; or is enthroned upon our praise.
In other words, our praises become a throne for our King. All the authority and majesty of the King is present in our most humble offerings. When we stop to think about that, it is awesome! He could choose to sit on some glorious planet somewhere that He created just for Himself - with sights and sounds that far exceed aything we could ever imagine. Instead, He is seated with us as we minister praises before Him. He has chosen us. We are the objects of His longing. We are His preferred dwelling place. When we praise Him, we become the sweetest and most desirable place for the Lord to dwell.
As we worship, we can sing praises over nations, cities and governments. We have the royal authority to proclaim God's dominion and kingdom in places far and near simply by lifting our voice and giving glory and honor to our King. He Who is enthroned in our praise will make Himself known through us. His glory will fill the earth as His glory fills and flows through the praises of His people.
 

God Inhabits In The Praises of His People

PRAISE HIM FOR HIS ROYAL THRONE
Psalm 93:2 - Praise Him for His throne is established from time immemorial
Psalm 22:3 - Praise Him for He is enthroned in the praises of His people
Revelation 5:13 - Praise Him for He is enthroned in heaven (Psalm 11:4)
Psalm 9:4 & 7 - Praise Him for He judges from His throne
Isaiah 6:1 - Praise Him for His throne is high and lifted up
Matthew 25:31 - Praise Him for His throne is filled with glory
Hebrews 1:8 - Praise Him for His throne is forever and ever
Psalm 89:14 - Praise Him for His throne is founded on righteousness and justice (Psalm 97:2)
Isaiah 16:5 - Praise Him for His throne is established on mercy
Daniel 7:9 - Praise Him for His throne is a fiery flame
Revelation 4:3 - Praise Him for His throne is surrounded by rainbow
Revelation 4:5 - Praise Him for His throne is surrounded by lightning, thunder and voices
Revelation 5:11 & 12 - Praise Him for His throne is surrounded by a hundred million worshiping angels - plus thousands upon thousands
Isaiah 40:22 - Praise Him for He sits enthroned on the circle of the earth
(an extract from: Praise Him by Vivien Hibbert)